First HPDE - Oh Nooo

[Norm Peterson]

Interesting.. More info or example threads most welcome!

A source that people here might not think of right away . . . maybe scroll through the lists of topics in the Camaro ZL1 Forum - ZL1 Specific Topics and Road Course/Track and Autocross sections of Camaro5.com. I know I've seen the topic over there more than once.


Norm

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[M3Convert]

Hopefully the other experienced track guys can chime in. I'm currently putting my list together to mod my car for road course work. I was interested in a power adder, but after looking into it most people were not recommending superchargers. Centrifugal blowers don't create as much heat as a PD blower, especially if the boost is turned down some, but they still build heat. The constant WOT is what does it. Much different than a quarter mile pass or street driving.

Also PD blowers create separate issues with instant torque when existing corners that can be hard to control. After doing some reading and asking some questions, I decided staying NA was best.

Driver
Brakes
Tires
Suspension
Driver
Power (and cooling the drivetrain)
Aero

Your speed on the track is dominated by how fast you exit corners. If you don't have good technique, extra power doesn't make you faster, and can make you slower.

 

[GT_Roadcourse_Newb]

Going fast = nice bonus

I wanted to Supercharge so I could feel what it is like to own a near supercar in my own garage in my own lifetime! I trust my foot to be able to be ginger and avoid power snaps...

SO so saddened to hear that a S/C likely will make the car non-bulletproof on track days (but grateful to have been potentially spared a major frustration/disappointment)

• Is there a CARB legal turbo/SC notorious for avoiding heat sink issue(s)?
  
• A little extra work cannot mitigate the cooling needs?

 

[lastelement21]

Me too

GT_Roadcourse_Newb: I had the same "axle overtemp" error appear when I was at Thunderhill, at the end of March. I have a 2016 GT w/PP, and was driving in the instructor group on the old course.

The error only appeared at the very end of one of the early sessions, it did not appear at any other point during the day. I was either in normal or Sport+ for that session, I don't recall. It was early in the day so probably Normal.

I was on stock tranny/diff fluid, Im going to be swapping that out next week though.

Other annoyances: Theres pretty much *nowhere* on this car to use a tow strap safely, and installing a tow hook isn't nearly as easy as I was hoping. I didn't need one, but its good to be prepared. I'm used to Porsches where it just easily screws in to the front bumper on all of their cars, so this was a disappointment.

Other than that, the day was a blast. Thunderhill is a fantastic track, and it was great to get the car out on the track where it could stretch its legs a bit. I learned a whole lot about the car, and by the end of the day I was very comfortable going fast in it.

 

[GT_Roadcourse_Newb]

GT_Roadcourse_Newb: I had the same "axle overtemp" error appear when I was at Thunderhill, at the end of March. I have a 2016 GT w/PP, and was driving in the instructor group on the old course.

The error only appeared at the very end of one of the early sessions, it did not appear at any other point during the day. I was either in normal or Sport+ for that session, I don't recall. It was early in the day so probably Normal.

I was on stock tranny/diff fluid, Im going to be swapping that out next week though.


Other than that, the day was a blast. Thunderhill is a fantastic track, and it was great to get the car out on the track where it could stretch its legs a bit. I learned a whole lot about the car, and by the end of the day I was very comfortable going fast in it.

Thanks for sharing this information.
What fluids are you going to use, may I ask? I would like to swap them out ASAP.
Thunderhill FTW for sure!! I can't wait to try the 5 mile configuration.

 

[bandit67]

Superchargers tend to create some issues on road courses. One big issue is heat, but that can be dealt with.

Another big issue is the addition of weight on the front end, further imbalancing the car. I sold my 2007 GT500 and bought my naturally aspirated 2007 Parnelli Jones 302 when I began running on road courses and never looked back. I know plenty of track hounds who have done the same, and a few of them have been tearing up tracks ever since.

If you are serious about tracking your car for quite a while, then you may want to rethink adding a blower. Yes, you will have more power down the straights, but it will slow you down in the twisties. i do have one buddy that is fast in his supercharged Mustang, but he's constantly messing with it and tweaking things, and occasionally has to sit out sessions.

 

[GT_Roadcourse_Newb]

BTW, took the car into the dealer today, and all the fluids were still within specs. I will try to replace the fluids before my next track day, and currently thinking of:

Amsoil 75/110 Diff Fluid
Ford Motorcraft Transmission Fluid
Royal Purple 5-20 / Filter

 

[Plimmer]

5w-20 just doesn't seem to be a track orientated oil, in my opinion its great for cruising. The GT350 and Boss 302 are spec'd for 5W-50.

I just picked up some 15w-50 from Wally World for $22 for 5 qrts. This will be my next track day oil. Last track day I did I had 5w-30 and my temps approached yellow. I'll be happier next time with the 50 weight in there, and cuz I don't live in eskimo land, I don't need 5w

 

[GT_Roadcourse_Newb]

5w-20 just doesn't seem to be a track orientated oil, in my opinion its great for cruising. The GT350 and Boss 302 are spec'd for 5W-50.

I just picked up some 15w-50 from Wally World for $22 for 5 qrts. This will be my next track day oil. Last track day I did I had 5w-30 and my temps approached yellow. I'll be happier next time with the 50 weight in there, and cuz I don't live in eskimo land, I don't need 5w

Figure I will stick with the factory prescribed oil weight...:eyebulge:

 

[Norm Peterson]

That which is factory-prescribed for the average street driven car (that's under pressure to use any and all little tricks to improve mpg) isn't going to be what you want for extended sessions of hard driving. You might want to investigate the oil recommendations for the S197 Boss and Boss/Laguna Seca cars and match those instead.

From a crew chief and sometime race engineer (NASCAR Cup level) who was pretty close to the development of these modular motors

I'm not going into details here, but I know I've talked to several people on this list before about this. Please do not put 5w-20 or less into a mod motor. Please.

FWIW, I've been running 5W30 Motorcraft full-synthetic. Won't run anything lighter even for the street miles, but I wish there were readily available Motorcraft oils just a little heavier though.


Norm

 

[GT_Roadcourse_Newb]

Changing oil with

Royal Purple 10-40
Amsoil 75/110 Diff Fluid
Ford Motorcraft Transmission Fluid

Happening in a few hours (Mobile Mechanic ftw, since I am mobility challenged)

Will post pictures of the factory fluids with 1500 miles + 2.5 easyish HPDE days. (If I can figure out how to post pictures)

 

[Trackaholic]

FWIW, I've been running 5W30 Motorcraft full-synthetic. Won't run anything lighter even for the street miles, but I wish there were readily available Motorcraft oils just a little heavier though.


Norm

How about the Motorcraft 5W50?

-T

 

[GT_Roadcourse_Newb]

Fluids changed, added my personal choice of engine oil additive (X1-R), and took the car out for a quick jaunt. I'm sure I feel a difference. Right? haha...
I swear the rpms seem to spool a bit smoother and the exhaust note seems a tiny bit more pleasing. The placebo effect in effect

The Differential fluid did not look too bad, not new by any stretch however. Rated 4 out of 10 on wear/use scale - same for tranny oil. I saved a sample of each for kicks.

Planning on another full change after 4 more HPDE days. :ford:

 

[Norm Peterson]

How about the Motorcraft 5W50?

-T

I've thought about it, and if I could get through 90°+ days without heat-stressing I'd probably be using it. But it seems a little thick for overall use when temperatures dip down into the 30°'s F and lower, my home track is still scheduling track days, and I'm driving to and from them plus whatever daily stuff in between.



GT_Roadcourse_Newb - every car I've ever owned has felt smoother-running for the first few dozen miles following an oil change.


Norm

 

[GT_Roadcourse_Newb]

Water Wetter

Ive been a believer in water wetter. Any reason to not drop a bottle in?

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