icantlearn

If they were brusing your theighs then they weren't set up right.

icantlearn

Last weekend I had another track day at Laguna Seca. I had a blast. Probably my favorite track day to date.

The track day was on Sunday so I spent all day Saturday prepping the car.

First things first was to install the Trackspeed oil cooler kit. So I whipped out the quickjacks and got to work.




I could find our oil catch bucket so I had to improvise with an old 5qt oil jug.


I ended up mounting it right above the intercooler. It's probably not the most ideal spot but there really isn't room anywhere else. I used the horn mount location so I need to relocate that. I haven't done that yet.



I also checked out the intercooler piping while I was down there and everything looked good in terms of oil. Just light coating in the cold side pipe. Absolutely bone dry in hot side piping.


I was planning on swapping in my hawk dtc pads but I ran into a bit of an issue. My rear pads were for the non sport brakes so I couldn't run my track pads. I already had the front pads in so I had to swap the HPS pads back in. By the time I did that it was 9:00pm and I had to leave so never got the chance to flush my brakes either..... Great.

After dragging myself out of bed at 6am and taping my eyelids open I hit the road for the track.

Sitting at the gate exited as ****.


I claimed my spot, got out of the car, and poped the hood to make sure everything was still good from the long drive there and noticed something. One of the fittings coming off the oil filter sandwich plate was leaking oil. So I jaked up the car before my 1st session and tightened it up and all was well.

Now for some reason my phone didn't save any of the other pics through the day. Bummer.

But video is better than pictures so here is my 4th session:
My 5th session was the most exiting/fun session of the day:
I managed a 1:50.8 which I am happy with. The brakes were holding me back so much. I can shave at least 1.5-2sec with track pads and fluid. The pads would fade within one hot lap and the pedal got soft at he end of each session. You may be able to see in the video where I blew turn 2 a couple times. After one of my sessions I came back into the paddock after a cool down lap and my brakes were smoking.

The RS3s were great. Very consistent and had a lot of grip.


My coilovers need to go soon. There is way to much body roll and brake dive for me. They are fine for the street but not very good at the track and with every mod the car is getting less and less streetable. So im looking at the feal coilovers but I'm not sure yet.

I think I am going to be building the motor soon too. I just want peace of mind that my motor will be solid at the track and more power is welcome.

aidandj

iTrader: (5)

Should probably mount the oil cooler at 4 locations. Just 2 locations like that leverages it a lot.

I think Ian posted recently about his leaking because of 2 mounting bolts.

icantlearn

the bottom is zip tied to the a/c line. You can see the one in the pic of the bottom of the cooler. Its sturdy.

Savington

iTrader: (31)

If you mount the cooler opposite the fittings, it can apply a bending force across the core. With the fittings and the bracket on the same side, there's no bending force across the core, so there's no issues.

MRLS is torture on brakes. I was never able to make the stock calipers work there with more than 200whp, regardless of pad choice.

EO2K

iTrader: (37)

That's exactly where I had planned on mounting mine, looks like a 16 row? Its not exactly been warm out here, but how were the temps?

SpeedSF? Private group or something? I was unaware anyone was running this last weekend.

Just press the easy button and order one from Andrew. I know this is what I wish I had done.

icantlearn

Ive been crunching numbers lately and I think I can peice a motor together for cheaper. Im sure Andrew will chime in.

icantlearn

ya, I think I may have to come by for some wilwoods soon. Idk, I have brand new pads so half of me says run them until they are toast then upgrade to wilwoods, the other half of me says screw that just upgrade to wilwoods now and sell the track pads for whatever I can get for them. Anybody want some hawk dtc30s?

shuiend

iTrader: (24)

I have seen lots of people "crunch numbers" on doing a cheap motor build. I can say with confidence 99% of the time it ends up being far more then what you crunched. You might be able to save a few hundred, but the prices TSE has for built motors are really damn good. If I was not on the opposite coast of him, I would most likely have one of his motors in my car now.

EO2K

iTrader: (37)

This. I thought I was doing good and saved a several hundred dollars on the shortblock hard parts by catching some deals here and there, but I don't have a hookup with a machine shop so the machine work was shockingly expensive. In the end I spent MORE than what TSE wanted for a shortblock and the shop basically just followed the card that came with the pistons when they set PtW and I'm still not sure how they set my bearing clearances or ring gaps. All I was told is that its "set to spec" and that's it. It hasn't blown up yet, but now I've got the loudest supertech piston BP anyone has ever heard. Loud enough that afm asked me at MRLS if I had HLAs in it.

People give Andrew **** for not sharing his clearance recipe but I tell you what, he has earned those numbers through a shocking amount of trial and error. If he doesn't want to share them, that is his business but I tell you what, at this point its something I'm willing to pay for. When my engine dies, my solution is to hand the smoking hulk of iron and melted aluminum to Andrew and ask him to make me another one. I don't have the time or patience to **** around with this **** anymore.

icantlearn

I will probably end up doing a TSE Shortblock with valve springs, retainers, valves in the head. I havent finished crunching numbers yet so I simply need to do more research. Brakes are definately next on the list of things to do. So I will need to wait for funds for the motor build. By summer I should have enough. We will see.

either way tho, andrew is building the motor shorblock or longblock.

codrus

IMHO, don't build the motor yourself to save money. Build it yourself because you *want* to build it yourself. And if you don't, then don't.

--Ian

icantlearn

Well it would be cool to know how to build a bottom end but I don't know the specifics or have the tools. The valve springs shouldn't be too difficult and putting a head on is very easy. So I'm not too worried about screwing up.

shuiend

iTrader: (24)

It is cool to know how to build a bottom end, but it is even cooler knowing it is done correctly and you don't have to ever think about it.

icantlearn

Which is why I'm not doing it.

icantlearn

Welp, looks like I'm getting some wilwoods.

thumpetto007

iTrader: (15)

What wilwood package?

800/500 xidas with billet coax mounts for coilovers. I had some bad luck at first, but the more miles I drive on the coils, the more I am satisfied. If your signature is accurate, you should be able to sell your current coils for a good chunk of change.

I was shocked at how cheap TSE engines go for. 500whp guaranteed! Built longblock for 4100 dollars? That is pretty insane.

oh, and Andrew had told me to mount the oil cooler so that the inlet/outlet side is up to maximize cooling.

icantlearn

Wilwood dynapros.

The xidas are nice. There is a local guy selling his basically brand new gen 2 for 1900. Ive been eye balling them for a bit. I've also been considering the feal coilovers. I've heard nothing but good things about them for their price.

The engine build is going to be later down the line unless I can figure out how to rake in a large amount of cash. Until then I am going to start making this stock motor as reliable as possible. I also want to see what lap time I can put down with my existing power.

My oil cooler firtings are pointed up.

So plans for the car are as follows:
1. Get brakes that work
2. Get aero
3. Get hard top?
4. Get new coilovers
5. Build motor
6. Get nt01/rs4 (For track)

thumpetto007

iTrader: (15)

Cool, I'm starting to follow this build

Found this, maybe it will help you decide on coils

https://forum.miata.net/vb/showthread.php?t=597208

codrus

TSE 11.75s?

--Ian