On the 1st Friday night of every month, the Japanese Nostalgic Car Club has a large meet. Last night I went to go check it out, and there were some very old Japanese cars on display!
On Saturday I attended the Redline Time Attack Test & Tune Day, at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, CA. This is a very big Nascar circuit, with an infield road course. The start of the track is on the long straight of the Nascar track, then you follow the entire banked turn and then turn into the infield road course. This is the first time I have raced my car since the new engine was installed. I had an excellent time!!!
The track was great, and the car performed better than the last time I was there. Changes since the last Auto Club track day include; Zeal Coils, LSD & gears, built motor, wing, diff/trans/ps coolers, vented hood, and stripped interior.
- First off, the suspension, tires and wing definitely helped all around, but made the biggest difference on the straight and around the banked turn. Last time I was at that track, I would hit about 130 on the straight, and slow down to around 100 on the bank. The back would get very light and the car would get pulled up the bank. This time, I would hit about 140 on the straight and hold it at about 140-130 through the turn. The back feels solid, and the car no longer pulls up the bank.
- The extra rpm's and gears are great as well. The car felt faster, but I would still be comfortable with more speed. What was surprising me with the new motor was when I would hit about 120, the car would suddenly really start pulling - it would throw me back in the seat a little. Hopefully with the could new parts and re-tune, that power will come on sooner and last a little longer.
- In the 3rd race about halfway through, I completely lost my power steering going through an s-turn. This was scary as hell since I was going over 90 :D I had assumed that Technosquare changed the fluid when they swapped the engine, but apparently they didn't because the fluid was totally burnt up and had boiled over. My fault for not checking it before the race, and I'm sure the 90 degree weather didn't help any. So unfortunately I had to leave early and miss the last 2 races. I got home and flushed out the cooler and reservoir... but I haven't driven it yet.
- I might be upgrading the brakes soon, but I have to say that the stock brakes with upgraded lines, pads, and fluid are still performing perfectly. I have yet to experience brake fade or overheating. I was coming off the bank at about 130, down another short straight to a 90 degree left hand turn, followed by an immediate 90 degree right. I would have to romp on the brakes and go from about 130 to 65, and they held up without issue all day.
Just a side note, the new GTR is VERY fast... I was getting passed by them all day! I'd be going flat out on the straight and they would whip by me like I was standing still. Awesome cars, and people are tracking them - there was at least 10 on track.
A video from yesterday. Chased down this civic hatch... when I caught him he wouldn't give me the point by. I'm tailing him on the straight and through the banked turn, barely on my gas. A few turns later, he finally spun out in front of me and I got by him :D
Don't know much about civics, but this car was heavily modified and from some shop car from Long Beach. I was surprised how quick it was... lots of fun!
Here is another video where I chase down a Porsche Turbo and an Evo. We were in the intermediate group, but the only reason I caught up and passed those cars was because of the driver's bad driving. The Porsche would pull away on a straight, but his lines/braking/shifting killed him in the turns.
Keizo, I am hoping someday you will be able to visit me in the US so we can go to the circuit!
When the new motor was built, we also installed Cosworth Heads and Cosworth Camshafts. The Cosworth heads feature a completely upgraded valve train, and are capable of revving to 10,500 rpm without issue. Of course, it would be very difficult to make the VQ35DE produce power at that high of an rpm range, but the good thing is that I should never have a problem if I slightly over rev the engine.
During the tuning and dyno testing, the tuner revved the engine to over 8000rpm a couple of times, but my car stops making power right around 7500rpm now. My entire power curve has shifted into the higher rpm range. Under 4000rpm the car feels slightly slower, due to the large profile camshafts.
Currently the car has dyno'd at 295 whp... but I am having some problems with my catalytic converters and y-pipe causing restrictions. I will also be changing my air intake system, and upgrading to a 3" maf housing for better tuning capability.
Today my new engine install was completed! Now the difficult break in period begins... I must drive 500 miles without revving the engine past 4000rpm, and never going full throttle. Then I must change the oil, and do the same thing for another 500 miles. After that first 1000 miles I can go and get my car tuned and drive fast again.
I took a quick video of the car at idle and revved up to 4000rpm's. The idle and tone of the exhaust has changed from the Cosworth heads, Cosworth cams, and tomei headers! I think when I can finally drive the car fast after the break in period that it will have a little more power than the original engine :)
