What weight oil do you guys run for events?

What sort of pre and post day maintenance do you guys attempt to complete to ensure everything is running as it should?

 

OEM Oil.

Tire pressure check, and a wash, and make sure everything is out of the car...

I'm not being flip, I just keep the car in top shape at all times, so there isn't anything in particular I do for a race.

I love H street.

Lol,

Charlie

 

That's much what I do for H Street.

Though this thread is in D street, so I presume they're talking about an S. Even for track days (in our JCW) I don't do much more than that, I also check or replace the brake pads, and tech makes me check the oil level. A track day is much harder on the car than an autocross. One run at autocross puts about as much strain on the car as a track lap. We'll do 8-16 runs at autocross, but 80-100 laps for a track day. At autocross things hardly get warmed up, so I'd be surprised if there were much brake wear

 

ditto here, as if it needed more affirmation.

as far as oil goes - i'm actually going to be doing a test of amsoil sso 0w30, amsoil zrod 10w30, and pennzoil ultra 5w30 to see which oil gets the best used oil analysis result. i'm gonna put ~1500 miles & 5-6 autox events on each oil. i'll post when it's done (which won't be complete until the middle of the year)

 

Going to my first autox event this sunday

 

^ good luck! post here when you do!

 

I always ran MINI OEM oil until this year. Switched to 0-40 Euro Mobil 1.


When checking the tire pressure, I put in more than I want at the event. It is so much easier to let pressure out than pumping them up. I also pull out the torque wrench and check the lug bolts.
I have a catch can, so I empty an accumulated water/oil sludge... especially in cool weather.
Besides taking out loose articles, I pop out the rear headrests and put the seat backs down. Take out floor mats, except drivers (that comes out at the event).
Take your MINI for a spin in a parking lot. Turn back a forth pretty hard. No need to go fast, just check for any noise that might distract you. I have often found I need to adjust the position of the rear belt male clip into the small space below the retractor so it doesn't slap. You can also clip the belts into the female receptacles.


PACK YOUR RACE BOX/TUB! Numbers, oil, helmet, shoes/water socks, gloves, tools, tire pressure gauge, notepad and pen, windshield washer, rag, water, hat, rain gear (if you live near me), small blue tarp


Good luck to all and have fun!

 

Will do.


Op, definitely bring some tools and a torque wrench with you just in case.

 

All good info here. Although I'm not sure taking the headrests out is technically D Street legal. You can do what we do instead which is just pop them out and spin them around and put them back in. That way the headrest is still there but not in your way.

If this is something you're going to do regularly I highly recommend an "auto-x box" with the things listed above. Keep it packed so all you have to do the morning of is grab the box and walk out the door.

We run STX but even with the extra mods there isn't really much to check. We swap tires so I look at the brake pads occasionally and in the fender well to see if there is anything out of place. We've never had a problem though other than the occasional tire rub.

 

Good catch. I think you're right if the headrests are deemed a part of the rear seats. They are not in the way when the seats fold down and besides.... I have more problems than headrests if I'm looking behind me during a run!

 

I also wanted to add to the box - a piece of drywall or marker crayon to mark your tires for a roll-over check, water, food.

 

to add - i dont have a pic but i do hve a good size autox box with everything - magnets, tape, chalk, pressure gauge, bunch of other crap for autox that i bring to every autox. also a water sprayer and helmet

side note: i am looking to the seb for clarification on whether rear seat headrest removal can fall under 13.2.a as a non performance/handling modification for comfort/convenience. they weight 2lbs each. i leave them out of the car when i normally drive for rearward visibility, seems backwards to actually bring them just to be stock class legal. we'll see what they come back with. you'd think it'd be okay, but you know how it goes. if it's not explicitly stated, it's not certain to be elgal

 

Have you worked out how to take off the little ring which prevents the rear headrests from going all the way down? They're not a problem if you do that. Though technically taking off the ring is a mod, but less of a mod than taking them out entirely. I'll be interested in what the SEB say, I always took them out for track days, but couldn't see a justification for autocross so they stay in.

 

yeaaaaa damn those rings - no, I haven't. and I got word from SEB that 4 lbs does not apparently count as non-material. Never mentioned that it was a MINI either. I guess they're staying in for me as well.

 

You need a thin pointy object, I think I used a jeweler's screwdriver. You should see there's a silver pin through one side. Poke out the pin, then you can remove or relocate the ring.

 

I swap the wheels for autocross, so the lug torque gets checked as part of changing the wheels. I don't bother taking many tools, if I'm not planning on changing wheels at the event (which is most events). Just the torque wrench, a screwdriver, and adjustable wrench. I've never needed any of them. If there's a problem, I doubt I'd be able to fix it, and you only have about 10mins to do it.

I used to put the rear seats down, until I got the harness. That plugs into the rear seat belt receviers, so you can't have the seats down.

 

Hmmm... I run the Schroth belts - mounting at the left rear seatbelt attachment points, and still get the seats down. Took a little fiddling.

 

interesting, i'll check it out - thanks! should help.

 

Are you running the 3 or 4 point belt? Quickfit?

 

Quick Fit.

 

Wow I spaced out and forgot I posted this.

Good info here. Do you have to provide your own numbering then? I know when I signed up I had to pick a number. Where would one get that?

Without buying specialty stuff would tennis shoes be the best choice for footwear?

 

you use painter's tape, or buy magnets.

any closed toe shoe that fits well will be fine

 

You need to have your own numbers. You can use tape as suggested, but that isn't a very good solution, they're not very visible for the course workers. There are standards in the rules about numbers, and almost no one uses number which comply with them.

We got a modular set of magnetic numbers, so we can use a variety of different numbers if necessary.

 

Shoes - whatever you are comfortable in. I REALLY like my water socks. ~$10 and they end up no wider than my foot. I wouldn't want to do my work assignment in them, but they are great for driving in.

 

done! thanks for the tip. used an unfurled paper clip lol. all the way down and completely out of the way, and stock legal now too! i never noticed it on my used 08, i guess the original owner must have already done it for me - regardless, they're down