smithhead
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Feb 23, 2022
- Threads
- 11
- Messages
- 77
- Reaction score
- 28
- Location
- Salt Lake City, UT
- First Name
- Craig
- Vehicle(s)
- 2021 GT Premium, Auto, 3.55
- Thread starter
- #1
20 years ago I had a Porsche that I took to the track once (Willow Springs). I probably had performance pads and decent fluid but other than that didn't do anything and didn't have any issues. My wife got me an exotic car track experience last year and I got the bug again. I was looking for another Porsche but ended up with a Mustang.
Only to find out that the base GT isn't very suitable for the track. I had hoped to get the performance pack but couldn't find a car with it in my price range.
I've read through a lot of posts and have some understanding of the limitations but a few questions. Note that I am a big chicken and an extreme novice, and I don't want to screw up my car. With this in mind I did a track day a couple weeks ago. Just one hour, a beginner session where you go out one at a time and have to come in after each lap and get in line again, although some times there was no line. I am just trying to learn the car and the cornering limits, and the track, so didn't go too fast. Half the track has fast sweepers and the other half several tight turns. I only did two aggressive laps, the rest of the time I only had to brake briefly and therefore didn't have any issues at all. I did more laps than anyone in the session and it was still a lot of fun.
With that in mine, I'm wondering what I can do with some easy improvements, and when I need to stop. Sorry for the length of this post.
1) The #1 issue seems to be brake cooling. My car has the newer rotors with the vents on the inside, so presumably will be better? I haven't seen a lot of data on this yet. My hope was that I could just do better pads and maybe add some ducting. I would upgrade the brakes but I really wanted to use my 18" wheels for my winter setup.
2) I guess the brake fluid temp is more dependent on the temperature of the brakes than the actual braking pressure, so if the rotors stay cooler that should help. According to the manual it has a 260C boiling point which is the equivalent of DOT5 even though it's DOT4. Does the car give a warning for brake fluid temp?
3) How much warning will I get when fade sets in? Will I notice a degradation before it goes completely?
4) I just ran in Sport mode and forgot that stability control would be applying brakes. As a novice is it still best to turn that off to save the brakes? It's not clear to me if Track mode turns if off or if I still have to do it manually.
5) Sounds like I will get a warning for the differential fluid in time to cool it down. I plan to add heat shielding.
6) Cooling - what is cylinder head temperature? Water? I see they don't have an oil temperature gauge. What is the safe temperature? The ambient temp was 50F, and my regular temp gauge never moved. But the cylinder head temperature did a lot; it was 180 on the open road, 200 while on the track, and went up to 215+ after I came in to the pits. It would quickly go back down when I started driving again.
7) So the main question is, if I drive more aggressively will I need to cool down after every lap? I certainly don't mind the beginner sessions right now, don't have to worry about someone on my tail. Of course as the weather gets warmer everything gets worse, so maybe I can't do track days in the summer?
I also read about changing oil, brakes, brake fluid, and differential fluid every time out, although I realize that's for more aggressive track days with more track time. I see some guidelines for oil and diff fluid in the manual, but not brake fluid. It sounds like they go through stock pads and rotors really quickly. But changing pads between street and track seems odd, as pads have to bed in to the rotors right?
Thanks for your help. I'm doing another beginner day this weekend, but may do two one hour sessions, an hour apart.
I've read through a lot of posts and have some understanding of the limitations but a few questions. Note that I am a big chicken and an extreme novice, and I don't want to screw up my car. With this in mind I did a track day a couple weeks ago. Just one hour, a beginner session where you go out one at a time and have to come in after each lap and get in line again, although some times there was no line. I am just trying to learn the car and the cornering limits, and the track, so didn't go too fast. Half the track has fast sweepers and the other half several tight turns. I only did two aggressive laps, the rest of the time I only had to brake briefly and therefore didn't have any issues at all. I did more laps than anyone in the session and it was still a lot of fun.
With that in mine, I'm wondering what I can do with some easy improvements, and when I need to stop. Sorry for the length of this post.
1) The #1 issue seems to be brake cooling. My car has the newer rotors with the vents on the inside, so presumably will be better? I haven't seen a lot of data on this yet. My hope was that I could just do better pads and maybe add some ducting. I would upgrade the brakes but I really wanted to use my 18" wheels for my winter setup.
2) I guess the brake fluid temp is more dependent on the temperature of the brakes than the actual braking pressure, so if the rotors stay cooler that should help. According to the manual it has a 260C boiling point which is the equivalent of DOT5 even though it's DOT4. Does the car give a warning for brake fluid temp?
3) How much warning will I get when fade sets in? Will I notice a degradation before it goes completely?
4) I just ran in Sport mode and forgot that stability control would be applying brakes. As a novice is it still best to turn that off to save the brakes? It's not clear to me if Track mode turns if off or if I still have to do it manually.
5) Sounds like I will get a warning for the differential fluid in time to cool it down. I plan to add heat shielding.
6) Cooling - what is cylinder head temperature? Water? I see they don't have an oil temperature gauge. What is the safe temperature? The ambient temp was 50F, and my regular temp gauge never moved. But the cylinder head temperature did a lot; it was 180 on the open road, 200 while on the track, and went up to 215+ after I came in to the pits. It would quickly go back down when I started driving again.
7) So the main question is, if I drive more aggressively will I need to cool down after every lap? I certainly don't mind the beginner sessions right now, don't have to worry about someone on my tail. Of course as the weather gets warmer everything gets worse, so maybe I can't do track days in the summer?
I also read about changing oil, brakes, brake fluid, and differential fluid every time out, although I realize that's for more aggressive track days with more track time. I see some guidelines for oil and diff fluid in the manual, but not brake fluid. It sounds like they go through stock pads and rotors really quickly. But changing pads between street and track seems odd, as pads have to bed in to the rotors right?
Thanks for your help. I'm doing another beginner day this weekend, but may do two one hour sessions, an hour apart.
Sponsored
Last edited: