AndyW

reference : https://rennlist.com/forums/showthre...ferrerid=20656

Warning: Long post ;-)

I'm seriously thinking of going, but haven't committed because I'm new to the Porsche world, to the Aug. Thunderhill Porsche-ONLY PDE that Fred is putting together. A couple of months ago, I picked up my first Porsche (2002 996TT). (I'm ashamed to say that I haven't put nearly enough miles as I would have liked).

I would like to understand what I am 'looking at' in terms of car-preparation for going to the Thunderhill Event.

What I would like help/advice on:
========================
What do I need to do, to prepare to take my P-car to the track ?

Preface
=====
Let me preface this. I have always been into 'sports' cars and owned them from the 'out of school all I can afford' until my current situation.

The predecessor, which I still own, to the Porsche was a '93 300ZXTT modified and tracked.

I've been to track events, but have been out of circulation ... .last event was in 2001.

For my Z :
-------------
I am very good about ensuring that my tranny, diff fluid are changed every other year, the coolant changed every year (mixture of Redline water wetter, mostly water, and a bit of coolant), religiously changed oil (Mobil 1) and oil filter, changed brake fluid at least once a year, and bled them before every track event (replaced brake fluid, with Motul 600, and power steering fluid with Redline). Always check my pad wear before I head to the track and bring extra pads in case I think I'll be 'short' before the day/weekend event is over.

I had basically started going to the track events with a 'stock' car and slowly over time, started changing things out. To the point that I've changed just about every performance component on the car that is a "bolt-on". Things were done progressively over 8 years of ownership. Radiator, oil cooler, intercooler (the twin turbo had a tendancy to heat soak and overheat at Thunderhill in the June-September months... it's HOT out there. Worse case I think we measured 110+ degrees in the sun. This was in the days before the misting stations existed to at least keep the 'human's from frying ;-)), brake system, <more power goodies>, sway bars, suspension components, etc.).

Porsche
======
I know there are a lot of 'mods' for the 996TT, but I really want to follow the same path I did with the Z. Start off as stock as possible. Learn the limits of the car. And then determine what I feel I want to mod first.


1) What are the items I should 'check/verify' before heading out to the track as 'preventative' maintenance.
2) My experience so far, is that I feel the 996's brakes aren't up to what
I thought they 'should' be. It could be perception. I've driven a few
996TT's before I bought. I find the 993TT stock brakes 'feel' better.
And certainly doesn't feel as good as the 6 piston AP's I have my
on my Z.

I just feel the 996TT's brakes have a much 'longer' engagement
travel before it 'grips' the way I *feel* it should. Doesn't
instill in me the confidence I have with my Z, nor the 993TT.

Is it just that the brakes need bleeding (and the other 996TT's
did as well) ? Complete changing of fluid ?

COOLING is my biggest concern on turbo cars. Detonation is the LAST
thing I want to hear on the track. I used to run 100 Octane on the
Z at the track. Is this a good idea for the P-car ? (necessary? I just don't know how 'close' to the limits they tuned the car and if it was tuned to drive in the AZ-like heat conditions of the local tracks during the summer months).

My car is pretty much 'stock' (I don't count any of the aesthetic factory options the original owner ordered). However, I do know that I do NOT have the hollow factory porsche wheels. But instead, I have solid, porsche-look-alike (don't know if it's porsche or aftermarket), chromed wheels.

Any other 'fluids' I should be replacing with 'after market' fluids ?

I know that cars typically come from the factory to deal with conditions of 90% of owner usage. And a small percentage take their cars to the track.

So, any help, advice and wisdom from long time P-car owners would be greatly appreciated.

Good, bad, ugly, I would love to hear it all !!!


Thanks,

Andy

P.S. And thanks to Fred for organizing the track event. I know how much
effort these things take. I very much appreciate it!!!

nman413

You know you could go to track earlier than waiting till August

Unlimited laps has a track day at THill in June...

AndyW

heheh... Thanks. You and a whole bunch of other people are "bad" influences on me! ;-)

I just need more 'seat' time, before I hit the track. Unfortunately, I don't drive it enough to get comfortable to take the first day out. The last car, I owned and drove it daily for 3 months, before i took it to the track.

There is a Laguna Seca event in June 5, 6th, with Green Flag, and there is Track Master at Laguna on June 7th, and PCA is having something on June 26, 27th.

there is also this :

http://track-days.org/page1.html

Just in case there are other Bay Area people who are 'hungering' for some track events to drive on/at! :-)

Andy

AndyW

Have you runwith "Unlimited laps" before ? Feedback on their safety, organization, etc. ?

Thanks,

Andy

nman413

Nope. I havent signed up for that one yet. Although I am going to LS on June 5-6 along with Kim (Silver Bullet) and John (mooty). You are welcome to come too. I'll be in the slow group since I have never driven at LS before.

I believe Unlimited Laps/6speedonline has something going on too in August for Thunderhill as well as Tracquest. I like Tracquest a lot.

AndyW

I've never heard of Tracquest before. What do you like and dislike about them ?

I'd be very curious to hear your feedback re: Green Flag when you get back. I love LS ... but it's always one of the more expensive tracks. Thunderhill, IMHO, is the safest. But, all three are great (Sears Point, Thunderhill, and Laguna Seca)... sorry... can't remember the 'new official' names. :-).

Andy

mooty

LIKES: lot's of track time, good food, great instructions. you can have viper bob instruct you and ride his black beast ;o)

DISLIKES: expensive.

come to track with me, kim, and jauder. i had 15 days in the last 2 months ;o).... i bought a track car in march. 12 miles on the clock. on track by 800 miles. now, it's got 9000 miles. 2000 miles on track. life can't be happiers.

AndyW

Thanks for the feedback. So, any TT owners out there with advice as to 'track preparation' items to consider ?

Thanks,

Andy

mooty

i dont' have a TT, however, if you are going to track say 30 days a year, just PM me and i will send you to my mechanic and he will get your car ready for ALMS.

if you track say 5 days a year, your car need no further preperation. just make sure you got enough pads to last the day, bring spare oil, enought tread on tires, nothing leaking from your car, bleed the brake before event. bring a tire pressure gauge, water, food, sunscreen.. the usual, much like a picnic ;o)

AndyW

Thanks John. I've been to track events before, so the sunscreen, water is VERY familiar. I was just wondering about the 'prep' specific to a Porsche. I'll probably only go to a handful this year. Too much else going on. Thanks for the tips !!! Hope to see you out there one of these days!

Andy

nman413

As John said, just the standard stuff. Bleed brakes, pads, check fluids, suspension, tires, blah blah. I forgot the sunscreen last time so I have a nice crispy tan now. And something to sit on, I'm lazy.

mitch236

You can take the TT on track out of the box. I think you will be pleasently surprised with the brakes once on track, they are good. It's just hard to stop so much mass.

If you plan on tracking allot, then some safety upgrades would be in order, like rollbar/cage, 6-point harness, HANS, fire system, seat with head/shoulder bolsters.

At some point you may want to upgrade the suspension. The US suspension leaves much to be desired and changing to ROW is an improvement and not very expensive.

Try to avoid engine performance upgrades as you shouldn't need them for track and warrantee/reliablilty become issues.

Detonation is not a problem to the stock setup as long as you keep the tank with some fuel.

As for the hollow spoke wheels, there are many for sale if you want them.

AndyW

Thanks for all the advice. I look forward to seeing how the brakes work on the track. I'm just concerned about how it compares against my last car. Worried about boiling the brake fluid, getting brake fade, and plowing into the car in front of me. Worried about overheating the car. Probably paranoia from these two being the primary issues I had with my last heavy TT car.

Thanks, I think I will just bleed and ensure that fluids are topped off. And not change the 'type' of fluid. And make sure I have enough pad to last the day.

I have my usual 'chair' that I bring, I also bought a 'Razor'. It was a lot easier 'getting around the paddock' than 'walking'. The restrooms, eating area, etc. is a 'slow' walk from the parking area.

Andy

Akkurat_PGI

AndyW,
Just sent you a PM

Fred TTX50

Andy, don't stress over your first track day. I had a lot of friends who never tracked before and I took them to a couple events. All I can say is that they LOVED it. Keep in mind that their will be others like you who have never been on a track and you guys will be in the novice group. Keep in mind as well that this is a Porsche only track day and everyone owns their cars. So people will consider safety. Other track events have all types of cars mixed in together from miata, saturn, ferraris and lots are very young drivers. Those types of events I sometimes don't like because they are more reckless and there cars are very inexpensive compared to our Porsches.

I took my car to the track at 400 Miles and 900 Miles before full break in. My car was stock and I had a blast. I just made sure not to go over 6K rpms.

So if I can do it, so can you and everyone else.

Thanks everyone for signing up ASAP to take advantage of the $185 low cost.

Fred