Alright guys, for those of you who track, HPDE and Autcross your Carrera's, what do you suggest I do to prepare my 2002 C2?

I am looking at doing an HPDE/DE.

Pads were just replaced, as was brake fluids. I'll have new appropriate tires and an alignment.

The main thing I am worried about is oiling. I have read in numerous places that the oil system is not up to snuff for track use, and high g corners will starve the engine.

Does that hold true? What can I do to help that situation? Are there any fixes for this, better pumps, etc.?


BTW, I do a lot of performance driving in other cars, but this is my first Porsche, and they are very "unique".

Thanks!

 

Some people install sump plate extensions and/or X51 type baffles, but if it is your first DE and your running street tires, I don't think you'll be generating the sustained G forces to need either.

Fresh, top quality oil (I like Redline 5w40), make sure you are topped up before and during the event.

Might consider a more aggressive alignment than the stock 996 C2 Specs, like the GT3 alignment specs.

 

under drive pulley , would be a nice upgrade for the track .

 

I found the light weight flywheel to be a great upgrade for the track. Not ideal for street driving though and certainly not required for your first events.

Race seat, harness and roll cage will not only improve safety but will make it more enjoyable and make you feel the car much better.

I believe the general consensus is that if you're sticking with street tires you don't have to do anything for the oiling. Personally I'm putting an X51 pan on my 996.

For the first event though I think you've done the right thing by taking care of the brakes. Next time (if you didn't already) I'd use a high temp brake fluid. Track oriented pads are nice too but can wait until the current ones wear out.

 

If you are still going to drive your car on the street regularly I would avoid the roll bar. Unless you plan on wearing your helmet at all times, the roll bar is a hard surface that you will impact in an accident. Even with padding it is not a great idea. That being said the race seat would be a revelation in how you will be held in place. But since the seat, harnesses, and roll bar are a package, think real hard before you take that step.

 

For a street / track car there's always going to be compromises. I'm using a roll bar for street driving too since the car is primarily a track car. While some people are very much against this setup a lot of people use a harness bar combined with a race seat and five-point. I found it to be a reasonable compromise in my previous car which was primarily driven on the street.

 

My comments are purely from a safety point if view. The race seat will be more difficult to get into and out of, and your harnesses may not be DOT legal you will have to retain your stock belts. These are thing you can deal with. I have seen roll bars (and cages) run regularly on the street mostly for looks. I just would not want to compromise my safety in my car without the additional protect of a helmet against the roll bar. Harness bar for street and a roll bar for the track. All that being said each person needs to manage their own level of risk they are willing to accept.

 

Oil starvation should be a non issue on street tires. The oil pan mid is cheap insurance though compared to an Accusump. My 1999 has been heavily tracked since 04 with the stock pan and street tires with no issues.

Best purchase? An excellent helmet. Don't cheap out.

 

You've got it pretty well taken care of. Brakes, tires, alignment, and safety gear are really all you need.

Once you start getting fast or running R-comps, there is more to worry about.

 

I'm thinking about gutting my C2. Anyone know how much of a weight savings this provides? I took out the rear seats and they feel like they weight about 15-20lbs?

Wondering if I take the door cards off if they even weigh anything. What else can I do for weight savings?

 

You can save around 200 lbs depending on how far you want to go. If you search here or on Rennlist, someone went through the trouble of weighing each piece they took out.

 

Here are my best hacks.

The best bang for the buck weight reductions, IMHO:

Race seats save about 100lbs. Remove rears.

LW battery (Rennline makes nice mounts) saves 40ish.

Can't remember if '02 has a spare- that's 30-40.

Lightweight wheels are awesome.

X74 alignment is the best for non-GT3 cars in my experience. Run as much negative camber as you can (some cars can go another .5 deg neg over X74), esp on the front.

996TT rear sways (22mm) are cheap on ebay, and decrease understeer considerably. They're also hollow, so far lighter than H&R, etc.

Do a lot of research on the best hot pressures for whatever tires you have. Pay lots of attention to cold vs. hot pressure.

Also you said you just had the brakes done, but didn't mention if it's with stock stuff or more aggressive. In my experience, stock pads and fluid can't keep up with track driving. I'm liking Ferodo 2500 pads for dual use street/track, stainless lines, and high temp fluid. Finally add GT3 scoops underneath (F+R) for additional cooling.

Oh, and remember to turn PSM off if you have it. As you get faster in the afternoons, you may start overdriving the car and PSM may be on nearly constantly, which is the equivalent of dragging your brakes everywhere. You will eventually run out of brakes if this is the case. I sometimes leave it on while I'm learning a new track, and switch off when I want to go faster. It resets every time you turn the car off, so remember each time out to turn it off.

Some have had luck disconnecting the yaw sensor by your right knee to keep it off all day without disabling ABS. Otherwise it's never really off (volumes have been written about this. Search if interested.)

Use at least the thickest recommended oil for your engine- none of this 0w whatever...

For those who track 3.4's, and a few I talked to who used to run Koni challenge with M96 cars, they run as thick as 15w-50. Even Jake Raby has mentioned that M96-97 oiling probs may be due to film strength problems at high RPM/temp.

Not sure if this applies to 3.6 and/or Variocam+ engines. I think I read somewhere that they can't take dramatically thicker oil for some reason.

If you're someplace hot, consider a 160deg thermostat, and a center radiator if your car doesn't already have one. They came stock on all the tip cars, so easy to find in wrecking yards or ebay these days for reasonable $.

HTH. Have fun!

 

Oh, and +1 on underdrive pulley. A few extra hp and it helps the power steering pump live at high RPMs...

Just be sure to get one of the solid/beefy ones. The spindly lightweight ones break.

 

Great summary above and I agree with all points.

 

One more thing- get the Harry's Lap Timer app and a good dash mount for your phone to measure your progress. It's the best cheap track day accessory out there.