Engine Maintenance Checklist for a Track Car - TB/WP due soon

[RYU]

I don't track the car as much as i'd like but I'm hitting the 6yr mark on my TB regardless. I'm budgeting to service that this winter. Can you help me think through what else I should change while I'm in there?

Here's a list of items I'll be doing.
* TB/WP
* New Dali Billet Oil Gear
* Considering an upgrade of the Pulley Damper
* Anything else?

Unrelated items on the to-do list anyway.
* Valve Adjustment
* Valve Cover Gasket
* Spool Valve and Vtec Solenoid Gaskets
* Cam Plugs
* Ceramic Coat Headers
* New CTSC Belt

Already done.
* Baffled oil pan
* Oil Cooler (going in this year)
* TiDave's Pulley Damper Shield

 

[docjohn]

any front brake cooling? Otherwise your list sounds very complete.Be curious to see if you feel your blower become less effective as heat builds up..or sinks in depending on your personality.

 

[RYU]

Brake Ducts - Check!

Last year I use to feel the heat from the blower [sink in] (per my personality lol) but i've been experimenting with water injection with much success. The power is very consistent now. Working on the final touches on the radiator design and once complete I should be able to "track" this car all year round.

I'm trying to think of there are any other fittings (or the type) I should get installed while the car is down but I can't think of anything else.

 

[docjohn]

how is your foot work with the oem pedals?

 

[Coz]

Are you doing it motor in or motor out ?

Motor out:
Do you have the after market LMA's ?...would be a great time to install them if you don't. Requires the cam caps and cams removed along with the rocker and shafts, and since your doing the valve adjustment, thats the best time to do it since your doing the cam plugs, motor out.

Crank Position Sensor
All new hoses (Motor)
Timing cover gaskets, if needed
Plugs

 

[RYU]

how is your foot work with the oem pedals?

Mounting issues with my own personal maintenance and improvement schedule is a novel waiting to be written.

In terms of footwork, i'm comfortable with heel/toe but my actions are a bit deliberate and could be smoother since i'm trying to save my tranny. I grenaded one last year which cut my season short.

My goal this year is to cut 4 secs from my last personal best lap time at Streets of Willow. I've already cut it down by 2 secs in July so 2 more secs to go. Granted previous best were in a car that never felt quite sorted which occupied a lot of my concentration worrying about this or that exploding.

I believe my car has a 1:25 in it at that track going CW. My last fastest was 1:29:xx. If i'm able to cut another 2 secs off this year i'll be ecstatic. It may take me a few years and more safety equipment to fully get to 1:25. illWillem does the track now at 1:23. He probably has a 1:21-22 or better with his new insane setup.

- - - Updated - - -

Are you doing it motor in or motor out ?

Motor out:
Do you have the after market LMA's ?...would be a great time to install them if you don't. Requires the cam caps and cams removed and since your doing the valve adjustment, thats the best time to do it since your doing the cam plugs, motor out.

Crank Position Sensor
All new hoses (Motor)
Timing cover gaskets, if needed
Plugs

Awesome Jim! Did not consider the LMAs but thanks for the reminder.

I'll look to your advice on Motor In or Out next time we chat. I think it all depends on the cost difference in labor. Last time Jon Martin had the motor out it cost a small fortune lol

 

[Coz]

The problem you'll have replacing the IMA's with the motor in is sliding the rocker shaft's out.
It can be done, but it's a PIA.
Everything is a PIA with the motor in, LOL.

 

[illwillem]

Dude, you've totally got a 1:25 the majority of that time is going to be gained with sticker rubber and noodling your alignment specs, the rear beam bushing were specifically important on Streets for me too. Sounds like you've got a solid list going. 25 is well within reach. Aero will be the next big step but for a track like streets its pretty useless. I ran a 1:25:5 with NSX-R alignment, zero motor mods, no aero, no rear beam bushings on Azenis rt615k I bet you around november on a cold morning session you'll easily drop to a 27 with your set up exactly how it is now. Im going to throw in my other seat we'll take some laps around, once the line 'clicks' for you you'll be right there giving me a run for the money.

 

[docjohn]

the encouragement above is good for at least another second:smile:

 

[nsxtasy]

All new hoses (Motor)

Yes, this is a good time to do the cooling system hoses - the two big ones at a minimum, and all 20+ of them if you want to play it safe.

 

[Coz]

Actually it is the best time to also do all the small hoses on the motor, water and oil, since they are the hardest to get to as well.
Motor out makes them all easy to change.
Great advise Ken

Another set of hoses that gets over looked and very important is the heater hoses under the front hood. Out of sight and out of mind, but if they go, you could be stranded and even worse, loose all the coolant in the system.

Yes, this is a good time to do the cooling system hoses - the two big ones at a minimum, and all 20+ of them if you want to play it safe.

 

[nsxtasy]

In addition to being easy to change the cooling system hoses at this time, you're already flushing the coolant with the water pump replacement, so it's a good time for that reason too! Also the interval is sufficiently long (the recommended interval for the timing belt is 90K miles or 6 years) so you can use it as an appropriate interval for the hoses too.

 

[Coz]

Part of any 90 or TB should include all flushes of cooling, clutch, gearbox and brake fluids.
First thing that's done in a motor out service is draining the cooling, oil and gearbox fluids before the motor and cradle get dropped
I did 2 90k motor out TB Services last month

...and don't forget the tunnel hoses too Regan
(Those F-er's cost me a motor several years ago)

In addition to being easy to change the cooling system hoses at this time, you're already flushing the coolant with the water pump replacement, so it's a good time for that reason too! Also the interval is sufficiently long (the recommended interval for the timing belt is 90K miles or 6 years) so you can use it as an appropriate interval for the hoses too.

 

[RYU]

Thanks for all the feedback guys. I'm trying to not fall into the money pit of replacing everything again. So my Super Blue brake fluid is 2yrs old. I've driven this car about 5k miles in the last 2yrs.

I have maybe 25k (not 90k) on this TB/WP. I have also 25k on the hoses (all of them). My clutch is 4k miles old. I'm really just using the age (6yrs) criteria to swap my TB but to be honest, I really just want to change my oil gear before it explodes. I also have oil leaks around my valve cover. I also suspect i'm overdue for a valve adjustment (this I know I need to do). Coolant is much too new from swapping 2 radiators now.

The hoses... I might do them just because "we're in there already" but they sure look and feel quite new still. Does anyone know if an entire set of silicon hoses are available? Are they any good?

 

[Mac Attack]

I'd just change the TB and oil pump gear then. Leave the WP and hoses alone. Do the valve adjustment, LMAs and seals with the cams in the car.

Is there a way to flush out the oil cooler on the coolant side? Send it to be ultrasonically cleaned while you have it off? I may check into that too.

Even though you have the dampener shield, I would either buy a new OEM one or get the ATI. The purpose is to dampen crankshaft torsional harmonics. If you have the original OEM one, the vulcanized rubber is probably hardened and degraded. A new one would be good, especially since you're tracking it.

Maybe consider the locking TB tensioner too. Instead of spending $100, make your own!

Dave

 

[ALwAyS4SaLe]

Any reason you are using the Dali gear instead of the SOS gear?

 

[nsxtasy]

I'm trying to not fall into the money pit of replacing everything again. So my Super Blue brake fluid is 2yrs old.

Then change it. Especially if you're taking it out on the track. You really don't want to go out on the track with two-year-old brake fluid.

You might want to consider a brake fluid with a higher boiling point, such as Motul RBF 660 (dry boiling point 617F) or Motul RBF 600 (594F), both of which will give more protection than ATE Super Blue (536F).

 

[DDozier]

Motor Out - (CTSC may require the removal of the blower before the package is removed due to blower pulley clearence)
TB, water pump? (every other TB belt change), LMA (only if the noise bothers you), Cam plugs, Spool Valve Gaskets, Valve adjust, all coolant hoses, Thermostat, valve cover gaskets, replace head bolts for head studs? (only if you will go Turbo some day), Rebuild CV with HiTemp Grease, Brake fluid flush (2 yrs on Super Blue is too much, change it anually or every other track event), check and inspect motor mounts, Oil pan gasket? (if it is leaking change it and for track guys baffle the pan, if not leave it alone untill it leaks)

Motor IN -
TB, Spool Valve Gaskets, Valve adjust, valve cover gaskets, Rebuild CV with HiTemp Grease, Brake fluid flush, coolant hoses? (check and inspect, keep the three main hoses from the firewall to the engine in your parts spare you will need them one day), check and inspect motor mounts, Oil pan gasket? (if it is leaking change it and for track guys baffle the pan, if not leave it alone untill it leaks)

The parts cost between the two services are minimal but the time/labor are a big difference, I do almost all TB changes engine out, but I do the work myself and my back hates the 4-6 hours of leaning over the car to do the TB service with the motor IN. Motor OUT is a great chance to clean everything you can not get to with the motor in. If she is a keeper then the motor OUT makes the most since.

<img src="http://www.nsxprime.com/photopost/data/500/4799Cleanup1.jpg" />
<img src="http://www.nsxprime.com/photopost/data/500/medium/4799P1020282.JPG" />

Dave

 

[RYU]

I'd just change the TB and oil pump gear then. Leave the WP and hoses alone. Do the valve adjustment, LMAs and seals with the cams in the car.

Is there a way to flush out the oil cooler on the coolant side? Send it to be ultrasonically cleaned while you have it off? I may check into that too.

Even though you have the dampener shield, I would either buy a new OEM one or get the ATI. The purpose is to dampen crankshaft torsional harmonics. If you have the original OEM one, the vulcanized rubber is probably hardened and degraded. A new one would be good, especially since you're tracking it.

Maybe consider the locking TB tensioner too. Instead of spending $100, make your own!

Dave

Haven't considered the locking TB tensioner (is that a OE factory part?). Did not know you could make your own!

Any reason you are using the Dali gear instead of the SOS gear?

I default to Dali first because of his prices.

Then change it. Especially if you're taking it out on the track. You really don't want to go out on the track with two-year-old brake fluid.

You might want to consider a brake fluid with a higher boiling point, such as Motul RBF 660 (dry boiling point 617F) or Motul RBF 600 (594F), both of which will give more protection than ATE Super Blue (536F).

Will do on the brake fluid change. Thanks for the suggestion. I have so little miles on it that it didn't even occur to me I really should be changing the brake fluid due to age. At least the air in my area is really quite dry.

Motor Out - (CTSC may require the removal of the blower before the package is removed due to blower pulley clearence)
TB, water pump? (every other TB belt change), LMA (only if the noise bothers you), Cam plugs, Spool Valve Gaskets, Valve adjust, all coolant hoses, Thermostat, valve cover gaskets, replace head bolts for head studs? (only if you will go Turbo some day), Rebuild CV with HiTemp Grease, Brake fluid flush (2 yrs on Super Blue is too much, change it anually or every other track event), check and inspect motor mounts, Oil pan gasket? (if it is leaking change it and for track guys baffle the pan, if not leave it alone untill it leaks)

Motor IN -
TB, Spool Valve Gaskets, Valve adjust, valve cover gaskets, Rebuild CV with HiTemp Grease, Brake fluid flush, coolant hoses? (check and inspect, keep the three main hoses from the firewall to the engine in your parts spare you will need them one day), check and inspect motor mounts, Oil pan gasket? (if it is leaking change it and for track guys baffle the pan, if not leave it alone untill it leaks)

The parts cost between the two services are minimal but the time/labor are a big difference, I do almost all TB changes engine out, but I do the work myself and my back hates the 4-6 hours of leaning over the car to do the TB service with the motor IN. Motor OUT is a great chance to clean everything you can not get to with the motor in. If she is a keeper then the motor OUT makes the most since.
Dave

Thanks Dave. Cleaning the engine bay didn't even occur to me but that's something i've wanted to do for a long long time. I just need to coordinate the lift/bay space situation. I can't afford to pay my mechanic to have the car sitting there too long and for him to do the labor to degrease my engine bay.

 

[ALwAyS4SaLe]

As far is prices for the Dali gear, would it be more beneficial to get the SOS OIl pump housing and gear as opposed to just buying the gear and then having to ave the oil pump housing machined to fit the new gear (basically a smoother surface than the used OE oil pump housing with scratches)

 

[tbnsxt]

definitly replace the timing belt tensioner!

 

[Mac Attack]

Haven't considered the locking TB tensioner (is that a OE factory part?). Did not know you could make your own!

http://ojas.net/nsx/mirror/dal#Timing Belt

 

[liftnot]

Part of any 90 or TB should include all flushes of cooling, clutch, gearbox and brake fluids.
First thing that's done in a motor out service is draining the cooling, oil and gearbox fluids before the motor and cradle get dropped
I did 2 90k motor out TB Services last month

...and don't forget the tunnel hoses too Regan

Senor Cozzy,


Thank U and Nick, my car has never ran better and quieter even with my Jay-Dee-Mmm gtlw exhaust. It was running bitching b 4 the service and I did not think I would notice the difference but its definitely smoother, quieter,& mo better now. At 120k, This is really the first major service in 20yrs so again, I am impressed with father Honda.


All the parts I bought from Dali were almost P&P cuz the only thing that fit perfect was the oil as it filled up all the small passages and crevices everywhere perhaps that is why my car is so quiet.


I also had the rear beam bushings and toe links installed....thx JA....boy, am i stiff now

until next time

Mucho Gracias & Hasta Manana

 

[Coz]

My, our pleasure Tim.
It was great seeing you !
BTW, how does the new ride height I set it at feel handling wise ?

 

[liftnot]

My, our pleasure Tim.
It was great seeing you !
BTW, how does the new ride height I set it at feel handling wise ?

Haven't taken out to shake it down yet, the only thing I can feel driving home is the rear stays put. With the LMA installed, I know I am lighter and its probably worth half a second at least don't you think?
Our next CalCoast drive I'll know better. It feels like a new car now so I have to break it in....gingerly:biggrin: to make it to my next service @ 200K.