Kermit's Big Hero 5 VR SE

[Kermit]

Hi All,

I have been planning on creating this thread for the past 2 years, but only finally getting to it now, better late than never I guess! I hope some of you make it to the bottom of the post!

First up - Thank you to everyone who has created a Garage Thread before me, the pictures and knowledge passed on through the threads (and elsewhere on the site) have helped me numerous times, so Thank You!

Welcome to the Garage thread for Big Hero 5 (hope that name is not already taken), So named because how much this car cheers me up and takes care of me. Our youngest son unfortunately drew the short straw (doctors have say 1 in 4M), which has turned our lives upside down and presents continual challenges, and all-to frequent hospital visits. So having a fun car that I can occasionally take to the track to blow off stress, is a life, marriage, and sanity saver.

This is not my first MX5, but I hope this one is with me for a very long time.

First one was a number of years ago which I only had for a few months. The conversations went similar to this.
SWMBO - Get rid of the commuter scooter (understandably concerned about me becoming an ex Australian)
Me - How bout's a MX5
SWMBO - Don't care, anything you like
ME - (acquire NB8B called Jumbo)
2 days later...
SWMBO - I'm Pregnant
ME - (sell NB8B 3 months later and acquire car with a back seat)
but in that short few months I knew I would be back..

FF to 2 years ago, the stars aligned, and I was back in the hunt for a car. In this case the stars really did align, as that same day, a SE was put up for sale 5km from our place for an awesome price. I had not planned on getting an SE, but one drive and it was done deal. The plan for BH5 is to be both a weekender and something that I can take to the track. I know this means BH5 will never be the best at either, but I'm more than willing to compromise.

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Now for the obligatory mod list

Upgrades done by previous owners
Mishimoto Radiator fan shroud
Cooling Pro Radiator
Catch-Can (looks to be a Nitro-Dann one)
Unknown Strut Brace with master cylinder stopper
Whitline Sway Bars
AEM Intake

My Upgrades
Replaced "Comet" branded tyres with Federal RSR-RR's
Installed Mishimoto Radiator fan shroud (did not play nice with the SE's 4 wire setup)
Installed MX5 Plus Twin Hoop roll bar
A1RM Pads
Replaced stock Intercooler with an ebay special
Replaced stock intake elbow with a BEGI unit after the original one burst
Install Ducting (currently foam and space filler) around radiator
Installed an oil cooler kit.
6 days at Morgan park with either SDT, Driving events and SkidControl.

Shorter term plans
Coolant Re-route
More Ducting work (but I'm approaching the limits of my foam cutting skills)
Braided brake lines
More days a Morgan Park

Long term ideas
ChipTorque Tune - Mainly to fix the stock No fuel, No Fuel, No Fuel, ALL THE FUEL tune
New Rims 15x8 or 15x9
Coilovers
More days at Morgan Park


My Upgrade focus is on keeping the car alive on my infrequent sanity days at Morgan Park, and I probably have another 2-3 seconds per lap to go with the current set-up before modifications are needed to go faster. Due to our ongoing Medical expenses, my budget for car fun, so changes are slow, and in most cases, a sanity day wins out over any modifications.

Currently I'm focused on trying to get coolant temps down, as they are slowly climbing to 105C over 5-6 Laps, and I would be much happier to keep them <100C. So I’m looking into any areas air can escape around the radiator that I have not already closed off, maybe a better radiator, Coolant Re-route or perhaps replace the stock fans with a single larger Spaal with no shroud. I would prefer to stay away from bonnet vents, but I may not get my way on that.

I think that is more than enough for the first post, with many more to follow.

Cheers,
Adrian

[ManiacLachy]

Welcome! Another Brisbane SE

Looks like mods and plans are all heading in the right direction, and you're getting plenty of awesome track time. Why only at Morgan Park though? It's a great track, but it's a bit of a drive out there.

What temps are you seeing on the street? 105* is getting up there, I wonder if the radiator you have is really up to the task? A re-route isn't a big game changer on our cars like it is on the earlier cars thanks to the updated head gasket, it's sort of the last little bit but it might help.

Hope to see you around some time.

[Magpie]

More days at Morgan Park

November 5 is the next SDT Morgan Park day, I will not be there but good chance my car will be.

[The American]

Hi Adrian! Looking forward to following your journey.

[Kermit]

Thanks all.

Welcome! Another Brisbane SE

Why only at Morgan Park though? It's a great track, but it's a bit of a drive out there.

What temps are you seeing on the street? 105* is getting up there, I wonder if the radiator you have is really up to the task? A re-route isn't a big game changer on our cars like it is on the earlier cars thanks to the updated head gasket, it's sort of the last little bit but it might help.

Hope to see you around some time.

I have done track days at both QR and Lakeside in my previous car (Megane Sport Dci 175), and I know it would be a different experience in the SE, but I found QR to be fairly boring, with long periods on the straights just waiting for the next corner, and Lakeside was just scary. The Megane was very nose heavy giving the back end a tendency to swing round if you even though about lifting off or touching the brakes when the car was travelling in anything but perfectly straight line, so is a case of once bitten twice shy.

Daily driving temps never get above 92 when moving, and in traffic, the fans kick in at ~95 and bring it down very quickly. Highway driving sits around 85-88. The only time they rise above then (per the ODBC Scanner) is when i'm pushing it on the track, so I guess I am just trying to find the last few air paths, or at speed the under hood pressure is becoming the issue and restricting flow across the various radiators.

November 5 is the next SDT Morgan Park day, I will not be there but good chance my car will be.

Unfortunately, as a company accountant, I can't take days off work over the first 7 working days, so this SDT day will be a miss. I attended their first day of the year, and for the final 2 hours, it was just me and a scratch-build GT40 lapping around and around, the noise the GT40 made was epic! I just wish STD paid for an ambulance to be on site like Driving events and SkidControl.

Cheers,

[Danny]

If you're running anti-freeze change over to water with anti-corrosion only added. I think Nulon now has one with some "water wetter" in it as well. That supposedly modifies the "tension" of the water so less likely for cavitation/localized boiling issues.

[Daffy]

Hey Adrian, it’s great to se anther SE in the hands of someone with passion for it! (Seems the biggest concentration of SE’s are starting to rack up in the QLD south east ) looking forward to seeing how it all goes with your journey into it. There may be some dodgy days and Nasho runs coming up soon to get a look at BH5 in person

[SKYHI]

Another Velocity Red SE on SEQ tracks? People are going to get us confused

Welcome Adrian, looking forward to reading about your journey and maybe meeting you on a run or at the track one day.