Wauw, it has been over a year that i wrote something about the “hate generator” here.
That doesn’t mean progress has been slow, well yeah maybe it was/is but murphy sometimes intervenes.
Anyway, I’ll do my best to make a recap between the 2 Mettet trackdays, which seems to become a yearly recurring day 🙂
Spa in November
So yeah, i did Spa Francorchamps, in November so that means a most likely wet track.
it was 🙂
While the track itself is great, my car wasnt.
Steering was very twitchy and she didn’t want to go straight.
It appeared that one of the inner tie-rod ends came loose! That feeling never shook me during the day, we tried to improve the alignment but we never got the car right again. too was kind of a pity. we could improve the car but i never got confidence in it.
Nevertheless it was an amazing day.
and yes, i still finished the day with clutch problems.
Horsepower gains
Fast forward to April 2023, At the trackday in Spa we felt the need for more power. Me as a driver got to a point that I was feeling faster then the car could go. The previous 2 years it was the otherway around, the car was faster then the driver.
So we booked a remapping session at KC Performance to get a bit more “Powah” from this tiny little stock SAAB turbo.
Again a morning with mixed results, it never boosted more then 0,6bar. (expecting 1bar)
So yes, sad it isnt making the power i was hoping for;
So yes, happy that we have more power and we know what power it is making now. (still not much but it is a start)
Still happy with the improvement over the stock 150hp / 220Nm.
The engine picks up now, very different to drive now.
Airflow management (attempt to manage it)
In earlier posts you can read and see about my cooling tray.
Now it was time to finish up my cooling concept by guiding the hot air out of the bonnet… so that darn hole in my bonnet got a function. We did this by shielding the hot side of the radiator with alloy sheet up to the bonnet.
It makes the engine bay look massively complex too!
Getting a grip
In May of 2023 my employer gifted me a set of brand new slicks because i work 10 years for him. From this point I always drove on Semi slicks or 2nd hand slicks. Even 2nd hand slicks are faster then semi’s 😉 Last year at Mettet i did a run on my old slicks and it completely changed the car, far more easier to drive and much more grip… that experience i had again with the new slicks.
Right from the 1st corner on track you know it is something different, it is amazing and at the same time very bad.
You are now ruined as you know how bonkers fast you can go now, there is no going back now 🙂
Obvious it needed white rims, fast racecars have white rims!
And yes, i choose the 210 wide tires… with only 170hp it would take ages to get the 240wide ones up to temperature.
I already had trouble getting these up to temperature which means i need to push even harder.
I know i can brake a LOT later but i get oil pressure problems under heavy braking, cornering speeds needs to go up also and that in turn gives me a bit of feeling i need stiffer damping/springs… i need to think about it (and experience it)
Mettet 2023
Yup, i went back to track that i graded so “low” last year.
Went back for the price, full trackdays in Holland are way too expensive, it is nice for Zandvoort to have their F1 party and all… but trackdays for a full day have become €700 euros, no thanks. Making the trip to Mettet and back home is still cheaper then Zandvoort.
Also I had good reasons to go there, let’s see if feel a difference in the car (some changes to last year) and in tires.
Well that was quite the difference!
Also, the car is not ready for that kind of speed!
Watertemps got up to 120’C after 25min of hard driving;
Oilpressure drops under braking & cornering with new slicks;
cabintemps gets a bit hot;
Oil leak gets embarrassing;
So yeah, got some stuff to sort out again.
Main focus will be on making an baffle plate in the oilpan.
Lets get back to work and see you next time. (oh and i booked a trackday on Spa in November again!)