Brake Cooling Ducts

[sm76]

I started running open track events this year and finally made it to the Time Trial group. I'll be competing in TTE with my Mazdaspeed Protege.
Some pictures from this weekend are here and my favorite one attached:
http://markus.smugmug.com/gallery/1219053/2/81226761

I switched to Carbotech XP10 brake pads this weekend and wasn't experiencing any fade like I did with the panther+. In the last session I overheated my CV joint on the passenger side so I'm going to have to make some brake cooling ducts.

Does anyone have pictures of cooling ducts on proteges? Not sure if I want to go from the "fog light openings" of try to attach something under the bumper.

Thanks

 

[Pirana]

the fogs would probably be the most direct and efficient route...iMo

 

[Macs MSP]

Set up

This is off the subject of brake vents, but I was wondering how you have your MSP set up for track. It looks like the first pics are of your car stock but then I see you have the car a lot lower and different size wheels in front.

I'm going to be driving on a track soon and am curious what you have done with the car and why.

 

[sm76]

The current modifications to the car are:
KSport Coilovers
AWR adjustable 21 mm Rear Swaybar
AWR front endlinks
AWR Motormounts
AWR Oil Pan
Injen Intake
Hardpipes
Corksport 2.4 S and J Pipes
Mental Addiction 2.5 Catless midpipe
Carbotech XP10 front brake pads
Axxis Metal Master rear brake pads
Steel Braded brake lines / ATE Super Blue Fluid
Autopower 4-point bolt in Rollbar
G-force 5-point harnesses
IO Port Camcorder mount and a Wide Angle Lens (I mention this because it works great and in car video will really help you pick out where you are making mistakes)
Removed rear seat for tire transportation
Boost, Oil Pressure and Oil Temp gauges


My alignment is set pretty mild right now. I'll probably add more camber to the front.
Camber: -2 Front; -1 Rear
Toe: 0 Front & Rear

The reason I didnt have 16 wheels front and rear was I didnt have time to clearance the fender in the rear to fit the smaller offset wheels. The wheels are Flik FTD in 16x7 (+43) with 225/45/16 Hankook RS2 street tires. Now that Ill be in TT Im switching to 215/40/16 Kumho V710s. I went with the 16 inch wheel to get a little better gearing, lower CG, cheap wheels and light tires (16 kumhos are 3 lbs lighter than 17). With the 17s I was barely into 4<SUP>th</SUP> in a few spots at Mid Ohio and now I get into 4<SUP>th</SUP> a decent amount before the braking zones. The kumho is a little smaller so I should be even better off.

I would say for a first track day the necessary things are good brake pads and fluid. Everything else is pretty decent on the car to begin with. (I saw in another post that you autocross so I assume you have decent tires.)

edit: updated camber

 

[Kansei]

the fogs would probably be the most direct and efficient route...iMo

Does the grille mesh in the 03.5 fog hole area have real holes in it? Then you could cut the holes and have ducts in and retain the stock look.

 

[17084]

Does the grille mesh in the 03.5 fog hole area have real holes in it?

Yes they do. Also, the DG or Auto Exe lip directs airflow to the brakes.

 

[DaveB]

Hey sm76,

Which group did you just run with at Mid-Ohio? I'm going to be signing up for about 3 events later this year at Mid-Ohio, maybe I will see you there. I also have a ? for U. Where did you get your Autopower 4-point bolt in Rollbar
and G-force 5-point harnesses? Do you think they would fit in my Protege5?

 

[sm76]

Hey sm76,

Which group did you just run with at Mid-Ohio? I'm going to be signing up for about 3 events later this year at Mid-Ohio, maybe I will see you there. I also have a ? for U. Where did you get your Autopower 4-point bolt in Rollbar
and G-force 5-point harnesses? Do you think they would fit in my Protege5?

I have been running with NASA. I was in HPDE3 this past weekend. I will be there again in August in the TT/HPDE4 group. Definitely let me know if you are going to be there. I'm trying to figure out the rest of the season. If I do well in August I'll be going to Summit Point and Pocono so I can qualify for Nationals. If not, or if I can't afford it, I'll do a few more local events.

I got the rollbar from Stranoparts. Sam Strano Jr is a real nice guy and an autocrosser. The bar was cheaper to order from him than directly from Autopower. I can't guarantee that it would fit in a Protege 5. I would assume it should, but I would call them to make sure.
Some more info and a couple poor pictures in this thread: http://www.msprotege.com/forum/showthread.php?t=106465&highlight=rollbar
For some reason I haven't taken many pictures of the car this year.

The harnesses I got from RacerWholesale, because they had the best prices at the time. I would definitely recommend pull up lap belts. It makes it so much easier to tighten them.

 

[DaveB]

Hey sm76,

Thanks for the roll-bar info, I'll give them a call and find out more info on the Protege5. I have never ran with NASA but their format looks fun. I may have to come down and watch you some time, let me know when you are running next. I usually run with the porsche clubs because my older brother has a 911 he tracks and we do them together.

 

[sm76]

Just to let you know, I'm planning on selling my car at the end of the season or maybe in the spring so I can get a truck and trailer to tow the Camaro I'm building for roadracing. If the car doesn't sell as is I might part things like the rollbar out. Not sure what timeframe you are looking at.
Or I might be willing to sell you my Autopower and I could build a custom one for mine. I would offer to build you a custom one, but I'm just starting out so I'm not quite sure I'm ready to sell to a stranger. Here are pictures of the only cage I've built so far: http://www.breesmotorsports.com/06GRM-Rollcage.html

 

[Mallard]

Selling at the end of the season?? Don't tempt me to get back into Protege's. I won't be pushing the Sky too hard on the track and I'll need a new daily to replace the Old's eventually. Not to mention my AWR coilovers and 16" rims with Hankook RS-2's are still in the garage...

Mac- When I had my MSP I ran with sm76 at Waterford. He was still stock, but I had AWR coilovers with 16" rims and I was considerably quicker. The AWR set up was way too stiff for me on the street (esp. on MI roads) but was awesome at the track. I'd suggest something like the KW or K-sport coilovers since they seem to be a little gentler on the kidney's. My only mods were the AWR coilovers w/ camber plates in front, 16" Rotas Slipstreams w/ Falken Azenis RT-215 (Hankooks later), and Delsing Motorsport rear sway bar brackets/bushings. The car was extremely neutral and lapped very well. There were some angry looking Shelby Club drivers at Mid Ohio last fall. haha.

 

[justanotheradikt]

Just to let you know, I'm planning on selling my car at the end of the season or maybe in the spring so I can get a truck and trailer to tow the Camaro I'm building for roadracing. If the car doesn't sell as is I might part things like the rollbar out. Not sure what timeframe you are looking at.
Or I might be willing to sell you my Autopower and I could build a custom one for mine. I would offer to build you a custom one, but I'm just starting out so I'm not quite sure I'm ready to sell to a stranger. Here are pictures of the only cage I've built so far: http://www.breesmotorsports.com/06GRM-Rollcage.html

if you do part out id be interested in the cage

 

[Boston5761]

I've always wondered this..what's the tape used for over the headlights in road racing?

 

[aMaff]

if some1 kicks up a rock / you rear end someone, and you break a light, you don't get glass all over the racing surface

 

[joka1]

i was looking at that autopwr cage and was thinking it would be easier to buy that one then make my own, but after looking at the pics i am glad i didnt!! i can build a cage and still have some rear seat room,

now on topic, these can be made into brake ducts easily!!
http://www.msprotege.com/forum/showthread.php?t=123617209

 

[Action Jackson]

I was thinking about "making" my own cooling ducts, but since my car isn't that fast in a straight line, I've never really had a brake fade problem except at Gingerman and it was minor.

Either fashion out a sheet of steel and replace the dust shield to scoop/direct air up into the pads/rotors.

Or...

Cutout the fog light brackets which will route air directly into the front of the front inner wheel fender. Then "create" an opening in that fender to route air to the brakes. You'll probably have to remove the dust shield or bend it to accomodate the airflow.

Problem is in the rain all the crap will go directly to the brakes, and up the wheel fenders to the washer fluid reservoir, and on the driver's side the crap would go to the opening where a cold air intake would normally fit into.

(On a side note, the 7th [?] generation Civic and I believe the RSX did not come equipped with front inner wheel fenders by design).

I read on here that someone just bent their dust shield to get a little cooling effect.

I have an air hole "scoop" under the driver's side foglight. Long story short, I either had to replace the whole front bumper b/c of damage, or make use of an existing hole to route colder air into my intake.

How are those RS2's for wear on the track? In the rain?

 

[Kansei]

hmm. Only problem with doing the ducts through the foglight holes is that the windshield washer bottle is chillin behind the passenger fog light. I guess if the ducting was flexible enough it would still work though.

 

[Mallard]

How are those RS2's for wear on the track? In the rain?

I'll let sm76 respond how they are in the dry. I only used them in the rain at Mid-Ohio and thought they worked very well. Never had a problem hydroplaning.

 

[khaosman]

sm76, those are awesome pictures of your MP3 road racing. I saw your wheels at sccaforums and was tempted... but then realized I have no need for them

If you guys do attempt this mod and need an extra/new set of brake dust plates, I have a set I'd let go of for like $7 shipped. When I ordered them, I thought they were something else. Oh well!

 

[sm76]

How are those RS2's for wear on the track? In the rain?

The tires were great for wear. I got about 20,000 highway miles, 4 track days and about 10 autocrosses out of them. They are very good in the rain on the street, but luckily I haven't had a rain session on track yet. They are maybe a touch behind the Falken 615 and Yok Neova for grip, but definitely one of the top street tires especially considering the price.