Headed to VIR!!! (braking and cooling ???)

[Sicklyscott]

Hi Guys -

The 911 is back from the spa with a clean bill of health. Head studs are all accounted for, leakdown and compression numbers are very good, all suspension bits checked out. I'd like to address the trombone cooler prior to our first track event and I'd probably be better suited if I upgraded the brake pads. I know there's been a lot of chatter on both here but it's almost too much info to make a decent decision on. Here's where I stand:

1. Oil cooler - the plan was to keep it simple and just install a Carrera cooler in the front fender. Our host sells a cooler plus adapter kit for about the $450 mark. I've never had heat problems before and I think this would be sufficient. Any thoughts against this?

2. Pads and fluid - I've always been a fan of ATE blue in my auto-x and street cars but never tracked a car with it. From the interwebs it looks like it's an ok fluid to use. As for pads i don't even know where to begin! I'm a beginner and if my last time out says anything I'm very easy on the brakes. It's something i need to learn so easy modulation is key for me. Would the Pagid Orange pads be good?

Sadly I don't think I'll be able to afford harnesses this year but I am still planning on installing the GT3 seats and rollbar!

[David in VA]

Scott, VIR is a great track. You're going to love it. Are you going to the Zone 2 event in March? Weather is usually pretty cool for that one, if you've never had overheating problems might be best to just leave what you have.

I used to track an '87 and kept boiling fluid. ATE is good stuff but the only fluid I wasn't able to boil is Castrol SRF. Pricey but great, I still use it. As for pads, Pagid orange are not very good. I would recommend pagid yellows (19 or 29) or PFC 08's. They will work very well and not be too noisy. I leave them on year-round.

Seats are also tricky, you really need to try them on and a track event is a great way to do that. I have a GT3 passenger seat and a Recaro Profi SPG driver. You're welcome to sit in them at the event. The store at the track also stocks quite a few models you can try.

Have fun, should be a great weekend.
David

[crashmy911]

You'll be fine with what you have for first track event. You won't be going that fast at first and what is on car will be fine as long as close to new. New pads and tires. Learn the line and as your speed progresses you will need to improve car. Ate blue as long as fresh should be fine. Take something to bleed brakes so that if the pedal goes soft you have something to work with. You will be over braking the first time you drive on the track so there is a possibility that you could over heat the brakes.

[turborat]

+1 Crashmy911

For novice group runs, you will be taking in a lot of information and processing. You may not push the car too hard.

+1 David in VA

I don't even think about bleeding the brakes anymore with the Castrol SRF. I replace it once a year and that's it. About $65 a quart, but well worth it.

One thing to watch out for is losing brake fluid through the reservoir vent. On the our SC cars, its on the left side of the bottle. Most turns are right hand on the track. The brake fluid will escape through the rubber tube and exit under the pan of the car......then get all over your paint down the left hand side. Not good as brake fluid makes for a great paint stripper. Especially ATE Blue or Gold...ask me how I know.

I tried a few different things over the years that included pinching the vent hose off and running the reservoir about half full to a catch can mounted under the hood. The best solution for my situation was to drill a hole in the center of the fill cap and pinch off the original vent nipple. That solved problem once and for all.

For brake pads, I like the Hawk HT-10. They have a nice initial bite with good fade characteristics and they don't leave nasty dust all over your wheels.....not like the Blue compound. I find the Pagid Orange pads to lack that initial bite of the Hawk, but then i suppose becomes a matter of preference.

As far as oil cooling goes, I tried the fender mounted coolers with fan and so on. Until I installed a front mounted cooler with AN-12 hose, I always had to "come in early" due to excessive oil temperatures. You want to keep your oil temp at 220 or less. Anything more is risking bearing damage.

Oh! And consider personal safety a top priority. Harness and Hans are a must if one is installing race seats and roll cage/bar. Otherwise slide around on factory seats and belts until you can afford the whole setup together...IMHO

I would add the you want to tuck as much rubber as you can under the fenders. 225/245 if possible. It should have been against the law to shod these car with 195/215 tires.

Have fun. My home track is Road Atlanta, but I really enjoy VIR whenever I can get up there. I never tire of those climbing esses.

[jhg41977]

VIR is a great track. Typically VIR has lots of run off but when the grass is wet, runoff space doesnt matter any longer. Buy the bar, harnesses and hans, skip upgrading the brakes and such until next year. If you are new to DE, you wont need much more thank stock for now.

[Sicklyscott]

Thanks for the input guys. I was at VIR in November with my DD, was too nervous to chance the 8 hour drive with the 911. I just got it checked out by a pro and it seems to be in tip top shape (knock on wood). I know I'm still a novice but some time on the track and was starting to hone in on braking in my last session.

David - I'm going with the Audi Club April 11-12. I was hoping for the PCA event but the group I go with had their heart set on this weekend.

Fluid in the car is 5 years old so I'm going to change it. I think I have an unopened can of ATE blue that I've had for a while. If it's still sealed I'll use it. If not I'll go to the Castrol suggested here.

Is it worth while to pick up a "big mouth" cooler from ER rather than the Carrera cooler? It's twice the price but if it's truly worth it.

[RichardNew]

Stock brake pads operate best if they're between 100° to 650° range.

Race pads operate best in the 600° to 1500° range.

Richard Newton

[michael lang]

All things considered, I think your best bet is go through your car using a thorough tech inspection form. Make whatever corrections need to be made to make your car safe and compliant according to the tech sheet and flush the brake fluid. If your pads are below 50%, then you might want to have a spare set just in case you need them. I don't know if you are getting started in this hobby and this is one of just a handful of events or if you have been doing this for awhile and are not sure what to do to take your skill set to the next level.
Based on your questions, I'm reading that as you are just getting started in this hobby. I say welcome aboard, I think and I believe most here would agree, you are about to have the ride of your life. This hobby is so much fun!! In all seriousness, there's nothing wrong with doing upgrades to your car, that is one of the fun parts about this but don't focus so much on it right now. Just go out and have fun with it. Believe me, if you stay with it, you will be looking for every single thing that you can do to figure out have to save that 1/2 second a turn that we all try to trim off our lap times which will include spending ridiculous amount of money on your car to make it brake later, accelerate harder, have higher top speed, be lighter, etc... I hope you have the time of your life at VIR and that you keep doing DE's.