DC2 TypeR / E36 328i
So, the track day.
Up at 5:30 and out for 6:15am to be up at Teeside before briefing at 8am.
As the street was quiet, I took a quick pic of my two cars together for perhaps the first time I think
Anyway, got through the briefing etc and held off going on track for 30minutes or so. Let all the nutters get it out of their system I thought :lol:
So after checking all my fluid wheel nuts etc I headed out for my first lap. As I was coming down the pits ready to join, an RS6 flew past me. A good marker as any on a track like Teeside.. so I used him as a pace car for a bit.
The RS6 was bloody quick in a straight line, but on a small track like Teeside, he had no advantage on the DC2. I was a lot faster, and despite him knowing this, he wouldn't pull over to let me overtake. The car was all over the shop trying to shake the DC2 off. I've never seen an RS6 dance like that, imagine a fat lass after 10 pints of Stella, where the DC2 just stayed composed and smooth right on it's tail 8)
After 3 or so laps of being on his rear bumper and growing tired, I decided to take a cool down lap to let him get ahead enough of me that I could push into corners without fear of bumping him!
Anyway, half way through my cooling lap, I saw him in the wall. The circuit was red flagged and we all pulled into the pics. This was the result:
Go easy out there! Especially if you're trying to outrun a DC2 in a car as large as that on a tight track. The lad was gutted obviously, I can't see that being a cheap or easy fix.
Anyway, after the aftermath of that had settled I headed back out for some more laps with my mate in passenger. We had 4 or 5 very fast laps, passing a VX220 and an Ibiza Cupra. He was videoing on his camera with a wide angle lens, so when it's uploaded I'll post it.
Honda Integra DC2 by Kurt Blythman, on Flickr
Unfortunately then disaster struck. Pulling out of a tight right hander I felt severe wheel wobble, as if my wheel was about to drop off! I quickly pulled into the pits, and with a bit (lot) of help from various people we diagnosed the half shaft bearing was goosed. It had collapsed completely, and while in gear while lifted up was creating enough force to move the engine side to side slightly.
One of the lads got on the phone to a breaker in Bishop Auckland to see what he had, and we went across to pick up another shaft for a tenner. Got back and fitted the shaft for around 3pm.
Honda Integra DC2 by Kurt Blythman, on Flickr
Unfortunately, although the bearing was obviously much better, it wasn't perfect, and I still have a slight vibration when cornering hard while accelerating, any more track time would have been stupid - so I called it a day there.
Limped the car home (80 miles ish) staying off the motorways, took around 2 hours but the car made it fine.
All that said, I'm still very happy with how the car performed on those first couple of sessions. All the time, money and more money have 'paid' off - emotionally at least.
Now just to get that shaft replaced properly. £186 for a brand new Yunaka OE replacement, which is apparently uprated. Although a breaker has messaged me saying he has a mint one for £30. Always tempting when something is 1/6th of the cost used. Might be worth a punt! Can the bearing not just be replaced? Now that I have a spare shaft at least!
Dan
Up at 5:30 and out for 6:15am to be up at Teeside before briefing at 8am.
As the street was quiet, I took a quick pic of my two cars together for perhaps the first time I think
Anyway, got through the briefing etc and held off going on track for 30minutes or so. Let all the nutters get it out of their system I thought :lol:
So after checking all my fluid wheel nuts etc I headed out for my first lap. As I was coming down the pits ready to join, an RS6 flew past me. A good marker as any on a track like Teeside.. so I used him as a pace car for a bit.
The RS6 was bloody quick in a straight line, but on a small track like Teeside, he had no advantage on the DC2. I was a lot faster, and despite him knowing this, he wouldn't pull over to let me overtake. The car was all over the shop trying to shake the DC2 off. I've never seen an RS6 dance like that, imagine a fat lass after 10 pints of Stella, where the DC2 just stayed composed and smooth right on it's tail 8)
After 3 or so laps of being on his rear bumper and growing tired, I decided to take a cool down lap to let him get ahead enough of me that I could push into corners without fear of bumping him!
Anyway, half way through my cooling lap, I saw him in the wall. The circuit was red flagged and we all pulled into the pics. This was the result:
Go easy out there! Especially if you're trying to outrun a DC2 in a car as large as that on a tight track. The lad was gutted obviously, I can't see that being a cheap or easy fix.
Anyway, after the aftermath of that had settled I headed back out for some more laps with my mate in passenger. We had 4 or 5 very fast laps, passing a VX220 and an Ibiza Cupra. He was videoing on his camera with a wide angle lens, so when it's uploaded I'll post it.
Unfortunately then disaster struck. Pulling out of a tight right hander I felt severe wheel wobble, as if my wheel was about to drop off! I quickly pulled into the pits, and with a bit (lot) of help from various people we diagnosed the half shaft bearing was goosed. It had collapsed completely, and while in gear while lifted up was creating enough force to move the engine side to side slightly.
One of the lads got on the phone to a breaker in Bishop Auckland to see what he had, and we went across to pick up another shaft for a tenner. Got back and fitted the shaft for around 3pm.
Unfortunately, although the bearing was obviously much better, it wasn't perfect, and I still have a slight vibration when cornering hard while accelerating, any more track time would have been stupid - so I called it a day there.
Limped the car home (80 miles ish) staying off the motorways, took around 2 hours but the car made it fine.
All that said, I'm still very happy with how the car performed on those first couple of sessions. All the time, money and more money have 'paid' off - emotionally at least.
Now just to get that shaft replaced properly. £186 for a brand new Yunaka OE replacement, which is apparently uprated. Although a breaker has messaged me saying he has a mint one for £30. Always tempting when something is 1/6th of the cost used. Might be worth a punt! Can the bearing not just be replaced? Now that I have a spare shaft at least!
Dan
