Track forum general chit chat.

[Samo6556]

Originally Posted by SQ13

Who made your magnetic numbers, PE? I need a set for my car.

I just had a set made myself from a company we use at my work. A little more expensive than I thought but at least I don't need to order them again.

[roastbeef]

just google local sign shops in your area. the place local to me charges about $12 for vinyl numbers... i thought about the magnetic decal thing, but i always seem to see them fly off at the track. i suppose i could put some clear tape on the leading edge. i only have to use them at the track with sound limits, so its not a big deal to just pay for them a few times a year.

[CXRS]

Originally Posted by roastbeef

forget about doing shit to a 328... waste of money. get an e36 m3 if that works for you.

As much as I would love that, I do need AWD in the winters here. I do a lot of traveling, and often find myself on unpaved/untreated roads, so I like having at least one AWD car in the garage.

[Mantii]

We talked a bit about driver fitness not long ago..newly released video, not sure if any of you had a chance to watch

[roastbeef]

anyone ever mess around with these? you set them at a specific psi, and they bleed off air as the tires heat up and build pressure.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001NNBGAG...v_ov_lig_dp_it

[Samo6556]

Originally Posted by roastbeef

anyone ever mess around with these? you set them at a specific psi, and they bleed off air as the tires heat up and build pressure.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001NNBGAG...v_ov_lig_dp_it

Cool didn't know that existed.

[kyippee]

Just registered for Saturday May 26th at Sonoma raceway, high int. Any track rats going? None of my friends are registered so far

[roastbeef]

Originally Posted by kpewpew

Just registered for Saturday May 26th at Sonoma raceway, high int. Any track rats going? None of my friends are registered so far

i'll be up in norcal that weekend, but we are supposed to be organizing wedding stuff... i'll have to see if that day is free. lol

[kyippee]

Originally Posted by roastbeef

i'll be up in norcal that weekend, but we are supposed to be organizing wedding stuff... i'll have to see if that day is free. lol

Make it free

[roastbeef]

Originally Posted by kpewpew

Make it free

working on it. didn't get immediately shut down, so its a possibility!

[roastbeef]

Originally Posted by Samo6556

Cool didn't know that existed.

i didn't know they existed for our specific application either... i use a set of staun tire deflaters when i go offroading, but they are heavy and not super accurate. they wouldn't work well on a track car. they are supposed to bleed down to a set psi, but i've found as the staun's age, they aren't as accurate.

the product i posted, however, was talked about in that webinar i had previously posted about. most sanctioned racing bans the use of them, but if they work for us weekend guys, might be cool. i don't think they are an end-all solution, but a neat thing to look at and keep and eye out for. if i see someone using them at the track, i'd love to question the person about them. its not something i'm willing to pay $250 to experiment with.

i did happen to be at home depot the other day and picked up an in-line water separator to use with my compressor.

found an interesting thread on them on rennlist.
https://rennlist.com/forums/racing-a...ongacre-2.html

edit- looks like recommended install method is to drill into your wheels. F that, no thanks. i thought these were a replacement valve type of thing.

[ricardofors68]

Originally Posted by roastbeef

anyone ever mess around with these? you set them at a specific psi, and they bleed off air as the tires heat up and build pressure.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001NNBGAG...v_ov_lig_dp_it

That's pretty neat!

[1MOREMOD]

I saw the first picture and was like wtf, that big thing on the wheel.

[dogbone]

Originally Posted by roastbeef

i didn't know they existed for our specific application either... i use a set of staun tire deflaters when i go offroading, but they are heavy and not super accurate. they wouldn't work well on a track car. they are supposed to bleed down to a set psi, but i've found as the staun's age, they aren't as accurate.

the product i posted, however, was talked about in that webinar i had previously posted about. most sanctioned racing bans the use of them, but if they work for us weekend guys, might be cool. i don't think they are an end-all solution, but a neat thing to look at and keep and eye out for. if i see someone using them at the track, i'd love to question the person about them. its not something i'm willing to pay $250 to experiment with.

i did happen to be at home depot the other day and picked up an in-line water separator to use with my compressor.

found an interesting thread on them on rennlist.
https://rennlist.com/forums/racing-a...ongacre-2.html

edit- looks like recommended install method is to drill into your wheels. F that, no thanks. i thought these were a replacement valve type of thing.

Yeah, we saw these a few years ago. I thought it was the next big thing for maintaining tire pressure until I realized you had to drill the rim.....I was like.....ummmm.... I asked around. I could not find anyone who ran them. In 6+ years, I have never knowingly run across a person that runs them.

I had hoped they would somehow work on the regular valve stems....

[roastbeef]

Originally Posted by dogbone

Yeah, we saw these a few years ago. I thought it was the next big thing for maintaining tire pressure until I realized you had to drill the rim.....I was like.....ummmm.... I asked around. I could not find anyone who ran them. In 6+ years, I have never knowingly run across a person that runs them.

I had hoped they would somehow work on the regular valve stems....

yea, i was curious enough to seek out reviews and look for videos. that thread on rennlist talks a lot about keeping them clean... if they are not removable, that might be cumbersome. i would imagine they would get pretty dusty with brake dust and general track conditions. the definite nail in the coffin on these for me was the wheel drilling.

you would think there would be a device like a tpms system that could just bleed out air, right?

[ricardofors68]

Hmm, my wheels have to valve stems, maybe I could replace one of them for something like this

[roastbeef]

Originally Posted by ricardofors68

Hmm, my wheels have to valve stems, maybe I could replace one of them for something like this

I don't know if it's a standard valve stem size opening... but if you have two and they fit, I'd do it.
I'm just not going to break out my drill in the garage and put holes in my track wheels. Lol

[NoCarrier]

Switched things up this weekend and endurance raced a friend's 1988 Jetta MK2 in Lucky Dog Racing League at Willow Springs. With 100hp from the factory I'm sure it's struggling to push 75 these days. It had coilovers and sticky tires so there was way more grip than speed, but it required a totally different driving style, aimed at preserving momentum. For example, in turn three you had to barely brake and just chuck it into the corner early, on the totally wrong line, using that momentum to get up the hill, and then get back on the racing line once you were over the crest.

Being at that speed also was very enlightening for my knowledge of the track. When your foot is planted and there's no way the car is going to break loose you have plenty of time to discover good reference points and really survey the turns.

We were, by far, the slowest car in a straight line, topping out at about 91mph in the middle of turn 8. Right in the middle in terms of lap times and finishing result. It was amusing to be passing guys in Spec e46s and Spec Miatas whose budgets far outweighed their driving skills. My best lap was a 1:49.84, which is three seconds faster than my very first track day in my e46.

I got punted off the track pretty hard by someone who tried to pass me on the inside of turn 5 and braked way too late. It caved in the left rear fender and we had to hammer it out before we could get back on track so it didn't cut down the tire.

[roastbeef]

Originally Posted by NoCarrier

Switched things up this weekend and endurance raced a friend's 1988 Jetta MK2 in Lucky Dog Racing League at Willow Springs. With 100hp from the factory I'm sure it's struggling to push 75 these days. It had coilovers and sticky tires so there was way more grip than speed, but it required a totally different driving style, aimed at preserving momentum. For example, in turn three you had to barely brake and just chuck it into the corner early, on the totally wrong line, using that momentum to get up the hill, and then get back on the racing line once you were over the crest.

Being at that speed also was very enlightening for my knowledge of the track. When your foot is planted and there's no way the car is going to break loose you have plenty of time to discover good reference points and really survey the turns.

We were, by far, the slowest car in a straight line, topping out at about 91mph in the middle of turn 8. Right in the middle in terms of lap times and finishing result. It was amusing to be passing guys in Spec e46s and Spec Miatas whose budgets far outweighed their driving skills. My best lap was a 1:49.84, which is three seconds faster than my very first track day in my e46.

I got punted off the track pretty hard by someone who tried to pass me on the inside of turn 5 and braked way too late. It caved in the left rear fender and we had to hammer it out before we could get back on track so it didn't cut down the tire.

damn that sounds like fun! how long is the race?

[roastbeef]

Originally Posted by dj_dub

I did mine last year when I replaced my TAs, Thermostat and Waterpump...figured it was best to replace the Temp Sensor as well as preventative maintenance since I'm already working in that area.

It's located on the Thermostat housing shown in the pics below circled in red.

IMG_4613 by dj_dub, on Flickr

IMG_4572 by dj_dub, on Flickr

i presume you have to bleed the coolant system after installing the sensor... is there a burp valve somewhere, or do you just run the car with the heater going with the expansion tank cap open?
edit- found a vid. looks easy.

[Richbot]

If all you’re doing is the sensor there’s going to be next to no fluid loss if you do it cold with th cap off I think the tstat housing hole might be at almost the same elevation as the cold low coolant level in the reservoir

[roastbeef]

Originally Posted by Richbot

If all you’re doing is the sensor there’s going to be next to no fluid loss if you do it cold with th cap off I think the tstat housing hole might be at almost the same elevation as the cold low coolant level in the reservoir

if that is the case, even better!