CHEVROLET’S engine problems in Darwin are having a knock-on effect on Brad Jones Racing’s preparations for next weekend’s NTI Townsville 500.
Three Camaros received unexpected engine transplants during the Hidden Valley weekend, headlined by Erebus Motorsport changing the motor in Brodie Kostecki’s #1 car after persistent problems on Saturday.
Matt Stone Racing also changed an engine in Nick Percat’s car as a precaution after the Saturday race, as did BJR on Jones’ #96 car.
All three engines had been freshly rebuilt by KRE Race Engines, the control supplier for Chevrolet Supercars teams, prior to the Darwin round.
“We had a bit of swarf (metal filings) in the oil filter, which is never ideal at any time,” Jones explained on the new episode of the Brad Jones Racing Run Down podcast.
“It looked like that came from the thrust bearing, and after talking to KRE … it looks like we didn’t do a whole lot of damage to the engine but the bearing was starting to fall apart, which is where the metal filings were coming from.”
KRE has since identified the cause, Ken McNamara telling V8 Sleuth last week that it was due to a new-spec thrust bearing.
The company is now rectifying impacted engines by installing the previous-spec thrust bearing.
“We’ve sent five engines up to Brisbane, which is where KRE is, to get them all checked over (or) swapped if needed,” Jones explained.
“That’s probably hindering our prep for Townsville a little bit as we don’t have enough engines to do all the setups in all the cars in the timeline that we want.
“It’s kind of making that push back a little bit, but that’s part of the game.”
BJR’s trucks are scheduled to leave Albury on Saturday to make it to Townsville in time for Wednesday’s transporter parade.
