First Test Session

[tacker]

Cant wait as friday we have our first practice session for the up and coming national production race series.

Will be the first time car has been out on track in months and the first time with the 8 point roll cage and the new adjustable front and rear upper control arms, replaced hicas with lock bar, and new be55's so i hope to see a big improvement.

Have also installed a second oil cooler in series with the original item, checked and replaced all the fluids in gear box etc etc.

One area i am not to sure about but i guess i will know after friday is the brakes. I have new slotted discs and project mu 900 pads, new dot 5 fluid brake stopper and nismo braded steel lines all round. And thanks to the pics on the gibson GTRs i have copied the brake ducting to all 4 wheels so i hope not to feel any fad. Time will tell on this one.

The Power fc has been tuned but i hope to improve that during the day as the car now carries a wide band lambada sensor so i can check during the 4 sessions. Removed the AC pump and coil so i get plenty of air through the radiator and install 2 very neat vents into the top of the bonnet to allow some heat to be removed from the engine bay.

Not sure what more i should look at before friday any suggestions would be welcome

[djr81]

Just make sure you have done all the things like:

Roaded (heat cycled) the tyres.

Bedded in the brake pads.

Made sure the engine tune is good.

Figured out you tyre pressure set points.

Basically try & remove from having to worry about all the things that can potentially distract you from concentrating on driving the thing and learning how to steer it around the track with the new set up.

[tacker]

Ok tyres have done about 300kms of road use....and its always bloody hot here

Front brakes have only done about 100kms so i think they could do with a little more so i will take care of that tomorrow morning at the track.

Engine tune is not purfect but the AFR are safe right through the rev range and i will work on these and the timing during the day.

Tyre pressures i am told about 32 all round with the Be55.

And thanks for the tips keep them coming.

Just make sure you have done all the things like:

Roaded (heat cycled) the tyres.

Bedded in the brake pads.

Made sure the engine tune is good.

Figured out you tyre pressure set points.

Basically try & remove from having to worry about all the things that can potentially distract you from concentrating on driving the thing and learning how to steer it around the track with the new set up.

[Duncan]

Well assuming it will be hot (lol) I would add power steering cooler, we have had a lot of trouble with power steer temps even in short races.

Also both front and especially rear diff get hot, and so does transfer case.

You probably can't sort it before then, but look in to adding more coolers over time, the gibson cars used to run them under the rear subframe for the diff and xfer case I think.

Not sure what Be55 is, over here we have Bridgestone Re55, if they are the same 32psi is spot on. Since you have adjustable camber, a tyre temp guage and checking inner v outer temp after each session will help tell you if you have the camber right.

Always torque your wheelnuts with a torque wrench. Don't overtighten them.

The main thing I have learned about race meets is make sure you have a race record sheet, you won't beleive how quickly you forget things.

Record stuff like starting and ending tyre pressure, ending tyre inner and outer temp, air or track temp, and notes on what happened during the race, how it handled, strengths/weaknesses v other cars.

[tacker]

Ducan,

Your corect they are Re55 and i have the harder of the 2 compounds we can get here, my mistake.

Yep i know what you mean about recording info before you forget it, i come from a karting back ground so i know how to fiddle with settings. I have a few of our kart team helping out today so all round if i can keep it straight i will be happy

[r33_racer]

re55's SR's hard compound...damn you will need to drop the pressure down more i reckon, cause you will be skaty especially if you have abit of power on tap. Especially if its hot that 32psi cold will grow very quickly to not far off 40psi.

Our gtst with re55s hard compound in summer in qld here used to grow anywhere from 5-8psi and 40psi is too hard for any circuit work, i learnt that the hard way. Unless a gtr reacts alot differently to a gtst with tyres/handling ability, but i wouldnt think so cause a hard overinflated tyre is still a hard overinflated tyre.

We used to run 25psi cold to start with and by the end of most races and the day we were back up around 32-35psi depending on which tyres and how much work they were doing.

[Duncan]

yeah sorry I meant 32 hot not cold....starting pressure should depend on # of laps, temp for the day etc etc

[tacker]

Yer i was talking hot pressure too and i use nitrogen to inflate the tyres to get rid of the increase of pressure.

Ok first day has been done and dusted, and i am very happy to report apart from a small oil leak i now need to chase down. We had a great day! Damn do the semi's make a difference!

What i need now is to get the tuning spot on now as we ran a standard map and there was plenty of black smoke i can tell you. And with AFR of 10 i still have some room for a bit more power.

And surprise surprise given that the day was 44 C i had no heat issues with either engine coolant or oil temps got to 93 on the coolant and 100 on the oil. Biggest surprise was the brakes, standard calipers, RDA slotted discs, dot 5 fluid, project Mu 900 pads and braded lines. Was funny each of the 4 x 20 minute sessions the pedal would drop at about minute 7 about an inch and then stay there but they were fine for the rest of the session.

Had a great run with a 997 turbo was nothing inbetween us the whole last session, i just hope with proper tune i will have him next time.

Was a great day though V happy!

[Duncan]

great to hear! especially about the heat problems we have had a fair bit of trouble with oil and coolant temps.

For sure the best way to save your brakes is to run good tyres and not brake as much

Good luck!

[tacker]

yep get the tune sorted and then the mid corner issue and we will be right there with the porka.

I also run 2 oil coolers in series to keep the temp down. Also the AC condensor coil is gone allowing lots of coolish air to come through. I have two temp gauges and both were about the same never above 93. Dont think we could have run in worse conditions as it was showing 44 on the car parked in the shade outside the pit.

Will post a pic or two just for any one who cares to have a look.

Edited August 26, 2006 by tacker

[tacker]

Just a few pic of the car in the aircinditioned pits

[r33_racer]

Damn do the semi's make a difference!

You will shit yourself then if you ever change from hard compound re55s to full slicks. We found about a good 2 second increase in lap times just from switching over to full slicks... but at 2g+ for a set its pretty exxy However, you accelerate quicker, brake later, push it harder through the corners, faster straight line speeds and gives you that general feeling of invincibility

[tacker]

Would love to but then would need bigger brakes, more HP and a second seat for the bank manager i thinks

[Duncan]

airconditioned pits eh? I'm lucky to have gravel instead of grass under the car in the pits over here!

[tacker]

Yer its a F1 rated track :-) ran the A1 here last year we only ran the national circuit which 4.3 km But the facilities are second to none as you can see.