1 ... 17 18 19 20
Asphalt_Gundam
Asphalt_Gundam HalfDork
7/3/24 12:51 p.m.

 

Last weekend I was the lead instructor for a beginner to Autocross class. This isn't my first time teaching or giving driving pointers but it was for both of those together.

The morning started off with car tech - somehow everyone was prepared and no problems.

Then covered the basics with a short classroom session.

Up next was a course walk. During this was the first sign that I was beginning to exceed the limit of how much information some of the attendees could absorb in such a short amount of time so I reigned it in a little.

With 3 instructors and a course layout for only 1 car at a time we decided to hot lap 6 runs per student in groups of 3. This allowed us a little time to talk between runs and, at least for me, assess what style of teaching the student would benefit from the most. There were huge improvements over those first 6 runs with everyone but what I want to talk about is how my teaching adjusted over the first 6 runs, 12 runs, 18 runs. I have no idea what the day tally was but I'm sure I was in a car for over 40 runs. 

First up was the local Sheriff who was back to learn after being the slowest of the day a few weeks prior. This time in her Audi TT and she responded very well to a lot going on. The more shouting, gesturing, and pointing I did the more FUN she was having and as a by-product was distracted from taking it too seriously and being nervous, going faster each time.

Next up was a different student in a Viper. Talking over the course between runs was the better option to start but I had to adjust on the fly to a little bit of talking during the run in order to help them figure out the timing of their inputs.

Third student had WRX and was pretty dang quick from the get go. I pretty much immediately pivoted into a more advanced discussion between runs and working on use of the brakes more than anything else with them.

At this point we had a lunch break. After talking over a few things with the other instructors I felt the need to have course walk 2.0 based on what I was noticing as pretty consistent struggles across the group. 

As we got into the afternoon I was internally worried I had run out of things to say/contribute because the morning students were doing well by the end of their runs. Turns out I was wrong (about me).

Afternoon was run as a free-for-all. Everyone was encouraged to grab an instructor if they wanted one and that they should get a different one than they had in the morning. Simply for the possibility that something would be explained differently and it would click.

What surprised me was the students had crossed some kinda threshold of speed where I could suddenly see all kinds of places for improvement. Now that it was tenths to chase vs seconds, a whole new long list of concepts, driving style and inputs was on the table for discussion. And they all kept getting faster!

By the end of the day most had made over 20 runs with 34 runs being the most by a single driver. In my opinion at least 2 maybe 3 drivers reached the real limitations of their cars which was awesome to see. I had great fun instructing and literally had to go chug a water between switching cars from talking so much because I'd get out of one car and immediately into another.

My biggest take away from the day that is the epiphany moment I experienced. Seeing huge improvement and then feeling like I'm running out of things to contribute, only to get back at it after a small break and realize that oh, we're just getting started. Dangerous thoughts....could I actually know what I'm doing?

Funny side note: Before on course stuff started we got radios and stood around talking to each other. Mostly discussing how we had no idea what the plan was or what was going on. Coming to the conclusion that this must be what all the workers at track days do in the morning too. Are we here? Check. Do we know what we're doing? Nope? Check. Alright let's do this.

Asphalt_Gundam
Asphalt_Gundam HalfDork
7/14/24 8:58 p.m.

Back at it with the Cutlass today. Been feeling like I'm in a funk with it and almost last minute decided to enter an autocross with it. Partly to get re-motivated and partly because I'm suspicious of the fueling problem not actually being completely fixed after a couple issues popping up while street driving it.

Right off the bat this morning there was lean miss fire again. Less so than before but there. Did some adjustments before leaving the house and it was pretty good for the hour drive to the venue. Morning runs I didn't have any issues at all with how it was running but the miss fire came back in the afternoon. Minor enough to only cost me a few tenths on a couple runs but annoying none the less. A bit more adjustment to the tune and it was meh on the way home. I should point out the it rips when in the power but at idle to light throttle I'm getting this miss fire. Some more fiddling with it after getting home and it seems better again. 

I did spray starting fluid all around the gasket areas but it didn't change anything so I feel like I can rule out a vacuum leak. I'll keep checking things in hopes of figuring this out before Road America in a couple weeks.

2nd in CAM T, 46th overall out of 114. Pretty happy with that for using up the miss matched and old tires

Recon1342
Recon1342 UltraDork
7/15/24 1:34 p.m.

In reply to Asphalt_Gundam :

Bad ground?

Asphalt_Gundam
Asphalt_Gundam HalfDork
7/15/24 10:39 p.m.

In reply to Recon1342 :

In the main connections I doubt it. I planned out making sure I had good power and ground points for everything years ago.

In the EFI harness itself. Possible. I really hope not. Chasing wires, looking for an issue sounds like a huge time suck

I suppose its worth a check either way.

Recon1342
Recon1342 UltraDork
7/16/24 9:20 a.m.

In reply to Asphalt_Gundam :

Yeah, it sucks... but it seems that 9 times out of 10 I either have a weird ground, or I plugged something in wrong.

Maybe it's just my luck, though...

Asphalt_Gundam
Asphalt_Gundam HalfDork
7/21/24 9:34 a.m.

Double checked the grounds. Not the problem. I have battery to chassis, battery to body, battery to engine, battery to remote power location, remote to chassis, and body to engine. Should be plenty good.

Friday I swapped out the iffy air temp sensor, put the better connectors on the rear fuel injectors, and returned back to a non progressive linkage tune but with the blades open enough to moving air and fuel through all 4 barrels. Idle is higher and didn't have time to re adjust.

Autocrossed at BRMP yesterday and it was again better. Phantom miss fire continues when fully warmed up but I had power when I asked the long pedal for it so still an improvement. Think I was top 5 for the day on a layout that gave a huge advantage to AWD cars.

Currently digging through other possible problems after throwing the timing light on it yesterday and seeing variation of up to 6 degrees when it was locked. Another theory was too tight of lash on the valves but they loose! Resetting those now before diving into the timing. Should have done the LS coil conversion over the winter....

Asphalt_Gundam
Asphalt_Gundam HalfDork
7/21/24 1:14 p.m.

Update: after resetting the lash I pulled the distributor to check the gears. All ok there but the rotor was loose again. Clearly I dealt with this before as some gasket maker was present. However it was once again slopping back and forth at least a few degrees. Tried hot glue but after sone running and a double checked I'm going with gasket silicone. 

Checking timing again and it's significantly more stable. Only about 2 degree variations now which could be down to timing chain slack while the idle bounces around a little.

Big change..... I'm choking on rich exhaust fumes all of a sudden. Started pulling fuel out of the base map and backing off the timing to bring the idle down. Roughly 3 degrees of timing less and probably 8 percent less fuel. Huge change!!!

Got it up to temp without any popping at idle/slight throttle. Maybe I finally got it sorted? Hopefully? Please just be good....

Road America is this coming weekend 

Asphalt_Gundam
Asphalt_Gundam HalfDork
8/2/24 8:48 p.m.

Well...it wasn't fixed.

Ran ok but was down several mph on the straights. Then the pin fell out of the 3/4 shift fork on this transmission. 

Tore it apart, started tapping the hole for putting a bolt in...then the E36 M3ty tap broke off. Well, it's not gonna go anywhere so reassemble the transmission and get dome more laps in.

After going out again the next morning i got a couple laps before the car started acting up again. Afternoon it was worse in the heat and I decided to just pack it up before actually breaking something.

Looking over the data at home all the corners were similar to last year but i wasn't even pushing yet. The carousel was real interesting. With the aero on this year vs last I was nearly 5mph faster min speed!

Digging into it again after getting home and running out of ideas I decided to throw some spark plugs in. Looking the old ones over Very carefully I found a little spot of what must be leaking past the porcelain on one and what could be cracks in the porcelain on two others. I did the new plugs and noticed a difference. But it still pops but just a couple times now vs constantly. A lot better after a 30 mile test drive. Going to make a set of new plug wires tomorrow. Again, I can't see anything wrong with them but they are 6 years old....

 

Asphalt_Gundam
Asphalt_Gundam HalfDork
8/4/24 9:31 p.m.

FINALLY!!!! Car is running Awesome again! 

I must be an idiot for not throwing sparkplugs and wires at this thing two months ago. Makes me feel a little bit better that I found more than a few other issues along the way that needed to be looked at anyway. She's fantastic to drive now! Better than it's ever been! 

Only things I saw on the plugs are in the pics. Only found that after looking a second time very closely. Huge improvement with just plugs but not quite so put new wires on even though i couldn't find anything wrong with them. No more pops, and super smooth power now.

Threw all the aero on and went to the Minnesota Oldsmobile Club car show today. Lots of stares on the way in and out... several people were really digging it. Easily the most modified Oldsmobile there. Only took one picture because of the Pro Touring Oldsmobile sticker. Talked with the owner Ron quite a bit.

Came home took the aero off and went for a B double E R U N just as an excuse to drive it more.

The @blackrivermotorsportspark Rally can't get here soon enough now!

And check out the stellar pic from Road America by @alexswankmedia

Recon1342
Recon1342 UltraDork
8/4/24 9:36 p.m.

It's always the simple things... 

 

Glad you got 'er tuned back up and purring!

budget_bandit
budget_bandit Reader
8/4/24 9:43 p.m.

Dopest B double e R U N rig out there

chandler
chandler MegaDork
8/4/24 9:48 p.m.

B double e double r u n sounds better if you sing it every time.

 

car looks killer.

wawazat
wawazat SuperDork
8/4/24 9:55 p.m.

One of the many reasons I love this forum is members posting their challenges and then their resolutions.  No one is perfect and everyone makes mistakes.  No one here is chastised nor ridiculed for their decisions.  Thanks for letting us know what resolved your issues!

Asphalt_Gundam
Asphalt_Gundam HalfDork
8/9/24 7:38 p.m.

On today's adventures in goings on: during yesterday's drive in the cutlass over to the local brewery the clutch felt weird. So let's have a look.

Not really surprised with the melty bits. Its jammed between the oil pan and header. Not as bad now with the dry sump pan but still touching the header. Heat shield gives up after a while.

Aso found some wear on the pedal pivot i designed 6 years ago when doing the swap. Might as well do some improvement while its out. Eliminate all this washers and spacer for a welded on spacer to get 5-6 times the surface area actually being used for the pivot. And weld on a nut for more support on the bolt/pivot too.

Now to wait for a new cable and quadrant to show up. Addressing the quadrant wear is moving all the spacer to one side to help line everything up better.

budget_bandit
budget_bandit Reader
8/9/24 8:53 p.m.

Any consideration to swapping to a hydraulic TOB?

Asphalt_Gundam
Asphalt_Gundam HalfDork
8/9/24 9:40 p.m.

In reply to budget_bandit :

Yeah, downside is the ones for the tr3650 are real expensive. If i was going to do it I'd go with an external slave. But this works and is cheap 

budget_bandit
budget_bandit Reader
8/9/24 9:53 p.m.

In reply to Asphalt_Gundam :

I ended up with a T-45 for my swap, and i'm hoping to retrofit one of the low profile universal-ish ones from Speedway Motors (about $100 for the bearing)

Asphalt_Gundam
Asphalt_Gundam HalfDork
8/10/24 7:34 p.m.

Today's screwing around: something I've wanted to do for the last 2 years.

Functional cowl induction! 

Have to hurry up and wait for weatherstripping and still need to completely seal off the back but it fits pretty good.

The big reason for this is I noticed a loss of front end down force when I put this hood on. Between sealing the cowl and adding a couple more vents to the hood I should be able to regain that extra grip

 

Asphalt_Gundam
Asphalt_Gundam HalfDork
8/14/24 8:58 p.m.
wawazat
wawazat SuperDork
8/15/24 7:19 a.m.

Glad you finally found and resolved the issues!   

Asphalt_Gundam
Asphalt_Gundam HalfDork
8/16/24 5:51 p.m.

Finished up the cowl induction box today.

Also got the clutch all put back together. Like butter now!

Asphalt_Gundam
Asphalt_Gundam HalfDork
8/21/24 5:37 p.m.
Asphalt_Gundam
Asphalt_Gundam HalfDork
8/25/24 4:11 p.m.

Home from @blackrivermotorsportspark rally this year. Was touch and go being very sick prior to the event. Felt better enough yesterday morning to get up early and go but then had a pretty bad few hours yesterday afternoon before recovering to a "going to live" status. I'm sure the heat didn't help as we don't get along even when I'm at 100 percent.

The better part of 400 miles, 14 autocross runs, family coming out to watch, niece and nephew going for rides, and the car has never been this good! With everything finally working properly the car is a full second faster on that course layout. It's downright easy to drive too. 

Asphalt_Gundam
Asphalt_Gundam HalfDork
8/28/24 7:30 p.m.
Asphalt_Gundam
Asphalt_Gundam HalfDork
9/2/24 1:37 p.m.

Sometimes you just cut more holes in it

1 ... 17 18 19 20

You'll need to log in to post.

Our Preferred Partners
0m6QgiZoitOquXoe4iTvRjqqMCxjUyRn2WPz7Xb3UEhpd1wo5RgoZBSf1bEGTt7C