Righto...various questions: Track Day prep + Others...

[Timmo]

This may turn into a long post....

First of all, my car is a 92 Nz new SW20 Mr2 (3s-ge) and im taking it on Chelles' Trackday on Queensbirthday weekend around Taupo. The car has just under 185 ks and is due for an oil change, air filter change and the thermostat needs replacing as well.....so it will be booked in for those in the next couple of days

Im tossing up whether to
a) Just do the oil, air filter and thermostat as i *may* be selling it soon after the Trackday

or

b)Get the cambelt, seals etc done when i go for this next oil change as well as replacing the platinum spark plugs, looking at the water pump etc so that it will be nice and fresh for the track day....if that stuff is going to break, it will be on the track for sure.

The problem is....the cambelt isnt due for another 15 000 kms and I may sell it so i dont want to spend 800 pesos if im going to sell it....If i was defineately keeping it id just get it all done...


Second question: When accelerating, i can feel small transitions at certain revs...not really hesitation but it feels like it hits a spot and gets a bit more power...is that just the variable intake length switching over??

Third question: Any ideas for some simple things to do/check before taking the car on the track (apart from the obvious coolant, brake fluid, oil, tyre pressures etc)....
Opinions on whether to keep the spare tire in or out? Mr2s are slightly vauge in the front end anyway so taking out that weight may do more harm than good??

Cheers for any opinions...

[KinLoud]

Yeah - good to know you are thinking ahead.
Don't worry about the cambelt or water pump.
Go with air filter and thermostat, suitable oil and toyota genuine oil filter. Replace the spark plugs if they are due (every 100,00k if platinum, otherwise don't worry).
Make very sure that whoever replaces the thermostat know exacly how to bleed all the air out of the MR2 cooling system! With the long pipes to the radiator at the front of the car you have to do it properly or you could overheat the motor due to air in the head.

Other stuff - buy a new set of brake pads and bed them in before trackday. Bring your old pads along incase you need to use them to get home.
I have seen people wear out a set of pads in a day on the track and/or have their fun cut short by bad brake fade due to cheap pads or old brake fluid. Don't buy cheap... best bet is to get Toyota genuine pads. Get the fluid changed as well - go for dot 5.1 or good dot 4 fluid, don't worry about race spec fluid.

Think about getting a wheel alignment as MR2's are a bit fussy about their rear toe in. Go for a bit more toe in at the rear rather than a bit less.
Buy yourself a good tyre gauge.
Take spare tyre out along with anything else in the boots/bonnet/glovebox etc.

Ken
Hamilton
021 408 863

[Timmo]

cheers man...
so you reckon taking the spare tire out of the frunk is better?

Also, any ideas about the hesitation? I wonder if its associated with the thermostat? ......

[Ebola_One]

looking at the water pump etc so that it will be nice and fresh for the track day....if that stuff is going to break, it will be on the track for sure.

Well, it's tough to say if the water pump will go "for sure" on the track, mine started to go driving the desert road, and fully died around 250kms later. I hadn't been on a track for a good 18months.

As Ken's mentioned, brake pads are a must, and they need to be bed in before you hit the track, if you hit the track with un-bed in pads, you'll be looking for another set of pads fairly quickly.

Things to consider, if you spend a fair bit of time out on the track, I'd seriously look at doing the oil sooner than you usually would after the day.

Just as a bit of an example, I plan on getting out on Manfield the weekend before, and the week between I'll be changing my oil & brake fluid.
So, two-three oil changes within a two week period. (I'll do one fresh before I go out on manfield)

Also, any ideas about the hesitation? I wonder if its associated with the thermostat?
I doubt the thermostat would cause this, maybe early in the morning while the engine & water are still cold, but I wouldn't expect it to continue.

I'd suggest maybe plugs, O2 sensor needs a good clean (you burn them to clean them, I think you can use a butane torch, but you can also just go for a hard drive as the exhaust gases will burn the crap off)

[gordon77]

Also, any ideas about the hesitation? I wonder if its associated with the thermostat? ......

if its around 5k it will be the ACIS changing over.... nothing to worry about

[Timmo]

Haha righto- im changing my brake fluid tomorrow for the track day on Monday at Taupo

Options 1) Dot 4 (higher than Dot 4 apparently but cant be labelled DOT 5 since it isnt synthetic)

Option 2) Dot 5 Fully synthetic

Obviously there is a cost difference between them but will Dot 4 be adequate? Is Dot 5 overkill??

Cheers for your opinions...cant wait to get out there!

[85AW20v]

Dot 4 will be fine - no problems at all.

[Dell'Orto]

Dont mix Dot 5 with Dot 4, it will do nasty things to your brake system. Dot 5.1 is a different animal altogether.

[sergei]

DOT 5 is completely different suff and is not compatible with DOT3/4/5.1 fluids. There is little advantage going to DOT5. Just get good DOT4 (castrol response)...