some of the things you will have to deal with on the track are keeping the car cool and exhaust temps, I had plenty of issues with my miata's hot side, I ended up tig welding the manifold to the turbine housing and that helped, your trans,diff, and oil temps are all also going to shoot through the roof
Do you run a temp monitoring system? If so which one?
I was there too. I ran my accord and did a few laps in a Honda fit.
Scott P's honda fit? lol that was hilarious. Do I know you then? I'm a friend of his and we shared a garage.
He was chasing down n00bs with high dollar cars. Pardon the cell phone camera, the guy filming had to hide it from corner workers.
Mo, we need to hit the track again, what kind of times are you running in that car? Did you ever sell the Qstar thing?
Yea I sold the qstarz unit. IMO, better someone else than you. The software is complete shit, I wouldn't recommend it. Aim solo for similar price is the right stand alone lap timer that actually has good data analysis.
BUT, for a similar price, I run the Autosport Labs RaceCapture/Pro system. That's a nice complete setup with lap timing as well as analog and digital inputs so I've got my my gauges on an in dash tablet with datalogging, see in video below:
My best was a 2:36.4 at COTA. there is 3 more seconds in it and i intend to get them!
Do you run a temp monitoring system? If so which one?
I'd like to avoid as much trouble as possible.
I had a racepak with a 4 port USM for the temp sensors, I don't recommend that though. If you are crafty you can throw together a Arduino with an LCD shield and use that to monitor whatever with GM sensors.
As far as turbo/reliability, an Evo X is notorious for being a big heavy heat monster as it's turbo sits between the engine and firewall but I've managed it pretty well.
I'm running a v-banded precision turbo on my car so it doesn't suffer from the exhaust leaks more common with t3/t4 turbos as well as turbo bolts backing out.
My exhaust manifold is cast stainless which emits less heat compared to a tubular. Everything was ceramic coated but that shit didnt last. I run E85 so the exhaust runs about 200*F cooler. Despite all that I regularly lose heat shield bolts despite using Nordlock washers and red Locktite. Also I'm going to need to install water cooling to my TiAL wastegate because if heat kills the diaphram, the wastegate fails in a full closed position, yielding full boost which is not so good.
One of the negatives with a precision turbo is the lack of a watercooled center housing. Because of this my coolant temps never cross 200*F on stock cooling system BUT my oil temps suffered. I had touched 270*F a few times last weekend. I setup alerts on my RaceCapture system so I would take mid session cool down laps for the sake of the oil. I wasn't too worried about it as I jumped to 15w-50 just for this summer track day. I have a brand new mishimoto 3 core radiator but i think im gonna sell that off in favor of an upgraded setrab oil cooler.
I run Rotella T6 5-40 in all my track stuff and keep the oil temps to 250 or below with the setrab cooler that I use, 270 aint too bad esp with 15-50
yup, the engine calls for 5w-30 but I run a better 0w-40 year round. I only break out the 15w-50 if i'm going to beat the car up on a hot 90*F+ track day.
Craizie, the other thing you WILL need to address is brake fluid. You will want to flush the fluid annually at minimum and bleed before every track day. Nothing sucks more than boiling your brake fluid and losing the brake pedal and going off.
You want to use a good high temp fluid (something like Motul rbf600 at minimum, I use Torque RT700).
If this is a track car, then you will want a set of track compound pads but you can wait till after your first track day. You will find out on your first day what the weaknesses are then make changes.
Craizie, the other thing you WILL need to address is brake fluid. You will want to flush the fluid annually at minimum and bleed before every track day. Nothing sucks more than boiling your brake fluid and losing the brake pedal and going off.
You want to use a good high temp fluid (something like Motul rbf600 at minimum, I use Torque RT700).
If this is a track car, then you will want a set of track compound pads but you can wait till after your first track day. You will find out on your first day what the weaknesses are then make changes.
Thanks for the input. It currently has super blue racing fluid in it.
they dont make that anymore. it should be okay, your car is only 2200#s. it was never the best but beloved cause you could switch from blue to amber.
just keep an eye on temps and pedal feel. still bleed it before and make sure the fluid is fresh. brake fluid is hygroscopic so if it's been in the car for a few months, it's got some water in it.
Thanks for the input. It currently has super blue racing fluid in it.
That stuff alright? It was given to me.
I ran super blue for a little while, had to flush every 2 weekends with 260whp, 3100lb race weight, 13" Stoptech BBK, switched to some prospeed rs683 and I have a whole season on it, buy the best stuff you can find. I think The rt700 is the same or very very close to the rs683 that I am currently using. What size brakes do you have, cooling ducts?
I ran super blue for a little while, had to flush every 2 weekends with 260whp, 3100lb race weight, 13" Stoptech BBK, switched to some prospeed rs683 and I have a whole season on it, buy the best stuff you can find. I think The rt700 is the same or very very close to the rs683 that I am currently using. What size brakes do you have, cooling ducts?
No cooling ducts. The brakes are off a 1990 300zx - 4 pot.
They are quite a bit larger than stock and are a direct bolt on. Pretty common swap on the 240sx.
Bc my car is my daily, I switch from stoptech street pads to raybestos st43 track pads before a track day. While.I'm doing that I flush or bleed brakes. I just added brake cooling ducts before this last track day. Used the brakes harder than ever and am down ~50*F from last time on a cooler day.
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