what do you guys do after running your car hard at the track, autocross, drag, or street?
Here's what I do:
1) Heater on max
2) hood open
3) let car run for a min or two
4) shut off car with hood still open and let it cool

 

That's about it. I don't usually run the HVAC blower though; I just leave it at the hottest setting with the fan off. I would turn it on if the temp gauge went past the normal point.

 

If you have an water cooled oil cooler on your car, the single most important thing you can do to cool the engine/oil is run the fan with the heater on. By having an oil temp gauge in my car before, i can prove this works. Period.

 

After a track session... I do the same as your list... but at least 5 min. of cool down running time.

This is after driving around the pits to cool the brakes off.

blower fan on #1 setting

Will

 

It's very important to try and keep off the brakes (park on an even surface so you don't need ebrake.)

 

For Autocross I:

1) I park the car and turn it off immediately
2) Raise the hood
3) Use a sprayer to soak the head, intake, & fuel rail with cold mist of water (in moderation)
4) Then spray the radiator liberally to cool the coolant so that the radiator is actually cool to the touch across the whole thing (not having A/C is a great thing so you can access the entire radiator).

Start car as late as possible to preserve low engine temps and maximize power on your runs. In a car a like a Type R where heat soak is a big problem on hot summer days, this makes a big difference.

Notes: Make sure to remove excess water from underbody cladding so you don't leave water all over a start line or the course.

 

I'd think it's better to leave the car running for a minute or two to equalize/stabilize oil and coolant temps throughout their respective circuits while dissipating the heat from the motor's internals.

 

For anything but autocrossing I would completely agree.

 

I try to drive it around the paddock... slowly...
keep air flowing through the radiator.. and to keep thr brakes from have loads of heat in one area.

 

Anecdote of the week:

The SRX-7 group in the DC region used to do laps around access roads at Summit Point in an effort to cool the brakes (1st gen RX-7s have a problem with cracking rotors when cooled unevenly). Bill Scott eventually decided we caused too much traffic and asked us o stop. So now we do laps of the paddock only.

Anyways, after a slow cool down lap (slow enough to not use brakes at all), I do a few laps of the paddock. Then park the car. Parking brake is removed to ensure nobody pulls it on by mistake. Put it in gear instead. After 5 minutes, I roll it forward a foot or two to make sure the rotors cool evenly. Pop the hood and check the oil before I go away.

 

Just shutting off a heat-soaked car leaves the coolant sitting in the engine....boiling. So by all means, you want to circulate it. I try to get a legit cool down lap on the track...plus I'll take the long slow route around the paddock as well. Moving air is your friend!

 

if you get a turbo timer, you don't have to worry about sitting in the car the whole time to let the car cool down. This way you can pull out the key and spend some quality time with friends (or opponents ).

I don't know, I'm retarded.

drive safe,

aj

 

Yeah, turbo timers aren't just for turbos anymore.

 

You can get turbo timers for N/a cars? Thats just odd. How's that work?

 

yea, I really don't know why the call them "turbo" timers, but they are just spliced in to the ignition system. Quite easy to hook up.

later,

aj

 

All a turbo timer does is keep the car running a few minutes after you remove the key. Used on turbo cars to keep the oil circulating so it doesn't fry inside the compressor. Can be used on any car.

 

couldn't have said it better myself

 

After an autocross run I do nothing except maybe open the hood.

After a track session I will drive around the pit for a few minutes with the hood popped and staying off the brakes. I then park it, shut it off and open the hood. IMO the 2-3 minute drive around the pit is equivalent to letting it idle but you get the added bonus of cooling the brakes as well.

 

On top of all those...I usually run with both of my corner lenses taken off(integra), this not only gives direct air flow to my IceBox CAI, but psychologically, I think there are more circulations to the car.

One question though...I can't figure out another way to turn the radiator fan on except for turning on the A/C. Is there an alternative way?


[Modified by nEoMuGen, 3:12 AM 2/20/2002]

 

Which fan? There is the regular fan and the a/c fan.

 

The regular fan, I guess A/C on turns on the A/C fan?
Anyways to have them both on at the same time?
What will happen if I turn heat to max and also A/C on? Like in foggy winter times.





[Modified by nEoMuGen, 3:24 AM 2/20/2002]

 

as I cross the finish at the drags.......
heater to full hot, blower on full blast, manual radiator fan switch engaged.
Also with engine off but key in the run postiion you can turn on AC and fan to #1 to help cool the engine bay down.

500+ drag passes and DEADLY consistant for a reason!

 

The regular fan only comes on when your car idles. If you turn the heat to max and the a/c on then both will be on if your car is hot enough.

 

why does mine come on at 100+ mph then when hauling ***?????

Or when moving at 30 mph behind a SUV??????

 

Funny...how do you know it's on?