I was wondering if you guy have some tips for keeping a car in good shape while still getting all the performance you can out of it. I love my car, and every time a think about doing a 0-60 run I get somewhat scared about the damage I'm inflicting on it - specifically in the engine and tranny.

There's a few things I already try to do:
-Never hit VTEC on a cold engine. I always wait till the temp gauge has risen to a norm amount, and the oil is circulating.
-Shift slowly. If you cram it into gear, your synchros will slowly get damaged. I find that if you wait a fraction of a second, the car actually lets you in the gate without much of a fight.
-Match revs. I don't cram it into first gear w/o double clutching to the correct RPMS, nor do I downshift without the appropriate gas to prevent wear on the clutch.

All these seem like common sense to me, but I end up thinking about them a lot.

Do you have any tips to keep your track/autocross car in good shape through multiple seasons? I know some people simply have no sympathy for a "track car" in the name of competition, but I don't plan on being more cautious.

Thanks

 

Basement kind thread IMO.

VTEC won't engage anyways until the coolant temp is like 60 degrees C I think, and the oil is always circulating, lol.

I'll say amen to the syncro part though.

 

i have a habit of going to second and then into first, especially when im at a light, i find its easier to get into first gear. I read somewhere that back in the day people did that b/c some cars had no 1st gear synchro, i forgot what cars though.

 

Damage? 0-60? Pshhhhhhhttttt, RELAX!!! Its nothing too complicated really... just stay on top of your regularly scheduled maintenance intervals, and it will all be fine.

This isn't FATF, the floorboards don't fall out if the Intake temperature gets to high, and in competition double clutching wastes time and mental focus. If you're really worried about your synchros, change your tranny oil to something like Redline, Pennzoil Synchromesh (Avail at autozone...) or Royal Purple MTF, and go back to driving it like you stole it...

 

I hear Honda MTF is the best stuff.

 

No Hondas have syncronized 1st gears.

And anyone who 'double clutches' a Honda is retarded. Stop worrying about breaking the car, I think I have gone 0-100 thousands of times in my 155k mile old GSR, not to mention the hundreds of autocross events, 65 or so HPDE weekends and I can't even remember how many drag strip runs. These cars are fine as long as you keep all the vital fluids in them and operate the motors within their intended range.

 

Retarded? That's a little harsh, and I can't seem to get it in first any other way.

Well the rest of that post was good to hear.

 

You just give it a blip on the throttle and it goes right into 1st.

 

With the clutch out? If so, Well that's what I do - double clutching. I've found it not to work as well when keeping the clutch in.