Any Rennlisters from New Zealand?
05-06-2016, 09:13 AM
Yes, that's the plan thanks. John. I believe I'll see Neil out there but he reckons he may not race as his day is looking more packed than he expected. I've prepped BB2 down to everything but new race pads (transponder fitted even) just in case, and will take her down as far as Chris M's place so she's easier to collect if it does still work out for him. Otherwise I guess it still makes sense to have our second car on standby nearer the track during the meet, rather than left up in Auckland.
05-06-2016, 06:29 PM
Rennlist Member
Walt. I think I'm going to make you happy with my new daily driver. I have a Sept build (due to arrive Nov/Dec). There are 70 coming to NZ. It has drift mode and a handbrake especially for you :-). The 4WD will be good for Taupo winter mornings and the crisp air should make strong power. I wanted the most fun I can get with zero traffic and plenty of back roads on tap. I tried the Golf but it didn't excite me (Jos ordering one). It's new and cheap and has warranty so can be used on circuit for test days at Taupo or in a Targa Tour without worry. The more I read about it the more I'm looking forward to driving it. I think you will be able to buy Ford approved Mountune gear for it to raise the power and torque a fair bit (400/400lbft?). The cost of HP seems very cheap in Ford land!
Last edited by Macca; 05-06-2016 at 08:04 PM.
05-06-2016, 10:15 PM
Rennlist Member
That's a lot of machinery in NZ ....
05-07-2016, 01:22 AM
Addict
Rennlist Member
Rennlist Member
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Auckland, NZ
Posts: 2,085
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Nice choice Macca - that's a hell of a car by all accounts. Fun city!
On the replacement car front, I'm in the market for a Cayenne at the moment - pref an 09 diesel or similar (last of the early facelift model.) If anyone knows of one for sale in good condition and fair money let me know.
If anyone has owned one and has any comments good or bad I'd be keen to hear also.
05-07-2016, 03:02 AM
Walt. I think I'm going to make you happy with my new daily driver. I have a Sept build (due to arrive Nov/Dec). There are 70 coming to NZ. It has drift mode and a handbrake especially for you :-). The 4WD will be good for Taupo winter mornings and the crisp air should make strong power. I wanted the most fun I can get with zero traffic and plenty of back roads on tap. I tried the Golf but it didn't excite me (Jos ordering one). It's new and cheap and has warranty so can be used on circuit for test days at Taupo or in a Targa Tour without worry. The more I read about it the more I'm looking forward to driving it. I think you will be able to buy Ford approved Mountune gear for it to raise the power and torque a fair bit (400/400lbft?). The cost of HP seems very cheap in Ford land!
05-07-2016, 03:18 AM
Rennlist Member
Originally Posted by kiwi 911
Macca - have you set a date for moving back to kiwi land?
05-07-2016, 03:47 AM
Rennlist Member
05-07-2016, 04:42 AM
Team RSG, 2KCup Masters One Hour report
If any are wondering how it went at the Master's today, then giving the RSG Integras a shakedown before the 2KCup Dunlop 800 unfortunately seems to have been a better idea than I expected.
The Grinch qualified well, posting a time of 1:26.7, within a second of the breakout time for our class, though I wasnt to find that out until much later. But at the end of the session she shut off entering turn one, coming alive again when I pushed the starter. So I took it very easy on the cool down lap but entering and exiting the sweeper she did it again, and we coasted back into the pit lane, with me paying particular attention to the track exit chicane as the shutdown meant we'd lost power assistance for her steering and brakes.
Checks on electrical and fuel systems ensued, with help from some of the other teams too. Once we'd looked for shorts etc and tidied a few connections she restarted and we attempted a test drive. That finished within 70m though and I coasted her through the packed paddock to a parking spot at the bottom of the lane and called Johno, the semi-resident mechanic who said he'd take a look if I could tow her up to him. No sooner had he said that, than a tow truck pulled up and said "hey move your car, this spot is for towtrucks'. That was the duty truck for the track so he called one of the others and Johno checked her over. Cambelt OK, oil OK but even boosted off another car she wouldn't turn over and an attempt to turn her by hand led him to pronounce her bottom end seized. I asked him what we could do differently to reduce the chance of it happening . He asked how many Ks she'd done before saying that there wasn't really anything you could do to reduce the impact of age and track miles, especially under 2K Cup rules.
I then realised the time and that if Neil was still en route he might be able to bring BB2 down, both to let me start the race and to test her before the Dunlop 800. Neil had already just arrived but kindly shuttled me up to collect her from Chris's place.
As I got back to HD I got a text that 2K cup were only a race away from starting. So rapid fueling was followed by an attempt to replace the heavily worn front brake pads in F1 pitstop time so as to join the dummy grid. Not helped by them being hot. But between myself, Neil and also George from the 32 Intergra's team, we got that done and also the tyres let down to track starting pressures. Everything else - fluids, transponder etc I'd already done earlier in case Neil wanted her, though we did swap the transponder for the Grinch's one as time was short.
We missed the grid but managed to start from pitlane while the field was halfway into its first race lap. After negotiating the tricky art of warming the tyres while trying to catch up to a race field, we soon gained ground and managed to haul in a couple of back markers maybe 3 or 4 laps in. But that was the limit of the recovery effort as wisps of steam or smoke suddenly showed from the bonnet. Couldn't smell burning so limped her back slowly with my hazards on to find she'd blown coolant around under the bonnet. Neither Neil nor I could tell where it was coming from so we watched the race finish then filled her with hot water from a Zip to find that the coolant was pouring straight out of an 8mm threaded hole in the front of the block!
Checking on another Integra showed that a bolt with a bleed valve was supposed to live in that hole but had obviously been lost on track. Neil and I did the rounds of BB2 looking for such a bolt that could be spared but no joy, until George came to the rescue with one off an old spare jack of his.
Bolt in, coolant cleaned up, and Neil and I shuttled more hot water to finish refilling her. Turn her over, check level again, repeat then run up to temp. All good. Plus we sorted her radiator top mounts as they'd obviously been fitted upside down after her engine went in.
So one working car again but racing all over for the day after only 15 to 20 minutes on track and one not running. Before the coolant leak already, I had noticed that BB2 didn't seem as peppy as the Grinch had been earlier either, with BB2 shifting up later out of the turn 10 sweeper for instance. Borne out by laptimes with a best of 1:29 or so in the few laps we had before the coolant went, despite her still being warm from the drive down.
On tackling Allan, who swapped in her engine, he asked if VTEC was working properly. Hadn't thought to check that specifically but a few pulls since have me thinking that the usual VTEC kick is MIA. Happened to the Grinch once with John at Taupo so hopefully equally easily remedied. Now BB2 is back at John's, the Grinch is at Johno's garage at HD pending instructions (John is tempted to take a look when he gets a chance), and I'm home again - older, wiser and having done a fair bit less racing than expected when the alarm went off at 5 this morning.
Sorry guys. Chris knows how much effort went into preparing the cars (I'm almost on a first name basis with his stock now) but at least these issues didn't surface in the first few laps of the Dunlop 800 instead I guess.
The Grinch qualified well, posting a time of 1:26.7, within a second of the breakout time for our class, though I wasnt to find that out until much later. But at the end of the session she shut off entering turn one, coming alive again when I pushed the starter. So I took it very easy on the cool down lap but entering and exiting the sweeper she did it again, and we coasted back into the pit lane, with me paying particular attention to the track exit chicane as the shutdown meant we'd lost power assistance for her steering and brakes.
Checks on electrical and fuel systems ensued, with help from some of the other teams too. Once we'd looked for shorts etc and tidied a few connections she restarted and we attempted a test drive. That finished within 70m though and I coasted her through the packed paddock to a parking spot at the bottom of the lane and called Johno, the semi-resident mechanic who said he'd take a look if I could tow her up to him. No sooner had he said that, than a tow truck pulled up and said "hey move your car, this spot is for towtrucks'. That was the duty truck for the track so he called one of the others and Johno checked her over. Cambelt OK, oil OK but even boosted off another car she wouldn't turn over and an attempt to turn her by hand led him to pronounce her bottom end seized. I asked him what we could do differently to reduce the chance of it happening . He asked how many Ks she'd done before saying that there wasn't really anything you could do to reduce the impact of age and track miles, especially under 2K Cup rules.
I then realised the time and that if Neil was still en route he might be able to bring BB2 down, both to let me start the race and to test her before the Dunlop 800. Neil had already just arrived but kindly shuttled me up to collect her from Chris's place.
As I got back to HD I got a text that 2K cup were only a race away from starting. So rapid fueling was followed by an attempt to replace the heavily worn front brake pads in F1 pitstop time so as to join the dummy grid. Not helped by them being hot. But between myself, Neil and also George from the 32 Intergra's team, we got that done and also the tyres let down to track starting pressures. Everything else - fluids, transponder etc I'd already done earlier in case Neil wanted her, though we did swap the transponder for the Grinch's one as time was short.
We missed the grid but managed to start from pitlane while the field was halfway into its first race lap. After negotiating the tricky art of warming the tyres while trying to catch up to a race field, we soon gained ground and managed to haul in a couple of back markers maybe 3 or 4 laps in. But that was the limit of the recovery effort as wisps of steam or smoke suddenly showed from the bonnet. Couldn't smell burning so limped her back slowly with my hazards on to find she'd blown coolant around under the bonnet. Neither Neil nor I could tell where it was coming from so we watched the race finish then filled her with hot water from a Zip to find that the coolant was pouring straight out of an 8mm threaded hole in the front of the block!
Checking on another Integra showed that a bolt with a bleed valve was supposed to live in that hole but had obviously been lost on track. Neil and I did the rounds of BB2 looking for such a bolt that could be spared but no joy, until George came to the rescue with one off an old spare jack of his.
Bolt in, coolant cleaned up, and Neil and I shuttled more hot water to finish refilling her. Turn her over, check level again, repeat then run up to temp. All good. Plus we sorted her radiator top mounts as they'd obviously been fitted upside down after her engine went in.
So one working car again but racing all over for the day after only 15 to 20 minutes on track and one not running. Before the coolant leak already, I had noticed that BB2 didn't seem as peppy as the Grinch had been earlier either, with BB2 shifting up later out of the turn 10 sweeper for instance. Borne out by laptimes with a best of 1:29 or so in the few laps we had before the coolant went, despite her still being warm from the drive down.
On tackling Allan, who swapped in her engine, he asked if VTEC was working properly. Hadn't thought to check that specifically but a few pulls since have me thinking that the usual VTEC kick is MIA. Happened to the Grinch once with John at Taupo so hopefully equally easily remedied. Now BB2 is back at John's, the Grinch is at Johno's garage at HD pending instructions (John is tempted to take a look when he gets a chance), and I'm home again - older, wiser and having done a fair bit less racing than expected when the alarm went off at 5 this morning.
Sorry guys. Chris knows how much effort went into preparing the cars (I'm almost on a first name basis with his stock now) but at least these issues didn't surface in the first few laps of the Dunlop 800 instead I guess.
Last edited by 996tnz; 05-07-2016 at 07:23 AM. Reason: Laptime was 1:26.7
05-07-2016, 05:17 AM
Three Wheelin'
If any are wondering how it went at the Master's today, then giving the RSG Integras a shakedown before the 2KCup Dunlop 800 unfortunately seems to have been a better idea than I expected.
The Grinch qualified well, posting a time of 1:27.7, within a second of the breakout time for our class, though I wasnt to find that out until much later. But at the end of the session she shut off entering turn one, coming alive again when I pushed the starter. So I took it very easy on the cool down lap but entering and exiting the sweeper she did it again, and we coasted back into the pit lane, with me paying particular attention to the track exit chicane as the shutdown meant we'd lost power assistance for her steering and brakes.
Checks on electrical and fuel systems ensued, with help from some of the other teams too. Once we'd looked for shorts etc and tidied a few connections she restarted and we attempted a test drive. That finished within 70m though and I coasted her through the packed paddock to a parking spot at the bottom of the lane and called Johno, the semi-resident mechanic who said he'd take a look if I could tow her up to him. No sooner had he said that, than a tow truck pulled up and said "hey move your car, this spot is for towtrucks'. That was the duty truck for the track so he called one of the others and Johno checked her over. Cambelt OK, oil OK but even boosted off another car she wouldn't turn over and an attempt to turn her by hand led him to pronounce her bottom end seized. I asked him what we could do differently to reduce the chance of it happening . He asked how many Ks she'd done before saying that there wasn't really anything you could do to reduce the impact of age and track miles, especially under 2K Cup rules.
I then realised the time and that if Neil was still en route he might be able to bring BB2 down, both to let me start the race and to test her before the Dunlop 800. Neil had already just arrived but kindly shuttled me up to collect her from Chris's place.
As I got back to HD I got a text that 2K cup were only a race away from starting. So rapid fueling was followed by an attempt to replace the heavily worn front brake pads in F1 pitstop time so as to join the dummy grid. Not helped by them being hot. But between myself, Neil and also George from the 32 Intergra's team, we got that done and the also the tyres let down to track starting pressures. Everything else - fluids, transponder etc I'd already done earlier in case Neil wanted her, though we did swap the transponder for the Grinch's one as time was short.
We missed the grid but managed to start from pitlane while the field was halfway into its first race lap. After negotiating the tricky art of warming the tyres while trying to catch up to a race field, we soon gained ground and managed to haul in a couple of back markers maybe 3 or 4 laps in. But that was the limit of the recovery effort as wisps of steam or smoke suddenly showed from the bonnet. Couldn't smell burning so limped her back slowly with my hazards on to find she'd blown coolant around under the bonnet. Neither Neil nor I could tell where it was coming from so we watched the race finish then filled her with hot water from a Zip to find that the coolant was pouring straight out of an 8mm threaded hole in the front of the block!
Checking on another Integra showed that a bolt with a bleed valve was supposed to live in that hole but had obviously been lost on track. Neil and I did the rounds of BB2 looking for such a bolt that could be spared but no joy, until George came to the rescue with one off an old spare jack of his.
Bolt in, coolant cleaned up, and Neil and I shuttled more hot water to finish refilling her. Turn her over, check level again, repeat then run up to temp. All good. Plus we sorted her radiator top mounts as they'd obviously been fitted upside down after her engine went in.
So one working car again but racing all over for the day after only 15 to 20 minutes on track and one not running. Before the coolant leak already, I had noticed that BB2 didn't seem as peppy as the Grinch had been earlier either, with BB2 shifting up later out of the turn 10 sweeper for instance. Borne out by laptimes with a best of 1:29 or so in the few laps we had before the coolant went, despite her still being warm from the drive down.
On tackling Allan, who swapped in her engine, he asked if VTEC was working properly. Hadn't thought to check that specifically but a few pulls since have me thinking that the usual VTEC kick is MIA. Happened to the Grinch once with John at Taupo so hopefully equally easily remedied. Now BB2 is back at John's, the Grinch is at Johno's garage at HD pending instructions (John is tempted to take a look when he gets a chance), and I'm home again - older, wiser and having done a fair bit less racing than expected when the alarm went off at 5 this morning.
Sorry guys. Chris knows how much effort went into preparing the cars (I'm almost on a first name basis with his stock now) but at least these issues didn't surface in the first few laps of the Dunlop 800 instead I guess.
The Grinch qualified well, posting a time of 1:27.7, within a second of the breakout time for our class, though I wasnt to find that out until much later. But at the end of the session she shut off entering turn one, coming alive again when I pushed the starter. So I took it very easy on the cool down lap but entering and exiting the sweeper she did it again, and we coasted back into the pit lane, with me paying particular attention to the track exit chicane as the shutdown meant we'd lost power assistance for her steering and brakes.
Checks on electrical and fuel systems ensued, with help from some of the other teams too. Once we'd looked for shorts etc and tidied a few connections she restarted and we attempted a test drive. That finished within 70m though and I coasted her through the packed paddock to a parking spot at the bottom of the lane and called Johno, the semi-resident mechanic who said he'd take a look if I could tow her up to him. No sooner had he said that, than a tow truck pulled up and said "hey move your car, this spot is for towtrucks'. That was the duty truck for the track so he called one of the others and Johno checked her over. Cambelt OK, oil OK but even boosted off another car she wouldn't turn over and an attempt to turn her by hand led him to pronounce her bottom end seized. I asked him what we could do differently to reduce the chance of it happening . He asked how many Ks she'd done before saying that there wasn't really anything you could do to reduce the impact of age and track miles, especially under 2K Cup rules.
I then realised the time and that if Neil was still en route he might be able to bring BB2 down, both to let me start the race and to test her before the Dunlop 800. Neil had already just arrived but kindly shuttled me up to collect her from Chris's place.
As I got back to HD I got a text that 2K cup were only a race away from starting. So rapid fueling was followed by an attempt to replace the heavily worn front brake pads in F1 pitstop time so as to join the dummy grid. Not helped by them being hot. But between myself, Neil and also George from the 32 Intergra's team, we got that done and the also the tyres let down to track starting pressures. Everything else - fluids, transponder etc I'd already done earlier in case Neil wanted her, though we did swap the transponder for the Grinch's one as time was short.
We missed the grid but managed to start from pitlane while the field was halfway into its first race lap. After negotiating the tricky art of warming the tyres while trying to catch up to a race field, we soon gained ground and managed to haul in a couple of back markers maybe 3 or 4 laps in. But that was the limit of the recovery effort as wisps of steam or smoke suddenly showed from the bonnet. Couldn't smell burning so limped her back slowly with my hazards on to find she'd blown coolant around under the bonnet. Neither Neil nor I could tell where it was coming from so we watched the race finish then filled her with hot water from a Zip to find that the coolant was pouring straight out of an 8mm threaded hole in the front of the block!
Checking on another Integra showed that a bolt with a bleed valve was supposed to live in that hole but had obviously been lost on track. Neil and I did the rounds of BB2 looking for such a bolt that could be spared but no joy, until George came to the rescue with one off an old spare jack of his.
Bolt in, coolant cleaned up, and Neil and I shuttled more hot water to finish refilling her. Turn her over, check level again, repeat then run up to temp. All good. Plus we sorted her radiator top mounts as they'd obviously been fitted upside down after her engine went in.
So one working car again but racing all over for the day after only 15 to 20 minutes on track and one not running. Before the coolant leak already, I had noticed that BB2 didn't seem as peppy as the Grinch had been earlier either, with BB2 shifting up later out of the turn 10 sweeper for instance. Borne out by laptimes with a best of 1:29 or so in the few laps we had before the coolant went, despite her still being warm from the drive down.
On tackling Allan, who swapped in her engine, he asked if VTEC was working properly. Hadn't thought to check that specifically but a few pulls since have me thinking that the usual VTEC kick is MIA. Happened to the Grinch once with John at Taupo so hopefully equally easily remedied. Now BB2 is back at John's, the Grinch is at Johno's garage at HD pending instructions (John is tempted to take a look when he gets a chance), and I'm home again - older, wiser and having done a fair bit less racing than expected when the alarm went off at 5 this morning.
Sorry guys. Chris knows how much effort went into preparing the cars (I'm almost on a first name basis with his stock now) but at least these issues didn't surface in the first few laps of the Dunlop 800 instead I guess.
05-07-2016, 05:22 AM
Three Wheelin'
I just picked up a new DD today too Macca. Won't post a pic here but you know - 365hp rwd, coupe, 3 litre turbo, DCT, and one additional piece of kit - adjustable shocks. 12 click bump and 16 click rebound and lowered about 12 mm
05-07-2016, 06:13 AM
Rennlist Member
A good change to use my engine crane and stand Walter. There's always a silver lining.
Macca, that's a new rule and a good one. Beats waiting out a six month period before returning.
Macca, that's a new rule and a good one. Beats waiting out a six month period before returning.