Prepping myself and car for first trackday

[Quail]

Its running ~300 bhp. It has uprated pads (Redstuff all round :wack: ), and has good tyres (Yokohama SO36s). Will I need to do anything special to prep it for the track?

Me and my dad are taking it on it's first trackday after Christmas -

Either this one:

http://www.motorsportvision.co.uk/brands-hatch/trackdays/trackdays-car-novice.asp

Or one that he said he has found at Silverstone.

Any advice would be great, we're both total n00bs. Is there noise regs at either of the tracks? If there is, we'll have to take the Z33, the S is stupid loud :(

[Jon]

and has good tyres (Yokohama SO36s). Will I need to do anything special to prep it for the track?

Get some cheap teflon tyres and have a laugh :)

[Richy_Boy]

There's already several threads about this.. I know because I was a n00b myself until this year :nod:

Basically, turn your power right down, you don't need it to have a good time on track as frankly commitment, driving style and handling make the day. Whether you car can get to 40-60 quicker than anything else doesn't matter if you loose 30mph on the corners.

As for car prep.. check fluids, tyre tread depth, brake pads (yes, you'll take plenty of pad off ;) ) and general condition. My car is 'stage 1.5' ish but I turn my boost down to ~13psi for track days for safety.

My 200 has held up excellently on track and it's simply wonderful :ghey: to be able to drive back home in the same car you have been tracking earlier on.

Oh, and you might want to consider an oil cooler if you don't have one already.. I was hitting 135c Deg in the summer months :eek:

Rich

[bren]

The majority of tracks have noise limits. If your cars particularly loud then youre going to struggle pretty much anywhere you go unless you find a 'noisy day'.

[dhracer]

Silverstone didn't do any testing when I was last there - Their official noise limit is 106dB @ 0.5m, 45° from Exhaust, ¾ max RPM so nothing to worry about for most

[Parker]

I've not seen Silverstone or Brands do any noise testing :)

I wouldn't mess about with your boost as it will throw your map out a bit (assuming you have remap), just take it easy and have fun.

There's a beginners guide in this section somewhere...

[ian_t]

you need an oil cooler and some very cheap tyres or part worns. also some ferodo ds2500, and new brake fluid, new engine oil.

otherwise youll fry your engine in 20mins and your tyres in 1 hour. You can only use good road tyres if it rains :nod:

also boost stock IC - no more then 7psi, uprated full length - no more then 12psi on stock map, maybe get away with 14psi on a stock turbo with a good map anything after that the turbo blows very hot air.

[Richy_Boy]

Why would turning the boost down put the map out? :confused: I thought you mapped a car UP TO 'x'psi, but anything less is fine...?

I'm likely to be wrong though, of course.

Rich

[ian_t]

i would turn it down, if it is out then it should be out in a good way surely.

pluss you wack in 99ron and octane boost for track

[DanS14]

Just make sure you keep your track sessions sensible - i.e 10/15mins each.

That should ensure you don't overheat the car/tyres. Always a good idea to check your temp gauges often - perhaps pick a spot on track to remind you each time you pass it, to glance down and make sure they are reading ok

Recheck your tyre pressures before heading out again (typically run them 3 or 4 psi higher on track than normal).

Just enjoy it!

[jacks300zx]

make sure everything inside the car is secure, dont want to go sideways into a corner and have your dolly parton collection go flying across the inside!

[Quail]

Cheers for the advice so far.

Its just had a full oil & filter change - Castrol 10w40 ok?

About the cheap tyres - will traction not be an issue? The tyres on their are pretty much middle of the road - I dont mind if they get worn out, the car hardly gets driven atm as i'm down south.

Its worth investing in an oil cooler? I might get an oil temp gauge at the same time?

Its running FMIC and stock map, I'll lower the boost for the track.

[spin-king]

TAKE SPEAR BELTS.

Also oil power steering fluid brake fluid dot 4 and above.

What i do when i visit a track for the 1st time is take it easy in the morning and learn the track then in the afternoon have alot of fun.

I tend to do airfield days like elvington more than trackdays as there isnt anything to hit on a airfield.

[ian_t]

Cheers for the advice so far.

Its just had a full oil & filter change - Castrol 10w40 ok?

About the cheap tyres - will traction not be an issue? The tyres on their are pretty much middle of the road - I dont mind if they get worn out, the car hardly gets driven atm as i'm down south.

Its worth investing in an oil cooler? I might get an oil temp gauge at the same time?

Its running FMIC and stock map, I'll lower the boost for the track.


definatly very worth getting a oil cooler, and oil temp very important :) otherwise after about 10 mins you either have to stop or youll warp the block and blow a HG. About 12psi should be fine with your setup, the more power you want to run on track the bigger teh turbo, stock tubby is fine doing 17psi for short bursts on the road but its blowing very hot air so on track things heat up too much :) . Crazy people might go to 14-15psi but it aint worth it ;) going fast on track is more about maintaining speed rather then out and out power, unless your on a mahoosive track.

[Quail]

definatly very worth getting a oil cooler, and oil temp very important :) otherwise after about 10 mins you either have to stop or youll warp the block and blow a HG. About 12psi should be fine with your setup, the more power you want to run on track the bigger teh turbo, stock tubby is fine doing 17psi for short bursts on the road but its blowing very hot air so on track things heat up too much :) . Crazy people might go to 14-15psi but it aint worth it ;) going fast on track is more about maintaining speed rather then out and out power, unless your on a mahoosive track.

Good stuff, cheers mate.

Ive requested an oil cooler kit for Christmas from my dad :nod:

Thermostatic sandwich plate recommended?

[JuZ]

Just make sure you keep your track sessions sensible - i.e 10/15mins each.

That should ensure you don't overheat the car/tyres. Always a good idea to check your temp gauges often - perhaps pick a spot on track to remind you each time you pass it, to glance down and make sure they are reading ok

Recheck your tyre pressures before heading out again (typically run them 3 or 4 psi higher on track than normal).

Just enjoy it!
I agree 100% with Dan, no need to go shelling out large sums of money on parts for the car :no: Just get out there and have fun :nod:
If you develop a taste for trackdays, which I suspect you will :D then worry about preparing your car for longer, harder sessions :thumbs:

[Vova]

You don't need a oil cooler if you use good oil IMO. Good oil, with a big viscosity bandwith works properly, even at very high temperatures because it is designed too.

Your oil isn't the best. 10W60 is perfect, or 15W60 from a A-brand.

[Yak]

Ive got to agry with Vova on this one. You dont need a oil cooler unless your planning on really caining the car and doing marathon sessions or dont have a very good quality oil.
Give it a change with a high quality fully synth before you go and it will be fine. Ive been using the sylcoline 10-50 and when its been tested showed no brake down or ware after trackdays.
And more to the point if what Ive seen with most people on their first trackdays, its you that gets the most stressed not the car and you will need to come back in after 10 -15 mins. :nod: (asuing you dont turn into a lunatic). For your first trackday you wont need one.

[Vova]

And more to the point if what Ive seen with most people on their first trackdays, its you that gets the most stressed not the car and you will need to come back in after 10 -15 mins. :nod: (asuing you dont turn into a lunatic). For your first trackday you wont need one.

Yes indeed very true! 10 mins is allot of stress, especially at 'The Ring'!

[Richy_Boy]

Ive got to agry with Vova on this one. You dont need a oil cooler unless your planning on really caining the car and doing marathon sessions or dont have a very good quality oil.

When on track days this summer my oil gauge was hitting 135oC at ~13psi (stage 1.5 ish). I had to back off to allow it to cool.. not overly long session either. (and no, my cars no stuffed, nor do I cain it to death).

I was running Silkolene 10w50 which has a temp ceiling of about 140oC I seem to recall? If you have a dedicated track car then sure, go for it, but to potentially risk the health of my daily driver by cooking the oil wasn't on my list of things to do :)

Obviously more experienced trackers should be listened to over my though...

edit: it's worth pointing out my oil temp gauge might be shite :wack: and it's located on a sandwich plate which reads higher - apparently :D

Rich

[Yak]

Aye, when people quote oil temps its usually the sump temp they mean and almost every one on here measures it at the oil filter.
The thing is ive seen so many people have problems with oil coolers that in some ways its safer to not use one and just keep your sessions shorter.

[bren]

Ive not seen anyone have a problem with oil coolers failing or leaking bar me and thats because we ran sandwich plates back to back. The risk of an oil cooler springing a leak or failing is absolutely minimal yet the chances of cooking your oil are very high, most probable in fact. I cant see how its safer not to run a cooler :confused:

I would highly recommend you get some tuition late morning and then again in the afternoon, learning how to take the right lines will speed you up immensly :nod:

[jrtuning]

i think he might of meant oil not getting up to temp properly (if using one without a thermostatic sandwich plate) like i had on day to day driving, of course track is a different matter.

i would say for your first trackday especially with it being in winter and most likely very cold you shouldnt need an oil cooler really (if money isnt a problem and you may get one for xmas then it would definately bre a wise investment if you plan on continuing doing trackdays especially in the summer as the oil will get VERY hot then :nod:

would definately recomend oil pressure, temp and water temp gauges though and also advise you look at them frequently or get warning gauges :nod:

[bren]

Running the oil too cool is defo not a good thing :no:

[Yak]

Ive not seen anyone have a problem with oil coolers failing or leaking bar me and thats because we ran sandwich plates back to back. The risk of an oil cooler springing a leak or failing is absolutely minimal yet the chances of cooking your oil are very high, most probable in fact.

and SM and some one elce who I cant remember at the mo :wack: which is most of the people I know with oil coolers. But then there are probably plenty more who do run them with no problems.
What I ment was its their first trackday so wont be pushing that hard at all + it winter so colder and possibly wet. So Id say that the chance off cooking the oil is minimal and less than the small risk of a leek or over cooling the oil with a cooler installed.

Tuition realy does make a amazing amount of diffrence :nod:

[bren]

Yeah, but SM, come on now, you cant really use Mr B.Odgit as an example of reliable component install :D

[Yak]

Urm, yeah good point! LOL :clap:

Hang on since you suffered the same issue does that make you a relative of Mr Odgit? :p

[SM]

FU!

I have to say that I would only advise a oil cooler with a thermostatic plate, and a 92* thermostat. With the 80* thermostat it was hard keeping it at temp in winter, even with a lagged cooler. With the thermostat it was definatly sorted, although not actually tested in winter. Theres enough people running the 92* thermostats now, sure somebody can say if they are working in these colder ambients.

[bren]

Urm, yeah good point! LOL :clap:

Hang on since you suffered the same issue does that make you a relative of Mr Odgit? :p

Yep, Im also a muppet :wack:

[Chem200]

Guys where can i get a 92* stat from?

[SM]

http://www.sxoc.com/vbb/showthread.php?t=202342

This thread ;) Near the end, about £5

[Chem200]

Thanks Kev

Just been on the site and i cant seem to find them stat :confused:

*EDIT*

OT/1BHT

Oilstat 3/8"push on with 95oC stat for transmissions

£24.74 Is that the correct part?

[SM]

just contact them with the part number in the thread

Part#:WS92
Desc: Thermo Element 92/104oC 2580

[ex-ctr]

just contact them with the part number in the thread

Part#:WS92
Desc: Thermo Element 92/104oC 2580

do they fit brens sandwich plates [14 month old one]

[SM]

If you mean the thermostatic mocal sandwich plates bren uses with his kits yes.