6 Things To Do If You Want To Pass Autocross Tech Inspection
Proper prep means the difference between breezing through autocross tech inspection and sitting on the sidelines watching everyone else have all the fun. Cross these concerns off your list and get ready to race.
1. Battery
Tech inspectors are your friends. They want to keep you safe. Powermad dictators are rare among the breed and usually get yanked out, like the weeds they are, in short order. In fact, the more generous inspectors have been known to lend tools to competitors for easy fixes, and all of them will point you to the nearest parts store in a pinch. While technical inspection requirements vary somewhat from region to region, as well as between local clubs and SCCA events, the following list lays out the most common items on inspectors' clipboards.
The number one reason people get a fail at tech is for a floppy battery. As one inspector put it, "It amazes me the number of people with a 40-pound battery full of sulfuric acid that's held in by gravity and the cables. I have seen them with gouges in the case of spinning engine components.” Your battery needs to be completely secure. Inspectors will grab it and check for movement—if they can move it, you won't pass. Bungee cords aren't considered secure enough and will get you sent back to find a more solid solution. Battery trays deteriorate; plastic hold-downs age, fatigue, and crack, and fasteners back off. Occasionally, hardware gets put aside when changing batteries or battery sizes. Pop the hood and make sure everything is copacetic.
2. Throttle Return Springs
While you're under the hood, check your throttle return spring because—unless your car is drive-by-wire and doesn't have one— the tech police will check it too. Make sure it's there, it's connected, and it's strong enough to fully return/close your throttle. Tech people will check it manually if they can get to it. If it's buried under acres of plastic, they may just check it at the pedal. And some will check it in both places. One other thing to check while you are under there just for your own piece of mind—though some inspectors will have it on their list too—is brake fluid level.
3. Floor Mats, Hubcaps, and Loose Junk
Aside from loose batteries, having other parts hanging loose is the biggest fail category. Even secured floor mats need to come out. What stays put on the street isn't guaranteed to not come unbound and bunch up under your brake pedal when you are flying around cones. Subwoofer boxes are a common culprit. Speaker boxes are hefty and unless they are solidly mounted, they have to go. With that said, If you have cables hanging around, then tie those down and/or pull the fuse. Hubcaps and wheel trim rings need to come off too. When checking for loose items, don't forget your factory jack. Make sure it's not just lying around somewhere in the recesses of your vehicle, ditto for your spare tire. In fact, removing them both will shed a few pounds of dead weight.
4. Wheel Bearings/Suspension
Tech inspectors will grab your tires at 3 and 9 o'clock, and again at 12 o'clock, and wiggle them to check for slop. Apart from loose lugs, the most frequent fail here is any excessive wheel bearing play. Wheel bearings wear and if you miss a periodic check, autocross tech staff will catch it for you. Often, it can be fixed at the venue but if you need more grease, a special socket, cotter pins, or a replacement bearing, your day might be over. This check will expose other faults like loose ball joints, tie rod ends, and dangerously loose CV joints. Note that some inspectors will also check for excessive play/slop at the steering wheel as well.
5. Tires
While they are down there checking your suspension for play, your friendly tech people will check to make sure your tires are safe too. They might also note what tires you are running to make sure you are within the regulations for your class. Obviously, you can't have cord showing, and sidewalls should be in good condition and not cracked or bulging. If you are going autocrossing, this is a no-brainer because everyone knows tires are your best friend.
6. Leaks and Rust
Now we're getting into the grey areas. Inspectors will make judgment calls about whether your car is too rusty or too leaky to be safe for you and those around you. There should not be any rust that threatens the structural integrity of your vehicle. They don't want your car breaking in half, or more likely, a transmission cross member dropping down, or sway bar mount popping loose. And it just embarrasses all parties involved when your exhaust falls off mid-course. Likewise, though you may get by with a moist engine grime from a slow seep, inspectors don't want to see drips or a pool under your car. One inspector said he failed anything with a "larger-than-MGB-sized spot" under it.
For help with your maintenance and repair projects, please visit the how-to section on our sister site, MustangForums.com.