heavy85

http://www.ls1tech.com/forums/conversions-hybrids/1075693-my-budget-ls-engine-swap-guide-1500-a.html Cameron

It's an old thread but ... had a big track weekend. Fastest ITS/ITA/SM were running 1:24's flying laps and I ran a 1:22.8 FROM A STANDING START (high speed AutoX) and in the 1:20's flying laps. So yes an LS Z can keep up. I'm also only an average driver so a good driver could easily take two seconds off my time and this is a street car I drove 200 miles to get there. These times were on F/A Hoosier slicks but also ran 1:22's flying laps on my RE01 Potenza's. This was at Blackhawk Farms which is an old 1.95 mile track in far northern Illinois. Cameron

I have a inspection lid vented similar to buZy. Engine was running hot over the weekend at the track. Popped the hood and the temps did not change. Sting indicated that air was going into the engine bad from the back of the hood. Near the vented inspection lid air appeared to be going out but otherwise it's a high pressure area pushing more air into the engine bay. Again I saw no change in temps with the hood closed or popped. Edit: When I turn on the electric radiator fan significant air comes out the vented inspection lid - like as in the strings go vertical so they do help vent air. Strings also indicate that air is coming out the vented lid at speed. Cameron

That's a really nice surface and super well run event - I highly recommend the Indy region and WILL be back next year. Drivers meeting at 10:00, 137 cars, 5 runs, and trophies still over by 5:00 - this is something the local club couldn't even dream of. I forgot about the timezone change so got there late and didn't have time to walk the course. First two runs I was just trying to figure out the course and was in the mid to low 40's. Ended up with a 40.7 once I figured out the course which if I remember right is just a couple tenths behind you in your frigging stock S2000 (sigh). For reference to others I believe FTDI was wicked big aero BM at ~36.5 raw time and I finished second in EM to a purpose build mid engine supercharged Corvair who got a ~40.1. I was happy with my street car times and it was warm enough the tires worked really well. The EM Lotus clone in front of me was planning to swap from bias to radials midway through to get direct comparison but had an oil pouring out the valve cover after second run so never got to the radials. I was really looking forward to hearing the side-by-side comparison. Nice meeting you - maybe I'll have to make it down to St Louis sometime. Cameron

They are the FA tires. I was running 225 lb front springs with the radials which I think was part of my problem with the severe tire wear. I also would push mid corner for I think the same reason. Since I drive on the street to the races I was shy going higher in spring. This year I switched to 300 lb front springs and have noticed NO negative effects to ride on the street at all but haven't raced enough to tell how they perform. Plus I have a set of bias to use up before trying the radials again. Thought this info may be useful to others contemplating using these. For the performance/$ you can't beat them - especially used - which is why I run them. Cameron

That's interesting. I'm running the same 23x9.5x15 and found the 35 compound are really too hard. Unfortunately with the radials now the big ticket I couldn't get the 25's last time I got some used ones. The R35's will last a season + easy but really suck in the cold. I find they get better each run as they heat up. Never had to even think about cooling them off. I also tried the radials but the squared off edge wears VERY, VERY, VERY quickly IME so I'm back to bias ply. You also dont need nearly that much rear camber. I kept going down and down in pressure and ended up between 16 and 18 PSI when I got my only FTD back in the day when I was faster ... before the V8. Cameron

It's just a Z thing, IME that's the way they feel. Cameron

As Jon said most likely synchros IME. Not THAT hard to replace but is a PITA. Cameron

9" front, 9.5" rear. 245's all around. Wanted wider rears to match the rims but 245's is all they had on the clearance deal. Autocross today the tires were not as sticky as I had hoped. Not sure if they are aged from being a year or two old or are as sticky as street tires get. I've never had good street tires so I have nothing to compare. Overall I was somewhat disappointed with the grip levels but they show minimal wear after one autocross and several hundred street miles. Did I mention they are HUGE in diameter. Driving on the street they are fine. I can't hear them but my diff wines and the engine is a little uh loud. Cameron

Well here they are - the 17" Rota RB-R and the clearance Potenza's. Had to re-cut the rear fenders to clear since they are so big around. Cameron

Update. I remeasured on the rotor instead of the toe plate I made and found the drivers side was off. Maybe the toe plate was bent - but if so not sure why the passengers side was still measured OK? Anyway, I took about 1/8" of spacers out of the drivers side and it's much better. Still moves the steering wheel around a bit on big bumps but I'm wondering if the bumpsteer is still off a little and my measurements are in error or if it's something else. Hold the steering wheel and it stays put but if you let go of the wheel and hit a bump it will move. Cameron

Wow - that's more than a whole Daewoo is worth IME Cameron

I used the stock late model Camaro plastic tank with internal pump, regulator, vent, etc. Very easy to make fit and probably the least expensive method. Cameron

Obviously there are fundamental physics here where unless the CG is on the ground there's a overturning moment trying to put your car on it's lid regardless of suspension goemetry, but in the context of minimizing transfer through moving around CG is what I'm pondering. Cary brings interesting testing that seems to say the opposite of what I was thinking. Cameron

Maybe I'm missing something but thinking about free body diagram here. Input force is at CG times distance from CG to RC = roll moment. This then has to be resisted by tires at the track width. So if the CG and RC were on top of each other there basically would be no roll to resist so equal loading on both tires. This is obviously oversimplified but is my understanding. Cameron

Not only to improve the independent function but this would also help spread the load between both rear tire due to less weight transfer and gain overall forward acceleration. Since getting the power down is one of my biggest issues I need to give some serious thought to the rear suspension. I've just taken the rear for granted focusing on the front end but maybe I'm leaving a lot on the table. Cameron

What's the practical benefit of bringing the rear suspension back closer to factory roll center? This is not a theoretical question but a real seat of the pants 'how will this lower my laptimes' quandary. Cameron

1/8" out, 2.5 camber, a little more than stock caster. Dont know how alignment could be affecting it? Cameron

I made a plate that bolts to the hub, leveled it and marked 1" increments, removed springs, and measured toe change through suspension travel using two dial indicators against the plate. I'm not convinced it's actually bumpsteer but not sure. Thinking it's more of a mechanical thing where the input from the curbs are pushing the tires around. Maybe since the stiffer springs are less compliant so instead of soaking up the bump the front end has to climb up the curb which pushes back into the wheel? I'm stretching but measuring it I just dont get toe change with bump. Cameron

Over the winter I did the following: - Converted front LCA from offset bushings to heim. This also had the negative effect of shortening the front track by a 1/2"-3/4" since the offset bushings were all the way out and I did not move the pivot point out. - Changed from 225 to 300 lb front springs - Converted from conventional tie-rods to rod-end to adjust bumpsteer. - Shaved the 1" 'bumpsteer' spacers down to approx 3/4" for wheel clearance to the new bumpsteer adjustable rod-ends - ironic isn't it - Converted to big brakes (Outlaw, two-piece rotors up front). I had a track school last weekend and noticed the car wanted to pull hard when I hit rumble strip or curbing. I was taking it easy and feeling the edges so never before much used them except when I pushed really hard. I never noticed it to this extent before but added adjustable bumpsteer due to the occasional feedback into the wheel on the road and a particular bump at a different track. I dialed in the bumpsteer to very close to zero with spacers and just re-verified that it's still there. What could I be missing here to explain this pulling / steering wheel movement when I hit the rumble strips? Seems like bumpsteer but I'm just not measuring any? It's very unsettling and feels like it wants to jerk the car off the road. Thanks Cameron

I know I cant drive and that video proves it. I cant even think that fast let alone make my hands move that fast! I actually laughed out loud at how ridiculous that is. So much for apexes and smooth. Apparently rally style if FAST. Cameron

Since it's just the brake & clutch masters it doesn't worry me. As with Richard mine is mostly driven to the track and only occasionally sees rain ... or a bath. You notice I didn't do the same on the other inspection lid. That's because the engine computer and fuse box is under it. Even the few times it gets wet I dont want to risk shorting out the ECM. Cameron

I know it's not in the 'bonnet' but this is what I just finished - we'll see how it works. I know simply turning the fan on pushes a LOT of air out the inspection lid vent. Cameron