CaterPillar's AutoHome

Results: SCCA: http://www.autox4u.com/results/nnjr-scca-results-3-25-2017/ MSNE: https://axwaresystems.com/axorm/files/MotorSportsNE/2017%2003%2028%20a-x_fin.htm Sat with SCCA was warm, 14 Celsius. Sun with MSNE was really cold, almost freezing. Here comes the summary of feeling: 1. RE71r is so good. I could feel huge difference compared with other all-season tires. 2. The car had no more terrible understeer as last year. Most of the time it was oversteering. 3. With the quick transition left right left, the back end was kinda loose (rear sway bar). Videos (SCCA): Me + Jeff (Instructor) My fatest (after being instucted) Videos (MSNE): Power steering Me + Taldi(Instructor) + Me again Things to improve: 1. Look ahead (my first MSNE run almost missed a cone) 2. Keep pushing the car to its limit.   Carry more speed into the turns. I need to drive faster at slaloms, and at sweepers. Try more throttle and don't be afraid of s...

This was the first 2017 event! Other clubs like NNJR SCCA and FCSCC events were all cancelled but glad that PCA of MetroNY was still doing the event! (This was my 5th event so far, last year I did four.) The setup I had on the car was: - Tires: Nankang NS-20 (fronts are fine, rears are almost done) - Camber: -2.6 front, -2.0 rear - Stock rear sway bar And it was freezing cold that day, especially in the morning, 0 degrees! This resulted in a lot of sideways at my first two runs. Even if I didn't hit gas, due to my rear sway bar, big front camber and cold, the rear end just slided out quite often. You could check this out: Autocross MetroNY_PCA_031917_Run1&2 (Slippery runs) When it was noon I did better cuz the car just listened to me more. Autocross MetroNY_PCA_031917_Run9&10 (better and fastest run #10) Though this was just a warm-up and the weather was so cold, I could still some of my mistakes: 1. Snap oversteer (it was cold though!):  https://y...

When I went to Steve last time for the alignment, he found that my passenger rear tire was 28psi, way below 32psi I set months ago. I did not drive the car a lot since then so I thought it might be leaking somewhere. I did a search on the tire tread and found this: I was still not sure if it was due to this nail. I used some dish cleaner plus water and sprayed it on the whole tire surface. Only this spot was bubbling! Then I wanted to fix this on my own. I bought the repair kit: A plier and the plug kit! The process was 'easy': first get the nail out, then use the rasp to clean the inner of the hole and then use the plug to put that plastic stuff in! Pull it out rapidly and we are done! Rubber cement could be applied to the rasp and the plug for lubricating and better seal. Well it was not that easy at all. It definitely doesn't need some professional knowledge of the car or parts. Just brute force needed! I literally used all my body weight on t...

What does exhaust system do? First let's check out components of the exhaust system: (main components on a NA 4-stroke engine) Header (exhaust manifold): helps manipulate and guide exhaust through the manifold and comes to the pipe at a uniform preset velocity Catalytic converter: triggers chemical reaction to save the environment Resonator: creates waves to compromise certain freq band of the noise Muffler: literally muffles the car O2 sensor: monitors the air-fuel ratio, works along with ECU (plugged into the cat) Tailpipe (with tip): carries out the exhaust at the very last step Maybe it's crystal clear now what the exhaust system does, have you ever asked yourself the following questions: 1. What's the temperature around the exhaust? (or the exhaust gas?) 2. What is backpressure? 3. Are bigger exhaust pipes (larger in diameter) better? 4. What if I run the vehicle without the exhaust? (or open header?) Below is a concise list of answers for th...

Yes I am doing this once again. It's been only 2700 miles since last alignment. I went to Steve's garage and asked for max front camber, and some less rear camber, plus a little bit of rear toe. Max front camber could help me turn in better, reducing understeer a lot simply because oversteer could be corrected and I am happier with more oversteer than understeer. Check this out: And also note that Steve said the caster couldn't go any higher cuz it's all rusted and can't be moved. In order to adjust it larger I have to order a new set of control arms.. In addition, after looking at the exhaust he said it could be flowmaster exhaust (with US patent on it) and it was almost time to change it. Under high pressure it could crack and break when you are on gas WOT. Can't wait for the season to kick off! 3/8/17

Finally I decided to get my lip installed. I tried to install it myself, but when I put it on it had bad fitment. Adhesive and other tricks needed. After calling Rockstar Garage, I took it to K2 Auto Body for the installation. They said they heated the bumper up to like 150 degrees, flexing both the bumper and the lip. However, it was still pretty hard to fit onto the bumper without some trimming. Since the lip was already painted by RSG, they ended up using some adhesive (like plastic) to hang it on the bumper. Both sides and middle section were applied with this adhesive and held firm there. Also they put two bolts on the bottom tabs on the lip, to the bottom of the bumper.  There is still like 1/4 of a inch gap besides the middle section. It's kinda inevitable though. Here's what the car looks like after the installation: Looks nice so I am good with this hack :) 3/6/17