Autocross and MS3

[Kosh]

This saturday I am going to autocross my baby for the first time. Looking for any information that can help me on my first set of runs. All I have done to my car is cold air and awr rear mount. I am using autocross as an excuse to stop modding my car for a bit because I want to get some good time in to get used to the car and how it handels around the course.

Anyone know what tire pressure I should run? I know I should add some air so I don't roll over on the sidewalls.

Advice, stories, pictures and video are all welcome (first)

 

[GoFast]

assuming you have the stock tires, about 32-34psi. use the cars suspension and throttle lift to bring the back end around a bit. run a bit slower in and faster out with the MS3. pick a gear and stick to the one. The car has plenty of power to run most auto-x courses in 2nd. hope this helps!

 

[dolphin]

Walk the course! Walk the course! Walk the course! No matter how good the car is if you don't know where you are going you will not do well. Ask for help. One of the other people will probably help you. Just try to do clean runs and beat yourself every run.

I don't have a MS3 I have the older MSP but I started with the air in the high 30's and came down. I did this since it is easier to let air out of the tires than to put it in.

If you do a search there is a ton of stuff on autocrossing various cars.
http://www.msprotege.com/forum/showthread.php?t=123645200

 

[Kosh]

half of those posts are from the people who talked me into auto-x in the first place

 

[Kosh]

Does anyone here auto-x their mazdaspeed 3 or mazda 3? I was expecting a better response here

 

[GoFast]

i auto-x my speed3

 

[tsunami]

just moved to suspension specific forum hopefully that will create some more interest...

i have auto xed my reg3...

as some one else said just get it into second and leave it there i had enough power for whatever i wanted and lived above 3k most of the time so it was quikly back on again...

also remember the throttle isn't a on/off switch that was/is one of my bigger problems i keep wanting to just mash the petal when i clear the apex instead of getting back on the gas slowly as you straighten the wheel...

 

[GoFast]

also remember the throttle isn't a on/off switch that was/is one of my bigger problems i keep wanting to just mash the petal when i clear the apex instead of getting back on the gas slowly as you straighten the wheel...

exactly, accelerate through the turn and modulate the gas pedal. not on/off it

 

[major error]

If this is your fist time autocrossing, you're already starting with a handicap (of sorts) because of the mods. Either of them alone are class-changers: looks like you'll be in STS instead of DS. See http://www.mazdas247.com/forum/showthread.php?t=123615560 for more info on classing allowances...
I only mention this because it may put you in direct competition with better-prepared cars/drivers. (there's a first-timer in our group that runs an '88 Mustang GT in SM who finishes consistently at/near last place.)

This is my first year, and this is what I've figured out so far with my MZ3:
OE tires are merely ok. Not sure what the MS3 comes with, but the MZ3's Goodyear RS-As only do passably-well on clean, dry surfaces--they break/push easily, moreso on dusty/pebble-strewn lots. Good for trashing as a learning experience, but find a high performance street tire or some race tires for the future. I try to maintain hot front/rear pressure of 43/40. (there are small arrows along the sidewalls of the RS-As near the bed of the tread blocks--that's the point of reference I use for adding/releasing pressure.)

Stock brake pads are good enough for autoX, but I'd imagine a good set of Hawk HP+ on the rear instead might work pretty well at reducing weight transfer, and you could keep your speed up longer...

Not sure what to say about the suspension/alignment. Great as a DD, but dives and pushes like nobody's business in autoX...

 

[Kosh]

Stock brakes on mazdaspeed are pretty massive. I hear the tires are good as well but heat up quick. I love the cai too much as a DD accessory to go back to the stock airbox. Same with the motor mount.

I registered in STU which I think was the right class. I'll find out tomorrow

I need to get used to driving in second gear. I usully keep it in first a bit long and go straight to third when road driving. First and second just seem too short and the boost seems to overpower the gear even when trying to go easy. But I guess you don't auto-x to save gas

 

[GoFast]

Stock brakes on mazdaspeed are pretty massive. I hear the tires are good as well but heat up quick. I love the cai too much as a DD accessory to go back to the stock airbox. Same with the motor mount.

I registered in STU which I think was the right class. I'll find out tomorrow

I need to get used to driving in second gear. I usully keep it in first a bit long and go straight to third when road driving. First and second just seem too short and the boost seems to overpower the gear even when trying to go easy. But I guess you don't auto-x to save gas

if all you have is a CAI then yes you are in the right class

 

[Rainman]

I auto-crossed my MSP for the first time last year and loved it. Did fairly well for a novice placing reasonably against more experienced drivers. I have yet to auto-cross the MS3 or the MS6 though. I probably will auto-cross the MS3 this summer.

IMHO, the handling of the MS3 is not quite as strong as that of the MSP (I had lowered mine with Eibach Pro Kit springs), but I have yet to bear this suspicion out on a course. However, I suspect that the power of MS3 will make up for the handling disadvantage inbetween transitions.

R

 

[Kosh]

I auto-crossed my MSP for the first time last year and loved it. Did fairly well for a novice placing reasonably against more experienced drivers. I have yet to auto-cross the MS3 or the MS6 though. I probably will auto-cross the MS3 this summer.

IMHO, the handling of the MS3 is not quite as strong as that of the MSP (I had lowered mine with Eibach Pro Kit springs), but I have yet to bear this suspicion out on a course. However, I suspect that the power of MS3 will make up for the handling disadvantage inbetween transitions.

R

I'm really interested in seeing how it handels. I think a lot of people are a little too HP crazy around here. I'm interested in keeping this thing on the road or track or wherever. I think it is a lot more fun to go screaming around a turn than going in a strait line.

I have stuck in my head 'this is a hatch back, heavy up top so slow down for corners' I'm scared to see what it can really do when put up to it. My friends tell me if you are going to spin out of control then auto-x is the place to do it.

 

[samc86]

tires

tires will make all the difference. i'm not running scca so i don;t know the rules, but if you are serious, find out how far you can go with tires. i got some old supra wheels to fit the ms3, and put khumo 710's on them. the only other mod i have is cai, and it is like a different car. so if you are serious, research what you can do size / compound wise, and worry about suspension / brakes after that.

of course, this comes after what has already been said - walk the course, learn how to drive, etc. i made the mistake with my corvette and modded it before i ever knew what autocross was. when i consistently ran slower in my 400+ hp monster than good drivers in stock ~300hp cars i knew it was me and not the car.

remember - "drag racing is for fast cars, autocross is for fast drivers"

and it's fun to prove that when i turn faster times in my ms3 than most of the vettes and mustangs at our practice days!

oh - and one other thing - especially if it is a more wide open course - these cars make lots of torque at lower RPMs than you think - you will turn faster times if you are in the power band, and not trying to hit the rev limiter! look at some of the dyno charts to get an idea - over 5k you are wasting time without some serious mods.

ok, two things - DSC off! the ms3 isn't so bad, but i forgot to turn it off in the z06 last autocross and i thought we were having engine problems!

 

[Kosh]

tires will make all the difference. i'm not running scca so i don;t know the rules, but if you are serious, find out how far you can go with tires. i got some old supra wheels to fit the ms3, and put khumo 710's on them. the only other mod i have is cai, and it is like a different car. so if you are serious, research what you can do size / compound wise, and worry about suspension / brakes after that.

of course, this comes after what has already been said - walk the course, learn how to drive, etc. i made the mistake with my corvette and modded it before i ever knew what autocross was. when i consistently ran slower in my 400+ hp monster than good drivers in stock ~300hp cars i knew it was me and not the car.

remember - "drag racing is for fast cars, autocross is for fast drivers"

and it's fun to prove that when i turn faster times in my ms3 than most of the vettes and mustangs at our practice days!

oh - and one other thing - especially if it is a more wide open course - these cars make lots of torque at lower RPMs than you think - you will turn faster times if you are in the power band, and not trying to hit the rev limiter! look at some of the dyno charts to get an idea - over 5k you are wasting time without some serious mods.

ok, two things - DSC off! the ms3 isn't so bad, but i forgot to turn it off in the z06 last autocross and i thought we were having engine problems!

I know what you are saying about shifting around 5-5.5k. I see a lot of people going red line thinking they are using the engine to the full potential but those dyno sheets don't lie. I even turn DSC off when daily driving so I will certainly turn it off for auto-x. You forgot to mention make sure the A/C is off as well (burnout)

 

[udontknowjack]

have u try both dsc/traction control off?? unbelieveable !!(yippy)

 

[Kosh]

First auto-x was great! Every run I improved by about 4 seconds. First run I DNF'd at around the second cone We got there really late and had to register after everyone had done their walkthroughs so I had no idea where I was going. Myt first time was 63 seconds or something like that, top in my calss was pulling down low 40's

By the forth run I got 49 something and was just happy to break 50 my first time out. I wasn't expecting any great times but at least I improved every run. Can't wait for the next auto-x (burnout)

 

[Rainman]

First auto-x was great! Every run I improved by about 4 seconds. First run I DNF'd at around the second cone We got there really late and had to register after everyone had done their walkthroughs so I had no idea where I was going. Myt first time was 63 seconds or something like that, top in my calss was pulling down low 40's

By the forth run I got 49 something and was just happy to break 50 my first time out. I wasn't expecting any great times but at least I improved every run. Can't wait for the next auto-x (burnout)

Great work. Glad that you enjoyed yourself so much. Make sure that you learn your cars characteristics on the stock tires first cause once you switch to better tires it is harder to learn the limits of your cars suspension settings.

R

 

[Kosh]

Here is the results. First place in STU! Only one running in STU but it is still a win (burnout)

http://soloatlanta.com/forum/index.php?act=Attach&type=post&id=612

 

[tsunami]

Here is the results. First place in STU! Only one running in STU but it is still a win (burnout)

http://soloatlanta.com/forum/index.php?act=Attach&type=post&id=612

ROFL a win is a win though nice work