C-

I'm told nail polish works flawlessly for the gauge needles.

I'm about to remove my cluster and take it up to you so we can put gauges in it :DIF I were to do it, I'd remove whatever is on the stock and aftermarket needles, get them down to completely clear, and then coat them all the same.

C

Common sense would say if you're at that point where you really have to keep an eye on it, normally you'd just build in some headroom - like you would if your coolant ran near BP too often, you'd get a new radiator, etc. The point made that you can cook the oil w/o running over 200 deg F on the coolant tells all - w/o an oil temp gauge you wouldn't even know. With adding a cooler, you wouldn't even have to care or worry about anything other than oil pressure, just like you'd do now.

No problem, I've rarely convinced anyone in the past why IMHO these two things go hand in hand :D
I like the whole idea of "headroom" in any mechanical system. Don't run things any higher than 80% or so of maximum, and your MTBF goes up considerably.

I also really, really, like the idea of not having to worry (much) about oil temps no matter how or where I am driving the vehicle.

I think I have 3 panels that fit in that area in my attic, along with a water temp and oil pressure gauge if you are interested.
I am indeed interested. I will send you a PM. :)

I'll stick with my VDO Visions in place of the radio. That's the setup I ran on my NX, and Linus did the same on the SE-R I bought from him.

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_A9eq2D6-7Wg/R9nNn0s2JxI/AAAAAAAAAH0/yHz7rGUEQmg/s800/aat.jpg

C
So ultra-clean, it could have come from Nissan like that. :cool:

While perhaps it is not perfect for visibility, it is damned good.

I do not want any guages on my A-pillar, or just randomly stuck around my steering column or OEM guage cluster. Not on my daily driver that is now required to be very track friendly.

I shall duplicate Chriscars guage install, add in an oil cooler kit (assuming the baffled/oversized pan is unavailable), and head out to Road America next year with some serious extra peace of mind.

Then let Joe thrash the sh*t out of my Classic.

Damn, I'm already looking forward to Convention 2010 in Wisconsin. :tongue:

IF I were to do it, I'd remove whatever is on the stock and aftermarket needles, get them down to completely clear, and then coat them all the same.

C

Guess that's what I was referring to :)

Like how you dodged my second sentence though :rofl:

EDIT:

Damn me! I didn't even specify NAIL POLISH REMOVER! :ugh: No wonder you replied with what you did. MY BAD!!!!

I am indeed interested. I will send you a PM. :)




You may need to send that PM again.

You may need to send that PM again.
I got busy and pulled away earlier. PM sent.

I had so much stupid-fun at the 2009 Convention, I am already planning on making my car more track-ready for 2010. :tongue:

Oil coolers and baffled pans are great for track use and extending the life of our precious B13 during track use. But one small thing which is I think the most important is what most forget about are BRAKES! It's great if you can go like snot down the straights, pull some good G's through the turns, but it sure sucks if ya can't stop.

Oil coolers and baffled pans are great for track use and extending the life of our precious B13 during track use. But one small thing which is I think the most important is what most forget about are BRAKES! It's great if you can go like snot down the straights, pull some good G's through the turns, but it sure sucks if ya can't stop.

I was kind of surprised with the number of cars that had oil issues at RR, mostly why I mentioned it. It's unusual for me to see cars at a track taking down time for high temps/low pressures, or see half a dozen motors or so with rod knock after some pretty easy use, at least by my standards.

You're right, other than occasionally checking rotor temps and changing pads, I don't think much about my brakes other than keeping them in good shape, and I forget not all B13's run 4-pot fronts and upgraded rears, I've never driven one with stock brakes. RR wasn't too hard on brakes compared to some tracks, but mine never faded a bit. I'm still impressed with Wilwood for the price, a little more flex than some more expensive calipers, but they work great, and not having to deal with ABS is a huge plus on the B13. Not quite Cup car level, but pretty good.

http://homepage.mac.com/stracy01/.Pictures/B13/IMG_5151.jpg

My other car runs 4-pot Brembos. I take it pretty much for granted they're always working great. The OEM pads would overheat but they're a distant memory. Both run crown lines and motul fluid, or just fresh regular fluid depending on what I have. I had Hawk HPS on B13, but not very happy with them, lack good initial bite and have 2 new sets of Ferodo's to try out. Rear I just run basic OEM replacements on Altima/Max calipers because I already have a little rear bias.

I was up at ZCCA NHMS few years back, and a new 350Z in front of me completely missed turn 1, his brakes went up a cloud of smoke and lucky for him, he could drive onto the NASCAR oval. He was riding them all around the course the lap prior, he'd come in too fast, brake too hard, then accelerate to the apex, brake again, repeat for 12 corners. A classic point-to-point driver who was too chicken sh*t to enter the corner at speed, mashed the pedal to the marker, then braked again, couldn't be harder on the brakes if he tried. Made a good case for not using markers...

SOB wouldn't let me through, went like stink on the straight (same motor, both stock), but last time I saw him, he hit the braking area and just kept going. Takes awhile for 3300 lbs to slow down from 125 mph w/o much in the way of brakes :D

I cooked a set once with a rent-a-racer Sebring Convertible in San Fran (worst car possibly ever), drove the piss out of it up near Mt. Tam then got stuck riding the brakes behind a motor home down a long winding road to Muir Woods, when I pulled into the lot they were spewing clouds of white smoke off the fronts. Not my car :rofl:

I don't think people realize in general what it's like when you boil your brakes - or notice when they're fading until it's too late. Scares the sh*t out of me when instructing, I always make a point to ask the driver what they have for brakes and pads, then later ask them if they notice any difference (since the word "fade" often means nothing). That's one of my nightmares, sitting in the right seat and going off the first turn because the guy's car has no brakes and they wanted to go "real fast" on the main straight. :eek2:

Oil coolers and baffled pans are great for track use and extending the life of our precious B13 during track use. But one small thing which is I think the most important is what most forget about are BRAKES! It's great if you can go like snot down the straights, pull some good G's through the turns, but it sure sucks if ya can't stop.
Why should you care about brakes Joe? I hear that you never use them, only that big right pedal on the far right. :eek: .......:rofl:

Barring any issues with my DE motor or transmission, they are staying in place as is, until I have 1) properly installed guages, 2) my suspension finished, and 3) my brakes upgraded.

My motor should be good for a while, 177K and clean as a whistle under the valve cover. 3K mile oil changes religiously since brand new.

I don't have the skills to drive the car any faster right now anyways. Power is not the limiting factor in any sort of lap times, and a bolted-on DE moves the car plenty fast on my daily errands.

If all goes well, the VE will be the last upgrade.

You're right, other than occasionally checking rotor temps and changing pads, I don't think much about my brakes other than keeping them in good shape, and I forget not all B13's run 4-pot fronts and upgraded rears, I've never driven one with stock brakes. RR wasn't too hard on brakes compared to some tracks, but mine never faded a bit. I'm still impressed with Wilwood for the price, a little more flex than some more expensive calipers, but they work great, and not having to deal with ABS is a huge plus on the B13. Not quite Cup car level, but pretty good.

http://homepage.mac.com/stracy01/.Pictures/B13/IMG_5151.jpg

My other car runs 4-pot Brembos. I take it pretty much for granted they're always working great. The OEM pads would overheat but they're a distant memory. Both run crown lines and motul fluid, or just fresh regular fluid depending on what I have. I had Hawk HPS on B13, but not very happy with them, lack good initial bite and have 2 new sets of Ferodo's to try out. Rear I just run basic OEM replacements on Altima/Max calipers because I already have a little rear bias.

I don't think people realize in general what it's like when you boil your brakes - or notice when they're fading until it's too late. Scares the sh*t out of me when instructing, I always make a point to ask the driver what they have for brakes and pads, then later ask them if they notice any difference (since the word "fade" often means nothing). That's one of my nightmares, sitting in the right seat and going off the first turn because the guy's car has no brakes and they wanted to go "real fast" on the main straight. :eek2:
Nice brakes on both vehicles.

I am still pondering the "best" brake upgrade for my Classic. A primary mission Daily Driver that on occassion can double as a fun Track-Slut.

A) NX2K fronts, OEM rears, proper pads, SS lines, and fluid.

B) NX2K fronts, Maxima (BIB?) rears, Altima MC, proper pads, SS lines, and fluid.

Further than that gets damn expensive, and I beleive I would be into stupid-overkill for my specific uses and criteria.

Option-A should be biased correctly as is, I'd have to reSearch whether an NX master cylinder would be a good addition to that set-up. However, since it came like that (mostly) on the NX, it should be good to go.

Option-B has me wondering on brake-bias. How do I know if my brakes are proportioned correctly? Do I need a proportioning valve? Would I need an experienced track-guru to drive my car and fiddle with the proportioning valve to get it right? (Hmmmm....Geo lives in Kingwood just up the road....).

Again, how fast am I going to be on a track for the next several years? How much power and brakes do I need until I am a much better pilot? I need a lot more upgrading than the vehicle.

Hell, the only person who may actually require my brake upgrade will be Joe as he thrashes my Classic at Road America. :rofl:

Option B has your name all over it, and with the Altima MC, you bias should be on the money. For pads, I love Carbotech's. I was running Carbotech Bobcats (their street pads) at the convention, and have used them at other track days as well, with street tires. They're an excellent pad for a street driven car that'll do an occasional track day. When you make the move to track tires, you should upgrade to one of their track compounds. For an NA car, XP8's or XP10's will do the trick, and their track pads are compatible with their street pads using the same rotor, which saves you from swapping rotors at the track.

http://www.ctbrakes.com/pads/nissan.html

C

Option B has your name all over it, and with the Altima MC, you bias should be on the money. For pads, I love Carbotech's. I was running Carbotech Bobcats (their street pads) at the convention, and have used them at other track days as well, with street tires. They're an excellent pad for a street driven car that'll do an occasional track day. When you make the move to track tires, you should upgrade to one of their track compounds. For an NA car, XP8's or XP10's will do the trick, and their track pads are compatible with their street pads using the same rotor, which saves you from swapping rotors at the track.

http://www.ctbrakes.com/pads/nissan.html

C

i just bought a set of xp10's for my ad22's but did not get to put them on at RR cause I thought it was going to rain. I'm looking forward to using them and yes I did need them for that striaght away.