2024 SCCA Time Trials Nationals

[Turbo6inKY]

Me again!

The SCCA TT Nats is this weekend! Taking the Buick this year, hoping for a great event. The car's never run better. We made a few reliability changes and put a new header system on it after the regional event back in May. We're on fresh tires, too.

The schedule is here:

TTNT PAGES - specific-events - TTN - EVENT SCHEDULE

timetrials.scca.com

As of right now, I'm in Group 6. Live timing and maybe even a live audio stream should be available at the same website somewhere. Poke around.

Spectating is FREE! All you have to do is sign the waiver at the gate. It's a good time. There's a lot of really cool hardware that shows up. For the second year, we're also running along with the Grassroots Motorsports Magazine Ultimate Track Car Challenge. This union is bringing the fastest time attack cars in the country to run with us this weekend. The weather is going to be spectacular, so expect records to be falling like dominoes.

We'll be getting to NCM about 7am Thursday and will be paddocked with the Kentucky Region. Look for the big collection of tents with the bar.

I am taking the cameras, so there should be video as the week goes along. How much I can edit and upload before getting back I have no idea, but I'll try.

 

[Turbo6inKY]

Entry list.

I'm in MAX 1. Along with some of the fastest people in the country. #NOTDFL is going to be an accomplishment.

SCCA Registration - Event Entry List

 

[jlat]

hello people: go get em and show some pics. good luck and have fun
IBBY

 

[outatime86]

GOOD LUCK!!

 

[N2BUICK]

Good luck for sure.
Not that I could attend, but no where does it say where the courses are?
I'm assuming there on the highway across from the corvette plant?

 

[Turbo6inKY]

Good luck for sure.
Not that I could attend, but no where does it say where the courses are?
I'm assuming there on the highway across from the corvette plant?

The track is indeed on the other side of I-65 opposite the museum and the plant.

 

[Turbo6inKY]

Well, we didn't suck.

Best lap of the weekend I got video of. There was one on Sunday a tenth faster, but I lost my GoPro while I was loading. I'm sure it'll turn up eventually.

This lap was a 2:33.330, which essentially matches my previous personal best during an Optima Event a few years ago. The big difference is I was on "regular" tires and not competition rubber, so that's pretty good.

Recap published here: Back from the 2024 SCCA Time Trials Nationals! | Things I work on

Thursday and Friday went really well. The passenger side rear axle seal started weeping and I had some play in the bearing. Couldn't fix it at the track so I wrapped the axle end in paper towels with zip ties to keep the fluid off the brakes. It worked.

Saturday and Sunday were frustrating. The car started yanking the intercooler out of the coupler with the turbo outlet. Turns out the mounting for a stretched SLIC just isn't sufficient. It only secures the intercooler in a fore/aft direction. The couplers with the uppipe and the turbo secure it laterally and vertically. Witness marks on the tanks tell me the pitman and idler arms are hitting it, too.

I also had a passenger side header bolt loosen up and the gasket burned through on my last session Sunday. Annoying, but we finished the event. It's already on the lift and I'll start tearing the front end apart tomorrow. Going to replace that gasket and the SLIC is coming out in favor of a front mount I can secure properly.

The coolest part was the fluid temperatures. Even after a full 15 minute session on Friday, the warmest day of the weekend, I was crossing the checkered flag with the oil in the mid 220s and the water under 190. Transmission was at 188. That's really, really good. In previous years I'd see the water a 240 and while I didn't have the transmission instrumented until a couple of years ago, I've melted the nylon pump support bushing in the past. Nylon melts just below 400. So I've pretty much got the cooling thing licked.

So, thanks for watching. I'm still working on a 1992 Corvette for these kinds of activities, but I don't think it'll be done in time for next year, so the Buick will probably make a few more time trials appearances.

 

[1986 Buick GX1]

There wasn’t nearly the tire screeching I thought there’d be.
I think you could have went faster. Lol
I’m curious what tread wear rating your “regular” tires have?
Do you anticipate a little turbo lag with the front mount?
It’s good to see the temps under control!!

 

[Turbo6inKY]

There wasn’t nearly the tire screeching I thought there’d be.
I think you could have went faster. Lol
I’m curious what tread wear rating your “regular” tires have?
Do you anticipate a little turbo lag with the front mount?
It’s good to see the temps under control!!

These tires growl instead of scream. You can hear it if your speakers are good enough. They're Continental ECS2s, 340 treadwear.

Lag with front mounts is largely a myth. Lag is a function of the turbocharger, not the plenum volume.

I do expect much lower intake temps, no more steering interference, the clamps staying put, and weighing slightly less. It does move the weight further out in front of the axle, but I think the other advantages will offset it. Like being able to finish an event without having sessions cut short due to clamps slipping off because the IC is flopping around.

 

[jlat]

hello: what did U do different to keep your temps down? Good job but some sound would of been nice.
IBBY

 

[outatime86]

Great Stuff! Thank you for sharing.

 

[1986 Buick GX1]

hello: what did U do different to keep your temps down? Good job but some sound would of been nice.
IBBY

He had the trans fluid and engine oil running through the radiator, it was heating up the coolant in the radiator.
He ran separate coolers for the engine oil and trans fluid that don’t run through the radiator. He has a power steering cooler as well.
With the separate coolers, they can be sized to match the cooling needs of the separate systems.

 

[1986 Buick GX1]

These tires growl instead of scream. You can hear it if your speakers are good enough. They're Continental ECS2s, 340 treadwear.

Lag with front mounts is largely a myth. Lag is a function of the turbocharger, not the plenum volume.

I do expect much lower intake temps, no more steering interference, the clamps staying put, and weighing slightly less. It does move the weight further out in front of the axle, but I think the other advantages will offset it. Like being able to finish an event without having sessions cut short due to clamps slipping off because the IC is flopping around.

I have the original Continental Contact Sports on my ‘94 Cutlass Convertible for summer tires. Fun tires!!

 

[dynoman]

Lag is a function of the turbocharger, not the plenum volume.

Loved the video , would be nice to see a run with competition tires on !
A Comp Hubless turbo would solve lag problems .

 

[Turbo6inKY]

He had the trans fluid and engine oil running through the radiator, it was heating up the coolant in the radiator.
He ran separate coolers for the engine oil and trans fluid that don’t run through the radiator. He has a power steering cooler as well.
With the separate coolers, they can be sized to match the cooling needs of the separate systems.

This is basically it. Take the coolers in the radiator out of the loop and replace with independent coolers for transmission and engine oil. On the transmission, make sure your lockup works and if you're running a standalone, use an aggressive lockup strategy. The heat all comes from converter slip. I'm locked up everywhere below 95% throttle. With that setting, it'll unlock and hit the stall for WOT downshifts to dig out of a corner, but once I'm settled a slight lift locks it up without really slowing me down.

 

[Turbo6inKY]

Loved the video , would be nice to see a run with competition tires on !
A Comp Hubless turbo would solve lag problems .

The "lag" you hear is waiting for the transmission to downshift. I ran all the sessions in OD, so it's upshifting to 4th on most throttle lifts. Getting back in it and depending on the corner it has to downshift two gears before it can flash the converter and spin the turbo back up.

I have a 5858 CAE ball bearing and if you're already in the right gear and mash it, it's instant and can be quite violent.

 

[jlat]

hello people: Do U keep the trans in drive or d U downshift.
IBBY

 

[Turbo6inKY]

Leave it in D or OD depending on the top speed on the track. Trying to shift manually in this environment is asking for trouble. Let the gearbox do the work.