Sunset Red 1.4 TSI(TFSI) GT Sport - daily drive & track car

[rex]

This Sunday I arrived back home from my annual Nurburgring trip. It's been the 6th year in a row during which time I've managed to do 103 (I think) laps. I hope to be able to go next year also, but I might have to done something different with the money.
This time I managed to do 20 laps in 3 full days and one 2 hours session. I know... that's crazy....
There are a lot of things to say about this trip and instead of making a gigantic post with all the photos and videos I would like to share, I think it's best to create several (large) posts.

In one word this trip was a semi-fiasco. They say a picture is worth 1000 words and this picture best describes the trip:



The only real difference is that it would have been awesome if the queue had only been that large. In fact, Saturday, the queue to exit the track stretched all the way from the Gantry to the Exit on 3 rows. Even the marshals were taking pictures because they had not see these many cars.

It would have been a complete fiasco if it had not been for the awesome company, good food and great beer. I am really glad that even if we had some issues (I could say I've had the motorsport scare of my life) we all got back home safe and with the cars untouched.
In total 4 guys left Romania for Nurburging and we met another friend over there. Fuscobal left his Stage 3 GTI at home and he and another friend rented a Stage 2 Swift, Acidutzul came with his 2.0 TDI Golf, the other friend came with his M135i (he also has a mk6 GTI he like to take around the Ring) and I came with the 1.4 TFSI Golf. Here is a picture of the 2 Swifts and 2 Golfs:



I haven't had the time to look at any of my videos but, regarding the lap times, last year I managed 6 or 7 laps under 9 minute but this time I think I only have 1 or 2 laps under 10 minute. 
The weather, the traffic, the accidents and the Emergency Hotline Call Center all played their roles and had visible affects on the number of laps and the laptimes. I must not forget my driving skills which were not quite up to the task and the cars balance which did not satisfy me either. I will explain about all of these in later posts.

During this trip I've had a few cameras (2 or 3) and it's gonna take some time to edit the videos. I will post the interesting laps but please be patient.
Till then, here are some photos of the car in action (I think these are taken by the bruce's friend):



With Acidutzul


With Fuscobal


Stay tuned! 

[omeydz]

V nice Vlad. Glad you had a good time over all things considered!! And that first pic does do a good job of summing up peoples thoughts on the ring!!

P.s. I got the intake fitted and its ace!! Worth every penny.. just waiting for the right remap and my insurance renewal.

[rex]

Thanks Omar!

Glad you like the CAI! The remap really transforms this engine so don't wait too long for it... 

[Hurdy]

Great description of your trip. 

I've never seen the Ring that busy before. That's mad! 

[anorganix]

Glad to see you're all home safe my friends.
Waiting for videos & stories.

 

[rex]

I've managed to edit the first video so I can continue the story.

We arrived at Nurburgring Wednesday afternoon. After some issues with the hotel (they overbooked for the second year in a row) Stefan (Acidutzul) and I stated changing the street tires with semislicks:







I don't really know why, but when I got to the rear left tire I checked the pressure and it had no pressure. Because I only use these tires for track days I know it could not have been a puncture so I suspected something else... As you may know, the Team Dynamics Pro Race 1.2 wheels I have have some lacquer issues (here) and I suspected this to be the problem.



Because the lacquer still remained on some parts of the inner rim lip I suspected air was escaping between the lacquer and the rim/tire. I went to the nearest service and had the mechanics remove all the lacquer from the inside of the wheel. That solved the problem so I was ready to go (or so I thought).

Wednesday evening I managed to do 3 laps. These were warmup laps so I did not push too hard. But I pushed hard enough to notice that the car had more oversteer than I was comfortable with.
The car had the suspension set at 10 front and 7 rear (Bilstein B16 PSS 10) so I can say it was setup to understeer more than oversteer...
The next day I decided to push a little bit more. During this time I had a lot of fun following (or being followed) by Stefan. I also had the best times of the trip. Unfortunately, as I said before, in 2013 I managed 6 or 7 laps below 9 minutes and now I only managed a best time of 9.11. I am not sad about the best lap time, I am sad that because of the traffic and the accidents I couldn't learn the track better.

On the limit, the car behaved mostly like you can see in Eschbach (min 7.33). So during this tip I was quite cautious (aka scared) and didn't really push the car to the limit.
After this lap I've done another lap and than I started hearing some very strange noises. More about the noises in the next episode.
So, stay tuned 

[Tfsi_Mike]

Where is your rear (cabin) camera mounted Vlad? Could you get a couple of pics if you get chance? 

[rex]

Sorry Mike, it is off the car now. It is a roll cage mount bought for the Go Pro Hero 2 camera.
Here is an older picture where you can see it:



But, Fuscobal borrowed me a special roll cage mount much better than mine. The angel is much much better. I will show at least one video with Fuscobal's mount.
BTW, Fuscobal, can you please post a link with the UK supplier you bought the mount from?

[Tfsi_Mike]

Thanks for the advice, Vlad. I don't have a cage (yet). I don't have front head rests either

[rex]

Yup I know... I am waiting for Fuscobal's link because they may have some other mounting options.
His solution for roll cage mounting was really awesome (but at around 100 GBP not quite cheap...).

[rex]

And to continue the Nurburgring 2014 trip review...

After I completed the lap above I did another lap with a similar laptime, but this time Stefan (Acidutzul) was following me.
When exiting the track after these "hot laps" I heard a strange noise (knocking noise):

Please excuse the background noise. The video editor has messed both the picture and sound quality. But you can still hear the knocking noise clearly.
At first I has a afraid something went terribly wrong. I checked the suspension, the underside of the car and it all seemed ok. Then I asked Stefan to take a ride in the car and see if he can give me any hits that would help me figure out the problem. After a short drive he told me the sound was similar to not having the wheel bolts tightly fitted. I didn't have any tools in the car (he still had the flat tire repair kit and the wheel bolt wrench) so Stefan checked the wheel bolts on my car. The front right tire was ok and after the got to the left front one we told me to came and see something.
I froze when I saw this:



Yup... 3 bolt are missing. Of the 2 remaining ones one was threaded only 2 turns and came of easily (by hand). So I've done some laps of the Nurburgring with only one okish wheel bolt  . I didn't go slow and I braked just like normal (remember that the disc is held in place by the wheel bolts). I was really shocked  ...
I am very, very lucky I escaped unharmed. Losing a wheel on the Nordschleife would not have ended well... I think this was my greatest motorsport moment yet and I hope to never do it again.
I am to blame for not checking the tightness of the bolts. I was upset of the flat tire I had a day before and when putting the wheels back I seem to have forgotten to check the front left one.

More (but less intense) stories and videos are yet to come...

[Tfsi_Mike]

Very lucky escape from an innocent unthinking moment there Vlad

[fuscobal]

This is the one > http://www.dogcamsport.co.uk/magic-arm-super-clamp.html

[Tfsi_Mike]

This is the one > http://www.dogcamsport.co.uk/magic-arm-super-clamp.html

In your experience, how well would that clamp to the rear passenger grab handle?

[fuscobal]

You first need to install it on the roll-cage and then you block all its movements from the middle handle, while being carefull to have the front plate in a perfectly horisontal position (while installing it it's difficult to set it perfectly so it's better to have someone in the front of the car tell you when it's horisontal). The clamp holds very well and I've driven through some bad roads with it installed !