Just how sweet is the lightweight original?

[Andy97]

ORIGINAL: Neil Haughey

Andy thanks for the offer definitely something to think about, your not alone btw in trying to tempt me into keeping racing its a great fraternity. As a CSCC man you may or may not be aware that early 944 and 924 cars would be very competitive in the CTCRC pre 83, one guy has raced a 944 2.5 with them but I don't know if they have accepted the cars into their main classes yet. Of course I am always amenable to sharing options on my own car as well, talked about it with Ben Demetriou in the past luckily both of us have the seat etc. in exactly the same position.

I didn't know that CTCRC accepted the 924/944 but I am firmly committed to the slightly longer 2 driver format. I think its just so much better value and slightly less frenetic than 15-20 min sprint racing. Now I'm not on the CSCC Committee I may look at just racing locally to me with several clubs. I live 1 mile from Donington so Donington, Mallory and Silverstone maybe the circuits I choose, with just one away day to Snetterton or Anglesey if I can find the appropriate race. I may also look in to the 360 MRC races - they run an annual 6 hour race at Snetterton, which I did a few years ago in a hired Alfa, but they are now looking at doing a few 2 hour club level races which may be attractive depending on the calendar and if I can get other drivers to share.

 

[zcacogp]

ORIGINAL: tref
Most of the time I leave the PAS disconnected on the S2

Interesting - how do you do that? Disconnect a pipe or take the PAS belt off? I'm guessing the latter.

Doesn't prolonged use without the pump keeping the pressure up do nasty things to the seals in the rack?


Oli.

 

[Paul 290T]

For a short time I drive my 1986 turbo with power steering disconnected. The assistance on this car is speed related, so less assistance as the road speed increases.

Anyway, I found that the car felt the same with no PAS as when it was operational at everything above parking speeds. Therefore I concluded that its best left enabled, as it helps with parking but does not detract from the "feel" once the car gets going.

 

[zcacogp]

ORIGINAL: Paul 290T
The assistance on this car is speed related, so less assistance as the road speed increases.

This thread is raising more questions than answers - I didn't know that any 944's had speed-sensitive power steering. How did it achieve that with a standard hydraulic system? Presumably some bleed-off of pressure, but how would this be linked to road speed?


Oli.

 

[tref]

ORIGINAL: zcacogp

ORIGINAL: tref
Most of the time I leave the PAS disconnected on the S2

Interesting - how do you do that? Disconnect a pipe or take the PAS belt off? I'm guessing the latter.

Doesn't prolonged use without the pump keeping the pressure up do nasty things to the seals in the rack?


Oli.

Yes, typically belt off, although after just putting the old engine back in, I haven't bothered hanging the pump on this time, and have the hoses blanked. I have worried about damage to seals in the rack, but I guess in the past three years I have connected it once for the MOT, and once when I thought after driving the turbo for a while I preferred it with, both times no problems with leaks from the rack. That isn't to say it isn't doing damage, just that I haven't noticed the effects of it. I guess I have covered well over 100k without it connected. Funnily enough my regular MOT inspector has once said it had to be connected and working if fitted, put the belt back on, passed.

I do have a manual rack I plan on fitting one day. And a spare power steering rack just in case!


My main reason for preferring it without is actually that it limits my unwanted steering input at speed. I have on more than one occasion caused the car to "wobble" because of me moving in the car and inadvertently giving unwanted steering input after going over a bump. On slower bends I find there is less tendency to "50pence it". I was also taught that to be kind to tyres and mechanics the car should be rolling before giving any steering input, rocking on the clutch if necessary rather than just yanking the wheel round when stationary - probably a technique and requirement from days long before the 944 and totally unnecessary, but it is something which stuck in my head and I seem to live by. I double-declutch now and again too. again, mostly unnecessary... Double declutch and heal and toeing is just showing off, but the latter is definitely worthwhile in the wet I find!


Neil, I recall playing at Haynes, and had my turbo and now sadly demised non PAS 944 back to back. On that circuit (and the Clay pigeon kart track as well) PAS is a definite advantage, but neither of those circuits can you really get out of second or third gear, that I wouldn't have thought them representative of the road or any other circuit would you? Good safe fun though!

 

[Neil Haughey]

Unbelievably I managed to apex the top corner at 55 mph 1.5g on the logger, its the only real corner on the circuit though. Your right the low speeds and very tight layout makes it relatively safe in that when it gets out of shape the car slows down very quickly. Personally I think small tight tracks which one can play on are ideal for car setup, EMC do the same as really having somewhere one can fiddle about with the car, test the braking and throw it around to see how the balance is and check whether everything is working OK is ideal IMHE now before taking to full scale race tracks and trying to set times. I wish I had known all this 5 years ago btw, before repeatedly making the mistake of trying to race a car that was a long way from right. In the future I will take any track car I have there first to play with it long before it ever goes near a proper race track.