New guy checkin' things out

Hi all, I have been using my '92 Eagle Talon for auto-X and track days for a couple years and now find myself with a few rather intense topics of interest:

The loose nut behind the wheel: Lets face it, I suck so bad I don't even know what to ask...maybe there's a good on teaching yourself how to drive?

Heat management: My car has a turbo and therefore way too much heat loiters around the engine bay...I'll share my setup so far in another post so nobody ends up giving advice that has already been taken.

Suspension: Does anyone know where to send shocks to get them dynoed? Any good books on suspension?

How to improve your driving: Rule one, invite one of the fast guys at your next autocross to ride with you. Ask him many questions. Rule two, don't drive harder, drive smoother.

Heat management:

You could do this ....

Also, I'm looking at your aero setup and I have to say, I'm confused as to what you're trying to do.

I'm not sure where your intercooler is, but if it's front mounted you could put it back in the original side position to free up more airflow.

You could also get an aluminum radiator. My 90 Talon had heat issues too.

Suspension: http://www.motoiq.com/MagazineArticles/tabid/59/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/1424/The-Ultimate-guide-to-Suspension-and-Handling-Part-1-Wheels-and-Tires.aspx This is a decent start.

From experience with your vehicle style, I would recommend eliminating the passive rear steer bushings in the rear suspension, running a HUGE rear sway bar and disconnecting the front bar. Don't lower it very much either, because the 1st gen DSM's have very little wheel travel in the front.

Bad advice coming from me (I'm horrible at autocross) but you may want to consider learning in a much slower car...

Power masks the effects of (and therefore encoruages the development of) bad habits.

Plus I've never understood how folks autocross turbos to start with... huge torque surges just when you should be on the very edge of traction to start with... extremely impressed by those who can do it!

Bill

My suspesion so far:

Koni yellows Ground Control coilovers, ST rear sway bar, front strut tower bar, Stainless braided brake lines, TCE big brakes, 17x9 Team Racing Dynamics wheels, 255-45-17 NT-01 tires, rear trailing arms with active toe welded out, RRE camber/caster plates, All the poly bushings I could get my paws on, Custom rear subframe bushings, Custom roll center correction.

In post 83 in the following link, you'll see pics of the roll center correction I did to the front of my car: http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/road-course-autocross/313386-aftermarket-ball-joints-change-roll-center-3.html#post151931685

As for cooling, I welded .090 aluminum ducting directly to a Dejon big SMIC...that's what you see on the right corner of my car in the pic I posted.

The other side has a ducted oil cooler and for the center, very deep ducting to a Fluidyne radiator in lousy condition.

666csi wrote: a Fluidyne radiator in lousy condition.

I may have located your cooling problem.

BTW, when you're autocrossing, how often do you bottom out the front?

I had a similar suspension setup on my DSM and it seemed to like trail braking. Teasing the rear end out a little bit let me get on the gas earlier and kept the car neutral through the sweepers. I'm sure you're aware by now how easy it is to correct a slide in one of those.

That said, if your big brake kit has too much front bias, you probably can't trail brake anymore. I had NA 3000GT calipers in the front and stock rotors.

I have semi-metallic pads in the back now, they seem to have enough bite to cure any bias issues. Trail braking now rotates the car predictably.

I only bottom the splitter trying to get in or out of gas stations.

i like your screen name, i didnt know bmw made a 6.6 litre

Heh, they don't, but I have a very pretty '84 633csi that inspired my screen name.

Herb Adams' book (can't remember the title) is a good place to start.

I see a lot of big ducts shoving air IN.....how does it get OUT?

The CF hood has an outlet just above the exhaust maifold, though I daresay it's a bit too small. Perhaps it's time to get an EVO style hood.