Road Racing: HP Versus Traction

[captkirk9195]

Hey guys,
I'm debating where to spend some money for the new year, and am trying to decide between going to a stroker (4g64 2.4) versus going from 245/40 17 to 275/40 17 tires.

ET's are obviously the important part.. Basically, taking the car from 380 WHP to 450 WHP versus more traction. I race at a medium HP track (Summit Point) mostly, and already get to 145 or so on the front straight.

TIA

 

[Greg Collier]

Do the stroker... What 245 tires are you running?

 

[captkirk9195]

Do the stroker... What 245 tires are you running?

Right now, I'm running 245/40 17 Advan 032's.. I've gotten 4 races out of them so far with ALOT of tread left. They are definately not as grippy as hoosiers. When these wear out I'll either put hoosiers or Advan 048's (since the 032 is disco) on the car. Unfortunately the new Advan's are as expensive as hoosiers, but they are supposed to be stickier than the 032's.

It is interesting that we were having horrible rain in qualifying last race, I placed 7th overall and left my 032's on (where everone else was on REAL rain tires). Was kinda nice starting behind my class leader and in front of the GT1 class leader (sandwiched between them).

I still need to get some video from my last race up there, just haven't decided what clips to put up.

 

[Greg Collier]

Right now, I'm running 245/40 17 Advan 032's.. I've gotten 4 races out of them so far with ALOT of tread left. They are definately not as grippy as hoosiers. When these wear out I'll either put hoosiers or Advan 048's (since the 032 is disco) on the car. Unfortunately the new Advan's are as expensive as hoosiers, but they are supposed to be stickier than the 032's.

It is interesting that we were having horrible rain in qualifying last race, I placed 7th overall and left my 032's on (where everone else was on REAL rain tires). Was kinda nice starting behind my class leader and in front of the GT1 class leader (sandwiched between them).

I still need to get some video from my last race up there, just haven't decided what clips to put up.

The new Hoosier S05's are suppose to be even better in longevity and grip department. I have a set of rain tires that have been sitting for over a year (no weather to speak of here in California... just desert heat)

 

[Zero Bar]

Greg, if I'm reading your vehicle profile right, are just running a stock internal'd JDM engine? Next winter I plan on putting in a tubo engine in my n/a car was curious as to what a good reliable setup would be? It's a fwd like yours so I was thinking in the 300-350whp range.

 

[Greg Collier]

Greg, if I'm reading your vehicle profile right, are just running a stock internal'd JDM engine? Next winter I plan on putting in a tubo engine in my n/a car was curious as to what a good reliable setup would be? It's a fwd like yours so I was thinking in the 300-350whp range.

The JDM motor only had 20+ thousand miles on it with a solid 170psi straight across. The only internals I did to the motor where cams. I warped and cracked a couple of exhaust manifolds until RRE put on the EVO one with total success. I put light weight pulleys including the the crank pulley. The block is so stock it blows me away how well it's performed for two solid years of torture. It basically is all "tuning" via the AEM-EMS. Scot Gray was able to get every usable horsepower out of the Big 16G and 550 injectors.
He was able to get a consistant 330 hp at 6400 rpm running 18 lbs. of boost and the motor seemed to love it. It idled like a lumpy piece of crap, but once it was on the track is was a smooth as silk.

 

[mavisky]

How much trouble are you having putting the power down as it is. A stroker in a fwd car could present major traction issues in any slower corners. I think I'd personally go for the tires, but that's because I'm having serious traction problems already (no quaife yet).

 

[Greg Collier]

How much trouble are you having putting the power down as it is. A stroker in a fwd car could present major traction issues in any slower corners. I think I'd personally go for the tires, but that's because I'm having serious traction problems already (no quaife yet).

Is that a question for me or Jason (Captkirk)? Jason's car is AWD so he'll have know problem. If it's for me, I'm running a KAAS LSD via Shep's tranny with no traction issues to date. By the by... we're not running a quarter mile, the car is already moving so it's just a matter of how you're accelerating, shifting, braking, etc...
Learning how to drive a FWD car has been one of my biggest challenges- SO GIVE ME THE HORSEPOWER ALREADY

EDIT: or were you talking to ZERO BAR (I like real names myself)

 

[Zero Bar]

Well i like my SN!!! I was figuring traction could eventually become an issue, so a Shep tranny with an lsd is part of the plan. Engine longevity is my biggest concern seeing as I'm on a very small budget. My plan is 2g pistons(maybe forged), stock rods, clevite rod bearings, arp everything, Evo III 16g turbo/mani, gm mas, 550 injectors, walbro 255, and all the neccessary bolt ons like intercooler and such. I think this would make a reasonably reliable setup with the hp goal I have in mind. All the car needs is the 2 forward bars added to the current roll bar, and a few other safety items as it has all the suspension stuff on it. What do you think? Anything I'm missing or you think might be better?

 

[Greg Collier]

Well i like my SN!!! I was figuring traction could eventually become an issue, so a Shep tranny with an lsd is part of the plan. Engine longevity is my biggest concern seeing as I'm on a very small budget. My plan is 2g pistons(maybe forged), stock rods, clevite rod bearings, arp everything, Evo III 16g turbo/mani, gm mas, 550 injectors, walbro 255, and all the neccessary bolt ons like intercooler and such. I think this would make a reasonably reliable setup with the hp goal I have in mind. All the car needs is the 2 forward bars added to the current roll bar, and a few other safety items as it has all the suspension stuff on it. What do you think? Anything I'm missing or you think might be better?

I'd up your injectors for more tuning-ability (I should have). Be mindful that a large front mount intercooler is going to block a big percentage of your cooling capacity.

Sorry if you took offense about my comment about real names... I'm an old school guy

 

[Zero Bar]

I'd up your injectors for more tuning-ability (I should have). Be mindful that a large front mount intercooler is going to block a big percentage of your cooling capacity.

Sorry if you took offense about my comment about real names... I'm an old school guy

Not at all. I wondered about that, I've been told it was not a good idea for a front mount when autocrossing because you get little speed up and not enough air moving across the radiator. I figured in road racing that there's enough speed that enough air would make it to the radiator even with a front mount. I'll probably look into a bigger side mount, do a setrab oil cooler and a trans cooler also. Thanks for the help.

 

[Greg Collier]

Not at all. I wondered about that, I've been told it was not a good idea for a front mount when autocrossing because you get little speed up and not enough air moving across the radiator. I figured in road racing that there's enough speed that enough air would make it to the radiator even with a front mount. I'll probably look into a bigger side mount, do a setrab oil cooler and a trans cooler also. Thanks for the help.

I just saw this FMIC on the front page of the gallery:

http://www.dsmtuners.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=38283&password=0&sort=2&cat=500&page=1

I'm going to look into it. I might mount it as high as I can in my application so to get as much air from the splitter underneath to the radiator. I'd also probably angle it facing downward a bit...

 

[Zero Bar]

I just saw this FMIC on the front page of the gallery:

http://www.dsmtuners.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=38283&password=0&sort=2&cat=500&page=1

I'm going to look into it. I might mount it as high as I can in my application so to get as much air from the splitter underneath to the radiator. I'd also probably angle it facing downward a bit...

I might look at something like that, a wider intercooler that is not very tall wouldn't block much of the radiator.
captkirk9195: Are you having traction issues with your current engine setup? If you are then I think the obvious choice is solve that. Also are you having any cooling issues? I'm guessing with an FP green turbo your running a front mount. Cooling is a problem for me now and I know it could easily be in road racing.

 

[captkirk9195]

Yeah cooling is giving me headaches. I've now opened up the headlights to see if that will help. For now, I've decided to hold off on the motor, but plan to do it over the course of the season.

Traction isn't too bad, but could always be better