At track events people some time spin out and the car stalls - they get back on the track and continue driving without issues.

My question to the techies;
What happens to the engine when the car spins around and the back wheels start going "the wrong way" with a gear engaged? Sure the ignition cuts out, but what happens to the engine - most importantly is it potentially damaging the engine?

 

"Both in" is the instruction when you are about to swap ends. Get on both the brake and the clutch before you are backwards. Yes, you can damage the engine. You will reverse the direction of the oil pump, PS pump, and alternator/cooling fan for starters. The timing chain tensioner on the normally-slack side is not strong enough to keep the chains tight when its side is under tension. Thay means slack in the timing chain, and risk of damage there. If the chain jumps time, the engine can be destroyed if the pistons hit the open valves.

Bottom line is you might survive, but it is not a good idea to spin the engine backwards.

 

Hi Flash, I am also from the Malmö area, so you might have seen me spin in a couple of track events :-)
I never really put much thought into it, know you got me all scared...
In the second you spin the car, the rear tires have broken lose from the tarmac, and before they get traction again there are plenty of time to put the clutch and brake pedal to the metal, and this comes as a very natural reaction.
But in the cases you have seen, the car actually stalled? That would make me worry a bit. That has never happened to me, but it would indicate that the clutch was still engaged when going the wrong way.

 

It would be very rare for the tires to actually turn backwards in a 911 with the clutch engaged. They'd slide on the pavement long before they'd ever turn the engine backwards.

 

The most likely scenario is that if you spin backwards and don't engage the clutch the engine will immediately stall. In which case you have nothing to worry about.

 

"Both feet in!"

 

+1 (i.e. immediately get on both the brake and clutch).

 

+2

 

If you don't get both feet in usually just a stall, but I have seen where the engine runs backward and blows the intake manifold off.

 

It happend to me at VIR.

JF