So I went to the NJMP National to crew for my father's GT3 car last weekend and all of my good SRF buddies talked me into coming out to play again. It's been just under 3 years since I've touched the car, so I'm looking for advice on what I should do to get my SRF back out there.

Two things to keep in mind...1) I'm on a budget. What's my budget you ask? Let's put it this way...the less I have to spend to get going, the more likely I will be able to race more than once or twice this year. 2) I will be doing everything myself, and my race car prep time needs to be shared with a job, four young boys and a lawn that just won't stop growing!

Here's where I'm at and what I plan to do:
1) Fresh tires
2) New brake and clutch fluid
3) Oil and filter change
4) New fuel filter
5) Fresh fuel
6) New battery
7) Standard set up with a thorough "nut and bolt" of the car

Questions I have that come to mind:
1) Do I need to change the tranny fluid?
2) Do I need to change the coolant?
3) The rotors look like they have a film of rust but aren't pitted. Do I need to change them, or can I just clean them up? Brake pads were fine when I parked it...any thoughts here?
4) If the calipers aren't frozen or leaking, do I need to rebuild the calipers?

So after all that, I would like to hear of all the things that you think I should do that aren't listed above? I'm sure there's a ton and I won't be able to get to them all, but if I can have a list of things to prioritize and choose from, I will be a great help.

I basically plan to go out and get the rust off in a test day followed by a race weekend or two. I'm not expecting to contend for a spot at the pointy end of the field...just have fun, hopefully find someone to race and get some seat time to prepare for a more robust schedule next year. Please keep this in mind when making suggestions. Safety and consistency are my goal, not necessarily speed, competitiveness or running on the ragged edge.

Thank you in advance for you input. I is appreciated!

Thanks,
Tristan
SRF #331 - NeDiv

We are on a campaign to get all the cars out here sitting in garages and shops back out on the track and have been thinking about this quite a bit.
A lot depends on how you stored it, dry or damp, temperature. Plus what condition it was in when put away. If it was sitting on its wheels, I'd be concerned about wheel bearings, maybe even if it was on blocks, I think the grease eventually dries up if it isn't used periodically.
Definitely drain and flush the fuel cell. Replace trans fluid, brake fluid, rebuild calipers, check rubber in master cylinders.
Mostly stuff where the labor can be broken down into 1/2 - 1 hour chunks and parts are not expensive. Also tasks that are kind of satisfying to perform and help you get in shape for wrenching.

Thanks for the help Dave!

The car was stored dry in a non-temperature controlled garage. It was up on blocks. It was put away dry in the same condition it came off the track.

Looking forward to hearing what others have to say too...

Tristan

twelling wrote:Thanks for the help Dave!

The car was stored dry in a non-temperature controlled garage. It was up on blocks. It was put away dry in the same condition it came off the track.

Looking forward to hearing what others have to say too...

Tristan

You might save yourself a headache if, after you do your budget prep, you get it up to temps and put some stress on it. Maybe run figure-8s in a big parking lot. See what falls off and what doesn't. Better to find out in a contained environment.

GregCirillo wrote:

twelling wrote:Thanks for the help Dave!

The car was stored dry in a non-temperature controlled garage. It was up on blocks. It was put away dry in the same condition it came off the track.

Looking forward to hearing what others have to say too...

Tristan

You might save yourself a headache if, after you do your budget prep, you get it up to temps and put some stress on it. Maybe run figure-8s in a big parking lot. See what falls off and what doesn't. Better to find out in a contained environment.

O.K., now I'm thinking of more stuff (especially when we talk about figure 8's ). Repack CVs.
Basically anything where a failure could screw up expensive parts or result in sudden stops assisted by foreign objects. I.e. axles, drivetrain, hubs, rocker arms.
Replacing fluids and lubricants is cheap when compared to replacing hard parts.

No need to repack CV joints, unless the boots are torn or you lost grease over the last racing season. They are not normally a maintenance item.

I would check all rubber - hoses, belt, seals, etc. Also, clean the throttle body, MAF sensor, air temp sensor, etc. with Mass Airflow Sensor cleaner. Make sure no spiders or other creatures have taken up residence in the nooks and crannies.

Was it sitting with fuel in it or dry? If fuel was in it I'd watch out for deterioration of the fuel cell. As a preventive measure you may want to put in a pre-filter to catch any debris before it take out the fuel pump. While you're at it, do all the testing measures outlined recently for fuel flow so you don't run into a lean condition caused by a weak or clogged fuel pump.

I'm going second Dave's advice; anytime you have something sitting for that long in an uncontrolled climate, there's chance for a lot of condensation; it's a very low-cost measure to replace any lubricants; if nothing else I would at least check the CV grease; if it looks at all "muddy" replace it.

Next is the electrical system; if all connectors were not filled with di-electric grease before being put away, would be a good time to at least disconnect/connect and check for corrosion, especially those going through engine management system. Also, make sure the alternator is "alternating".

You may want to rethink the parking lot thing for more than a few reasons (liability if something goes wrong, trespassing, "racing" street laws, etc.) If there are non-racing events nearby (ala NASA, or car clubs, driving schools) you can generally get in for less than the cost of a test day, maybe less if you volunteer your expertise to newbies...