Eidolon
02-28-2012, 09:24 AM
This is going to a bit "stream of consciousness", so I apologize for the rambling. But I've been turning some things over in my head and wanted some feedback.
So after the track event this past weekend, I realized my G8 still has a few deficiencies for track use. It definitely needs better tires and wheels, but that's simple enough. It also needs some better dampers, which I could get in the form of the Pedders SuperCar coilovers. But then the seats just aren't enough for track use. So I'd need a harness bar, at least, and perhaps some upgraded seats from Corbeau or Recaro.
I also got a momentary check engine light during the track event that went away in fewer than 10 seconds. Last time I was on track, I had the same thing happen, then another that stuck that turned out to be a cylinder misfire. This time around, I'm wondering if Rick's h(G8-4-Speed's) tune was good enoug to eliminate cylinder misfires and what I got was momentary oil starvation in a corner. Hence the transient nature of the warning. The engine did seem to sound "gruffer" or rougher on the way home, though there was no lag in its pickup or "clattering" that I could tell. I'll change the oil and run an oil analysis and all on it, so we'll see what comes of that. But that also got me thinking that if I intend to keep tracking the G8, I should probably invest in an oil cooler and Accusump to ensure oil supply and condition. Courtesy of the cooler coolant thermostat (160 degrees) and cool outdoor temps (50 degrees at most), the oil only got up to 253 degrees. But under warmer conditions, it could climb higher.
Then I'd need a TrueTrac for the rear so I didn't wear out the diff.
Also, I've got a pop in the front left suspension that I need to diagnose that developed and worsened over the weekend, including throwing off my alignment and canting my steering wheel to the left. The front suspension on this car really has given me no end of trouble since I switched away from stock. I'm hoping I didn't crack a delrin bushing, destroy a ball joint in one of the Spohn arms, or ruin a bearing in the strut mount.
Finally, the delrin up front really has made the car a bit harsh over bumps. If I'm not in the right mood or the road is particularly rough, it's maddening. It's tempting to switch back to my old stock arms and put in poly bushings from BMR or Pedders, which I might be able to do without ruining the trackability of the car or having to continually service.
In the end, the big question, though, is do I really want to keep using the G8 as my track car? I love that I'm getting to put it through what it was always promised it could do, and the sound of the V8 engine barreling down the back straight is intoxicating. It'd sadden me to garage it. But while a friend has been doing this for over a decade and has never run his car into another vehicle or a barrier, there's something to be said for having a car where you don't really care if it does happen. E36 M3's are cheap, and can be had for under $10,000 now. And do I want to continue modding for track use and wearing out a car that is so rare? Or do I buy the cheap track car, kit it out, and retire the G8 from regular modding and hard-driving duty, even though a street could never put all its capability to use? Money isn't really the issue, since a track car can also be quite the sinkhole.
Decisions, decisions. These are the things I've been thinking about. I even briefly glanced at the price of a new Corvette Grand Sport with the Centennial package, which includes the MRC damping system. Suffice it to say, they are ... out of my price range. Even the Camaro ZL1 fits that bill (or, rather, doesn't). And talk about cars you don't want to put into a tire wall... So I'll be sticking with the G8. Just... sticking with it for track use or not, is what I haven't decided.
So after the track event this past weekend, I realized my G8 still has a few deficiencies for track use. It definitely needs better tires and wheels, but that's simple enough. It also needs some better dampers, which I could get in the form of the Pedders SuperCar coilovers. But then the seats just aren't enough for track use. So I'd need a harness bar, at least, and perhaps some upgraded seats from Corbeau or Recaro.
I also got a momentary check engine light during the track event that went away in fewer than 10 seconds. Last time I was on track, I had the same thing happen, then another that stuck that turned out to be a cylinder misfire. This time around, I'm wondering if Rick's h(G8-4-Speed's) tune was good enoug to eliminate cylinder misfires and what I got was momentary oil starvation in a corner. Hence the transient nature of the warning. The engine did seem to sound "gruffer" or rougher on the way home, though there was no lag in its pickup or "clattering" that I could tell. I'll change the oil and run an oil analysis and all on it, so we'll see what comes of that. But that also got me thinking that if I intend to keep tracking the G8, I should probably invest in an oil cooler and Accusump to ensure oil supply and condition. Courtesy of the cooler coolant thermostat (160 degrees) and cool outdoor temps (50 degrees at most), the oil only got up to 253 degrees. But under warmer conditions, it could climb higher.
Then I'd need a TrueTrac for the rear so I didn't wear out the diff.
Also, I've got a pop in the front left suspension that I need to diagnose that developed and worsened over the weekend, including throwing off my alignment and canting my steering wheel to the left. The front suspension on this car really has given me no end of trouble since I switched away from stock. I'm hoping I didn't crack a delrin bushing, destroy a ball joint in one of the Spohn arms, or ruin a bearing in the strut mount.
Finally, the delrin up front really has made the car a bit harsh over bumps. If I'm not in the right mood or the road is particularly rough, it's maddening. It's tempting to switch back to my old stock arms and put in poly bushings from BMR or Pedders, which I might be able to do without ruining the trackability of the car or having to continually service.
In the end, the big question, though, is do I really want to keep using the G8 as my track car? I love that I'm getting to put it through what it was always promised it could do, and the sound of the V8 engine barreling down the back straight is intoxicating. It'd sadden me to garage it. But while a friend has been doing this for over a decade and has never run his car into another vehicle or a barrier, there's something to be said for having a car where you don't really care if it does happen. E36 M3's are cheap, and can be had for under $10,000 now. And do I want to continue modding for track use and wearing out a car that is so rare? Or do I buy the cheap track car, kit it out, and retire the G8 from regular modding and hard-driving duty, even though a street could never put all its capability to use? Money isn't really the issue, since a track car can also be quite the sinkhole.
Decisions, decisions. These are the things I've been thinking about. I even briefly glanced at the price of a new Corvette Grand Sport with the Centennial package, which includes the MRC damping system. Suffice it to say, they are ... out of my price range. Even the Camaro ZL1 fits that bill (or, rather, doesn't). And talk about cars you don't want to put into a tire wall... So I'll be sticking with the G8. Just... sticking with it for track use or not, is what I haven't decided.