Track Day Best Practices - MUST READ

BG370z · 06-03-2013, 02:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wstar

Surely 130 is a typo?

yes 230 would be the correction

thanks

DR_ · 06-03-2013, 03:09 PM

Water temps of 255 are way too high. Oil temps of 230 are fantastic. It sounds like too much stuff are blocking your radiator and since you can't do anything about that you need to upgrade it.

Sh0velMan · 06-03-2013, 03:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DR_

Water temps of 255 are way too high. Oil temps of 230 are fantastic. It sounds like too much stuff are blocking your radiator and since you can't do anything about that you need to upgrade it.

+1

Water temps over 220 are alarming. Ideally you wouldn't go much over 200 at all.

I prefer to stay UNDER 200, myself, 'swhy I bought a big *** radiator.

Are you on stock radiator? If so..that's your issue.

DR_ · 06-03-2013, 03:39 PM

At our last event in 90 degree temps I saw 232 degree water and 260 degree oil and I have the wide Series 9 Setrab (same cooling BTU as typical Setrab 34 row). I will get a better radiator soon and need to direct flow better to my oil cooler.

Sh0velMan · 06-03-2013, 03:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DR_

At our last event in 90 degree temps I saw 232 degree water and 260 degree oil and I have the wide Series 9 Setrab (same cooling BTU as typical Setrab 34 row). I will get a better radiator soon and need to direct flow better to my oil cooler.

Wish Fluidyne would sell my oil cooler rather than it being a custom thing, you'd love it. I never got over 200 on oil @ TWS in 92-95 degree weather.

BG370z · 06-03-2013, 04:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sh0velMan

+1

Water temps over 220 are alarming. Ideally you wouldn't go much over 200 at all.

I prefer to stay UNDER 200, myself, 'swhy I bought a big *** radiator.

Are you on stock radiator? If so..that's your issue.

yes a stock radiator. Perhaps vented hood or electric fans perhaps.
The track is a 12 turn track and only 2 straight areas for passing.
Car worked excellent in the morning but some harder driving on course
sent alarms going. I guess time to look at a upgraded radiator

thanks

BG370z · 06-03-2013, 04:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DR_

Water temps of 255 are way too high. Oil temps of 230 are fantastic. It sounds like too much stuff are blocking your radiator and since you can't do anything about that you need to upgrade it.

Im in hot water again

BG370z · 06-03-2013, 05:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BG370z

Im in hot water again

Actually it is a Defi gauge which was ready in excess of 130C=266F
Kinda of hot for oil temp

wstar · 06-03-2013, 05:13 PM

Yeah 266 is too hot. 280 and 300 are the two cutoff points in the ECU for limp mode to protect the engine. At 280F you get rev-limited to something like 5k rpm, and at 300 it's going to cut you way down lower than that on revs. I've done a number of track days with my oil in the 240-260-ish range. It's doable, it's just hotter than you want to be, and you really need to change that oil afterwards. Keeping it down to 220 is much better, and is about as low as you can reasonably shoot for tracking this car in a hot climate.

Dropping those oil and water temps gives you a little edge on power too, because you're not heating up your intake air/fuel as much on the way in with a cooler engine bay in general.

ChrisSlicks · 06-03-2013, 05:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sh0velMan

+1

Water temps over 220 are alarming. Ideally you wouldn't go much over 200 at all.

I prefer to stay UNDER 200, myself, 'swhy I bought a big *** radiator.

Are you on stock radiator? If so..that's your issue.

The car's ideal water temp is right around the boiling point of 210F, the electric fan doesn't even kick on until 213F. Anything under 230F is fine, unfortunately it's pretty easy to get the water temp to 250F on track on a hot day with the stock radiator. Once you see it marching up just back off for a lap and the temp will come down fairly quickly. Big ass radiator is next on my list.

BG370z · 06-03-2013, 06:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChrisSlicks

The car's ideal water temp is right around the boiling point of 210F, the electric fan doesn't even kick on until 213F. Anything under 230F is fine, unfortunately it's pretty easy to get the water temp to 250F on track on a hot day with the stock radiator. Once you see it marching up just back off for a lap and the temp will come down fairly quickly. Big ass radiator is next on my list.

I didn't even hear the electric fan. Oil change coming up real soon

mdxj · 06-03-2013, 09:07 PM

The main reason I want a tune is to set the fans to come on earlier!

Sh0velMan · 06-03-2013, 09:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChrisSlicks

The car's ideal water temp is right around the boiling point of 210F, the electric fan doesn't even kick on until 213F. Anything under 230F is fine, unfortunately it's pretty easy to get the water temp to 250F on track on a hot day with the stock radiator. Once you see it marching up just back off for a lap and the temp will come down fairly quickly. Big ass radiator is next on my list.

I saw power drop off (timing pulled) every time coolant got above 190f on the dyno.

I'm not saying 210 isn't fine, but I personally saw my car pull 2-3 degrees the second the coolant ticked over 190.

DR_ · 06-03-2013, 10:34 PM

^ Was that after UpRev? I thought it only pulled timing if knock.

Sh0velMan · 06-03-2013, 11:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DR_

^ Was that after UpRev? I thought it only pulled timing if knock.

Yeah this is with UpRev.

It has a much more ... mmmm ... adaptable, we'll say, timing program than previous cars.

The car seems to have a very high resolution and high sensitivity knock detection system and will add timing if it sees favorable conditions for it (ie, coolant above warm up level so it's on main tables, but below a threshold, in this case, 190deg F. It will also add timing if you add Torco accelerator or run a higher octane fuel (within reason). At least that has been my experience.

06-03-2013, 05:13 PM	#99 (permalink)
wstar A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 4,024 Drives: too slow Rep Power: 3594	Yeah 266 is too hot. 280 and 300 are the two cutoff points in the ECU for limp mode to protect the engine. At 280F you get rev-limited to something like 5k rpm, and at 300 it's going to cut you way down lower than that on revs. I've done a number of track days with my oil in the 240-260-ish range. It's doable, it's just hotter than you want to be, and you really need to change that oil afterwards. Keeping it down to 220 is much better, and is about as low as you can reasonably shoot for tracking this car in a hot climate. Dropping those oil and water temps gives you a little edge on power too, because you're not heating up your intake air/fuel as much on the way in with a cooler engine bay in general. BG370z likes this. __________________ 7AT Track Car! Journal thread / Car setup details

06-03-2013, 09:07 PM	#102 (permalink)
mdxj Enthusiast Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: OKC Posts: 290 Drives: 09 Nismo, 98 Jeep XJ Rep Power: 14	The main reason I want a tune is to set the fans to come on earlier! __________________ '09 370 base - RIP '09 370 Nismo - New track car

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
If u ain't doing anything read	afgiussppe	Mid-Atlantic Region	3	08-07-2012 06:58 PM
I'm a Noob. Read this!	uMadeBro	New Forum Member	30	05-11-2012 04:29 PM
Fun Read	sonic370	Nissan 370Z Pricing / Ordering Discussions	1	06-02-2011 09:20 PM
Wow - just read this if you need a LOL...	FricFrac	Other Vehicles	5	08-12-2010 11:49 AM
Something to read	Shift	Nissan 370Z General Discussions	6	06-02-2010 09:30 PM

06-03-2013, 03:09 PM	#92 (permalink)
DR_ Track Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Dallas Posts: 981 Drives: Touring/Sport M6 PG Rep Power: 17	Water temps of 255 are way too high. Oil temps of 230 are fantastic. It sounds like too much stuff are blocking your radiator and since you can't do anything about that you need to upgrade it.

06-03-2013, 03:39 PM	#94 (permalink)
DR_ Track Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Dallas Posts: 981 Drives: Touring/Sport M6 PG Rep Power: 17	At our last event in 90 degree temps I saw 232 degree water and 260 degree oil and I have the wide Series 9 Setrab (same cooling BTU as typical Setrab 34 row). I will get a better radiator soon and need to direct flow better to my oil cooler.

06-03-2013, 10:34 PM	#104 (permalink)
DR_ Track Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Dallas Posts: 981 Drives: Touring/Sport M6 PG Rep Power: 17	^ Was that after UpRev? I thought it only pulled timing if knock.