Project 370Z – Stillen Brake Duct Kit Install and Testing

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This is the view of the hose coming in to the wheel well at the front end of the fender liner with the leading edge of the wheel/tire cranked over to full lock.  As you can see we still have ample clearance.

With the kit properly installed and ready to go, we headed out to AutoClub Speedway to give it a proper test on the high speed brake zones of the infamous “Roval” configuration.  Since this config uses a large portion of the Nascar oval course then transitions into a tight infield section, braking prowess is improtant.  Also there are a couple long infield straights to low speed corner sections that are also taxing on the brakes.  As you can see from the “Roval” track map, the brake zone leading into turn 3 is extremly high speed since you carry the momentum from the entire oval section heading into it.  Also the brake zones into turn 9 and turn 12 are high speed as well into low speed corners.  No wonder Autoclub is such a workout for brake systems.

 
We first took caliper and rotor temperature data with the brake duct fang openings covered with tape to simulate no brake duct cooling what so ever for a certain amount of laps.  Then we removed the tape so the ducting could perform as designed and recorded once again the caliper and rotor temperature data after the same amount of hot laps but during a different session so the brakes had enough time to cool off.  Ambient temperatures between each session were only a difference of a couple degrees.  With the brake ducts covered, the right front caliper temperature peaked at 272 degrees fahrenheit, and the rotor at 529 degrees fahrenheit.  The Left front caliper reached 259 degrees, with the rotor at 550 degrees.  Once the ducts were opened, both the left and right side caliper dropped 44 degrees.  The right front rotor dropped 156 degrees, and the left front rotor dropped a whopping 216 degrees!  This is a significant reduction and spot on with Stillen's in house testing at the same track.  We were truely impressed with the numbers.  Also the brake feel and control stayed more consistant through out the session with the ducts functioning.  Any 370 that sees a decent amount of track time should look into purchasing this kit, its a cost effective way to give yourself a higher temperature threshold for your brake system and will also prolong the life of the ware items such as pads, rotors, piston seals, and brake fluid.  
 
Next update, we'll look into a way to help cure the 370z's notorious problem with fuel starve in right hand sweepers on track.  So pictures like this one of Clint topping off the fuel level are not as frequent.
 

Sources

STILLEN

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