Post your auto cross setup in here!

[AxelRipper]

I only ran one last year, in HS. Now with tune, technically out of that, but it wasn't exactly a competitive class. I beat a Kia and a Civic, both by almost 10 sec (I think my time was in the 75 sec range). This was ACTUAL stock as well, none of us had slicks or anything. I think I had the biggest mod with my muffler being removed (had put the stock intake back on to play nice, not that it mattered pre-tune).

Now STC on the other hand (1.4t) is incredibly competitive around here. There's half a dozen gutted 90s civics that run it, and I think the Mazdaspeed3 that won STF nationals last year or 2 got dropped into that class as well. I'm a long ways from even attempting to be competitive in that class.

Really, SCCA's classes suck for most things. If you want to try to get to nationals you have to dump a ton of money in to be competitive, regardless of what class. For a tune, intake, exhaust, and suspension you still are competing against dedicated gutted cars (and SCCA hates turbos, so 1.4t = STC).

 

[$ub$onic]

Speed3 should not be in stf

The normal 3 is.

 

[AustinK]

ZZP high flow will be legal. Youmay be able to sneak through in a regional event with the wheels though.

I want to 6 speed swap my car butI have to really think about it now. I will be out of STF and might end up in SMF if I do the swap. I do not stand a chance in that class. There is actually a good chance that I would come in last at every event.

I know locally I will be fine. But I talked to one of my friends who raced at nationals and said I'd have a hard time with the wheels. Not sure about the test pipe though I'll have to ask.

 

[AustinK]

Thats why I love living in Nebraska.. For SCCA at least we race on the nationals course each week. (not the course itself obviously but the surface) It is different than your average parking lot for sure.

 

[mitdr774]

I will be doing Detroit and NWOR events this year. Not sure how many I will make due to work, but I plan on running as many as I can.

I am still debating what size wheels to run this year. I can save a couple pounds by running a 16x7 compared to a 17x7.5. Either way I will be using a 225 width tire. That is also the max width for STF.

 

[mitdr774]

No tires yet.
Fifteen52 Tarmacs 17x8et30

Based off of these pictures I suspect you will be flagged for your wheels being too wide before you even get asked how wide they are. a 225 will probably have a bit of a stretch to fit those wheels as well. I know that the 225s on my LTZ wheels are about a perfect fit, and I think the LTZ is a 17x7.

Even if the wheels were legal I would be very uncomfortable running them due to possible damage to the fender/quarter panel, and cutting the tire. Just my personal opinion though.

 

[AustinK]

Yeah :/ I hope not. Like I said our local chapter is usually fairly nice (so I have been told). I also plan on having my fenders rolled/pulled to accommodate the width. Sometimes I wish I hadn't gone with such an aggressive offset. I talked to Zachary Tullier who is running the exact same specs as I am and he said that I should be okay with clearance. He's slammed which I am not I only plan on running springs.

Edit: Also I won't walk around promoting that I have 17x8's either. I am simply there to have fun. If they bump me up a class that is fine. Hindsight I should've checked the wheel width before ordering but it slipped my mind. Thats what happens when we make assumptions

I appreciate the guidance though. Thank you.

 

[AxelRipper]

Ok so I'm finally a set of wheels and tires (on their way) from STC. Of course, there is a slight issue here....

How on earth do you adjust a modern turbo ECU without changing the boost?

 

[mitdr774]

Most of what I want to do this year removes me from STF.

I am not sure if the tune modifies the boot levels, or just allows for the full stock permissble range to be used. Is the tune commanding more pressure, or is the computer seeing the increase in commanded toque and adding more pressure?

 

[AxelRipper]

Well I brought it up on the regional forum, and they directed me to the national forum, where people have been asking about STX Cobalts. The thing with the GM code is that it reads throttle input as a requested torque, then the ECU determines the best way to get that torque output at its current status, be it throttle, cam timing, fuel, spark, boost, or downshifting in the case of autos. You really can't take the boost out of that equation.

I may contact the SCCA tech guys and see about this, mostly just because I'm curious, but also because I'm sure some other people would like this to be sorted as well.

 

[sx sonic]

Ok so I'm finally a set of wheels and tires (on their way) from STC. Of course, there is a slight issue here....

How on earth do you adjust a modern turbo ECU without changing the boost?

Pretty sure you can just up the commanded torque and get more boost without actually changing any boost tables (up to 16psi, possibly 18psi max). I think that would constitute an "indirect change in boost".

Changes in cam phasing, spark, and fuel could also change boost, again indirectly.


Trifecta and probably VT modify the boost tables but I'm almost positive that some HPT guys have made more power and boost by only changing the torque tables.

 

[GR3GR1LLA]

Hey everyone I just want to start by saying Ive been interested in autocross lately and this thread has been extreamly imformative!!! Thank you. I know nothing about autocross, the classes, the areas that they are held in (I live in Baltimore, MD), how to get into it, not a god damn thing... (total noob lol). I have a bone stock 13' 1.4T Sonic and I would love to start buying mods to set it up for autocross, but also keep it as my daily. If any of you guys could start me in the right direction that would be greatly appreciated!

Mods I have in mind
Suspention: Pedder coilovers
Intake: Injen, DDMW, or K&N
Exhaust: Borla
ECU: Trifecta
Wheels: Fast Hayaku (17"X7.5" or 8", et34) w/5mm spacers
Tires: Falken PT 722's (245/40/17)

 

[acamacho104]

Hey everyone I just want to start by saying Ive been interested in autocross lately and this thread has been extreamly imformative!!! Thank you. I know nothing about autocross, the classes, the areas that they are held in (I live in Baltimore, MD), how to get into it, not a god damn thing... (total noob lol). I have a bone stock 13' 1.4T Sonic and I would love to start buying mods to set it up for autocross, but also keep it as my daily. If any of you guys could start me in the right direction that would be greatly appreciated!

Mods I have in mind
Suspention: Pedder coilovers
Intake: Injen, DDMW, or K&N
Exhaust: Borla
ECU: Trifecta
Wheels: Fast Hayaku (17"X7.5" or 8", et34) w/5mm spacers
Tires: Falken PT 722's (245/40/17)

Ik we have an scca chapter nearby. But if you're looking to compete without getting too crazy, look up capitol driving club. They run events around there area too.

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[GR3GR1LLA]

Ik we have an scca chapter nearby. But if you're looking to compete without getting too crazy, look up capitol driving club. They run events around there area too.

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Thanks a lot, Ill look into that. Is there anything I need ahead of time? Like entry fees, or things I should do to my car, or get for my car, like spare parts/replacement parts????

 

[acamacho104]

You're gonna need a helmet. they have a really good faq section on their website. It should answer all or most of your questions. But you can drive your car just the way it is. I saw a bone stock '99 Buick Riviera at one recently lol.

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[GR3GR1LLA]

You're gonna need a helmet. they have a really good faq section on their website. It should answer all or most of your questions. But you can drive your car just the way it is. I saw a bone stock '99 Buick Riviera at one recently lol.

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Dude I really can't thank you enough. That's pretty funny about the Riviera!

 

[mitdr774]

You can always just run the car as is to see how you like doing auto cross. I know that some of the things I want to do to my car will place me in a class that I have no chance in. Playing within the rules can be hard if you have goals other than auto cross.

 

[GR3GR1LLA]

Yeah that was one of the things I noticed reading through the thread. The stuff Id like to do to my car would deff. put me in a class I would be slaughtered in. But I think that's what I'll do cause it's something I'm interested in.

 

[Mikeygoolsbay]

I'm thinking about running my car stock at our next local race. I'll just have to put the stock intake back on. I used to want to go for the best 1/4 mile time in the sonic but I like that autocross is more about the drivers ability vs the cars power

 

[AxelRipper]

So I was just browsing the interwebs a bit to see if I was the only person having the issue of HS being faster than STC (I think it had more to do with track temps changing by 20 degrees, but whatever) and found something else out:

Street Touring
#12465 STS and STC Combining proposal
Effective 2015, all cars currently classed in STC will be re-classed to STS.

Great. No chance of being nationally competitive without a CRX or Civic. Or certain Miatas.