wds928

Ken: Looks like you had a blast out there. I've run 3 or 4 DE's on the VIR full course. Best I can get on the back straight is 125-130, which is really hard on the brakes enough to slow for turn. I run harder than stock pads (Hawks) and have regularly flushed the fluid. The automatic trans has held up fine, even doing manual downshifts to 3rd and 2nd, but with regular (15,000 mile changes (3-year)).

I've seen oil pressure issues, usually on restarting the engine, probably heat sink related after a 15 minute run. Changed from Mobil 1 w/50 to Brad Penn 20w/50 and it's been better. With 162,000 miles on the car, it's time I stopped doing this. Bigger Michelin PS2's, Koni's and Eibach's help a lot. I'm only 5'9" on a good day and my helmet hits the sunroof.

KenRudd

Brakes did not seem to be a problem. Not enough fade that I noticed, but again I'm not pushing them as hard as more experienced drivers, and I was focused on other things, like not leaving the track.

But still, at least a few times, they were really pushed, mainly diving into roller coaster after the back straight as well as going into turn one after the front straight. I was surprised how deep and hard I could go. I could smell them at that point! Another example of not really knowing the limits of these cars until you push them.

I did no manual shifting. I did go some sessions with kickdown bypass engaged, and I liked that better.
BTW, I did get some grief for driving an auto, but you gotta drive what you have.

I was too focused on the track to watch my oil pressure when driving, but nothing weird in the paddock either cold or hot.

Mike LaBranche

There's a ton of time at any track just knowing the line, the bumps, the rps, etc. You don't start pushing equipment until you have that down. I'm surprised at 125ish at the end of the oak tree straight, figured you'd be in top gear rolling into the rev limiter... that's a honkin' long straight... with a nasty left, right to see if you're payin' attention at the end.

KLVA

Great Job, Ken....!

My 1st DE was with my '88 S4 A/T and it was an utter failure due to extremely
hot coditions and a fairly worn out trans.

I managed to solve that problem by acquiring a 1991 964 C2 and I have been going to DE events all year, including 6 days at VIR and I am totally hooked now.
I now have a real need to go back and conquer the Rollercoaster and I love the uphill esses....it can really make you want to go back over and over.

I never see another 928 at any of these events and I am working this winter to remedy that.........you might see a 928 at VIR in March.....

Your heighth problems with the sunroof will be remdied when you put racing seats in that car, they lower the seat bottom about 3".... along with harnesses and bar.....slope getting slicker

Then you can do the Bilsteins...comp sway bars...chip...see how it snowballs...?

By the time your skills improve, you already see the need for more upgrades
Safety is always 1st...seats and harnesses and fire extinguisher...

Good Luck and I hope to see you at VIR next year, Cheers, Kevin

pcar928fan

Bill, I'd change that trans fluid after the next DE FOR SURE if you want to keep using that trans anyway! Mine was fully functional and everything seemed fine but when you opened it up it smelled VERY BURNED! That is a VERY, VERY bad thing! Pretty much means you are toast and just waiting for the failure...

KenRudd

Not close to 125. I'm a rookie, deep in rookie tunnel vision, just glancing down at the speedo as I am cresting over a blind hill. I'm thrilled to see it kiss 120, and keep on it for a short time more before diving into hard braking, it never got close to 125.

I let the auto do all the thinking for me, leaving it in "D", so I never saw the rev limiter.

GTASHARK

Once you get more accustomed to doing DEs, you may find manually shifting the slushbox to be to your advantage. A little engine braking here and there can be helpful.

I've gone the route of loosing up the bowden cable and removing kickdown to make the tranny very predictable. But to each their own. As they say, YMMV

James Bailey

I have concluded that the VAST majority of 928 drivers are wimpy assed possers content to putt around on the streets LOOKING COOL. Most never would never race looking down on most "challengers" as unworthy ..... not that I condone street racing anyway. The mear THOUGHT of being on a race track with other cars where their lack of any real driving skills and the limitations of their 928 would be apparent is enough to send them running the other direction quaking in their boots. There have been numerous attempts over the years to add a track day to many 928 gatherings with little or no turnout even though the only cars running would be 928s.... Over the years I have invited many people to bring their 928 to POC events....even offered to pay for a couple peoples entry fees. Thus far the response has been ZERO... So being kind,gentle, diplomatic has not worked....If you have never tracked a 928 you really never ever have DRIVEN ONE !!!! So get the damn thing out of the garage and go DO at least one D E event. By the end of the first day you will KNOW what you have been missing. Or you can stay home and put on another coat of wax.... After all the true beauty of a machine is how it functions. How well it does what it was designed and built to do. This is one instance where you truely do not know what you are missing. To paraphrase Mark Twain...When you are old and you look back on your life you tend to regret the things you did not do much more than the things you did....so cast off set sail ! If any of my comments offend you just pause a moment and consider WHY !

Mike LaBranche

Right on. Amen. What he said.

Mike LaBranche

Check out Keith Code's Twist of the Wrist. It's all about how much attention you have, where you spend it, do you waste it? or spend it wisely. Fast guys spend it very well.

KenRudd

Don't sugar coat it Jim...

This is what came to mind reading it:

JG928S4

Amen Brother!

KLVA

Life's too short to dance with fat women, drink bad wine and never drive a Porsche on a track....nice pep talk Mr Bailey... Cheers Kevin PCA #409

IcemanG17

Ken
Since you have an 88 with the tall 2.20 gears I would leave the trans in 3...since 3rd is good for almost 140mph.... Typically what I did in my stock 88 was leave it in 3...then use the kickdown to power out of turns..it worked quite nicely!

James
trans fluid life is a straight line with temp.....what we did in the Estate was installed a huge 1qt oil cooler that came from a 2nd gen RX7 right in front of the radiator...I never-ever see more than 190F trans temps.....190F equates to about 50k mileage trans fluid life.....so I'll change it every other year just to be sure

KenRudd

I will certainly experiment with different options next time, but my impression this time was:
1. Manual kickdown switch off: it would occasionally end up in 4th. Aggressive right pedal input produced instant but predictable down shifts;
2. Manual kickdown switch on: I rarely ended up in 4th, only if I was really loafing (coasting into pits, lifting to let somebody pass) Again, any gas, and I was right back where I belonged.

All in all, it was very predictable. Generally in the right gear in the right place, and no unpredictable up/down shifts.