Acura · 1991–2005 · track setup

NSX NA1

The original NSX is an all-aluminium, mid-engine car built to rev to 8,000 rpm all day, with double-wishbone suspension at all four corners and Honda reliability. On track it is balanced and communicative, but it is also an expensive aluminium car to repair and has a few well-known age issues. Most setup work is camber (limited on stock arms), tires and brakes; 1997-on cars have bigger front rotors.
Engine
3.0 L DOHC VTEC V6 (C30A, 1991–96 and automatics) / 3.2 L DOHC VTEC V6 (C32B, 1997–2005 manual, 6-speed)
Power
270 hp (1991–96 manual) / 290 hp (1997–2005 manual) / 252 hp (automatic)
Weight
≈3,010–3,160 lb by year and body (coupe vs NSX-T)
Layout
Mid-engine
Drive
RWD
Performance planner ↓

These are starting points gathered from the sources listed at the bottom, not a guarantee. Cars, tires and parts vary: have a reputable alignment shop set your car, check factory specs for road use, and change one thing at a time.

01On track

Strengths
  • +Mid-engine balance (about 40–42% front) and all-aluminium double-wishbone suspension
  • +Durable, high-revving V6 that tolerates sustained high rpm
  • +Ventilated discs at all four corners; 1997-on fronts grew from 282 to 298 mm
  • +Large, experienced owner community
Watch out for
  • −Limited negative camber on the stock suspension
  • −Aluminium body repairs are costly and specialist
  • −Factory rear toe-in setting was revised; alignment affects tire wear a lot
  • −Narrow-by-modern-standards staggered tires

02Alignment

Where to start the alignment.

Alignment · starting points
VIEWED FROM BEHIND · CAMBER EXAGGERATED ×3-2.3°FRONT L-2.3°FRONT R-2.8°REAR L-2.8°REAR R
FrontRear
Camber-2.0° to -2.5°-2.5° to -3.0°
Toe0 to 2 mm total out0 to 4 mm total in

Owner-consensus "performance" settings from an experienced NSX track driver, needing adjustable suspension (coilovers or adjustable arms). Keep some rear toe-in for stability under braking and at high speed. Owners advise beginners to stay near factory specs while learning.

Sources [5,6]

Hot pressure target
About 35–38 psi hot (owner consensus on R-compound tires)

One experienced owner starts at 32 psi cold and targets about 35 psi hot front (up to 40 to add understeer) and about 36 psi rear, warning that above 40 psi grip falls away. Check your tire maker's hot-pressure window. [5] Work out your cold pressure →

03Tires & brakes

Tires and brakes

  • 200TW endurance
    • Hoosier Track Attack Pro
    • Yokohama Advan A052
    Factory: 215/45ZR16 front and 245/40ZR17 rear (1998); 215/40ZR17 front and 255/40ZR17 rear (2002–05)

    Check staggered size availability; many owners move to 17" wheels front and rear.

    Sources [1,2,8,9]
  • R-compound / slick
    • Hoosier TrackAttack Race R8 (replaces the R7)
    Check the Hoosier catalogue for 16"–17" staggered sizes

    Owners advise maxing out camber only with R-compounds and experience.

    Sources [5,10]
Brake pads

A track compound in the NSX fitment, such as Hawk DTC-60 (HB143G front, listed for 1991–2005 NSX). Change front and rear together.

Brake fluid

Motul RBF 600 (312°C dry) or RBF 660 (328°C dry), or equivalent high-boiling DOT 4.

Acura lists 298 mm ventilated fronts and 303 mm ventilated rears from 1997; earlier fronts are 282 mm. [1,3,7,11]

04Known issues on track

Fix these before they find you.

  • Transmission snap ring (1991–92)

    Hagerty says some 1991–92 five-speed cars had faulty countershaft snap rings and advises insisting on proof the fix was done, or the gearbox can destroy itself. [4]

  • Timing belt, coolant reservoir and ABS

    Hagerty lists a 90,000-mile timing belt interval, leaking coolant reservoirs and early ABS control-unit problems as things to check. Fresh belt and cooling parts with records are a must before track use. [4]

  • Brakes on early cars

    Acura enlarged the front rotors from 282 mm to 298 mm for 1997. Earlier cars especially need a track pad and high-boiling fluid; Hawk lists a DTC-60 race pad for the NSX front (the same shape as the Integra Type R front). [1,3,7]

  • Aluminium body

    Rust is not the worry; repair cost is. Hagerty notes few shops will repair an NSX body and the work is expensive. Factor that into how hard you push and which track groups you run in. [4]

05Modification roadmap

In the order that pays off.

  1. 0
    Safety & reliability first

    Safety and reliability first

    • Timing belt, water pump and cooling parts with recordsHagerty lists a 90,000-mile belt interval, and coolant reservoirs are known to leak.
    • Snap-ring fix confirmed on 1991–92 manualsOtherwise the gearbox can fail.
    • Track pads and high-boiling fluidEspecially on 1991–96 cars with smaller front rotors.
    • Seats and harnesses only with proper roll protectionNever fit harnesses without a roll bar or cage.
  2. 1
    Tires & alignment

    Tires and alignment

    • 200TW tiresMore grip and heat tolerance than an old street tire.
    • Max out stock camber, keep rear toe-inAbout -1.4° front and -2.2° rear is possible on stock arms.
  3. 2
    Suspension & brakes

    Suspension

    • Coilovers or adjustable armsNeeded to reach -2° front and -2.5° rear and beyond.
  4. 3
    Power & aero

    Power last

    • Leave the engine alone until everything else is doneIt is already strong and durable; tires and brakes matter far more.

06Performance planner

What each upgrade is worth on this car.

Pick upgrades and see the estimated lap-time change on a reference circuit, how much margin your brakes and engine have late in a session, and which changes buy durability rather than speed.

Performance planner · NSX NA1 / NA2Model estimate
Tires
Brake pads
Brake fluid
Brake cooling
Brakes
Alignment
Suspension
Differential
Weight
Power
Cooling
Oil system
Aero
1:49.39stock 1:49.39−0.0%

Reference circuit (fictional, 3.5 km). Late lap includes brake fade and heat derating once the system runs out of margin.

T1T2T3T4T5T6T7T8SPEED · your plan vs stock · top 123 mph
Brake fade marginFades
Engine heat marginHolds
Oil starvation riskLow
Tire life (relative)100%
Sensitivity · each upgrade alone vs stock (late lap)
  • R-compound tires−5.63%load ↑
  • 200TW endurance tires−2.82%load ↑
  • Track alignment−0.90%
  • Street/track pads−0.82%durability ↑
  • Race pads−0.82%durability ↑
  • High-temp fluid−0.82%durability ↑
  • Brake cooling ducts−0.82%durability ↑
  • Big brake kit−0.80%durability ↑
  • Coilovers + sway bars−0.75%
  • Splitter + wing−0.75%
  • Limited-slip differential−0.34%
  • Lighter wheels + seat−0.22%
  • Oil cooler + radiator±0durability ↑
  • Oil system (baffles / accumulator)±0
  • Intake, exhaust, tune±0load ↑
This car’s roadmap below starts with: Timing belt, water pump and cooling parts with records · Snap-ring fix confirmed on 1991–92 manuals · Track pads and high-boiling fluid · Seats and harnesses only with proper roll protection

Estimates from a simplified point-mass lap simulation of NSX NA1 / NA2 (3,011 lb, 270 hp) on a fictional circuit, with generic effects for each upgrade category. Good for comparing options on the same car, not for predicting your lap time. Real results depend on the driver, the exact parts, the track and the conditions.

Free printable setup sheet →

Sources

Last reviewed 2026-10-18. Summaries are TRACK’s own wording; follow the links for the original detail. Product and brand names belong to their owners.

  1. [1]1998 Acura NSX SpecificationsAcura (acuranews.com) · accessed 2026-10
  2. [2]2005 Acura NSX SpecificationsAcura (acuranews.com) · accessed 2026-10
  3. [3]Honda NSX (first generation)Wikipedia · accessed 2026-10
  4. [4]Buyers Guide 1991-96 Acura NSXHagerty · accessed 2026-10
  5. [5]Camber/Toe/etc. settings for track use? (owner thread)NSXPrime forum (owner consensus) · accessed 2026-10
  6. [6]Alignment for track using stock suspension (owner thread)NSXPrime forum (owner consensus) · accessed 2026-10
  7. [7]Hawk HB143G.680 Racing Pad, DTC-60 compound (fitment list)OG Racing (vendor) · accessed 2026-10
  8. [8]Track Attack ProHoosier Racing Tire · accessed 2026-10
  9. [9]ADVAN A052Yokohama Tire · accessed 2026-10
  10. [10]Circuit Racing tires (TrackAttack Race A8 / R8, replacing A7 / R7)Hoosier Racing Tire · accessed 2026-10
  11. [11]Motul RBF 600 / 660 Racing DOT 4 Brake FluidHybrid Racing (vendor) · accessed 2026-10
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