hey J-boy,
i havent met you before but ive met your s2k buddy Daniel (back when it was still white) :)
i've never tracked my s2k but would like too. Just would like some insight on where to begin.
Do you have any tips for us in terms of track preparation etc. My car is pretty much stock and im just looking to have some fun on the track. From your experience what kind of preparations should i be doing prior to going on the track? example ensure brake pads are ok, engine oil levels are at an optimum level etc etc.
Would like to hear some of your experiences in regards to the above, your advise would be very helpful to me and im sure to most of the guys here.
Hiya Tugsta,
Yup Daniel has now changed to a BMW Z4 35i..dunno if he intends to track that car though.
Track Preparation for the s2k is quite straightforward and similiar to other makes and models, with a couple of items to be more cautious about. I shall just touch on more of the essentials and not so much on performance parts. A stock s2k with basic track prep done can provide a whole lot of fun already~~
Brakes - Make sure u have decent brakepads(many brands and models to consider) that can handle heat up to at least 600degC or higher, change yer brake fluid to something with higher boiling points, such as the Motul RBF600, Wedsport REV, Brembo LCF600, Castrol SRF etc etc. Ensure that the brake system gets bleeded properly and that u dun have a spongy brake feel.
Stainless Teflon brake lines are recommended. Stock calipers and stock rotors are perfectly fine, I'm still on stock brakes myself, with just aftermarket brakepads, teflon brakelines, brake fluid and brake ducting. My front stock rotors lasted me 10 trackdays + a total mileage of around 30000kms. It could have maybe done 1 more trackday but I didn't wanna risk cracking it on SIC since many hairline marks have already appeared and it was down near to minimum thickness, which is 2mm from new, basically 25mm down to 23mm for front, and 12mm down to 10mm for the rear.
Tires - Stock RE050s are perfectly fine to start with, or other tires of personal choice. Question here for most s2k owners, especially for people who buy aftermarket rims, is "Staggered or Non-staggered??" For beginners, it might be better to stick with a staggered configuration first, perhaps move up to 225/45/17 front 255/40/17 rear if possible. Running non-staggered, e.g. 255/40/17 front and rear, theoratically should yield faster laptimes, since the positives of putting more rubber on the road outweigh the negatives. Points to note for going with non-staggered is strong oversteer tendencies, needing more adjustment to dial out the oversteer up to a comfortable level. My advice is choose rim width and offset carefully when purchasing aftermarket rims. Decide wot size tires u want to run and buy the right rim width. Offset is more tricky as it might involve BBK clearance, fender rolling, bumper tab relocation, amount of negative camber etc etc, all depending on how aggresive an offset u choose.
Oils and Fluids - A few choices in the market, engine should preferrably run a 40weight (e.g 5W-40) on track although OEM is 30weight due to heat. More importantly here is the DIFFERENTIAL oil. Try to change the diff oil between every trackday. Our rear diff is known to be a lil weak and there's alot of heat generated there on the track. It's only 1L anyway. Gearbox oil is 2L, and can be used for about 2 trackdays. Viscosity for the gearbox is typically 75W-90, for the rear diff some use 75W-140 and some use 75W-250. Proper maintainence will help prolong diff life. My stock rear diff is still doing fine after >10 trackdays and almost 40000kms. Coolant just ensure that it's not overdue.
Cooling mods - I've been running an oil cooler kit since the beginning and temps have been very healthy on SIC. I dun see anything more than 110degC max for oil. I currently use Roar RS 5W-40 and a Greddy oil cooler kit. U can do without an oil cooler but wun be able to run too many continuous laps, especially on a hot day @ SIC. Radiator is perfectly fine stock, u just need an aftermarket fan switch and thermostat and good coolant. I'm still using the stock radiator, started with a J's Racing thermostat and fanswitch but both of them spoilt in less than a year. Currently the car is on a Mugen fanswitch and a modified thermostat and has been working well for more than 6mths. Coolant I've been using Billion Super Thermo LLC Type PG+ from the start and am happy with the temps. I also have an ARC air pocket removal kit. Water temp is usually around 94degC max @ SIC for my car. Point to note is that the lifespan of Type PG+ is only 1 year, and if mixed with Billion Racing water, drops to 6mths. Brake Ducts are highly recommended for people who intend to do more continuous laps, like more than 6 hot laps up to 10, 15laps without pitting in. My brake duct system was customised at Lye Designs in Singapore.
**Oil Filter Stopper is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED if you intend to track the s2k. 2 SG S2Ks have blown their engines at SIC and both blew because the oil filter came off and resulted in major loss of engine oil while on track. Excessive vibrations from the F20C/F22C in the S2Ks have resulted in such incidences. Aftermarket alternatives are available from J's Racing or ASM etc. We have also customised our own oil filter stopper and that's available for people who are interested as well. I will post photos below.
If you intend to track more, a baffled oil pan would be good to have. We've been using the Spoon baffled oil pan and no issues with it thus far. Extra checks would be to hoist the car up, ensure all bolts and nuts are tightened properly. Check that all bushings are not worn out and due for replacement. Ensure that your suspension is not leaking or damaged as well.
That's about it I guess for the basics to have a great time out at Sepang!
---------- Post added at 11:38 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:25 PM ----------
hah, i only know mo* & eugen* personally, others, only remember one S2k we ehlp to change his slicks at one KL hotel one fateful night (really cool AP2/red interior) forgot their names. I think there were another S2k.
2:36 is hell-lava impressive time. not to far away from the jap drivers
edwintst, when coming over to KL?
Yeah I know mo* and eugen*...eugen* last did 2:38 from the last time I spoke to him. Good driver manz. The S2K which had the puncture sounds like me, lol. In fact I think it's me. Discovered as we walked back to the hotel after dinner, and Mar* patched the semislick on the spot yeah??
Actually I dunno wot kindda timings the japanese-pro drivers would do on semislicks in a S2K, only referrence are the MME timings, but that's on slicks. And not to mention lotsa lightening and chassis rigidity on a whole different level. Thanx dude~~I'm hoping to finish 2009 with a 2:33~2:34 if possible.
