Just a quick question: are the coolant pipes being pinned a necessary requirement to run at an AutoX? I have a chance to race a friend's GT3 in a few weeks at an event, but his car hasn't had the fix done. It's bone stock and he drives it every now and then. I don't want to endanger anyone, but then again, it is an AutoX where speeds aren't likely to be above 60mph.

I tend to err on the side of caution, but is there really much chance of it being an issue? I know certain tracks won't let cars w/o the lines pinned onto the track, that is a completely different scenario than a 70 second run.

 

Necessary? No, but good idea? Yes.

The real issue on track is when you put down a ton of fluid it basically screws over the people behind you. You don't have this issue in autox, so all you would be doing is hindering your own run/possibly giving you some traction issues.

 

You just have to be mentally ready for the day they will go and you will have to get the car towed home. Other than that no biggie... mine are not pinned.

 

I'm pinning mine this winter. I think it's good piece of mind. I had a buddy dump his coolent this yr at the track. I was in front of him ( of course .. lol). but the miata behind caught the coolant and hit wall.. if hate to be responsible if it's a avoidable problem. I'd vote for yes.

 

Even if you don't crash or don't cause someone else behind you to crash if you dump coolant, you don't want to be the guy that causes the track or autocross event to be temporarily suspended while they clean up the mess and take away other people's driving time.

 

Can't seem to find that iPhone video I took of a Corvette getting totaled at an autocross day. I must have deleted it. I only have the video of my friend spinning out. That's not the point though, point is that anything can happen, and it's better to err on the side of caution than be cheap.

I know this was a track day and not an autocross day but I heard reports that a improperly maintained car leaking fluid is the causing factor of why a corner worker passed away at a track day recently? Do you really want to be the cause of injury or death to someone's life or property? Anyways, better to just do it and not ruin someone else's day even with a fluid spill. Heck, there's a DIY guide here on Rennlist for anyone who prefers to not spend money and get it done by a mechanic.

 

should be an embarrassment for Porsche....BS they never sacked up and fixed these cars

this is on them IMO, except we're stuck having to shell out $$$ for the fix

 

Agreed! For a car of this stature, it is unacceptable, IMO.

FYI, as stated in the headline; this isn't MY car. I was simply wondering if it were safe to use at an AutoX event, and therefore the recommendations that "I should stop being cheap and get it fixed" are a bit confusing. I am not going to drop $3500 on my friend's car so I can use it at an AutoX event; I will just drive my car instead!

 

understood! ti's not a cheap fix, and in addition, there are other things to do when getting the fittings fixed (while the motor is out), making it even more expensive but almost no-brainer while the motor is out...

 

Can someone please enlighten this newbie as to whether or not a first-rate class action law firm or attorney has weighed in on the matter of the failing coolant hoses on a significant number of Porsche vehicles?...I have tried doing a "search" for a clear answer but any number of the threads that deal with this issue are exhaustingly long and I tend to throw in the towel after wading through 25 or so pages without getting a clear answer...it just seems to me that given the high number of coolant pipe failures both on the track and on the street, with the former sometimes resulting in serious track accidents and eventually likely even one or more deaths, why are Porsche owners having to foot the $3000+ bill to correct what is obviously a Porsche manufacturing problem that appears to never have been adequately addressed?!...yes, I have read that Porsche says there is no problem and that whatever the Agency that monitors these kind of situations has closed their "file" on the matter in great part because so few cases were ever reported to them...However, this matter strikes me as one that if taken on by a very capable class action law firm and handled properly, the owners of Porsche vehicles with this inherent problem, might stand a reasonably good chance of prevailing and forcing Porsche to foot the bill for correcting the problem once and for all [and for those having already addressed the problem on their vehicle, getting full reimbursment].

I for one would happily contribute to some legal fund kitty to start the ball rolling...although I am sure there are plenty of attorney's who are active on Rennlist, I would think/hope that at least one with some kind of class action experience, might chime in and let us know what the odds of our prevailing with a class action in this matter might be?

 

In order to pass tech inspection with my local PCA groups I had to get my coolant lines pinned or welded

 

I am PCA as well, but have not heard that it's a requirement (probably region dependent),.. and plan to AutoX (probably not track), and having only owned it for 2 months now, have not yet had them pinned/welded. Certainly would like to have it done,.. but after shelling out the duckets to buy, my coffer is kinda dry at the moment. Rather than a class action,.. my curiosity is whether any group of 997 GT3 owners has ever even approached Porsche about it. Keep it under the public radar so to say. Attract more bees with honey. It's worked in the past.

=Steve

 

Pretty much. Ended up being nearly a $10k CAD bill for me (new clutch, LWFW, etc.). Might as well take advantage of the labour time/cost to remove the engine I suppose...

 

Yes, its the local PCA group that are requiring this...its not a PCA bylaw overall.

 

To the OP;
Good Idea? = Yes
Required? = Typically not

There are far more cars out there without pinned / welded pipes than there are with.