Ref video's:
https://honda-tech.com/zerothread?id=1752506

I've got hogpen figured out. I short shift at the top of the hill and I'm able to pull into the straight without having to shift until I'm near pit-in.
But going into 3 is frustrating and so is the back straight after 6.
Heading toward 3 I run out gear and end up coasting into it. But if I shift into 4th, I get a little more speed going toward 3, but don't feel comfertable shifting down going into three. (I try to take it a one big long swoop). But staying in 4th feels sluggish through 3 and then it make turn 4 a very busy corner.
Same thing on the straight after 6. I run out of gear by the bridge and end up coasting. Going to 4th for .5 seconds and then back on the brakes seems pointless and a waste of a shift too.

Any insight from the track guys?

 

Any insight from the track guys?


Use the high boost button in the glovebox??

 

Do you have the stock USIM gears, or something else?

I don't run out of revs in third in turn 3. I use third from turn 1 all the way through 6a, and upshift to fourth when I run out of revs in the little unnumbered kink to the left after 6a, which is well before the bridge. We were running the full course so I then kept it in fourth through the esses and up to (and sometimes all the way through) South Bend (turn 10). I've never run only the north course, so I can't answer how that might be different.

I have the stock USIM gears.

 

I'll have to go review tapes for fun now because VIR shift points aren't clear in my mind. But I have the 4.9 FD and IIRC I was very happy with it on this course. I felt the 4.9 gearing fit alot of the tighter sections, IE turns 1 through the uphill esses and I was able to drive up one gear sooner than the stock geared guys which gave me a bit extra oomph.

Guess I get to bore the wife with some video of me driving slowly this weekend

Duhhh I've only driven the full course, nevermind.


Modified by 1GreyTeg at 6:00 PM 9/16/2006

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 1GreyTeg &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I felt the 4.9 gearing fit alot of the tighter sections, IE turns 1 through the uphill esses and I was able to drive up one gear sooner than the stock geared guys which gave me a bit extra oomph.</TD></TR></TABLE>

At any speeds where the shorter FD forces you into a higher gear, it results in less acceleration, not more. The advantage of shorter gearing only takes place where you are in the same gear with both setups.

 

This would be a great question for the RR/Auto-X forum vets too.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by nsxtasy &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Do you have the stock USIM gears, or something else?
</TD></TR></TABLE>It is a stock ITR tranny. I guess because I'm boosted, the shift point are coming together a little faster. Problem is, there are very few FI guys on the track.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by mrlegoman &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
I've got hogpen figured out.</TD></TR></TABLE>
Get outta here. If you have Hogpen figured out, you are unique among the rest of us poor mortals.

I think that VIR is one of those tracks that makes drivers first think, "Wait. So the line is just a myth?"
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Any insight from the track guys?
</TD></TR></TABLE>
I am old and slow. I don't dare tender advice.

Willard and Jack are good people to ask, along with any of the East Coast Honda Challenge guys.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by mrlegoman &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">It is a stock ITR tranny. I guess because I'm boosted, the shift point are coming together a little faster.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Actually, you seem to be reaching the shift points later than I am (e.g. I run out of third in turn 6 at the unnamed kink to the left, which is well before you would ever consider coasting to the bridge)...

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by nsxtasy &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Actually, you seem to be reaching the shift points later than I am (e.g. I run out of third in turn 6 at the unnamed kink to the left, which is well before you would ever consider coasting to the bridge)...</TD></TR></TABLE>I run out of 3rd right at the apex of 6. I'm running out of 4th by the bridge.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by George Knighton &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Get outta here. If you have Hogpen figured out, you are unique among the rest of us poor mortals. </TD></TR></TABLE>Oops, let me rephrase. I have my shift points figured out for hogpen. I short shift into 4th at the top of the hill, usually before turning into 16 (passing the Porsche messed me up on the video). Otherwise in 3rd I run out of rpm in the middle of 17a (not good).

 

From the sound of it, I don't know that your shift points are off, Don. Sounds more like a gearing issue for that track setup more than anything else. Would raising the rev limiter be out of the question?

Just for fun, I played around with the gearing calculator to see how you're scootin' along. Assuming you're running some tire in the size 205/50-15 or around there (~23.2" diameter), the end of 3rd gear would put you at 89.3mph, and the end of 4th would be 117.6mph (going by your 8300rpm redline on the dyno). If you threw in a 4.9FD, the end of 3rd would be 79.7mph, and 4th would be 105mph flat. However, you'd also top out at 137mph, and that little monster can sure push harder than that
The 4.7FD does nothing for you at all.

Whatever the case, you're right on the money about not shifting up after the bridge for half a second. For T3, I haven't ridden with you and it's hard to tell from your vid, but maybe you could work on carrying more momentum through there, then upshifting to 4th? I seem to remember being able to carry a decent amount of speed through that set of turns, and I THINK I was always downshifting coming into T4 anyway (though I'll agree that doing so does make that a very busy corner).

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Stinkycheezmonky &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">From the sound of it, I don't know that your shift points are off, Don. Sounds more like a gearing issue for that track setup more than anything else. Would raising the rev limiter be out of the question?</TD></TR></TABLE>
I've got Toda valve springs, so I'm probably good past 9k. But I'm not making anymore power after 7800. So my shift light comes on at 7,8 and my rev is currently set at 8,4. Has hard as I beat that car, I don't really want to bump the limit up.

Yup, running 225/50-15's

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Stinkycheezmonky &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
For T3, I haven't ridden with you and it's hard to tell from your vid, but maybe you could work on carrying more momentum through there, then upshifting to 4th? I seem to remember being able to carry a decent amount of speed through that set of turns, and I THINK I was always downshifting coming into T4 anyway (though I'll agree that doing so does make that a very busy corner).</TD></TR></TABLE>Agreed. I've talked to a few others and after reviewing the video, I need to shift into 4th and carry it through 3.

 

Your video looked good, your problem is the car moves quicker......so you have to re-learn all your brake and shift points all over.

VIR north is a great track for underpowered cars as is South............I can't wait to see your car at VIR full. That is where you will notice the large difference having 2 long straits, not just one.

Plus: Don, u kicked *** with the EX on VIR north......so an extra 150whp should be a lot different.

 

Ooohhh, I got a call from P1 this afternoon. A large 60lb box from Stop-Tech is on it's way! :D

 

so I'm probably good past 9k


You are good till the rods come outta the oil pan...