1st Track Day - PS reservoir: Boom!

[bowtienut]

My son's first road course experience with his '96 3.8 auto.
Friday at Putnam Park, Greencastle, IN (1.8 mile 10-turn course).

Car setup:
-stock power (45k mile engine from 2009 Buick)
-stock trans with 093 (Vette) servo
-stock 3.08 rear, open diff
-stock exhaust except for dual out FM (LT1 application)
-9.5 x 17 C6 Z06 replica wheels w/ Sumitomo HTR Z II 275/40/17's all around
-stock brakes except for Hawk HPS front pads, stock rear drums and shoes, fresh Valvoline fluid
-Bilstein shocks all around
-cut 1-1/8 coils from front springs, 1 coil from rears (results in ~2 deg neg camber - perfect!)
-32mm front sway, 19mm rear

The kid did great. From the first session (wet) to the 4th, you couldn't even tell he was missing 2 cylinders compared to the other novices out there with Z06 Vettes and Supercharged Mustangs...LOL!
He had a great instructor that pushed him harder and harder each session.
Other than the "subject line" failure, the car exhibited no weakness. No reported brake fade from driver and instructor, excellent cornering and braking traction. I didn't take tire temp profile but the wear pattern is virtually perfect (I wish my '96 ImpalaSS had this front suspension geometry - I destroy tires at the track :( )

On the last lap of the 4th 30-min session, the PS resevoir split at the rear seam and put on quite a smoke show down the front straight. The inside of the reservoir was an ugly melted mess.

Anyway, for you gurus out there that truly push your cars, what is the latest on making the P/S hang in there?
I've read up on the suggestions; however, the material is really dated. Anything changed? any better options out there nowadays?

1. I've contacted Turn One about a re-valved pump for it, but no reply yet.
2. I'll put a cooler in the return line
3. Had Autozone fluid in it this time, but I suppose I'll switch to the Valvoline semi-syn that I run in my car. Any other suggestions on fluid type?
4. I'd like to underdrive the complete accessory suite as I do on my car; however, I see no easy way to do this on the 3.8 F-body. any ideas?

Thanks in advance!

[transamtom1]

Re: 1st Track Day - PS reservoir: Boom!

Plum a small tranny cooler into the return line it will also increase fluid capacity.

Your reservoir likely split from the heat of the fluid.

The 3800 F Bodies did pretty good in SCCA showroom stock.

[mdenz3]

Re: 1st Track Day - PS reservoir: Boom!

I run an LS1 inline PS cooler and redline fluid after I boiled the fluid at my first event at CMP. No problems at all since then. I actually have a temp gauge inline before the cooler and at my latest event at Daytona, the PS temp barely got to 180F.

I'm guessing the pump and reservoir had issues before the track day and the track just found the weak spot.

[FirebirdGT]

Re: 1st Track Day - PS reservoir: Boom!

I run an LS1 inline PS cooler and redline fluid after I boiled the fluid at my first event at CMP. No problems at all since then. I actually have a temp gauge inline before the cooler and at my latest event at Daytona, the PS temp barely got to 180F.

I'm guessing the pump and reservoir had issues before the track day and the track just found the weak spot.

I also have an LS1 PS cooler - but have not installed it yet.

Where and how did you mount it?
.

[mdenz3]

Re: 1st Track Day - PS reservoir: Boom!

I also have an LS1 PS cooler - but have not installed it yet.

Where and how did you mount it?
.

I put it in the lower radiator hose in the straight section where it runs along the bottom of the radiator.

Then just run the PS return line through is going the opposite direction of flow from the coolant.

[Lemons Racer]

Re: 1st Track Day - PS reservoir: Boom!

Is this a common problem in Firebirds? I have an 00 that I am building into an endurance racer.

[bowtienut]

Re: 1st Track Day - PS reservoir: Boom!

Is this a common problem in Firebirds? I have an 00 that I am building into an endurance racer.

I'd say it's a problem with all of those GM pumps from that era.

[transamtom1]

Re: 1st Track Day - PS reservoir: Boom!

I'd say it's a problem with all of those GM pumps from that era.

Boiling PS fluid is still a problem today in the 5th Gen.

There are reduction pulleys available to slow down the pump.

Do a search on the V8 sites.

[bowtienut]

Re: 1st Track Day - PS reservoir: Boom!

....There are reduction pulleys available to slow down the pump.
Do a search on the V8 sites.

I don't know about the V8's, but on the V6 there is no space between the PS pulley and the crank pulley/damper to put an oversize pulley on the PS pump to slow it down. Going to a smaller crank pulley diameter would require a completely new damper assembly......I have my doubts if any exist.
I'll be sending the pump to Turn One this winter to get it revalved, and the car is getting a PS cooler. That should take care of it.

[transamtom1]

Re: 1st Track Day - PS reservoir: Boom!

I don't know about the V8's, but on the V6 there is no space between the PS pulley and the crank pulley/damper to put an oversize pulley on the PS pump to slow it down. Going to a smaller crank pulley diameter would require a completely new damper assembly......I have my doubts if any exist.
I'll be sending the pump to Turn One this winter to get it revalved, and the car is getting a PS cooler. That should take care of it.

I think they are the ones that make it for the LS cars.

[bowtienut]

Re: 1st Track Day - PS reservoir: Boom!

I think they are the ones that make it for the LS cars.

Turn One...........yes, same place. I've contacted them and they said they do it for the V6 application as well. $175 plus any worn parts that need replaced.

[Lemons Racer]

Re: 1st Track Day - PS reservoir: Boom!

bowtienut- We have an 00 that we just got into running order for LeMons. We'll start ripping it apart in January. Do you know of other issues with our cars?

[bowtienut]

Re: 1st Track Day - PS reservoir: Boom!

bowtienut- We have an 00 that we just got into running order for LeMons. We'll start ripping it apart in January. Do you know of other issues with our cars?

Auto or 5-spd? The B-body guys have some simple tricks to make the 4L60E survive the repeated 2-3 shift, which I think would apply to the F-body as well.

Make sure the fasteners for the panels in front of the radiator have not fallen out. I fixed those on my son's car so the under-bumper air flows through the radiator as designed and it made a big difference in engine temp at speed.