Road Race Build 1990 Eclipse GSX Time Attack Build

[Christo]

Really enjoying this build and videos. It is something that I have always wanted to do since getting my first DSM back in the 90's.

Keep it coming.

 

[sbiggi]

Here is some old pictures from when I did a transmission cooler on the manual trans.
I did notice the majority of the heat the trans picks up is just heat soak from the engine. I can do a session and it doesn't get hot enough to kick on.
Sitting in the pit the engine heat soaks the trans and the cooler will be on first thing for the next session.


I used a Tilton continuous duty pump and wired it up to a 180 degree temp switch that I tapped into the trans case.
Feed is plumed from the drain hole, through a filter, to the pump and returned to the oil fill hole.
I'd like to redo the oil cooler with something fitted better, but that would require me to move the pump a little to I have room.
I have it feed the front half of the oil cooler air from the bumper and then the air exits back through the back half of the cooler. Picture was when I was still working on the duct.

 

[sbiggi]

Here is how I mounted the wing.
My buddy designed the mounts and had sendcutsend make them

I welded it together for the bottom deck mount. The sandwich the thin steel of the rear decklid


I picked up another spoiler, repainted it and cut slots out to pass the wing mounts through

Wing is a 65" from Wing-logic, neighbor welded the mounts to the wing

65" Car Spoiler Rear Wing Kit - Wing, Mounts, Endplates

65" Car Spoiler Rear Wing Kit. Extruded 6063 Aluminum airfoil, 6061 mounts, 6061 Black Anodized End Plates, Stainless steel mounting bolts.

wing-logic.com

I cut come ABS up to plug the hole up in the spoiler. Painted the wing black

 

[sbiggi]

La Junta race did what was needed, which was just place next to the guy I've been battling for 2nd.
He placed 2nd and I placed 3rd, which secured 2nd place for the season for F class.

Here is the lap, wasn't a very good lap.


This lap that started a full second faster but then I blew the braking into turn 2
I have no doubt I could have ran 1.5 seconds faster with some more laps if the car hadn't quit.


I only got in 6 laps or so when the ignition dropped a coil. I found that the insulation on the the wires that drive the coils has split and wires corroded.
I've repined the connectors now and checked all the wires to the igniter.

Pulled the head and scraped all the composite material off, put in a Felpro Permatorque MLS
I think this is where it had the slight leak. Going to hit up a open lapday this weekend and see if things are fixed for next season.

 

[Ludachris]

La Junta race did what was needed, which was just place next to the guy I've been battling for 2nd.
He placed 2nd and I placed 3rd, which secured 2nd place for the season for F class.

Here is the lap, wasn't a very good lap.


This lap that started a full second faster but then I blew the braking into turn 2
I have no doubt I could have ran 1.5 seconds faster with some more laps if the car hadn't quit.


I only got in 6 laps or so when the ignition dropped a coil. I found that the insulation on the the wires that drive the coils has split and wires corroded.
I've repined the connectors now and checked all the wires to the igniter.

Pulled the head and scraped all the composite material off, put in a Felpro Permatorque MLS
I think this is where it had the slight leak. Going to hit up a open lapday this weekend and see if things are fixed for next season.
View attachment 777672

Good old La Junta. I think I spun at Turn 2 trying to carry too much speed into it one time. Then there's the last turn. That damn wall at the last turn always prevents you from getting it right to optimize the straight.

 

[sbiggi]

Good old La Junta. I think I spun at Turn 2 trying to carry too much speed into it one time. Then there's the last turn. That damn wall at the last turn always prevents you from getting it right to optimize the straight.

I need to carry more speed in turn 1, like a lot more, I should be able to enter at 120 and just scrub speed to 112 but didn't get a chance to try it but the one lap. Braking for 2 though is a big issue with no abs!

Also need to come into the second to last at 85. Just didn't get a chance to work up to those things with 6 while laps.

 

[Ludachris]

I need to carry more speed in turn 1, like a lot more, I should be able to enter at 120 and just scrub speed to 112 but didn't get a chance to try it but the one lap. Then need to come into the second to last at 85. Just didn't get a chance to work up to those things with 6 while laps.

Yeah, turn 1 is really fast, and I think that's what caught me on my spin going into 2 - I finally carried more speed through turn 1.

 

[sbiggi]

Yeah, turn 1 is really fast, and I think that's what caught me on my spin going into 2 - I finally carried more speed through turn 1.

No abs is a huge disadvantage with that bump coming into turn 2. La junta is fun but I don't really like that track because the surface is so rough. Something hit the right front of my splitter and damaged it.

 

[Ludachris]

No abs is a huge disadvantage with that bump coming into turn 2. La junta is fun but I don't really like that track because the surface is so rough. Something hit the right front of my splitter and damaged it.

Yeah, it's not what I'd call a nice track. When we lived near Denver I didn't care to make that drive after the 2-3 times I made it down there. Pueblo, with all its issues, was easier to get to and in better shape. Now everyone's spoiled with High Plains, which opened right when we moved away. I did make the drive out to Hastings NE, that is a really fun track. But it's a TREK.

 

[sbiggi]

Yeah, it's not what I'd call a nice track. When we lived near Denver I didn't care to make that drive after the 2-3 times I made it down there. Pueblo, with all its issues, was easier to get to and in better shape. Now everyone's spoiled with High Plains, which opened right when we moved away. I did make the drive out to Hastings NE, that is a really fun track. But it's a TREK.

They said they are going to update Pueblo this winter. Going to add track so that the last straight goes into some turns and chicane instead of the staging lanes and then return to the hot pit road instead of the drag strip.

 

[Ludachris]

They said they are going to update Pueblo this winter. Going to add track so that the last straight goes into some turns and chicane instead of the staging lanes and then return to the hot pit road instead of the drag strip.

That would be ideal - bouncing through the staging lanes in that last turn was always sketchy as hell. I was surprised I only witnessed one crash in that turn all the times I ran there (lost control and hit the inside wall).

Glad to hear they're doing well enough to update the track. They had no money when we were there and there were always rumors the track was going to close.

 

[sbiggi]

I got my AEM 0-100 pressure sensor wired up for oil pressure and was able to log oil pressure at the open track day this weekend.
At least for HPR, I have zero oiling issues.

Bad new is, I still was pushing a little coolant and car still ran hotter then it should. Was only 60 out so it didnt get real hot.
My worn out tires had no grip first thing in the morning and I went 4 off while just doing a warm up lap and damaged the splitter which then broke two laps later when I hit the brake at 147 mph. It tore the support rod through the splitter and was flapping in the wind beating the pavement. Apparently quite the light show from sparks off the titanium skid puck!

Ran the rest of the day with no splitter. Wow, that really reduced my braking ability and made the car understeer noticeably.
Used up the tires, basically got 9 track days out of them (10 technically but that last one was only a couple laps). This tire leaked all the air out on the drive home. Corded 3 of them.



Best lap I could muster. Lost .3 when I blew the braking in to turn 5

 

[Ludachris]

I got my AEM 0-100 pressure sensor wired up for oil pressure and was able to log oil pressure at the open track day this weekend.
At least for HPR, I have zero oiling issues.

Bad new is, I still was pushing a little coolant and car still ran hotter then it should. Was only 60 out so it didnt get real hot.
My worn out tires had no grip first thing in the morning and I went 4 off while just doing a warm up lap and damaged the splitter which then broke two laps later when I hit the brake at 147 mph. It tore the support rod through the splitter and was flapping in the wind beating the pavement. Apparently quite the light show from sparks off the titanium skid puck!

Ran the rest of the day with no splitter. Wow, that really reduced my braking ability and made the car understeer noticeably.
Used up the tires, basically got 9 track days out of them (10 technically but that last one was only a couple laps). This tire leaked all the air out on the drive home. Corded 3 of them.

View attachment 777973

Best lap I could muster. Lost .3 when I blew the braking in to turn 5

And then there are days/weekends like these. That sucks man.

 

[sbiggi]

Over all it wasnt a bad day. I'll build a splitter with thicker wood.
Would be a lot more convenient if the fire wasn't going flat.

 

[sbiggi]

Spring update:
Right after the last track day I had the head pressure tested and decked. They also reground two valves. Went with the HKS headgasket.
I picked up some Vitour P1 tires which allegedly would be a faster tire then the v730's
Rebuilt the splitter the exact same
Redid the ducting to put more air to the radiator and not the intercooler
I added a second oil cooler in series
When I did the oil cooler I had to remove the gear oil pump and cooler and found it was full of forbidden glitter.
Turns out 2nd gear broke off 3 teeth. So I got a new one and had it WPC treated.

Took it out to a open lap day. Apparently didn't tighten the "interlock plate bolt" on the transmission which fell out and allowed gear oil to spray everywhere.
I ran some of that over and the rear stepped out and I dipped a front tire which apparently damaged the splitter. Splitter rod pulled through on my first hot lap after plugging the hole in the transmission
Good new was my oil temps never logged over 215 doing 4 hot laps. Oil temps stayed below 240.
I was rusty and no splitter makes the car a little harder to drive. Managed a 2:02 in traffic.
I may take some camber out with these new tires and see if it feels better.

 

[Ludachris]

Spring update:
Right after the last track day I had the head pressure tested and decked. They also reground two valves. Went with the HKS headgasket.
I picked up some Vitour P1 tires which allegedly would be a faster tire then the v730's
Rebuilt the splitter the exact same
Redid the ducting to put more air to the radiator and not the intercooler
I added a second oil cooler in series
When I did the oil cooler I had to remove the gear oil pump and cooler and found it was full of forbidden glitter.
Turns out 2nd gear broke off 3 teeth. So I got a new one and had it WPC treated.

Took it out to a open lap day. Apparently didn't tighten the "interlock plate bolt" on the transmission which fell out and allowed gear oil to spray everywhere.
I ran some of that over and the rear stepped out and I dipped a front tire which apparently damaged the splitter. Splitter rod pulled through on my first hot lap after plugging the hole in the transmission
Good new was my oil temps never logged over 215 doing 4 hot laps. Oil temps stayed below 240.
I was rusty and no splitter makes the car a little harder to drive. Managed a 2:02 in traffic.
I may take some camber out with these new tires and see if it feels better.



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The domino effect... glad it wasn't something major.

 

[Strm Trpr]

Nice 1ga !!
They're far more superior looking than 1gb's all day everyday and even twice on Sunday's.