NJMP track after big build - observations

[dp1]

Drove with NASA at NJMP in HPDE2 (my 2nd time at this track) this past weekend.

My AT FR-S setup:
- JR SC and JR oil cooler
- Ohlins R&T set at -4 clicks front and -5 rear
- Essex AP Racing Sprint BBK with Carbotech XP12 and RBF600 fluid
- aluminum 1-piece driveshaft
- 600HP rated axles
- whiteline end links
- SBL LCA
- Enkei RPF1 and Toyo Proxes RA1 @ about 28psi cold that came up to about 35psi hot.
- Front Ohlins lowered to their max, rear at roughly 3cm offset from bottom. I asked for Ohlins recommended height (-20mm front and -10mm) and @PrimeMotoring is helping me sort that out next week). Current setup works great on track but it's a little too low for the street for my taste.
- measured weight wet was 2994 lb with 220 lbs of me
- -3.4f and -2.7r camber, no toe, per @CSG Mike recommendation (awesome setup)
- extra 2 degrees front caster
- all Motul liquids per their recommended spec
- P3 gauge with about a dozen functions and AEM safety gauge (boost digits in the middle and LEDs for AFR)
- Crawford AOS
- P&L 4-1 header, P&L overpipe, P&L front pipe, Perrin 2.5" resonated
- track-friendly (conservative) dyno tune by @JuniorAWD
- build by @PrimeMotoring

Around 70F ambient temp. Didn't push the car hard. Started with Sport (full auto shifts) and all nannies on. Too much interference by nannies with a frequent wheel hop when powering out of turns. Car felt very solid overall, fantastic and not harsh suspension. Could probably use little stiffer springs without revalving, but no real need. Brakes bit hard and modulated well whenever asked to, but I was breaking mostly a little early and modulated, sometimes trail braking which worked well. Oil at just over 245F peak and coolant at just over 210 peak. I wasn't pushing the car very hard, since these were only days 2 and 3 on track with the new/big build.

Changed to Sport (still full auto shifts) and VSC Sport. Noticeably less interference from nannies but still quite a bit, wheel hop still present at times on power out of turns. Brakes faded just a little only once.

Next had an instructor @subielife, BRZ owner) drive me around in my car during instructor session. He pressed traction off button for 5 seconds and nannies were off. Didn't do pedal dance but I didn't notice any nannies interfering at all. His fastest time was 2:38 and I could tell that he was polite and there was more left. My fastest was 2:43 and I have plenty of room to grow personally and with this car. Car rotated beautifully at the limit of just over 1.1G on an off camber 55mph long curve (octopus) per iPhone. Rear end would start letting go progressively and would comply quickly and smoothly on correction. He knows how to drive this car

Lovely camber set up thanks to @CSG Mike

Had a diff leak during this session so had the bolts tightened up (bottom drain plug had half turn left to go). Others who looked at it thought that diff may have been over filled with fluid. With rear jacked up and diff cooled down, some fluid leaked out of the top fill hole.

Went out for another easy session (mostly driving the line smoothly and giving point-bys) and called it a day.

Overall, very happy with the setup! Talking to @CSG Dave and @CSG Mike about getting their Cusco setup that's been dialed in by Mike, then ready to enjoy the car in the long haul.

Was thinking about smaller pulley and another dyno tune to get to boost a little sooner, but doubt that I will pursue, no need and would probably test the limit of stock injectors.

Had an issue with SSP trans cooler few weeks ago at Watkins Glen and had it taken out since. It leaked in two different fittings but wasn't mounted in stock location due to other parts. SSP wouldn't do anything about it, oh well, now I know.

My 2005 Lotus Elise with SC is going for sale soon. This car is great the way it is set up now as both daily and a fun track car.

I will probably adjust alignment and switch to stock calipers/rotors/pads before each winter. Already have winter tires and used them last winter, car handled great in wet and snow.

Thanks to @CSG Mike and @CSG David for numerous suggestions, my instructor @subielife for giving me a great opportunity to learn about the track and my car, and many others who contributed to this forum!

[CSG Mike]

Try reducing rear damping to reduce wheel hop. If it results in big weight transfers, then go back to your previous setting.

[dp1]

Originally Posted by CSG Mike

Try reducing rear damping to reduce wheel hop. If it results in big weight transfers, then go back to your previous setting.

Thanks, I'll make rear softer next time the way @Dezoris did with his Ohlins on track. My rear was at -5 and he went to -8 from full hard IIRC.

[Dezoris]

Originally Posted by dp1

Thanks, I'll make rear softer next time the way @Dezoris did with his Ohlins on track. My rear was at -5 and he went to -8 from full hard IIRC.

I have tried 4-5 and I think you have to be on perfectly smooth pavement or its over dampened. Try 6 or 7 front and 8 rear, you may have better luck with that. That seems to be a smooth point where the car is not as bouncy on the tracks I have run thus far.

[subielife]

Yeah the car could have been more compliant. It was taking the curbing well but it was a little to abrupt in it's reactions.

[dp1]

Originally Posted by subielife

Yeah the car could have been more compliant. It was taking the curbing well but it was a little to abrupt in it's reactions.

I'll try that setting first and look into upgrading springs and valving when it's time for a rebuild.

[ja1217]

Interesting, I ran with 4 clicks from full stiff all around this weekend (I was at Thunderbolt with you, the red FR-S in TTD), have the same Ohlins suspension and similar tires (Hoosier R6, 225R45) and I didn't get any wheel hop. I had a bit more oversteer than usual on the left hand turns, but I think that had more to do with the passenger rear tire not getting up to temp, as the track only has two very slow left hand turns.

I'm not running quite as much camber (-2.7f/-1.8r) and I haven't lowered as far as possible. I went with the default settings, which are -20mm front and -15mm rear. Not sure if that would effect wheel hop or not.

[dp1]

Originally Posted by ja1217

Interesting, I ran with 4 clicks from full stiff all around this weekend (I was at Thunderbolt with you, the red FR-S in TTD), have the same Ohlins suspension and similar tires (Hoosier R6, 225R45) and I didn't get any wheel hop. I had a bit more oversteer than usual on the left hand turns, but I think that had more to do with the passenger rear tire not getting up to temp, as the track only has two very slow left hand turns.

I'm not running quite as much camber (-2.7f/-1.8r) and I haven't lowered as far as possible. I went with the default settings, which are -20mm front and -15mm rear. Not sure if that would effect wheel hop or not.

Great, thanks! I had very good experience at WGI with -4f and -5r, and it's easy to adjust and check out softer setting, will try that when I'm back at NJMP in June. Could have been nannies and/or differential. We didn't feel the wheel hop when nannies were off (5s press of the traction off button + Sport mode). Hoosiers R6 are much stickier than even my almost new shaved and heat cycled Toyo RA1s . Very likely that passenger rear didn't get much heat in given track layout and the leak could have dripped on the rubber a little also. All the best

[CSG Mike]

If the rear is too low, you may be hitting the bump stops on the rear under compression, which will unsettle the car.

[dp1]

Originally Posted by CSG Mike

If the rear is too low, you may be hitting the bump stops on the rear under compression, which will unsettle the car.

Good point but I doubt it - we didn't notice wheel hop when car was driven harder by instructor and nannies were off. I'll measure the ride height later today, floor to middle of the fender arch with standard tire pressures...do you know the stock height measured like this?

[CSG Mike]

Originally Posted by dp1

Good point but I doubt it - we didn't notice wheel hop when car was driven harder by instructor and nannies were off. I'll measure the ride height later today, floor to middle of the fender arch with standard tire pressures...do you know the stock height measured like this?

Not off the top of my head... but I'm sure it's posted somewhere

[Dezoris]

FYI my recommendation of 6-8 from full stiff is based on the fact I only have a 10mm drop, so that changes some thing.

[dp1]

Originally Posted by Dezoris

FYI my recommendation of 6-8 from full stiff is based on the fact I only have a 10mm drop, so that changes some thing.

Thanks, I remember your drop numbers from another thread. We will adjust height back (raise) to Ohlins recommendation on Tuesday and I will try different settings on track.

[dp1]

Just got back from the NJMP Lightning course with the new car. This time MT, stock axles, much much improved tune, recommended Ohlins height with -5 clicks all around, -3f/-2.5r camber with no toe and 5s press on traction control to (almost completely) disable nannies. Never felt nannies interfering. Track is reasonably smooth. Ohlins handled curbing with ease. No wheel hop whatsoever. About 10s quicker than last year in lotus elise, but I never pushed lotus very hard and I've had more seat time and good coaching since.

Wheel hop could have been due to leaving nannies on and driving near the limit or related to a mechanical issue. Car was lowered, stock axles simply swapped for DSS axles, had a leak on the passenger side differential seal, axle boot was ripped when taken off later...who knows what was going on there.