FWIW I don't think anyone NEEDS new pads or new fluid their first time out on the track but both are recommended. You should definitely bleed your brakes and while you're doing it it's not a bad idea but you don't need new fluid. Pads you just need to make sure you've got working ones.

Fluid needs to be upgraded when you improve your pads. Better pads cause more friction which increases the heat your brakes are generating which can increase you wet boiling point past what OEM fluid can handle. Better tires (r-comps) as well can strain your brakes because they grip better and allow more friction to be generated causing more wear on your brake pads.

OEM rotors and pads are perfectly fine for a novice track day or two. You just aren't going to come close to braking hard enough to cause significant wear.

That being said if you start upgrading pads are the first place.

Oh and Vyn I would trust your rotors about as far as I can throw your car. They should be fine for limited use (and definitely for AutoX) but if you ever think about upgrading your pads or going with comps then you're probably want to swap back to the less blingy but more functional OEMs.

Doc - I'll take you up on the offer for some Blue. Actually if you can get me 2 things of Amber (it's the 200 but not SuperBlue) that would probably be better for me since I'm swapping brake fluid completely. When I changed out my brake fluid last time I didn't do the clutch line and only used about 3/4 of a bottle of blue. But I always want to have a spare bottle handy.

EDIT: This stuff

http://www.tirerack.com/brakes/ate/a...e200_amber.jsp

 

I was just at Summit and all they had was this "gunk" brand (that's what the bottle says).
I'll probably do my brake fluid next weekend and was just going to buy DOT4 Valvoline from Advance Auto (I'll wait for the "you MUST use ATE since its a racing fluid" comment).

 

Hah. Not gonna come from me. As long as it's DOT4 and has the same wet boiling point it's the same stuff.

But I do like being able to switch colors with the same brands and I plan on draining my fluid annually. Nice to know when the old stuff is out and the new stuff is in.

 

Hmm, all very interesting. SO - change pads and put old rotors back on and upgrade brake fluid.

What if I only upgrade the fronts because the rears were hard and I don't want to do those again.

 

Agree 100%

 

Rears aren't that bad. Do them all!

 

Plus the rears will probably just fall off now like they're supposed to when you haven't rusted them against whatever piece they mount on.

But yeah while the rears aren't nearly that important (i'd guess we do at least 65% of our braking up front) ya might as well keep it all matched.

And I've got old, used HPS and OEM pads if someone wants them. OEMs had about 20k on them and the HPS had about 15k. They both have plenty of pad left.

 

I'll take the HPS pads if you're not going to need them and they'll work for my novice applications. In exchange, I'll turn your rotors for you if you still need it done.

 

For once, letting Steve use a torch on your car can save you a headache

 

Fair enough. Course I won't have them off for a while and they might not have enough left to be machined since they have gone 40k including almost 1k on the track with good pads. But it'll be nice to have backups once I get my new rotors.

I'll bring the HPS pads next week.

 

Sounds good! Thanks Ryan.

Also - I'm running up to Summit probably tomorrow night to purchase fluids.

I'm sure this information is out in the forum, but chances are you guys know before I could find it.

Coolant: Idk - how much???

Trans: 2 quarts - Redline MT-90

Dif: Redline 75w90 (How much???)

Oil - royal purple 5w30, 5 quarts I think if I empty the oil coolers also?

 

2qts (you'll use 1.5qts)

 

Spotted 2 RX-8's on 91 today and yesterday! Alrighty let's see who it was! First the gray one (sunday) heading north on 91 and turned into a side street on the left a bit before the big turtle complex. I was in front of you! (Mazda Millenia, golden ish color!).

And the one today. Nordic green turning left from 91 onto 20 (during that little traffic jam) I was next to you stuck turning left onto 91.

anyways, was just wondering if it was any of yous on here. And also, still searching for my 8 =( if anyone spots a good manual GT lemme know! :p

 

Almost miss this one!!

The torch has come out twice and been useful once.... so, if I were a gambling man, I would play those odds.... (I think its called roulette)

Simic - the Green one may have been Ryan since I have never ever seen another green 8 in the area.

I would start looking on the forums here for an 8. You may have to travel to get it, but chances are its well looked after.

EDIT - If I were shopping now, I would think long and hard about this:
https://www.rx8club.com/showthread.p...51#post2798851

 

well I have a grey one and I would have turned into Big Turtle II...what time?

The NG one also could be ThePaper...who I have convinced to come out with us on the 24th.

 

I'll admit, torching those bolts for the front rotors was a pretty damn good idea.
Easier than when I took my rotors off and had to use an impact driver on those bolts.

 

ahhh I can't really remember exactly what time it was, I think around 6-7 pm.

 

Dan I missed a lot this weekend

ok, lets see...

Autocross: I'll be running STX this year. Potentially looking into getting a highflow cat (used) that I can have just for autocrosses so no one bitches about the midpipe. The majority of the people are cool though, and I'm sure if I forgot to take it off they probably wouldn't mind. I will ask the other people in the class first though if I don't get a chance to swap off the midpipe before an event. Hell, they are pretty decent there about stuff, and they were letting 350z's run in STU there for a while even though it's illegal in the class. Main concern right now is breaking in the new tires which are being mounted right now.



Nelsons: Provided I can get a few things sorted out on the 8 by then, then I am planning on attending for a half day. I have a few things I gotta do in the morning in Cleveland that should be over by 10:00am ish allowing me to make it down for a half day. Put me down as tentative.

I think that about covers it for now.


Oh yeah, Banned, congrats on the baby!!!

Trademark, sucks about the car man. I effin hate vandals..

 

****, oh yeah...

I'll be out on the 24th. My schedule has changed a little bit and I'll be able to make it.

 

There... that's better

 

I've gotten in almost 6 quarts doing the jack-elevation tricks to empty out the coolers.

Coolant takes a lot if you're swapping it out. Any reason why you're swapping it out? You pretty much don't need to.

I have no idea how much I needed since mine has a giant leak but I think it was about 4 gallons or so. Mighta been closer to 3. Just make sure you have distilled water on hand in case you don't have enough premixed coolant.

 

The NG definitely wasn't me. Basically just been on 77, 18, and downtown since Friday.

But I don't think we should allow another NG into the club so John will have to disinvite his friend. I are specials.

 

Well, I've never swapped it out before... in fact, I've never even had to top it off. I figured I might as well do it now and throw some water wetter in there. 4 gallons huh. I don't think empty all of it, probably just drain what I can and replace it.


I have my extra tub'o royal purple that I use for topping off the oil that probably has like 4-5 quarts left in it. But I don't think there is enough to squeeze another oil change out of it.

 

Not broke don't fix it. Take it from the guy who's upper rad hose is leaking.

Changing it is really obnoxiously easy (tho you should wear safety glasses if you're doing it from the engine and not just the rad) and I would recommend draining it all if you're draining any.

Unless you plan on changing it again this year stick with 50/50 and pretty much any brand works. The water wetter allegedly helps but honestly I've never had a problem with my coolant before I decided to slice my hose.

 

Ok, I'll leave it alone then.