SFI Blower Certification Costs

I know it costs more as you go faster but I wasn't satisfied with how fast I was going so I bought myself a used PSI 206-C Screw Charger. The blower is fine with about 15 passes on it but if I want to run on a NHRA track I have to have it certified every three years. The cert was out so I called SFI and got the re-cert specs faxed to me, nothing outlandish there. After that, I called PSI and asked what a re-cert would cost and the answer was $1295.00. My chin just about hit my desk. That price was if no other work was done. I was told that SFI is making PSI prove to them that their blower is in spec every two years and that cost was passed on to the customer. So, I asked, how many times has a PSI Screw Blower blown up and I was told never from the fellow I talked to. So my question is why is this re-cert soooo expensive if nothing fails? Is this a ploy to make SFI money or is this because PSI has the market on the screw blower? Just crazy if you ask me, please help me understand this.

 

welcome to the wonderful world of screw blowers. it's their sandbox. . .I always thought it was hi-way robbery but didn't have much choice. . BUT how much a year did you spend in freshening the roots blower?

 

psi cert

I bought a used psi-d blower,that had been recerted,put in a box and never ran,or bolted on a motor,sat for 2 plus years in the box on the shelf and was out of cert by 2 months,called psi and was told they would have to go thru the recert process,same price! got it back with new tag.whether they even took it apart or did anything to it other than re-taging remains to be seen! it's all about the money!!!!!

 

But isnt all the SFI tag of the month pretty much the same thing

 

It's no wonder that car count is way down at all the races now in the TAD classes, who can afford this type of Highway robbery. The purses don’t ever go up but the costs of running a TAD go up do to all the new safety requirements and SFI increase every year. I am sure not looking forward to what NHRA has dreamed up for safety initiatives for 2011. But they will be implemented for my safety....
Greg Sereda

 

big pump

hey, tom ill trade u a 4-71 diesel blower for that whirlybird thing if u want! it comes with my own homemade certified straps!!!!!!!!! hate to ask what a repair cost? ive seen a few that were used like that, but after hearing a few horror stories like this, it actually saves u money to buy a new one, because its really 2k cheaper with the new certs!!!!!!! but you do have to ask why a 14-71 is still 10k? ill never figure that one out.

 

And the reason the call them a (SCREW) blower..dave

 

Just so you know, SFI doesn't see any of the money you are being charged outside of the cost of the sticker. If it is costing that much for a recertification, claiming SFI is making them prove every blower is to spec, then recertification must be a lengthy, labor intensive process. If they have to have anything analyzed by outside sources as well, then they are passing the added cost to them for the proof along to you. SFI may be the cause, but SFI is not getting your money.

 

I guess I could understand the certification costs if the full SFI 34.1 testing was done on each unit at each certification interval. My understanding of the process is that testing and certification to the SFI spec is of the original design. After that, why would you have to go through the whole design testing and certification again? I can understand an inspection for broken parts, worn bearings, modifications to the original design, etc. but can't understand why you would need to conduct all the tests required by the SFI spec over again. Do fire suit manufactures flame test each suit when they come back for certification or is it just an inspection? Bellhousings are just checked to see if they have been modified or damaged by a clutch explosion. They don't get explosion tested during re-cert to see if they can withstand an explosion, that testing is done during the design and initial certification stage.

I've asked around quite a bit and have not heard any recent issues or problems with the current screw chargers. This is true even in ADRL where the rules have been more liberal and these things have been pushed to the limit. PSI has engineered their piece into a great, trouble free unit. I've seen quite a few explosions and issues with Roots blowers. Why is there no SFI spec or inspection of a Roots supercharger?

The rules state that when you run a screw charger, you must run a SFI 14.21 restraint which of course includes the ballistic bag, a SFI 23.1 burst panel in both the blower and the manifold and aluminum studs (pretty close to the same as a Roots). With all this safety equipment around a unit that has a good history of staying together, why would we be so concerned?

Don’t get me wrong, I am all for safety but I think these units (because of all the mandated extra safety items mentioned above and history of reliability) should only be required to be certified when new.

Tom Dwyer

 

SureFiredIncome....politics...plain and simple. SFI makes no sense to anyone, except NHRA & SFI.

 

Will, Im looking for penny's on the floor...money on tables...were...and yes you are rite.Dave

 

I have to have a state license for my line of work. For a 4 year period it's almost $1,000. When people complained about the high fee it was explained that the state must collect enough money from the licensees to make the licensing board self sufficient. If PSI needs that much to stay in business, so be it. Otherwise the PSI supercharger would go the way of the Whipplecharger, which you can not run now because NO ONE will recertify them.

In the case of PSI, I think Will hit it on the head. The labor costs money, but there are other factors, too. PSI has their "you know what" on the line with each of these superchargers. Having said that I'm sure a portion of the recert fees are to cover the ongoing cost of liability insurance in case yours comes apart and kills someone. The cheaper alternative would be for them to tell NHRA they don't want anyone spinning them more than 60% over and won't be responsible if they do. That would stink.


If you look at the cost of recertiying a titanium bellhousing every year (plus freight and insurance both directions), or the clutch every year where they always find something wrong $$, or the license fees on your tractor trailer in comparison then you might agree the fee from PSI every 3 years is not exactly out of line.

RG

 

I think the screw blower is responsible for ushering in the skyrocketing costs of top alcohol to the point where we are now.

 

Screw blowers

I don't think the screw blowers ushered in the skyrocketing costs in drag racing. First of all they are only legal in the Top Alcohol classes so they didn't have anything to do with the rest of the classes. Years ago the TAFCs were allowed 125% over drive. That worked pretty good and nobody much spun their motors over 9600-9700 rpm. Then along comes the NHRA who lower the OD to 92% over. So to get the same boost the guys are are spinning the motors to 10200-10400. Thats what ran the costs up in the Top Alcohol classes. Crankshafts, connecting rods and valve springs suddenly became disposable parts. Dave Germain

 

That's not a bet. It's a sure thing.

And Dave Germain hit the nail on the head.

Cap...where are we now? I've been at this for 3 decades and have run both the roots and the screw. I would never go back to a roots. Restripping the roots blower every other run back in the day cost me a lot more than a recert every 3 years from a no maintenance PSI screw blower.

RG