dmichaels

Yup, 2 will do it, but I would run through 2 1/4 or 2 1/2 bottles.

But I switched to Castrol SRF

5.M0NSTER

So my first track outing for the season will be April 18 at Gingerman Raceway. Looking forward to it. I got to get all my goodies on the car before then. I'd also love to get a GoPro before then. I'll try.

Hopefully it doesn't snow. We always get our last snow in April

PJRManagement

Gingerman looks awesome - enjoy and post up video. Lucky for weather here in Las Vegas. Had my first day March 1, awesome. But I was still mystified about the rear brake over-heat problems then. Now I know better - thanks to this thread! My next day is at Spring Mountain early May. No TC/SC, no Sport Mode. Everything off. Fingers crossed.

5.M0NSTER

Hey Pete, thanks, and will do.

Yeah, lots of knowledge on this forum thanks to all the people who are into the same hobby I ran my last 2 full track weekends with stock rear pads. First one in sport mode with overheated pads, and second in full off with no overheating issues. I think it will make a big difference for you. If you upgrade pads it will work even better.

Just take it easy at first, and gradually work your way towards your hot laps. Spring Mountain looks awesome too, there are so may variations of that track!

I've been to Gingerman in the past. Good challenging technical course with lots of corners. Hard on the brakes and tires. It will be a great test of my XP10/8 combo, and RBF 600 fluid with SS lines.

dmichaels

Nice! Hope the weather cooperates. We are supposedly getting another 5" tomorrow night here... That does not support car and track readiness for my planned April 6th day! Happily I'm instructing so I won't feel too bad if the conditions are crappy and I get limited driving in.... Just want to get the car out though and try to remember how to drive!

C'mon warm weather!

Stevedotmil

I hope it is rainy and then clears up in the afternoon so the drivers are all cautious and controlling the cars well and then use that in the afternoon with better conditions. So how long have you been an instructor DMichaels?

dmichaels

Started instructing at track days last season. I've got about 20 days this year as well. Only working with the novices so far as I continue to improve myself. It's quite fun though!

5.M0NSTER

I'll take rain over snow anytime! I'm just waiting for one good rain day to clear the salt off the roads.

Congrats on making instructor! That does sound like a lot of fun. What group do you instruct with?

I'm moving to intermediate (group 2) this year. I need to get used to being a slower car, until I learn to pick up speed in corners.

My plan is to work on 2 things this year:
1) Applying the 25/75 principle in braking zones
2) Changing my brake points. I think I'm harder on my brakes than I need to be by braking early, and braking till turn in. With my new and improved brake setup I should be able to get on the brakes around the 1 marker, brake harder (but not as long) and carry more speed through corners.

The first one is easy, the second one will be the challenge for this year. This is the #1 thing I think I need to improve as a driver.

My strategy for point (2) is to coast from the last brake marker till the 2 marker, than get on the brakes. As the laps/sessions go on I want to reduce coast (as that is time I give up) so that I go directly from the throttle to 25/75 threshold braking around the 1-2 marker.

This also means I have to nail my heal and toe which is another goal for this year.

Stevedotmil

All great goals. I am still trying to sort out my suspension squeaks and groans. I have to work on figuring out what gears to be in for each corner. I think I was in the wrong gear a couple of corners that I could've been faster coming out of or been in a higher gear and used the torque to keep the car stable instead of shifting mid corner.

Stevedotmil

I'm also looking into some track days at Carolina Motorsports Park and the SCCA and NASA groups that are close. VIR is also in view as well since it's not too far from me for a weekend trip.

5.M0NSTER

Steve, sounds great. VIR is supposed to be an incredible track. I hope to make it there one day.

I did my first few track days with an instructor. I'm a member of the BMW CCA and at their events everyone in Novice and Intermediate groups gets assigned an instructor to work with them for the year. It is a great way to go because an instructor will quickly correct the mistakes I make, and the feedback is immediate so I remember not to make the same mistake the next lap.

Last year I did a track day with another group which offered instructor ride-along. I took advantage of that since it was my first time at that track, and it helped a lot. He had a Mustang GT as well, so I paid attention to gear choices. It really helped me with gear selection, as well as finding the line.

Instructors help with the most important mod of all: driver mod.

Stevedotmil

The closest I can come to an instructor is having one of my friends who has done a lot of HPDE events and stuff in the states. He has almost 100 laps at the Nurburgring and is very knowledgeable on driving techniques. He helped me cut a whole minute off my lap time at the Ring last year.

dmichaels

Need to come back to the states and get to some club events!!

I think my car is coming out of storage this Sunday. Can't wait

Stevedotmil

I'm working on it. I have to find some time this weekend to check out the front suspension on my car. When the anti locks kick it it's almost violent. Pretty sure it isn't supposed to be that way. There some popping and creaking from the passenger side on left turns.

I get back in August as SFC Infante (Ret)!!!! Woohoo.

5.M0NSTER

Hey Steve, I'm not quite clear on what you mean. What feels violent? The transition to ABS or the bite on pedal apply?

Wow, almost back home! You excited to be back state-side?

Stevedotmil

What I mean by violent is that when the ABS kicks in it's rather jarring. It's not a pulse but more of a crunch. It may have something to do with the front suspension issues I'm having but I haven't been able to narrow the cause of that down.

Creaking, popping when going over low speed dips with the wheel turned. The creaking is only when shifting the weight of the car to the passenger side.

I finally found some hose for the engine breather at the junk yard. Free99 because I used some hose from two different cars' AC tubing. Perfect 5/8" fit.

I'm super excited to get back to the convenience of America. It's weird when you return to America and you are trying to decipher signage because you are so used to reading it in German. It takes you a minute to register that everything is in English. Ha!

5.M0NSTER

Finally got around to installing all my mods. So now my GT500 cooling shields, Russel stainless steel brake lines, XP10s up front and XP8s are in. Also got a brake fluid flush with fresh batch of RBF600 fluid. Car is track ready for the season. First track day is next weekend weather permitting.

Here are a few pics of the brake lines:

PJRManagement

Looks like a good strong brake improvement, excellent.

Stevedotmil

Nice! I need to do lines. Sadly all my mods have to wait until after I'm back across the pond with my car. She ships out on the boat just after 4th of July then it's back to slow speed limits again.

dmichaels

Modifications look good! When are the ARP wheel studs coming?

Hope the track day plays out for you! I'm looking to get out to NJMP this Sunday with NASA. Weather forecast is for a few passing showers, so I'm hoping the track is mainly dry... but always fun to get out and drive!

Had weeping brake issues, again, last week at Limerock. Bought some bleeder inserts and new, smaller bleeder valves which supposedly are known to solve the issue. Hopefully they arrive this week before NJMP.