Just completed my 4th track weekend this year, still on the stock tires and brake pads. This was a 2-day event. At the end of the last session on the first day, just as I was coming into the paddock, my brake pad wear warning light came on. I checked the pads and there was plenty of material left for the next day, so I didn't change them. The warning light was off when I left the track, and didn't come back on until about the 2nd or 3rd lap of the first session on Sunday. I cleared the display and kept driving. About 2 laps later, my engine started cutting out during acceleration. I just about freaked out, thinking I'd blown my engine somehow, but there was no CEL or other warning. Limped it back to the garage and told my buddy (BuddhaBill) about my problem. Three or four other people around me piped up and said they were also experiencing engine problems! We talked and found out that we all had filled up at the Shell station down the road from the track that morning, so we thought we might have gotten some bad gas. Still, I wanted to get rid of that warning light, and I knew that the sensors wouldn't fit in my Hawk replacement pads, so I pulled all 4 wheels, removed and clipped off the sensors, twisted the wire pairs together, taped them up and zip-tied them out of the way, put all 4 wheels back on and re-torqued the lug bolts. In the second track session, no pad warning light, and NO ENGINE CUTOUT! Do you think it was just something in the gas, or is it possible that the nannys at Porsche have tied the low pad sensor into the engine controller to keep you from going too fast if you can't brake well? I'm taking the car in to the dealer in the next few weeks for 10K mile service (forget 20K!), so I'll have them take a look at the fuel system.
Totally unrelated events. The brake sensor warning circuit is just a simple closed circuit that when broken triggers the light. Nothing more. No connection to the engine.
BTW, when the pad wears down just enough for the rotor to cut the sensor wire, it's common for the light to come on intermittently as you experienced.
For the track, remember that a thin pad dissipates less heat from the pad facing increasing the likelihood of fade or boiled fluid. That's why, in my PCA Region you need at least 50% remaining pad material to pass tech for a DE weekend.
Thanks for the info, STLPCA! Maybe I'm not braking hard enough, at least at this track, but I noticed no reduction in stopping ability or pedal firmness with thin pads. Nevertheless, I know I'm pushing the issue, and the new pads will go in before the next event.
I'll wait and see if the engine problem occurs again or if a CEL comes on before I have anything done by the dealer. How difficult/expensive is it to replace the fuel filter? Would there be anything else they should look at or clean out?
Replacing the fuel filter is easy IF it's accessible, but I've not done it on a 987 so don't know what's involved in getting to it. If the fuel was contaminated w/particles, you may need to replace the filter and clean the injectors. Those are the usual trouble areas.
Save your receipt for the gas purchase. I once had a batch of bad gas resulting in a sizeable repair bill, all of which was covered by Mobil's insurance company.
BTW, try not to buy gas at a station that's getting a fuel delivery. All the silt at the bottom of the tank gets stirred up.
Porsche wouldn't be so short-sighted as to cut the engine out when the brake wear indicators trigger. Imagine that happening at a time when you were needing some grunt to evade an accident. They would be involved in the liability by interfering with your safety, rather than assisting.
I say bad gas. A new filter is not likely needed. It sounds like the water has been run through ...
987 fuel filter
987 fuel filter is located inside the gas tank and is not servicable. I have seen different porsches react unpleasantly to gas that has 10% ethanol mixture.
Thanks for all the responses, folks. This forum is the greatest! Hopefully my problem was just a little water in the gas and it won't occur again. Seems consistent with the fact that others were having similar problems that day. If I find out there is a larger problem, I'll let you all know. Thanks again!
