Hill Climbing/Sprinting, anyone with experience?
Discussion
SWoll said:
Out of interest Paul, what mods have you done on yours or are you still running with the standard PZ suspension?
The car is as it left the factory. Standard PZ suspension Bilstien/Eibach, OZ suprlight rims, Scorpian back box and all the other PZ extras.The one thing i did straight after getting it was replace all discs and pads with standard Pagid from ECP. I then changed the fluid for Motul r300 high temp as after the brakes failing just before paddock hill bend doing 90+ wasn't fun.
Salesy said:
The car is as it left the factory. Standard PZ suspension Bilstien/Eibach, OZ suprlight rims, Scorpian back box and all the other PZ extras.
The one thing i did straight after getting it was replace all discs and pads with standard Pagid from ECP. I then changed the fluid for Motul r300 high temp as after the brakes failing just before paddock hill bend doing 90+ wasn't fun.
I imagine that focused the mind? The one thing i did straight after getting it was replace all discs and pads with standard Pagid from ECP. I then changed the fluid for Motul r300 high temp as after the brakes failing just before paddock hill bend doing 90+ wasn't fun.
I had read that the PZ suspension was supposed to be fairly decent when pushing on, so good hear this confirmed. Might put the proposed suspension upgrade on hold for a while then whilst I get some track tuition and other tasks done.
Plan with whatever car i eventually get is very much like you and to immediately service the calipers and fit new braided hoses, new fluid and new discs/pads. Also on the 'must have' list is upgraded battery, starter, engine mounts and a SOHN adapter so I can run 2 stroke oil for the rotors and synthetic for the rest of the engine and try to keep that compression healthy.
Edited by SWoll on Monday 1st May 21:29
Great stuff, For info i haven't upgraded my lines as the standard RX brakes are very efficient in stock form. Its just the fluid starts to boil after a few continuous laps of a circuit.
The Sohn adaptor is great but you could always just pre mix, which is what i do. More £££ saved.
Out of the box the PZ is a very safe car and i feel totally confident in it. The way it handles is great and it feels very balanced.
If i could do anything to it, i would like more BHP. Another 100 would help, but as i have said in the A class its pretty much a clear winner every time.
The Sohn adaptor is great but you could always just pre mix, which is what i do. More £££ saved.
Out of the box the PZ is a very safe car and i feel totally confident in it. The way it handles is great and it feels very balanced.
If i could do anything to it, i would like more BHP. Another 100 would help, but as i have said in the A class its pretty much a clear winner every time.
Will probably change the lines anyway as plan to strip the while braking system down for a service so might as well do them whilst I'm there.
What I like about the SOHN is that the rotors are getting 100% clean and fit for purpose oil from a dedicated reservoir rather than sharing oil from the sump with the rest of the engine, which should also reduce the frequency of full oil changes.
It's a funny one with engine power as in the 750MC car's are classed by BHP/Tonne at the flywheel rather than engine capacity so Class D is up to 160bhp/tonne, Class C up to 200bhp/tonne and so on.
Plan is to run the car pretty much stock initially and keep within boundaries of Class D where it will be most competitive. As they only rate at 165bhp/tonne when new, and are in reality lower than this + 10+ years old, it should be very achievable even with some weight loss.
Porting is obviously an option in the future but having seen the amount of work that needs to go in (bridge port, intake, full de-cat exhaust system, custom ECU tuning) for the amount of gain I'm not totally convinced as getting close to 200bhp/tonne will require some serious effort. I'm thinking perhaps the 180bhp/tonne for Class C Club Enduro would be more achievable with some additional weight loss and few tweaks.
FI far too much money and engines don't seem to last long without serious modification.
What I like about the SOHN is that the rotors are getting 100% clean and fit for purpose oil from a dedicated reservoir rather than sharing oil from the sump with the rest of the engine, which should also reduce the frequency of full oil changes.
It's a funny one with engine power as in the 750MC car's are classed by BHP/Tonne at the flywheel rather than engine capacity so Class D is up to 160bhp/tonne, Class C up to 200bhp/tonne and so on.
Plan is to run the car pretty much stock initially and keep within boundaries of Class D where it will be most competitive. As they only rate at 165bhp/tonne when new, and are in reality lower than this + 10+ years old, it should be very achievable even with some weight loss.
Porting is obviously an option in the future but having seen the amount of work that needs to go in (bridge port, intake, full de-cat exhaust system, custom ECU tuning) for the amount of gain I'm not totally convinced as getting close to 200bhp/tonne will require some serious effort. I'm thinking perhaps the 180bhp/tonne for Class C Club Enduro would be more achievable with some additional weight loss and few tweaks.
FI far too much money and engines don't seem to last long without serious modification.
Just seen this OP, worth a look and definately worth the money.
https://racecarsdirect.com/Advert/Details/83191/e4...
https://racecarsdirect.com/Advert/Details/83191/e4...
Seems as good a place as any to update this
2 x hill climbs in with the RX8 231
Prescott was a real learning curve - a hill I am not so familiar with and reliant on low down punch and traction - I didn't have much of either, though the tyres were very new too.
I finished 13th of 18, which was a bit disappointing - but away from the tight hairpins at the bottom, I had the 6th fastest time sector time in the more flowing top part of the hill - which is encouraging.
At Shelsley Walsh - more of a straight down the middle power hill, I was 5th of 13, which is much more like it. I was beaten by a Peugeot 106 and Renault Clio 172, both of which have been modified as far as the rules will allow, and a Lotus Elise.
I had a decent dice with a Clio 182 - 2 tenths covering 5-7th - and both are the closest to standard the class has to offer I think.
I was still 1 second of my personal best in my old Honda Accord Type R (which the previous owner had stripped rather more than the rules allow), but I wasn't the only one on that score.
Weight is the killer. There is only one corner you brake for at Shelsley - and in road going you are flat all the way to it. I was 2 seconds down on the quickest blokes by the braking point!
Unfortunately I have stripped the car as far as the rules allow and my only other options is lightweight components - which is rather an expensive solution for what it saves.
Lots of head scratching to do!
2 x hill climbs in with the RX8 231
Prescott was a real learning curve - a hill I am not so familiar with and reliant on low down punch and traction - I didn't have much of either, though the tyres were very new too.
I finished 13th of 18, which was a bit disappointing - but away from the tight hairpins at the bottom, I had the 6th fastest time sector time in the more flowing top part of the hill - which is encouraging.
At Shelsley Walsh - more of a straight down the middle power hill, I was 5th of 13, which is much more like it. I was beaten by a Peugeot 106 and Renault Clio 172, both of which have been modified as far as the rules will allow, and a Lotus Elise.
I had a decent dice with a Clio 182 - 2 tenths covering 5-7th - and both are the closest to standard the class has to offer I think.
I was still 1 second of my personal best in my old Honda Accord Type R (which the previous owner had stripped rather more than the rules allow), but I wasn't the only one on that score.
Weight is the killer. There is only one corner you brake for at Shelsley - and in road going you are flat all the way to it. I was 2 seconds down on the quickest blokes by the braking point!
Unfortunately I have stripped the car as far as the rules allow and my only other options is lightweight components - which is rather an expensive solution for what it saves.
Lots of head scratching to do!
Most improvements will come from you rather than upgrades to the car.
One of the best things I did was to borrow an HD action cam from a mate & record several of my runs, also watched professional footage taken trackside of my runs, was surprised how much I learned from that.
I tend to drive instinctively but my last couple of events I started taking note of braking/turning in points etc, despite my skepticism it did actually help.
Play with tyre pressures, learn what revs work off the start line & keep a note of it all on your phone or in a notepad along with weather conditions, temps etc.
Sounds nerdy but it does really help.
One of the best things I did was to borrow an HD action cam from a mate & record several of my runs, also watched professional footage taken trackside of my runs, was surprised how much I learned from that.
I tend to drive instinctively but my last couple of events I started taking note of braking/turning in points etc, despite my skepticism it did actually help.
Play with tyre pressures, learn what revs work off the start line & keep a note of it all on your phone or in a notepad along with weather conditions, temps etc.
Sounds nerdy but it does really help.
I definitely need to know how to get the car launched properly.
I also had a play with tyre pressures, which made basically naff all difference - a half a tenth.
I definitely take your point for places like Prescott and Loton - which I don't know, and with the best will in the world to my beloved Shelsley are rather more nuanced - however I know Shelsley like the back of my hand so there may be a mechanical requirement somewhere!
This is still a learning/plotting year!
I also had a play with tyre pressures, which made basically naff all difference - a half a tenth.
I definitely take your point for places like Prescott and Loton - which I don't know, and with the best will in the world to my beloved Shelsley are rather more nuanced - however I know Shelsley like the back of my hand so there may be a mechanical requirement somewhere!
This is still a learning/plotting year!
Vocal Minority said:
I definitely need to know how to get the car launched properly.
I also had a play with tyre pressures, which made basically naff all difference - a half a tenth.
I definitely take your point for places like Prescott and Loton - which I don't know, and with the best will in the world to my beloved Shelsley are rather more nuanced - however I know Shelsley like the back of my hand so there may be a mechanical requirement somewhere!
This is still a learning/plotting year!
You'd be surprised, I know Wiscombe like the back of my hand but watching video footage back showed me where I could brake later, turn in later or just carry more speed through a corner.I also had a play with tyre pressures, which made basically naff all difference - a half a tenth.
I definitely take your point for places like Prescott and Loton - which I don't know, and with the best will in the world to my beloved Shelsley are rather more nuanced - however I know Shelsley like the back of my hand so there may be a mechanical requirement somewhere!
This is still a learning/plotting year!
Vocal Minority said:
I definitely need to know how to get the car launched properly.
I also had a play with tyre pressures, which made basically naff all difference - a half a tenth.
I definitely take your point for places like Prescott and Loton - which I don't know, and with the best will in the world to my beloved Shelsley are rather more nuanced - however I know Shelsley like the back of my hand so there may be a mechanical requirement somewhere!
This is still a learning/plotting year!
I would suggest if the tyre pressures are making naff all difference then there are other factors at play. Just 3 psi up or down has a huge difference on lap time.I also had a play with tyre pressures, which made basically naff all difference - a half a tenth.
I definitely take your point for places like Prescott and Loton - which I don't know, and with the best will in the world to my beloved Shelsley are rather more nuanced - however I know Shelsley like the back of my hand so there may be a mechanical requirement somewhere!
This is still a learning/plotting year!
What are you starting and finishing with?
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