[Guest]

Having said I would never take my car onto the track, I am already considering it! However, I would like to understand what I am letting myself in for. Years ago (more than I care to remember) I raced single seaters and saloons built for the track and I understand what happens to race cars whilst they are being used (tearing up ££££ each lap ). I have also attended demo days on tracks and a Parmer trackday when I have driven road cars on a track. What I didn't do was pay attention to what it was doing to these road cars.

So, what I need advice on is what to expect, taking my 7 Extreme on the track. How much will I trash tyres? What about brakes? What else will suffer? and finally, what precautions should I take?

Any proper advice is very much welcomed.

 

[Guest]

Main precautions:

1) Torque your nuts! Ensure the nuts on your wheels are properly torqued, and check them a few times during the day
2) Tyre temperature - check the tyre temperatures (with a pyrometer or by hand). High temp will be due to high tyre pressue
3) Warm up your tyres and check the pressures - recommend 30 psi all round. Keep checking, as they will go up massively. Start with 28 psi cold.
4) Check your oil, but don't overfill (some non-motorsport cars need overfilling to prevent oil surge on hard cornering, but the evo doesn't)
5) Don't overfill your petrol tank! Go the track with about 4/5ths.
6) Check pads before you go.
7) Fill your intercooler water spray bottle!
8) Check coolant levels
9) Check brake fluid levels - bleed brakes if necessary.
10) Make sure you warm up the car (and you) and cool it down.
11) Cool your brakes down properly after hard laps (coast around, don't touch the brakes)
12) When coming in after the session, do NOT use your handbrake, do NOT put your foot on the brake. Coast to a stop, and just stay in neutral
13) Let the car run for several minutes to cool down.

That is about it (probably forgot something). Each mile on the track |EQU| 10 on the road, so you need maintenance more regularly (oil changes etc.) If you haven't set the eccentric camber front adjustment (to 2 degrees) then i would ge that done (simple move of the bolt). This helps reduce understeer and tyre wear on the shoulders. Also recommend you tip your rear wing on the day for greatly improved grip.

Take tuition in the morning, to get the right lines - this saves tyre wear as you won't be forcing the car to do something it can't do.
Attack the corners hard (lots of lock) and power out steering on the throttle. The less lock, the less tyre wear.

Remember - be as smooth as possible, and the car will thank u for it!

You comming on track then ?? Donnington beckons....

 

[Guest]

Simon,

As above plus...

I also change my oil both before and after each trackday.
Take spare brake pads just in case
Warm brakes up gradually as well as letting them cool down as above
I run tyre pressures of |PLS|5psi (when hot) over standard - check each tyre after a few laps as they heat to different temps
You can reduce tyre wear on the shoulders by increasing pressure above this - at the expense of grip though
Don't so out with low fuel - fuel surge
I always use octane booster as a precaution

When you park in the pits and let the engine cool down - stay with the car. A friend of mine had a RB5 pinched from the pit lane at Donnington 18 months ago. His car was running, he got out to talk to mates, thieves got in and drove off. Doesn't happen very often but just be aware.

I usually stay out for 20 mins max per session. Wear really depends on: how long you stay out, how smooth you drive (sideways through corners is fun but will wear tyres fast). Taking curbs at high speed do not do your wheel bearings much good either.

Hope it helps, might see you all there.

Rich

 

[Guest]

A Porsche race engineer once said 1 racing mile is equal 2 1000 road miles !
An extreme statement when comparing track day with road driving , but u get the picture.
During track day use the engine c's high boost and high revs 4 sustained periods so that and all other parts of the drivetrain will wear faster.
However , fastidious care and maintenance will negate the effects 2 some extent , altho u must accept much accelerated tyre , clutch and brake wear.
Evo's do seem 2 withstand this type of use better than others tho

 

[Guest]

Ooooooh, something I'd like to do but shy away from really.

I love my car, absolutely love it to bits and while I (like most people I guess), have an occasional 'blast' when it's safe to do so, I wouldn't fancy putting my cared for Evo through the rigours I know I'd put it through on a track session. Shortening the life of probably many components (I know nothing though on mechanicals, perhaps a better authority on the subject could comment?)

The Extreme you have Simon is a gorgeous car and designed to go fast (obviously), but if it were me, and its not of course, but each to their own as I say, I wouldn't subject it to the intensive pressures of hammering round a track. May be I'm boring but I don't want to damage my pride and joy or go bankrupt through expensive repair and maintenance bills (although Ralliart have most of my cash anyway - Sorry Jon, if you're reading, couldn't resist it!).

Perhaps I should really drive a Volvo or something?

 

[Guest]

My EVO has spent its whole (1 year life) on the track. After about 3000 track miles (5500 miles including travelling) I rebuilt the engine (for more power) - and there was no wear at all - it all looked new. Even the clutch is fine (though I uprated that too for more power).

The wear history I have had:-

2000 miles - AP upgrade - the Brembos were badly worn, the pads shagged and the lines and fluid knackered.
3000 miles - Replaced AP discs (original ones were drilled and overheated badly)

Oil was changed every 1000 miles, I use Mobil 1 Motorsport.
Gearbox oil changed every 1000 miles too.
Spark plugs every 1000 miles
Oil filter every 1000 miles.

The original S01's lasted about 3000 miles.
Replaced them with some intermediate yokos (which now appear to have been illegal for the road, gulp!)
These were awful, and lasted about 500 miles!!
Got some Proxes, which were awful, and wore badly. Replaced the front 2 after 500 miles!
Got S02's for about 500 miles - ok, just sold them as I changed wheels.
Current Performance R Dunlops are awesome, and going strong after 2 trackdays and 1000 miles!

Cheers

 

[Guest]

Simon and amp; Dave,

Until you've taken your car on the track, you will NEVER know its real limits. This applies to most cars to some extent but probably more so for an Evo.

In the words of an advertsing campaign the subject of which I've completely forgotten ... Just do it.

Ian.

 

[Guest]

Isn't all this oil changing a bit excessive? Before and after every trackday??
Then I should change my oil every week??? Read somewhere on this site that people change their transmission oil after every trackday as well?!

Drive my car to the Ring, on the Ring and home again. Sometimes just a fast blast on country roads, similar to track-use. Change my engine oil every 5000km. Doing it more often is silly and rather wastefull! Modern oils don't break down that fast.

It is more important to get all the old engine oil out of the oil pan and cooler! While replacing the con-rod bolts, I discovered about 1/2 a liter of oil in the pan still!

 

[Guest]

N.Ring

I change my oil a week or two before a track day and within a week or two after as was recommended to be by an rally engine builder (within about 1000 miles is a good guide). Mainly because the oil used in the engine burns when out on track and degrades quickly. I am sure you can get away with longer - that's up to you. Having owned a Subaru previously I am perhaps a little paranoid about engines letting go and prefer to be on the safe side.

On track or at the ring (in the Subaru) I saw between 15-30 deg. higher oil temps compared to a hard blast on the road - therefore I want my oil at its best performance. Have not fitted oil temp guages yet in the EVO.

Your quote: Change my engine oil every 5000km. Doing it more often is silly and rather wastefull!

If that 5000km includes track miles then I disagree.

Rich.

Ps. were you the black EVO 6 at the ring 2 weeks ago?

 

[Guest]

Hello Rich,

Could be, my Evo is the one with the Mov'it decals on the sides (German plates). Goes really well at the moment. Had it measured: 350 hp at ca. 1.2 bar at 7100rpm (peak set at 1.4 bar).

Did a 8.15 min bridge to bridge (ad ca. 15 sec. for lap time). With a bit more practise, less motorcycles and better tires, maybe another 15 sec. should be possible.

Using Catrol RS 10W60, maybe I will change it every 4000km then!

What were you driving?

 

[Guest]

Hi N.Ring,

I was driving a blue EVO 7, we also had a silver EVO 7 with us, a 22B, an Integra type R, a BMW 330D and about 12 Imprezas.

I think I remember seeing your car about and also while I was spectating at Brunnchen. I also spoke to the owner of a blue EVO 6 (dutch? plates) at the local petrol station - I think he said he was a member of this board.

Your 8.15 is impressive. My best time in the EVO was an 8.33 bridge to gantry (previously just under 9 mins in the Impreza in June). I still have lots to learn about the ring and only remember about 4/5ths of the circuit so should certainly be able to go faster especially Pflanzgarten 1 and amp; 2 where I was still lifting off.

The lad in the Integra had road legal semi slicks and the grip was awesome through the corners, my tyres were going off quite badly towards the last third of the circuit - guess I need to drive a lot smoother.

Back at Easter

Rich.

 

[Guest]

There is advice on the power engineering web site re track day maintenance (some of it already mentioned in this thread). Covers what to do on the day and recommendations on items to replace if you become a regular (it's hard to stop once you start!) Power Engineering and go to advice, track days.

Kevin.