Z NISMO discoveries

[PDX_Racer]

I thought I'd start this thread with my discoveries I've made about my Z NISMO:

• My 2024 Z NISMO was 3635 across the "official" SCCA scales with ⅜ tank of fuel, and without removing any of the carpets, subwoofer, and rear foam.
• When in SPORT+ mode starting in Auto shifting mode, shifting using the paddles with switch the car to manual mode, and will remain in that mode until the car stops.
• Launch mode will engage even though I'm not in SPORT+ mode, but you really don't want to do that.
• My current alignment is the stock alignment with zero front toe. It totally transforms the car and makes the car very confidence-inspiring.
• Tires are Bridgestone RE-71RS, sizes 285/35R19 front, 305/30R19 rear. Best tire pressures-so far-seem to be 31-32 PSI all the way around.
• I use an AutoSport Labs RaceCapture/Track MK3 for data acquisition, and while I can capture data from the Z, I haven't been able to get access to steering angle and brake pressure. I suspect that the data is on the CAN bus, but not on the OBD-II/CAN bus.
• I have built an Arduino-based CAN bus sniffer, but I've not yet been able to see steering angle or braking data-but I'm more likely to believe it's something I've not yet checked.
• Using Launch Control on a ProSolo is really required, but I haven't yet figured out the best timing on the lights to get into the 0.600-0.800 start range.

So, hopefully this helps others-and maybe someone can help me find the steering angle and brake pressure data on the Z.

 

[Intrepid Z]

How are the tyre sizes? Any rubbing, stock suspension? Do you have pictures?

 

[chadgigachad]

Do you prefer the Bridgestones to the Dunlops? Tread on my tires is getting low after 2 track days + ~6k miles. Might have a few thousand miles left.

 

[staying_tuned]

Dayum, we should start a donation fund-me for you to keep logging/posting data trying different hardware/software. Ive got a perf./manual and admittedly haven’t reached a place where I could harness, and put into practical application on track, half of what you’ve already shared and I’d still be down to throw in.

 

[PDX_Racer]

Updates after the Lincoln ProSolo/National Tour over the Memorial Day weekend:

• I've written a letter to SCCA (#38493) to officially permit removal of the subwoofer, plastic spacer under the subwoofer, and the styrofoam surround. I can argue that 13.2.K allows for that, but it's good to get a clear response since there were a few other competitors looked sideways at the fact that the Z looks gutted with nothing in the back.
• I figured out the Launch Control during ProSolo practice starts. Start on the third light gave me reasonable reaction times, and pretty consistent 2.0s 60-foot times.
• Right now, the desirable tires for SCCA Solo are the Vitour P1s (except when it's wet), Bridgestone RE-71RS, Yokohama ADVAN A052, with the Falken Azenis RT660+ being a few ticks behind. No problems with rubbing, but I do kind of wish I could go 295F/315R-but those sizes are very difficult to find, so 285/305 it is for now. On the Dunlops, the best I could get was 1.2G, with the Bridgestones can get to 1.5G (according to the car).
• I'm wondering if Nissan has two different CAN bus connections-and my RaceCapture/Track isn't connected to the "right" connection. I'm updating my CAN sniffer to find out.
• Don't leave my data acquisition connected to the car. This is twice I've done that, and trying to get my booster connected to the battery while I can't open my hood all of the way is a real two-person job. Probably an issue with the RaceCapture box.
• I really need to work on breaking some bad autocross habits I picked up with the BRZ, but the Z is a blast to drive.

And here's the obligatory "race car" picture from Lincoln:

 

[FSUZ33]

Great stuff!
Based on a week of driving to and from work, I feel like my wheels would be covered in a 1/4” thick film of brake dust after a track day. Don't get off line and caught in all the brake dust marbles I‘d be slinging.

 

[PDX_Racer]

This weekend's event might be wet, if so I'm going to see just how far Nissan's VDC has come-and see how intrusive it might (not!) be.

 

[MCN1SMO]

This weekend's event might be wet, if so I'm going to see just how far Nissan's VDC has come-and see how intrusive it might (not!) be.

In the wet on track it's very intrusive cuts power a lot

 

[PDX_Racer]

That would be disappointing. My 350Z was pretty much un-drivable in the wet with it off, I was hoping they had advanced their tech in 19 years.

But then again, in the wet even a Yugo has too much power.

 

[MCN1SMO]

I only did a small figure 8 course in standing water but I felt a lot of power cut often. I did it with traction off and it was a hand full but better than the power cut. If I was on a higher speed more open track on that situation I would probably leave it on and deal with the power cut. Might not be as bad with light rain my one experience was in pretty heavy rain

 

[PDX_Racer]

Well, I've got a CAN bus sniffer built, and I'm still not getting steering angle or brake pressure. I strongly suspect that the CAN gateway under the steering wheel is selectively blocking all but the basic CAN messages that map to OBDII. So it's either directly connect to the CAN bus there at the CAN gateway, or figure out the instructions to send to the CAN gateway to allow all of the CAN data to the OBDII connector. Anyone have any ideas?

 

[PDX_Racer]

Update after ProSolo Finale (very wet), Solo Nationals, and ZCON autocross.

I tried the "brake pedal switch disable"-while this may work on the non-NISMO, on the NISMO this puts the computer into limp mode. I tried almost everything, plus I didn't drive well.

At the ZCON autocross, I tried one last thing-turning off Emergency Braking, and it seems to help a lot. I still can't mat the throttle on corner exit, I can use the throttle to lightly rotate the car on corner exit!

It doesn't disable everything, I did get a chance to talk to the Nissan engineers at ZCON and maybe I can convince them to ease up on the computer management of throttle on corner exit, but it does give me enough to use throttle on corner exit.

So the "magic" sequence right now for the NISMO Z seems to be:

• Start the car
• Put the transmission into SPORT+ mode
• Hold down the VDC disable button for about 11 seconds (the VDC light will turn on, the TRACTION indicator will turn on, the TRACTION indicator will turn off, the VDC light will turn off)
• Go into the Driver Assistance menu, and turn off Emergency Braking.

 

[Crownleyian]

Wait a second are you telling me that the Nismo won’t rotate under acceleration out of a corner due to nanny’s?

 

[trackratZ]

Great feedbacks!

How have the RE-71RS been holding up, being they’re not rotatable? I’m contemplating those or A052s for general use plus some track days here, with summers having high temps.

I’m using GY Supercar F1 3R for my track Cayman but those are 100TW, too soft for dual duty.

 

[PDX_Racer]

Wait a second are you telling me that the Nismo won’t rotate under acceleration out of a corner due to nanny’s?

Without turning off Emergency Braking, it's really difficult to get the wheel straight enough for the computers to allow the car to "not kill you."

This probably isn't as big a deal for track use, but for autocross we spend most of the course with the wheels NOT straight.