ok tonite we are coming down the interstate about 140mph (yes i know its unsafe blah blah.... but sometimes i like to hear that 5th scream) anyways my friends behind me said that when i got on the brakes (kinda hard but not really hard) sparks shot out from underneath the car. they said it was leaving a pretty good trail behind me for about 5 seconds (until i let off the brakes) ........ what should i look into to figure out why it did that? thanks for any help

-chris

ps- it doesnt make any odd sounds when i hit the brakes no squeaks or anything

 

oh yea i tried to do it again only at about 80-90 mph and i couldnt get it to do it again if that helps any.......... stock brakes too

 

overheating the brakes and ripping up the pads/rotors, possibly..

slow the hell down on public roads.. that nice family in the minivan traveling near the speedlimit coming back from visiting grandma and grandpa at christmas could care less that you like to hear 5th scream when you rear end them from not being able to slow down soon enough..

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by cjames235 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">about 140mph
what should i look into to figure out why it did that?</TD></TR></TABLE>I think you answered your own question. Most brake pads are gonna heat up damn fast at those speeds.

 

maybe your aluminum floor came unbolted and fell off..

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by dmotoguy &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">maybe your aluminum floor came unbolted and fell off..</TD></TR></TABLE>
that's exactly what i was thinking

 

Yeah i think maybe your speed is your answer........thats just pretty damn fast to be getting on your breaks hard or even slightly hard. Have fun but be safe man. It can all end to fast when your rolling at that high of speeds. These arent flames just friendly advice......

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by cjames235 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">ok tonite we are coming down the interstate about 140mph (yes i know its unsafe blah blah.... but sometimes i like to hear that 5th scream) anyways my friends behind me said that when i got on the brakes (kinda hard but not really hard) sparks shot out from underneath the car. they said it was leaving a pretty good trail behind me for about 5 seconds (until i let off the brakes) ........ what should i look into to figure out why it did that? thanks for any help

-chris

ps- it doesnt make any odd sounds when i hit the brakes no squeaks or anything</TD></TR></TABLE>

First off, you're a complete moron for doing 140 MPH on public streets, and at NIGHT for F*cks sake? Gawd forbid someone got in your way and you had to drive through them, or a Cop caught your dumb *** and took both your license and car since more than doubling the speed limit on public roads is wreckless driving and can be considered a felony in different provinces.

Now that we got past that, did you check your brakes? Calipers, action, pads, rotors? These would be the first things that I'd look at for any abnormalities. Rotors will tend to glow red hot at night when at very high temepratures from speeds that you indicated, and when using more aggressive pads, sparks can be seen as well. Or if your pads are worn to the squeal indicator or to the backing plate itself, sparks would also fly, but, since you mention that it doesn't happen at lower speeds or at normal driving speeds it may very well just be the pads struggling to stop the car from such a high rate of speed and being able to see it at night.

After checking your brakes, calipers, rotors, pads and whatnot, SLOW DOWN.

Please Take it to the track, be safe and try not to hurt or kill yourself or someone else prematurely. It's just Not worth it.

Good luck.

 

What condition are your tires in. I know you said it happened when you were on the brakes. But I have seen tires that are at the steel threads throw parks behind the car.

 

yea ive been getting the comments that i expected and i by no means plan on doing this again. it was my first time to go this fast (you know you wanted to see how fast your car is one time or another). but anyways thanks for the tips guess they just got overheated a lil but they didnt fade at all. and as far as my tires they are good no belts showing

 

I'm pretty sure its the speed vs brakes, I 've had this happen a few times. Most recently while slowing down from 125 to about 40. My friend behind me saw it , and so did I out my window. Everything worked fine afterwards, and we tried to duplicate it for a nice photo, but decided not to due to traffic on the road. One of these nights I will get that picture { I dont know how, cause I'm the photographer and noone is driving my car } And the roads are straight and empty at night where I live...

 

If you like driving fast you should go with Trey, "Asahi" on H-T, to track events.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Reid &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">If you like driving fast you should go with Trey, "Asahi" on H-T, to track events. </TD></TR></TABLE>

What does that mean?!?

Recruiting Expo participants?

 

What brake pads do you use? Ive gotten sparks more than once under heavy braking at autox with Cobalt GTSport.

And yes 140mph is

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by dmotoguy &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">maybe your aluminum floor came unbolted and fell off..</TD></TR></TABLE>

Don't forget about the manifold failure warning on your laptop after you press the your second NOS button on your steering wheel...

Then you get laughed at for not double clutching during a drag race... LOL




But seriously, if you hammered the brakes at 140mph... that's a good way to wear down your pads... I just hope you didn't hold down the brakes at the next set of lights or use e-brake when you got home... you could potentially warp your rotors if you heat them up so much and then let them cool with brakes on...

Maybe you should ease up on the brakes, especially if you have some runoff distance... braking tests are done from 60mph, not 140....

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by DC2fanboy &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
you could potentially warp your rotors if you heat them up so much and then let them cool with brakes on...

</TD></TR></TABLE>

Doubt it

 

my car does that at 20mph.. hawk blues

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Dave-ROR &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">my car does that at 20mph.. hawk blues </TD></TR></TABLE>

My car gained 5 pounds of rotor and pad residue on it's flanks.. hawk blues

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 1GreyTeg &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

My car gained 5 pounds of rotor and pad residue on it's flanks.. hawk blues

</TD></TR></TABLE>

Come on now, you forgot the back end where most of it sits. I'd guess more like 10 lbs, but you don't really "gain" the weight, it's just moved from unsprung weight to sprung weight, therefore making the vehicle faster.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Dave-ROR &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

Come on now, you forgot the back end where most of it sits. I'd guess more like 10 lbs, but you don't really "gain" the weight, it's just moved from unsprung weight to sprung weight, therefore making the vehicle faster. </TD></TR></TABLE>

LOL

Still hate them pads, and still have a 3/4 used set if someone really wants them. I carry them to the track with spare rotors and whatnot just in case someone needs spare somethings.