knfeparty

A lot of people are posting about "what mods do I need for track days" recently.


Yes, the M96 is prone to oiling issues. Moreso on DOT R comps or other sticky tires than regular street tires.

I had a blast yesterday at Sebring on my 200tw tires, x51 engine (no deep sump yet), fresh "normal" AOS (the motorsports one doesn't fit with x51 intake), stock m030 springs and swaybars on konis, and XP9 in the sump. The car is on Ferodo DS2500 brake pads and Motul fluid. I do have the IMS Solution as well.

Maybe the car is a ticking time bomb because I used 200tw tires or didn't have a deep sump and/or accusump etc but I'll tell you the car didn't make any weird ticking noises or lose oil pressure or run overly hot (on stock radiators but a fresh water pump).

What is more likely to kill the motor is that damned sloppy shifter. There were several times when downshifting that I could feel I was not going into the gear I wanted and had to hesitate to make sure I got the right one. I could see how the Red Mist could takeover and you could money shift the car. I'm an avid double-clutch rev-matcher on my downshifts so if it doesn't just slide into the lower gear like butter I know it's wrong. But I've seen plenty of people just cram the shifter into the lower gear (that is what syncros are for, after all) and you could definitely end up over-revving doing that...

Prelude Guy

Good review.

People often ask me which mods are needed before tracking a car when they find out I go to the track regularly. Most are surprised when I only recommend a nice set of summer tires and more aggressive track pads.

Are you still running the stock 996 shifter?

Nickshu

Installing the Function-First transmission mount insert in my 2003 C2 made a HUGE improvement in shifting -- After adjusting the shifter, changing gear oil, changing to a 997GT3 shifter, and changing the engine mounts made no difference. The NVH was a small price to pay for the great shifter feel IMO.

knfeparty

I'm still on the stock shifter. I replaced the trans mount (made a nice writeup about the AGA tool if you haven't seen it) and engine mounts with OEM. I've never been a fan of short throw shifters. The throw is fine for me but it's the uncertainty of it that I don't like. I have already received a few suggestions of good shifters to try out.

These cars seem to be really easy on brakes; the same pads and fluid were useless on my M5 but don't have a hint of fade on the 996.

There were several 996s there; a few turbos that were built, a few true race cars with cages, and one gentleman who had picked up a low-mileage completely stock one without PSM. They were all having a lot of fun

rockhouse66

Since you have the X51 I think that means you have an extra oil scavenge pump that isn't present in other M96 engines. That would make a big difference in maintaining oil pressure in the turns I think.

Did you run the PSM active or inactive? Curious how much difference it really makes in spirited driving since I am not aware that I have had my PSM kick in no matter how hard I have tried!!

thurstonpowers3

If you really seek a fine shifter feel there is a video on how to reduce the factory shifter play with shim stock by taking it all apart. makes a huge difference in the amount of free play in the shifter.

Quadcammer

if you have time to double clutch, you aren't going fast enough

knfeparty

the clutch is only out with the shifter in neutral for the amount of time it takes the revs to increase while I'm braking. I mean to be clear I am heel-toeing while I do this. I promise you there is no delay to my braking/downshift/turn/accelerate process

knfeparty

The X51 indeed has the better scavenge setup and the baffles. It's an improvement but it's not nearly as good as some of the stuff you can get through LN / Flat 6.

PSM off off OFF. Even if you drive smoothly and the PSM light never illuminates, if you leave it on it'll grab the rear brakes enough to start really heating them up. It's good to leave on if you're still learning the car and driving slowly, but you'll find that you're smoking the rear brakes as soon as you start getting some speed going.

todcp

Good comment on the PSM. As an instructor I had a student too scared to shut off his traction control on a 2015 Mustang GT even though I warned him he could cook the rear brakes as he improved at the end of the day. As he began picking up skill and speed he cooked the rear brakes so badly that the caliper blew brake fluid and he lost brakes.

Vipertag313

I agree with the shifter issue. I repeatedly found it hard to find second gear at turn 7. That turn requires you to heel-toe from 5th to 2nd. Up shifting has always been fine.. but down shifting is the issue. You cant hurry the stock transmission.. it is 15+ years old after all. But the play of the stock shifter compounded the issue.

cds72911

I guess I sound like a shill for Numeric, but their shifter is money well spent.

I've had several flavors and of the ones I've tried, it is head and shoulders above (in order, #1 being the best for a dual use car):
1) Numeric
2) 996 with B&M SSK (but very notchy, I prefer the stock 997 in a street car)
3) 997
4) 996

I can's speak to CAE, Cup or GT3 shifters.

I wish I'd just skipped all the others and gone straight to the Numeric.

One other bonus in a street driven car is that as long as you don't add risers, it fits under the stock center tunnel trim and nobody by you knows it is there (maybe a downside too, since the milled aluminum unit is a work of mechanical art).

Like others, I like to make sure the mounts are good - motor and transmission - I like the Function first rear/Renline trans combo if I'm buying, but I made my own 80A durometer out of Rein replacements.

Quadcammer

If you can accurately heel toe while double clutching and do so quickly, you must be a better driver than me

knfeparty

I'm probably not, but I learned stick on delivery trucks with no syncros so the double-clutching was learned early on, and I have huge feet, which makes heel-toe pretty easy. So combining the two wasn't so bad for me

knfeparty

I think I pulled over into the R gate once, and I pulled it down into 4th once. Both times I knew I had done it and sorted it out before letting the clutch out, but still.

I think harnesses would probably help as much as a good shifter. I already have GT3 seats but need to get a roll bar to put in. Been thinking the DAS sport bar since it is 1.75" OD and .120" wall thickness.