Clive's 400 BHP Super GT RX-8 Race Car

boosted · September 01, 2015, 07:58:37 PM

Any news Clive?

clive · September 01, 2015, 09:32:54 PM

I will find out what's what tomorrow when it arrives back with them , fingers crossed.

clive · September 02, 2015, 09:13:44 PM

The man says "nothing wrong" with the Turbo so work dependant I will pop it back on when it gets back and away we go to Coombe on Friday afternoon for racing on Saturday

Casey · September 02, 2015, 09:16:23 PM

Well, that's good news I suppose, but why did it not sound right when you installed it? I guess "Christine" will have something to say on it at some point

clive · September 02, 2015, 09:27:20 PM

I agree Malcolm as I said to them today, I have installed many many Turbo's over the 20 years or so and never heard one this noisy, but they tell me that the play is correct and all is well. I have pointed out that because so much money is involved, they cant blame me for being worried.

I guess we will put it to the test on Saturday for real, looks like I might have to gag "Christine" for the weekend

.

boosted · September 02, 2015, 10:27:06 PM

My fingers are crossed Clive.

re japi · September 03, 2015, 05:08:36 AM

Good new that turbo is ok...

And I hope that everything goes well in next track session

C J R · September 03, 2015, 07:52:28 AM

Phew !! That's why Racing Drivers don't do the spanner work on their cars. Ignorance is bliss

, but it can also be very expensive

Good luck at Combe.

Chris

lennycarloff · September 04, 2015, 08:25:55 PM

Good luck, hope everything goes to plan, sorry I can't make it

exiled-viking · September 04, 2015, 10:28:09 PM

sorry i cannot attend this one but you know why

DaveCollins · September 05, 2015, 04:27:13 PM

A few pictures from qualifying and 1st race today. It was good to see Clive get from a 9th place qualifying slot upto 3rd by Quarry on the first lap (helped a bit by a bit of a dispute over the same piece of tarmac by the leading cars). Once others got in to their stride eventually dropped down to 6th before retirement. I will let Clive update on technical reason behind this. Overall car appeared to be going well and certainly is a credit to all the hard work that has gone in to get to this stage. I am sure Clive is due a bit of good fortune soon.

Casey · September 05, 2015, 05:17:16 PM

Nice pics Dave. Good to meet you again today.

Can't believe Clive's run of bad luck continues. So close again, but another retirement due to technical issues.

I'm sure every outing is moving the car towards its true potential though.

rote8 · September 05, 2015, 07:59:04 PM

Oh! bugger, was hoping to hear something more positive this time out.

Such is the joy of building a competitive race car.

re japi · September 06, 2015, 05:29:16 AM

Great picks

But again some bad luck

clive · September 06, 2015, 09:48:30 AM

Well the learning curve continues,

First up the easy fix, the 5 speed box RX-8 box was useless for the car, it would probably work with a low diff to close up the space between the gears but I will just put a six speed box back as I know it works, sadly although the outcome would have been the same I am sure this box cost me a big lump of time

.

Now for the not so easy fix , as I have now got to work out a way forward to solve this problem without the huge money for a dry sump system !

Came in after a few laps of practice as I saw some smoke out of the chicane after Tower as I put this down to a slight overfill of oil-----wrong

Turns out that due to cornering speeds when hard under braking then turning right, oil surge is forcing the oil up the filler neck and out of the catch can and after just a few laps I saw the oil gauge flicker so pulled the car up and game over

I now know that this was also Jon's (Boosted) problem with his first engine from the description I remember, because research last night shows the whole rear of the engine becomes starved of oil when these kinds of cornering speeds are achieved on any Rotary .

I now realise that this is directly connected to not only cornering speeds but also angle of attack at certain corners on certain tracks, for instance, car is fine at Donnington and Brands but also shows slightly at Coram at Snetterton but Castle Coombe is the track where it really manifests fully.

Seems to be various ideas on how to try and over come this, but nothing definitive.

First up will be a Racing Beat baffle plate and work out how to plumb the Turbo return into the back of the engine as this gives a bit more oil feed going into the back of the engine but there's also conflicting ideas on venting ect out on the internet and even if the baffle plate helps this situation ---------any ideas will be welcomed

Next dilemma is deciding if I pull the engine apart to make sure all is well

.