danegrey's 370Z Journal

cv129 · 06-19-2021, 05:04 PM

That’s a lot of laps, I am jealous!

danegrey · 06-19-2021, 07:58 PM

Some thoughts about the lapping day, as I mentioned, I did 59 laps, 66 including out laps. I actually was a bit nervous at the start of the day, wondering if my Z would make it. That is because I always have had a problem or something. This lapping day at Mid-Ohio, was with minimum of breaks, maybe 20 minutes between sessions. The last two sessions were back to back, with 5 minutes down time, really no chance to get out of the car and do anything....

I would like to thank everyone, who has helped/given me advice on how to make my Z rock solid. It has been an adventure, since starting to modify my Z.

But it all was worth it. I learn that I have even more to learn.

How to brake without engaging the ABS system Seems odd to say, but I learn that it really makes the brakes work harder. It is about applying brake pressure the right amount. I have a perfect example of this, because of my son.

The second day of school, he was having brake fade, talked to the instructors, they checked the brakes and said all was good. Well the brakes failed on the back stretch and he went into china beach. But we were instructed, to not turn go straight and he did that.

Now on the lapping day, he started having the same problem and they said something is wrong, so one of the instructors followed him. Then they came back and talked and I was there for part of it. He was on the brakes TOO hard, stabbing them and not applying pressure correctly.

He went with instructor on a ride along, and was told what to do. And he got it and no problems the rest of the day.

I mentioned this, because it made me think about braking, now at the end of the back straight, I was hard and ABS kicked on. Now the rest of the course I was alright with (I think, more aware if it). So, that is why I say I have to learn.

That even with my/your brakes setup to the best they can be, there still can be failure for not braking correctly.

so another thing I have to work on and learn...

Hotrodz · 06-20-2021, 03:28 PM

Happy Father's day!

I always figured when the ABS kicked in I did not brake correctly. Generally it happened if I over shot my braking point.

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

danegrey · 06-21-2021, 06:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hotrodz

Happy Father's day!

I always figured when the ABS kicked in I did not brake correctly. Generally it happened if I over shot my braking point.

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

Thanks for that hint, will be interesting the next track day, going to work on the braking......

JARblue · 06-21-2021, 11:12 AM

Good info there

Smooth input should be a priority on the track. Stabbing at any of the pedals can result in unwelcomed results. Smooth inputs will not upset the car's balance as much; this bad habit was one of the first things I noticed and worked on at the track. Thankfully, I've been able to work on my pedal input further using a racing rig with Gran Turismo

danegrey · 06-21-2021, 01:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JARblue

Good info there

Smooth input should be a priority on the track. Stabbing at any of the pedals can result in unwelcomed results. Smooth inputs will not upset the car's balance as much; this bad habit was one of the first things I noticed and worked on at the track. Thankfully, I've been able to work on my pedal input further using a racing rig with Gran Turismo

yup, your are right, trying to do that with Assetto Corsa, I have a sim coach I work with 1-on-1 and he started saying that too me recently. going to be another learning experience. Thanks for your input

Hotrodz · 06-21-2021, 01:11 PM

The better your sims peddle box is the better it will translate to your car. It is pretty fun and takes some learning to get trail braking down but you can't go fast if you don't know how. Also learning to left foot brake. It is not a thing for everyone but it has become automatic on the sim for me and I am incorporating it more on the track. It happens some time and it is unconscious and when I realize what happened I am like wtf and then smile and say I need to do that again!

The other thing it really helps with is getting comfortable with slip angle. Got to be comfortable letting the car four-wheel slide or drift through fast corners!

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

danegrey · 07-18-2021, 08:22 AM

Took the Z to SCCA Track night on Wednesday, more on that later...
The Z still gets noticed...
-- individual comment on the car and talked about it
-- driving in Atlanta and a person shout nice car next to me (he was in a BMW 328)
-- person on a motorcycle passed me and gave me a thumbs up...

Always nice to get comments on the car...

danegrey · 07-21-2021, 01:06 PM

already a week ago, that I did scca track night at Atlanta Motorsport Park.
Did improve my time by .17, now down to a 1.43.74, slowly but steadily.

I think I can get better, but it will come down to braking, also it was hot and slippery, so on the last run I dropped my tire pressure down a pound all around. I normal run my Michelin PS4 at 36 front and 34 back

The Garmin Catalyst gave me a surprise, there was the usually comment, nice apex, good turn in early. so at least I get some feedback.. But the surprise I got was the comments between turns 15 and 16.. It said push harder I was like what, not once but several times...

As I mentioned previous, I work with a coach out of England, so we reviewed my best lap https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=buEIT89g5_Q (I turned off the mike no sound) He said my lines were looking good and we worked on a few tweaks. Which I get to try at the end of the month. Going back for a full track day.

I also had a photographer take some photos on track
https://photos.app.goo.gl/GmoyqvQA1fEKuEUf8

https://photos.app.goo.gl/HVquqcTbcou9XFr97

https://photos.app.goo.gl/SMN57QU1XRG9vvcdA

Hotrodz · 07-21-2021, 01:48 PM

So on your tire pressures, are those your starting pressures??? If so they seem pretty high. For a 200 tw tire I would look for my tire pressures to be no higher than that hot. I run those those pressures on the street for daily driving.

I would recommend lowering your cold pressures by 4 psi and make adjustments by two degrees up or down based on your target hot pressure. Just a suggestion.

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

danegrey · 07-21-2021, 03:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hotrodz

So on your tire pressures, are those your starting pressures??? If so they seem pretty high. For a 200 tw tire I would look for my tire pressures to be no higher than that hot. I run those those pressures on the street for daily driving.

I would recommend lowering your cold pressures by 4 psi and make adjustments by two degrees up or down based on your target hot pressure. Just a suggestion.

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

Ok, educated me, how will the car feel with lower pressures. Still learning stuff, that I really do not understand, but getting there. It has been a long journey and it will continue till I feel I cannot drive anymore...

Hotrodz · 07-21-2021, 08:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by danegrey

Ok, educated me, how will the car feel with lower pressures. Still learning stuff, that I really do not understand, but getting there. It has been a long journey and it will continue till I feel I cannot drive anymore...

So first off even though you are running a decent tire it is so so for the track especially since you are getting faster. A couple of questions for you first...are you running 19 or 18 inch wheels and what are their dimensions? Are you running staggered or square?

The tire you are running has very soft side walls so it can impact cornering. So get a more track oriented tire will benefit you at this point. Tire pressures determine performance and lap times greatly. You want to be lapping at the tires optimum temperature and for most street oriented tires that is going to be around 36 psi give or take a couple of psi. Our cars are fairly heavy and you can see as much as 10 psi gain depending on the track temperature and how hard you work your tires. You should check your tire pressures at the beginning of each session and take notes. The first session tire pressures is the most critical because every change is based on that. Did you take the tire pressures after each session and what were they? If they were above 40 psi they are very high. You stated that your tires were getting squirrely after a few laps and that is probably why. Often you hear drivers state their tires were greasey when they are over heated.

Lastly you like the feedback from the Garmin when it says nice job but are nervous when she tells you to push harder...well you need to push harder LOL. You got to grow a pair if you want to go fast and you are at that place where you got to trust you tires as there is more grip there than you realize. Get a instructor to ride with you and I mean someone that is a successful racer or time attacker. They will inspire you to push beyond your comfort zone. I can hear my favorite instructor in my head when I need to push beyond my comfort zone..."don't you lift, don't you fcking lift!"

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

Spooler · 07-21-2021, 09:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hotrodz

I can hear my favorite instructor in my head when I need to push beyond my comfort zone..."don't you lift, don't you fcking lift!"

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

That made me giggle. LMAO!!!!!

danegrey · 07-22-2021, 07:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hotrodz

So first off even though you are running a decent tire it is so so for the track especially since you are getting faster. A couple of questions for you first...are you running 19 or 18 inch wheels and what are their dimensions? Are you running staggered or square?

The tire you are running has very soft side walls so it can impact cornering. So get a more track oriented tire will benefit you at this point. Tire pressures determine performance and lap times greatly. You want to be lapping at the tires optimum temperature and for most street oriented tires that is going to be around 36 psi give or take a couple of psi. Our cars are fairly heavy and you can see as much as 10 psi gain depending on the track temperature and how hard you work your tires. You should check your tire pressures at the beginning of each session and take notes. The first session tire pressures is the most critical because every change is based on that. Did you take the tire pressures after each session and what were they? If they were above 40 psi they are very high. You stated that your tires were getting squirrely after a few laps and that is probably why. Often you hear drivers state their tires were greasey when they are over heated.

Lastly you like the feedback from the Garmin when it says nice job but are nervous when she tells you to push harder...well you need to push harder LOL. You got to grow a pair if you want to go fast and you are at that place where you got to trust you tires as there is more grip there than you realize. Get a instructor to ride with you and I mean someone that is a successful racer or time attacker. They will inspire you to push beyond your comfort zone. I can hear my favorite instructor in my head when I need to push beyond my comfort zone..."don't you lift, don't you fcking lift!"

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

Thanks for the advice, currently running the stock 19s setup. Looking at 18 square for next year..

Yes when she (garmin) tells me to push harder into a different comfort zone for me.

Trust the tires, yea, that says it all...

The instructor/coach part, did inquire into one for the next track event, not sure what will happen.

Do appreciate all of this, working on it....

Thanks again....

Hotrodz · 07-22-2021, 10:11 PM

Right on! Just keep going. Getting comfortable is your enemy. Getting you tire temperatures right can mean a second or more.

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

06-19-2021, 05:04 PM	#316 (permalink)
cv129 A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Dallas, TX Posts: 3,192 Drives: 09 Nismo, 16 Nismo Rep Power: 159827	That’s a lot of laps, I am jealous! __________________ Setrab \| RE-71 \| SPL \| JRZ \| Nismo \| ARK \| Whiteline \| RacingBrake \| CJM Oil Pan \| Ti shield

06-19-2021, 07:58 PM	#317 (permalink)
danegrey A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Knoxville Age: 71 Posts: 3,095 Drives: 12 370Z BK Cherry M6 Rep Power: 572361	Some thoughts about the lapping day, as I mentioned, I did 59 laps, 66 including out laps. I actually was a bit nervous at the start of the day, wondering if my Z would make it. That is because I always have had a problem or something. This lapping day at Mid-Ohio, was with minimum of breaks, maybe 20 minutes between sessions. The last two sessions were back to back, with 5 minutes down time, really no chance to get out of the car and do anything.... I would like to thank everyone, who has helped/given me advice on how to make my Z rock solid. It has been an adventure, since starting to modify my Z. But it all was worth it. I learn that I have even more to learn. How to brake without engaging the ABS system Seems odd to say, but I learn that it really makes the brakes work harder. It is about applying brake pressure the right amount. I have a perfect example of this, because of my son. The second day of school, he was having brake fade, talked to the instructors, they checked the brakes and said all was good. Well the brakes failed on the back stretch and he went into china beach. But we were instructed, to not turn go straight and he did that. Now on the lapping day, he started having the same problem and they said something is wrong, so one of the instructors followed him. Then they came back and talked and I was there for part of it. He was on the brakes TOO hard, stabbing them and not applying pressure correctly. He went with instructor on a ride along, and was told what to do. And he got it and no problems the rest of the day. I mentioned this, because it made me think about braking, now at the end of the back straight, I was hard and ABS kicked on. Now the rest of the course I was alright with (I think, more aware if it). So, that is why I say I have to learn. That even with my/your brakes setup to the best they can be, there still can be failure for not braking correctly. so another thing I have to work on and learn... Rusty, Hotrodz, Spooler and 1 others like this. __________________ Lots of Changes the Z needs to be driven and driven hard for the car lives for it

06-20-2021, 03:28 PM	#318 (permalink)
Hotrodz Premium Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: NW, AZ Posts: 9,330 Drives: 10 Nissan 370z Nismo Rep Power: 2684384	Happy Father's day! I always figured when the ABS kicked in I did not brake correctly. Generally it happened if I over shot my braking point. Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk JARblue, danegrey, Rusty and 1 others like this. __________________ *Fast Intentions TT Installed and Tuned by Seb at SpecialtyZ 610whp 560tq:\|Fast Intentions 3" TT-TDX*\|SpecialtyZ/Fast Intentions 72 Row Oil Cooler\|SZ 6 Puck Clutch & Flywheel\|3GsCustoms\|Z1\|Wavetrac\|Hotchkis\|Whiteline \|Blitz\|Fortune Auto 500\|Fujimura\|SPL\|H&R\|TK\|TWM\|RPM Rollbar\|Sparco\|Next Level Performance\|TrackSpec\|AeroFlow Dynamics\|Pioneer\|

06-21-2021, 11:12 AM	#320 (permalink)
JARblue A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Austin, TX Age: 43 Posts: 36,449 Drives: 11 Z34, 98 E36 M3 Rep Power: 2684440	Good info there Smooth input should be a priority on the track. Stabbing at any of the pedals can result in unwelcomed results. Smooth inputs will not upset the car's balance as much; this bad habit was one of the first things I noticed and worked on at the track. Thankfully, I've been able to work on my pedal input further using a racing rig with Gran Turismo danegrey and Hotrodz like this. __________________ 2011 370Z 6MT Sport Gun Metallic \| ARC \| CJM \| Ecutek \| FI \| Fujimura \| R2C \| SPL \| Stillen \| TWM \| Z1 \| ZSpeed \|

06-21-2021, 01:11 PM	#322 (permalink)
Hotrodz Premium Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: NW, AZ Posts: 9,330 Drives: 10 Nissan 370z Nismo Rep Power: 2684384	The better your sims peddle box is the better it will translate to your car. It is pretty fun and takes some learning to get trail braking down but you can't go fast if you don't know how. Also learning to left foot brake. It is not a thing for everyone but it has become automatic on the sim for me and I am incorporating it more on the track. It happens some time and it is unconscious and when I realize what happened I am like wtf and then smile and say I need to do that again! The other thing it really helps with is getting comfortable with slip angle. Got to be comfortable letting the car four-wheel slide or drift through fast corners! Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk __________________ *Fast Intentions TT Installed and Tuned by Seb at SpecialtyZ 610whp 560tq:\|Fast Intentions 3" TT-TDX*\|SpecialtyZ/Fast Intentions 72 Row Oil Cooler\|SZ 6 Puck Clutch & Flywheel\|3GsCustoms\|Z1\|Wavetrac\|Hotchkis\|Whiteline \|Blitz\|Fortune Auto 500\|Fujimura\|SPL\|H&R\|TK\|TWM\|RPM Rollbar\|Sparco\|Next Level Performance\|TrackSpec\|AeroFlow Dynamics\|Pioneer\|

07-18-2021, 08:22 AM	#323 (permalink)
danegrey A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Knoxville Age: 71 Posts: 3,095 Drives: 12 370Z BK Cherry M6 Rep Power: 572361	Took the Z to SCCA Track night on Wednesday, more on that later... The Z still gets noticed... -- individual comment on the car and talked about it -- driving in Atlanta and a person shout nice car next to me (he was in a BMW 328) -- person on a motorcycle passed me and gave me a thumbs up... Always nice to get comments on the car... Hotrodz and ZontheRocks like this. __________________ Lots of Changes the Z needs to be driven and driven hard for the car lives for it

07-21-2021, 01:06 PM	#324 (permalink)
danegrey A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Knoxville Age: 71 Posts: 3,095 Drives: 12 370Z BK Cherry M6 Rep Power: 572361	already a week ago, that I did scca track night at Atlanta Motorsport Park. Did improve my time by .17, now down to a 1.43.74, slowly but steadily. I think I can get better, but it will come down to braking, also it was hot and slippery, so on the last run I dropped my tire pressure down a pound all around. I normal run my Michelin PS4 at 36 front and 34 back The Garmin Catalyst gave me a surprise, there was the usually comment, nice apex, good turn in early. so at least I get some feedback.. But the surprise I got was the comments between turns 15 and 16.. It said push harder I was like what, not once but several times... As I mentioned previous, I work with a coach out of England, so we reviewed my best lap https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=buEIT89g5_Q (I turned off the mike no sound) He said my lines were looking good and we worked on a few tweaks. Which I get to try at the end of the month. Going back for a full track day. I also had a photographer take some photos on track https://photos.app.goo.gl/GmoyqvQA1fEKuEUf8 https://photos.app.goo.gl/HVquqcTbcou9XFr97 https://photos.app.goo.gl/SMN57QU1XRG9vvcdA JARblue and Rusty like this. __________________ Lots of Changes the Z needs to be driven and driven hard for the car lives for it

07-21-2021, 01:48 PM	#325 (permalink)
Hotrodz Premium Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: NW, AZ Posts: 9,330 Drives: 10 Nissan 370z Nismo Rep Power: 2684384	So on your tire pressures, are those your starting pressures??? If so they seem pretty high. For a 200 tw tire I would look for my tire pressures to be no higher than that hot. I run those those pressures on the street for daily driving. I would recommend lowering your cold pressures by 4 psi and make adjustments by two degrees up or down based on your target hot pressure. Just a suggestion. Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk thekinn, JARblue and Rusty like this. __________________ *Fast Intentions TT Installed and Tuned by Seb at SpecialtyZ 610whp 560tq:\|Fast Intentions 3" TT-TDX*\|SpecialtyZ/Fast Intentions 72 Row Oil Cooler\|SZ 6 Puck Clutch & Flywheel\|3GsCustoms\|Z1\|Wavetrac\|Hotchkis\|Whiteline \|Blitz\|Fortune Auto 500\|Fujimura\|SPL\|H&R\|TK\|TWM\|RPM Rollbar\|Sparco\|Next Level Performance\|TrackSpec\|AeroFlow Dynamics\|Pioneer\|

07-22-2021, 10:11 PM	#330 (permalink)
Hotrodz Premium Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: NW, AZ Posts: 9,330 Drives: 10 Nissan 370z Nismo Rep Power: 2684384	Right on! Just keep going. Getting comfortable is your enemy. Getting you tire temperatures right can mean a second or more. Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk JARblue and danegrey like this. __________________ *Fast Intentions TT Installed and Tuned by Seb at SpecialtyZ 610whp 560tq:\|Fast Intentions 3" TT-TDX*\|SpecialtyZ/Fast Intentions 72 Row Oil Cooler\|SZ 6 Puck Clutch & Flywheel\|3GsCustoms\|Z1\|Wavetrac\|Hotchkis\|Whiteline \|Blitz\|Fortune Auto 500\|Fujimura\|SPL\|H&R\|TK\|TWM\|RPM Rollbar\|Sparco\|Next Level Performance\|TrackSpec\|AeroFlow Dynamics\|Pioneer\|

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