Thx Howard for sharing your knowledge some people can be so secretive about this kind of thing.

 

I wouldn't say secretive. There is a huge amount of information in this site. Much of it is probably even correct

It takes a lot more effort to 'teach' then just to state, "Here is what I did". That those that have far more experience even take the time to document what they did is a big win for us still learning.

To me what it is really great about this thread is Howard (and a few others) are taking their valuable time to explain *why* something is beneficial and *when* it would be applicable to a situation. Not only am I learning valuable information, but I am learning *when* it is valuable. Of course, YMMV.

 

i would run 255 f and 275 rear but 255s would be a fine fit for a 10 inch rim.



hi howard, i am learing so much from this post. thanks a mil... i am building a mostly track fd but it won't be trailored. i am go with the htz IIIs also. i have 18x/9.5 wheels with a +38 offset. gram lights. can i run 255 in the back and a 285 in the rear. i know the 295 won't fit. thanks. just installed the garfinkle torque brace
do you have the fuel starvation cover in your tank? i bought one of the group buy and not sure if i should install it.

could you also share your brake set up. especially in the front. thanks. kevin

 

The fuel starvation cover works 100%. Just do it!

He's running Racing Brake BBK upfront (read the entire thread).

:-) neil

 

thanks, i am going to order htz III 255/35/18s front and 285/30/18s in the rears and they are going on my gram lights 18x 9.5s with 38 offset. i hope to go the rears fit. kvn

 

I posted a new thread about this but I figured I'd ask here as well. I decided to go with springs and Tokico Illuminas, and I'm trying to choose different two springs - RSR Down/Ti2000 and Tein H-tech.

Here are the specs:

RS-R:

Estimated Front Drop - 20mm(0.8in)
Estimated Rear Drop - 15mm(0.6in)
Front Spring Rate - 6.24kg(349lbs)
Rear Spring Rate - 4.67kg(261lbs)

Tein H-tech:

Front Drop: 0.8 in
Rear Drop: 0.7 in
Front Spring Rate: 7kg(391lbs)
Rear Spring Rate: 5.2kg(291 lbs)

Thanks in advance!

 

"i have 18x/9.5 wheels with a +38 offset. gram lights. can i run 255 in the back and a 285 in the rear."

wheelfit isn't my specialty. i did run 18X10, 45 mm offset rear wheels w 285 X 35 X18 toyos w no problem the offset is .27 inches favorable to yours but you are running wheels that are a 1/4 inch narrower. so the 285s should fit and perform well.

"fuel starvation cover." yes i run it and it works great.

"brakes"
a major, as yet, uncovered subject. my plan is to address brakes when i get on track shortly. the FD hasn't enough front rotor mass. the front caliper is pretty good. if you want to get into it i suggest you take a deep breath and read my thread entitled "FD, new brake options." i suggest, since the thread is long and winding, that you just read the first post. i run, and really like, RacingBrake's 4 wheel FD system. more later on braking in general and specifics.

Rookie84;
it is great to see someone who is looking at springs from a RATE aspect. good for you. both those look good. i would add Eibach Pro Kit. they are 350/255.

you will be shocked at how much either of the 3 spring options will TRANSFORM your FD.

hc

 

if you are going ontrack and planning to put your right foot down you really need dual oil coolers.

see my thread "dual oil coolers cheap" https://www.rx7club.com/showthread.p...+coolers+cheap you can do it w hand tools for around $200.

you also need instrumentation. instrumentation saves engines and makes you look like a genius when maybe you aren't.

here's what i just did....

oil temperature (R) and oil pressure (L) Centigrade or Fahrenheit.. there's also a dimmer and a Min Max reading avail. i log my oil pressure.



some measure oil temp around the filter. that doesn't interest me. i want to know what it is INSIDE the motor not after the coolers.

here's an EASY way to pick the temp... just gut the useless oil level sensor and weld an aluminum bung on it for your temp sensor. i found all my hardware at FJO.
don't forget the mazda O ring.


oil pressure just screws in to where the mazda sensor is situated.


oil temps will tell you when/if your having too much fun on the track.

hc

 

[QUOTE=howard coleman;8285396]if you are going ontrack and planning to put your right foot down you really need dual oil coolers.


oil temps will tell you when/if your having too much fun on the track


i have the mocal dual oil coolers so i am good with the oil.. i do need the oil pressure and temp gauges. at my track events last year i had problems with water temps.. i am looking into getting a scoot c/f hood or might drill holes in my stock hood. that should drop the temps. do you run just water or 50/50 mix in the summer heat.
I just wanted to thank you for lowering my steep learning curve. i was always the 0only fd on track when i am there. i always had the tire pressure over 34 and the bitch always slid around the track. i spun more than a 100 lb slim i am waiting on my bride rails so i can mount my cobra buckets and some harnesses.
i also have the air/fuel gauge, wilwood bbk and meth injection. the meth injection made things interesing on track b/c it seems like the ignition would break up mid corner when the thing kicked in. i have purchased a progressive one since to prevent all the methanol from kicking in at once.
my car is a hand full, full bridge and i am a noob way too much car than i can handle. i am faster in my 2006 cibic si. thanks howard. you should post a pic of yourself so i can see who is helping me. i am not a stalker

 

Howard, I don't know what your rankings are on SPA Technique products but with the amount of monitoring you do I am surprised that you do not have gauges from their dual series. They make some interesting combinations such as Water Temp/ Boost and more specifically the one I am looking at Fuel Pressure, Oil Temperature and they have threshhold functions.

Why is oil pressure important if you know oil temperature?
Also I here that oil temp. is usually 20deg C higher than water temp. If the threshold for water temp is 100-105deg C than is the threshold for oil temp 120-125 deg C?

To the previous poster. Some water injection kits run on a map based system versus the cheaper ones that run with a **** I think this is what most people would want to be running if they are not tracking their car all the time because WOT condition doesn't occur that much.

 

"i had problems with water temps"

if you have a front mounted IC that is most likely your problem. replace it w an IC similar to what i run and your water temps should abate.

"my car is a hand full, full bridge and i am a noob"
i probably should have started this thread off by observing that a well set up FD is a very fast car on a road course. if properly fixtured it is reasonably easy to drive but it is a missile. it is not unreasonable to ride a learning curve.

most of us would not expect to be able to step on to a tennis court and play like they do on the tube... probably, because we all drive, we think it is just another day behind the wheel when we initially venture on track. of course this is not the case and it is wise to lower initial expectations and go into a max learning mode.

i suggest you dial in about 300-350 rwhp initially and you will raise your learning curve. concentrate on chassis not hp for your first year and you will be ahead of the game.

"do not have gauges from their dual series"
agreed. i dislike having lots of gauges and multi function are the way to go. FJO will shortly offer a 4 function gauge and i will switch at some point.

"Why is oil pressure important if you know oil temperature"
both can tell you different things about your engine.

"oil temp. is usually 20deg C higher than water temp."
it depends... i was out cruising yesterday. 3000 rpm top gear. ambiant was 75 degrees. water was 165 and oil was 165. generally from my racing days oil was 20degrees hotter than water. (that's all w proper coolers etc) when talking oil temps it is IMPORTANT to qualify where the sensor is located. if it is after the coolers near the filter it will be cooler than where i recommend you check ---at the oilpan.

i would be delighted if anyone would post their ontrack oil and water temps as well as where they measure same.

hc

 

dude wow...that is some great information...

 

Thanks, Howard. It looks like I'll be going with down springs as I don't really like the stance of Eibachs. I can't wait to see what my car would be like with Illuminas, springs, and new bushings.

 

Howard, since this is a dual-purpose car, what's your opinion and perspective on seats, roll-bars/cages and restraints ?

I currently have the RaceShop roll-bar with every diagonal, harness bar, seat reinforcement, etc., but no door bars.

I'm using the stock seat recovered in ultra-suede and Simpson 6-point harnesses since the stock seat doesn't have a hole in the middle of the seat cushion, but still don't feel firmly planted in the shoulders.

:-) neil

 

"dual-purpose car, what's your opinion and perspective on seats, roll-bars/cages and restraints ?"

dual purpose is a tricky deal.

for instance, i maintain that there are really no dual purpose brake pads. if you want to go tracking you need pads that won't work on the street. (tracking not meaning touring around on a racetrack, rather, going fast)

the FD which, when properly prepared, is a high powered missile. if you aren't running a roll cage and fuel cell, IMO, you'd better stay off the top speed tracks and stick to less than 2 mile circuits.

you can still have unlimited fun on lots of under 2 mile tracks where top speeds are around 120-130.

i really think cages is where the line is drawn between race prep and dual purpose. i wouldn't drive a caged car on the street without a helmet. if you get hit from behind you are dead (head injury) and no amount of foam covering is going to help you. they also weigh a minimum of 80 pounds and generally you have to do lots of hacking up the interior.

if you could have a bolt in bolt out cage that would of course work...

seats are key. you wouldn't believe the G's you pull ontrack. it is not uncommon to lose 4-6 pounds of fluid during a 35 minute race. while heat is a factor there is alot of holding on to the car envolved and you need to be anchored.

i made a switch from a lightly padded seat to an aluminum shell w no padding in my racecar and was astounded at how much more "feel" i had w it. i remember pulling into my pit and telling my crew that the left rear tire was down on air and it was discovered it was down 2 psi. i wouldn't have been able to detect it w the old padded seat.

belts... of course essential. 5 point anchor. wide, quick release race belts. my shoulder belts attach to the rear strut brace. Neil, you really need to feel "planted" in your car. the SCCA has lots of info re placement, check them out.

re-visiting "dual purpose"

as with any concept, it means different things to different people. i am not attempting to define DP for you... we all have seen racecars on the street and for the owner/builder that is "dual purpose."

having raced for 22 seasons i don't need another racecar and my formal racing is done. the concept of DP for me is having an ultra performance car that is pleasant on the street and that i can take to the track (albeit an under 2 mile track) and run it at 10 10ths. i have no problem without cage and fuel cell on a shortish track. when the speedo gets up around 165 you start rolling the dice without protection.

perhaps you have bumped in to my thread in the 3rd gen section: "Shootout at the O K Corral." my nephew recently bought a beautifully built LS2 FD. we are in process of making it an exact duplicate to my chassis and will be running both cars at Blackhawk Farms Racetrack this summer. we will be using an MSD Trackmate GPS setup. it will be lots of fun and we may learn a thing or two. i will drive both cars. the point is that each will be a DP setup and we will be able to run the XXXX out of them. 10 10ths.

and drive what's left of them home...

DP.

hc

 

Thanks Howard.

I am running race & street brake pads & rotors, as well as wheel/tires.

Roebling Road is 2.2 mile track, and I'm consistently hitting 150 MPH down the front straight, and 135 MPH down the back straight.

While I can't see a cage or fuel-cell in the near future, I'm thinking a HANS and an aluminum seat (e.g., Ultra-Shield for Spec Miata ?).

I don't think I'll hit 170 MPH at VIR full circuit (about 4-miles), but who knows . . .

:-) neil

 

I thought you had the Race Shop roll bar?

 

Howard

So the reight height would be best when you meause 25 inch to the fender.

but I do not have a stock front fender on my car so could you measure what the height should be where the front bumper meets the fender.

 

Yes, I have a Race Shop roll-bar, but that's not the same as a race-CAGE.

A cage is designed to protect your from side, rear, and frontal impacts.

The roll-bar is really just to protect you in a roll-over.

:-) neil

 

post 318:

the measure is 18 inches. i run 255/35/18 upfront BTW.

hc

 

FWIW, a lot of the Spec Miata guys and other race cars measure to frame rails or other fixed suspension / chassis areas. Makes it a bit easier in situations like yours where different body parts are used (or existing body parts are damaged).

 

sorry missed it

 

Th R1/R2 wing has almost no rack but 1/2 of the the airflow entering it is traveling downward off the back window, the other 1/2 is coming in from the side. Photos of my car running on the track in the rain show a significant uplift in the wake coming off the spoiler, changing flow direction must create a down force.

 

Howard can you tell me if Speedway now bends arms so we can buy a ready to rock bar from them?

 

According to Speedway's website they do-http://www.1speedway.com/Swaybar_Arms.htm