Does the FR-S handle any differently with varying fuel loads?

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by humfrz

Well, now, ..... the weight difference for the FR-S between a full tank and an almost empty tank is about 70 some pounds.

mrs humfrz weighs 150 pounds (+) ......

I don't notice a performance difference between a full tank and a almost empty tank.

But I sure do notice a performance difference between when mrs humfrz is a passenger or not:

* I can't dump the clutch - cause it will hurt the car!

* I can't rev it up high - cause the engine will blow up!

* I can't take corners real fast - cause it will wear out the tires!

* I can't pass other cars - cause we will crash and die!

So, I just keep the tank pretty much full ....... and .......


humfrz

Had the exact same issue today and she was just FOLLOWING me in her car! At least the inevitable conversation was delayed for 10 minutes when she finally got home after I did.

[torqdork]

Originally Posted by strat61caster

60-70 lbs. is not insignificant if you're serious, fighting for tenths of a second on a lap or a couple hundreds down a drag strip. Racing teams spend millions optimizing every piece to the minimum it needs to be.

They say it costs $10,000 to put a pound of payload into orbit around our planet.

Will it help you beat a Mustang to the next stoplight? Probably not. Will you feel it in the butt dyno as you floor it through the onramp on your way to work? Probably not. Will the car feel different at the end of a track day vs. the beginning? Absolutely, but that's not entirely due to the fuel burning off as track temperatures change, your tires wear and you either find a better line around the track or your reflexes start lagging.

tl;dr: don't worry about it unless you're racing competitively.

You got me playing with a few numbers. I think on my next track day I'll start with <½ tank and add from a 5 gal. tank as required. Also, I'm going to try Torco Accelerator that's dyno proven to add ~2% hp on a n/a car. Together, I'll be looking at 3%-4% lb/hp gain when applied to a typical 15 sec. ¼ mile time could be worth 0.5 sec. and my home circuit has two straights per lap longer than that, more than enough time to overtake an equal car or two. All placebo effect, I'll let you know how it worked out next week.

[humfrz]

Originally Posted by Gunman

Nah, my wife smiles when the tires are squealing, and she's told me it sounds so much better up in the higher rpm range during spirited mountain drives. I don't think she's a unicorn, but it's possible...I have taken her to car shows on our anniversary, and an anniversary trip to the Tail of the Dragon.

Does she have a sister that would like to take a road trip with me ......


humfrz

[Fish Eagle]

A month ago, I ran my car almost dry on track with 1 session to go, so I nipped out and filled to the brim because I had a long trip home, then went straight back onto the track. I noticed minimal difference between empty and full. Sure, the car felt a little bit heavier and slower, but the balance change was negligable. It still handled like a dream!