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View Full Version : Second Impressions on Track: the ZHP is back at Texas World Speedway after a lot of mods



AggieBlake
06-18-2016, 11:52 AM
I finally got another full weekend at Texas World Speedway and wanted to give an update on how the ZHP performed now that I’ve made a number of significant improvements. Since my last track outing in late winter, I’ve replaced the stock wheels with 17” Apex rims and MPSS tires. The suspension now wears adjustable Koni dampers under stock springs. Most of the driveline and suspension bushings and mounts have been replaced (engine, trans, diff, FCAB, RCAB, shock mounts). I’m also rocking a Corsa TSE3 and AFE intake.

I started Saturday in my new whip, this 2001 Miata LS. It’s a blast to drive, but I picked up a bolt on the front straight at 100mph and destroyed a rear tire. With no spares in town, the Miata was parked.

26205

ZHP time! I got a total of ten 25-minute sessions in the ZHP in mostly hot, humid weather (87-95 ambient, 80% humidity). The rebuilt cooling system (total rebuild, OEM except for a Stewart water pump) did not disappoint. Water temperature never exceeded 205, and I was driving full tilt all Sunday. The car handled noticeably better with the new suspension, wheels, and more aggressive alignment. I set the fronts shocks at medium damping and the rears at full soft and the car handled very neutrally. I think moving to a square tire set up really reduced understeer noticeably! Shifts were MUCH more precise with the M3 engine mounts and poly transmission and diff mounts. The driveline feels rock solid even when shifting at redline. I ran in the middle traction control mode and was able to get significant power down well before track out on most turns without feeling any intervention. And I simply can’t say enough good things about the Corsa exhaust and AFE intake. It’s so good to be able to still hear the engine at 100 mph! I tend to shift by sound since it’s hard at times to grab a look at the tach. Being able to hear the engine clearly even with substantial wind noise makes a big difference. That exhaust is worth it’s weight in gold (glad I found one used since they’re just about priced at their weight in gold!)

So now for the results. I ran in intermediate groups and by midday Sunday, I was only being passed by GT3’s and some of the Vettes! This car is fast. I could leave 350z’s and Mini’s anywhere, including straights. E46 M3’s had me in the straights by a bit, but I was able to make up ground in the corners on most of them that were still in stock condition. The car felt phenomenal. No brake fade. No cooling issues. No understeer. Just very predictable handling and gobs of torque when needed. My only complaint: I kept hitting the fuel cutoff on hard right hand turns if I had anything less than a third of a tank of gas. I believe the fuel moves away from the pickup due to centrifugal force. A tank with baffles would fix that, but that’s not in the works for this car. So the lesson is: refuel when you’re nearing ⅓ of a tank!

Johnmadd
06-18-2016, 12:43 PM
Great write up, sounds like it was awesome!

Vas
06-18-2016, 12:45 PM
Glad to hear it went great.

As far as fuel, you can install the m3 fuel pump Baffle which is just a simple drop in. Plus it's cheap.

AggieBlake
06-18-2016, 01:11 PM
As far as fuel, you can install the m3 fuel pump Baffle which is just a simple drop in. Plus it's cheap.

Good to know! Thanks, Vas.

BMWCurves
06-18-2016, 01:58 PM
Sorry to hear about your Miata's tire but glad to hear the ZHP was such a threat at the track! Those are pretty much all improvements I want to do to my car.

As Vas said, you should look into the E46 M3 fuel pump baffle to help with fuel starvation issues.