I run the Akebonos (from the G37S and 370Z Sport models) and love them. Granted I was running the tiny stock '03 brakes which are a joke IMHO. The Brembos are just so expensive I felt the Akebonos were a better deal. The downside (as mentioned above) is fitment and weight, they are huge and thus don't clear all 18" rims.

Keep the traction control on until you learn the car and course. Seen far too many people think they can "drift" there way out of slide only to stuff it into the barrier.

 

The hood has arrived Very light, around 5kg.

Next: need to change the fuilds - what do you guys recommend for a track:
1. Engine
2. Diff
3. Transmission
4. Power steering
5. Brakes - gonna be rbf 660

 

Are you sticking with the vlsd or did you get an aftermarket diff?

I'll leave the other info for guys who still have normal drivetrains.

 

I am getting OS Giken but not sure what other parts I need to install it. Stub axle, bearings, ...?
Adam from RCA is checking it.

But the oil change question is for the stock diff, it'll be some time before I install the aftermarket one.

 

Here's my fluid recommendations:

-Engine oil: Mobil 1 0-40
-Tranny: Redline MT85
-For a standard VLSD diff: Valvoline 75-90W synthetic
-PS fluid: Redline PS Fluid

 

I took my Z out to a local track for a whole day on Sunday - 7 sessions, 15-20 minutes each. I wanted to test the car in stock before I start building a proper track car and adding more mods.
My only mods so far are oil cooler, brake ducts + RBF660 and a lightweight hood, plus a bit of weight reduction at the front: removed the AC, windshield water tanks, central hood lock and horn. Toe -0,05F and +0,10R, camber about 1,3 all around.

The balance during cornering was great! I thought that this car would be understeering a lot but I found none of that. Handling was perfect. It is quite heavy though, I could definetely feel it, so did my left front wheel bearing which is now gone. But overall I was quite happy with the ride and the fact that there were no problems with the engine overheating, notchy gears, stock suspension, etc. I couldn't push too much becasue of street tires (P Zero), which were overheating after just a few laps.

Two issues though:
1. traction control was definitely still on after switching ESP off and I could feel it coming out of corners
2. I notice that after coming off the throtle, the revs stayed up for about a second before the engine started to break - is this normal in HR?! If not, what could be causing it?

 

Nice Photos! Looks like a good day.
You need to install a traction kill switch
https://my350z.com/forum/engine-driv...ed-button.html

 

Thanks. Yep, will be installing the killswitch for sure. Any ideas about the second issue anyone?

 

Not quite sure what you're asking: "I notice that after coming off the throttle, the revs stayed up for about a second before the engine started to break - is this normal in HR?! If not, what could be causing it?"

Not sure what you mean by "break" (do you mean brake)? Were you still in gear?

Normally, it doesn't make any difference what the revs are doing as you transition from throttle to full brakes. Once threshold braking has been released, my HR simply responds to my rev match as I heel-toe down to the gear needed to accelerate off the corner.

 

Yes, sorry, I meant engine braking. Normally it should start to slow down as soon as I lift off but in my car the revs stay up for like a second, as if I was still holdng the gas pedal, before they start going down and the engine will start braking the car.

Although I did not notice this to be a problem on track, I can imagine why in theory this could be a problem with balancing the car correctly when entering the corner and in the middle of it when balancing the throttle.

Might be a problem with throttle mapping, ecu and stuff? Don't know much about all this.
But it should definetely not be like that, right?

 

If you are stock then no, It could be delay in the drive by wire system, but I haven't experienced that at all on my HR or the LS.

 

Well, call me confused, but as soon as I transition from WOT to threshold braking, my eyes are already looking for the turn-in point and beyond. No time to check the tach at that point! But engine revs will dip slightly if you left it in gear, but will immediately sweep up as you rev-match for the downshift. If you're watching the tach at this point, you're doing something wrong...

 

Nothing to do with my driving mate. I'm not a noob. As I wrote, I actually wasn't even noticing it on the track, not even feeling it. I had noticed it while driving the car to the track and I certainly know that in theory this is a bad thing if you want to be balancing your car in corners with on/off throttle operation.

I think there is something wrong with how this is mapped in this drive-by-wire system, maybe... I will be diagnosing this properly soon.

 

Maybe some kind of tiny air leak?

 

Do you have a datalog of some kind so we can see what you are talking, it might help to diagnose a throttle issue.

 

My friend has a garage and can hook it up to his computer to diagnose it. What exactly should we be looking at in this log?

 

OOOH. Have you done a throttle reset?

Every time you pull the battery you're supposed to do it. It's in a sticky somewhere on here. Along with the pedal diagnostics.

 

I know on my daily driver 2007 Civic SI, the revs stay up longer on throttle blips for emission purposes to burn any extra fuel. I don't know if the 350z does this but it seems like it does on mine. I notice it in traffic. Specifically when I'm creeping along on the highway in a low gear during heavy traffic like 1st or 2nd. There is always lots of traffic in Chicago.

 

If he can datalog the right PIDs he should be able to see the throttle position sensor and pedal position.

 

Ok, thanks, we'll look into this when he's back from holidays.
Just ordered a copule of Timken hubs for the front.

A few pics of my only mods so far to allow a problem free testing of the stock car: cooooling!