Finally got the chance to get out to the track for a brief test yesterday (Memorial Day) at Pueblo. Tried to get out to High Plains last week but the weather has been uncooperative - snow, rain, hail, etc - didn’t make that happen. This was the 1st time out in the Radical after completing more repairs than I anticipated and also 1st time back on the track after breaking my back racing motorcycles last fall - I was a little apprehensive in a car I barely trusted......
Testing was a little briefer than I anticipated because battery drained pretty quickly (single battery setup). Not sure if I had drained it testing the shifter system before, but after my 3rd session, car would not start on its on (~9.9v showing), I could jump it using the truck but it would not keep enough voltage to run the compressor and thus shift, ironic...... when i got back home and tried to put it on the tender, it would not take a charge.
On the track, it shifted fine, up / down, without any problems. Car braked fine, it turned. Only big thing I noticed, is the car felt a little unstable / drifting a little at the end of the front straight (Pueblo’s front straight is a drag strip); not sure if it was due to cross winds, alignment or something else. Only other item was engine idled a little higher than i would have expected at operating - ~ 2600 RPM IIRC, I’ll need to double check that.
Overall, ok day. Since it was a mixed class day (cars and bikes) and only 4 cars - I got to hang out with my motorcycle friends. I’m off to Road America in WI to help a friend race in the AMA/MotoAmerica round this weekend, so maybe next week I’ll get some time to look at the car.
B
Glad to hear you got it out on track.
As for the battery issue, sounds like it could be a charging issue. We can look at the data in the ECU and see what the voltage was.
Right. I agree with Graeme... seems like you're running on battery only. There's a fuse between the alternator and battery... It would be a good idea to check that first.
I'm glad to hear that you got it out on the track! Sorry to hear about your challenges. I agree with Graeme and John that the first thing to check is to look at the data to make sure the car is charging properly. Under normal conditions the battery should only be used when starting the car and then the car should be powered completely from the alternator once the car is running. The fact that the car wouldn't run properly from the alternator is a big sign that the charging system isn't working properly. It also sounds like you battery needs replacement. These Odyssey batteries don't do well if they have been undercharged for a while. And since your car has been sitting for a while that may be a part of the problem.
Regarding the instability you are having on the straights... It certainly could be cross winds if you had high winds that day. It could also be the alignment of if it felt like a vibration if could by a tire / or tires being out of balance.
The idle being high could be that it just wasn't set right, or possibly that the throttle cable is too tight. The cable should have some play in it.
forgot to add some photos.
debated taking the TT......
The car looks great! In some light it looks a lot like a Porsche. 😉
Your trailer set up looks great. The wireless winch controllers are great!
Charley
Graeme - I'll hit you up, would appreciate understanding how to look look at the ECU data.
John / Charley - I'll look at the fuse to see if anything is going on. I have a new battery coming this week.
I have a new set of tires coming, the ones that I had on, were who knows how old. Eliminate one step at a time
B
Another holiday weekend, another day out.
I put a new battery which has rectified the starting issues. Set of fresh slicks as well. Went out to High Plains Raceway July 5th, which is about an hour east of Denver and is a track I know well from hundreds of laps completed racing motorcycles there. Unfortunately last time I was on the track I had a little get-off on the bike and broke my back.
As it was an SCCA race weekend, the track day was split into sessions: racers and production cars..... um, where does a Radical (and some other non racers) fit? Production apparently; with a ton of Corvettes doing a rally. Has anyone seen the average age of a corvette driver????
Car did very well - had a similar wobble issues going down the straight in 5th/6th gears as I did before. Need to check alignment, then aero as something feels “off”. Cornering felt
planted, obviously. Only issue was once it did not want to upshift, wasn’t electrical, but more of the gear box, shifter getting bound up. Need to check the bearings ala Nikolay’s issue.
Based on your track days it appears you are in Colorado. I just purchased a Radical two months ago and located in Salt Lake City. NASA has race August 2-4 at Utah Motorsports Park. Come join us. I am the only Radical in the area. I will make it out to Colorado at some point in time. Welcome!!!
I ran with NASA Utah, a year ago June. Had a blast we ran the East track. The facility is top notch. Maybe I’ll get back there next year, as my “away” race is gonna be Heartland Park this year.
Brandon, great to see you got the car out again. On the shift issue, once again we can look at the ECU data to see if the system denied the shift, or it attempted it and did not complete it. I’m around this week, I could swing by after lunch time most days, just give me a heads up so I can bring my laptop and cable.
You should come to High Plains next weekend! We could have 4 Radicals out if everyone came.
Graeme, agree with you on UMC. I have done a lot of racing on the East Coast and UMC has some of the best facilities of all the tracks I have been to so far.
Garrett, sorry can't make it to High Plains that weekend. I will be at UMC August 3-4. This next NASA race is the full course which IMHO the best of both tracks.
Please post when you are racing, would love to have some Radicals to run with!!
