GreenGSX
DSM Wiseman
- 371
- 5
- May 13, 2002
-
Rochester,
New York
This is a thread that I posted on my local Rochester.dsm board. It has references and names you won't recognize but you should be able to follow along. Later this week I should have a video up.
Watkins Glen trip report 2007
In my trip report for 2006 I talked about the top end performance of my car and how hard it was to keep up with the other cars in my run group. Basically, the car would fall on its face in 4th gear and 5th gear was useless. I just about coasted to the buss stop and could only manage 135mph when I hit turn one and kept it floored up through the esses. As I set my goals for 2007 having more top end power was first on the list.
In January of this year I set out to build my own intake manifold. The idea was that my cyclone intake was holding me back and that by building an intake with a larger plenum I could make strong power all the way to 8500 rpms. Here is what it looked like.
Next on the list was the head. I few years back I built a race head that featured Crower springs/retainers, 1mm over valves, and some really nice port work. On the way home from an autocross event in PA I skipped the timing belt and bent up the valves. So I put a spare head on the car and kept on racing. That was, of course, years ago so by now what I would have considered a junk head was really past its prime. So I ordered up 8 new exhaust and 3 new intake valves from Si put the head back into service.
Next on the list was bringing back my water injection. In 2005 I gave up on it because I having so much trouble keeping the pumps alive at the track. The thought of having one fail while on course didnt sit well with me. I didnt want to have to fix a popped head gasket just to get home. So I ordered up one of those new 150psi Shurflo pumps and added in my old parts to put a two stage system together. I have two hobbs switches to give me two levels of water injection. The first switch turns the pump on and fires up the smaller nozzle at 4psi. At 10psi the second switch opens a solenoid valve which feeds a second nozzle thus giving me two stages. I figured that would give me some flexibility to either run one or two nozzles and it would allow me to dump lots of water without have that moment of tip-in hesitation when it turned on. This was a good time to bring it back because I had to make a new upper intercooler pipe for the new manifold anyway. I found a nice 1 gallon fuel take that used to reside on my snow blower and put it back in service as the tank for my new system. Its actually pretty slick. It comes with a nipple for the hose, a built in shut off valve, and a vented cap with a baffle to keep the water from sloshing out. Didnt hurt that it was free either
Last on the list was a new exhaust manifold. The old manifold was a 2G manifold that was ported by me. It did its job very well but I had tapped it for a EGT probe years back which burnt out at the Glen. To fix it I just threaded a screw in battery terminal to fill the hole. That just wasnt a very good solution and although it held last year I suspected I was on borrowed time. So, when the group buy for the new FP race manifold came out I jumped on it and ordered up a ceramic coated one.
So for 2007 car preparation I did a new intake and exhaust manifolds, race head, and water injection to help me run 20psi at the Glen with no knock. I didnt think that was a goal to far out of my reach. From my experience I chose to run a stock head gasket with ARP head studs torqued to 85ft-lbs.
I almost forgot that I stepped up to a 63mm NT throttle body to get rid of both my leaking stock TB and to eliminate the coolant lines that feed the FIAV. So no more ISC or FIAV for me!
So I took a few days off from work the week before the event to put all of this together and to get some sort of base tune put together. Well, I guess I just dont work as fast as I used to but the car didnt start until Saturday at noon. Seeing how I had to leave at 4:30pm on Sunday night I was cutting it a bit close. The first drive was nothing but a disappointment. The car bucked and sputtered and just didnt have much go. My heart sank a bit as I considered the amount of time and money I invested. My biggest fear was to end up with no car to take down to the Glen. Without a data logger (thats another story) I had to rely on my SAFC and my gauges to figure this thing out. The first thing to get fixed was the TPS which was out of adjustment. Next I swapped plugs and a coil to check the ignition and still it was not good. I checked for vacuum leaks and I found one in the intake manifold gasket. I was using one of those heat-barrier gaskets and when I first put the head on I pinched an injector pig tail between it and the intake flange. That resulted in a dented gasket that just didnt flatten itself out like I had hoped. Keep in mind that this is the same injector wire that I had broken the clip off of taping the old head loose from the block. Lets just say this wire had a really bad day.
So with the vacuum leak fixed the car started to pick up a bit which meant I was on to something. The last thing I worked on was fuel. The car has a chip that is set my injectors and MAFT. I had thought that all I had to do was set the MAFT for 450cc injectors and then zero the rest of the settings out. This had worked for me in the past but its not exactly right. Last year I had lowered the base fuel pressure to help get rid of the same bucking problem but when I started the car this year I raised the base fuel pressure back to 43psi which is what the chip is set for anyway.
I spent a good amount of time Saturday night pulling fuel out with my SAFC. It seems the more fuel I took out the better it ran. When I got to right about -15% the car stopped bucking and took off. Lets just say at only 17psi this thing hauls more ass than Kelly Clarkson. Seeing how it was late on Saturday night I didnt push the car too hard and I went in for a good nights sleep. I was happy knowing it was running and I guess I would have to wait until I hit the Glen to see if it pulled hard to the red-line.
Sunday I pulled some more fuel out, now -20%, cleaned up the car, and packed for the trip down. I gave Mike a call to see what he was up to and it turns out he would rather be out on a boat with his wife than drive to the Glen with me So, I headed out for a nice easy drive down. For those of you who havent been down to the Glen its quite a nice drive along Seneca Lake. This year we stayed at the Glen Motor Inn and I got there just in time to have dinner there. I skipped the dining room and headed down to the bar so I could tip a few back, watch some TV, and find somebody to talk to. I ran into Vic Franzses who owns the Inn and we talked about his history in racing and different lines to take around the track. A few hours later I made the precarious stumble down the hill and back up again to my room. I passed out and was awoken at 12:30am by a knock at the door. I yelled come in and got no response. It took me a while but I finally woke up enough to remember that the door locked when it closes and Mike didnt have a key
Day 1
For those of you who didnt know Mike and I were accepted into the PCA instructors national certification school. If we pass we get to be instructors and enjoy all the benefits that come with that. Including reduced entry fees. The only downside is that you have to spend a lot of time teaching. When we got to the track in the morning (6am) we settled into a garage bay and unloaded our stuff. I swapped on my 3 year old Victoracers and installed my brake cooling ducts. They are made out of 3 inch aluminum dryer duct and held together with zip-ties. They make all the difference in the world when it comes to both the feel and the longevity of the brakes. I would never run without them.
At 7:30am we were at the instructors meeting where we learned more about what it means to be in the instructors school. Basically our first day is gone. We were told we would have no drivers seat time the first day. What they do is they take a very experienced instructor, put you in the passenger seat, and then they make him act like a total newbie. Its then your job to teach that person how to drive the Glen.
My instructors name was Mitch. He is a club racer with an extensive collection of Porsches including a Cup car that he is racing this weekend in the Porsche clash along with his brand new 2007 GT3 that he, or should I say, we are riding around in for the first day. After the drivers meeting we get some classroom training and then were cut loose with the instructors.
Before I get into the training let me tell you a bit about how if feels to be a passenger in a 2007 GT3.
Its pretty sweet .
That car has been my benchmark for how I build my Eclipse. Its the level of performance I am striving for. These versions had the ceramic brakes and lets just say they rock. Great feel, suck your eyeballs out, and they just love to run hot. The car is equipped with a 3.6l 415Hp engine that tops out at 192mph. It hits 0-60mph in 4.3 seconds and the quarter mile comes up in 12.3 seconds at 116mph. At just 3100lbs this is the street version of the GT3 cup car. If youve got $125,000 lying around I would highly recommend picking one up.
Back to the training. I have never in my life felt so stupid, small, and unqualified to do anything. I couldnt remember what the flags meant, I couldnt remember what number turn I was in, and what should have been said in a word or two, I said in a million. After the second session of the day I wanted to quit. It sucked that bad. I couldnt even BS my way through and what I thought I did know was not very impressive to a guy who races on that very same track. Races this weekend to be exact. I was in over my head.
After lunch and during my third training session I kind of caught my stride and my confidence picked up. My instructions became clearer and my commands were more forceful. I was starting to get it. By the end of that session I came out of the car feeling better about my own skills and my future as an instructor. I know now that its not at all easy to be on the other side of the car!
The fourth and final session of the day all the instructor candidates were given brand new instructors to train. We also find out that after this session we get to go out with the red instructor group for some fun. My instructor for this session is a guy named Tak. He also happens to be the same guy who taught me how to drive the Glen years ago. I find out in the meeting that his car is too loud to use so were going to be running mine. Great, the first test drive on the new set-up and its Tak who gets to do it. Just so you know, Tak hated my car years ago and he still hates it now. He thinks its unsafe at any speed. He sets up the scenario by saying this is my first time at the track, this isnt my car, and I want to go 190mph
So, here we go. I start by going over the simple stuff like the what the flags mean, what instructions Im going to give, and what to do in case of an emergency out there. It takes him about 10 minutes to get the belts on so by the time were on course everybody is hot lapping. So you would think this guy is going to drive like a nut but he throws me a curve ball and drives like a snail. We are what I like to call the jam car out there holding everybody up. Hes driving a great line so all I have to do is help manage the traffic behind him. The only problem is that nobody is waiting for the point to pass. Cars are just flying by us left and right. Some safely so not so safe. The final straw was when we got passed without a point by and the instructor in the car that passed us put his arm out the window and gave me thumbs down for holding them up. Now Tak is normally a reserved guy but we both had to call a time out from the training because we were flabbergasted by what was going on. It was that nutty out there. We finish the session driving with our own safety in mind.
We pull into the pits and I dump off Tak. Now its my turn. I am just chomping at the bit to get out there and see what this car can do. Its been on course for 25 minutes already so the tires and brakes are up to temp. Nothing is leaking and it seems to be running smoothly. I quickly get strapped in and head out. By now the course is full of hot lapping instructors so as I ease on the track I get up to speed right out of the gate. Half-way through my first lap I spy my target. Its another instructor candidate in a 2007 GT2! Now its really time to see what I can do ..
I reached back and hit record on the camera because I know this is going to be good. It takes me a couple of turns to catch him but I finally do and in turn 11 I get past him onto the front strait. I nail turn one and head up the esses. The car is faster than last year and I dont have the balls to flat foot it up the esses so I peddle the car up to turn 3 and mash it till the bus stop. I was expecting to get passed on the back strait but the GT2 was not gaining on me. We keep this dance going for another lap when I try my best to loose him in turn 11. It kind of works but hes still right with me. So I figure now is the time to nail turn 1 and see what this car can do. Well, as I get to turn 3 the car gets light and wants to wander off the concrete so once again I am peddling out of the esses. But I am giving it everything I can and I am going to hold un till the buss stop. At the 400 foot mark I lift off and check my speed. 148mph and Ive hit a new record high!. That beats last years time by a full 10mph. At the 300 foot mark I stand on the brakes and quickly find that Im running out of room. I turn the car in early and trail the brakes right over the first rumble strip and the car catches a bit of air. When it lands I miss the second rumble strip but find myself right on the concrete. I mash the gas in 4th and she squats, settles, and rockets out of the buss stop. That was over 90mph and although thats the fastest Ive gone I am not sure I want to do that again. Now Im out of the buss stop so fast that all I can do is coast into the loop but I get on the gas early and blast down through the chute only to run up on a slow moving 914. He moves right and gives me a late pass signal which I take. I must have a mental moment because I went into the toe of the boot way to hot. I hit the brakes and locked up all 4. The car was trying to launch itself into the woods. I turned the wheels back to center, waited for grip, and then cranked the wheels and put my foot to the floor. The car just turned and blasted up into the laces. That was a close one for sure. I try my best to get focus but at 8 Im way late. Turn 9 I mess up. Turn 10 is OK but now I can see him coming. At turn 11 he late apexs and sets me up for the pass. I come to terms with my defeat and give the point to pass. At that moment my grip on the wheel eased and a evil grin covered my face. Now its my turn to push him. I work on my line and pace him up to the buss stop. I take it easy down the chute and prepare to get him going up hill out of the toe. Hes not letting up and I think Ive given him a bit more room than I should have. I hit the toe and put the hammer down and I am gaining on him in anticipation of a pass before turn 8. Fate had another plan for me and the checker flag came out just as I had him set up for the pass.
Again, my grip on the wheel eased and I started to feel the let-down from all the adrenaline that had sustained me for the last 20 minutes. I had just driven the session of my life. Ive found my personal limit and the cars equal match. As I reach back to turn the camera off I realize that I had never turned it on so the only record will have to be the one in my mind. I dont think I will any problems remembering this one.
At the end of the first day there was dinner right in the garage. Open bar, pizza, and wings. Just the sort thing I needed. I compared notes with Mike and we were both having a blast. His tires got a bit hot as did mine so we decided to dial back the tire pressures for tomorrows sessions. Mitch my first instructor of day came up to me to let me know that I had passed the training! I am now a nationally certified PCA instructor for Watkins Glen. Nice .
As I ate and drank what I had just accomplished started to set in. Ive managed to hit two of my life goals in the span of one day. I also started to realize that after I almost launched out of the toe of the boot the guy in the GT2 let up on me. I dont think at all it was any coincidence that even after blowing a few turns I was still ahead of this guy. He recognized from his car that my mind was going to mush out there and he backed off until I got my shit together enough so he could pass me. I cant begin to explain how hard that would have been for me to do. I talked about the incident with my friend and old time instructor Jim who knew who I was talking about and helped introduce me to him.
Lou Betstadt is the guys name. A nice older gentlemen who just so happens to be a long time club racer and who had just one all three events the weekend before at mid Ohio. I introduced myself as the driver of the green Eclipse and before I had a chance to thank him for taking it easy on him, he blurted out great driver .great driver..I knew you could drive when you pulled your ass out of the toe of the boot..I really thought you lost it on that one nice job!...I tried to catch but I couldnt because your corner exit speeds were faster than mine I think I could have walked back to Rochester on air after that. I thanked him for taking it easy on me at the end and he said thats how he wins races. He said he could see my line eroding and my brain going to mush. He said that he just waited for me to fade away before he passed me. We talked for almost an hour about racing and cars. I wont forget that and just writing about it today brings back that little evil grin and that sweet feeling of living to my potential .
After my head had shrunken back down to normal size Mike and I hit the gas station to fill up on gas and get more beer on the way back to the Motel. We sat out on the balcony which overlooked Seneca lake and drank beer and traded stories of our day. To me it was perfection. Start with adversity and unknowing, overcome the obstacle, and prove your worth. All in the seat of car I built, tested, and drove. Life can be really sweet sometimes.
Tomorrow is a regular day. We will know officially that weve made it as instructors and well get students to try and help. The good news is that we will be able to drive in all 4 of our regular instructors only lapping sessions.
Before I get into Tuesday heres a few thoughts on the car
I couldnt be happier with the changes Ive made. The car pulls like a freight train all the way through 4th and 5th. It feels like it just wants to go through the moon. The intake manifold I am sure has help a great deal. Compared to the cyclone I had on the car before it has lost some low-mid power but it just screams past 6K. The L1R on the other hand I am not 100% sold on. The EVOIII 16g had more power down low and it could get the fronts to spin coming out of the boot. Basically, the EVOIII hit like a ton of bricks while the L1R was more linear in its power delivery. The few times I no lift shifted it still took a moment for it to come back to 21psi. It was closer to my .48 hot side 50 trim than it was to a 16g. If I had to guess I would say its 20g like in every respect. The water injection did its trick. I held 21psi all the way from turn 1 to the buss stop without a hint of know. Not even a blip. On the way down to the Glen when it was cooler out I did a 24psi run which also was without knock. Last year I solved the cooling issue and this year was no different. The car never got hotter than 195F. It also didnt leak or pop a head gasket or tear up the brakes. It was just about perfect. The only exception is that I found on day two that I didnt push in one of the water injection hoses tight enough and it squirted water/alcohol mix on the little fuse box on the battery cable. That caused me to pop 30A fuses while on course. That happened twice on the second day. Knowing my past problems I really dont even consider that more than a little hic-up. I am really satisfied with the power, handling, and reliability of this car. It is finally getting there. Now all I need is a new set of tires and Im good to go.
continued...
The second day .
Mike and I are up early to check out of the Motel. We have to make sure and get to the Glen in time for the 7:30am instructors meeting. Once at the Glen I take some time go over the car. I check the oil, the coolant, and I swap the flat spotted fronts to the rear. One last go around with the torque wrench and Im off to the meeting. On the way I meet with the guy who taught the certification class and with little fan-fare its official. Both Mike and I have passed.
After the first drivers meeting the Red run group goes out and when I get back I will get assigned a student. As I ease onto the track I make sure to get the camera on this time. I figure even if there is some warm up laps on tape at least Ill have something. In the red group I am starting to see that these guys are all business out there. The point-bys are so fast that most of the time you dont have to slow down and that really helps keep your rhythm going. As I get through the boot and through turn 8 I am almost at full speed. When I hit the apex of turn 9 a big puff of blue smoke puffs out of my hood vent. Normally that would be a big deal but seeing how the same thing happened last year. I know what this is. I forgot to tie down my dipstick after I checked the oil. The motor in my Eclipse is pretty worn out so there is enough blow-by to pop the dip-stick under full boost. The good thing is that pit lane starts at turn 10 and Im back in the garage, fixed, and back out in no time. The car seems to running OK. Its still bucking a bit and I suspect Im still running to rich. Still the car has zero knock. The tires are shot. Theyve lost a lot of grip and they are so flat spotted that the whole car shakes as I get over 110mph.
I work my way through traffic passing cars all over the track. By the time I get to the front strait it looks like I have one more car to pass before I have some clear track. I get by the last car and as I check my rear mirror I see a familiar red GT3 coming up for a pass. Its my instructor Mitch from the first day. Another evil grin and I now have my second target! We rocket up the esses and I match his speed all the way to the buss stop. It is clear in this short distance that I am faster. Going through the buss stop was easy and I coasted down the inner loop and gave him a bit more space down the chute. I knew way back in the buss stop that I was going to get him going up hill out of the toe of the boot. My favorite place to pass! I make up the ground I gave him by out braking him in the toe. As I enter the toe I take the apex a little late and set up for the pass. Instead of getting the pass signal he take his time up the hill. That means I have to lift, wait, and then get back on the gas. By the time I get the pass signal Ive lost boost and more importantly my momentum. Now I have to drag race a GT3 to earn my pass. We get side by side and I can see his car squat as he puts the hammer down. We are dead even. I click into 4th and as the boost builds we are even again and then I start to pull on him! Ive out gunned a GT3. Nice
I brake deep and off line in turn 8 and blast into turn 9. I nailed 8 and Im putting some distance on him. By the exit of 9 and 10 hes way back. I click into 4th on the front strait and as I pass the Nextel sign the car goes dead. No power to the starter, no ECU power, nothing. I coast through turn 1 and take the access road off the track before turn 2. I get a friendly tow back to the garage where I found a blown 30A fuse. I put a spare one out of my spare kit (junk box) and the car fires right up. Nice
Once I know the car will run I meet up with the chief of instructors to get my student assignment. Once there a small group of the new instructors await there fate. The chief says Ive got a special student who wants a challenge? Feeling good about myself I dont hesitate. Ill take him. Great youll be instructing Baxter today.
Continued
Baxter is the nicest guy in the world. He works really hard at being the best driver he can be. He has photos of every corner that he studies. He watches film. He has a log book that every instructor hes ever had signs and takes notes in. He then puts his own notes in the book and studies those as well. He drives an 80s 911 which has about 260Hp. Not only does he were a full race suit but his wife wears a matching one too. Hes always first in line to go out and hes just about 100% dedicated to doing better.
The only bad part is that he is also a 70 year old dentist with very little to no skill. He tries his best but as I am quickly learning, he is a handful out there. Hes also been in the Green run group for 6-7 years now. Just before I am set to meet Baxter some of the instructors, including the one whos had him this year, have come up to me to express there condolences and to warn me about the dangers I am about to face. Story after story of off track doesnt look shifts in the esses runs other drivers off the track etc.etc..etc! What have I got myself into?
Baxter is first in line again. I slip into the car and begin my pre session talk. Baxter is concerned with trail braking, shift points, slip angles, and just about anything else a pro driver would be concerned with. Im not going to mess around with Baxter so I lay down the law and go over my commands. Just for good measure I show him a picture of my daughter. I figure that might keep him from killing me and in the event he does at least Ill have one last look at her. So out we go .
They werent kidding. Baxter has no clue. He has to be reminded to brake! When he sees a car in his mirror he instantly jerks the car and gives the point by. He then proceeds to drift back into the car thats trying to pass. After about a half-lap of this I am forced to put the smack down. Basically I told Baxter to stop talking and follow my commands, without question, for the rest of the session. Lift, brake, coast, turn in, on the gas, look for the next turn. That was the mantra I was trying to get into his head. I tried to reassure him that I would be his eyes for cars in the rear. Just try to focus on whats ahead. After about 15 minutes of this he starts to get it. He is developing a rhythm.
When we pull in to the pits and go over the session Baxter complains about my talking all the time. I had to tell him that he really is over his head and that until he gets the mantra down he wont get his rhythm and without that there is no way hes going to get any better. So for our second session we just work on the mantra. As we hit the track out point of each turn I tell him to look ahead at the next turn. tell me where youre going to brake I would ask him. He couldnt respond but I could tell he was thinking about it. Gone was that deer in the headlights look. In its place was a look of determination. I suspect I had hurt his pride with my comments earlier and he was out to prove me wrong. At the end of the second session Baxter asked me to promote him to the white run group. I felt bad for him but I knew he wasnt ready. Again, I had to tell Baxter that what was holding him back was a lack of confidence out there and a total preoccupation with the little things. I told him that any corner he takes where he is in control of the car and exits safely is a good turn. Its a line. It may not be the fastest line but it is a line. I wanted Baxter to stop worrying about the little things. They were taking away what little bandwidth he had available for looking ahead.
Our third session Baxter asked me to stop talking and let him do the work. I made a deal with him that if he could say the word brake before each turn and then next corner on his way out of the turn I would be silent. He said he couldnt talk and drive (which I believe) and I told him not to worry about it. We start out that session doing OK. He cant talk but I can see him going over the mantra in his head. Hes starting to put some good turns together. You know its a good turn when it makes your stomach sink a little. Pretty soon hes putting good laps together. He isnt getting past as much and hes getting pretty close to the pace of the group. I cant help myself and I have to break my silence to cheer him on. Hes getting it!
Our fourth and final session of the day I reminded Baxter that hes going to be tired out there and when he starts to loose the line he should dial it back a bit. He agrees and out we go. Right off the bat hes on fire. Corner after corner hes nailing it. We have open track for most of the session but I can see hes gaining on a black Boxter. I spend a few turns watching him and I can see his grip get tighter and that look of the tiger on his face. He works on reeling in the Boxter and before you know it he passes! Baxter passed a car! I went nuts. I was so happy for him. Before we finished we did get passed by three cars. A Porsche Carrera 4, an instructor in a GT2, and a STi. Beyond those cars Baxter was on par with his peers.
When we finished we spent some time talking about what he had accomplished and why he was so successful. I signed his log book and added some notes. I was sure that if I had him for one more day I could get him moved up a group. I dont know who was happier Baxter or me.
I skipped my last session of the day. I hadnt yet figured out why the fuses were blowing and I wanted to get home to see my family. Mike had to scoot out early so I packed up by myself and got ready for the trip home. Baxters instructor for the first day stopped by so we could fill out his evaluation sheet. He was surprised at his development. Although not ready for the white group, I felt as if I had given him the tools to get there. For me, the feeling of pride I had and the total joy I saw on Baxters face was 1000 times more important to me then the race with the GT2 I had the day before. As I drove home I just tried to let myself enjoy the moment. I had hit two of my life goals and found that I had a passion for teaching. Like I said earlier life is really sweet sometimes.
Tim Harper
Watkins Glen trip report 2007
In my trip report for 2006 I talked about the top end performance of my car and how hard it was to keep up with the other cars in my run group. Basically, the car would fall on its face in 4th gear and 5th gear was useless. I just about coasted to the buss stop and could only manage 135mph when I hit turn one and kept it floored up through the esses. As I set my goals for 2007 having more top end power was first on the list.
In January of this year I set out to build my own intake manifold. The idea was that my cyclone intake was holding me back and that by building an intake with a larger plenum I could make strong power all the way to 8500 rpms. Here is what it looked like.
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Next on the list was the head. I few years back I built a race head that featured Crower springs/retainers, 1mm over valves, and some really nice port work. On the way home from an autocross event in PA I skipped the timing belt and bent up the valves. So I put a spare head on the car and kept on racing. That was, of course, years ago so by now what I would have considered a junk head was really past its prime. So I ordered up 8 new exhaust and 3 new intake valves from Si put the head back into service.
Next on the list was bringing back my water injection. In 2005 I gave up on it because I having so much trouble keeping the pumps alive at the track. The thought of having one fail while on course didnt sit well with me. I didnt want to have to fix a popped head gasket just to get home. So I ordered up one of those new 150psi Shurflo pumps and added in my old parts to put a two stage system together. I have two hobbs switches to give me two levels of water injection. The first switch turns the pump on and fires up the smaller nozzle at 4psi. At 10psi the second switch opens a solenoid valve which feeds a second nozzle thus giving me two stages. I figured that would give me some flexibility to either run one or two nozzles and it would allow me to dump lots of water without have that moment of tip-in hesitation when it turned on. This was a good time to bring it back because I had to make a new upper intercooler pipe for the new manifold anyway. I found a nice 1 gallon fuel take that used to reside on my snow blower and put it back in service as the tank for my new system. Its actually pretty slick. It comes with a nipple for the hose, a built in shut off valve, and a vented cap with a baffle to keep the water from sloshing out. Didnt hurt that it was free either
Last on the list was a new exhaust manifold. The old manifold was a 2G manifold that was ported by me. It did its job very well but I had tapped it for a EGT probe years back which burnt out at the Glen. To fix it I just threaded a screw in battery terminal to fill the hole. That just wasnt a very good solution and although it held last year I suspected I was on borrowed time. So, when the group buy for the new FP race manifold came out I jumped on it and ordered up a ceramic coated one.
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So for 2007 car preparation I did a new intake and exhaust manifolds, race head, and water injection to help me run 20psi at the Glen with no knock. I didnt think that was a goal to far out of my reach. From my experience I chose to run a stock head gasket with ARP head studs torqued to 85ft-lbs.
I almost forgot that I stepped up to a 63mm NT throttle body to get rid of both my leaking stock TB and to eliminate the coolant lines that feed the FIAV. So no more ISC or FIAV for me!
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So I took a few days off from work the week before the event to put all of this together and to get some sort of base tune put together. Well, I guess I just dont work as fast as I used to but the car didnt start until Saturday at noon. Seeing how I had to leave at 4:30pm on Sunday night I was cutting it a bit close. The first drive was nothing but a disappointment. The car bucked and sputtered and just didnt have much go. My heart sank a bit as I considered the amount of time and money I invested. My biggest fear was to end up with no car to take down to the Glen. Without a data logger (thats another story) I had to rely on my SAFC and my gauges to figure this thing out. The first thing to get fixed was the TPS which was out of adjustment. Next I swapped plugs and a coil to check the ignition and still it was not good. I checked for vacuum leaks and I found one in the intake manifold gasket. I was using one of those heat-barrier gaskets and when I first put the head on I pinched an injector pig tail between it and the intake flange. That resulted in a dented gasket that just didnt flatten itself out like I had hoped. Keep in mind that this is the same injector wire that I had broken the clip off of taping the old head loose from the block. Lets just say this wire had a really bad day.
So with the vacuum leak fixed the car started to pick up a bit which meant I was on to something. The last thing I worked on was fuel. The car has a chip that is set my injectors and MAFT. I had thought that all I had to do was set the MAFT for 450cc injectors and then zero the rest of the settings out. This had worked for me in the past but its not exactly right. Last year I had lowered the base fuel pressure to help get rid of the same bucking problem but when I started the car this year I raised the base fuel pressure back to 43psi which is what the chip is set for anyway.
I spent a good amount of time Saturday night pulling fuel out with my SAFC. It seems the more fuel I took out the better it ran. When I got to right about -15% the car stopped bucking and took off. Lets just say at only 17psi this thing hauls more ass than Kelly Clarkson. Seeing how it was late on Saturday night I didnt push the car too hard and I went in for a good nights sleep. I was happy knowing it was running and I guess I would have to wait until I hit the Glen to see if it pulled hard to the red-line.
Sunday I pulled some more fuel out, now -20%, cleaned up the car, and packed for the trip down. I gave Mike a call to see what he was up to and it turns out he would rather be out on a boat with his wife than drive to the Glen with me So, I headed out for a nice easy drive down. For those of you who havent been down to the Glen its quite a nice drive along Seneca Lake. This year we stayed at the Glen Motor Inn and I got there just in time to have dinner there. I skipped the dining room and headed down to the bar so I could tip a few back, watch some TV, and find somebody to talk to. I ran into Vic Franzses who owns the Inn and we talked about his history in racing and different lines to take around the track. A few hours later I made the precarious stumble down the hill and back up again to my room. I passed out and was awoken at 12:30am by a knock at the door. I yelled come in and got no response. It took me a while but I finally woke up enough to remember that the door locked when it closes and Mike didnt have a key
Day 1
For those of you who didnt know Mike and I were accepted into the PCA instructors national certification school. If we pass we get to be instructors and enjoy all the benefits that come with that. Including reduced entry fees. The only downside is that you have to spend a lot of time teaching. When we got to the track in the morning (6am) we settled into a garage bay and unloaded our stuff. I swapped on my 3 year old Victoracers and installed my brake cooling ducts. They are made out of 3 inch aluminum dryer duct and held together with zip-ties. They make all the difference in the world when it comes to both the feel and the longevity of the brakes. I would never run without them.
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At 7:30am we were at the instructors meeting where we learned more about what it means to be in the instructors school. Basically our first day is gone. We were told we would have no drivers seat time the first day. What they do is they take a very experienced instructor, put you in the passenger seat, and then they make him act like a total newbie. Its then your job to teach that person how to drive the Glen.
My instructors name was Mitch. He is a club racer with an extensive collection of Porsches including a Cup car that he is racing this weekend in the Porsche clash along with his brand new 2007 GT3 that he, or should I say, we are riding around in for the first day. After the drivers meeting we get some classroom training and then were cut loose with the instructors.
Before I get into the training let me tell you a bit about how if feels to be a passenger in a 2007 GT3.
Its pretty sweet .
That car has been my benchmark for how I build my Eclipse. Its the level of performance I am striving for. These versions had the ceramic brakes and lets just say they rock. Great feel, suck your eyeballs out, and they just love to run hot. The car is equipped with a 3.6l 415Hp engine that tops out at 192mph. It hits 0-60mph in 4.3 seconds and the quarter mile comes up in 12.3 seconds at 116mph. At just 3100lbs this is the street version of the GT3 cup car. If youve got $125,000 lying around I would highly recommend picking one up.
Back to the training. I have never in my life felt so stupid, small, and unqualified to do anything. I couldnt remember what the flags meant, I couldnt remember what number turn I was in, and what should have been said in a word or two, I said in a million. After the second session of the day I wanted to quit. It sucked that bad. I couldnt even BS my way through and what I thought I did know was not very impressive to a guy who races on that very same track. Races this weekend to be exact. I was in over my head.
After lunch and during my third training session I kind of caught my stride and my confidence picked up. My instructions became clearer and my commands were more forceful. I was starting to get it. By the end of that session I came out of the car feeling better about my own skills and my future as an instructor. I know now that its not at all easy to be on the other side of the car!
The fourth and final session of the day all the instructor candidates were given brand new instructors to train. We also find out that after this session we get to go out with the red instructor group for some fun. My instructor for this session is a guy named Tak. He also happens to be the same guy who taught me how to drive the Glen years ago. I find out in the meeting that his car is too loud to use so were going to be running mine. Great, the first test drive on the new set-up and its Tak who gets to do it. Just so you know, Tak hated my car years ago and he still hates it now. He thinks its unsafe at any speed. He sets up the scenario by saying this is my first time at the track, this isnt my car, and I want to go 190mph
So, here we go. I start by going over the simple stuff like the what the flags mean, what instructions Im going to give, and what to do in case of an emergency out there. It takes him about 10 minutes to get the belts on so by the time were on course everybody is hot lapping. So you would think this guy is going to drive like a nut but he throws me a curve ball and drives like a snail. We are what I like to call the jam car out there holding everybody up. Hes driving a great line so all I have to do is help manage the traffic behind him. The only problem is that nobody is waiting for the point to pass. Cars are just flying by us left and right. Some safely so not so safe. The final straw was when we got passed without a point by and the instructor in the car that passed us put his arm out the window and gave me thumbs down for holding them up. Now Tak is normally a reserved guy but we both had to call a time out from the training because we were flabbergasted by what was going on. It was that nutty out there. We finish the session driving with our own safety in mind.
We pull into the pits and I dump off Tak. Now its my turn. I am just chomping at the bit to get out there and see what this car can do. Its been on course for 25 minutes already so the tires and brakes are up to temp. Nothing is leaking and it seems to be running smoothly. I quickly get strapped in and head out. By now the course is full of hot lapping instructors so as I ease on the track I get up to speed right out of the gate. Half-way through my first lap I spy my target. Its another instructor candidate in a 2007 GT2! Now its really time to see what I can do ..
I reached back and hit record on the camera because I know this is going to be good. It takes me a couple of turns to catch him but I finally do and in turn 11 I get past him onto the front strait. I nail turn one and head up the esses. The car is faster than last year and I dont have the balls to flat foot it up the esses so I peddle the car up to turn 3 and mash it till the bus stop. I was expecting to get passed on the back strait but the GT2 was not gaining on me. We keep this dance going for another lap when I try my best to loose him in turn 11. It kind of works but hes still right with me. So I figure now is the time to nail turn 1 and see what this car can do. Well, as I get to turn 3 the car gets light and wants to wander off the concrete so once again I am peddling out of the esses. But I am giving it everything I can and I am going to hold un till the buss stop. At the 400 foot mark I lift off and check my speed. 148mph and Ive hit a new record high!. That beats last years time by a full 10mph. At the 300 foot mark I stand on the brakes and quickly find that Im running out of room. I turn the car in early and trail the brakes right over the first rumble strip and the car catches a bit of air. When it lands I miss the second rumble strip but find myself right on the concrete. I mash the gas in 4th and she squats, settles, and rockets out of the buss stop. That was over 90mph and although thats the fastest Ive gone I am not sure I want to do that again. Now Im out of the buss stop so fast that all I can do is coast into the loop but I get on the gas early and blast down through the chute only to run up on a slow moving 914. He moves right and gives me a late pass signal which I take. I must have a mental moment because I went into the toe of the boot way to hot. I hit the brakes and locked up all 4. The car was trying to launch itself into the woods. I turned the wheels back to center, waited for grip, and then cranked the wheels and put my foot to the floor. The car just turned and blasted up into the laces. That was a close one for sure. I try my best to get focus but at 8 Im way late. Turn 9 I mess up. Turn 10 is OK but now I can see him coming. At turn 11 he late apexs and sets me up for the pass. I come to terms with my defeat and give the point to pass. At that moment my grip on the wheel eased and a evil grin covered my face. Now its my turn to push him. I work on my line and pace him up to the buss stop. I take it easy down the chute and prepare to get him going up hill out of the toe. Hes not letting up and I think Ive given him a bit more room than I should have. I hit the toe and put the hammer down and I am gaining on him in anticipation of a pass before turn 8. Fate had another plan for me and the checker flag came out just as I had him set up for the pass.
Again, my grip on the wheel eased and I started to feel the let-down from all the adrenaline that had sustained me for the last 20 minutes. I had just driven the session of my life. Ive found my personal limit and the cars equal match. As I reach back to turn the camera off I realize that I had never turned it on so the only record will have to be the one in my mind. I dont think I will any problems remembering this one.
At the end of the first day there was dinner right in the garage. Open bar, pizza, and wings. Just the sort thing I needed. I compared notes with Mike and we were both having a blast. His tires got a bit hot as did mine so we decided to dial back the tire pressures for tomorrows sessions. Mitch my first instructor of day came up to me to let me know that I had passed the training! I am now a nationally certified PCA instructor for Watkins Glen. Nice .
As I ate and drank what I had just accomplished started to set in. Ive managed to hit two of my life goals in the span of one day. I also started to realize that after I almost launched out of the toe of the boot the guy in the GT2 let up on me. I dont think at all it was any coincidence that even after blowing a few turns I was still ahead of this guy. He recognized from his car that my mind was going to mush out there and he backed off until I got my shit together enough so he could pass me. I cant begin to explain how hard that would have been for me to do. I talked about the incident with my friend and old time instructor Jim who knew who I was talking about and helped introduce me to him.
Lou Betstadt is the guys name. A nice older gentlemen who just so happens to be a long time club racer and who had just one all three events the weekend before at mid Ohio. I introduced myself as the driver of the green Eclipse and before I had a chance to thank him for taking it easy on him, he blurted out great driver .great driver..I knew you could drive when you pulled your ass out of the toe of the boot..I really thought you lost it on that one nice job!...I tried to catch but I couldnt because your corner exit speeds were faster than mine I think I could have walked back to Rochester on air after that. I thanked him for taking it easy on me at the end and he said thats how he wins races. He said he could see my line eroding and my brain going to mush. He said that he just waited for me to fade away before he passed me. We talked for almost an hour about racing and cars. I wont forget that and just writing about it today brings back that little evil grin and that sweet feeling of living to my potential .
After my head had shrunken back down to normal size Mike and I hit the gas station to fill up on gas and get more beer on the way back to the Motel. We sat out on the balcony which overlooked Seneca lake and drank beer and traded stories of our day. To me it was perfection. Start with adversity and unknowing, overcome the obstacle, and prove your worth. All in the seat of car I built, tested, and drove. Life can be really sweet sometimes.
Tomorrow is a regular day. We will know officially that weve made it as instructors and well get students to try and help. The good news is that we will be able to drive in all 4 of our regular instructors only lapping sessions.
Before I get into Tuesday heres a few thoughts on the car
I couldnt be happier with the changes Ive made. The car pulls like a freight train all the way through 4th and 5th. It feels like it just wants to go through the moon. The intake manifold I am sure has help a great deal. Compared to the cyclone I had on the car before it has lost some low-mid power but it just screams past 6K. The L1R on the other hand I am not 100% sold on. The EVOIII 16g had more power down low and it could get the fronts to spin coming out of the boot. Basically, the EVOIII hit like a ton of bricks while the L1R was more linear in its power delivery. The few times I no lift shifted it still took a moment for it to come back to 21psi. It was closer to my .48 hot side 50 trim than it was to a 16g. If I had to guess I would say its 20g like in every respect. The water injection did its trick. I held 21psi all the way from turn 1 to the buss stop without a hint of know. Not even a blip. On the way down to the Glen when it was cooler out I did a 24psi run which also was without knock. Last year I solved the cooling issue and this year was no different. The car never got hotter than 195F. It also didnt leak or pop a head gasket or tear up the brakes. It was just about perfect. The only exception is that I found on day two that I didnt push in one of the water injection hoses tight enough and it squirted water/alcohol mix on the little fuse box on the battery cable. That caused me to pop 30A fuses while on course. That happened twice on the second day. Knowing my past problems I really dont even consider that more than a little hic-up. I am really satisfied with the power, handling, and reliability of this car. It is finally getting there. Now all I need is a new set of tires and Im good to go.
continued...
The second day .
Mike and I are up early to check out of the Motel. We have to make sure and get to the Glen in time for the 7:30am instructors meeting. Once at the Glen I take some time go over the car. I check the oil, the coolant, and I swap the flat spotted fronts to the rear. One last go around with the torque wrench and Im off to the meeting. On the way I meet with the guy who taught the certification class and with little fan-fare its official. Both Mike and I have passed.
After the first drivers meeting the Red run group goes out and when I get back I will get assigned a student. As I ease onto the track I make sure to get the camera on this time. I figure even if there is some warm up laps on tape at least Ill have something. In the red group I am starting to see that these guys are all business out there. The point-bys are so fast that most of the time you dont have to slow down and that really helps keep your rhythm going. As I get through the boot and through turn 8 I am almost at full speed. When I hit the apex of turn 9 a big puff of blue smoke puffs out of my hood vent. Normally that would be a big deal but seeing how the same thing happened last year. I know what this is. I forgot to tie down my dipstick after I checked the oil. The motor in my Eclipse is pretty worn out so there is enough blow-by to pop the dip-stick under full boost. The good thing is that pit lane starts at turn 10 and Im back in the garage, fixed, and back out in no time. The car seems to running OK. Its still bucking a bit and I suspect Im still running to rich. Still the car has zero knock. The tires are shot. Theyve lost a lot of grip and they are so flat spotted that the whole car shakes as I get over 110mph.
I work my way through traffic passing cars all over the track. By the time I get to the front strait it looks like I have one more car to pass before I have some clear track. I get by the last car and as I check my rear mirror I see a familiar red GT3 coming up for a pass. Its my instructor Mitch from the first day. Another evil grin and I now have my second target! We rocket up the esses and I match his speed all the way to the buss stop. It is clear in this short distance that I am faster. Going through the buss stop was easy and I coasted down the inner loop and gave him a bit more space down the chute. I knew way back in the buss stop that I was going to get him going up hill out of the toe of the boot. My favorite place to pass! I make up the ground I gave him by out braking him in the toe. As I enter the toe I take the apex a little late and set up for the pass. Instead of getting the pass signal he take his time up the hill. That means I have to lift, wait, and then get back on the gas. By the time I get the pass signal Ive lost boost and more importantly my momentum. Now I have to drag race a GT3 to earn my pass. We get side by side and I can see his car squat as he puts the hammer down. We are dead even. I click into 4th and as the boost builds we are even again and then I start to pull on him! Ive out gunned a GT3. Nice
I brake deep and off line in turn 8 and blast into turn 9. I nailed 8 and Im putting some distance on him. By the exit of 9 and 10 hes way back. I click into 4th on the front strait and as I pass the Nextel sign the car goes dead. No power to the starter, no ECU power, nothing. I coast through turn 1 and take the access road off the track before turn 2. I get a friendly tow back to the garage where I found a blown 30A fuse. I put a spare one out of my spare kit (junk box) and the car fires right up. Nice
Once I know the car will run I meet up with the chief of instructors to get my student assignment. Once there a small group of the new instructors await there fate. The chief says Ive got a special student who wants a challenge? Feeling good about myself I dont hesitate. Ill take him. Great youll be instructing Baxter today.
Continued
Baxter is the nicest guy in the world. He works really hard at being the best driver he can be. He has photos of every corner that he studies. He watches film. He has a log book that every instructor hes ever had signs and takes notes in. He then puts his own notes in the book and studies those as well. He drives an 80s 911 which has about 260Hp. Not only does he were a full race suit but his wife wears a matching one too. Hes always first in line to go out and hes just about 100% dedicated to doing better.
The only bad part is that he is also a 70 year old dentist with very little to no skill. He tries his best but as I am quickly learning, he is a handful out there. Hes also been in the Green run group for 6-7 years now. Just before I am set to meet Baxter some of the instructors, including the one whos had him this year, have come up to me to express there condolences and to warn me about the dangers I am about to face. Story after story of off track doesnt look shifts in the esses runs other drivers off the track etc.etc..etc! What have I got myself into?
Baxter is first in line again. I slip into the car and begin my pre session talk. Baxter is concerned with trail braking, shift points, slip angles, and just about anything else a pro driver would be concerned with. Im not going to mess around with Baxter so I lay down the law and go over my commands. Just for good measure I show him a picture of my daughter. I figure that might keep him from killing me and in the event he does at least Ill have one last look at her. So out we go .
They werent kidding. Baxter has no clue. He has to be reminded to brake! When he sees a car in his mirror he instantly jerks the car and gives the point by. He then proceeds to drift back into the car thats trying to pass. After about a half-lap of this I am forced to put the smack down. Basically I told Baxter to stop talking and follow my commands, without question, for the rest of the session. Lift, brake, coast, turn in, on the gas, look for the next turn. That was the mantra I was trying to get into his head. I tried to reassure him that I would be his eyes for cars in the rear. Just try to focus on whats ahead. After about 15 minutes of this he starts to get it. He is developing a rhythm.
When we pull in to the pits and go over the session Baxter complains about my talking all the time. I had to tell him that he really is over his head and that until he gets the mantra down he wont get his rhythm and without that there is no way hes going to get any better. So for our second session we just work on the mantra. As we hit the track out point of each turn I tell him to look ahead at the next turn. tell me where youre going to brake I would ask him. He couldnt respond but I could tell he was thinking about it. Gone was that deer in the headlights look. In its place was a look of determination. I suspect I had hurt his pride with my comments earlier and he was out to prove me wrong. At the end of the second session Baxter asked me to promote him to the white run group. I felt bad for him but I knew he wasnt ready. Again, I had to tell Baxter that what was holding him back was a lack of confidence out there and a total preoccupation with the little things. I told him that any corner he takes where he is in control of the car and exits safely is a good turn. Its a line. It may not be the fastest line but it is a line. I wanted Baxter to stop worrying about the little things. They were taking away what little bandwidth he had available for looking ahead.
Our third session Baxter asked me to stop talking and let him do the work. I made a deal with him that if he could say the word brake before each turn and then next corner on his way out of the turn I would be silent. He said he couldnt talk and drive (which I believe) and I told him not to worry about it. We start out that session doing OK. He cant talk but I can see him going over the mantra in his head. Hes starting to put some good turns together. You know its a good turn when it makes your stomach sink a little. Pretty soon hes putting good laps together. He isnt getting past as much and hes getting pretty close to the pace of the group. I cant help myself and I have to break my silence to cheer him on. Hes getting it!
Our fourth and final session of the day I reminded Baxter that hes going to be tired out there and when he starts to loose the line he should dial it back a bit. He agrees and out we go. Right off the bat hes on fire. Corner after corner hes nailing it. We have open track for most of the session but I can see hes gaining on a black Boxter. I spend a few turns watching him and I can see his grip get tighter and that look of the tiger on his face. He works on reeling in the Boxter and before you know it he passes! Baxter passed a car! I went nuts. I was so happy for him. Before we finished we did get passed by three cars. A Porsche Carrera 4, an instructor in a GT2, and a STi. Beyond those cars Baxter was on par with his peers.
When we finished we spent some time talking about what he had accomplished and why he was so successful. I signed his log book and added some notes. I was sure that if I had him for one more day I could get him moved up a group. I dont know who was happier Baxter or me.
I skipped my last session of the day. I hadnt yet figured out why the fuses were blowing and I wanted to get home to see my family. Mike had to scoot out early so I packed up by myself and got ready for the trip home. Baxters instructor for the first day stopped by so we could fill out his evaluation sheet. He was surprised at his development. Although not ready for the white group, I felt as if I had given him the tools to get there. For me, the feeling of pride I had and the total joy I saw on Baxters face was 1000 times more important to me then the race with the GT2 I had the day before. As I drove home I just tried to let myself enjoy the moment. I had hit two of my life goals and found that I had a passion for teaching. Like I said earlier life is really sweet sometimes.
Tim Harper
