Hey all,

I've been a C7 owner since the beginning. Pre-ordered mine in 2013 and I still love every minute of driving with the car. Worth every penny!

I have a 2014 Z51 automatic and I've been thinking about taking it to the track forever and I think for the first time I might this weekend. I would really appreciate some input from experienced drivers on what I can do to prepare myself and my car. I've driven a Z06 at an exotic racing event in Vegas a few years ago so I have a TINY bit of track experience but not much, so basically consider me new.

The track is a road course called the Calabogie Motorsports Park. My Z51 has 99,000km on it so it's no spring chicken. I enjoy my car a lot. It's a novice event and an instructor sits with you.

I recently got brand new tires. I'm getting a fresh oil change as I'm typing this and I've asked the dealer to give me a brake inspection because last time I was in getting the tires replaced they told me I had a few months left on the brakes.

I'm concerned that if my brakes are near the end of their life that I should just tell the dealer to replace them even if they are still good enough to drive for a few months still. What do you guys think? Am I being too paranoid?

The dealer suggested since I'm at 99,000km that I should also replace the tranny fluid and the brake fluid if I'm going to go on the track.

What do you guys think of the situation and are there any other things I should get the dealer to check or service?

Thanks so much to everyone who spends the time to read this.

 

Replace the brakes and change the fluid but make sure you get a high temp fluid not a run of the mill DOT3 or DOT4. The dealer won't have the fluid but you can purchase and give it to them. Since you only have a few months of street driving left on the pads they won't last through a couple days of a track event. The track wears brakes out quickly. We talk about the number of days that pads and rotors last not the number of months. Brake fluid should be changed if it is over a month old due to moisture absorption. On track brake temperatures will be vastly higher than you will see on the street. That is why I recommended a high temperature fluid. Don't know what you can find near you but fluids that work well are ATE, Ferodo Racing Fluid, Wilwood 570 or 600 EXP, of course Castrol SRF $$$$. There are others but I can't think of them now. Most if not all of the good ones will not be available in your local autoparts store so it might be hard to get them before you go to the event. You definitely want a fluid with at least a 500 degree dry boiling point. If you can't find something higher than that then go to a Ford dealer and buy their fluid. The Ford DOT3 has a 500 degree dry boiling point and will more than likely hold up well to what a novice driver can do to it.

When you get the brakes installed do the burnish procedure in the OM as that will help them hold up better on the track. Change the oil per the OM. Since the dealer suggested changing the transmission fluid I would do that as well. Not that I think it needs to be done but because the dealer said to do it and if you are unfortunate enough to have a transmission issue you will have done what the dealer said to do.

Have fun. If you like it you could be starting yourself sliding down a long and expensive hill (which gets more expensive the further down the hill you go). I know some people who rented cars to take to their first track event 30 years ago and now drive an 18 wheeler to the track with their cars in the trailer. Be forewarned as this can be especially upsetting to any spousal unit that might be involved.

Bill

 

Thanks so much for the reply Bill!

I forgot to mention that it's a novice event so you purchase 30 minute time slots on the track so it's not an all day event so it should be less demanding on the car but I think all your points still apply, I just thought I would mention it.

Given that, do I still need that kind of brake fluid for a short novice event? It's a longish road course though. If you think so then I'll go look what I can find!

What does "do the burnish procedure in the OM" mean?

Even though I've done a vegas track before I'm really excited about this but also afraid since I've never done this in my own car before haha. I figure it doesn't hurt to go try it once and be cautious and see how I like it.

 

Even if it's a novice event, I would say yes to DOT4 fluid. Brakes get really hot on the track and as a novice, you might be more dependent on your brakes so anything to keep your brake fluid from boiling over will be a good safety measure.