johnfelstead

Will the SIDC be giving basic tips to look after the cars health at Donnington?

If not i am happy to give some general points here.

Chris

Rob Machonichie (sp) The SIDC Instructor will be there. He will sit next to you and take you round the track safely, showing you the safe lines and braking points. Visit him early, and book yourself in! Easily worth £100 track tuition (but free to members)

Additionally, make sure you turn up early, so you get to hear ALL the drivers briefing... It's not all flannel, and there will certainly be good (maybe vital) advice for first timers.

Additionally, It's probably too late now for Donington, but get a copy of Scoobytrax. Donington is one of the featured tracks, and you'll see the sort of speeds and lines to take, with a running commentary by Rob...

See the Ad on this BBS.....

There will be copies to buy there on the day too....

johnfelstead

chris,

What i am refering to is basic info to help keep the car in one piece mechanically.

Will the drivers be given a fact sheet to help them with this?

Mike Tuckwood

John.

It hasn't happened before but I am sure that anything you had to throw into the pot relating to Donington will be valuable.

For those who do not know, John has a vast amount of 'hands on' experience in rallying with full on, rally prepared cars and does know what he is talking about.

A 'Briefing sheet for Donington may be of some use for the non BBS guys?

Thanks for the offer John, I will read anything you have to say even though I won't be on the track.

Mike.

MorayMackenzie

John,

Keep the car between the green bits and shiney side up!

There are some good trackday preparation/precautions hints at [URL=http://www.powerengineering.co.uk[/URL]

Moray

[This message has been edited by MorayMackenzie (edited 17-11-1999).]

Steve Wilson

These are a few things I have found useful preparation for trackdays. It certainly helps to have something to do in the long wakeful hours in the few days before going on the track.

1). Tyres. Obviously check tyres for any damage. Inflate to the correct pressure – this will be 2-3 psi above your normal road use. Put your best tyres on the front and then choose the best for the left hand side (front and rear).

2). Check coolant levels.

3). Check that you can get full throttle when your foot ‘hits the floor’. – Cables stretch with use.

4). Check that there is at least 4-5mm of material on the brake pads.

5). Replace brake fluid with DOT 5.1 and ensure this has been bled through with no air bubbles. – Takes about 45 mins. on your own with one of those bleed kits from Halfords.(1 litre of fluid required). Make sure there is enough fluid in the reservoir to allow the level to fall with pad ware.

6). Check the air filter. Its nice to have a clean air filter – but at least make sure it is not filthy. Foam filters can be cleaned with petrol (if you haven’t got the proper solvent – wear gloves) and then re-oiled with foam filter oil from a motorcycle shop.

7). Clean out the car. It is very distracting to have cans and other rubbish rolling around when you need to concentrate on what you are doing.

I am sure others could add to this.

I assume there will be a drivers' briefing on the day. Rob Mac usually gives this. It includes lots of essential do's and don't's.

Above all enjoy it and don't get pressured into going faster than you are comfortable with. There will be someone faster than all of us........If that makes sense.

[This message has been edited by Steve Wilson (edited 17-11-1999).]

johnfelstead

The following is a basic Guide only.

It is not specific to the impreza but should help with some basic does/donts of track day driving.


1) Pre-Event checks a) Make sure the car is in a well maintained condition
b) Check ALL fluid levels
c) Replace the brake fluid if not changed at service specified interval
d) Check the condition/pressure of all your tyres, Make a note of the presures
e) Check your brake pads for condition/thickness, preferably put new fast road/comp pads such as Ferrodo DS2000 pads in, front and rear
f) Remove any accesory's not securely fitted
g) Check the speed rating of your tyres, Make a note of this and never exceed it on track
h) remove any floor mats from the drivers footwell
i) remove the spare tyre if you have secure storage
j) take some basic tools with you, enough to change brake pads at least
k) take at least one axle stand for when you change the pads
l) take some rags/swarfega for cleaning your hands etc
m) Fill up with SUL even on standard spec engine, you wont get more performance, just gives the engine more protection from detination. If you run on SUL normally put 1% octain booster in for safety.
n) take a can of Red Bull, it gives you wings you know!

2) Spares etc to take a) one set of brake pads at least, front and rear
b) one 5 litre can of oil
c) some tape to cover your light lenses
d) a helmet
e) some thin soled sports shoe's, aids with brake feel

3) Pre-track checks a) recheck your tyre pressures, if one is down you may have a slow puncture which could blow when at high speed
b) increase the tyre presures by 4-6PSI higher than you run on the road
c) tape up your headlights
d) ensure you understood the driver briefing, if you are not sure about any aspect, ask for clarification. Ensure you understood the passing rules in particular!
e) drink your can of Red Bull and put on your helmet

4) First lap on every run a) Never thrash the car on the first lap, speed up gradually bringing the oil/water temperatures to normal working parameters
b) Gently bring the brake temperatures up to temperature
c) use this lap to get familiar with your new, rather alien surroundings
d) Try and give yourself space front and rear, dont be tempted to follow the car in front too closely as you will be concentrating on him/her and not learning the track
e) Get used to checking your mirror before and after each corner, you will be amazed how quickly some cars will catch you if you are a track novice.

5) Rest of laps a) Bring up the speed gradually if you are a novice, you will learn more
b) Give it Death, remember your there for fun
c) If you experience brake fade/boiling dont think it will go away before the next corner, slow down, it is very likely to be worse the next time
d) If you feel a power loss coming out of a tight bend back off, dont keep it planted, you are probably getting the first sign's of fuel surge, if you keep it planted you are risking detonation due to a week mixture. return to the pits and refuel. This can happen with half a tank of fuel on board, dont get fooled into thinking it cant be happening allready, it can.
6) Last lap in a) Do a slow last lap in
b) Try to avoid using the brakes at all to give the disks/pads some chance to cool down
c) dont stop looking in your mirror, there might be some idiot still on max attack

7) Entry to pits/stopping a) enter the pits slowly, look out for kids/speckies, it is easy to not hear you comming
b)DO NOT SWITCH OFF YOUR ENGINE
c) allow the engine to idle for at least 2 minutes, i usually give it 5 with my 350BHP
d) DO NOT PUT THE HANDBRAKE ON OR SIT WITH YOUR FOOT ON THE BRAKE PEDAL
e) the above is to stop the pads from being destroyed by the heat sink effect from your red hot brake disks, stop on a level surface or arange for someone to chock you wheel.
f) let everything cool before you check the following

8) Post run checks a) Check the brake pads for wear, you will be amazed how quickly they are used up, This is especially so if on the donnington GP track and not the national
b) Check ALL fluid levels, You may never use oil on the road, you are allmost guaranteed to do so on a track day run
c)Check your tyre pressures, if one has dropped you may be on the way to a blow out
d)Check the tyres for wear/cuts
e) Check you are still not wearing a silly cheesy grin

Hopefully the above gives you some basic usefull info to help you enjoy the day and come home in one piece, if i have missed anything obvious please add it to this thread.

I will try and be there in the afternoon in my impreza sport, i am having a new rear diff fitted to my 2WD cossie in the morning, now there's a surprise.

Lee

Is it a definite that lights need taping up ?

Might have to cancel..drunk my last red bull this morning..

Just out of interest (not arguing with it - just want an explanation) why do we put more air in the tyres ? Surely with all the heat they increase pressure anyway ?

ta

johnfelstead

your correct on the pressure thing, set them 4 PSI higher than they are normally at when hot, then keep monitoring them, you may need to drop them a little after a run or two.
The main reason to increase them is to help the sidewall support itself, If you dont do this you tend to chunk the outer edges of the tread as it distorts a great deal and overheats the tread.
If you are running on slicks then different rules apply, but you should know this anyway.

Steve Wilson

Thanks for this John.

You obviously have considerable experience on the track.

2 questions for you please -

My tyres are all showing more wear on the outside edge. Is it worthwhile to turn them around on the rims? Do I risk damaging the tyres in taking them off the rims and remounting?

Chris

Hi Steve.

You'd have to take them off the rims, and move them around, but seeing as they've worn (sort of diagonally) to suit the camber on that corner, and then you turn them around, you'll get phenomenal wear because they'll have to wear at least 3mm just to sit square on the road again!

You could swap rear to front, however, as being directional, as long as they stay on the same side you'll be ok....

Chris.

Stef

Don't forget my mates mobile fitting van will be there to assist with tyre changing during the day.

Stef.

johnfelstead

chris, you are correct, the car will handle like a bitch as well.
If the tyres are directional then its not an option anyway

Steve Wilson

Thanks for info.

Fortunately it looks like weather will be fine - So out come the slicks.

johnfelstead

thought i would refresh this for you guys on sunday.
cheers
john

gregh

Quick question on the upping tyre pressue, is that +4 PSI on the Subaru recommended pressures inside the door, or +4 PSI over what they would be after driving on the road?

cheers,

Greg

johnfelstead

check out

gregh

cheers John, v useful 2 pages.

Don't suppose you can expand on the brake cooling/duct theory which you mention? I posted a question about that here:

Jye

Steve, wont filter oil muck up the sensor
in the scoob air box? Or was this something
that apllied only to ITG filters?

Do you mean K & N type filters without the
box?

Steve Prockter

John......Just one other to add to your list owing to the fact my car was nicked from the pit lane at an SIDC event in March 2000.

Don't leave your car UNATTENDED in the pit lane with the engine running or the keys in the ignition (except turbo timers).

Steve

johnfelstead

very good point steve, thanks.

It was a very sad sight seeing your RB5 disapear at the hands of some morons.

johnfelstead

refresh for guys at donno friday.

gregh

Top for Donno and Brands

Greg

ARRON BIRD

John as the tyres will gain a much greater heat on the track wouldnt it be prudent to drop the pressures slightly?
Certainly on the bike track days we drop the pressure by about 5psi.
PS look out for the flying P1 at Donington and flames from the frazzled Skyline!!

[This message has been edited by ARRON BIRD (edited 22 October 2000).]

johnfelstead

arron, with the scoobs its best to run them 4-6psi higher than the cold settings and keep monitoring them, as they heat up start dropping the presures so they are at 4-6psi higher than the normal static cold settings.

you will find the front left will heat more than the rest and so will need dropping more than the others.

After a few runs they will stabalise.

Always set your presures just after you come off track, not just before you go out!!

cant wait for donington, should be fun melting your paint with my exhaust flames as i pass