Automatic FRS for track
 

I've been wanting a FRS ever since they came out and almost got one a few months back, but the deal fell through. Now a new problem.
My wife has developed arthritis in her clutch knee and no longer can do track days with her Mini Cooper.
SO
She has been hinting about getting a FRS BUT with the automatic.
Are there any modifications that can be made to the automatic car to make it on par with the stick for track days?

Get a final drive to shorten up the gearing, to be more in line with MT gearing. But, this comes with the penalty of worse MPG on the highway; your MPG will come down to MT levels :p

You won't be disappointed with the 6 sp Auto w paddle shifters. You won't use 5th or 6th gear anyways. Plus you can keep BOTH hands on the wheel and with the rev matching can hit the corners in 2nd easily. The auto hits 62 mph in 2nd gear just before rev limiter. This car is plenty fun as an automatic.

I loved the AT on track, many mods including JR SC/Ohlins/AP Racing Sprint BBK/driveshaft/axles/LCA/etc. Had an accident and got a manual but would do it again anytime

Keep in mind, heat is the real killer of automatics. If you're going to track it regularly you will need a fluid cooler.

My last car had an auto, and I made sure I had a cooler and a temperature gauge. A 20 minute session would put me at 220 F, and the cooler was worth 40-50 degrees.

Not really concerned with millage, we still have the mini for that. (37 mpg)
What rear end ratio would you suggest?

What cooler did you get?

It depends a bit on your tracks, but a 4.44 or 4.57 will bring you pretty close to MT gearing.

Oregon Raceway Park in the summer and Chuckwalla Valley in the winter primarily. But Thunderhill, Luguna Seca, and Sears Point when we can.

I believe I got this one: http://www.summitracing.com/parts/bmm-70255/overview/

A word to the wise though: you should rummage around the engine bay and check what the existing cooler lines look like. The hoses in this kit were just slightly too small to fit over my transmission's fittings, which made install a very painful process.

Another word to the wise if you buy a temp gauge: do NOT buy this guy (http://www.summitracing.com/parts/atm-2286). It leaks like crazy. I ended up making my own T-fitting using $2 in parts from Home Depot.

We love our auto on the track.

Also check out SSP for valve body, torque converter, clutches and coolers for the auto.

http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=51851

Thanks for the link. I went through your thread, very good. We winter in Palm Springs every winter and love Chuckwalla. This year we're going to do some track days at Firebird. Maybe we cam meet you.

We'd love to meet up at the track! There's a strong 86 showing out here. One particular FRS just set the TTD class lap record at firebird east. Next event out here is not until October due to summer heat. We're tempted to do chuckwalla but need to invest in a trailer and tow vehicle first.
Soon, soon.


Sent from a secret volcano base using trained sharks

My home track is Oregon Raceway Park, a killer track. But Chuckwalla is my 2nd favorite. You have to do Chuckwalla some time.

@Lunatic

I see that you are in Indio, hottest place ever from June through October, (It was 105 degrees at night when I was there a few summers ago!) you could use that transmission cooler from SSP even off the track, your tranny will thank you. :D

Good point. Actually we have 2 places. We spend the winter from Oct to April in Indio, and the summer in Redmond, in the high desert of Central Oregon.
Both locations are pretty warm so the cooler would help even for street driving at both locations.

I have a barely used SSP cooling solution for AT - had an AT and got a new manual. PM me if interested.

Get it. You won't be disappointed. People are always surprised to find out that my car is an AT at the track! I track mine regularly and have no problems with it.

Well tomorrow I will officially be a FRS owner. Flying up to Seattle tomorrow to get my new black, automatic FRS. It's actually a 2013, used with 8000 miles. Just broken in, right?
Thank you all for helping me make up my mind.

Congrats, man. You and your wife will enjoy this car and continually wonder "this was really sub-$30k??"

Congratulations.. Car looks awesome in Black & I love the paddle shifter AT & the SPORT button actually does something on the AT.

No car, turned out to be the manual, false advertising. At least I was able to get my money back on the flight.

Well my local dealer is getting a Black FRS Automatic in any day so I told them I would take it. Hate to spend the money over a used one but at least I will have it plus being new I will know how it's been treated.

Bummer about the wasted flight but hopefully you had a good time. Good luck in your new one!


Sent from a secret volcano base using trained sharks

So did you have to fly all the way out there to find out, or did you find out just before you left?

I found out just before I left. The dealer who misrepresented the car is re-embursing me for my ticket.

Well, at least you didn't fly all the way out there...just imagine how infuriating that would have been :mad0260:

Either way, good luck congrats on the new car!

Thank you, can't wait to get it.

So I am still wanting to do a rear end gear change, what do you think? 4.57 or 4.8?

I seem to recall a thread in here that showed a comparison of the gears and final drive for both trannys. I'm on the phone otherwise if search it for you. My point is, that's a good place to look and see the final drive of the manual and see if that's where you want to be.
We're thinking of landing close to the final drive of the manual but I need to see how that affects our points for NASA TTD classing. We're not in that class for competition yet, but it is the goal.

Did yours arrive yet? :)


Sent from a secret volcano base using trained sharks

Yes, I picked it up a week ago. Been driving the hell out of it and loving every minute.

4.57 on the Auto gets you to be about the same as the manual with 4.1 in the first 3 gears.

4.88 or 5.1 will be just under or just over compared to a manual with 4.56.

I ordered 4.88s today from Weir, would you believe only $268.

Haven't dug into this, but you probably need a crush sleeve and you will need a pinion seal. Was that just the gears or gears with a master kit? Being that it's toyota, I wonder how close these are to the truck ring and pinions.

Weir is sending everything I need, the extra parts were extra also.

Have you ever set up a diff before? Or do you have a shop for it? Here's a good read on Toyota's. http://www.gearinstalls.com/ I'm beginning to suspect that these are the same ring/pinion sets that Toyota used in the trucks. Not sure yet, doing research. Judging from the price you paid ring/pinion+parts it may be. I'll have to check.

Edit... 86-92 Supra 8" gear sets. Nice to know. Motive carries them, now if it's the same for the truck 8" I've got a set of 4.88's sitting in the box in the garage. My other hobby is offroad and being the gear guy for all my buddies.

Years ago when I was Had my fab shop and built drag cars I had the pinion depth gauge kit and did lots of gear changes in ford 9" and Dana 60's.
But this time around I have a local Subaru performance shop that will be doing it.

Follow my thread on the Frs forum for Oklahoma Southwest. I'm just starting a build on a BRZ and I'm working with Cosworth. Just had the car on a Dyno last week. and the first build should start in the next ten days. Hallett Raceway is my home track
Bernie ( okieman )

Just drove my MT monogram FR-S with JR SC and AP Racing Sprint BBK at Watkins Glen, this time with a little less camber (-3f/-2.5r vs -3.4f/-2.7r) and with the same Toyo Proxes RA1 235/40-17 tires on RPF1. Was faster with AT on the same track but didn't push very hard this time to get used to the new car with MT and to monitor and feel everything out since car is new. It was easier and a little more enjoyable to drive this car closer to limit with AT and SC on track. Manual shifter is still a bit notchy but that should get better in time. Both were fun on track though.

Just got my car back with the 4.88s installed. RE is nice and quiet, no gear noise. Cruising 60 mph is now 2400 rpm, 70 mph is now 2700 rpm. I can easily live with that.

I haven't done any acceleration runs yet.