[Vannmike]

Hello, this past weekend I had my first track day experience in my ss 1le, at road atlanta. It was a great time. I have no previous experience but the car was great. I'll get to the point.

During my 2nd session of the 2nd day, I had a check engine light come on. So I hit the pits and parked the car. I had the corsa crew hook up a scanner and i got a "knock sensor circuit bank 2(symptom 00) test failed test not passed since start up." The code was p0330. The light went off and the car was feeling normal, but I decided to call it quits and went home to take the car to the dealer. On the way home I noticed I had to hold my steering wheel about 30 degrees to the left to keep the car straight. Before the track day I had my dealer do the track alignment. Mike bell chevrolet in carrollton ga. Today I took the car to them and after some debating with them they aligned the car back to track alignment and said it's just one of those things. I would not accept that because I stressed to them that the alignment should hold after just 1 track day, and they should be aware of the 1le package and its capabilities. They pretty much just said we did it right and it's not our fault. As far as the code they said they couldnt duplicate it and blamed it on bad fuel. I stressed to them I missed half of my 700 dollar track event because of it. Does any of this sound familiar to anyone?

I attached the alignment readout after the track day so you can see how off it was.

Also I met a fellow forum member with a really cool red zl1 1le! Dont wanna give away his real name, but a good guy!

I didnt spin the car or curb anything more than my instructor told me too

Thanks

[Alpha1BC]

That to me looks like they didn't properly torque the suspension bolts after your alignment. You would have to have hit a curb extremely hard (to the point where there'd be signs on the wheel/tire) to knock a degree off of the camber alignment like that through slipping the joint or bending something in the suspension. You'd definitely have felt hitting something like that if it slipped a properly tightened joint and you'd have been fighting a pull the entire time you drove it if it left their hands like that when it was first aligned.

As for the misfire, can't say I've heard or seen anything like that happening before personally, but if the code's gone I'd say just try to only go to stations that have top tier gas if you don't already. If you don't know which stations are top tier and you don't see the logo on the pumps, take a look on google to find their list.

Edit: I should also add that I find it odd that your rear toe is off by so much, too. I'd also suggest checking your left side wheels/tires for any damage, especially on the inside, in case you dipped a wheel off and didn't feel it or something like that. But, assuming you're probably not going to find anything, it's entirely possible that the alignment tech only hand-tightened things and was nowhere near the torque spec and the LH side let go because of running a clockwise track. Either way, I wouldn't go back to that dealer. If there either was damage and they didn't bother to check for it to tell you the root cause or if they just messed up and aren't willing to own up to it, sounds like a pretty careless/useless operation to me.

[Vannmike]

Originally Posted by Alpha1BC

That to me looks like they didn't properly torque the suspension bolts after your alignment. You would have to have hit a curb extremely hard (to the point where there'd be signs on the wheel/tire) to knock a degree off of the camber alignment like that through slipping the joint or bending something in the suspension. You'd definitely have felt hitting something like that if it slipped a properly tightened joint and you'd have been fighting a pull the entire time you drove it if it left their hands like that when it was first aligned.

As for the misfire, can't say I've heard or seen anything like that happening before personally, but if the code's gone I'd say just try to only go to stations that have top tier gas if you don't already. If you don't know which stations are top tier and you don't see the logo on the pumps, take a look on google to find their list.

Edit: I should also add that I find it odd that your rear toe is off by so much, too. I'd also suggest checking your left side wheels/tires for any damage, especially on the inside, in case you dipped a wheel off and didn't feel it or something like that. But, assuming you're probably not going to find anything, it's entirely possible that the alignment tech only hand-tightened things and was nowhere near the torque spec and the LH side let go because of running a clockwise track. Either way, I wouldn't go back to that dealer. If there either was damage and they didn't bother to check for it to tell you the root cause or if they just messed up and aren't willing to own up to it, sounds like a pretty careless/useless operation to me.

Thanks for the quick reply. I totally agree about the alignment. I think they dropped the ball. Now I just have to find someone close to me that I can trust to do this alignment.. its nerve racking, thinking I could have been coming down the back straight at RA, and get to the brake zone and have the car jerk on me because of a failed alignment. Especially my first time ever on a track.

And I will do that. Normally go with BP or chevron.

[pbsinternet1le]

I am also from Carrollton and have used Mike Bell for alignments with no issues. I will say the gm track alignment specs were not enough imo. Get them to max front at about -2.5 and rear -1.5 and the car is much more neutral with almost no understeer. Tire wear with a mix of track days and some street was very even on 1st set of tires.

[Vannmike]

Originally Posted by Alpha1BC

That to me looks like they didn't properly torque the suspension bolts after your alignment. You would have to have hit a curb extremely hard (to the point where there'd be signs on the wheel/tire) to knock a degree off of the camber alignment like that through slipping the joint or bending something in the suspension. You'd definitely have felt hitting something like that if it slipped a properly tightened joint and you'd have been fighting a pull the entire time you drove it if it left their hands like that when it was first aligned.

As for the misfire, can't say I've heard or seen anything like that happening before personally, but if the code's gone I'd say just try to only go to stations that have top tier gas if you don't already. If you don't know which stations are top tier and you don't see the logo on the pumps, take a look on google to find their list.

Edit: I should also add that I find it odd that your rear toe is off by so much, too. I'd also suggest checking your left side wheels/tires for any damage, especially on the inside, in case you dipped a wheel off and didn't feel it or something like that. But, assuming you're probably not going to find anything, it's entirely possible that the alignment tech only hand-tightened things and was nowhere near the torque spec and the LH side let go because of running a clockwise track. Either way, I wouldn't go back to that dealer. If there either was damage and they didn't bother to check for it to tell you the root cause or if they just messed up and aren't willing to own up to it, sounds like a pretty careless/useless operation to me.

Stupid question, but when you say left side you mean driver or passenger?

[Vannmike]

Originally Posted by pbsinternet1le

I am also from Carrollton and have used Mike Bell for alignments with no issues. I will say the gm track alignment specs were not enough imo. Get them to max front at about -2.5 and rear -1.5 and the car is much more neutral with almost no understeer. Tire wear with a mix of track days and some street was very even on 1st set of tires.

Yeah they told me about you. That's why I was shocked when this happened. A friend told me he seen a blue 1le in carrollton before. I thought I was the only one around! Lol. Yeah I understand you havent had issues with them, but for me, this was there only chance and they blew it. I feel like this could have been a terrible disaster on track. Especially for a first timer.

[pbsinternet1le]

i would have watched them align it when i returned for loose hardware...going to Barber in April PCA or June/Just Track it??

[Vannmike]

Originally Posted by pbsinternet1le

i would have watched them align it when i returned for loose hardware...going to Barber in April PCA or June/Just Track it??

Im new to this so I've never heard or been to barber. Right now it's a 1 day with j zilla at road Atlanta in june, and just track it in may at AMP. barber better than amp?

[pbsinternet1le]

Originally Posted by Vannmike

Im new to this so I've never heard or been to barber. Right now it's a 1 day with j zilla at road Atlanta in june, and just track it in may at AMP. barber better than amp?

AMP is very technical. Barber Motorsports Park in Leeds Alabama. Both are fun Barber is better imo. Carolina motorsports park is a good 1 too.. Barber is fantastic.. I'll be at Barber April 27 28 for a Porsche Club of America event. I'm still new as well I've done 7 events and you will learn alot as you do more.. happy to help with what i can if you have questions.

[Boost Creep]

Originally Posted by Vannmike

Hello, this past weekend I had my first track day experience in my ss 1le, at road atlanta. It was a great time. I have no previous experience but the car was great. I'll get to the point.

During my 2nd session of the 2nd day, I had a check engine light come on. So I hit the pits and parked the car. I had the corsa crew hook up a scanner and i got a "knock sensor circuit bank 2(symptom 00) test failed test not passed since start up." The code was p0330. The light went off and the car was feeling normal, but I decided to call it quits and went home to take the car to the dealer. On the way home I noticed I had to hold my steering wheel about 30 degrees to the left to keep the car straight. Before the track day I had my dealer do the track alignment. Mike bell chevrolet in carrollton ga. Today I took the car to them and after some debating with them they aligned the car back to track alignment and said it's just one of those things. I would not accept that because I stressed to them that the alignment should hold after just 1 track day, and they should be aware of the 1le package and its capabilities. They pretty much just said we did it right and it's not our fault. As far as the code they said they couldnt duplicate it and blamed it on bad fuel. I stressed to them I missed half of my 700 dollar track event because of it. Does any of this sound familiar to anyone?

I attached the alignment readout after the track day so you can see how off it was.

Also I met a fellow forum member with a really cool red zl1 1le! Dont wanna give away his real name, but a good guy!

I didnt spin the car or curb anything more than my instructor told me too

Thanks

Your alignment looks like crap.
The after isn't much better than the before.

Rear camber angles where the front should be and unequal side to side.
L/R camber is near where front should be, and L/F camber near where rear should be set.
Front toed in too much and off center. Rear toed out, way far out, car is probably dog tracking some due to the near 1° thrust angle.

Almost like they never touched the alignment, but just the variance in putting the alignment machine heads on the car on different visits.


And it doesn't look like they have the track specs loaded into the machine.

[Vannmike]

Originally Posted by pbsinternet1le

AMP is very technical. Barber Motorsports Park in Leeds Alabama. Both are fun Barber is better imo. Carolina motorsports park is a good 1 too.. Barber is fantastic.. I'll be at Barber April 27 28 for a Porsche Club of America event. I'm still new as well I've done 7 events and you will learn alot as you do more.. happy to help with what i can if you have questions.

Great. Thanks man. I'll look at just track its schedule and maybe I can swap my days from amp to barber since I'm already registered. I'll PM you soon and we will swap info

[Vannmike]

Originally Posted by Boost Creep

Your alignment looks like crap.
The after isn't much better than the before.

That was the sheet they printed when I first took It in after the track day, before the 2nd alignment. I mentioned that the before and after look same and they said that was all was from today. Not sure why theres small differences

[pbsinternet1le]

Off topic . But i would also suggest taking a ride in your car with the instructor driving.. it will help you to feel what the car feels like at speed. Really helped with gaining confidence for me..

[Gasoline_Farts]

Semi off topic but a quick plug for iracing, if you have a pc capable
Of gaming it’s worth looking into!