Going LeMons racing in a 6GC! Options

[slavie]

No problem.

Another thing that I did not do that is a must: MIRRORS. For next race, I'm going with a convex center mirror (seems like people recommend that over "wink" mirrors), convex side mirror mounted inside the cabin (if you get side swiped and your outside mirrors are gone, you're screwed without these).
I'm also planning to take off the rear hatch completely (during race, bolt it back for transport) to improve rearward visibility, as the cage tubing does get in the way enough for you to wish for more visibility.

Seat was also a pain in the rear, so make sure to get that project going sooner than later. 6gc's are small cars, and you have to fit a driver with a helmet on his head (+2" easily), and have enough clearance around the cage that is covered in impact absorbent material (at least 1" thick per regs). I had to bang the transmission tunnel quite a bit, but there is a stupid strong support beam going under the seat area so I was not able to make as much room there as I would have liked. We did pass tech, but our tallest driver still had issues where he was not able to turn his head to the left without hitting the cage padding.

If you guys have some track day experience, your biggest obstacle will be learning the art of "traffic management". LeMons events, at least in my area, always sell out and the field is packed tight. I mean, imagine 100+ race cars on a 2 mile course, all with various performance levels. Cars stacked 3 deep going into the corner, constant passing everywhere. This being endurance racing, fastest lap is irrelevant; how many laps you clock at the end of the day is what it's all about.

The level of competition is higher than you might imagine, both on track (though you do see plenty of slow rookies) and in terms of car preparation. Sure, everybody talks about the idiots that blew their engine and did a heroic swap on track with a junkyard motor. Yes, that does happen, but only to a handful of teams here and there. Most of the field come prepared and run start to finish. The $500 car idea is total bs that is impossible to adhere to. The organizers know that, which is why you have the bs inspection, but the idea is an irresistible marketing draw. The reality is closer to the ChumpCar rules, where any OEM part replacement modifications are allowed, and only the performance modifications count against you. Such as, head gasket and engine bearings don't count (and nobody asks anyway, as good portion of the field runs with rebuilt motors), but coilovers, non-original turbochargers and/or souped up motors sure do.

Endurance racing is a truly humbling experience where you get out what you put in, and your effort and skill bears a number that is your finishing position. There's no such thing as getting lucky.

[Tobz]

Quick question, what oil are you going to run race day?

Also what odd you running? Struggling to find any for the st204

[slavie]

I ran stock 10W-30. Once I install the oil temp/pressure gauge I might change that based on what I'm getting, but stock oil for now.

Also what odd you running? Struggling to find any for the st204

Not sure what you mean here. What's "odd" in Australia?

[slavie]

LeMons Celica lives on!

Dusted her off a bit and went to a NASA HPDE at Summit Point raceway. Did great all weekend, all temps in check, handling much improved.

And by dusted her off I mean:
- "New" 136k mile engine from a junkyard
- New KYB shocks all around (inserts in front)
- Suspension Techniques springs to replace the Tein Springs (STs are stiffer)
- Suspension Techniques front + rear anti-sway bars
- New Halo seat
- Welded up the cage some more (to comply with some dumb rules)
- New CV output shaft seal
- New radiator drain cock o-ring
- Engine oil pan re-sealed
- A bunch of wiring fixes
- Replaced alternator (died, perhaps when the old engine overheated severely) and alternator connector (plastic disintegrated)

For anyone who's deleted the AC, keep in mind that you need to short the AC pressure switch or your fans will be running on max at all times with key on.



This post has been edited by slavie: Apr 15, 2019 - 5:33 PM

[navseal345]

Looks like some fun.

[Tigawoods]

thats my neck of the woods! If you go out next time lmk! I was prepping my car for the season that weekend but had a few friends running that event

[slavie]

Threw a video of one lap up on YouTube. Not the fastest of my laps, but I'm ok with the time given that this was a fairly new build and I haven't been on track in almost 2 years. 300 threadwear cheap-ish summer tires (Riken).

https://youtu.be/jDqfFiiywKU

This post has been edited by slavie: May 10, 2019 - 11:29 PM

[Bitter]

That's a really cool video man, what software/hardware are you using?

[slavie]

That's a really cool video man, what software/hardware are you using?

That was Harry's Lap Timer app in stock form and a RAM mount for the phone (with roll bar bracket, so it's bolted in).
I do have an XGPS150 5Hz GPS (much more precise vs 1Hz available in the phone) and OBD adapter (that would allow car data to display on screen), as well as a GoPro for another angle that I believe can be controlled by the Harry's app, but neither of these were set up for this run as I just barely got the car running. Should have a nicer video next time.

[slavie]

UPDATE!
The Celica has endured through it's second LeMons race back in August, again at Thompson, CT event.

The morning of race day, the speedometer stopped working. Who cares, tach and temp gauge is all you really need in a race car. Start the race.

2hr in after the first refueling (engine required to be shut off for refueling), the car would not start. Jumped it, it died 100yd later. Battery is dead, no juice from alternator. Given that the last race we had killed an alternator (I properly tested that fact at home and replaced the alternator with another one I had in the pile), we immediately assumed the alt had quit again, though we did not have the time to properly test it. Boy was I pissed when a new, $240 alternator from local AZ did not charge either. FML. Threw in a new battery and sent it back out to finish the day. We decided to charge batteries from the tow rig and swap them every few hours.

How did the "new" motor do? Predictably, it blew the head gasket. But see, as a sign of growing strength in our relationship, I brought with me a Graphite gasket and a new set of head bolts this time, along with all the toolage required to perform the surgery. Even though we had 4 souls (though in sum only about 2-1/4 worth of competent mechanic), the HG took us about 8 hours to do.
Fired right up. On the second try, that is, after we realized the engine harness wanted to be re-connected to the ECU.

Next day, new HG is in and we're feeling good. Battery fully charged, start the race. The whole gauge cluster is dead this time - no tach, no temp gauge, nothing. I did 3 laps just to test the motor, but with new HG and no temp gauge I did not want to run the car. Commence electrical troubleshooting. Turns out, the exciter wire for the alt is powered off the same IGN-ON circuit as the speedo, and that circuit is not getting power. F that - hard wired constant 12v into the circuit and sent it back out on the track to finish the last 4 hours trouble free.

Here's a novel idea: a bunch of geniuses replacing the head gasket at the race track padlock instead of racing:

Through the power of miracle alone, back on track Sunday. Yes, that is an E28 about to blow by us as if we were dragging a boat anchor (a recurring theme for us with the genuinely bone stock 5S-FE in my car):

[slavie]

Welp, who wants an update? Celica is ready for action again.
First outing after the extended Red Flag event proudly brought to you by COVID-19. LeMons Celica did not disappoint - chewed the wheel bearing right out. But hey, nothing a trip to Harbor Freight for some front wheel drive bearing kit, snap ring pliers, and the ****tiest wheel bearing known to mankind from national auto parts chain can't fix.
Also, some recent pics of the car. Was trying to get classic car insurance on this turd, but Hargerty turned me down - too many colors on the outside they said.





This post has been edited by slavie: Jul 16, 2020 - 6:41 PM

[bloodMoney]

You're probably better off for it too... Doesn't Hagerty have milage limits?

IIRC, they tried telling me that driving the 205 to work ONCE a week was excessive for a classic car.

I told them to pound sand.

[slavie]

The LeMons Celica finished a LeMons race!!! Like, without blowing the engine or loosing any other bits. The worst problem we had was we ran out of brake pad - used up 1.5 sets of EBC Yellows in the back, and about a set in the front. I did not have any more spare rears, so we had to baby it the last few hours with the brake pad squealers fully engaged.

Finished 33/79 overall, 16/46 in our class B. 419 laps x 1.7mi.

Tires got chewed up pretty good, though looks like they'll last another race. 300TW Summer Tire. Thing is, even with this tires we could not get the brake pads to stay cool enough (the increased pad wear was due to pads overheating), so 200tw tires are out of question until I can sort out the brakes. Will try brake cooling ducts first, see how much it helps.


So what was the secret to finishing the race without overheating? Pressure tested the cooling system with air, found that the radiator was leaking where the steel auto trans cooler hookup ports go into the plastic rad cover, and heater hoses (engine to firewall) were both seeping. All 3 replaced, system holds pressure.
Now onto the radiator cap. The stock cap is rated for 0.9 bar, or about 13psi, which is in theory good for water boiling temp of 245F. In reality, the cap lets loose a little earlier than that, esp if it's older. In my testing with radiator cap tester, the cap could only be relied on to hold about 9psi, so 235F boiling temp. Short on time, I got the cap from a MkIV Supra, which is same as Celica but stock holds 1.1bar pressure, or 16psi. That one in my testing held about 13psi steady. There are aftermarket "performance" 1.3bar caps our there, but I didn't have time to order one for the race. 1.1bar Supra cap served me well.

[Bitter]

For the overheating rear brakes you might need to either soften the front suspension to allow more brake dive or get an adjustable proportioning valve. Solid disks just don't shed heat well enough, a hotter pad or a pad with less friction might also help but options are limited.

[slavie]

For the overheating rear brakes you might need to either soften the front suspension to allow more brake dive or get an adjustable proportioning valve. Solid disks just don't shed heat well enough, a hotter pad or a pad with less friction might also help but options are limited.

I looked into the proportioning valve, but for the life of mine I cannot find a "dual channel" one that would allow to retain the factory "X" configuration, where I have 2 brake lines going to the back. I just don't feel like re-working the whole brake line routing just yet to solve this problem.

Softer rear pads maybe, but I'm afraid that won't last very long. If staying within EBC line (highest performance for reasonable money), I could try Reds, but it's kinda hard to experiment with that stuff that I only have a race or two a year. IDK. Looked into Carbotech stuff, lots more variety but a set of front + rear pads is $400-450, vs $150 for EBC Yellow. Looked into ProjectMU, but they seem to be on par with EBC yellows but cost twice as much and are hard to get, meh.

Suspension can hardly be any softer, really, considering the car's purpose. It has Suspension Techniques lowering springs, and I'm not that excited about them. I purchased some Ground Control "coil-overs" from a member here on the forum, and plan to install those before the next race. That will firm up the suspension a whole lot, and allow me to play with ride height a little and change spring rates.

I'm really banking on brake cooling ducts. Any ideas?

[Bitter]

Can you not install a single channel prop valve on each rear line? I mean...right?

Brake cooling ducts may help but solid discs just have a hard time shedding heat. Cross drilled rotors could help maybe. I didn't mean softer like softer I meant softer like lower friction pads, the less friction the less heat let the fronts do more of the work. Yellows are fairly aggressive pads, more aggressive than is really needed out back.

But back to the mighty ducts, I'm not sure where you'd be able to pull air from for cooling. I suppose you could hack some ducts onto the sides of the car and just run tubes through the floor pan but I doubt that's what you want to do. I suppose possibly building some scoops under the car may work, maybe some NACA style ducts to pull air to the brakes could be a thing, I'm just not sure for rear.

[Tigawoods]

for the rear I would just take some aluminum sheet and form some sort of scoop to direct some under body air to the rotor/caliper. Or just use a 2ft section of ducting hose and tie it to the control arm and direct it towards the nose. Thats a quicker fix

[Rymaster]

I had pretty much forgotten about this car but it popped into my head the other day so I figured I’d poke around on here to see what became of it and man, Slavie does not disappoint! This thread is awesome!

I’m glad you’re putting the car to good use Slavie! Much better than any other life it would’ve of had. That little Celica was always fun to bang gears in, even if it wasn’t the fastest car, it was just so enjoyable to drive.


Keep it up! And thank you for posting the vids too!