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Showing content with the highest reputation on 03/30/2020 in all areas

  1. I guess everyone is more or less in the same boat here...trying to figure out how to gain that extra second while sitting at home! After our last race day I started to do some maintenance and repair work on the RX-8 (yes, brand-new quarter panel and fenders and shiny new paint!). During that process I decided to get rid of my barely functioning A/C compressor. But since I was only 0.5 PIPs away from sliding into GT4, I now have to move into that class. So getting rid of that monstrosity of air pump in the other side of the engine compartment was the next natural step. With my exhaust getting so hot that you can barely keep your hands on the shifter bezel, I don't think I have a problem getting my cat to working temperature... But now I have quite a bit of wiggle room for more improvements while still staying in GT4. I have to decide where I want to allocate my efforts: trying to save some weight (to compensate for the driver's inability to stay away from good food?), or suspension improvements? Thankfully I have no problems with my brakes - except of the calipers coming loose, but safety wiring will take care of that. I will go with more negative camber front and rear to combat the extreme wear on the outer edges of my tires, and if finances allow me I will step up in tire width. One way or another, I need to find an extra second per lap to get the same amount of points in GT4 as I received in T1. I, too, have thought a lot about the proper gearing. As opposed to Matt, I actually use my shift lever quite a bit. I try to keep my engine above 5800 rpm! Well, not quite, but below 4500 there is not much happening, and if i let the rpm drop below 4000, a mother pushing her baby stroller can outrun me! Therefore I shift a lot. I would love to get a bit taller gearing as I hit my rev limiter in 2nd gear between turn 3 and 4, as well as 4 and 5, but staying in 3rd gear doesn't give me much acceleration between the corners. However, halfway down the front straight I shift into 4th, and then I barely gain any speed anymore. So what is the solution? Going with slightly taller tires and hope that pulling 3rd gear a bit longer on the straight is compensating for the loss of acceleration? Or going with dramatically shorter gearing, so that all 2nd gear corners become 3rd gear territory, and fourth gear actually still pulls? I think the latter would be the way to go; unfortunately changing gears or even finding ring and pinion gears for an RX-8 is not as easy as for a Camaro. Decisions, decisions...
    1 point
  2. Same as me David - I have a garage but it’s skinny, can’t work on suspension or brakes in there. But that’s cool. With the nice weather it’s good to be outside! Scott - I have been contemplating a gearing change for that same reason.... I have 3.42 right now. So 3.73 is logical. With the double-overdriven T56 i could run 4.11 with no problems. But changing the headers to alter the power band Is a new challenge for me, I have no experience with this and am looking forward to the results. As it sits, I’m in 3rd gear from turn 3 until the start-finish line where I pull 4th and keep it there til T3 again...kinda boring, but as a rule I don’t take the motor past 5800 and learning to carry momentum through the corners is a great exercise in physics, specifically Newton’s 1st law of motion. I dunno, maybe I should re-visit the gearing... that being said, the rear of my car was exhibiting an uncomfortable lack of control despite my best efforts to put it where I’d like it to be. in preparation for the season finale in sept 2019, I got a new sway bar for the rear (never had one before) and also clamped a coil down in an effort to follow the manufacturers recommended settings when using Hoosier tires - they said minimum is to run 10% more spring with their tires. well, due to weather I didn’t get to the track in September, so it’s going to be a new deal for the first track day of 2020 - whenever that will be. Either way, I’ll be ready!
    1 point
  3. Looks like there's no panic for getting ready this spring . . . good think too, I've got a 14" big brake kit to put on my 350Z. I've only got an outside parking lot to work in, it'll may be getting warm enough soon! peace, David
    1 point
  4. Fantastic idea Dason. To Matt Corrie. Back in the day I was dealing with a similar problem for a different reason and changed my diff to put my revs where I could use them in 5 and in 7/8. My car had a power band from about 5000 to 8500 but was pretty sluggish below 5. You can make a spreadsheet with all your different gear ratios and tire sizes included. In my case I knew what speed I needed to get down to to make corner 5 so I picked a final drive ratio that would put me just over 5000 in second coming out of 5. I was losing a couple of car lengths with the stock ratio and this eliminated that problem. Not enough for a pass on that back straight but since it worked the same in 7/8 I could set up passes on the front straight coming out of 8 or 9 or whatever it was. Yes, it was a rotary. Scott
    1 point
  5. Dason - good on you. You’re right, this is a great opportunity to keep up with our automotive connections the only way we really can in these highly unusual times. ...and I’m not on any social media either - just not my bag. But I’d like to know what everyone is working on. I kept blowing the tires off in turns 3-4-5 so I’m putting a different set of headers on my car in an effort to move the torque peak up a bit and free up a bit more hp. I went from 1 5/8” shorty’s to 1 3/4” full length headers. As soon as the weather is good enough I will bolt them on. If the dollar gets better I might get stiffer springs but exchange is just too high right now. Dason - any plans for your car?? anybody else trying something new??
    1 point
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