Steps needed for track day prep? (cooling)
 

I don't have an 8 yet, but I'm trying to learn as much as I can before I get one. I'd like to be doing some track days with the car when the time comes.

I live in Dallas, TX and it gets hot here in the summer. What mods should be done to keep the engine cool during 100 degree track days in TX? I read through the thread about NA and turbo and cooling. It sounds like the koyo radiator is not the way to go. So what should be done to the 8 to keep it cool?

Open front grille, BHR radiator (or equivalent) and cool down laps :) Mixing 40\60 radiator fluid and water will also help a bit.
Hot air in the car might help a minimum too :)
Cooling the car after the track day running in circles at min speed for 5-10 minutes and then keeping it neutral for other 5-10 minutes will be of some help as well even if not for the session itself.
I'm sure i forgot about something though...

Oil coolers or anything like that?

If you're starting tracking, you'll probably not need to do anything in the cooling dept really. You won't likely be driving so hard as to get the car all that hot and bothered... at least not yet.

One sure way to discover when you might is to get oil and water temp gauges to keep track of things or even easier is an EFIDude data logger that will record the engine temp over the course of the day when you're on track and you can review later at home.

Bottom line, don't make a track day too complicated or expensive (it's already expensive enough!) by thinking you need lots of mods to your car before you even learn the basics of driving on track.

Over time, if you see temps exceeding reasonable... then look into cooling mods that might help.

PS you already have two oil coolers.

I agree with not getting too carried away with mods, but I just want to make sure the car won't destroy itself because I didn't know to upgrade the radiator etc.

And having never tracked a car, I'm sure I'm in for a surprise on the cost of brakes and tires :)

Thanks for the tips guys.

I run Red Line Water Wetter in the coolant. Works!
Cheers!

all good advice and remember to keep it cooler, you dont have to wind her out to 9K all the time --the rpms between 8-9k build a lot of heat and sometimes even slow you down.
olddragger

I'd worry more about brake temps than engine temps...run high temp brake fluid (Motul or equivalent) and higher temp pads, to start...but, nothing helps as much as good ducting to the center of the rotor vanes...

open hood between sessions.

beers :beer:

Hawk blue's and ATE brake fluid. Replace, bleed, drive fast!
Cheers!

Good scoop, not making any torque past 8k, just generating heat.

That's one way to do it...lots of good brake pad choices out there and Hawk makes some good ones...if you run the Blues, be prepared to swap out pads before/after each event and to get the brake dust off the wheels and body asap...it is very corrosive, particularly if it gets wet.

Reheheheally? What do you like as well?

When I was running a bunch of open track (non RX8), I had good luck with Hawk's HT-10 compound, Carbotech's XP series and Pagid (pricey, but nice). This was after I decided that running a dedicated set of pads with seasoned rotors bedded with that compound was much better than trying to find a compromise street/track pad. Of course, that was on a Mustang and a Z06, where rotors were between $25 (no kidding, Z06 oem's from Rock Auto) and $60 (oem Ford Brembos). Before that, I went through the Hawk HP+, Blue and PFC Z experiments...the Blues were the best of that lot, but I never liked them on the street, as their temp range really isn't right for that application...which didn't stop me from trying. The Carbotechs actually were rotor friendly enough to run on the street, but by then I was used to swapping pads/rotors before track weekends, so I just kept doing so.

YMMV, brake pads are like a lot of set up items, one size doesn't fit all, lots of people have different opinions :)

Thanks, I always swap pads after race, but will really clean my track wheels better.

Yeah, the Hawk dust is a beotch on wheels.:icon_no2:

One other thing I found out with Hawk's compounds is that you don't want to mix other brands with Hawk on the same rotors. There are many pads that just aren't compatible with Hawk, in terms of scraping pad transfer evenly when you swap them on the same rotors and they are re-bedding. What then happens you get high spots in the transfer layer, which just gets worse every time you use the brakes, (as the pad can't make contact with the low spots, it continues to transfer to the high spots)...which results in squealing, shuddering and other annoying stuff, not to mention poor performance. If you run the Blues on track, I'd use HP's for the street, just to be safe.

Blue is waaaay old technology, do yourself a favor and use HT-10

or HT-14 front and HT-10 rear

or if you're really serious DTC-70 or DTC-60 front and DTC-60 or HT-14 rear

I have the RB gauge cluster and found it immensely useful on a hot day at Buttonwillow. My temps were at around 210 F and that was with the heater on at full. Cockpit was sauna like but I couldn't feel it...until after the session. :D:

When I noticed the temps creeping up I just short shifted on the straight to keep the revs down.
After the session-lift the hood, keep the heater on and watch the temps drop to 170-180 or so before shutting down. I added some water wetter too. I'm hoping to improve on this somehow. I'd prefer to not have to run the dang heater to stay close to 200 degrees.

Always ensure your oil is full.
Premix.
Get the Remedy Water Pump .
As a minimum take front license plate off, better yet take the black grille off or drill out the top section as its all sealed.

I run water wetter as well.

Think I'll try Carbotech XP-10's next, and swap with stock pads for street.

Your no hotter than here in CC and I have not seen any issues. Some guys have small generators and bring fans for cool down after lapping.
Want more cooling, run the heater when driving!