Extra Parts List

[Paul Cundy]

I'm no panel beater and they aren't pretty but they work!
Regards
Paul C

[Paul Cundy]

What are you referring to in "opening up the scoops". I have an m12 (no extra exterior scoop over the rear fender scoop). It has a mesh-like grill between exterior and interior. Do you mean, rip out this mesh? Is there any particular advantage or disadvantage to this mesh?

I am thinking of getting aftermarket external scoop extenders, like on the m400's.
Ron K

To fit the M400 style extenders you have to cut the bodywork, but where its "visible". My mod still means cutting the bodywork but only cutting it in the tunnel.
You could do mine first and if it didn't work out then proceed to the M400 style.
Regards
Paul C

[DerekFSU]

I didn't like that my coolant was audibly boiling after every session so I removed the screens over the side air scoops. That immediately stopped the boiling.

We now use the vent on the driver's side to cool the IC via ductwork.

[caccobra]

I didn't like that my coolant was audibly boiling after every session so I removed the screens over the side air scoops. That immediately stopped the boiling.

We now use the vent on the driver's side to cool the IC via ductwork.

Any pictures of how that looks, Derek?

[DerekFSU]

Any pictures of how that looks, Derek?

No, you're too old and don't appreciate the M5.


Just kidding. As soon as I get some pictures, I will post'em. The car is two hours away right now with Seth.

[caccobra]

No, you're too old and don't appreciate the M5.


Just kidding. As soon as I get some pictures, I will post'em. The car is two hours away right now with Seth.

LMAO

Thanks, Derek. I deserved that.

[Ronald Kienitz]

I didn't like that my coolant was audibly boiling after every session so I removed the screens over the side air scoops. That immediately stopped the boiling.

We now use the vent on the driver's side to cool the IC via ductwork.

Wow! I can't fathom how the screens create such a significant impediment to flow! Sounds like the quickest fix. Is there any downside?

I'm not much of a sheet metal worker, either, but I repair our surfboards and windsurfers often enough. I'm thinking of a way to fabricate ducting with fiberglass.

[Ronald Kienitz]

I have still had only two high speed training sessions, one of 2 x 10 laps and the other of 2 x 15 laps. Being new to the concept of high speed track driving, I’m quite naïve to many important points, not the least of which was the surprise to learn what a crumby driver I am! I’ll resume my tutorials as soon as I get my car back from installing new throttle cable, IC fans, IC insulation, BOV, and FPR. I intend to continue these sessions from 2-4 time per month. I hope I can learn something before doing serious damage to self or machine. If so, I may begin to enter some timed-lap events.
Another awakening this has caused is how much more stress the car is subjected to in extended lapping at high speeds and the need for much closer attention to the equipment than I am accustomed to. I would like to solicit advice in this area, specifically, a must-do check list in the days before each session, such as:
Should I jack the car up at all 4 points?
What should I look for at the brakes?
For that matter, how often should I expect to be changing the pads?
At this level of lapping, how often should I change the oil and filter?
Or the other fluids/maintenance?
I want to be as complete as practicable, without spending the entire weekend in the garage every time. Appreciate all advice, as always.
Ron

[OnyxM400]

Update: New battery info and Jet-Hot coating info.

[S.J.Morgan]

I have still had only two high speed training sessions, one of 2 x 10 laps and the other of 2 x 15 laps. Being new to the concept of high speed track driving, I’m quite naïve to many important points, not the least of which was the surprise to learn what a crumby driver I am! I’ll resume my tutorials as soon as I get my car back from installing new throttle cable, IC fans, IC insulation, BOV, and FPR. I intend to continue these sessions from 2-4 time per month. I hope I can learn something before doing serious damage to self or machine. If so, I may begin to enter some timed-lap events.
Another awakening this has caused is how much more stress the car is subjected to in extended lapping at high speeds and the need for much closer attention to the equipment than I am accustomed to. I would like to solicit advice in this area, specifically, a must-do check list in the days before each session, such as:
Should I jack the car up at all 4 points?
What should I look for at the brakes?
For that matter, how often should I expect to be changing the pads?
At this level of lapping, how often should I change the oil and filter?
Or the other fluids/maintenance?
I want to be as complete as practicable, without spending the entire weekend in the garage every time. Appreciate all advice, as always.
Ron

Before every event:

Jack up the car and inspect it. You should have a pressure washer to keep the underside clean, along with the engine and suspension. Stuff gets dirty during regular use, and a quick spray down keeps stuff shiny and easily inspected.

Don't forget to spray some penetrating oil on the CLEAN threads of the dampers so that adjustments can be made to the ride height and corner weights. You can clean the threads with a small wire brush.

The feel of the brake pedal will tell you most of what you need to know about your brakes. If it is solid, and there is no pulsing or grinding, things are usually OK. Pulling and pulsing in the steering during braking indicate warped, or contaminated rotors as friction material has fused to the rotor. If you have this problem, have the rotors turned by a machinist.

Visual inspection for leakage of fluid, shards of metal and the condition of the pads for remaining friction material should be before every event, and after every event.

As a precaution, you should bleed the brakes before every event, but I have found this to be overkill. If the pedal gets soft, bleed the brakes. By all means, flush and replace brake fluid EVERY YEAR. This will preserve the brake system, and ensure a hard, effective and accurate brake pedal.

How long your brakes last depends on how you drive the car. If you treasure your Noble, DON'T BEAT IT TO DEATH. You can back off the throttle early, brake lightly and accelerate gently, using higher gears and have just as much fun as running the car to redline in EVERY gear, slam the gear lever, abuse the clutch, mashing the brake pedal and generally heating the car up beyond reason.

You can go very quickly in a Noble without thrashing it. Hopefully, your instructors will teach you THAT skill, rather than a method of using your car up at the track. Brakes can last several events and miles of road driving, tires, even R compound ones can last through multiple events and you can drive entire weekends at the track without once overheating the after cooler or cause a high oil temperature indication.

NO ONE SAYS THAT YOU HAVE TO TRASH THE CAR TO ENJOY IT.

Be smooth. It saves tires, brakes, engines, transmissions.

Oil should be changed after every event if you are running regularly. If not, change by normal interval AND after every event. Change the filter too. You can use the same synthetic for road and track use.

You should also replace your coolant every two years, and spend a little time inspecting the cooling system and hoses for leaks, abrasions or soft spots. Blow a hose, and you cause a problem for yourself, and those behind you.

Same for the oil lines. Check those as well.

You should have a two sets of wheels, one set with road tires, the other with your R compound or simply your "race" tires. Torque your wheels with an expensive torque wrench. Just pull until it clicks at the properly set torque. Don't force it past the click just to "make sure". Use anti sieze on the studs and the faces of the fasteners (lug nuts) so that they tighten without churping, and come off easily when you need them to.

After breaking in a new Noble, and spending some track time with other Nobles, I am still not convinced that after cooler fans do anything at all at the track.

However, a small fan mounted on the oil cooler will drop oil temps by 20-30% (use a VW Passat engine compartment thermo switch to turn it on). BOVs and FPRs work only if the original parts were improperly installed or defective. If you wanted, you could install a larger oil cooler and fan. Plenty of room in the M400s fender for that.

A good heat shield under the cooler might be useful, as well as ceramic based insulation with a thick aluminum skin between the exhaust and the cooler basket.

The main thing to think about if you are going to run weekly events is that you want to drive home in the car that you are racing. This means that you need to PRESERVE THE EQUIPMENT! Brake earlier, shift more slowly, be easy on the clutch and learn that Heal/Toe technique so that you don't shock the drive line when downshifting and braking for a corner.

You are NOT RACING. You are at the track to have fun, and develop skills. You will know how you are doing by your lap times. Remember, you will usually have to slow down to go faster. As you get comfortable, your lap times will drop, yet you will not be stressing the car any more than you were when you were slow. If you instructor wants you to thash the car, then get a new instructor that has some respect for the machinery. Find someone that knows about endurance racing, and car preservation for multiple events. Have the instructor teach you how to be smooth, and easy on the car. Speed will come by itself.

I run my road cars on the track all of the time.I have been doing this for over 30 years. One of those cars covered over 8000 track miles on its original short block, and was not burning oil at 120,000 miles. It was a quick car, among the quickest in class, yet I never fried a clutch, broke a gearbox or overheated my oil in 14 years of running the car. R compound tires on this 3400 lb heavyweight would last through 6 events, including 1500 miles of road driving to get to the events. I drove it to and from, every event, for 14 years without failure.

The secret was setup, maintenance, and a driving style that allowed me to use the cars performance without wearing it out.

Now there is one thing...If you track your car that much, you are going to have to maintain it just about every weekend, and certainly before and after every event. If you don't, the money that you have spent so far will be a drop in a bucket full of $100 bills. Also, there will be the possibility that you will break the thing at an event and have it brought home on a stretcher, followed by a huge bill from your local pirate, er, mechanic.
If you want to play, you have to pay. Either in time, or dollars. Eventually, you will find that NO ONE will do this job well for you, and you will have to do it yourself. No one that you will pay will inspect and maintain the car properly for track events. At least not at a rate that you wouldn't mind paying.