Sh0velMan's Track Car Build

Sh0velMan · 09-29-2013, 10:05 AM

Have to say, I'm impressed with the build quality for the money.

Might replace those bushings with some monoballs in the future (looks to me like they could be pressed out easily) but for now, I think these will be great.

Rusty · 09-29-2013, 11:54 AM

What I like about them is that the ride height is independent of spring preload.

Sh0velMan · 10-05-2013, 11:26 AM

Some pics.

Shadezz · 10-05-2013, 11:31 AM

That last engine pic looks likes JPL's rover on mars..with that thermal gold wrapping!! Can't wait to here the Long time review the coil overs....going to upgrade suspension soon enough.

Sh0velMan · 10-05-2013, 11:32 AM

Pics of the kinetix arms because I decided it was silly to leave the shredded boots on them, so I cleaned them out with some Teflon oil and then greased with extreme duty Teflon grease.

Even when totally flushed out, there was zero play in the ball joints, so they're a good part, just the boots are garbage.

Sh0velMan · 10-05-2013, 11:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shadezz

That last engine pic looks likes JPL's rover on mars..with that thermal gold wrapping!! Can't wait to here the Long time review the coil overs....going to upgrade suspension soon enough.

Thanks! Heat bad!

I'll definitely post up my observations after I've put them through their paces.

Rusty · 10-05-2013, 01:10 PM

With those coil-overs. Can you adjust compression and rebound damping independent of each other? And where is the adjustments made at?

dAvenue · 10-05-2013, 01:25 PM

I like your car a lot. Nice work, Sh0velMan. Which track do you go to in DFW? The only one I know of is near Grandbury (great track); I went there with my GSXR a few years ago.

Sh0velMan · 10-05-2013, 04:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rusty

With those coil-overs. Can you adjust compression and rebound damping independent of each other? And where is the adjustments made at?

They're one way adjustable, unfortunately. It's at the top of the dampener.

Quote:

Originally Posted by dAvenue

I like your car a lot. Nice work, Sh0velMan. Which track do you go to in DFW? The only one I know of is near Grandbury (great track); I went there with my GSXR a few years ago.

I've been to Texas World Speedway and Eagle's Canyon. Hoping to do an MSR event (Cresson/Grandbury) soon.

Thanks for the kind words

Sh0velMan · 10-05-2013, 04:59 PM

Got the brakes and clutch bled and took her around the block. At the current settings, I can't tell a whole lot of difference just yet. More testing to be done.

I do need to level out the car a bit. Slight ride height differences on a couple corners. Lots to do before the Autocross next Saturday...!

Sh0velMan · 10-09-2013, 10:34 PM

Jacked the car up to level out the ride heights.

Twice.

So the front ride height adjustment isn't quite 1:1. This is, I think, a function of the motion ratio not being as close to 1.0 as it could be.

So I lowered the total coilover length by 3cm, but it lowered the car by around 5cm. Meaning the top of the tire was almost touching the inside of the wheel well.

Soooooo, yeah. That will never do.

Jacked it back up, raised the coilover back up 2cm, which raised the car, you guessed it, 3.5cm.

... so not only is the adjustment not 1:1, its not even very linear.

Anyway, by happy coincidence, it got me exactly where I need to be, so I didn't have to do it a third time.

I'm now running the following heights, measured from the reference plane (the ground) to the center point (the high point) of the wheel arch.

Front: 68.5cm
Rear: 69.5cm

Sh0velMan · 10-12-2013, 04:45 PM

Had my first Autocross since starting the transformation.

Wasn't bad, still need better tires and I really need to get a good alignment.

Even so, the car is way, way more responsive and controllable than it was before all of this, and being strapped into a racing seat is worth every penny.

The BAD news is that I've apparently gotten myself my very own electrical gremlin. Twice today the car popped the O2 sensor fuse.

So this week I have to inspect all of the wiring for those. I already suspect the cause (splicing of the main sensor harnesses executed by the clown that originally installed my headers)...

Sh0velMan · 10-14-2013, 02:22 PM

Attached some photos. Check'em out.

A guy actually autocrossed that beast... and it wasn't as slow as you might imagine.

Sh0velMan · 10-16-2013, 09:44 PM

Figured out the electrical issue (I am pretty sure, anyway).

One of the extended O2 harnesses was laying against the driver's side header in two places. Not sure how it came loose from the tie down, but it had melted through the insulation (electrical insulation via heat shrink) just enough to fuse the heater wire to the ground (common) wire just enough to create a soft short that would eventually pop the fuse. The only reason this wire had not become carbon and blown away was because the headers are wrapped. The fact that it was still intact at all is a testament to the quality of the wrap that I used.

I replaced the wiring with a longer extension that could be routed well away from the header and secured it up and out of the way.

Cleared the codes and restarted the engine, seemed to idle somewhat normally (for being cold) and I was able to confirm the O2 voltages were cycling normally as expected.

That said, they seemed a little out of whack and I am concerned that I may have made the driver's side wire too long (I had to tie back a good bit of slack) and am causing an imbalance or something between the two banks.

I need to take her out for a spin this weekend and put a few miles/heat onto the system and see if it is actually acting funky or if it's all in my head, since I've never actually data-logged the car just idling on a cold start...

Also didn't have any proper heat shielding for the wires, so I wrapped in aluminum tape for some radiant protection and have it secured fast against the tranny tunnel and firewall so there's a good 4-6 inches of air between the headers/transmission/engine. (And yes, I left slack at both ends for engine mount movement.)

synolimit · 10-17-2013, 12:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sh0velMan

Have to say, I'm impressed with the build quality for the money.

Might replace those bushings with some monoballs in the future (looks to me like they could be pressed out easily) but for now, I think these will be great. [/IMG]

Did you go with the 13k, 6k springs? Did they give you the option to go higher?

09-29-2013, 11:54 AM	#437 (permalink)
Rusty Ronin Samurai - Assassin Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Fayettenam,Pennsyltucky Age: 68 Posts: 34,900 Drives: 2011 Nismo GM 6M Rep Power: 2684436	What I like about them is that the ride height is independent of spring preload. Kingbaby likes this. __________________ 浪人 - 殺し屋 "The Difficult Anytime, The Impossible By Appointment Only" http://www.the370z.com/members-370z-...o-journal.html

10-05-2013, 11:31 AM	#439 (permalink)
Shadezz Track Member Join Date: May 2012 Location: Colorado Age: 42 Posts: 896 Drives: 2012 Nissan 370Z Rep Power: 14	That last engine pic looks likes JPL's rover on mars..with that thermal gold wrapping!! Can't wait to here the Long time review the coil overs....going to upgrade suspension soon enough. Sh0velMan likes this. __________________ 2012 370Z BLACK EDITION/ FLT BLK Rays / 5% 3M Tint / DW's / Z1 SS & 2 Piece Rotors Nismo S-Tune OEM / Beluga CBE & Y-PIPE / DDX370 / GTR Start .4 Fluid / NST Blue Kit

10-05-2013, 11:32 AM	#440 (permalink)
Sh0velMan A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Dallas/Ft.Worth Posts: 3,349 Drives: Noisily. Rep Power: 20	Pics of the kinetix arms because I decided it was silly to leave the shredded boots on them, so I cleaned them out with some Teflon oil and then greased with extreme duty Teflon grease. Even when totally flushed out, there was zero play in the ball joints, so they're a good part, just the boots are garbage. __________________ Buy My Car! \| Build Thread

10-05-2013, 01:10 PM	#442 (permalink)
Rusty Ronin Samurai - Assassin Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Fayettenam,Pennsyltucky Age: 68 Posts: 34,900 Drives: 2011 Nismo GM 6M Rep Power: 2684436	With those coil-overs. Can you adjust compression and rebound damping independent of each other? And where is the adjustments made at? __________________ 浪人 - 殺し屋 "The Difficult Anytime, The Impossible By Appointment Only" http://www.the370z.com/members-370z-...o-journal.html

10-05-2013, 01:25 PM	#443 (permalink)
dAvenue A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: present Posts: 1,971 Drives: angry Rep Power: 48	I like your car a lot. Nice work, Sh0velMan. Which track do you go to in DFW? The only one I know of is near Grandbury (great track); I went there with my GSXR a few years ago. __________________ Takeda \| Stillen \| Z1 \| Invidia \| Mishimoto \| CSF \| Megan Racing \| Koni \| Eibach \| SPC \| Forgestar \| Seibon

10-05-2013, 04:59 PM	#445 (permalink)
Sh0velMan A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Dallas/Ft.Worth Posts: 3,349 Drives: Noisily. Rep Power: 20	Got the brakes and clutch bled and took her around the block. At the current settings, I can't tell a whole lot of difference just yet. More testing to be done. I do need to level out the car a bit. Slight ride height differences on a couple corners. Lots to do before the Autocross next Saturday...! __________________ Buy My Car! \| Build Thread

10-09-2013, 10:34 PM	#446 (permalink)
Sh0velMan A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Dallas/Ft.Worth Posts: 3,349 Drives: Noisily. Rep Power: 20	Jacked the car up to level out the ride heights. Twice. So the front ride height adjustment isn't quite 1:1. This is, I think, a function of the motion ratio not being as close to 1.0 as it could be. So I lowered the total coilover length by 3cm, but it lowered the car by around 5cm. Meaning the top of the tire was almost touching the inside of the wheel well. Soooooo, yeah. That will never do. Jacked it back up, raised the coilover back up 2cm, which raised the car, you guessed it, 3.5cm. ... so not only is the adjustment not 1:1, its not even very linear. Anyway, by happy coincidence, it got me exactly where I need to be, so I didn't have to do it a third time. I'm now running the following heights, measured from the reference plane (the ground) to the center point (the high point) of the wheel arch. Front: 68.5cm Rear: 69.5cm Shadezz likes this. __________________ Buy My Car! \| Build Thread

10-12-2013, 04:45 PM	#447 (permalink)
Sh0velMan A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Dallas/Ft.Worth Posts: 3,349 Drives: Noisily. Rep Power: 20	Had my first Autocross since starting the transformation. Wasn't bad, still need better tires and I really need to get a good alignment. Even so, the car is way, way more responsive and controllable than it was before all of this, and being strapped into a racing seat is worth every penny. The BAD news is that I've apparently gotten myself my very own electrical gremlin. Twice today the car popped the O2 sensor fuse. So this week I have to inspect all of the wiring for those. I already suspect the cause (splicing of the main sensor harnesses executed by the clown that originally installed my headers)... __________________ Buy My Car! \| Build Thread

10-16-2013, 09:44 PM	#449 (permalink)
Sh0velMan A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Dallas/Ft.Worth Posts: 3,349 Drives: Noisily. Rep Power: 20	Figured out the electrical issue (I am pretty sure, anyway). One of the extended O2 harnesses was laying against the driver's side header in two places. Not sure how it came loose from the tie down, but it had melted through the insulation (electrical insulation via heat shrink) just enough to fuse the heater wire to the ground (common) wire just enough to create a soft short that would eventually pop the fuse. The only reason this wire had not become carbon and blown away was because the headers are wrapped. The fact that it was still intact at all is a testament to the quality of the wrap that I used. I replaced the wiring with a longer extension that could be routed well away from the header and secured it up and out of the way. Cleared the codes and restarted the engine, seemed to idle somewhat normally (for being cold) and I was able to confirm the O2 voltages were cycling normally as expected. That said, they seemed a little out of whack and I am concerned that I may have made the driver's side wire too long (I had to tie back a good bit of slack) and am causing an imbalance or something between the two banks. I need to take her out for a spin this weekend and put a few miles/heat onto the system and see if it is actually acting funky or if it's all in my head, since I've never actually data-logged the car just idling on a cold start... Also didn't have any proper heat shielding for the wires, so I wrapped in aluminum tape for some radiant protection and have it secured fast against the tranny tunnel and firewall so there's a good 4-6 inches of air between the headers/transmission/engine. (And yes, I left slack at both ends for engine mount movement.) __________________ Buy My Car! \| Build Thread

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