ok don't laugh, I own an FC rx-7 that has a pretty nice turbo and enough horsepower, but I aint going to use that car.
There is a local event on november 28 and I want to run my RX8 in an "aficionado" its like beginners class with my daily driver a slow 2005 AT 4 port rx-8. Car is 100% stock. I have ran this track with my 12a first gen and had lots of fun back in the days.


Its mostly bring any car and run it. Track is very short and has a lot of braking and a U turn from hell.

So far I plan on running the following:

17" Kosei K1 wheels with dunlop tires (effectively reducing the wheel diameter)

Water wetter

K&N drop in air filter

what else do you recommend? I don't have a budget to spend on suspension upgrades. just let me know what can be done to shave some time without having to borrow a manual rx-8

I was thinking about running a cat back straight exhaust no muffler for the event. Just a piece of pipe exiting in the middle after the cat.

Again can you imagine if this car actually does well in this??? I would be happy if the car finishes last heck I can say I was just having fun with my daily driver.

 

Expect to get new pads if you're heavy on braking. The stock pads are great for street use, but tracking them can wear them out extremely quick.

Or you can just get track pads to begin with. Why not just run no cat for the event?

 

Damn, no muffler.... Just kidding, I only run a midpipe.

Seriously, JinDesu is right about pads. Maybe try some HP+, F/R strut bar? I think you can shave some time.

 

it's an abandoned rural landing strip... very short track

 

BTW is only 8 laps!!! I'm going to run high perf. brake fluid and stock pads!! I might invent some dryer duct type brake ducting system to cool the stock pads...

 

won't the midpipe trigger a CEL and make the car run like crap? I rather make noise and gain some hp instead of crapping out the fuel trims with a CEL...unless Im wrong.
I got no Hymee nor Cobb at the moment to fix that.

Car has a front stock strut bar its the GT model with 18" and suspension is tight from factory. I might do something for the rear though your right.

 

Ditch the cat - you'll gain some HP. If you could afford the Cobb AP you could gain some help with the with the rev limiter and get rid of those pesky CELs. Stock 8 corners very well so the added HP will only help. (CELs for exhaust stuff should not effect the operation).

 

As far as I know, not having a CAT will have a CEL, but no negative effects on performance. The ECU doesn't care about not having a CAT.

Don't install any suspension mods until you have experienced how the car feels in your corners. If your rear is slipping on the higher speed sloping corners, then a rear bar will only aggravate it. If you feel like the front isn't turning in as much, or understeering, then go ahead and consider front bars.

 

thanks Phil...

If it doesn't affect the stock ECU then how about ditching the cat and the heavy muffler altogether? just for that trial? I have a good friend at a nice muffler shop that can make me a straight pipe all the way exiting right under the rear bumper rotor. It will be loud but heck its only 8 laps.

Humm I wonder if I order a Hymee reflasher and up the rev limit will it get here on time. I'm all the way in Panama City, Panama.

I'll laugh all the way if we can show them what the slowest rx-8 can do...

same thing I used to do with the 12a I had...I actually won my class when I used to drag that thing.

 

JinDesu yeap... Same thing I learned with my rx-7 on my FB I used to leave the rear very soft with stock rotted bushings and I installed very stiff springs in the front. Car cornered very well with that setup.

With the 8 I have not practiced too much but the rear suspension just feels fine. My FC on the other hand is nothing compared to the 8, feels very bad in the front eventhough it runs adjustable konis, racing beat sway bars and springs. Car is just unpredictable because the rear has excelent tracktability but the front just looses it even on the softest settings on the konis.

The 8 is just superior even being stock... I want to actually play with tire pressure (I'll borrow a laser infrared temp scanner) and measure tire temp after a couple of practice laps and with 17" light weight wheels and I believe and correct me if Im wrong this will make a lot of a difference from the stock 18" wheels and tires. Also my car has DSC and limited slip from factory, it just works fine, on the rain this car is very predictable and controlled.

 

Several auto-x and track people use custom made exhausts. Just a straight pipe out from the header. It's loud, light, and pretty good power.

I don't know how the Hymee stacks against the Cobb, in price and benefits.

That track could favor your 8 depending on your competition lol. The chicane and the larger right-to-left sections would be great places for the 8's incredible balance to shine. The longer turns may not be as beneficial to you, I'm not sure.

~Light weight wheels are great regardless of the car :D

 

I have no experience with the Hymee system but every thing that he puts his name on is quality. My experience is with the Cobb. Run that straight pipe, wear ear protection and whip *** on the nay sayers. A CEL from the exhaust will not hurt you.

 

Generally for a dump pipe make sure it's pointed at the pavement.

 

4at's can beat a manual on the track i have timesheets to prove it :D

 

Very good advice here. It dampens the sound SO much when you're a little distance away from the car.

 

What are the ambient temps going to be like? If they are hot at all, I'd try 80% water/20% coolant with water weter or royal purple ice. I had RP Ice drop my track coolant temps by about 5 degrees.

If you are going to run long sessions, invest in a second oil cooler and a secondary radiator.

 

using a straight pipe to replace the cat will do a lot more than a straight pipe after the cat. in fact, it will be so negligible its not worth it.

 

I have concentrated efforts in this low powered car in braking only so far.

So far I just received a new set of pads that we developed at my job with an aggressive compound that should last much more than the 8 laps (very short race) and improve durability and braking for the race. I'm going to install them tomorrow and break them in for a week (testing) before the race and switch to our high boiling point brake fluid this weekend.

I have been practicing a bit to get a feeling of the car at turns and I want to keep the suspension stock for now.

As long as the auto tranny holds up I'm sure the car will do good.

I'm also premixing and will do a bit of weight redux. Also cat will be removed this weekend.

 

Nice work, and glad to hear progress!

 

keep us informed......They tranny should not be your limiting factor - understanding the rev limitations may be.

 

Just ask Easy_E as he's smoked me plenty of times on the autocross track. The 4 speed tranny has it's advantages with lower speed tracks as he can stay much higher in the RPM band and thus have more power.

The only time Erick had issues is with higher speed tracks where he had to shift into 2nd gear. He had to slow to below 35mph to get back into 1st so there were times he could have carried more speed but couldn't due to gearing.

Even on street pulls. If he caught me low in 3rd and he was high in 2nd I would get smoked.

 

you would be surprised how much front and rear sway bars will help you out.

and yes AT's can hang with MT's.

 

same problem i have when i do time attack at my local track with some 8 friends basically have to run it in hard as hell into the turns to make up for my slowness on the straights, and the shifting into first as im in the hairpin so as soon as i hit the straight im in the powerband,

 

I'll be the only one driving an 8...the rest of the cars will be from nissan pulsar AWD turbo, evos, subarus, to honda civics and dodge neons, etc. Basically bring anything.

 

same when i go, i beat most cars except for evos and stis, and a fully race preped miata its pretty crazy