NOBY

Nice one!

The pad that is farthest out that goes under the leg, does it stay firm on the seat?

Chads996

Yep - Each pad is velcro'd in. Nothing moves.

C.

hwk72

Very nice! Thanks for sharing Chad!

Being 6'6'' myself I'm curious how you like them after some more driving. How works the seat belt, coming through the for us "low" opening?

Thanks, Harold

Chads996

I'll fill you in after tomorrow. I plan on going for a nice mountain drive in the afternoon.

C.

Kevin H. in Atl..

Damn.
Tomorrow afternoon's weather looks pretty good for a mountain run.
Would like to join you.
Unfortunately, recent foot surgery precludes me from driving the Pcar for about two more weeks.
If you don't already have your course planned, I can give you our (local Pcar folks) most popular spirited run route.

gota911

Chad - L@@king good Chad!

If you have been able to fit these seats in your Silver '99 996 with the sun roof, would you have had enough headroom to wear your helmet? Just curious.

Chads996

Not sure. I bought Sparco seats for the silver girl. Those did not work out. Headroom was still a big problem. Without the sunroof, with the stock seats, I had an extra 1.5" of headroom.

C.

redridge

Looks good Chad... big diff from the sport seats! Im sure youll love the room it created!

Chads996

Before this starts, this DIY is intended to be used as one enthusiast to another. Please use every caution when using power tool and use eye protection. If you choose to do this, you do so at your own risk.


X51 Oil pan Baffle Flaps Upgrade:

Parts needed:

X51 oil Pan ( see here: X51 pan from Suncoast )
1 - small sheet of .032" aluminum (Home Depot)
2 - packs of 1" Narrow Utility hinges (Home Depot)
16 - 1/8"x1/8" Steel Pop rivets (home Depot)
2 - Packs of #6S brass washers (Home Depot)

Tools:

Metal hammer
Heavy Duty Riveter
Tin snips
Dremel with cutting and grinding wheels
Metal file
Metal punch
med flat head screw driver
Fine point Sharpie marker
1/8" drill bit and drill


Background on this modification and why:

Upon mentioning that I had purchased this pan, it was noted to me by a local Porsche Race Technician that the existing rubber flaps would eventually break down and degrade with the heating and cooling of the oil. He had mentioned that when the flaps (or doors) finally breakdown, the rubber would separate and pieces would get trapped in the oil pickup. A bad combination.

His solution was simple and seems to be quite effective. Remove the rubber flaps and fabricate custom aluminum panel doors that provide a more robust durability over time as well as performing the exact function. As a backup reference to this solution, I must note that the 1995 BMW M3 Lightweight Clubsport has this very same type of baffles/doors in the oil pan. It is a very popular upgrade with BMW Club Racers.


The following is how I accomplished this task:

1. Examine the oil pan for any major defects. Why? Because your're about to tear part a perfectly returnable item. Make sure it's a-ok. Because when you are done.....it's yours.


Diagram 1: Stock X51 as purchased


2. Removal of the flaps: Locate the riveted flaps on the baffles


Diagram 2: Rivet locations


The best way to remove these rivets is with a Dremel grinding tool. On the outer walls grind away the rivet heads till the material is flush with the walls. NOTE: Do this slowly and VERY carefully. The last thing you need is grind away too much material.


Diagram 3: A properly ground rivet


Continue on till every last rivet head is removed on each side. To remove the rivets, take a metal punch (sized accordingly) and a hammer and gently punch out the holes. Do so by punching in this order - outer, outer, inner, inner. This will prevent the metal band inside from binding. The flap should pop right off.


Diagram 4: Removed rivets and flaps


3. With the rubber flaps now completely removed, it's time to fabricate the doors. PLEASE NOTE: the dimensions I used may not be exact to the dimensions that you may use. Tolerances and tooling may be slightly different on each pan. Please measure the appropriate sizes for your pan.

4. Measure the opening on the baffles and and mark where the hinges fall. Be sure to position the lower hinge so that the rivet heads a located within the open ports on the baffle walls. When drilling the holes, be sure to punch a point in the metal to allow easier drilling.

5. Position the hinges and rivet the hinges in place. Do so VERY carefully. And make sure the hinges are properly aligned to each other. Too much and they will bind. Rivet the hinges on both sides.

6. Door fabrication: Measure and cut out the aluminum sheet to the appropriate size. Using the metal file, shave off all burs. Note: the doors must remain as flat as possible to allow for proper hinge operation.

7. Door positioning. Carefully position and mark the best location for the doors with a fine point sharpie marker. Center punch each hole and drill. File any burs and smooth the holes to accept the rivets. Rivet doors onto the hinges. BE VERY CAREFUL. IF THE HINGES ARE THE SLIGHTEST BIT OFF, OR THE DOOR IS BENT, THE HINGES WILL BIND.


Diagram 5: Final door assembled and riveted in place


Diagram 6: Fully assembled pan

Double check all the rivets to be sure that all are strong and the hinges are not binding. Good luck.



EDIT: Here is a photo of the exterior of the doors. Note the rivet location.

TheSpeedDemon

Chad, again thanks for the info on the X51 Oil Pan...much appreciated

Doug Donsbach

Are the rivet heads on the doors positioned so that they overlap the cutouts, allowing the doors to completely close? In the picture it looks like they aren't, but it's a little hard to tell.

Chads996

Yes...the rivet heads are located within each of the square open sections of the baffles. They fall open slightly when nothing is touching them...but they do seal shut cleanly.

The doors have but a slight opening at the top of each due to the hinges, but it is extremely small. Less than a 1/16th of an inch. I expect it to perform nicely.

Everything goes in to J3 Motorsports on Monday for installation. The pan, oil scavenge pump and suction line. I will have them inspect the pan and get an opinion before installation.

C.

bk12

Nice Chad. Please keep us updated with these great bits of info as you continue to mod the car.

Paul 996

Looks neat... But I have to remain a bit skeptical here considering that the entire assembly in the stock 3.4 is made of rubber not just the doors. I would be a little cautious about the hinges themselves and that they stay intact. The last thing I would want in my engine is a metal pin from a Home Depot hinge that came apart. Not trying to rain on your parade. Good write up nonetheless. Will be doing the x51 myself over the winter.

-Paul

Doug Donsbach

The stock assembly looks like it's made from FRP. But the doors appear to be the same type of material in the x51 pan. At least that's what I see in the instructions downloadable from the BK pan page:

http://www.bkauto.com/porsche/r9095.php