Seeking advice; first HPDE

USMCFieldMP

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 30, 2011
Location
Fort Worth, TX
TDI
2014 Jetta TDI
The motorsports side of the forum seems a little dead; thought I'd try to liven it up a bit. ;) I have my first track day on August 5th - six 15-minute stints - at Motorsport Ranch in Cresson, Texas.



I'm curious about anything in particular I should watch for or keep an eye on. EGT's, anything DPF related, IAT's, etc. The lack of an oil temp gauge is a little upsetting, but I'm sure it'll be fine. I have a VCDS, so I can check things (although I am new to it, so still learning). I'm in Texas, so ambient is undoubtedly going to be mid to high 90's; potentially even triple digits.

As far as tire pressure goes, from the reading I've done, it appears that I should try to keep hot pressures below 40 psi? Check before and after each stint and keep track of the changes?

I've autocrossed the car a handful of times and have a half dozen laps on a track in a Ferrari 458, so I'm no stranger to throwing a car through some corners, just curious about anything specific to watch for on the TDI's.

The car is a 2014 Jetta TDI with 47,000 miles and these modifications:
  • KermaTDI Tune
  • KermaTDI Intake
  • ECS V4 Rotors
  • Hawk HPS 5.0 Pads
  • Tyrolsport Brake Caliper Stiffening Kit
  • ATE Type 200 Brake Fluid
  • Euro Short Shift Linkage w/ Solid Cable & Mounting Bracket Bushings
  • BFI Weighted Shift Knob
  • Koni Coilovers
  • ECS End Links
  • 17x8 RPF-1's
  • 225/45R17 Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 3's
  • Corner Balance & Alignment by Texas Track Works
 
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Keystoner16

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 23, 2019
Location
Eugene, OR
TDI
2011 Golf TDI 2.0 CR, 2004 Golf TDI 1.9 PD
Hey there.
I realize this is an old post, but just wondering what your experiences were.
I have entered my 2004 Golf TDI in a HPDE track day, so I'd be interested to hear your feed back.
Thanks.
 

chaoscreature

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 10, 2007
Location
vista, ca
TDI
2006 Jetta TDI Special Edition
Keystoner16,

I am not sure what your experience level is but for your first time on a real race track, the best thing is to focus on being very smooth and hitting the recommended driving lines. DEFINITELY try to get an instructor to ride in the car with you. That's absolutely crucial so that you start off on the right track (track, get it!) and don't pick up any bad driving habits.

I would higly recommend flushing your brake fluid with a decent high temp fluid. You don't need to go nuts with $85 racing fluid. ATE Typ200 is cheap and plenty good enough. Make sure all your basic maintenance is up to snuff: oil is fresh, transmission fluid isn't 13 years old, coolant isn't all brown and yucky etc.
If your brake pads are past 1/2 worn, replace them, and if you do then you might as well upgrade to a somewhat more track oriented pad like Hawk a HP+ or Porterfield R4 (not R4-S, totally different animal).

Watch out for over-driving your car. When the front end starts to lose traction that is NOT the time to keep turning the steering wheel, you will just scrub off speed and destroy your tires.

Most of all, have fun!!!
 

RabbitGTI

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jul 20, 1997
Location
Wisconsin
TDI
B4 Passat Sedan
That is really good advice, especially learning the line, being smooth and not over driving the car. Once you get some clean laps you can brake a little later and get back on the power a little earlier.
 

WrEkkED

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 18, 2008
Location
Toronto
TDI
'04 TDI Sport
I am about to take my 04 out next month as well. Is there a bluetooth ODII to keep an eye on IAT's, real coolant temp fuel temp etc? Do you guys run straight water with water wettor or is the standard 50/50 g20 mix fine? And do you add any additional cetane or just run straight diesel? (I use shell super diesel)

Also - what PSI are you starting off with? I'll be running 225/40/18 PSS tires
 
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Keystoner16

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 23, 2019
Location
Eugene, OR
TDI
2011 Golf TDI 2.0 CR, 2004 Golf TDI 1.9 PD
Keystoner16,

I am not sure what your experience level is but for your first time on a real race track, the best thing is to focus on being very smooth and hitting the recommended driving lines. DEFINITELY try to get an instructor to ride in the car with you. That's absolutely crucial so that you start off on the right track (track, get it!) and don't pick up any bad driving habits.

I would higly recommend flushing your brake fluid with a decent high temp fluid. You don't need to go nuts with $85 racing fluid. ATE Typ200 is cheap and plenty good enough. Make sure all your basic maintenance is up to snuff: oil is fresh, transmission fluid isn't 13 years old, coolant isn't all brown and yucky etc.
If your brake pads are past 1/2 worn, replace them, and if you do then you might as well upgrade to a somewhat more track oriented pad like Hawk a HP+ or Porterfield R4 (not R4-S, totally different animal).

Watch out for over-driving your car. When the front end starts to lose traction that is NOT the time to keep turning the steering wheel, you will just scrub off speed and destroy your tires.

Most of all, have fun!!!
Thanks for this reply. The track day was this past weekend, and everything worked out well.
I was a novice, so as you said the main points were smooth driving, learning the line, braking points, etc.
Still the car did really well. I keep up on maintenance so my fluids are all fresh. I also had a fairly new set of Continental Extreme Contact tires on the car, and EBC yellow stuff pads front and rear. I also did an oil change just before I went.

So yeah, not fast, but fast enough, and a great car to learn with. You are very aware both when have scrubbed a bunch of speed off, and when you have managed to carry a bunch.
Another plus is that even after driving over 100 miles to the track, and completing four 20 minute sessions on track, I still had over a half tank of fuel.
I also got signed off and will be in the intermediate class on my next time out in August. Good stuff.
 

ssullivan

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 23, 2021
Location
NV
TDI
2001 Jetta
As far as tire pressure, My 225/50-16 Kumho V730s liked ~44-45psi front and ~25-27psi rear (varying overstear) on a MK4 (~2800lbs) so I do not totally agree with <40. I thought I read to set tire pressure cold and let them heat up. i.e. they increase. I guess the main thing is to be consistent. I was going by the little arrows on the side, it was asking for less in the rear. With less in the front it would scrub/wobble in the corner but did chunk 😬 front tires a tiny bit at 33-35psi early in the season, they were ok. :)
 
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