What will we break on our new toy?
Discussion
So the 3 middle aged driving gods that make up our 'team' have upgraded. Cast aside like a used thing is our trusty old SR3, 1300 busa engined (actually a little bit more than that after the winter rebuild),chassis 76, ex Autosport show car.
In comes a super duper 1500 SR3 with all the toys. Hope we get an instruction book!
So, taking into account that much of what it has is new to us, particularly paddle shift, what are we likley to break, being the trio of ham fisted dimwits we are from time to time?
Any pointers based on bitter experience? For instance, when I see you speedy young things racing them I notice you have them sitting on the air jacks running in gear to, I presume, warm the transmission. Would we need to do that at track days as a couple of warm up laps normally dies the job for us.
The vendor is happy to come and show us what does what at a track day, but to be honest, we won't be able to wait. Feels like Christmas eve as it is!
In comes a super duper 1500 SR3 with all the toys. Hope we get an instruction book!
So, taking into account that much of what it has is new to us, particularly paddle shift, what are we likley to break, being the trio of ham fisted dimwits we are from time to time?
Any pointers based on bitter experience? For instance, when I see you speedy young things racing them I notice you have them sitting on the air jacks running in gear to, I presume, warm the transmission. Would we need to do that at track days as a couple of warm up laps normally dies the job for us.
The vendor is happy to come and show us what does what at a track day, but to be honest, we won't be able to wait. Feels like Christmas eve as it is!
silverthorn2151 said:
I notice you have them sitting on the air jacks running in gear to, I presume, warm the transmission. Would we need to do that at track days as a couple of warm up laps normally dies the job for us.
Excellent, well pleased for the trio of you! 
I think that 'in gear chuntering away stood on jacks' malarkey only applies/applied (not sure which nowadays) to the 8 because of it's unique transmission. So two stage warm up to 60, then a bit of more gentle circulation until it's ideally something like 100, by which time the slicks should be upto temp and you're good to take-off.
You can download an excellent OM from the Big R's site; go to Showroom, then SR3RS and have a ferret.
Edited by splitpin on Thursday 5th July 17:43
An SR3 should NEVER be run up through the gears off the ground, as this will damage the gearbox. Detailed instructions on the warming-up procedure can be found in the SR3 RS owner's manual, downloadable here.
Official Radical said:
An SR3 should NEVER be run up through the gears off the ground, as this will damage the gearbox. Detailed instructions on the warming-up procedure can be found in the SR3 RS owner's manual, downloadable here.
Now Mr Official Radical, you know I'm not one to split hairs or be pathetically detailed focussed and I've never been accused of being anally retentive. However on this one occasion, I feel the need to disagree with your statement. The afforelinked manual sadly does not in fact contain "detailed instructions on the warming-up procedure".It contains various proscribed activities with regard to the subject of warming up, but is completely silent on the matter of the actual warming up procedure.
It's possible by now that you have got the feeling that I am a little disconsolate on the matter of warming-up. And yes that is so. You may know that I have previously held-forth on what a complete pain in the posterior it is to warm up the engine. However, I have actually become accustomed on race day to waking at 4am to start the engine up with the vain hope of achieving 60 degrees oil temperature before the end of qualifying. I find the early start quite refreshing especially now that the race season has moved on from it's mid-winter start.
No, my vexation is actually huge disappointment that the very helpful "Bert's rules of gaffa" have not been included in the Radical Owners Handbook (sic). The striking lack of apostrophes in the title of said tome is neither here nor there, given the huge omission viz-a-vis the matter of gaffa tape.
Bert.
May I just say that (pending arrival of the magic pads) I and several others did indeed listen to and do constantly apply the learned and wise words of the IMOM.
(4.00am sounds like a very sound reason for one employing 'a man that does'- oops, there was me thinking that you did - pray tell Prophet, what logic in paying for the monkey and grinding the handle yourself?)
(4.00am sounds like a very sound reason for one employing 'a man that does'- oops, there was me thinking that you did - pray tell Prophet, what logic in paying for the monkey and grinding the handle yourself?)
Chris
Not sure what year your new toy is, but it may be worth checking you've got the latest PS updates - think those are software.
We had a PS on our 2010 RS and it was superb on the downshifts but less refined on the upshifts; got the same on the 2012 PR6 and OK, only four races so far, but apparently it's absolutely superb in 'both directions'.
Not sure what year your new toy is, but it may be worth checking you've got the latest PS updates - think those are software.
We had a PS on our 2010 RS and it was superb on the downshifts but less refined on the upshifts; got the same on the 2012 PR6 and OK, only four races so far, but apparently it's absolutely superb in 'both directions'.
Wasn't the 2010 version of the PS quite different? It was the piggy-back ecu and not closed loop (so fixed engine cut period)?
Now it's actually all in the Life ecu and closed loop.
And ok, maybe it's not me that actually gets up at 4am! We have a heating pad on the DS tank and a Kenlowe water heater to save lots of running. It seems to work quite well, but cools very quickly as you go out, especially if you don't tape up the oil inlet side and to a lesser degree the water side (see Bert's rules of Gaffa).
If like me you do a couple of laps with the oil side completely taped up, it gets the oil temp up quite quickly, but if you forget and go much over 100 (especially with half used oil), you will come across the low-OP cutout.
Bert
Now it's actually all in the Life ecu and closed loop.
And ok, maybe it's not me that actually gets up at 4am! We have a heating pad on the DS tank and a Kenlowe water heater to save lots of running. It seems to work quite well, but cools very quickly as you go out, especially if you don't tape up the oil inlet side and to a lesser degree the water side (see Bert's rules of Gaffa).
If like me you do a couple of laps with the oil side completely taped up, it gets the oil temp up quite quickly, but if you forget and go much over 100 (especially with half used oil), you will come across the low-OP cutout.
Bert
Well, what we actually broke was
1. Front body section
2. Front splitter
3. Carbon wing mirrors
4. Front dive planes.
5. One front splitter stay
6. One polystyrene sign reading 'AGOSTINI'
7. A bit of Lord Palmers grass
8. Little bit of Armco (only a small dent)
9. 2 clear light covers.
10. Other little bits you forget about then Radical charge you £34.95 for.
I've had better mornings at Snetterton to be frank!
1. Front body section
2. Front splitter
3. Carbon wing mirrors
4. Front dive planes.
5. One front splitter stay
6. One polystyrene sign reading 'AGOSTINI'
7. A bit of Lord Palmers grass
8. Little bit of Armco (only a small dent)
9. 2 clear light covers.
10. Other little bits you forget about then Radical charge you £34.95 for.
I've had better mornings at Snetterton to be frank!
splitpin said:
my superstitious side has probably got even worse/yet more illogical ............... i.e. the title of your OP
And don't think that I haven't thought exactly the same thing!Mind you, bloody marvellous to drive on the few laps I did get to drive.! Must have been those super duper brakes locking the rears......possibly.
> Are You OK? > Good > 
Well, we are off to France tomorrow avec le Radical. Some new parts, some old parts that have been repaired. My mates have a special bumper car body that they want to put on for my driving sessions!
The original broken body has been repaired and is back on the car. I'll let you know how we fair amongst 93...yes 93 cars at Le Mans Bugatti next week!
The original broken body has been repaired and is back on the car. I'll let you know how we fair amongst 93...yes 93 cars at Le Mans Bugatti next week!
My word, what a great couple of days.
We went and joined Delta Racing on their two day Le Mans party. New car ran like a dream and we broke nothing at all!
Only paddock related excitement was when it rained. Great, lets try those wets we thought!
Air jacks pumped, wheels off, impact wrench recharged, spacers for the fronts filed and sawn to fit, wets on, nuts tight, on to track...sun comes out.
Repeat above in reverse to amusement of rest of paddock who had sat and drunk tea whilst watching Chuckle Brothers Racing generally bugger about.
One question arose. Oil pressure at tickover is very low when hot. It shows about 10psi and the warning light is on. We know that bike engines can sometimes have low oil pressure and one of us recalls a modification that some bikes have involving stretching a spring to improve pressure.
I thought I'd ask here what we should expect on a 1500 in terms of oil pressure at tickover.
I found I was a long way off the pace after my incident at Snetterton. Suprised at how it had affected me to be honest. Found it difficult to trust and lean on the brakes for fear of the locking up and trusting the huge front end turn in was very difficult. Just took my time over the couple of days and worked back into it. Very challenging though.
We went and joined Delta Racing on their two day Le Mans party. New car ran like a dream and we broke nothing at all!
Only paddock related excitement was when it rained. Great, lets try those wets we thought!
Air jacks pumped, wheels off, impact wrench recharged, spacers for the fronts filed and sawn to fit, wets on, nuts tight, on to track...sun comes out.
Repeat above in reverse to amusement of rest of paddock who had sat and drunk tea whilst watching Chuckle Brothers Racing generally bugger about.
One question arose. Oil pressure at tickover is very low when hot. It shows about 10psi and the warning light is on. We know that bike engines can sometimes have low oil pressure and one of us recalls a modification that some bikes have involving stretching a spring to improve pressure.
I thought I'd ask here what we should expect on a 1500 in terms of oil pressure at tickover.
I found I was a long way off the pace after my incident at Snetterton. Suprised at how it had affected me to be honest. Found it difficult to trust and lean on the brakes for fear of the locking up and trusting the huge front end turn in was very difficult. Just took my time over the couple of days and worked back into it. Very challenging though.
I found myself a fair bit slower after hitting a wall in my SR3, it definitely shakes the confidence a touch. Next time at the same track while doing my first ever race the conditions were slippery with spots of rain while on slick tyres, and the handling felt diabolical, denting the confidence even further.
Confidence is key! You'll get it back though, will just take a bit of time and a really good run in the car
As for oil pressure, mine is super low on idle with the warning going off. A blip confirms it's ok, but most SR3's I've seen here do the same.
Confidence is key! You'll get it back though, will just take a bit of time and a really good run in the car
As for oil pressure, mine is super low on idle with the warning going off. A blip confirms it's ok, but most SR3's I've seen here do the same.
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