clubstylus

It's time to think about blowing the cobwebs from my competition head , to prepare me for sprinting this year I've enquired about general testing at Goodwood on Tuesday the 3rd of April. I bet it's up in cost again this year , we'll see what reply I get

I have a contact in the village who'd like to ride shotgun , hence the fitting of a better seat recently --- his wife has said '' please don't hurt him '' ----- can't think why she said that
He's in the medical profession so we'll both be fine

They wouldn't take my booking for the afternoon only session which is what I've done for the past 6yrs Obviously making too much money at the all day cost of £285 and there's no chance of me paying that .
I'll just have to wait a couple of months then maybe if all 25 car places aren't taken , they might like my measily £150

How much! You can have a full day on Barkston Heath sprint circuit for £89 (or about £35 once a year with the Robin Hood Owners club)

Bit of a treck up north for you though

CMA wrote:How much! You can have a full day on Barkston Heath sprint circuit for £89 (or about £35 once a year with the Robin Hood Owners club)

Bit of a treck up north for you though

Yep --- but it's not Goodwood though is it Unless you've been around it , it's hard to explain it's draw. Also it's where I mostly compete so testing there awakes my ageing brain from a 6 mths lay off , during which time I've chugged around in my 4 x 4 On top of that , I don't much like running alongside unknown levels of car control which is what you get on trackdays , as opposed to other competition drivers ---- 5 cars on track max and 105db's .
I can't meet most trackday rules of tax/tested/insured plus the 98 or 100db's

I can see the draw of Goodwood. Barkstone is a RAFMSA sprint circuit and only 1 car at a time. Thats the draw to me, no other idiots but me to crash. And its 105db static test. Check out http://www.javelintrackdays.co.uk

Personally I'd prefer Goodwood, but its way to far south for me and my passport

Still heard now't from Goodwood so it may well be my first drive of the car on the 21st April at Gurston hillclimb (2003 last time there )-------------------- bit scary for my first drive after 7 months layoff

i was thinking of doing that one rob. or at least going to watch ive booked the school there on the 8th of may so was going to do it to see what i learn at the school

flipper123 wrote:i was thinking of doing that one rob. or at least going to watch ive booked the school there on the 8th of may so was going to do it to see what i learn at the school

I did the school in 2000 , it's mainly the lines really unless you opt to upgrade your licence to a speed A , then you can take the exam on the same day which is quite easy really. I did manage to come off at '' ASHES '' and damage the bottom wishbone bumping across the rumble strip
There were around 25 cars on the day and apparently the marshals were having a sweepstake on which of two drivers would come off first (me in the Stylus or a guy in a Caterham -- we were both getting quicker each run) sadly it was me so I missed my last run and he got best improved pupil .
So will you be entering it then on the 21st April

stylussprinter wrote:They wouldn't take my booking for the afternoon only session which is what I've done for the past 6yrs Obviously making too much money at the all day cost of £285 and there's no chance of me paying that .
I'll just have to wait a couple of months then maybe if all 25 car places aren't taken , they might like my measily £150

I'm in now and at a reduced price of £130 for the pm session Spoke to Katie Wingfield direct -- perhaps that helped OR the fact I mentioned I've been on their April General test day since 2005

Yesterday's test was dry and warm unlike some other areas so conditions perfect. I'm using Millers Nanotech 5w40 as mentioned before on this forum. I can't quite believe it was simply the new oil , although they do claim more power for it ----- the car performed better than expected , clocking 92.6 sec's flying lap which I haven't managed since 2005 when Tim was testing the RT400 with me at Goodwood.
In an attempt to keep my medication down I've been biking 7 days a week since 0ct 2011 which has also lost me nearly 1/2 a stone around the ' middle ' I'm really puzzled about this performance so perhaps it was just a little of each This lap time was also with a passenger of 11 stone but was on the 2nd and 3rd lap over two sessions , so tyres were sticky by then --- either way , I'm very pleased.
Electrical gremlins reared their heads again at the end of the day , after 8 starts mostly hot engine. Didn't even turn the engine , simply nothing happened so I'm assuming the new switch I fitted between battery positive and the ECU has gone just like the previous one. Looks like I'll be finding out how to wire up relays , as advised by Mike Burke
There was a small vibration through the high speed corners (Fordwater 130mph according to my passenger)which I think is probably the diff nose nut loosening again. Also some gearbox oil drip once back in the pits but don't fancy taking the engine out yet again to put new seals in the box , if that is the cause

Apart from that it was a great day , being the 2nd quickest car on track including some awesome historic race cars , Aston , A35 , M1Escort Cosworth , 3lt Capri plus a hoard of racing Porsche's , one in particular following me two car lengths back for 3 laps before passing me just before Fordwater(it being the fastest car of the day)
There were single seaters , one of which we passed twice during one session also a Morgan and the Stars and Stripes Manta V8 Chevy driven by the ' son ' for his first time in the car.

That's it now , just need to sort those problems before Gurston on the 21st April

The switch from positive via the cut-off to ECU turned out to be ok so removed the starter and tried it on a spare battery ----- now't happened . I'll take it to Luke Motorsport on Tuesday for inspection (where I bought it new and just 5 miles away) A good look around today found gearbox oil splattered just about everywhere , from inside/outside the bell housing rearwards .
Gave it a clean up but hope it's using 3rd gear to 8000rpm that's the cause , no way is the engine coming out just yet
I've yet to check the diff nose bearing nut for the vibration noise but peeped in the oil catch tank to find about 1/2 pint of watery oil Dipstick's still showing 1/8 inch over max so obviously it doesn't like the normal overfill of 3/8ths inch when keeping it around 8000rpm through most corners , apart from Madgewick and Fordwater. I've always run it with this overfill since meeting and talking to Pete Mckewan/Raceline many years ago , when he said tuned FORDS like a slight overfill but Vauxalls and K series don't. Dunnell agrees.
If nothings going on in our social calendar tomorrow I'll have a look at the prop for movement --- if its got movement then it'll be off to tighten the diff nose bearing nut. I'm always concerned when tightening this nut that I don't tighten it behond the amount the crush washers can stand ---- bit of a guessing game
Once you remove the nut to clean the oil off and smear thread locker , the oil runs back over it from the diff

you dont need to take engine out to change box seals.
I've just done it

p.s. it involves cutting a BIG hole in you bell housing - if you're using the standard cast one, then this isn't a problem as there's plenty of strength in whats left.
You also have to cut out the box mounting plate and replace with something removable.
I can upload some pics if you're interested.
Alex

norma wrote:you dont need to take engine out to change box seals.
I've just done it

p.s. it involves cutting a BIG hole in you bell housing - if you're using the standard cast one, then this isn't a problem as there's plenty of strength in whats left.
You also have to cut out the box mounting plate and replace with something removable.
I can upload some pics if you're interested.
Alex

My bell housing is ally RS2000 M2 plus there's a hydraulic clutch mounted in there but send me the pics of your seal change method --- I'm intrigued

I'll get underneath and take some proper pics later. I managed to get the input shaft oil seal housing off by just sliding the box back down the chassis. re-sealed the cork gasket that holds the oil seal housing on to the box and also changed the oil seal. (no need to go to ford for a new seal - its a standard oil shaft seal, will get the info for you.)
I didn't change rear oil seal but presume its easier than the front?

I really have to give LUKEMOTORSPORT aka WOSP a big ' plug ' today . I've always found them good value and extremely helpful but I was expecting a fair amount to pay for sorting my geared starter which was bought from him 5yrs ago . He did it while I waited , replacing parts and wiring plus cleaning as he went. Apparently even when the starter isn't being used it suffers from vibration when very high rev's are envolved --- an inner sleeve moves around within it's housing , leading to wear which then allows the tube end to float. Once that happens , it projects further out than it's mean't to , so preventing a contact when the solenoid receives the positive ON .
Three quarters of an hour later it was all done and he wouldn't accept any charge for it Over the years various improvements have been made to cover incidents such as mine , on all new ones which mine now has This geared starter was £130 when I bought it so his service attitude is excellent and rare
Cheers Luke
Luke Wos , is entered at Snetterton this Saturday in his Corvette V8 monster so hope he goes well . He also is running at Croft , Spa and the Nurbering(however it's spelt ) in 2012