New owner questions

[turnbaugh]

Great car, awesome handling and plenty of power and brakes. Only 450 miles away from break-in.

For those of you that track the 3R, what is the optimal tire pressure? The manual says 18 and 28.

Also I am curious what the "3R" stands for.

Has anyone ever done anything to insulate the tunnel from engine heat? Here in Texas a lot of heat radiates out of there. The gear shift knob gets warm and you can feel heat radiating from around the A/C and temperature controls even with the A/C on full.

There is a lot of heat trapped between the front of the engine and the cabin. Has anyone done anything to move the heat out of there? Removing the heat can only improve reliability.

[V6GTO]

I've toyed with the idea of a couple of fans sucking air out of the engine bay,venting one each side of the rear numberplate. Opinions?
Martin.

[obes]

There may be a point(speed) whereby the fan running at max speed actually inhibits the air-flow. I have no idea how you'd test it though!

[AMG Merc]

turnbaugh said:

For those of you that track the 3R, what is the optimal tire pressure? The manual says 18 and 28. Also I am curious what the "3R" stands for.

I thought the pressures were 18 & 27 but anyway, I recall Lee Noble mentioning that these were also that correct pressures for the track - ie: no adjustment necessary!

Re the 'R' - I recall it was 'racing' due to the track sump option (remember it was before the M400 existed) but others may know better?!

[DanH]

lol the sump and 30kg of sound deadening

As to airflow into the engine bay, the factory are doing various experiments on the race car. I'd let them to the bodywork chopping as not all of its that successful. Then once they settle on something you could check it out.

Its pretty common for mid engined cars to radiate heat out the sills/centre tunnel depending on where hoses have been routed. Doubt you can ever completely eliminate it. Similar with heat through the rear bulkhead.

[chillidog]

AMG Merc said:

I thought the pressures were 18 & 27 but anyway, I recall Lee Noble mentioning that these were also that correct pressures for the track - ie: no adjustment necessary!

In the Kerridges-organised event at Silverstone on October I heard a comment that they lowered the tyre pressures on their M400 demonstrator but I'm not sure if they did a couple of laps first and then adjusted them down a bit. It would be useful to know for the future.

[kinetic]

Lower your pressures a couple of PSI alround, below those recommended for road. Then go out and do 8 or 10 laps. Come in and check them again and drop them back to standard road prseeures. After that they should be OK.