Would I be crazy to track my stock 135K mile Z?

Eagle

Like we said earlier, we are talking about his first time out. Fluids and brake pads should be more than enough for a beginner. Not sure why some people make it sound like his first time out on the racetrack he's going to be putting in a 3 hour stint at Le Mans or the Nordschleife or that he's going to be capable of driving 10/10s right out the gate.

Once the driver figures out this is what they want to do long term, then they can start to plan out how best to sabotage themselves financially. I say that completely tongue in cheek and as a self deprecating joke, but I'm sure my financial advisor isn't laughing right now

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Rusty

100%

These knuckle heads don't see it that way.

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alcheng

FYI....

https://www.caranddriver.com/feature...lightning-lap/

Rusty

SennaZ, you should have posted this in the track section. You would have more support there. EVERYONE HERE is so negative. PISS ME OFF! Go track you car. Enjoy the day. Learn from it. Don't be afraid to ask questions. Most likely you will have an instructor with you in the beginner group. Take notes, and pictures. If you get bit by the track bug. Then welcome to the rabbit hole and melted credit cards.

A few things you need to do first. Flush your brake fluid. Change oil and filter. Don't know when you changed the diff and tranny fluid, but it would be a good idea. Check your brake pads. You should have more then half pad. Anything less, change them. YellowStuff is a good DD/ beginner track pad. What condition are your tires?
Wrap insulation around your clutch line down by the exhaust. This will help to keep the heat from the fluid and boiling it.

Limiting factors.
Oil cooler. Don't be surprised if and when you hit limp mode.
Fuel starve. Some will get it. Some will never get it. There is no rhyme or reason on who gets it, and who don't. To keep from getting it. Keep your fuel tank full.

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Rusty

That article is 9 years old. A lot has happened and a lot of knowledge gained since then.

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OptionZero

uh . . i'd want at minimum:

- if not NEW tires, some replacement ones with alot of grip left,
- new pads/rotors
- brake fluid
- tranny fluid
- oil cooler
- helmet
- check all safety equipment

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JARblue

C&D boiled the stock brake fluid trying to set lap records. They are idiots

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Rusty

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Eagle

No, you're not crazy at all for wanting to do that.

This would be my checklist for a first timer...

1. Change brake fluid and clutch fluid to a high temp one (Motul 660, Brembo LCF, Brembo HTC 64 are some good options)
2. Make sure tires have some life left in them
3. Upgrading brake pads would be great but for your first time, you should be fine with OEM sport pads and rotors as long as they are still in good shape
4. Buy a helmet after you figure out that this is something you're going to want to do long term. You can get by with a rental or borrow one from a friend in the mean time.
5. Bring a tire pressure gauge, you're going to want to keep an eye on those throughout the day

If you're planning on going to Laguna Seca, I'm heading there at the end of June with Speed Ventures i'll be running June 29th, i'd be glad to meet you and help you pop your track cherry

If you want to get out there sooner at a more local track join or check out Nissan Challenge. We're going to be at Chuckwalla Raceway on May 25th, we'll be on break for a few months and then we'll be back after a summer break at Willow Springs in September

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alcheng

You are right, a lot of knowledge has gained since then, but the hardware of the Z is pretty much the same as 9 years ago.


ugh.... apparently they use 22 bone stock car to do the hot laps... every year...

Here is the original article of the event with Z is the only one has the accident..

https://www.caranddriver.com/feature...ning-lap-2009/



While I agree some of you say the OP should/can track the car and have fun on the limit..

meanwhile, the OP also states his Z is bone stock except with the Powertrix Coils.


The reason I dig up that 9 years old article and post it here is I saw

"I have a sport package Z with 135k on it. Only mods are Powertrix coils. It's all stock otherwise. No oil cooler, and pretty sure it's original clutch too, the csc was replaced 100K miles ago."

in the original post..


that connect me to that incident 9 years ago...

of cause many of us has offered suggestions/advices, which is great..

however, if the OP doesn't make those changes on his stock Z...

again, his bone stock Z with sports package is carrying similar hardware to the Z which had accident 9 years ago.


It's only a precaution to the OP, nothing else.

Eagle

2011 370Z Touring + Sport. Almost stock. Hotchkis front sway bar. Brake fluids. Cold air intake. OEM brake pads. If this car and I survived an entire track day in the heat in California, I am fairly certain his car will be fine.



The key is the brake fluid. The reason that incident happened in the article is not necessarily because of the pads. It's most likely because of the fluid, it boiled. When it boils, you dont have enough pressure in the lines to get sufficient force out of the calipers. If the driver does that enough then the pads are eventually going to heat up and fade as well. But most beginners aren't capable of that.

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Rusty

I did my first couple of trackdays with a bone stock car. Then I was bitten and started to change things.

We all said to change the brake fluid too.

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mishuko

I mean he doesn't have to and find out when he ends up banking a wall.

Shoeshear

I also agree w/ fluid flush. TBH, I don't think you need to switch to the super high temp stuff. I picked up DOT 4 at a local shop and bled the whole system a couple days before my track days. I would highly recommend a decent set of pads as well. I went w/ project mu pads, no regrets. I would really recommend against EBC yellow. My dad and friend used them and they glazed their rotors within the first two sessions. Only common thing between them were the pads. My PMU pads held fantastically though.

Rusty

I used them for a whole year and never glazed the Yellowstuff.

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