Prepping my CTR for Nurburgring

[britsportscars]

Hi everyone.

I'm planning on going to the Nurburgring next year sometime and I wanted to know what checks I will need to make to ensure my Civic Type R EP3 is fine and dandy for a trip round the ring!

I will probably shell out for 4 new tyres and new brakes before I go. I'm not planning to set any lap records I just want to make sure my car is top of its game for a brief stint round the circuit.

I will bear in mind any recommended (cheap!) upgrades too, so if you know of any, please give me a shout!

Thanks!

Paul

[tertius]

Usual stuff as if it were a track day - tyres in good condition, brakes have plenty of life, probably a recent fluid change, make sure all the coolant hoses are sound, no oil leaks, etc. - plus, assuming its a TF day of course, check you are actually insured.

The one additional thing I do is drain the coolant and run on plain water for the trip.

[Oilchange]

Why plain water? Surely your water pump will not be lubricated with it???

[GarryA]

Oilchange said:

Why plain water? Surely your water pump will not be lubricated with it???

Because when it dumps anti freeze all over the track it is like black ice. This is why race cars cannot use it.

[tertius]

Oilchange said:

Why plain water? Surely your water pump will not be lubricated with it???

True of course, but for a few days or a week it won't make any odds.

As already pointed out coolant is extremely slippery, and also slow to evaporate. Moreover, during TF you are sharing the circuit with bikes for whom coolant spills are a real risk.

Someone has recently directed me to race approved additives that do provide pump lubrication without being slippery, so I'll probably use that if I do any TF this year.

[Oilchange]

Crikey! didn't occur to me. I suppose there are enough fatalities at the Ring for it to bne a real concern, especially for the bikers...

[Guillotine]

britsportscars said:

Hi everyone.I will probably shell out for 4 new tyres and new brakes before I go. I'm not planning to set any lap records I just want to make sure my car is top of its game for a brief stint round the circuit.

Change your tyres and discs/pads well before you go. they need around 12 proper heat cycles to get to optimum. If fresh you will destroy them on any TD.

If its your first visit I wouldn't worry too much. Your first day isn't "fast" as you won't know where you are!

Have fun.

[britsportscars]

Guillotine said:

britsportscars said:

Hi everyone.I will probably shell out for 4 new tyres and new brakes before I go. I'm not planning to set any lap records I just want to make sure my car is top of its game for a brief stint round the circuit.

Change your tyres and discs/pads well before you go. they need around 12 proper heat cycles to get to optimum. If fresh you will destroy them on any TD.

If its your first visit I wouldn't worry too much. Your first day isn't "fast" as you won't know where you are!

Have fun.

Cheers!

I won't be pushing it at all... I just want to soak up the atmosphere and enjoy the drive!

Excuse my ignorance, but what are "12 proper heat cycles"?

[The Game]

tertius said:

Oilchange said:

Why plain water? Surely your water pump will not be lubricated with it???

True of course, but for a few days or a week it won't make any odds.

As already pointed out coolant is extremely slippery, and also slow to evaporate. Moreover, during TF you are sharing the circuit with bikes for whom coolant spills are a real risk.

Someone has recently directed me to race approved additives that do provide pump lubrication without being slippery, so I'll probably use that if I do any TF this year.

Water wetter?

[Eddie the Ead]

As long as the cars healthy and theres plenty of life in your brakes then I wouldn't worry too much about going overboard on prep. If its your first time you'll hopefully be driving with plenty of room for error and therefore not putting too much stress on the car. Last time I went the GP circuit was also open and I did far more wear to the car there then on the north loop as I was still learning the track.

[Guillotine]

britsportscars said:

what are "12 proper heat cycles"?

Tyres, pads, discs, getting to full temp and then cooling.
Sort of cures them. the tyres in particular.
Before that they are very soft and get ripped up easy.
A brand new set of Yokos or Toyos will die in 1 Trackday. If bedded in will last 4.

Sounds like you have the right attitude to have a lot of fun anyway.
People and car watching is nearly as mach fun! Some amazing stuff turns up there from all over the world. You'll drive right past Spa too. Try and combine in the visit. even better on a race weekend.

[Guillotine]

here's a couple we did a few years back (inc ring/spa/hockenheim)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hqFw2AOtI1U

and a lap at NS from about 2005. We got done to 7:52 in the end.
http://www.youtube.com/user/tvrmonster#p/u/8/ow4Ml...

Might get you in the mood! Not been for a few years as we took the car racing, but we're going again in 2011.

[BigTuna]

Insurance will be your biggest worry, make sure that's in place before you venture out onto TF.

[topless_mx5]

BigTuna said:

Insurance will be your biggest worry, make sure that's in place before you venture out onto TF.

+1
Anyone know what happened with the guy who spilt oil on the track in his M5, causing £250k worth of cars to crash?

[tertius]

topless_mx5 said:

BigTuna said:

Insurance will be your biggest worry, make sure that's in place before you venture out onto TF.

+1
Anyone know what happened with the guy who spilt oil on the track in his M5, causing £250k worth of cars to crash?

Not sure those numbers are quite correct, but his insurer paid up.

[Defcon5]

I hear getting the suspension alignment re-done to a different spec makes quite a difference on the CTR

[britsportscars]

Defcon5 said:

I hear getting the suspension alignment re-done to a different spec makes quite a difference on the CTR

Yeah it's something I'm looking into. Going to get a fast road setup on in. It bounces around a bit too much on bumpy roads forcing you to back off the power (and therefore Vtec) which is a bit of a pain. Something to get it to ride a bit more composed when pushing on would be great. I've enquired at http://www.centergravity.co.uk about some geometry changes /advice. Hopefully they have some experience of CTRs and can do something good!

Defcon5, do you know anyone on PH that's had this done?

[RossP]

BigTuna said:

Insurance will be your biggest worry, make sure that's in place before you venture out onto TF.

+2
I've been every year for the past 6 years but I am not going this year as I can't get insurance.

Edited by RossP on Monday 3rd January 14:44

[Defcon5]

britsportscars said:

Defcon5 said:

I hear getting the suspension alignment re-done to a different spec makes quite a difference on the CTR

Defcon5, do you know anyone on PH that's had this done?

I dont Im afraid, maybe ask in the Honda Section

[GC8]

tertius said:

Someone has recently directed me to race approved additives that do provide pump lubrication without being slippery, so I'll probably use that if I do any TF this year.

A link or advice would be appreciated.