Oulton Park - 30/01/08

[fubar andy]

Oulton Park

Well an early start to the day at around 6:30am, I looked out the window to see a damp road. Stepping outside a cold wind keeps gives me the wake-up call I need and I’m off to Oulton Park.
Normally its not too bad to going there, but today’s traffic was heaving, I was supposed to meet Andy and Jim (Mr GTiR & Cambellju) but even they were hampered with traffic so I decided to meet them there than get caught in more heavier traffic.

Due to being caught in traffic I missed my briefing so I had to wait about an hour till the next one. Never mind a chat with Andy and Jim passed the time and before we knew it I was briefed and ready to go.

Track was still wet from the early down pour and sleet, so it was a case of being a steady eddie for a while to get a feel and see how the car was performing. Even Geoff (Pine) came to say hello, so it was almost an N/W meet in itself!!!

After an hour or two the track started to dry out in places and Jim was brave enough to join me for a few laps. “Welcome to the coffin on wheels” i said and sure enough it almost came true! Roaring down to Cascades the back end slipped out and I spun ending at a 90° looking at the armco. Thankfully no damage was done and a sigh of relief was expelled from myself.

After dinner I noticed that my power steering belt had frayed and due to a faulty crank pulley I was in a little predicament. Thankfully I had brought my new pulley that I’d not had time to fit, so one change later a new pulley was installed and I was back out. Not without shearing a bolt off in the process and bodging it back together ;-)

There were a few off’s during the day, one that stood out was a VXR diver who had lost his brakes at Deer's Leap and spun off into the gravel also damaging the near side in the process. Not sure how he’ll tell the mrs!!!

Anyway a few more trips out and 2 tanks of fuel later it was time to come home. A dry track to finish the day was all I wanted and I got it too. Bearing in mind that all that was on the track was my car, a saxo and a MKII escort; the track was mine and I took advantage and finished the day with a big simile on my face!

Andy and Jim got a few photo's of my track action, so hopfully they'll post up some images 8)

 

[stumo]

Nice one Andy, pity i couldn't get there.

How was the coil?

 

[Russ'R]

I bet it was a good day out.

Are you heading over to the ring and Spa again in May mate?

That GT3 RS is gourgeus in balck and ornage, I have never seen that colour in the flesh..White with black wheels look very good aswell.

 

[fubar andy]

Nice one Andy, pity i couldn't get there.

How was the coil?

Brilliant thanks Stu, shame you didn't make it. Some nice motors there today 8)

I bet it was a good day out.

Are you heading over to the ring and Spa again in May mate?

Yeah I’ll be popping back to Spa this year 8) , but I think I’ll give the NBR a miss. I’d probably end up going to the NBR again, but I’d not be heart broken if I didn’t go (if you know what I mean?).

 

[antgtir]

Well done Andy, glad to see the r back on track, literally. Sounds like there where a few near misses and heart stopping moments, at least though your able to look back and laugh about them.

I thought you had moved to a front mount IC mate, i noticed in your pic your still on the TMIC, how did you find it? What did the temps get up to, good day for cold temps anyway.

Glad all went well even with a few little episodes along the way, maybe we will be seeing you at some of the NW meets again?

Ant.

 

[fubar andy]

I thought you had moved to a front mount IC mate, i noticed in your pic your still on the TMIC, how did you find it? What did the temps get up to, good day for cold temps anyway.

Its fine for what I want :-D. I was going to move to a fmic, but in the end I just looked at what my car was doing and due to the mass amounts of air flowing into the cooler anyway, I deemed it unnecessary to change it.
Granted an ARC tmic would be nice, but the standard does the job well and a have very little lag.
Its hardly used down the strip and its life will no most likely be on track wrecking brake disc's trying to keep under the 105db limit :lol:

maybe we will be seeing you at some of the NW meets again?

Ant.

Yeah I think that should "do-able" for the next one ;-)

 

[Braveheart]

Good stuff Andy... nice to hear you got it running for the day and had a good time.
I like the look of your car. Nothing flashy but mean!
That poor vxR... ouch... I can sympathies as it looks alot like my car at the moment.
TMIC for me has been fine to but then again it's cold at the moment. Think ARC is the way to go.
With any luck, we shall meet up at circuit some time this year.
Regards!

 

[Kev@Apex]

Stop making me jealous my car is still in its winter upgrade phase - ie in bits

 

[youngsyp]

Good write up mate. Sounds like you had a great time.

Oh, and love the wheels on your R. ;-)

Paul

P.s. Where did you get your rear fog light from ?

 

[steve963]

how much does the track day cost here?

 

[antgtir]

Its fine for what I want :-D. I was going to move to a fmic, but in the end I just looked at what my car was doing and due to the mass amounts of air flowing into the cooler anyway, I deemed it unnecessary to change it.
Granted an ARC tmic would be nice, but the standard does the job well and a have very little lag.
Its hardly used down the strip and its life will no most likely be on track wrecking brake disc's trying to keep under the 105db limit :lol:



Yeah I think that should "do-able" for the next one ;-)

To be honest that was my thinking ever since i bought the R, the TMIC for what i want to do with the R is perfect. I dont fancy modifying the front bumper and just feel the TMIC works well for what i need. Now i have the ARC im alot more happier with the temps etc.

Do you find the car runs stronger with your upgrades? What typical oil temps do you get up to when on track mate?

I now have a front mounted oil cooler which helps with temps, although it can still get very hot.

Glad the car stood up to the tests:-D

Ant.

 

[geoff pine]

Did what was left of your power steering belt make it home?

 

[fubar andy]

I dont fancy modifying the front bumper and just feel the TMIC works well for what i need. Now i have the ARC im alot more happier with the temps etc.

Do you find the car runs stronger with your upgrades? What typical oil temps do you get up to when on track mate?

I now have a front mounted oil cooler which helps with temps, although it can still get very hot.

Glad the car stood up to the tests:-D

Ant.

I’m not that bothered about cutting out the bumper either, some cars it looks very aggressive, but I’m not that bothered about that. As Mr Braveheart pointed out, “nothing flashy” and that’s what I’m about. I can’t be bothered with manic yellow wheels or flashy bits. It’s built for a purpose and it works well. Still needs to be fiddled with, but its coming along well.

As for heat, the oil cooler I have (mounted in front of the rad) is only a 12 row and keeps that temps around 80-90°C, once I’m off the power having a cool lap its drops to around 60-70°C.

Did what was left of your power steering belt make it home?

Yeah it survived for the whole day and another 3 sessions afterwards, even drove to work this morning and back with out a peep, so quite lucky there I think ;-)

TMIC for me has been fine to but then again it's cold at the moment. Think ARC is the way to go.
With any luck, we shall meet up at circuit some time this year.
Regards!

I wouldn't mind an ARC cooler, but there just going for silly cash and my engines had no detection of DET or anything along those lines, bearing in mind that it still only runs 0.8bar ;-) (did still like one tho!)

With any luck, we shall meet up at circuit some time this year.
Regards!

Yeah I'd be cool for that 8)

P.s. Where did you get your rear fog light from ?

It came with the car, but I think Demon Tweeks sell them in that style

 

[campbellju]

“Welcome to the coffin on wheels” i said and sure enough it almost came true! Roaring down to Cascades the back end slipped out and I spun ending at a 90° looking at the armco. Thankfully no damage was done and a sigh of relief was expelled from myself.

:lol::lol::lol: I had faith in you. It made my day and even when you lost it it was a nice bit of driving as you didn't try to drive through it as some did and end up making matters worse in a tyre wall.

I hate to say I told you so.....

..... but Time to invest in a decent tyre pressure gauge and stop trusting in Shell/Tescos etc

How did the final damper tweak work out, better or worse?

I'm afraid I didn't take any photos as I was responsible for bringing tools and checking tyre pressures to stop people spinning sideways off the track ;-)

You were definately putting in some good laps before I left..... thanks for a good excuse for a day off work.

Cheers,
Jim

 

[fubar andy]

Lol – it certainly was a “I told you so” Might have to invest in a proper pressure tester ;-)

It was a little sharper on turn-in and stability was improved coupled with a hint of oversteer in some corners made a good drive. :-D

Glad you had a good day out and cheers for being my spanner man

 

[antgtir]

Just out of interest what pressure was you running Andy / Jim?

What would you recommend?

Sounds like a bloody good laugh, damn my work

Ant.

 

[fubar andy]

I normally have 40 front and 36 rear (psi) for track; however as Jim mentioned petrol station air gauges are a heap of poop, so I’ll end up getting a proper pressure tester

There again it depends on you as a driver, what you feel to be best for you ;-)

 

[campbellju]

Andy thought he was running 40 and 36. I commented before the spin that you could feel the rear tyres rolling too much so it wasn't a great surprise when the back end came away. When we checked cold, Andy had about 31 in the front and 27 in the rear. I just set them to 38/34 with my pump/gauge which is as good a starting point as any and you could feel the tyres doing their job again.

 

[stumo]

:doh: :doh: :doh:

 

[antgtir]

Damn petrol station gauges, these are an absolute nightmare.

I must admit i had the same issues when i was at Silverstone. As soon as the tyres reached temps they were folding and creating absolute fenominal amounts of understeer which is not good on a high speed circuit and into 90 degree bends lol, all added to the fun though :lol:

Ant.