Braineack

iTrader: (62)

First off it was a total blast.... I'll post some pics and videos later when I get a chance to complie them.

First day on the track in the first session after trying to stop from 110mph in the 3rd lap my brand new pads glazed right over. They were Hawk HPS, but I assumed they would still hold up. I swapped them with my old EBC pads and had no more problems for two more seesions that day. As I pulled into the pits after the last session of the day I lost vacuum and it stalled out. Immediatly I knew it was an intercooler pipe and I was correct.

I spent a good remainder of the evening correcting it and missed a lot of good stuff. This morning I went out and it blew off again in the same spot after 5 laps or so. I pulled into the paddock but I couldn't fix it in time. THis time I replaced the clamps (screw type :() and wrapped the hose tight with tape and used hair spray on the pipe. Went out for my second session and had a great time, but lost the pipe again on the last 2 laps, but still was holding 5-6psi (gauge was reading to 9). Went back in and thought I finally corrected it, zip tied eveything wraped all the clamps, swappes the screw types with t-clamps. Next session I lost it AGAIN in the first lap. I didn't want to pull in since I lost two sessions and went the entire session with 0 boost and a major vacuum leak. I couldn't even pass 80mph it was pathedic, I have video everyone was passing me, but I could still get them on the corners.

I took it in and discovered the problem. The compressor housing was rotating as boost hit and pulling the pipe clean out of the silicon. I'm going to pull to turbo apart and see why, all the bolts are tight, very confusing.

The fluid in the brake master was half full at the end of today, it was topped off the day before. I couldn't find any leaks around all 4 calipers or the master. Any clues?

Plus when I applied pressure to the brakes on the drive home I notcied they felt soft untill I pumped them once and they stiffen right up. But also when I did this I lost vacuum, everytime I pumped I lost more vacuum, I got it all the way down to ~10 Hg/in doing this. Ides there? Factory check valve to the boost failed? Ideas?

Otherwise it felt great, my instructor was impressed. I passed plenty of Mustangs on the straights which put a big smile to my face. Hopefully I can fix my brakes, piping and turbo soon and get back out there. Top speed I could get it to was 120mph. I hope to dyno tune some more after I fix these issues, hopefully next time I'll get it up higher.

kung fu jesus

iTrader: (1)

check around the base of the booster (the round black pan between the master and the firewall. i had a similar issue and the fluid was leaking past the master cylinder's piston and leaking onto the booster. it ate away the diaphragm and i wad loosing vacuum on top of the failing master cylinder.

i don't know what to tell you about the turbo because i'm not familiar with that one.

nice pics!

Snowsurfer03

awesome pics! Were is that track?

Braineack

iTrader: (62)

Summit Point - main track. I'll look some more for leaking fluid, it's gotta be somewhere. I really didn't search around too much, I mainly looked around the brakes and lines themselves as I swapped out my tires.

m2cupcar

iTrader: (5)

Taking your car to the track is great way to debug it. You can be sure it'll be rock solid on the street if it is on the track (except for cooling in traffic). So is the "mods" fund now a "track" fund?

Do you have a "hump" or "bump" hose of the compressor to the first IC pipe? If not, the engine rock and lack of give in the IC pipe might be rotating the housing. I added hump hoses to the compressor outlet and tb to improve "flexibility" needed for the engine rocking. - rob

Braineack

iTrader: (62)

Transition Hose 2.50" to 3.00" 3
Transition Hose 2.00" to 2.50" 1
Hump Connector 2.00" 1
T-Bolt Clamp - 2.25" 5
T-Bolt Clamp - 2.75" 8
T-Bolt Clamp - 3.25" 3
T3 Discharge Gasket 1


Upgrading my non-multiple ply couplers and screw-type clamps. Adding the "hump" coupler to the first charge pipe. Never ran a gasket on the downpipe before, couldn't find one, so I picked one up as well.

Now on to finding some EBC YellowStuff pads for the track and Redstuff for the street. Picking up a can or two of Blue Stuff fluid tomorrow. Should have it all cured by Sunday!

Doesn't look like a leak in any of the lines or master, went over it all again at lunch. I think a used an older can old dot 3 fluid that had been open longer than I thought. I thought it was only two days old, might have been the one open for a year or two. Probably was boiling some and burnt out some of the mositure to lower the fluid. I'm going to completely drain it all out and try again.

Still going to have the "Mods" fund, but not wasting anymore time on autocrossing.

Braineack

iTrader: (62)

115mb, please right click and save as to save yourself trouble:

http://www.rev2red.com/images/summit...2nd_7_9_06.wmv

I wasn't pushing it hard on the straights like I had done the day before, the coupler that failed was taped up for this session, it failed on the last lap, you can see me wave off a pass when it happened just as they threw up the checkered flag. I'll post the highlights later along with my zero boost/power run.

kung fu jesus

iTrader: (1)

you have seen the light, grasshopper.

m2cupcar

iTrader: (5)

That's exactly how I went from autoX to road racing... that and picking up an autopower bolt-in cage for $250.

Another quick fix for holding couplers on is to drill a hole through the coupler and pipe when assembled and screw in a sheet metal screw.

Braineack

iTrader: (62)

that was suggested to me at the track but we couldn't find anyone with screws that would work. I was looking at it again and the compressor housing rotating was really the main cause of the problem, as it would rotate the pipe the kept failing would get ripped straight out. Plus it was already under resistance when they were clamped together. The coupler and pipe had to be held together and then clamped down. All the stress = failure. Couplers are comming in Thursday, should have it all sorted out this weekend.

Just the whole camping out, checking out the rides, going with an instructor, driving for hours not seconds, high speeds, G's, really adds up. I'm autoxed for +4 years and always held off running on the track, now it just doesn't make sense not to!

m2cupcar

iTrader: (5)

I watched your vid (the parts where you weren't in traffic) and no doubt your having fun and paying attention. Precise line, smooth and consistent. All that will reward you quick times and allow you to add speed in small steps without big mistakes. I started watching instructors to find the good drivers. I'd start a conversation with them (and their students) at that event to size things up. If the student liked them, I'd find out what event they were going to next and then request them (with their consent.) Made the weekend even more rewarding and really accerlates the learning. Your instructor at summit seemed like he was staying on top of things. - rob

Braineack

iTrader: (62)

He was a spec miata driver and was really helpfully about where to brake and what lines to take. When I would hit the wrong line it could feel a huge difference, when I hit the line he suggested I was smoother and faster. I'm signing back up for Aug 27-28 back at Summit where he said he'll be instructing again.