MX184's Roadster Bodied Track Goblin #311 Log

[Stretch2126]

Couple of photos from last weekend.... Cooper check out Turtleshark Shooter on Facebook. He got some great photo of you.

Before anybody says anything, yea, we got reprimanded for my passenger holding his phone on this run. We probably should have known better.

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Thanks man I’ll have to check it out!

 

[Rttoys]

Woof. Ya. Big no no having the phone out. Cross arms and hold the harness. Like this

 

[MX184]

Here are a couple of runs and a spin from yesterday's autocross in Orlando. After watching the video I need to get Vitesse Throttle controller installed, the throttle delay was bad. The power steering needs to be reinstalled as well. I like the heavier wheel feeling but I'm fighting it too much to be smooth.

Third run:

Fourth run:

and sent it a little too hard:

 

[Desert Sasqwatch]

Looks like the second run was faster? You were definitely going into corners further before braking. Good stuff!

 

[MX184]

The second video was my best which was actually my fourth run. I didn't have the camera for the first two.

Thanks!

 

[Ross]

Looks like a lot of fun. Thanks for the videos.

The Vitesse Throttle controller claims it "removes the built-in delay on your electronic accelerator pedal."
Since the device only remaps the pedal potentiometer... there is no electronic built-in delay - only the delay it takes to move your foot an extra inch.

Try moving your seat forward an inch or two before an autocross race. It will make you more aggressive on the brake and accelerator pedals.
Learn to use the pedals you have more aggressively, and spend your money on tires. Just my 2 cents, but I am interested in other peoples opinions on these pedal re-mappers.

I think those pedal commander/throttle controllers/etc are just a waste of money. They actually can make you drive worse, as they reduce the effective movement of your throttle pedal, and leave the last half of the pedal at 100% throttle, so now you have less ability to control the throttle roll on.

 

[MX184]

Looks like a lot of fun. Thanks for the videos.

The Vitesse Throttle controller claims it "removes the built-in delay on your electronic accelerator pedal."
Since the device only remaps the pedal potentiometer... there is no electronic built-in delay - only the delay it takes to move your foot an extra inch.

Try moving your seat forward an inch or two before an autocross race. It will make you more agressive on the brake and accelerator pedals.
Learn to use the pedals you have more aggressively, and spend your money on tires. Just my 2 cents, but I am interested in other peoples opinions on these pedal re-mappers.

I think those pedal commander/throttle controllers/etc are just a waste of money. They actually can make you drive worse, as they reduce the effective movement of your throttle pedal, and leave the last half of the pedal at 100% throttle, so now you have less ability to control the throttle roll on.

Thanks for the insight. Right now I can stab the throttle to the floor and nearly have my foot completely back off the pedal before the engine responds. So I'm kinda at a loss of what to do about that.

Btw what tires do you use for autocross? I am looking at getting a second set of wheels and tires for these events.

 

[Ross]

If it is just autocross, then the American Racer or Hoosier A7.
If it is street and autocross, then Toyo R888R, Nankang AR-1 or Maxxis VICTRA RC-1.

As far as throttle response, I would start with checking your engine health. Have you checked your compression? Done the basic maintenance? If the engine running properly, then there are still things that can be done to get better throttle response: Lighter flywheel, remove counter balance shafts, run smaller 15" wheels and tires, remove AC compressor, anything to reduce rotating mass.

I drove for 3 months with a broken intake pressure sensor, and didn't know anything was wrong until I started tuning with HP Tuners. Then I saw the data the engine was using, and the intake pressure never changed. A $30 new sensor, and all of a sudden my engine was 50% more power. HP Tuners is available for 2007-2010 2.2L Cobalts, but not the 2005-2006 2.2L.

 

[MX184]

I did a full tune up on the motor before I pulled it from the donor and removed the ac system. I haven't opened it up yet but I'll look into the balance shaft delete mod when I do rebuild it. Thank you for the help!

 

[Rttoys]

I agree. Tires are the best investment for gains.

I’m not sure how the throttle thing will work, but with a base 2.2L and an auto, I'm sure you are fighting all the computers protection modes and the quirkiness of an auto trans. When you took off in the first vid, I was like “hit the gas man”, but then realized your set up, so it made sense.

less power isn’t a bad thing, though. I’d bet with some good tires, you’ll be able to pin it and send it a lot harder than others. I couldn’t tell from the vids, but I would also manually shift 1 to 2 and leave the shift lever there, so the trans doesn’t hunt for more gears.

 

[Stretch2126]

That spin was awesome welcome to the club lol. I have a good feeling that we’re gonna fly at Daytona next month.

 

[MX184]

If it is just autocross, then the American Racer or Hoosier A7.
If it is street and autocross, then Toyo R888R, Nankang AR-1 or Maxxis VICTRA RC-1.

As far as throttle response, I would start with checking your engine health. Have you checked your compression? Done the basic maintenance? If the engine running properly, then there are still things that can be done to get better throttle response: Lighter flywheel, remove counter balance shafts, run smaller 15" wheels and tires, remove AC compressor, anything to reduce rotating mass.

I drove for 3 months with a broken intake pressure sensor, and didn't know anything was wrong until I started tuning with HP Tuners. Then I saw the data the engine was using, and the intake pressure never changed. A $30 new sensor, and all of a sudden my engine was 50% more power. HP Tuners is available for 2007-2010 2.2L Cobalts, but not the 2005-2006 2.2L.

Lots of great info here thank you! I'm hesitant to go the HP Tuners route because I've heard from elsewhere in this forum the latest generation has issues. I'm used to racing two stroke motorcycles with instant throttle response so the throttle issue kinda high on my list of annoyances with the car currently. So I'm sure I'll have to dig into the computer at some point.

I agree. Tires are the best investment for gains.

I’m not sure how the throttle thing will work, but with a base 2.2L and an auto, I'm sure you are fighting all the computers protection modes and the quirkiness of an auto trans. When you took off in the first vid, I was like “hit the gas man”, but then realized your set up, so it made sense.

less power isn’t a bad thing, though. I’d bet with some good tires, you’ll be able to pin it and send it a lot harder than others. I couldn’t tell from the vids, but I would also manually shift 1 to 2 and leave the shift lever there, so the trans doesn’t hunt for more gears.

Speaking of computers, I'm currently finishing up wiring paddle shifters to manually shift the car. Using this. I'll be curious to see how it does at Daytona next month.

That spin was awesome welcome to the club lol. I have a good feeling that we’re gonna fly at Daytona next month.

I cant wait! Hopefully Paul makes it to that one too.


In other news, I was invited to run the car at a private track day at SEBRING!!!! Its in july and I'm required to have a full fire suit. So I guess I need to figure out how to build a cool shirt system so I don't pass out from the heat. Definitely a bucket list event though, so I'll figure something out.

 

[Chris_WNC]

That shifter looks interesting. I’m looking forward to seeing your experiences with it.

Throttle delay is very noticeable with mine too. Half second or more it seems. In park or neutral I can floor it and let up before the engine can react.

 

[Ross]

I wonder if it is the automatic transmission. I know the drag strip racers rely on transmission tuning.

 

[Rttoys]

With automatics, I would “power brake” off the line. I can’t tell from the videos if y’all are doing that. Hold the brake and give it some throttle. This builds pressure in the torque converter and trans making it ready to go. I’m not sure what rpm to power brake at, but since it’s basically a rolling start, a little would go a long way.

 

[MX184]

Updates: I tossed a quick wrap on the provided nose to hide the scratched gelcoat.... which I'll never do again lol. Chopped carbon over satin blue metallic, looks good in pictures and from probably 100' away in person.

The drag and drive event that I am currently signed up for requested that I either have a diaper or catch pan on the car. So I took the opportunity to whip up a non functioning (probably) diffuser and added a lip that fits just inside the subframe to catch any fluids the car may leak. I mocked it up in cardboard and took it up to my cousins fab shop in north carolina to have him help me out. Don't look at the welds too close but he cut everything out on a plasma table and welded up the stuff that had to be oil tight but everything else I tacked together....and I've never touched a welder before. I did make the tail of it extra long for two reasons, for a potential turbo intercooler like Justin Reeds, and for it to be long enough to stick out behind that body I have for the car.

I also started filing the paperwork to get the car tagged here in florida monday. Talk about stressful, but I do have an appointment to get the inspected on 4/27, wish me luck!

 

[Desert Sasqwatch]

Good luck!

The diffuser looks great!

 

[MX184]

Update: after two passes thru the inspection line and seven, yes seven hours spent at the DMV thursday it is now TAGGED!!!

Also took the car to Attacking the Clock racing to get a proper corner balance and race alignment. That helped a TON with the balance of the car. Turn in drastically improved and now IF the rear wants to come unglued I can easily catch it.

The Florida Goblins also converged recently on Daytona International Speedway for the SCCA's two day autocross held on the go-kart track inside the speedway. We had a couple of Exocets join in on the fun in our class as well and we put up a pretty good fight. Well, not me but the other goblins did.

That was a fun event with the autocross going on while SCCA club racing was happening on the big track all around us. It was a great time with a great crew of people.

Here is a video of my best run on Sunday.

I did not get a screenshot of Saturday's results but I was almost three seconds off the next guy. BUT Saturday afternoon they allowed us to make four fun runs each after the day's competition. That I promptly put to good use for the following day.

Sunday's Results:

Top two spots were the same car: a boosted Exocet on 275 slicks, then Coopers lnf Goblin on 245? Rt660s, then Sergio's n/a Exocet on 295 ar-1s, then my na 2.2 automatic on 225 r1r tires.

me:

Sergio's Exocet & Pauls LSJ on saturday:

Come the find out the Black Exocet lives a block over from myself and Paul here in Clearwater. Small world.

Now onto prepping for Carolina Drag Cruise! I leave next tuesday for some straight line fun!

 

[MX184]

Oh and I grabbed these guys off of FB marketplace for stupid cheap this weekend.

 

[Desert Sasqwatch]

Those Basset wheels are usually really light - like somewhere around 18lbs or less. Good find.