Wow. 125 mpg is very good. I was only getting 11 mpg the last time we did RA.

 

Well, I know NASA runs there this year, but I'm not sure when. I normally hit it up with my local F body club, they put on a heck of an event.

 

Blue, keep us posted.

 

awwwww cra- !
and I thought no one would notice it. I ought to get even more by hitting 5th.
OD

 

The website for the Road America is roadamerica.fbody.us

I would love to see some of you guys come up and lay down some rubber with us!

 

I wonder if the hotter plugs are ok for the track?
OD

 

It isn't that far away. Last year we were salivating for the March event as far back as December. TGPR gave some of us a booster shot of track.
How many folks will be staying at a hotel near the track? I may do so. Anyone find a good room rate at a decent place? The Comfort Inn deal sounds excellent.

I would recommend you all to get your car fuilds changed. Coolant, tranny, diff, brake if you have 20K or more since your last time. My diff fluid was needing a change at 20K and the others fluids did't mind being refreshed. In fact the fresh redline gave me smooth shifts event though I had redline in there before.

 

them is good words of advice. I will be due for another full fluid swap right before RA. Except coolant, just did that. I can tell that the redline tranny fluid needs to be changed, it is just not quite as smooth as it was when it was fresh. And I am getting a little whine back in the diff. Just noticed it again last night.

As for lodging, I will be staying up by the track, I need to figure out where. And for two nights. If we spilt rooms up like we did for TGPR, it will not cost as much. I will look into it some more.

 

I thought you werent supposed to switch out coolant for like 50k miles or something?

 

I was at close to 40k, and don't want to risk it on track. It can't hurt anything, and IMO good maintenance can only make the car last longer.

 

I'm switching coolant beginning of March (30k on Maybelle) going with a 55/45 mix. I just put RP in my diff right before the Roebling event in Sept so I think that may be fine. The tranny will need changing---I think I will let Charlie do that on the friday before. From those of you that havent cleaned you air filter now is the time to do so.
Blue, L8 is right when you are tracking a car you cant follow the manufactors recommendation.
What about the cooler plugs? Has anyone done any temp measurements on our oil coolers after coming off the track---who was that that got that toy? I am torn between running the 5/20 RP on the track vs a 5/30 Royal purple. Dont forget to grease your swaybar bushings. (Synthetic of course) and done forget to do a brake bleed after you put on your track pads.
Matter of fact I have formulated a TRack Prep sheet just so I dont forget anything! I hate old brains.
TA--what do you do with your street tires after the 1st track day is over--take them back to the motel? Anyplace we can store them? I mean it is only a few miles from the track to the motel and I an planning on leaving my track tires on for the night. Dont want to pack and unpack and all that work. Any safe storage at RA? My wheels aint cheap.
OD

 

I have a pyrometer, I never thought to measure the oil coolers.

Why is it necessary to bleed the brakes after changing the pads, I did not do that when I put the stock ones back in, and have not had any trouble.

And you could probably just leave your tires at the hotel, change them in the parking lot, and then take them to the track on Sunday, since we have to check out before the day is over.

 

We will have plenty of oppitunity to do that soon!
I have found that by leaving the master cynliner open so you can move the caliper pistons a little to put the other pads on increases the risk of an air bubble getting in the fluid etc. I always bleed the brakes when I change pads. Nothing to it and you are assured of good firm brake pedal.
Hey good Idea on leaving the tires at the hotel. Yep I can do that. Chain them to the bed or something.
olddragger

 

I guess my next step is to learn to bleed them properly. Before I swap the pads back for RA. Anyone care to give me a quick lesson. I understand Speedbleeders are a good thing.

 

OD - depends where I stay on whether I'll drive there on the Rs. I feel comfortable stacking my wheels at the track during the day but would not leave them out at night. If I leave my car in the paddock overnight which I would like to do, I would lock my stuff inside it and hopefully catch a ride with a friend to the hotel.
I have no expereince with speedbleeders. I believe Lego has though.

 

bleeding the brakes is easy. Here are some steps to follow.
1st --need 2 people--1 to loosen the bleeding tap on the caliper and the other to follow directions in pushing the brake pedal.
2- get the appropiate size box end wrench for the tap,
3- make sure the master cylinder has plenty of dot 4 or 5 fluid in it
4-make sure the top is on the master cylinder and tight
5- fit a small hose on the bleeding tap so the brake fluid will not fly all over things(run hose to a catch can etc)
6- have someone sit in the car and pump the brakes so that the brake petal is as high as it will go. then tell them to hold the pressure on the pedal as if they are firmly appling the brakes.
7- loosen the bleeping tap and tell your partner that the brake pedal will go to the floor and to hold it firmly there when it does.
8 as the fluid is being pumped out, if any airbubbles are present then you will see /or hear them being expelled.
9- once the brake pedal is on the floor and your partner is holding it there RETIGHTEN the tap. Then your partner can release the petal.
10 repeat those steps on the same wheel until NO air is being expelled (may take a couple of times)
11- do this on all 4 wheels, refilling the mastercylinder as needed.
Oh by the way the car is NOT running while you are doing this. Dont get the brake fluid on the paint anywhere --paint doesnt like it and dont let it get into you eyes.
Not as hard as it sounds and it doesnt take long to do.
rotor on
olddragger

 

if you end up staying at the hotel with the rest of us, I am sure one of us will give you a lift...provided there is no checkered thing involved.

OD, thanks for the explanation of bleeding the brakes. Now I see why the speedbleeders make it easier. I was reading up on them yesterday, maybe lego will add his insight based on his experience.

 

Speedbleeders are great! I've used them the last time I bled the brakes before TGPR. They make it much easier and a hell of a lot faster. I bought mind from www.raceshopper.com for $10/pair. I didn't buy one for the cylinder, but I just bled that like normal. You just install them, unscrew them 1/4 turn to let the check valve activate, then pump away. Make sure however that you have ample brake fluid. Speed bleeders usually pump out more than regular ones. They are great for flushing the fluid. Pump pump pump pump, add more fluid, pump pump pump pump.... until the ugly darker fluid looks normal again. When flushing, it's great to go from Super Blue to the regular stuff (almost clear) that way you know it's all out when you start pumping out the new color. I would definitely recommend them. They have a rubber dust cap just like regular bleeders and they secure very well.

Raceshopper.com also send you a rubber hose and bag when you buy 4 bleeders (they come in sets of 2), so $20 bucks total. I just used the hose and bled everything into an old 2 liter coke bottle. That made it really easy to take to the recycler.

 

I'd like to use the pyrometer to check which oil cooler is hotter, right or left. Also, it would be interesting (if we can get access to it) to see which port of the exhaust manifold is hotter. And... how hot the disc brakes are and how hot the intake chamber is and how hot the radiator is and how hot the ............. I got carried away.

We could get Val to point it at Doiley Girl and see how hot the fake *** strakes are. We could stand behind him and say, "Damn, those are HOT!"

 

It depends on how you change the pads. Most people will loosen the bleed valve to push the piston back to allow room for the new pads to go in. When you do this, you have to bleed them again. There is another way, in which you can use a large C-Clamp to push the piston back in to allow room for the caliper. To do this, you have to open the brake reseviour top to allow the fluid to push back up. It is also a good idea to put paper towels around it incase it overflows. When the piston is pushed back, you can put the new pads in and when you push on the brake peddle, it will push the piston back in and work properly. This way you don't really have to bleed them. Your brake peddle should feel firm.

When I change brake pads, I also pull the two floating pins out, which the caliper bolts to, and grease them to make sure they float properly and give even pressure on both sides of the disc. Also, check to make sure the rubber dust boot on them is still in good shape. The reason my passenger front disc warped is because when I was changing brake pads, I noticed that the rubber boot on the top floating pin was damaged and brake dust (or whatever) had gotten in and seized the pin. It wasn't floating anymore. I had to remove the brake assembly, beat the pin out, lube it with high temp grease, and now it works just fine. I still have to get that rotor turned before RA, but that's about $12 bucks at the auto parts store. Should be just fine. Now, I check those pins every time I change the pads or change wheels. With the caliper swung up ( to change the pads ) just move it in and out and make sure it floats. The pin should just pull free from the clevis it is in. Lube it and put it back in. Easy as ABC!

 

Keep us informed. I'd be interested in coming up. We'll all sport our track shirts.

 

well, at TGPr, the brake discs were usually over 500 degrees F. That is coming right off the course. The intake runner from the airbox was usually about 110, my tires on the drivers side were about 135, about 15 higher than the passenger side, and the exhaust tips alone were usually over 200.

I changed my pads without loosening the bleeder valve, I just loosened the cap to the master cylinder, and had no trouble. THe front pistons were a breeze, and the rears just rotated back into the caliper with the use of the little square key tool that goes on a socket extension. It must be turned slow, or the rubber boot around it gets all twisted up. But it was really easy, and I feel no pressure problems. Only the BIG difference between stock pads, and the Hawks.

 

I agree, it feels like my brakes are pretty weak now that the Hawks are off and the stocks back on.

 

how do you get accuate disc temp readings with a laser pyro?
OD

 

Most laser pyros are accurate to plus or minus 3-5 degrees C. Granted it's just surface temperature it is measuring, but they are relatively accurate.