I4 Emira on Track

[lynchy73]

I’ve done fairly extensive mods, including Tillett seats, stage 1 ECU, charge cooler upgrade, performance air filter, decat, straight through Mach 5 exhaust (no valve), upgraded disks/pads (+4mm rear diameter, +8mm front, but not sure on that) and JUBU brake ducts. On suspension UCA (-3.5F, -3R camber), solid lower CA bushes, sway bar plus links and toe links, still on stock sports suspension (lowered circa 10mm by moving the circlips). 9*20 and 11*20 Aerie V2 wheels with 265/35 front, 305/30 Rear tyres.

Honestly had lots of niggly issues after the upgrades, mainly silly stuff around exhaust valve wiring (removed that valve exhaust) and the charge cooler fluid was low after the upgrade (results in power being pulled once you push the car, but doesn’t cause a CEL or any errors you can read with basic OBD reader). Just recently my sports cat basically partially fell apart. Also had lots of brake issues initially until I swapped in new disks. Now the car is finally performing pretty well and although I don’t have full confidence in the brakes (pedal feel is too soft/spongy), but they do at least continue to work reasonably ok after some continued hard use.

Anyway, brought the Lotus to a small track that I attend regularly. There is lots of stuff to hit if you get it wrong, so I’m not entirely comfortable pushing really hard here in the Lotus.

I did a better time of 1.10.9 earlier but didn’t take a video and it’s got a bit more to give (changed brake fluid before the afternoon session, which helped somewhat with brake feel), but the brakes don’t feel up to repeated push laps. I did a 1.08.0 yesterday in my track only car.

 

[lynchy73]

Some data from the morning session. There is very little run off at this track so you don’t want to get it wrong in such a pretty car…

 

[BruceN]

were you tracking it before your upgraded camber/UCA? Can you speak to the difference?
I also didn't have great confidence in the brakes at the limit. Switching to Girodisc rotors seemed to make braking significantly better

 

[lynchy73]

Regards brakes, the upgrade disks and pads are a big improvement. I swapped fluid yesterday and they felt a bit better after that (2 year old Endlass Race Fluid), but the pedal feel is still a bit spongy IMO. I wrecked by OEM discs with the factory pads initially, went to race fluid and Endless pads, had to skim the discs but they were never great.

Yes, I tracked it a bit before the suspension mods, I’ve also improved my driving skills, as I purchased a track car during that period.
I did all the Emira suspension mods together, so can’t say exactly what mod did what. The car corners flatter, grips more, feels a lot sharper, more feedback and is more willing to change direction. It would destroy tyres before, with the outside edge getting chewed up quickly and badly (whilst lapping slower). That is now a thing of the past, tyre wear is now very even, they don’t overheat too quickly and tyres last very well now.

I wouldn’t say I’m fully confident in the handling just yet. I’m not sure how to describe it, but it’s like the car is up on its toes and wants to rotate, it almost feels a little twitchy, like it could come around, but it doesn’t. The extra power and torque also means you have to be careful with the throttle. It hasn’t stepped out on me badly since the mods, but that feeling makes me nervous to really lean hard on it in the bends, without plenty of runoff. I need to spend some time on a bigger and faster track to get to grips with it, just haven’t had many opportunities.

I do also have a lightweight track only (about half the weight and 200hp) car and that’s what I mostly drive on track. The Lotus is still a long way off of getting close to what that car does under brakes or in a bend, but it’s much closer to it now, than it was from the factory.