Exige S1 over-winter Refresh
Discussion
Had a great day on track with SEXIGE on Sunday and thought I'd share. The car is going great now and ran trouble-free all day 
This was the first session of the day, and was a bit caught out with the extra grip from my fresh Toyos on the first corner and ended up apexing early (got the blind entry wrong and apexed the penultimate ripple strip rather than the last one),ran a bit wide onto the grass, but was a pretty good session:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TB15N9PQ4Ao&hd=...
The third session of the day was brilliant fun, I got to have a bit of a play with a freshly built V8 Supertourer (NZ's version of the Aussie V8 Supercars). These things are normally a good deal quicker than me, but this one was having its first shakedown run and I was just about to keep up for a lap or three. It was also my personal best laptime at Hampton Downs, lapping in the high 1:13s bracket, which is pretty nippy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OGwrz1b2YWk&hd=...
I love my car
This was the first session of the day, and was a bit caught out with the extra grip from my fresh Toyos on the first corner and ended up apexing early (got the blind entry wrong and apexed the penultimate ripple strip rather than the last one),ran a bit wide onto the grass, but was a pretty good session:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TB15N9PQ4Ao&hd=...
The third session of the day was brilliant fun, I got to have a bit of a play with a freshly built V8 Supertourer (NZ's version of the Aussie V8 Supercars). These things are normally a good deal quicker than me, but this one was having its first shakedown run and I was just about to keep up for a lap or three. It was also my personal best laptime at Hampton Downs, lapping in the high 1:13s bracket, which is pretty nippy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OGwrz1b2YWk&hd=...
I love my car
Well, I made it out to the track again this weekend just gone. Two weekends and two trackdays. Car ran almost faultlessly again and went even quicker, despite running more fuel and a less-grippy track.
This is from the second run of the day (first being a warm-up):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZWeAj1VTYw&hd=...
And this one is the third, where my third flying lap was a new best lap for me around Hampton Downs of 1:13.5s:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1U3z3rnBFQ&hd=...
This session was cut short by a high oil temperature warning, that made me s**t myself. However, subsequent sessions showed it to be nothing more than a dying temp sensor, which is on the cards to be replaced. Even so, I restricted my pace for the last couple of sessions.
She's quick! I'm not sure how many road-legal cars can turn Hampton Downs laptimes like this, but there can't be many. With the car getting better and better, and my driving having another second or so in it, it's not doing too badly for itself! It's also so nice to drive quickly, it has very few vices and while it's not an easy car to drive fast, it's a very predictable car once you get it up to pace. Just how I like it!
This is from the second run of the day (first being a warm-up):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZWeAj1VTYw&hd=...
And this one is the third, where my third flying lap was a new best lap for me around Hampton Downs of 1:13.5s:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1U3z3rnBFQ&hd=...
This session was cut short by a high oil temperature warning, that made me s**t myself. However, subsequent sessions showed it to be nothing more than a dying temp sensor, which is on the cards to be replaced. Even so, I restricted my pace for the last couple of sessions.
She's quick! I'm not sure how many road-legal cars can turn Hampton Downs laptimes like this, but there can't be many. With the car getting better and better, and my driving having another second or so in it, it's not doing too badly for itself! It's also so nice to drive quickly, it has very few vices and while it's not an easy car to drive fast, it's a very predictable car once you get it up to pace. Just how I like it!
Oh dear, it seems we find ourselves here again! 
I took the car out at about midnight tonight, I'd not driven it in anger since the trackday a couple of weeks back and thought I'd take a midnight run out to Bethells Lake out in the Waitakere ranges. Had a lovely drive out there gradually leaning on the car more and more. Out towards Bethells the road really tightens up and it's all pretty much from the bottom of second gear to the top of third and the car seemed really on-song and healthy. I wasn't really hammering it, generally shifting at about 6800-7500 or so.
Then, just as I was nearing the end of the road I heard a nasty metallic buzzing/rattling sound so I immediately backed off it and could hear all sorts of mechanical knocking/banging as I slowed down.... sounded very much like a bearing had spun or I'd lost a big-end. I coasted the car to a stop and the oil pressure low warning was on and it was down at about 20psi at idle, which in retrospect was about right for the oil temperature (~102 degrees) but at the time seemed a touch low.
Anyway, the engine was still running okay, with what sounded like a bit of a knock. With no cellphone coverage I thought I'd try and limp the car back as close to Auckland I could get it without it sounding too awful.
As I drove on, in 4th-5th gear it sounded generally okay, at about 2500RPM it sounded pretty gnarly but if you stayed off the throttle it sounded okay, with just perhaps a slight rattle, and it didn't seem to be getting any worse. As the oil cooled the pressure came back again and whereas before I'd convinced myself the oil pressure was too low it was now reading about normal.
Anyway, I pressed on and it wasn't until I came to a set of traffic lights in Henderson that I finally figured out what was wrong.... I changed down into third, and then down into second and then GNAAAAAARRRRRRRRNNGNGNGNGNGNNGGNNGGNANNAANAGNNGNNANAN..... f
k!
I came to a stop, and at a halt, it generally sounded okay, pulling away in first again I could hear a slight rattle but then when I slotted second it snicked home with no synchro action at all and I could hear a KNOCKKNOCKKNOCKKNOCKKNOCKKNOCKKNOCKKNOCKKNOCK through second that was quite loud. In third gear again it was fine bar a light rattle and 4th/5th/6th it generally sounded just fine.
So to me it sounds like it's knocked a couple of teeth off second gear or a baulk-ring or something has flown itself to bits inside the box. I got it back to the workshop and the engine oil level seems just as it was before I set off and looks clean, second gear is definitely gone though.
I guess right now I'm just feeling a bit thankful that it's not a big end, as I'd really rather not rebuild the engine again right at this moment, but it looks like the box is going to have to come out and apart again..... At least Ken's used to getting it in and out again now.
It's a shame though because I was just beginning to get confidence in the car as it'd run like clockwork at the last couple of trackdays, now I'm back paranoid again. I might treat her to an oil and filter change before I take the engine in, at least then I can inspect the oil filter to make double sure there aren't bits of big-end floating around in it.
Oh well..... sodding car.
I took the car out at about midnight tonight, I'd not driven it in anger since the trackday a couple of weeks back and thought I'd take a midnight run out to Bethells Lake out in the Waitakere ranges. Had a lovely drive out there gradually leaning on the car more and more. Out towards Bethells the road really tightens up and it's all pretty much from the bottom of second gear to the top of third and the car seemed really on-song and healthy. I wasn't really hammering it, generally shifting at about 6800-7500 or so.
Then, just as I was nearing the end of the road I heard a nasty metallic buzzing/rattling sound so I immediately backed off it and could hear all sorts of mechanical knocking/banging as I slowed down.... sounded very much like a bearing had spun or I'd lost a big-end. I coasted the car to a stop and the oil pressure low warning was on and it was down at about 20psi at idle, which in retrospect was about right for the oil temperature (~102 degrees) but at the time seemed a touch low.
Anyway, the engine was still running okay, with what sounded like a bit of a knock. With no cellphone coverage I thought I'd try and limp the car back as close to Auckland I could get it without it sounding too awful.
As I drove on, in 4th-5th gear it sounded generally okay, at about 2500RPM it sounded pretty gnarly but if you stayed off the throttle it sounded okay, with just perhaps a slight rattle, and it didn't seem to be getting any worse. As the oil cooled the pressure came back again and whereas before I'd convinced myself the oil pressure was too low it was now reading about normal.
Anyway, I pressed on and it wasn't until I came to a set of traffic lights in Henderson that I finally figured out what was wrong.... I changed down into third, and then down into second and then GNAAAAAARRRRRRRRNNGNGNGNGNGNNGGNNGGNANNAANAGNNGNNANAN..... f
k!I came to a stop, and at a halt, it generally sounded okay, pulling away in first again I could hear a slight rattle but then when I slotted second it snicked home with no synchro action at all and I could hear a KNOCKKNOCKKNOCKKNOCKKNOCKKNOCKKNOCKKNOCKKNOCK through second that was quite loud. In third gear again it was fine bar a light rattle and 4th/5th/6th it generally sounded just fine.
So to me it sounds like it's knocked a couple of teeth off second gear or a baulk-ring or something has flown itself to bits inside the box. I got it back to the workshop and the engine oil level seems just as it was before I set off and looks clean, second gear is definitely gone though.
I guess right now I'm just feeling a bit thankful that it's not a big end, as I'd really rather not rebuild the engine again right at this moment, but it looks like the box is going to have to come out and apart again..... At least Ken's used to getting it in and out again now.
It's a shame though because I was just beginning to get confidence in the car as it'd run like clockwork at the last couple of trackdays, now I'm back paranoid again. I might treat her to an oil and filter change before I take the engine in, at least then I can inspect the oil filter to make double sure there aren't bits of big-end floating around in it.
Oh well..... sodding car.
As suspected it's ripped a couple of teeth off the input shaft second gear:
It's nicked a couple of teeth on the corresponding gear, only just a tiny, tiny touch but given the hassle involved it's better to just replace the bh.
Box is currently being stripped and fully inspected and will get all the gears crack-tested next week to ensure there's nothing else I'm missing.
Visual analysis seemed to show fatigue beach-marks on the teeth indicating low-cycle fatigue, so it's probably a bunch of hard upshifts/downshifts in its life that's done it. What finished it off would have been the full-power corner exits on bumpy roads out towards Bethell's... but they would have gone anyway, most likely next track session so at least it didn't waste a trackday
Oh well, onwards and upwards.
It's nicked a couple of teeth on the corresponding gear, only just a tiny, tiny touch but given the hassle involved it's better to just replace the b
h.Box is currently being stripped and fully inspected and will get all the gears crack-tested next week to ensure there's nothing else I'm missing.
Visual analysis seemed to show fatigue beach-marks on the teeth indicating low-cycle fatigue, so it's probably a bunch of hard upshifts/downshifts in its life that's done it. What finished it off would have been the full-power corner exits on bumpy roads out towards Bethell's... but they would have gone anyway, most likely next track session so at least it didn't waste a trackday
Oh well, onwards and upwards.
Esprit said:
Visual analysis seemed to show fatigue beach-marks on the teeth indicating low-cycle fatigue, so it's probably a bunch of hard upshifts/downshifts in its life that's done it. What finished it off would have been the full-power corner exits on bumpy roads out towards Bethell's... but they would have gone anyway, most likely next track session so at least it didn't waste a trackday
How are you going to combat this? Or just take is easy in second?Esprit said:
I think the damage was done before I got the box. It's done a few seasons racing mounted behind considerably more potent engines than mine. It's the risk you take buying a used 'box I guess!
to be honest, I would just put it down to questionable design/size/materials, your far from the first person to see gear failures like this and you won't be the last.Scuffers said:
to be honest, I would just put it down to questionable design/size/materials, your far from the first person to see gear failures like this and you won't be the last.
Yes indeed, I know that the Quaife box has a reputation for weakness but fingers crossed this is the last trouble I have. If not, I've got a stock box that'll fit back in the hole just fine.I've just taken delivery of uprated 3+4th gears for my S2 ...on close inspection there were two 1mm knicks on a tooth on two of the gears,I've asked the supplier to exchange them. Reading this has reinforced my decision to reject any dubious gears .
Hope your rebuild isn't too costly.
Hope your rebuild isn't too costly.
Evening 'all
This month, SEXIGE graced the pages of New Zealand Performance Car magazine, and given that the Blog massive aren't NZ-based, I thought I'd scan the article here for your perusal.
Now, NZPC magazine isn't exactly the first and last word in motoring journalism, and it's biased towards the heavily modified more boyracery type cars we see over here in NZ and the Exige was something a bit different for them. As such, please forgive the one or two technical inaccuracies that are in the article (50/50 weight distribution my arse!) and just enjoy it for what it is It does explain the build rather well and how it all kinda came about.
Click the photos for the full-res versions so you can read it:
Here's teh cover of the issue:
This month, SEXIGE graced the pages of New Zealand Performance Car magazine, and given that the Blog massive aren't NZ-based, I thought I'd scan the article here for your perusal.
Now, NZPC magazine isn't exactly the first and last word in motoring journalism, and it's biased towards the heavily modified more boyracery type cars we see over here in NZ and the Exige was something a bit different for them. As such, please forgive the one or two technical inaccuracies that are in the article (50/50 weight distribution my arse!) and just enjoy it for what it is
It does explain the build rather well and how it all kinda came about.Click the photos for the full-res versions so you can read it:
Here's teh cover of the issue:
Edited by Esprit on Sunday 4th November 19:55
Well, October and November have been a pretty decent month for the car so far really.
The gearbox wasn't able to be fixed in time for the CJC Jerkfest trackday in Taupo, so I was going to give it a miss. I did, however, manage to talk JC into heading down in his S260, so I decided to ride shotgun down with him. I'm glad I did because we had an AWESOME fun time at the track. My father brought MADD E up from Havelock and met us there too. I love spending time at the track with my father, he loves trackdays and even if not driving we always have a great time. I think it's time we both appreciate even more since his accident.
I was fortunate enough to be able to take the Jag out for a session, which was a massive laugh as always!
Here's a vid of me playing around with the old girl, although a slipping clutch meant I was being a bit more gentle than I could have been!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VOfh901RYbI&hd=...
Later in the day, I got to have a couple of session driving JC and Nixx's S260. Was the first time I'd driven their car in any kind of anger and it was really quite lovely. The extra weight really does blunt it a bit, but the extra torque makes it very playful when you want it to be and it's got enough power to be rather nippy in a straight line. Here's some video of my session with JC in the pax seat. A couple of laps from the end I turned the traction control off to have a bit of a play. I bought JC and Nixx dinner that night to pay for the rubber I'd used
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQG1PwN32bs&hd=...
I got the gearbox together just before Labour weekend and the car was back running again. This was just in time for me to take it away touring for a week down to Hawke's Bay to visit the folks. The car racked up several hundred trouble-free miles, which was very nice to get under the belt. I was also pleasantly surprised with how nice the car is to tour in (apart from the noise, but I wear earplugs/phones, so that's negated). I'm looking forward to the Christmas Holidays already!
Late in October, issue 192 of New Zealand Performance Car Magazine was released, which ran a feature on my car. This was done at the end of August at a trackday at Hampton Downs and I was quite happy with the write-up and photos.
This weekend I managed to get the car into work and give it a polish and wax after its trip away. I also got JC and Nixx around (now sporting a second Lotus in their family as they could never agree who was going to drive and who was going to pax!) to help me bleed the brakes and clutch.
I've not been happy with the shift on the Quaife box for a while, it's been notchy and getting 2nd gear was sometimes tricky. You know how when something gets gradually worse, you don't realise how bad it gets? Well that's what my clutch is like. We managed to get a bit of air out of the line and the gearshift is back to being like a rifle-bolt! So good!
So, to celebrate, today we made the most of the fine weather and the three of us went on a bit of a blat, joined by Guy and his wife in his custom Type 79 themed 111R. I'd seen guy around a bit since he moved to Auckland a year ago, but had yet to meet him properly. The couple of hundred miles we did today were certainly a good way to meet up!
It was quite cool how we managed a convoy of four; Elises and Exiges in both S1 and S2 variety!
SEXIGE is now tucked up in bed awaiting the next sunny day. I've got a couple of niggles to chase down. The engine and the gearbox both have a weeping oil leak. Nothing major, just enough to piss me off a touch. I also want to head back up to GDS and see Glenn for a bit of a tweak on the tune as it's developed a bit of a hot idle problem where it takes a bit of heel-toe when coming to a stop to stop the engine dying. It's fine when it's idling, but coming down from revs it stalls if you're not paying attention. Other than that, it's plain sailing! Roll on summer and trackdays!
The gearbox wasn't able to be fixed in time for the CJC Jerkfest trackday in Taupo, so I was going to give it a miss. I did, however, manage to talk JC into heading down in his S260, so I decided to ride shotgun down with him. I'm glad I did because we had an AWESOME fun time at the track. My father brought MADD E up from Havelock and met us there too. I love spending time at the track with my father, he loves trackdays and even if not driving we always have a great time. I think it's time we both appreciate even more since his accident.
I was fortunate enough to be able to take the Jag out for a session, which was a massive laugh as always!
Here's a vid of me playing around with the old girl, although a slipping clutch meant I was being a bit more gentle than I could have been!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VOfh901RYbI&hd=...
Later in the day, I got to have a couple of session driving JC and Nixx's S260. Was the first time I'd driven their car in any kind of anger and it was really quite lovely. The extra weight really does blunt it a bit, but the extra torque makes it very playful when you want it to be and it's got enough power to be rather nippy in a straight line. Here's some video of my session with JC in the pax seat. A couple of laps from the end I turned the traction control off to have a bit of a play. I bought JC and Nixx dinner that night to pay for the rubber I'd used
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQG1PwN32bs&hd=...
I got the gearbox together just before Labour weekend and the car was back running again. This was just in time for me to take it away touring for a week down to Hawke's Bay to visit the folks. The car racked up several hundred trouble-free miles, which was very nice to get under the belt. I was also pleasantly surprised with how nice the car is to tour in (apart from the noise, but I wear earplugs/phones, so that's negated). I'm looking forward to the Christmas Holidays already!
Late in October, issue 192 of New Zealand Performance Car Magazine was released, which ran a feature on my car. This was done at the end of August at a trackday at Hampton Downs and I was quite happy with the write-up and photos.
This weekend I managed to get the car into work and give it a polish and wax after its trip away. I also got JC and Nixx around (now sporting a second Lotus in their family as they could never agree who was going to drive and who was going to pax!) to help me bleed the brakes and clutch.
I've not been happy with the shift on the Quaife box for a while, it's been notchy and getting 2nd gear was sometimes tricky. You know how when something gets gradually worse, you don't realise how bad it gets? Well that's what my clutch is like. We managed to get a bit of air out of the line and the gearshift is back to being like a rifle-bolt! So good!
So, to celebrate, today we made the most of the fine weather and the three of us went on a bit of a blat, joined by Guy and his wife in his custom Type 79 themed 111R. I'd seen guy around a bit since he moved to Auckland a year ago, but had yet to meet him properly. The couple of hundred miles we did today were certainly a good way to meet up!
It was quite cool how we managed a convoy of four; Elises and Exiges in both S1 and S2 variety!
SEXIGE is now tucked up in bed awaiting the next sunny day. I've got a couple of niggles to chase down. The engine and the gearbox both have a weeping oil leak. Nothing major, just enough to piss me off a touch. I also want to head back up to GDS and see Glenn for a bit of a tweak on the tune as it's developed a bit of a hot idle problem where it takes a bit of heel-toe when coming to a stop to stop the engine dying. It's fine when it's idling, but coming down from revs it stalls if you're not paying attention. Other than that, it's plain sailing! Roll on summer and trackdays!
Last couple of weeks I've gotten some new Pagid RS14s in the front as the last ones were completely done for, and I'm now shopping for some better brake discs as the EBC Turbogrooves on it are nearing the end of their life. Some AP or Alcon rotors with alloy bells will find their way on there soon enough.
Had an absolute blast in the car on Saturday. Went down to James and Nixx's last Friday night and we were up at sparrow's fart to drive down to Taupo to join in the NZHondas NIMM trackday. We met up with my flatmate and good friend Ant on the way down in his Nissan Skyline and we convoyed down.
Picked up a few nasty stonechips on the way thanks to some rather shoddy roadworks, but these are to be worn as a badge of honour I guess, and when they bother me enough I'll give her a respray in the factory colour
(Photo Credit to Ant)
It was a great trackday with plenty of track time for everyone, so much so that I was rationing petrol by the end of it and sadly nursing a couple of niggles (more on that later).
There were some cracking cars out there though, including Fraser Simpson in his newly completed Super GT-replica Honda NSX. The thing's still being dialled in and is due to receive a couple of turbos in the near future so it's fair to say it'll be quite the weapon when done!
(Photo Credits to Wayne!)
There was also an array of other cool Honda machinery out there including a brace of NSXs and some lovely JDM style Hondas.
(Photo credits to Matt Carter)
I spent much of the day playing taxi to people who wanted lifts, and generally having some fun overdriving the car and sliding about on a track with very little grip, as these vids of the first two sessions will attest!
The first session with Steph riding shotgun:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZ5SYnQSinE&hd=...
And the second with Hannah:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YldZfbwPpCA&hd=...
It was great fun sliding the car about like a mad bd, but I managed to get some solo seat time in the third session and get some tidier, quicker laps in:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fz07Ud1-jfU&hd=...
Sadly, the day didn't go ENTIRELY smoothly. Towards the end of the first session, the speedo died completely. I was just coming up behind JC in the Elise and it just dropped immediately to zero and stayed there. I've had a loose connecton on the LHS wheelspeed sensor, but I thought I'd got to the bottom of that issue, so I'm hoping it's just the same thing or perhaps a dead sensor and not something amiss with the Stack.
The second issue was that I've blown another alternator. Unlike last time where it just died, this time I noticed in the 3rd session that the usually rocksteady 13.9V while running was down to about 12.4V, jumping between 11.9V and 13V. I kept an eye on it for the day and it got no worse, but on the drive home it did get progressively worse with voltage dropping down to 10.7V or so on occasion. At each time I was able to wake the alternator up by changing down into 4th for a few seconds to bring the revs up over 4000RPM, at which point the alternator would go back on charge to about 12.6V.... so it at least got me home, just. I've got another alternator on the way, but given this is the second one I've cooked this year, I am going to have to adapt another one that can better handle the heat and high RPM that seem to be killing mine. I could also perhaps keep the stock one and under-drive it slightly, but really I should look for a better, lighter solution.
The third issue is that there's a clonk coming from the rear suspension I think. Some slack when transitioning on and off the power, like something's loose or moving. It could be a loose engine or gearbox mount or perhaps a toe-link, but I only noticed it as I neared home so hopefully it's nothing major.
Due to these niggles, the car probably won't see the track again until the new year. I want to take her away with me over the Christmas break down-country and want her in rude health by then, so my fingers are very much crossed that it's all minor stuff.
I'll sign off with a few more photos of the day and a couple of vids.
(Photo Credit to Andrew Whalley)
(Photo Credit to Wayne Thompson)
(Photo Credit to Andrew Whalley)
(Photo credit to NZHondas member "colgateam")
"Hello, Apex?...... Yes, I have a long-distance collect call here from George, will you accept the charges?"
(Photo credit to Matt Carter)
Managed a bit better next time around
(Photo credit to NZHondas member "colgateam")
Just to prove it wasn't all drifting and slidey stuff!
(photo credit to Andrew Whalley)
And finally, my favourite shot of the day, captured by Matt Carter:
Which was also captured by Ant's on-board camera as I went past him:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LIEvmxsIpQs&hd=...
And how it looked from my angle:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yRNnskfwfMM&hd=...
Had an absolute blast in the car on Saturday. Went down to James and Nixx's last Friday night and we were up at sparrow's fart to drive down to Taupo to join in the NZHondas NIMM trackday. We met up with my flatmate and good friend Ant on the way down in his Nissan Skyline and we convoyed down.
Picked up a few nasty stonechips on the way thanks to some rather shoddy roadworks, but these are to be worn as a badge of honour I guess, and when they bother me enough I'll give her a respray in the factory colour
(Photo Credit to Ant)
It was a great trackday with plenty of track time for everyone, so much so that I was rationing petrol by the end of it and sadly nursing a couple of niggles (more on that later).
There were some cracking cars out there though, including Fraser Simpson in his newly completed Super GT-replica Honda NSX. The thing's still being dialled in and is due to receive a couple of turbos in the near future so it's fair to say it'll be quite the weapon when done!
(Photo Credits to Wayne!)
There was also an array of other cool Honda machinery out there including a brace of NSXs and some lovely JDM style Hondas.
(Photo credits to Matt Carter)
I spent much of the day playing taxi to people who wanted lifts, and generally having some fun overdriving the car and sliding about on a track with very little grip, as these vids of the first two sessions will attest!
The first session with Steph riding shotgun:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZ5SYnQSinE&hd=...
And the second with Hannah:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YldZfbwPpCA&hd=...
It was great fun sliding the car about like a mad b
d, but I managed to get some solo seat time in the third session and get some tidier, quicker laps in:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fz07Ud1-jfU&hd=...
Sadly, the day didn't go ENTIRELY smoothly. Towards the end of the first session, the speedo died completely. I was just coming up behind JC in the Elise and it just dropped immediately to zero and stayed there. I've had a loose connecton on the LHS wheelspeed sensor, but I thought I'd got to the bottom of that issue, so I'm hoping it's just the same thing or perhaps a dead sensor and not something amiss with the Stack.
The second issue was that I've blown another alternator. Unlike last time where it just died, this time I noticed in the 3rd session that the usually rocksteady 13.9V while running was down to about 12.4V, jumping between 11.9V and 13V. I kept an eye on it for the day and it got no worse, but on the drive home it did get progressively worse with voltage dropping down to 10.7V or so on occasion. At each time I was able to wake the alternator up by changing down into 4th for a few seconds to bring the revs up over 4000RPM, at which point the alternator would go back on charge to about 12.6V.... so it at least got me home, just. I've got another alternator on the way, but given this is the second one I've cooked this year, I am going to have to adapt another one that can better handle the heat and high RPM that seem to be killing mine. I could also perhaps keep the stock one and under-drive it slightly, but really I should look for a better, lighter solution.
The third issue is that there's a clonk coming from the rear suspension I think. Some slack when transitioning on and off the power, like something's loose or moving. It could be a loose engine or gearbox mount or perhaps a toe-link, but I only noticed it as I neared home so hopefully it's nothing major.
Due to these niggles, the car probably won't see the track again until the new year. I want to take her away with me over the Christmas break down-country and want her in rude health by then, so my fingers are very much crossed that it's all minor stuff.
I'll sign off with a few more photos of the day and a couple of vids.
(Photo Credit to Andrew Whalley)
(Photo Credit to Wayne Thompson)
(Photo Credit to Andrew Whalley)
(Photo credit to NZHondas member "colgateam")
"Hello, Apex?...... Yes, I have a long-distance collect call here from George, will you accept the charges?"
(Photo credit to Matt Carter)
Managed a bit better next time around
(Photo credit to NZHondas member "colgateam")
Just to prove it wasn't all drifting and slidey stuff!
(photo credit to Andrew Whalley)
And finally, my favourite shot of the day, captured by Matt Carter:
Which was also captured by Ant's on-board camera as I went past him:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LIEvmxsIpQs&hd=...
And how it looked from my angle:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yRNnskfwfMM&hd=...
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