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FK8 Hot weather and boost pressure observations

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81
So this week in the UK we are experiencing 30C temps and it happens to be a week the wife has taken my car and i have her FK8.

Yesterday when it was c30-32C the car would only peak at 1.4bar on the dash readout in 2/3/4 gears where as normally it would hit 1.6bar. This was confirmed this morning when temp was c20C and it hit 1.6bar.

So the bum dyno couldn't feel much difference but i would say it felt a little less lively in the heat.

I'm no expert so correct any of my observations, but it got me thinking:

How accurate is the dash boost readout?
How is boost "requested" is it mass air flow targets so in theory you get consistent performance ie more boost on a hot day and less with cold dense air?
Was the car heat soaking at 32C ambient and reducing boost?
 
Don't know the boost answer but I have managed to get the coolant overheat warning on after just 1.5 laps of the ring over the last 2 days, not impressed by the pants coolant system.

The ECU defo pulls boost, timing and the throttle when things warm up.

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Don't know the boost answer but I have managed to get the coolant overheat warning on after just 21.5 laps if the ring over the last 2 days, not impressed by the pants coolant system. The ECU defo pulls boost, timing and the throttle when things warm up. Sent from my SM-N960F using Tapatalk

21.5 laps in 2 days :smt038

is that BTG or you on a Track Day - either way sir, nicely played and fair play to the FK8 if it's only come on after 21.5 laps of the Ring in 30+ degree temperatures. that's a good soak test of the FK8 if you ask me.
 
21.5 laps in 2 days :smt038

is that BTG or you on a Track Day - either way sir, nicely played and fair play to the FK8 if it's only come on after 21.5 laps of the Ring in 30+ degree temperatures. that's a good soak test of the FK8 if you ask me.
Sorry no, that should have read 1.5 laps!

And 2 days back to back on track day.

Sent from my SM-N960F using Tapatalk
 
So this week in the UK we are experiencing 30C temps and it happens to be a week the wife has taken my car and i have her FK8.

Yesterday when it was c30-32C the car would only peak at 1.4bar on the dash readout in 2/3/4 gears where as normally it would hit 1.6bar. This was confirmed this morning when temp was c20C and it hit 1.6bar.

So the bum dyno couldn't feel much difference but i would say it felt a little less lively in the heat.

I'm no expert so correct any of my observations, but it got me thinking:

How accurate is the dash boost readout?
How is boost "requested" is it mass air flow targets so in theory you get consistent performance ie more boost on a hot day and less with cold dense air?
Was the car heat soaking at 32C ambient and reducing boost?

If I remember correctly the car uses torque tables, so with cold weather you will need less boost to get to the same torque. CivicX forums have a lot of information on that. Look for the Hondata or kTuner development threads.
 
Isn’t the Nurburgring quite high above sea level? With changing elevations.
However a car that held a lap record at the Nurburgring you’d think would be able to stay cool there.
Air con on by any chance?
 
Sorry no, that should have read 1.5 laps!

And 2 days back to back on track day.

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oh that's quite a difference, I didn't see any temperature issues doing 2 x BTG, but then it wasn't 30 (more like 18/19 degrees) and I drive more like Stirling Moss these days doing 9:20s
 
Isn’t the Nurburgring quite high above sea level? With changing elevations.
However a car that held a lap record at the Nurburgring you’d think would be able to stay cool there.
Air con on by any chance?
A/C yes until temp went to 75% max and then it turned the cooling compressor off.

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oh that's quite a difference, I didn't see any temperature issues doing 2 x BTG, but then it wasn't 30 (more like 18/19 degrees) and I drive more like Stirling Moss these days doing 9:20s
I was doing 8m45s BTG times, I did one TF lap last night at 17:30 after a 1h15m cool down and with 2 passengers the overheat warning came on at the half way point.

It does not have enough cooling capacity for long full throttle operations.

No issues at Cadwell or Donington but max time on full power there is probably max 6 or 7 seconds vs 30+ seconds at the Ring.

No issue on the autobahn at 160+ for 2 or 3 mins at a time.

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It is not surprising, I have found issues on the road let alone a race track on a hot day, modern "track friendly" cars are simply not up to the task of multiple lapping on hot days, it goes for far more exotic cars than the FK8. My Elise's all happily lap for 40+ minutes with out issues, usually the driver fails before the car and the brand is seen as an "unreliable". The issue is weight, modern cars are too heavy in road trim.

Get a decent intercooler and turbo blanket etc, strip 50-100kg and jobs a carrot.
 
Not sure if it's anything to do with the heat but I am getting massive rev hang at the moment, more than usual...

Oh and my balls are sweaty...
 
Rather that changing the rad and IC I am thinking a water spray system for both would be an interesting choice. I will not be turning the engine or swapping down pipes as I like to leave the vehicle stock.

That said I have upgraded brake pads, discs, fluids and tyres plus pulled the camber pins and done a track focused alignment.

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I was doing 8m45s BTG times, I did one TF lap last night at 17:30 after a 1h15m cool down and with 2 passengers the overheat warning came on at the half way point.

It does not have enough cooling capacity for long full throttle operations.

No issues at Cadwell or Donington but max time on full power there is probably max 6 or 7 seconds vs 30+ seconds at the Ring.

No issue on the autobahn at 160+ for 2 or 3 mins at a time.

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Is yours the sonic grey one ? Non-standard wheels ?
 
I was doing 8m45s BTG times, I did one TF lap last night at 17:30 after a 1h15m cool down and with 2 passengers the overheat warning came on at the half way point.

It does not have enough cooling capacity for long full throttle operations.

No issues at Cadwell or Donington but max time on full power there is probably max 6 or 7 seconds vs 30+ seconds at the Ring.

No issue on the autobahn at 160+ for 2 or 3 mins at a time.

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Simple solution mate...ditch the passengers :D
 
So the ring record we 'held' before the Renault rocked up must have been done when it was pretty chilly then....
 
No, stock wheels and polished metal body.

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To be fair a lot of cars are struggling at the ring this week. 36+ air temperature and 57 track temperature is savage.

Is yours a 68 plate?
 
So the ring record we 'held' before the Renault rocked up must have been done when it was pretty chilly then....
They normally do the record attempts early in the day or last thing, early is best for engine and late for grip.

They do one run at a time and I would not be surprised if an ice/dry ice pack was involved before the run.

I have never seen a modern "performance" car with such poor cooling capacity, the front mounted turbo does not help and the heat off that puppy at full throttle and boost must drive the under bonnet temp to insane levels.

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To be fair a lot of cars are struggling at the ring this week. 36+ air temperature and 57 track temperature is savage.

Is yours a 68 plate?

Yep, that's me.

Those temps were pretty spot on, but back in May with 15c temps it was still running at 85-95% max temp with only me on board.

Did you make it over this week?
 
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