Wednesday, November 21, 2012
Nonprofit
SOLD
Current SMOG and catted California exhaust manifold currently installed. RB header included with vehicle purchase but not presently installed.
Odyssey battery and K&N intake have been removed and no longer being sold with the car. They have been replaced with a Westco full size battery and the stock Mazda '99 intake assembly with a new K&N panel filter. Also, the 15x9" wheels have been sold separately.
Complete car plus all these extra parts included:
15x7.5 6UL (4) bronze, excellent condition, newer Toyos.
Spare NEW heater hoses (2) and NEW radiator hoses (2).
OBDII bluetooth diagnostic scanner code reader.
Spare stock ECU (BP4W).
Stock driver seat with sliders.
Race springs: pair 375# 2.5 dia 6", pair 430# 2.5 dia 7", pair 350# 2.5 dia 6".
OEM shifter assembly.
Federal exhaust manifold and midpipe.
Softtop Boot.
Factory service manual, well worn.
Monday, November 12, 2012
As Fate Would Have It...
There is a certain noise that a squeaky bed spring makes when you bounce up and down on a mattress. Who would have guessed it is the same noise that a failing drive shaft u-joint makes on a Miata.
Chasing the noise for a couple weeks, I first assumed the squeak was my newly installed AC belt/pulleys or the worn out brakes, so I replaced the brake pads on all four corners and while my hands were dirty I also installed my newly purchased radiator.
The squeak was still there and now my concerns focused on the clutch which is only a few months old. Amazed was I when my mechanic Rocky immediately diagnosed the u-joint problem as I backed into his shop.
Just an FYI, the noise is most prominent under deceleration and when driving in reverse, and when inspecting my faulty front u-joint there was barely any noticeable slop. The Miata's power plant frame keeps the driveline in shape so any wheel hop or vibration issues normally associated with a bad u-joint do not appear until the failure gets worse.
Unfortunately, the Miata u-joints are sealed and not easily serviceable. I purchased a new (rebuilt) replacement driveshaft from an on-line parts supplier that has new u-joints with zerk fittings and fully balanced ready to install.
I took a few days last weekend to help out instructing at Imagine Lifestyles, a supercar rental arrive-and-drive style event, and got a little left seat time couple of different Lamborghinis - LP560-4 Spyder and the LP550-2 Balboni (pictured). Great cars.
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| OEM front brake pads |
Chasing the noise for a couple weeks, I first assumed the squeak was my newly installed AC belt/pulleys or the worn out brakes, so I replaced the brake pads on all four corners and while my hands were dirty I also installed my newly purchased radiator.
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| A/C compressor and idler pulley |
The squeak was still there and now my concerns focused on the clutch which is only a few months old. Amazed was I when my mechanic Rocky immediately diagnosed the u-joint problem as I backed into his shop.
Just an FYI, the noise is most prominent under deceleration and when driving in reverse, and when inspecting my faulty front u-joint there was barely any noticeable slop. The Miata's power plant frame keeps the driveline in shape so any wheel hop or vibration issues normally associated with a bad u-joint do not appear until the failure gets worse.
Unfortunately, the Miata u-joints are sealed and not easily serviceable. I purchased a new (rebuilt) replacement driveshaft from an on-line parts supplier that has new u-joints with zerk fittings and fully balanced ready to install.
I took a few days last weekend to help out instructing at Imagine Lifestyles, a supercar rental arrive-and-drive style event, and got a little left seat time couple of different Lamborghinis - LP560-4 Spyder and the LP550-2 Balboni (pictured). Great cars.
Monday, October 29, 2012
Sticky Notes & Marana
Added ~35 lbs to the car by installing air conditioning that I previously removed only a year earlier. Also switched to the quieter Enthuza/Borla muffler which is a few pounds heavier.
Speedway Motors 2012 SCCA Solo Nationals Championships Music Video
Earlier transmission shifting issues were resolved by bleeding the slave cylinder.
My co-driver and I visited our Arizona friends at Marana for a two day autox event October 27-28 hosted by the Border Region SCCA. A large flat asphalt surface at the regional airport gains grip throughout the day as a line is created on the dusty surface. Great hospitality from the AZ crew and a couple fun and challenging courses make the 400 mile drive worth it, even though my AC went out and I killed the Toyos. RESULTS
PS. Try the bacon wrapped steak skewers at Boston's.
Rev limit reduced down to 7500 just to be easy on the engine. This engine has solid lifters and reportedly softer valve springs than the previous NA8 engine, and the shim on bucket design can be troublesome at extended rpm.
The car seems to turn better on left-hand turns, I think. Or it could be old tires. Difficult to know what is going on because of the extreme camber changes at Qualcomm's West lot and the SE lot drainage is poor leaving a dirty surface in select areas.
Marana is at 2600 ft. elevation but engine power felt quite good even with daytime temperatures in the high 80s. As the surface cleaned up and gained grip I was forced to deal with more and more understeer, probably mostly due to the worn out tires, nearly bald with 4K+ street miles and 170+ runs, and my lazy ass did not feel like raising the rear ride height to help the car turn. No water sprayer for tire cooling and air pressures were neglected.
I purchased a new radiator but it sits in a box in my living room. It is one of the few parts that has not failed...yet. Well, that and the timing belt. My AC failure at Marana was simply a tensioner pulley nut that backed out and the pulley fell off during saturday's event. No damage done, but I lost a spacer and had to wait till I got home to get a replacement washer and put it all back together.
Speedway Motors 2012 SCCA Solo Nationals Championships Music Video
Earlier transmission shifting issues were resolved by bleeding the slave cylinder.
My co-driver and I visited our Arizona friends at Marana for a two day autox event October 27-28 hosted by the Border Region SCCA. A large flat asphalt surface at the regional airport gains grip throughout the day as a line is created on the dusty surface. Great hospitality from the AZ crew and a couple fun and challenging courses make the 400 mile drive worth it, even though my AC went out and I killed the Toyos. RESULTS
PS. Try the bacon wrapped steak skewers at Boston's.
Rev limit reduced down to 7500 just to be easy on the engine. This engine has solid lifters and reportedly softer valve springs than the previous NA8 engine, and the shim on bucket design can be troublesome at extended rpm.
The car seems to turn better on left-hand turns, I think. Or it could be old tires. Difficult to know what is going on because of the extreme camber changes at Qualcomm's West lot and the SE lot drainage is poor leaving a dirty surface in select areas.
Marana is at 2600 ft. elevation but engine power felt quite good even with daytime temperatures in the high 80s. As the surface cleaned up and gained grip I was forced to deal with more and more understeer, probably mostly due to the worn out tires, nearly bald with 4K+ street miles and 170+ runs, and my lazy ass did not feel like raising the rear ride height to help the car turn. No water sprayer for tire cooling and air pressures were neglected.
I purchased a new radiator but it sits in a box in my living room. It is one of the few parts that has not failed...yet. Well, that and the timing belt. My AC failure at Marana was simply a tensioner pulley nut that backed out and the pulley fell off during saturday's event. No damage done, but I lost a spacer and had to wait till I got home to get a replacement washer and put it all back together.
Friday, September 28, 2012
Now What? (updated with less bitching)
Consider this the beginning of the end of this STR Miata drama. I do not feel like continuing with this build or advancing the car in any way, but I will continue to autox regionally until I figure out what my next big move is.
My decision is mostly based on the level of preparation required and cost involved to be at the pointy end of the field. The biggest major improvement needed is more power with a properly built first overbore engine tuned for E85. The Wootton car I drove at Solo Nationals had a fresh engine on pump gas and was noticeably more peppy than my car. Second improvement would be some fancy multi-adjustable race shocks because the more I learn and drive I am starting to see and feel the limitations of my Koni yellows. Having driven a Delrin bushing equipped STS Miata I know how well that works and want to make those improvements too. Still trying to keep the car streetable and a daily driver while creeping down the path to CSP is more than I can handle at this time.
Some of my results have been encouraging and I think I have learned what I needed to know and proved to myself and others what has been believed and said all along; the NB Miata in Street Touring Roadster can be somewhat competitive in the right hands.
Knowing what I now know and if I had a bigger budget, I would start an NB Miata build with a 2003 ClubSport or clone mostly because the VVT engine. Just an FYI for anyone that may be following along or interested in their own build....
I would hate to get rid of my 99 because it makes a good daily driver and should remain very reliable especially considering how many new parts have been replaced since I bought it eleven months ago. For daily driving and commuting comfort, my current idea is to re-install the air conditioning system, raise the ride height a little, and install my larger muffler.
Although officially not for sale (yet), I am open to offers and would be specifically interested in trading for an 87-88 Mustang Coupe V8 5 Speed, preferably clean and unmolested or with easily reversible modifications.
My decision is mostly based on the level of preparation required and cost involved to be at the pointy end of the field. The biggest major improvement needed is more power with a properly built first overbore engine tuned for E85. The Wootton car I drove at Solo Nationals had a fresh engine on pump gas and was noticeably more peppy than my car. Second improvement would be some fancy multi-adjustable race shocks because the more I learn and drive I am starting to see and feel the limitations of my Koni yellows. Having driven a Delrin bushing equipped STS Miata I know how well that works and want to make those improvements too. Still trying to keep the car streetable and a daily driver while creeping down the path to CSP is more than I can handle at this time.
Some of my results have been encouraging and I think I have learned what I needed to know and proved to myself and others what has been believed and said all along; the NB Miata in Street Touring Roadster can be somewhat competitive in the right hands.
Knowing what I now know and if I had a bigger budget, I would start an NB Miata build with a 2003 ClubSport or clone mostly because the VVT engine. Just an FYI for anyone that may be following along or interested in their own build....
I would hate to get rid of my 99 because it makes a good daily driver and should remain very reliable especially considering how many new parts have been replaced since I bought it eleven months ago. For daily driving and commuting comfort, my current idea is to re-install the air conditioning system, raise the ride height a little, and install my larger muffler.
Although officially not for sale (yet), I am open to offers and would be specifically interested in trading for an 87-88 Mustang Coupe V8 5 Speed, preferably clean and unmolested or with easily reversible modifications.
Monday, September 10, 2012
Oh Hail No
The week long 2012 Tire Rack SCCA Solo Nationals and Pro Finale has come and gone. I am very disappointed that my car broke down and I ultimately left the car in Utah with a final diagnosis being the fuel pump, specifically low pressure under load when hot. Fortunately, the Woottons graciously offered their STR 1999 Miata for me to drive at both the Pro and Nationals, even though neither of them was entered in the Pro. Too bad my car was absent because Wootton and I had already planned to swap cars at the Test and Tune to compare setups and try to advance the competitiveness of the NB Miata.
Without any practice time and a very slim chance for the overall Pro victory, I used the Finale to get familiar with the new car and offer my impressions of the setup as the car owner made a big spring and swaybar change just prior to this weekend. On Hankooks and nine inch wheels the launches were good and the car sweeps exceptionally well but can be a handfull transitionally and a light throttle touch was required to put power down upon corner exit. Hot weather and a unique course design may have affected the results but I thought I drove well. Pro Finale Results
Overall I thought the car was too loose at the Pro, so I was able to get a couple practice laps on the TnT course during the weekend and the car felt great. All three of our times were right there with the other STR cars and the balance was neutral. I figured that the nature of the Pro course design, car familiarity, and some over-aggressive driving on my part was to blame for the looseness and shifted my focus to the upcoming National's courses.
Tuesday's East course walked narrow and was visually deceptive but ended up being my favorite course of the week and the car performed excellent. I was relatively quick on my first run but knew there was more time out there. Second run was perfect until a braking issue before the Ring of Fire caused me to nearly come to a stop while punting two cones, but I was feeling good because I knew the leading times were within reach if I fix my mistake. As I exit my grid spot for my third and final run rain and hail begin to fall from the sky but the hot concrete (102F ambient) is basically dry. I arrive at the start line and held there for several minutes because the hail is triggering false trips for both timing lights while the rain briefly intensifies. The course is now damp, the thundercloud quickly passes, the bright sun re-appears, and then the starter waves the green flag. Ugh. The course fully dried in less than ten cars. 15th position after day one.
With over a second deficit from the East course, my goal for day two's West course was to simply maintain my position or move up into the trophies. Again just like at the Pro, the car's balance shifts slightly and the car does not behave as I expect but I manage to get within six tenths or so of the leader and I was happy with my driving. I move up several positions and land in the 11th trophy position. Solo Nationals Results
For the trip home, I hitched a ride West from a fellow competitor and picked up my stranded car first thing Monday morning from the St. George Mazda dealer. A new aftermarket fuel pump was sourced from a local parts store and I completed the install in about an hour at the hotel parking lot. The car ran flawlessly all the way home to San Diego.
Without any practice time and a very slim chance for the overall Pro victory, I used the Finale to get familiar with the new car and offer my impressions of the setup as the car owner made a big spring and swaybar change just prior to this weekend. On Hankooks and nine inch wheels the launches were good and the car sweeps exceptionally well but can be a handfull transitionally and a light throttle touch was required to put power down upon corner exit. Hot weather and a unique course design may have affected the results but I thought I drove well. Pro Finale Results
Overall I thought the car was too loose at the Pro, so I was able to get a couple practice laps on the TnT course during the weekend and the car felt great. All three of our times were right there with the other STR cars and the balance was neutral. I figured that the nature of the Pro course design, car familiarity, and some over-aggressive driving on my part was to blame for the looseness and shifted my focus to the upcoming National's courses.
Tuesday's East course walked narrow and was visually deceptive but ended up being my favorite course of the week and the car performed excellent. I was relatively quick on my first run but knew there was more time out there. Second run was perfect until a braking issue before the Ring of Fire caused me to nearly come to a stop while punting two cones, but I was feeling good because I knew the leading times were within reach if I fix my mistake. As I exit my grid spot for my third and final run rain and hail begin to fall from the sky but the hot concrete (102F ambient) is basically dry. I arrive at the start line and held there for several minutes because the hail is triggering false trips for both timing lights while the rain briefly intensifies. The course is now damp, the thundercloud quickly passes, the bright sun re-appears, and then the starter waves the green flag. Ugh. The course fully dried in less than ten cars. 15th position after day one.
With over a second deficit from the East course, my goal for day two's West course was to simply maintain my position or move up into the trophies. Again just like at the Pro, the car's balance shifts slightly and the car does not behave as I expect but I manage to get within six tenths or so of the leader and I was happy with my driving. I move up several positions and land in the 11th trophy position. Solo Nationals Results
For the trip home, I hitched a ride West from a fellow competitor and picked up my stranded car first thing Monday morning from the St. George Mazda dealer. A new aftermarket fuel pump was sourced from a local parts store and I completed the install in about an hour at the hotel parking lot. The car ran flawlessly all the way home to San Diego.
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| I found some shade in Barstow. |
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
On the road again...
So I sit here in a St. George, Utah hotel room with what sounds like Hurricane Isaac outside; hot, dusty, windy, thunder, hail, rain. We don't get much 'weather' in San Diego.
I am headed to Lincoln for Solo Nationals and I made it about 500 miles from home before I had a mechanical breakdown. I departed San Diego a day early so I could relax and explore a little with a scheduled stop in Vegas. Leisurely cruising up I15 on Wednesday morning just east of Nevada and the car starts to hesitate and cutout under load. First thing that comes to mind is the ECU, specifically the Greddy EMU piggyback, so I pull over and bypass the Boomslang harness which puts everything in stock configuration. Start and go and I notice it runs great for the first couple miles and then quickly gets worse again. Replace the cam angle sensor and check all connections and inspect AFM and throttle body. Briefly runs great again for a few minutes and then goes bad again. I am able to repeat this procedure a few times and limp it to the next safe exit and call for a tow truck.
St. George is a few miles away and the local Mazda dealer gets me in right away. Diagnosis is the ECU (fuel cut), but they do not have a spare one available to test and a new ($$$) ecu is days away. The car has cooled down a little again so it is happy for a few miles before the symptoms appear again; just enough time to get me to a hotel where I search for a used ECU. St. George Craigslist has nothing and a local junkyard search does not show any available computers for the NB1 Miata.
A tip from a friend leads me to Mike's Place, an Arizona automotive shop specializing in Miatas, and they are happy to work with me and overnight a BP4W ecu directly to the hotel here in St.George. However, the shipment is not guaranteed because of the remote (?!LOL) location and may not show up until Friday.
I also called Joe at Dynotronics (DPTune) and he was eager to help me also with an overnight delivery of another BP4W; this one being delivered directly to the local Mazda dealership with the hope that a business address may help make the overnite shipment a reality.
If all goes well and the diagnosis is correct, I will get the ECU installed before noon Thursday morning and continue my journey to Nebraska.
I am headed to Lincoln for Solo Nationals and I made it about 500 miles from home before I had a mechanical breakdown. I departed San Diego a day early so I could relax and explore a little with a scheduled stop in Vegas. Leisurely cruising up I15 on Wednesday morning just east of Nevada and the car starts to hesitate and cutout under load. First thing that comes to mind is the ECU, specifically the Greddy EMU piggyback, so I pull over and bypass the Boomslang harness which puts everything in stock configuration. Start and go and I notice it runs great for the first couple miles and then quickly gets worse again. Replace the cam angle sensor and check all connections and inspect AFM and throttle body. Briefly runs great again for a few minutes and then goes bad again. I am able to repeat this procedure a few times and limp it to the next safe exit and call for a tow truck.
St. George is a few miles away and the local Mazda dealer gets me in right away. Diagnosis is the ECU (fuel cut), but they do not have a spare one available to test and a new ($$$) ecu is days away. The car has cooled down a little again so it is happy for a few miles before the symptoms appear again; just enough time to get me to a hotel where I search for a used ECU. St. George Craigslist has nothing and a local junkyard search does not show any available computers for the NB1 Miata.
A tip from a friend leads me to Mike's Place, an Arizona automotive shop specializing in Miatas, and they are happy to work with me and overnight a BP4W ecu directly to the hotel here in St.George. However, the shipment is not guaranteed because of the remote (?!LOL) location and may not show up until Friday.
I also called Joe at Dynotronics (DPTune) and he was eager to help me also with an overnight delivery of another BP4W; this one being delivered directly to the local Mazda dealership with the hope that a business address may help make the overnite shipment a reality.
If all goes well and the diagnosis is correct, I will get the ECU installed before noon Thursday morning and continue my journey to Nebraska.
Monday, August 13, 2012
August Week 2
You can see the newly installed Racing Beat swaybar reinforcement blocks in the video below and they actually seem to work well. No more deflection from the factory swaybar mounts.
The blocks are crude, but effective. A better but more costly solution is the AWR brackets.
18 runs at the PCA autox Saturday on the Southeast lot at the Q. Video. The car feels really good. 28F 27R, low rear ride height, shocks stiff front; soft rear.
8 runs at the SDR-SCCA championship Sunday August 12th on the West lot and everything is working well except for the transmission which is having difficulty engaging reverse and 5th gear. Unable to catch the STR leader during class runs but picked up a half second during Time Only runs. Some slow corners at the start would benefit from first gear but I choose not to make the downshift for several reasons. Results will be posted soon.
The blocks are crude, but effective. A better but more costly solution is the AWR brackets.
18 runs at the PCA autox Saturday on the Southeast lot at the Q. Video. The car feels really good. 28F 27R, low rear ride height, shocks stiff front; soft rear.
8 runs at the SDR-SCCA championship Sunday August 12th on the West lot and everything is working well except for the transmission which is having difficulty engaging reverse and 5th gear. Unable to catch the STR leader during class runs but picked up a half second during Time Only runs. Some slow corners at the start would benefit from first gear but I choose not to make the downshift for several reasons. Results will be posted soon.
Monday, August 6, 2012
August Week 1
Up 30# rear spring rate but use the low ride settings to help maintain sweeper balance and transitional stability.
Ziptie on shock shaft has about 3/4" travel before bottoming. Plenty of droop travel also.
Near full tread Toyos squirm too much at El Toro and Lincoln but work well at Qualcomm. No excuses though as I need to focus on a Nationals concrete setup and forget what is fast locally. Three more autocross days this month at the Q will give me time to wear some more tread off the tires before the big show in Nebraska.
Currently 53 STR entries for Solo Nationals.
August 5th El Toro SCCA autox RESULTS. Deduct a half second from my times for tread squirm and my raw times put me close to some of the other notables, but several others were also scrubbing in full tread tires or testing setups. So basically I was slow again.
The video below is from the above mentioned autox and features the left front suspension. The course direction was counter clockwise. I will be buying and installing the Racing Beat swaybar reinforcement blocks this week.
Possibly looking for a co-driver for Solo Nationals and the Pro Finale. Contact me for details. mpheinitz@hotmail.com or mpheinitz@gmail.com
Ziptie on shock shaft has about 3/4" travel before bottoming. Plenty of droop travel also.
Near full tread Toyos squirm too much at El Toro and Lincoln but work well at Qualcomm. No excuses though as I need to focus on a Nationals concrete setup and forget what is fast locally. Three more autocross days this month at the Q will give me time to wear some more tread off the tires before the big show in Nebraska.
Currently 53 STR entries for Solo Nationals.
August 5th El Toro SCCA autox RESULTS. Deduct a half second from my times for tread squirm and my raw times put me close to some of the other notables, but several others were also scrubbing in full tread tires or testing setups. So basically I was slow again.
The video below is from the above mentioned autox and features the left front suspension. The course direction was counter clockwise. I will be buying and installing the Racing Beat swaybar reinforcement blocks this week.
Possibly looking for a co-driver for Solo Nationals and the Pro Finale. Contact me for details. mpheinitz@hotmail.com or mpheinitz@gmail.com
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
Farmington Pro Solo
Being thrifty (cheap) means that my old autox tires now serve daily driver duties; I hope it doesn't rain much on my trip to the SCCA Farmington Pro Solo. A San Diego local SSP competitior will be transporting my newish Toyo tires. At over 5000ft elevation, the McGee Park event site has a gradually sloped large rectangular asphalt lot suitable for two decent sized mirrored courses.
844 miles away, I will travel all day Thursday to get there and show up refreshed for practice starts and the welcome party on Friday afternoon. STR currently has 14 entries listed and is the largest non bump class. No boosted cars are eligible for the class so the altitude should wreak havoc equally on everybody's powerplant. Not sure how the clutch is going to like it though.
Not much room in the miata. With the pedals removed, the folding bike still barely fits.
Thrifty also means that I am not planning to develop the car any further at this time, and will just keep up maintenance and may possibly even re-install the air conditioning. And bolting on the quieter Borla muffler and mounting the stock driver seat between events will bring much welcome comfort.
Farmington ProSolo Results
The video above shows my first run of the weekend on the left side course. I was more agressive and able to hold a tighter line in the crossover during the later runs and aside from some cone trouble thought I drove really well, but K-Mo killed the class in the Bjorn MX5. Weather was sunny and hot. As expected, the nearly full tread Toyos felt a little squishy and delayed in the slalom, but not bad enough to give up eight tenths per side. Even the well-developed lightweight Toyota MR-S on sticker Hankooks could not keep pace with the bigger cars. Launching at altitude required a clutch dump at 4500 rpm giving just enough wheelspin to keep the clutch happy and resulting in 2.4-2.5 60ft times. Shifting to second is where I most noticed the lack of power due to the elevation.
For Saturday afternoon I raised the rear ride height 1/8" to help rotation. Tire pressures set at 28F, 27R.
844 miles away, I will travel all day Thursday to get there and show up refreshed for practice starts and the welcome party on Friday afternoon. STR currently has 14 entries listed and is the largest non bump class. No boosted cars are eligible for the class so the altitude should wreak havoc equally on everybody's powerplant. Not sure how the clutch is going to like it though.
Not much room in the miata. With the pedals removed, the folding bike still barely fits.
Thrifty also means that I am not planning to develop the car any further at this time, and will just keep up maintenance and may possibly even re-install the air conditioning. And bolting on the quieter Borla muffler and mounting the stock driver seat between events will bring much welcome comfort.
Farmington ProSolo Results
The video above shows my first run of the weekend on the left side course. I was more agressive and able to hold a tighter line in the crossover during the later runs and aside from some cone trouble thought I drove really well, but K-Mo killed the class in the Bjorn MX5. Weather was sunny and hot. As expected, the nearly full tread Toyos felt a little squishy and delayed in the slalom, but not bad enough to give up eight tenths per side. Even the well-developed lightweight Toyota MR-S on sticker Hankooks could not keep pace with the bigger cars. Launching at altitude required a clutch dump at 4500 rpm giving just enough wheelspin to keep the clutch happy and resulting in 2.4-2.5 60ft times. Shifting to second is where I most noticed the lack of power due to the elevation.
For Saturday afternoon I raised the rear ride height 1/8" to help rotation. Tire pressures set at 28F, 27R.
Monday, July 16, 2012
Seat Time
Wake up early Sunday July 1st and drive to El Toro to buy the used 15x7.5" Rotas from Jeff W. Not feeling well nor motivated so I compete out of class in the morning in CSM (California Street Modified) on the old Toyos. Only (ugh!) a half second behind STR class winner Max H. but he was using very old Dunlops.
El Toro Autox Results
Rear bearings in the upper shock mounts are loose and noisy due to a modification involving a welder that must have damaged the liner. Not a big deal at the moment, but new bearings are on the way.
Multiple slaloms and the world's most epic sweeper make up the July autocross weekend at the Q. A suggestion was made to have a slalom intensive course for the practice day on Saturday and the result was maybe a little too narrow and busy. A somewhat refreshing change from the typical road course type third gear stuff we have seen recently. I drove on my old 195 Toyos and all seemed to work well aside from a bunch of power-on oversteer. The usual Northwest corner sweeper was one of the best ever and flowed really well with a large fast off-camber downhill decreasing radius exit. Hot sunshine all weekend.
Sunday's championship event was mostly the same with a reverse flow and just as many transitions which should favor small cars including my STR Miata. The 180*+ sweeper was now on-camber uphill and nearly flatout. New full tread 195 Toyos finally get their first heat cycle in preparation for next weeks ProSolo and eventually Nationals. Run one, mold release. Run two, fastest. Run three and four I try too hard, get behind, slow down and cone. First place by a tenth with new tires and a favorable course. Sorry, no video from my car, but you can see video HERE from a street tire RX8.
Final San Diego Results
Lincoln AirPark is huge. A bicycle is good to have there and also comes in handy at smaller venues too. I bought a lightweight folding bike off craigslist that features 16" wheels, a magnesium frame, six gears, and a comfy seat. Weighing only 23 pounds, it folds quickly and easily and is small enough to fit on the Miata passenger seat, but a little too awkward and bulky to squeeze completely into the passenger footwell. Some folding pedals and minor dissasembly should make it fit better.
El Toro Autox Results
Rear bearings in the upper shock mounts are loose and noisy due to a modification involving a welder that must have damaged the liner. Not a big deal at the moment, but new bearings are on the way.
Multiple slaloms and the world's most epic sweeper make up the July autocross weekend at the Q. A suggestion was made to have a slalom intensive course for the practice day on Saturday and the result was maybe a little too narrow and busy. A somewhat refreshing change from the typical road course type third gear stuff we have seen recently. I drove on my old 195 Toyos and all seemed to work well aside from a bunch of power-on oversteer. The usual Northwest corner sweeper was one of the best ever and flowed really well with a large fast off-camber downhill decreasing radius exit. Hot sunshine all weekend.
Sunday's championship event was mostly the same with a reverse flow and just as many transitions which should favor small cars including my STR Miata. The 180*+ sweeper was now on-camber uphill and nearly flatout. New full tread 195 Toyos finally get their first heat cycle in preparation for next weeks ProSolo and eventually Nationals. Run one, mold release. Run two, fastest. Run three and four I try too hard, get behind, slow down and cone. First place by a tenth with new tires and a favorable course. Sorry, no video from my car, but you can see video HERE from a street tire RX8.
Final San Diego Results
Lincoln AirPark is huge. A bicycle is good to have there and also comes in handy at smaller venues too. I bought a lightweight folding bike off craigslist that features 16" wheels, a magnesium frame, six gears, and a comfy seat. Weighing only 23 pounds, it folds quickly and easily and is small enough to fit on the Miata passenger seat, but a little too awkward and bulky to squeeze completely into the passenger footwell. Some folding pedals and minor dissasembly should make it fit better.
Friday, June 22, 2012
The End is Near
The end is near. No, not because of the Witch Hunt to get the Toyo excluded, but because I don't think this car has what it takes to be competitive in class. Sure, one or two events per year it may be near the top and locally it does well and is fun to drive, but the lack of power relative to the other cars in class and course dependency make it difficult to keep up on the national scene.
I could endure more pain and spend more money and time to develop a 2003 club sport (or clone) and this is the next logical progression due to the parts and build knowlege I have with this NB platform, but I still don't think it would be one of the top cars in STR. Interestingly, I have recently heard more reports of NB2 Miatas reliably reving the VVT engine to 8K rpm which gives a little more comfort in regard to valvetrain issues, however throttle shaft breakage may still a concern. The easy button is to buy an MX5 as it can easily maximize the 255mm tread width allowance giving it an excellent tire to weight ratio along with ABS and a very forgiving and easy to drive chassis.
There are a few more major events this year that could prove me wrong or at least make me feel better about my current car choice. We'll see what happens.
I could endure more pain and spend more money and time to develop a 2003 club sport (or clone) and this is the next logical progression due to the parts and build knowlege I have with this NB platform, but I still don't think it would be one of the top cars in STR. Interestingly, I have recently heard more reports of NB2 Miatas reliably reving the VVT engine to 8K rpm which gives a little more comfort in regard to valvetrain issues, however throttle shaft breakage may still a concern. The easy button is to buy an MX5 as it can easily maximize the 255mm tread width allowance giving it an excellent tire to weight ratio along with ABS and a very forgiving and easy to drive chassis.
There are a few more major events this year that could prove me wrong or at least make me feel better about my current car choice. We'll see what happens.
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| Make me an offer. |
Thursday, June 21, 2012
Pixie Dust
So I have finally made the decision to get rid of the Hankooks and just focus on the Toyo R1R. The RS3 does not suit my driving style well and lacks the braking power that I am used to from the Toyo. The R1R also excels in cold and wet weather and launches extremely well which comes in handy at a ProSolo. On a 7.5" wheel, the 195 R1R keeps the track width at a minimum and weighs less than a comparable RS3 combo. One tire for all situations that is affordable and pays contingency.
The main drawback to running the Toyo is heat management, so a co-driver may not always be a smart idea. Not much one can do at a ProSolo except for choosing to be the first driver and hope you are fastest each session. I have noticed that the R1R heat related tire degradation is more apparent on low grip surfaces such as Qualcomm's asphalt here in San Diego.
Perfect timing too as the SEB just announced it is seeking member feedback regarding addition of the 195/50-15 Toyo R1R to the ST tire exclusion list. July Fastrack Somebody has an agenda to get this tire excluded and I believe it will be gone next year regardless of member input and feedback. A few competitors have expressed their concerns because the 195 may have a special compound and/or construction which could possibly give it an unfair advantage over the other R1R sizes. No problem - If I don't sell the car first, I already intend to test the 225/45-15 Toyo R1R on the 15x9" wheel.
The four new full tread 195 Toyos sitting in my dining room will soon be mounted on another set of 15x7.5" +40 Rota Slipstreams and this set of tires will get me through a couple local events, the Farmington ProSolo, Lincoln Pro Finale, and Solo Nationals.
The main drawback to running the Toyo is heat management, so a co-driver may not always be a smart idea. Not much one can do at a ProSolo except for choosing to be the first driver and hope you are fastest each session. I have noticed that the R1R heat related tire degradation is more apparent on low grip surfaces such as Qualcomm's asphalt here in San Diego.
Perfect timing too as the SEB just announced it is seeking member feedback regarding addition of the 195/50-15 Toyo R1R to the ST tire exclusion list. July Fastrack Somebody has an agenda to get this tire excluded and I believe it will be gone next year regardless of member input and feedback. A few competitors have expressed their concerns because the 195 may have a special compound and/or construction which could possibly give it an unfair advantage over the other R1R sizes. No problem - If I don't sell the car first, I already intend to test the 225/45-15 Toyo R1R on the 15x9" wheel.
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| My new (used) 15x9 6UL wheels. |
The four new full tread 195 Toyos sitting in my dining room will soon be mounted on another set of 15x7.5" +40 Rota Slipstreams and this set of tires will get me through a couple local events, the Farmington ProSolo, Lincoln Pro Finale, and Solo Nationals.
Monday, June 18, 2012
Course Dependent / SoPac Super Regional
Once again this year El Toro hosted the Divisional, or Southern Pacific Super Regional, on the weekend of June 15-17. Courses at ET typically use 2 runways and the crossover paths to make a large # symbol and ninety second courses or longer are common. This usually creates several medium size 180* turnarounds and a bunch of 90* corners all connected with busy transitional legs with lots of room to occasionally need third gear. Good grippy asphalt rubbers up nicely but also creates lots of sand off line.
The printed course map looked great but when walking the course it was quicky apparent to me that I brought the wrong car. Nearly every 'leg' was wide open with almost every transitional element offset the easy way, spaced far apart, non-existent (don't ask), or large enough radius not requiring a lift. Horsepower course.
This event would be the first event with the newly tuned piggyback and higher rev limit. The power felt the same (it basically is) but the higher 7700 rpm rev limit worked flawlessly and kept me out of third gear, although I was still into the limiter several times on Saturday. Sunday's course had me only on the limiter twice, but for a much longer duration, especially at the finish. Not wanting to hurt the engine I am reserving 8K+ rpm limit for bigger events such as Solo Nationals.
Above is the only course map that was provided and it is pretty accurate except for a missing a major element between stations five and six. Area #2 was completely eliminated on Sunday.
Day one: The weather forecast was sunny and hot, well 80*F, so I brought the 70 run Hankook RS3 tires and scored another competent co-driver to help warm the tires. I left the water sprayer at home. STR runs last group and timing issues in the morning delay the event which means we don't go out till about 5pm or so. Visually the course is good, but being so long and with similar style corners it is easy to lose focus and after a long day in the sun I am exhausted. Even with a tire warmer and sunny skies I still do not fully trust the first run on the Hankooks and it shows on the clock. Run two was about perfect. Run three was a half second slower and felt greasy which I attributed to me trying too hard. The car was a little pushy but nothing out of the ordinary. Setup was same as Qualcomm with the rear ride height at the low setting. Clockwise direction course. At the end of day one I was in seventh place about 1.6 seconds behind the leader.
Day two: The weather was several degrees warmer and the event was running smoothly, so we gridded up around 2pm during the heat of the day. The course was run backwards in the counter clockwise direction and both legs at station number two were elimated creating another fast rhythm section from station 3 directly to the finish. Car changes include rotating the tires and raising the rear ride height 1/8" to help aid rotation. Tire pressures the same as day one at 28F, 25R. First run I cone but the car is turning great and feels more lively. Second run I make a huge mental mistake and briefly lose the course. The greasy feeling I got on day one returns for our third runs and it seems the Hankooks were too hot (unpossible). I manage a clean run but still about another 1.6 seconds behind the leader for the day barely keeping me in seventh position overall.
Final Results
So why was the car turning-in and rotating so much better on day two? Was the minor ride height change enough to make the difference? Or was it the course flow? Tire rotation? Corner weights? Alignment? I seem to recall being faster on both left side pro courses (El Toro and Lincoln) and more confident on day one's SD Tour course. Coincidence? Psychological?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1/8" raise rear ( 1 5/8" from bottom of threaded collar to bottom of GC spring perch)
6 1/4" from lower shock eye to top of sping perch (bottom of spring)
6" springs and standard NB top mounts
The printed course map looked great but when walking the course it was quicky apparent to me that I brought the wrong car. Nearly every 'leg' was wide open with almost every transitional element offset the easy way, spaced far apart, non-existent (don't ask), or large enough radius not requiring a lift. Horsepower course.
This event would be the first event with the newly tuned piggyback and higher rev limit. The power felt the same (it basically is) but the higher 7700 rpm rev limit worked flawlessly and kept me out of third gear, although I was still into the limiter several times on Saturday. Sunday's course had me only on the limiter twice, but for a much longer duration, especially at the finish. Not wanting to hurt the engine I am reserving 8K+ rpm limit for bigger events such as Solo Nationals.
Above is the only course map that was provided and it is pretty accurate except for a missing a major element between stations five and six. Area #2 was completely eliminated on Sunday.
Day one: The weather forecast was sunny and hot, well 80*F, so I brought the 70 run Hankook RS3 tires and scored another competent co-driver to help warm the tires. I left the water sprayer at home. STR runs last group and timing issues in the morning delay the event which means we don't go out till about 5pm or so. Visually the course is good, but being so long and with similar style corners it is easy to lose focus and after a long day in the sun I am exhausted. Even with a tire warmer and sunny skies I still do not fully trust the first run on the Hankooks and it shows on the clock. Run two was about perfect. Run three was a half second slower and felt greasy which I attributed to me trying too hard. The car was a little pushy but nothing out of the ordinary. Setup was same as Qualcomm with the rear ride height at the low setting. Clockwise direction course. At the end of day one I was in seventh place about 1.6 seconds behind the leader.
Day two: The weather was several degrees warmer and the event was running smoothly, so we gridded up around 2pm during the heat of the day. The course was run backwards in the counter clockwise direction and both legs at station number two were elimated creating another fast rhythm section from station 3 directly to the finish. Car changes include rotating the tires and raising the rear ride height 1/8" to help aid rotation. Tire pressures the same as day one at 28F, 25R. First run I cone but the car is turning great and feels more lively. Second run I make a huge mental mistake and briefly lose the course. The greasy feeling I got on day one returns for our third runs and it seems the Hankooks were too hot (unpossible). I manage a clean run but still about another 1.6 seconds behind the leader for the day barely keeping me in seventh position overall.
Final Results
So why was the car turning-in and rotating so much better on day two? Was the minor ride height change enough to make the difference? Or was it the course flow? Tire rotation? Corner weights? Alignment? I seem to recall being faster on both left side pro courses (El Toro and Lincoln) and more confident on day one's SD Tour course. Coincidence? Psychological?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1/8" raise rear ( 1 5/8" from bottom of threaded collar to bottom of GC spring perch)
6 1/4" from lower shock eye to top of sping perch (bottom of spring)
6" springs and standard NB top mounts
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
Piggyback Tuning
Having previously used Church Automotive Testing with good results in the past, I decided to have them tune my new Greddy EMU. Church uses a Dynapack dynamometer and the weather was 70F and sunny. I brought along a stock unmolested BP4W Federal ECU and the DPTune modified ECU (reflashed BP4W) for comparison.
To my surprise, the DPTune ECU was right there with the best we could get from the Greddy EMU, only short about 1-2 horsepower and torque in a few spots. Unfortunately I either lost the AFR file or Church did not give it to me. The baseline runs for the BP4Y and BP4W show that the Federal ECU is the better of the two by a small margin, but both have poor AFR numbers. Mazda engineered and tuned this engine well from the factory not leaving much to gain. Although I am a little disappointed that we did not find more power, it is good to know the AFR is safe and the piggyback is reliable and easy to tune.
Thin blue line is maximum power from Greddy Emanage Ultimate and the thick red and green lines are both baseline runs from the BP4Y ecu.
Again, the thin blue line is Greddy EMU and the thick green line is the DPTune reflashed BP4W.
Left side shows two baseline runs each from both the stock BP4W (thick green and red lines) and BP4Y (thin green and red lines) with EMU at the top (blue line). Right side shows Air/Fuel ratio.
Stock BP4W baseline runs versus EMU.
The Greddy Ultimate can increase the factory rev limiter by fooling the stock ECU into allowing the fuel injectors to function past the factory rev limit. Basically, it does this by holding the injector duty cycle a few hundred rpm prior to the factory fuel cut and using these values up to the new specified rev limit. One additional duty cycle tuning column is supplied but that is all you get regardless of set rpm limit. Ignition continues to fire as needed. Once the values are saved, changing the rev limiter is as easy as keying in the new rev limit and saving the file to the EMU; no other changes needed.
To my surprise, the DPTune ECU was right there with the best we could get from the Greddy EMU, only short about 1-2 horsepower and torque in a few spots. Unfortunately I either lost the AFR file or Church did not give it to me. The baseline runs for the BP4Y and BP4W show that the Federal ECU is the better of the two by a small margin, but both have poor AFR numbers. Mazda engineered and tuned this engine well from the factory not leaving much to gain. Although I am a little disappointed that we did not find more power, it is good to know the AFR is safe and the piggyback is reliable and easy to tune.
Thin blue line is maximum power from Greddy Emanage Ultimate and the thick red and green lines are both baseline runs from the BP4Y ecu.
Again, the thin blue line is Greddy EMU and the thick green line is the DPTune reflashed BP4W.
Left side shows two baseline runs each from both the stock BP4W (thick green and red lines) and BP4Y (thin green and red lines) with EMU at the top (blue line). Right side shows Air/Fuel ratio.
Stock BP4W baseline runs versus EMU.
The Greddy Ultimate can increase the factory rev limiter by fooling the stock ECU into allowing the fuel injectors to function past the factory rev limit. Basically, it does this by holding the injector duty cycle a few hundred rpm prior to the factory fuel cut and using these values up to the new specified rev limit. One additional duty cycle tuning column is supplied but that is all you get regardless of set rpm limit. Ignition continues to fire as needed. Once the values are saved, changing the rev limiter is as easy as keying in the new rev limit and saving the file to the EMU; no other changes needed.
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| Rev Limiter Set Table |
Sunday, June 3, 2012
Concrete
So with the new piggyback installed I want to thrash the car to make sure all the connections are solid and there are no driveability issues before I schedule a dyno tuning appointment with Church. There is a local autox at Qualcomm on Sunday so I head down there with the car still bug splattered and stickered up from the Lincoln journey.
Last weekend at Spring Nationals the Toyos felt great on Lincoln Air Park's concrete and the car's balance was near perfect. I mentioned to my co-driver in Lincoln that I felt the tires were possibly heat cycled out because they were not putting power down as well as I expected and noticed a little push on corner exit. We both agreed to disagree, loosened up the car a tad and just drove with ultimately good results.
What a difference a week makes. Today I used the same Toyo tires at Qualcomm Stadium here in San Diego and the car was miserable. The asphalt surface at the Q is low grip and the on-off camber changes are challenging, but I have never noticed such a dramatic swing in performance between two events. I guess my Toyos were done after all.
What is all this about and why am I rambling on? I don't know.
Due to the unique surface and low grip, new and/or full tread tires always seem to work best at the Q relative to other sites. The site at El Toro has a high grip surface similar to LAP and I really need to focus more setup time at this venue in preparation for Nationals.
So now what? Do I chance using the old Toyos again at the upcoming SCCA Southern Pacific Super Regional autox event at El Toro on June 15-17? Or use the 225 Hankooks? Bust out the new Toyos or save then for Nationals?
The piggyback survived just fine although the stock rev limiter at 7200 is annoying.
Last weekend at Spring Nationals the Toyos felt great on Lincoln Air Park's concrete and the car's balance was near perfect. I mentioned to my co-driver in Lincoln that I felt the tires were possibly heat cycled out because they were not putting power down as well as I expected and noticed a little push on corner exit. We both agreed to disagree, loosened up the car a tad and just drove with ultimately good results.
What a difference a week makes. Today I used the same Toyo tires at Qualcomm Stadium here in San Diego and the car was miserable. The asphalt surface at the Q is low grip and the on-off camber changes are challenging, but I have never noticed such a dramatic swing in performance between two events. I guess my Toyos were done after all.
What is all this about and why am I rambling on? I don't know.
Due to the unique surface and low grip, new and/or full tread tires always seem to work best at the Q relative to other sites. The site at El Toro has a high grip surface similar to LAP and I really need to focus more setup time at this venue in preparation for Nationals.
So now what? Do I chance using the old Toyos again at the upcoming SCCA Southern Pacific Super Regional autox event at El Toro on June 15-17? Or use the 225 Hankooks? Bust out the new Toyos or save then for Nationals?
The piggyback survived just fine although the stock rev limiter at 7200 is annoying.
Saturday, June 2, 2012
Piggyback Install
Last month I purchased a used Greddy Emanage Ultimate and Boomslang harness and I finally had some time this week for the install. Because the piggyback controller alters the OEM computer's code, I paired it with the original BP4Y California ECU instead of the modified DPTune ecu (BP4W). The stock ecu is located under the driver side dash above the clutch pedal and there is just enough room to comfortably connect the plug and play harness and enough length to reach across to the passenger side dash.
I found a nice area behind the glove box to mount the piggyback unit and fabricated up a small bracket to securely mount it to the firewall just past the air duct. Loading the software and choosing the correct driver is all it took to get the EMU active and Vehicle Type and Throttle are the only two parameters that I needed to configure at this time. I do have a CEL for knock sensor P0325 which is a known Greddy EMU issue for this application and apparently cannot be addressed via software or jumpers. The CEL does not affect the car's performance and the forum at miataturbo.net says the solution is to simply cut the knock sensor harness wire, which turns out to be the blue/yellow stripe wire #2 in connector C. Also some concerns in internet land about the cooling fan(s) not turning on, but my Torque App verified the fan kicks in at 204*F (96C).
The ignition and injector tuning maps are currently all set at zero which means that there is no deviation from stock. All other engine parameters are still controlled by the stock ECU so the car idles and drives as normal.
Jumpers are set to the following positions:
JP1 open
JP2 open
JP3 open
JP4 open
JP5 open
JP6 open
JP7 1-2
JP8 2-3
JP9 1-2
JP10 open
JP11 open
JP12 open
JP13 open
JP14 open
JP15 1-2
JP16 open
JP17 1-2
JP18 open
JP19 1-2
JP20 1-2
I found a nice area behind the glove box to mount the piggyback unit and fabricated up a small bracket to securely mount it to the firewall just past the air duct. Loading the software and choosing the correct driver is all it took to get the EMU active and Vehicle Type and Throttle are the only two parameters that I needed to configure at this time. I do have a CEL for knock sensor P0325 which is a known Greddy EMU issue for this application and apparently cannot be addressed via software or jumpers. The CEL does not affect the car's performance and the forum at miataturbo.net says the solution is to simply cut the knock sensor harness wire, which turns out to be the blue/yellow stripe wire #2 in connector C. Also some concerns in internet land about the cooling fan(s) not turning on, but my Torque App verified the fan kicks in at 204*F (96C).
The ignition and injector tuning maps are currently all set at zero which means that there is no deviation from stock. All other engine parameters are still controlled by the stock ECU so the car idles and drives as normal.
Jumpers are set to the following positions:
JP1 open
JP2 open
JP3 open
JP4 open
JP5 open
JP6 open
JP7 1-2
JP8 2-3
JP9 1-2
JP10 open
JP11 open
JP12 open
JP13 open
JP14 open
JP15 1-2
JP16 open
JP17 1-2
JP18 open
JP19 1-2
JP20 1-2
Thursday, May 31, 2012
Lincoln Tour
STR ran first run group Sunday morning on a reverse modified 2011 East course. Windy and warm conditions. Moderate speeds with a good mix of elements, but visually difficult to find a few key cones including the entrance to a couple sweepers. Same settings and ride height as used the previous day at the ProSolo. I picked up four tenths on my last run which placed me in fifth position after day one. Toyos worked well.
Following the theme from day one, Monday's course was also a reverse modified 2011 West course with the walloms removed along with some other changes. Overnite thunderstorms gave us a wet surface and bright morning sunshine resulted in drying conditions for the first run group. Rear ride height lowered 1/8". Course was basically dry during second runs with only minor slick spots at the entrance to the first two slaloms. I put down a fast second run but I was unable to pick up any more time on my third run when conditions were best. Overall I picked up two positions to finish in third place.
Lincoln Tour Results
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Lincoln ProSolo
The two day drive from San Diego to Lincoln was long and unusually hot and I chose to take the simple route through Las Vegas and Denver via highways 15, 70, 76, and 80. As always the scenery in Utah and Colorado is beautiful. Total round trip miles was 3255 and I averaged about 33 miles per gallon. I managed to take a few pics with my cell phone.
As usual, day one competition on Friday was all about getting familiar with the surface and adjusting launch rpm for best 60 foot and reaction time. I was unable to get some practice launches, so testing the new clutch would happen during competition. Eventually, 4000 rpm clutch dumps proved to offer the best 60 ft. times in the high 2.2 second range. Leaving on the third yellow, my reaction times sucked as usual mostly between 600 - 700.
The courses were very demanding with back to back decreasing radius sweepers heading into the finish. With the extra grip from the concrete and nature of the courses, I raised the rear ride height 1/4" to help get some more rotation. As the surface rubbered in and got faster it all came down to Saturday morning (day two) where yesterday's OPR slowed me down on the first left side run and a very brief rain spat took the edge off my first right side run. My final two runs were quickest, about four tenths per side from the top spot. I did not make the challenge.
ProSolo Results
I have been using the rear ride height adjustment (rake) with good success to get the car set up for different conditions or surfaces. Although quick and easy, the positive rake adjustment can cause too much lift-off oversteer and the car can be too twitchy transitionally. For my next suspension tuning experiment I plan to stiffen the rear springs by 30-50 lbs. and keep the rear ride height low, or reverse rake. This should give me the best of both worlds; good rotation without sacrificing as much transitional stability. Or that is the idea anyway. The Racing Beat 1.125" front sway bar is already adjusted full stiff and I don't want to try the monster 1.250" bar yet.
D'Leon's Mexican Food is located on West "O" street only a few miles from the event site in Lincoln. Great food and open 24 hours too.
IAT 132* at idle on 75F day. 115* at 75 mph cruise after 2 minutes. 105* at 75 mph cruise after 5 minutes.
Tire pressures: 27F, 25R
As usual, day one competition on Friday was all about getting familiar with the surface and adjusting launch rpm for best 60 foot and reaction time. I was unable to get some practice launches, so testing the new clutch would happen during competition. Eventually, 4000 rpm clutch dumps proved to offer the best 60 ft. times in the high 2.2 second range. Leaving on the third yellow, my reaction times sucked as usual mostly between 600 - 700.
The courses were very demanding with back to back decreasing radius sweepers heading into the finish. With the extra grip from the concrete and nature of the courses, I raised the rear ride height 1/4" to help get some more rotation. As the surface rubbered in and got faster it all came down to Saturday morning (day two) where yesterday's OPR slowed me down on the first left side run and a very brief rain spat took the edge off my first right side run. My final two runs were quickest, about four tenths per side from the top spot. I did not make the challenge.
ProSolo Results
I have been using the rear ride height adjustment (rake) with good success to get the car set up for different conditions or surfaces. Although quick and easy, the positive rake adjustment can cause too much lift-off oversteer and the car can be too twitchy transitionally. For my next suspension tuning experiment I plan to stiffen the rear springs by 30-50 lbs. and keep the rear ride height low, or reverse rake. This should give me the best of both worlds; good rotation without sacrificing as much transitional stability. Or that is the idea anyway. The Racing Beat 1.125" front sway bar is already adjusted full stiff and I don't want to try the monster 1.250" bar yet.
D'Leon's Mexican Food is located on West "O" street only a few miles from the event site in Lincoln. Great food and open 24 hours too.
IAT 132* at idle on 75F day. 115* at 75 mph cruise after 2 minutes. 105* at 75 mph cruise after 5 minutes.
Tire pressures: 27F, 25R
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Clutch and Header
I was a little nervous having the clutch and other maintenance work done the day before I leave for Lincoln, but my trusty mechanic Rocky specializes in Miatas and all the parts installed were OEM. Probably the original with 120k miles, the clutch disk was worn unevenly and the flywheel was heat damaged. The install went smoothly and there were no surprises. Synthetic GL-5 was replaced in both the transmission and differential and the fuel filter was also changed.
The new Racing Beat header fit perfectly and the EGR tube was a breeze to install. The RB 4-1 design is supposed to generate more power than the OBX 4-2-1.
The new Racing Beat header fit perfectly and the EGR tube was a breeze to install. The RB 4-1 design is supposed to generate more power than the OBX 4-2-1.
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