My DC5 track toy

[ChrisD.]

Just home. Car has some minor issues but nothing of great concern. Didn't crash, had fun. Here's a quick vid before I sort the rest out. Speedo isn't working because I had to disable the VSS in KManager (one of the minor issues).

Drive past at Adenau.

https://instagram.com/p/BSinwVaARBt/

Feel free to follow me on IG.

 

[ChrisD.]

Bit of a slow start as Kevin and I were waiting on our mate in the Spyder.

 

[ChrisD.]

On the GP circuit, it's whacky races on there! Not sure what was up with my hand positioning.

Slow lap as it was very bouncy and I had no confidence in the car.

Would have been better if I knew how to adjust the B16's properly. Lefty tighty, righty loosey, did not know till it was too late. No wonder my car had a lot of front end roll and felt bouncy on the 'Ring!

Few pics from Spa.

 

[ChrisD.]

Yes, loads, but always on stock suspension, never on coilovers. Going into Schwedenkreuz was horrendous as was going down the Fox Hole. I've never driven the 'ring and felt that scared before.

I did find out that my tyres needed more air and my dampers needed softening later on.

 

[ChrisD.]

Bilstein in their infinite wisdom have the damper adjustment as lefty tighty righty loosey. I'd done Donington, Brands, Spa, the GP circuit and 2 laps of the full 'ring before realising.

 

[ChrisD.]

Here you are: http://ross219uk.zenfolio.com/p848249072/h8744ea67#h8744ea67

There's a few more of you too.

Cheers, I've seen most of the photos from the usual suspects and I don't think I'll buy any this year, none of them stand out and they're the same sort of angles.

 

[ChrisD.]

I thought I'd write up a post Spa and 'Ring report since all I've done really is post videos and pics so far! I can't remember how much I put in here but in short the primary O2 sensor has been causing me grief. It originally came on when I bought the car so swapped it for a new one which has been fine till the Kaaz diff went in. Long story short, I've had to disable the primary sensors for now till I get a chance to get it to TGM for them to look at it properly.

Also while out on circuit at Spa, the speedo stopped working and the car went into limp home mode, which as you can imagine on circuit, was pretty naffing scary! I managed to limp it back to the pits and after removing the Mugen airbox Kevin mentioned to just disable the speed sensor on the KPro. I had luckily asked him to bring a Windows laptop, USB cable and KManager due to the O2 sensor playing up. After a few calls to the Simon at PA, I managed to get in and disable the sensor which gave me VTEC back albeit no speedo or reverse selection with the ignition on! #becauseracecar

The problems did not stop there! I seem to have inherited a fuel gauge issue where when it's below half a tank it lies, it'll go from fuel light on to just under half, then in between. Also the Clifford alarm keeps making noises! So I'm not sure if I have some electrical gremlins on some random faults that are just happening at once. Because it's a Honda and it still works (to an extent), plus with me being broke because I've bought a BMW, I'm going to Mimms with it in its current state. I figure if it can do many laps of the 'Ring and a days journey home it can do a day at Rockingham.

Once I've done Mimms I'll be leaving the car at TGM with a fix it and take my money attitude before deciding on the next track day. Oh and having driven Kevin's car I want his castor top mounts, but because things generally aren't easy with cars, I need new front springs to make them fit. On the 6 month old coilovers! Apart from that and slightly numb steering due to it toeing out at the front, the car behaved faultlessly and was a complete animal on track, moving a lot of nice machinery out of the way.

 

[ChrisD.]

Electrickery wise, did you replace the battery when you picked it up originally? Doesn't sound like battery but could be worth doing anyway - and check the earthing points too; I'm sure I remember a post many moons ago on the owners forums about someone having a dodgy speedo and some god awful earthing kit - stripped that off and it was fine after that...

Yes, a new battery was fitted. I'm sure TGM will find the problem.

Went to Mimms to drive around the track. Won't be going back to Mimms.

I do like Rockingham, 3rd time there I think. Bit odd as it's a left handed circuit and very hard on the right hand tyres.

Pretty happy with the performance once I got the tyre pressures sorted, the only car to go past me was my mate in a supercharged DC5. In some of the later sessions, I pretty much kept up with him (1-2 seconds a lap down or so).

Now need new front tyres, a decent clean and a trip to TGM to get the niggles sorted.

 

[ChrisD.]

Finally got the seat rail so fitted the Pole Position today. Love it.

When I fitted the seat is that I also took it to my local tyre place. Two of the AD08R's on the black wheels where at the legal limit, it seems Rockingham had finished them off. Plus they had blue lines on them from heat which made Karl and I laugh. I wanted to put the bronze wheels on with the RS-R's on. I have the equipment to change wheels over at home however with the steering feeling quite numb off centre I wanted the geo looking at.



Well I guess that explains why then. I couldn't test too much on the short journey home but it did feel much better. I then took the car down to TGM for a few things:

- Oil change
- Gearbox oil change
- Fix speed converter
- Investigate fuel sender

It's there now and I'll probably pick it up at the end of next week. On the drive down I noticed that the steering felt much better and far more alive off centre. I don't really have much throw away cash at the moment so once I know what the damage at TGM is I'll look at booking another track day.

 

[ChrisD.]

I don't think the Hunter kit has imports in it so they select what is closest. I always supply my own settings.

Cheers.

 

[ChrisD.]

Out of curiosity, why didn't you get TGM to set it up for you?

I don't see what difference it makes where I get it done provided the equipment is accurate. I know what measurements I want and as long as the guy doing the adjustment has steady hands it doesn't seem worth driving over 70 miles for an alignment when there's a perfectly good place 4 miles from my house. Any serious suspension work such as new top mounts etc I will of course use TGM or Performance Autoworks.

 

[ChrisD.]

It was more because you said that you'd taken the car straight to TGM after the alignment anyway

Ah, it probably wasn't very clear in my post. I had the alignment done a few weeks ago and took the car to TGM on a whim last weekend. I wasn't going to take it down till later on next month but plans changed.

 

[ChrisD.]

I've now got the car back and all is working as it should.

New engine oil in (10w-60 PETRONAS, it burned through the 0W-40 Mobil 1 in had in before), new gear oil (MTF with KAAZ additive), a new speed sensor for the gearbox and no fault found with the fuel sender. I've only driven it home so it's on half a tank now, I'll have to see how the gauge behaves. Tom said that by taking apart all the contacts it may cure it, we'll have to see.

Once I got it home I put the track wheels back on as I've sold the bronze Fighters. The bloody jack fell off the subframe, slight moment of panic as it was close to the sump. Turns out it's hit the bottom of the bracket that holds the front bar on that has the bonnet catch on so the bonnet wasn't shutting properly. Cue 14 stone later by me standing on it and it seems to have mostly fixed it.

 

[ChrisD.]

It's a Halfords one. The issue is the mounting point on the subframe is bent and I couldn't quite get the shoe under the right point, so my fault really. I need to get a new one anyway as the Halfords one is flimsy as anything.

 

[ChrisD.]

Had the car detailed today by Jimmer on the DC5 forum. He's starting out doing other people's cars after doing it as a hobby. Really pleased with the results! Also renewed the side decals as they were past their best.

Also cleared out and sorted the garage so I could fit the car in. I've been meaning to do it for ages because there's new houses going up so there's dust everywhere.

Fits nicely.

I've had the house two and a half years and the garage has always been full of junk so I'm proper chuffed with it.


As per my other thread I had an issue with the RBC throttle body adaptor which was sorted. Very productive day!