HPDE my 996

I am planning a track day with my son. We both have 996 cars mine a 3.4 his a 3.6. We are both novice drivers. I have read a lot of bad things related to tracking them. Oil starvation, AOS blowing etc. Our cars are in good repair and running well. Mine is an early build and still has the original double row IMS my sons IMS was replaced. My question is basically is this a bad idea ? We bought 911s thinking they were build for tracking. We did not know of all the pitfalls now we are a bit cautious of the idea. Neither of us wants a $30k engine rebuild.

As novice drivers you probably won't be able to cause any harm, but once you pick up speed, I personally wouldn't track my 996. The process of becoming a fast driver usually involves breaking things and 911s are relatively expensive and not very fast to fix. So unless that doesn't matter to you at all, the best track car is the one that keeps you on the track the longest, and the answer to that is either a Miata or a Honda Fit. For context, I'm a retard and I time attack a BMW with a Honda motor in it. The 996 is a good GT car to me, but I think it's a bad idea in general to strain an engine you're not prepared to rebuild. See the "I'm a retard" part.

Th have instructed many DE students in all kinds of 996 models I also race a 1999 996 in PCA and HSR. My opinion is that like all street cars track use increases the strain on all mechanical components but Porsches are able to handle these strains better than most other brands, have fresh oil in your cars, watch for miss shift over revs, use the first lap to warm everything up, then just have fun. Rich You Tube

I have tracked a 996 for the past four years and in that time done a hundred days. I drive it as hard as I can every event. Like any car that involves the risk of it not running at the end of the day. The first 10 days it was completely stock, then I worked to make it safer, faster and what I hope is a little more reliable. I regularly keep up with Gt4s and some Gt3s. If you are new to HPDE then they are fine with fresh oil, brake fluid, good stock pads and tires. I would suggest a PCA event as you will see more similar cars and access to the knowledge these owners will bring. Feel free to DM me with any specific questions. Edit: See you are in the Chicago area. I�m sure @GC996 will chime in. He is local and I believe been doing Hpde since his car was new. @De Jeeper and me at Lime Rock with commentary by a friends son. You Tube

They even go racing and survive 😀 Rich You Tube

My take is a little different. I have enjoyed tracking my 996.2 since 2004, including the last 15 years in the fastest run group, running Hoosiers as well as 100/200W tires. I think the last time I ran street tires on the track was 2006. Contrary to popular belief, you don't have to beat the hell out of your 996 on the track to be fast. What you have to do, is learn how to balance the car with your butt, hands and feet to carry momentum. But this is another conversation and speaks volumes on why you do want to go to a DE event, get instruction, and learn the skills. Also, contrary to popular belief, the M96 is a very durable engine, but just like any year and model of Porsche, Corvette, Ferrari, etc, you gotta properly prepare the engine to mitigate known issues that they all have while on the track. The problem is most owners don't properly prepare their cars for the street, let alone the track. Hence why Rennlist is so popular and all the bellyaching occurs. First thing i would do is take a look at the condition of your engine by (1) running an oil test on both cars to see what it says, and (2) drop your sump to see what's in it. Chances are everything looks good, but it's always good to take a look just in case their is a problem brewing. You have already addressed the IMSB issue so the second thing I would do is upgrade your oem AOS to the UAOS Track version. Regardless on if you plan to do more DE events or just street driving, the UAOS Track version solves for alot of problems. Unlike the OEM AOS, you can run "full" oil levels and can even run 1 qt over "full" with oil. This will help with oil starvation/oil pressure stability. If you run a "blow by" test and it shows you have appropriate levels of blow by, can may be able to run up to 2qts extra oil. Check with @Porschetech3 and his UAOS threads for more detail. The third thing to do os make sure your cooling system is functioning properly and make sure you have a fresh oem WATER PUMP on the car. Broken water pump blades lead to blades getting lodged in the head resulting in head/cylinder cracking. Make sure your coils, plugs, fuel injectors, MAF, oxy sensors and oil pressure sender are in good shape. Clean oem air filter helps as well. Yep, run the best oil you can find in the car and change it often. Male sure it's fresh for the track. Same with your brake fluid. I will stop here. We can discuss sumps, additional cooling, brakes, suspension, tires, etc as well. But I will leave it up to you to ask additional questions.

@wrightbenz Forgot you were in Chicagoland. Feel free to PM me if I can help with the Chicago region. Be more than happy to introduce you to the right folks in the region and fill you in on DE. It's worth your time to truly experience the 996 on the track.

If u make it to the east coast both @hbdunn r instructors now and can help. Although brad is both a better driver and instructor then me. As others have said its a durable motor if its in good health. Brake fluid, fresh engine oil and a nanometer test of the aos system is all i would worry about for the first 6-10 days

OK, all you racer types, let's not scare the crap out of these people. If this is your first time doing HPDE, I can pretty much guarantee you won't have any problems with either car. This is because, as a novice, you will not be able to drive your car as fast into the corners as a more experienced driver. The car is more capable than you and you will find that out fairly quickly. What I would suggest, based on my experience, is you go to the track with a Porsche Club HPDE where you have an experienced driver sitting in the passenger seat and instructing you on how to take the corners. As others have said, you will want fresh oil, and most of us also change that oil right after. And it would be a good idea to have brake fluid that isn't more than two years old.

Hah! Every so often you get the student that can carry speed. Then as an instructor you hope they have a new aos and a full sump of oil! best thing to do is go out to a local PCA DE event and see what it's about.

Quotes source post: 19652705

Ha. You hope they have the UAOS with the track drain AND a full sump of oil!

Quotes source post: 19652771

Yep! Why run 8.5 quarts of oil when you can run quite a few more!

I always get insurance just in case I crash. Note: it won�t cover a money shift or a blown engine or any mechanical failures. These cars are getting old, so it�s possible you discover a new repair, oil leak, stuff like that. I once lost a clutch in my 88 911, but it was going to go anyway, and mostly my fault. Like others have said, fresh brake fluid, fresh oil, learn how to drive smoothly and treat it as educational, and you�ll lower the risk. You can still have a blast and carry speed and not hammer the car too hard. If you�re the type that doesn�t mind a little risk, managed by paying attention and taking safety seriously (the safest way around the track is often faster than alternative routes) then it�s worth it. If you�re the type to think it can never happen to you, and you don�t pay attention to the instructors or joke around when they are telling you the rules, then I would skip it.

Quotes source post: 19651979

I got news for you. Thats not Lime Rock!

deleted

Quotes source post: 19652875

Misunderstanding.

Quotes source post: 19652912

Oh, Jeez. I guess I was looking at the video just below yours. My mistake. Lime Rock is not only my home track, I live here!

Quotes source post: 19652934

No problem, yes I live about an hour from there. And you are invited to our unmuffled afternoon on 10/9. Only about 15 cars at the moment.

Quotes source post: 19652947

I will totally be there. It shows as a private event on the LR calendar. Should I reach out to anyone? I mean the guys at the gate all know me because I always get a season's pass, so I can get in.

Quotes source post: 19652982

I should have qualified it as a PCA metro event with registration on Clubreg. It's a solo only event from 12-5 with 2 groups. As long as you are solo with another group you are more than welcome. https://clubregistration.net/driver/eventInfo.cfm?event_id=14179 Another edit, it's 10/8, sorry.

Quotes source post: 19653019

Found it, It's Oct 8. I don't think I'm qualified, in Fast or Faster!

Sorry, don't mean to hijack this thread, but I do have an oil question, which may help the OP. Talking about using fresh oil for track time, what is the thought of using a higher grade oil for the track? (i.e. if running 10/40 go to 10/50) I'll be doing some Time Attacks, and I'm thinking of a higher grade for cooling purposes>

Quotes source post: 19652705

So I have done several events just not with the Porsche. I had an S2000 and later a mini cooper S that I used. I still consider myself a novice because I never put many of these events together. Doing one a year really isn�t much experience. I can carry some speed though but I would keep things toned down since I have never tracked the car. It�s also the most expensive car I would have tracked.

Quotes source post: 19652705

GC996 are you going to be at the autobahn event in October ?

Quotes source post: 19653425

Dont know if i will make it for Autobahn. Still trying to make Blackhawk Farms Raceway the weekend of September 26th. It's a great event and a fun track.

Quotes source post: 19653419

Don't know if you take a look at the Chicago Regions schedule. Two good events to attend every year that may be of interest to you and your son are the autocross training school in April and then Novice DE day at Blackhawk Farms Raceway at the end of April. Autocross training will get you guys tuned into the brakes, tires and steering of your 996. Just a good warm up for the track and a good time to make sure everything is functioning properly. Novice DE day will be a full day of classroom instruction and track instruction with an instructor sitting in the passenger seat all day. Great event. We pretty much have track days every month from April thru October. its an active region with 80-100 cars at an event with typically 4 run groups.

Well timed thread as I'm looking to bring my 103k mile 1999 to the track. Officially beyond the safe limits of the canyons now, and after two gruesome crashes this weekend (you may have heard about the gtr rs and gts which had its engine ripped out of the car, because it did a uTurn on a canyon road, and the gT3 must have been well over 100mph), think it was a sign to get a move on track prep.

Quotes source post: 19651683

do the track day event! It will be fun and your cars will be fine. Don�t be put off by the neurosis on here. I have been tracking my bone stock 996 and never had a problem. You will have to have it inspected if doing a PCA event this will cover discover if you have anything to address. do it! Enjoy it without hesitation.

I would argue that a 996 that is tracked a couple times a year may have an engine that's in better shape than the guy with a 996 that sits in a garage and only drives it 2 miles to the grocery store a couple times a week who never heats the oil up, never changes the oil and never gets the revs above 4,000. Exercise is a good thing.

We really appreciate all the great replies guys. I am thinking we can do this event in October. We will do the fluid changes and whatever else we can get done before the event. The UAOS would be great but this appears to be a big job. Engine out sort of things which is crazy but probably necessary.

Quotes source post: 19654003

Awesome! I would do the UAOS if yours fails for sure, but until then, it�s not 100% required.

People have been doing HPDE in stock 996's and Boxsters for 20+ years. There's always a few in the novice/green/beginner groups. I have not seen anyone have serious car problems and the drivers all go home with huge grins.

Good info: https://rennlist.com/forums/attachme...m96-engine.pdf

Quotes source post: 19654229

Agreed. It's the fast guys that push the oil starvation/oil pressure issues and the club racers that push the heat issues that seem to have the problems. The only consistent issue that i see on the track with the 986/987/996/997s is the AOS inability to process the oil under G or an outright AOS failure. Both lead to lots of smoke and a few other problems. Regardless, I haven't lost any sleep over the last 22 years. All issues from oil starvation, oil pressure, heat and AOS can all be mitigated with a couple of simple part enhancements. Imho, everybody should track their 996 at least once.

Quotes source post: 19654229

Not to put a damper on things, and I�ve only done maybe 6-7 DEs, but every DE I�ve attended, there was always some issue with some car, whether that be a BMW, a Honda, a mishap (off track experience), a money shift, an oil leak, overheating event�something. I�m talking about events all day long with over a hundred cars. So still 1%-ish, 99% goodness.

Quotes source post: 19653383

Higher grade, higher weight, higher viscosity, higher temp oil is certainly preferred on the track for the M96. The only cooling advantage you will have with oil is that running more oil quantity will help with cooling in the first 15-20 min. After that, you gotta deal with oil temps swamping water coolant temps. Sure, you can add a 3rd radiator, add a low temp thermostat, and can add a 997S oil cooler to add more cooling. The other thing you can do is start your cool down after you hit 20 min of hard driving. ADD: the way you get extra oil is to run the UAOS Track amd a 2qt deep sump. With both in my car, I drain and refill with 12 qts of DI40. But to your point, i will be running 12 qts of DI50 to see it's effects the next track day. In the cold weather months, I will continue to run 12qts of DI40. Lots of high quality oil in the M96 keeps it happy on many fronts. But you gotta have an AOS that can handle and process oil. The OEM AOS can't, nor can the Porsche Motorsports AOS. The UAOS Track can. How do I know? I have run them all on the track since 2004.

I'm looking at NASA Level 1 HPDE. Do you think my stock AOS could handle it before I get a chance to do the UAOS? The canyon roads I drive are probably tighter turns than the track, which means the track turns I'll be going faster for longer periods of time, which is more concerning for starvation - especially since I still don't know if my possessed oil pressure is normal or abnormal. The track is Big Willow at Willow Springs. Turn eight and nine are long high speed turns. Then turn one you get to it at a long straight, so hard braking prior (my friend's stock C7 just hits 140mph at the break point, obviously I won't be quite there, but just for reference). There is a HPDE coming up in two weeks and I'm eager to go, but give the AOS questions above, don't want to risk it.

AOS question - the simple answer is - you don't know. I had a friend with a 996.2 - he was an instructor and racer (like me) with BMW CCA. He took his out for touring laps at Road Atlanta and fogged the track due to the AOS failure. Was it failed before? He never complained or had of any smoke prior. After that day he took it in for an engine out service, including AOS replacement. AOS is simply a ticking time bomb. I bought my 2003 996.2 in March 2020, drove it home from Dallas Tx to a suburb of Atlanta. Once home, after a few days of local driving, I did a major service. Installed Skip's UAOS, new clutch/flywheel, RMS, IMS Solution and added trans mount stiffeners. I wasn't going to chance the failure options. -Tom 2003 C2 factory aerokit, Cobalt Blue

As a novice, assuming your AOS is in good shape, you shouldn't have any problems during your first DE. It's going to take you all day to build speed. The 2nd, 3rd, 4th DE events that follow will be events that you consistently build speed and will put more pressure on the AOS. That's where the UAOS comes in handy. I lived in N. CA for 7 years and spent half my week in S. CA back in the 90s. Spent alot of time on the canyons. They are no comparison to what you will experience with speeds and forces on the track. Especially as you master driving skills. Do it!

Quotes source post: 19654574

Yeah, I had 2 blow back to back in 2006 amd I was only a 2nd year novice. The first one was 4 years old. The second one was brand new. They could go at any time.

Quotes source post: 19654453

Yes there does seem to be something at every event. Mostly it seems to be those guys who want to win the HPDE. I've got news for them: you can't win an HPDE but you can surely lose one.

I hate to see anyone spin a rod bearing while trying to have fun especially since there are so many preventative measures to avoid the failure.. But if you dead set on taking the risk at least set up a recording device to document the oil pressure/RPM...You can use a phone camera or Go-Pro aimed at the dash to watch the gauges while you are having fun...You can't watch the gauges while having fun on the Track especially in the sharp turns and that is here the issue will arise......You could even watch the recording after a session to see if there are any anomalies in the oil pressure....the factory gauge is not 100% accurate but is plenty accurate enough to see big drops in oil pressure..... If you see any drops in pressure, I would advice you to reevaluate your plan....I thoroughly believe in testing/knowing whats going on with the power unit...

Quotes source post: 19655122

I have not seen many stories about spun bearings. I can see how the oil issue would lead to it. Plenty of scary outcomes.

Here is my spun bearing from the view of car behind that led to a mass casulty . Dont let it scare u though, the motor had over 200k miles and had no buisness being out at watkins glen turning 7k rpm. You Tube

yeah, even with 200k miles though I think with a few more preventative measures we could have saved your engine from spinning the rod bearing...

Couple proactive questions. 1) Oil people are using at the track? Maybe not the $18 per quart stuff. 2) If for instance one of us losses the AOS what is the reaction? Tow the car home? Possibly still drive-able? From what I have read it sounds like the car can still be driven with smoke at idle and start up. We live 20 miles from the track.

If you ask anyone what is the best track oil I believe you will get a bunch of different answers😀. All I will say is I have used Redline 40W racing oil for many years with great results but I think frequent changes are more important than brand. AOS failures can be total or a slow process good to have your shop do frequent Manometer readings I bought my tool from LN. Rich

Agree with Rich. As a JIC, if you will be at Autobahn in Octobet for your first DE, the good news is that Midwest Eurosport has a shop right at the track. They also have a shop in Bensonville which is the one I use. They support an army of M96 & M97 powered track and street cars and know what they are doing. If something crazy happens, you can walk over to their garage. Tight schedule today so I will discuss manometer testing, AOS failure and oil later.

Good thread to read on oil. https://rennlist.com/forums/996-foru...pca-video.html

Good thread on manometers. https://rennlist.com/forums/996-foru...-to-buy-2.html One more. https://rennlist.com/forums/996-forum/1251310-help-interpreting-manometer-test-12-inh2o.html You are welcome to borrow my manometer.

AOS failure - best case - you fog the track with oil smoke and can drive home. Worse case - the oil pool in the intake is so bad that it is ingested into a cylinder as a liquid. Liquids don't compress. At pretty much any running RPM, that will cause a hydrolock in one or more cylinders. The results of that can be a complete writeoff of the engine due to the ensuing damage. Ventilated block, destroyed piston(s), rod(s), damaged crankshaft. 86 Corvette, certainly different engine, head gasket failed at Road Atlanta, turn 12, foot to the floor, hydrolock. -Tom

Quotes source post: 19654392

That's exactly what I'm talking about though. "Going to the track to have fun" I have no doubt any Porsche can handle this. But lots of people get bitten by the track bug and want to get faster - the moment you start getting fast (Super200's or 100tw or lower, dialing in suspension and brakes and driver training/data coaching to find the last tenths) I'm not sure a stock wet-sump Carrera should be thrown out there so nonchalantly.

Quotes source post: 19656955

Been there, done that. It can handle it. But you gotta do the right things to the car and you gotta manage the time on the track and temperatures. To your point, most guys won't carry enough speed nor generate high enough temps for exyended periods of time to create problems. But club racers will.

I sucked, suck actually at driving, was running PS4S and saw consistent drops - run the oil low enough that you don't stress the AOS and anyone with a heartbeat is capable of having pressure drops. Run the oil higher to lessen the drops, overwhelm the AOS and have fun cleaning the oil out of your intake manifold.

My 1993 VW ran for over 100 DE's running 8 PSI boost making 50% power above stock before I had engine trouble. I worked up from mostly stock to clubsport coilovers with 100 tw tires and stripped interior. Really, it will be fine in the green group especally with an instructor on board. Now when you step up to Hoosiers and JRZ's with race buckets and 6 point belts... then you need to get your ducks in a row.

Quotes source post: 19656059

Yes, flatbed tow truck is often largely or entirely covered by insurance anyway. That�s what I would do if my AOS failed - I would not drive it.

Quotes source post: 19656059

Just to be clear I will use the Driven oil if that is what is best practice.

Quotes source post: 19656222

I just purchased one just need to do the check. I need to do this asap as replacing the AOS is I find bad readings may make the track day a no go this season. I don�t expect to find issues though. No smoke and the car is running well.

Quotes source post: 19657177

If you aren't experiencing any smoking at start up or after you parked on a hill, pretty good chance your AOS is in fine shape. But it's always smart to test the parts. Even if the OEM AOS is in good shape, don't be suprised if you get a little bit of smoke exiting a turn and at startup after a session break. It doesn't mean your AOS is failing, what it means is the AOS can't handle processing the oil under G. Hence the recomendation for eventually moving to the UAOS Track, which has the ability to process huge amounts of oil from a deep sump and even overfilling the oil up to 2 qts above full plus the extra 2 quarts from a deep sump without a hiccup. Yep that's 4 qts of more oil, which is how a 996 owner can easily run 12qts of oil in their M96 to improve oil pressure and mitigate the risk of oil starvation. But if you have a plume of black smoke coming out the exhaust, you have a significant AOS failure. This is when you quickly look in the rear mirror behind you to see how close someone is and then get off the gas as fast as you can and off the track at a safe location. Then walk over to Midwest Eurosports garage at Autobahn and talk to George the owner about taking a look at the engine. He will know what to do. As a first time PCA novice driver going thru the training program with an instructor, you will be building speed gradually over the day. What this means is you won't be in a position to push the AOS hard. But you will see puffs of white smoke. Like I said in a previous post, it's the next couple of DEs that you attend which will put more pressure on the AOS because you will be gaining speed. Not to mention will need to get more oil in your engine to protect oil pressure and mitigate oil starvation. All easy issues to solve for.

Quotes source post: 19657177

It's a good thing to have, I hope you didn't purchase the kit from LN, it's almost criminally overpriced. One from amazon, a new cap and some tubing is all you need.

I am going to throw something else out here to think about as M96 owners. There is nothing wrong with the M96 engine and its durability. Whats wrong is a couple of bolt on parts and the owners lack of service and procedures that can be addressed very easily. Parts 1. IMSB - replace with a better one from LN. 2. Water Pump - replace it every 5 years or so with OEM. 3. AOS - replace it with a better one UAOS or preferably UAOS Track. 4. Oil Pressure & Starvation - get more oil in the engine with UAOS Track, LN Deep sump or UIDS. One more step would be heavier oil. 5. Cooling - make sure your cooling system works properly. If you want more cooling add the LN low temp therm, 3rd radiator and 997s oil cooler. 6. Bore Scoring - see service and procedures below Service 1. Oil Changes - run great oil with high viscosity, high moly and change it 2x a year not every 15k miles. 2. Keep Key Parts Functioning & Fresh - fuel injectors, spark plugs, ignition coils, MAF, Oxy Sensors, air filter Procedures 1. Drive the car as soon as you start it to get it out of startup mode asap which floods the system with fuel. 2. Every time you drive it, get it good and hot to burn off the fuel and mositure in the oil. Pretty Easy

Quotes source post: 19657464

Yes Amazon is where I purchased my unit.

Quotes source post: 19657651

That about sums up the major items with these cars. The only other thing I�d add is to keep track of and check cam deviations for the 5-chain engines.

Quotes source post: 19658220

why not the 3 chain ones?

Quotes source post: 19658310

Probably those too, but I know the tensioner pads in the early engines were known to wear out prematurely. And there were lots of updates and engineering advances by the time the 3-chain came out.

Ok because of this thread I just scheduled my first HPDE Level 1 at Willow springs in a week. I actually had never heard of an HPDE before. It's with a group called NASA which people seem to like. As this is level 1, I don't think I'll be pushing the car to the limits, so I'm not as worried about all the potential issues. I did record my dash on a canyon run yesterday, and the oil pressure is still all over the place in turns, so really need to get that figured out (yes UAOS is on list) before I do a full-send track day at some point in future. Checklist: 1. IMSB - replace with a better one from LN. -- Original most likely, but dual row with 100k+ miles on it. 2. Water Pump - replace it every 5 years or so with OEM. -- I replaced with OEM less than 1k miles ago. 3. AOS - replace it with a better one UAOS or preferably UAOS Track. -- Big unknown... 4. Oil Pressure & Starvation - get more oil in the engine with UAOS Track, LN Deep sump or UIDS. One more step would be heavier oil. -- This is on next up list-to-do 5. Cooling - make sure your cooling system works properly. If you want more cooling add the LN low temp therm, 3rd radiator and 997s oil cooler. -- Added LN low temp when pump changed 6. Bore Scoring - see service and procedures below -- No signs of this (1999 engines I think have better cylinder sleeving). And oil change (now 5w50) and brake flush done 200 miles ago I'll bring coolant, oil, tire gauge, portable air compressor, some tools, and some water!

Quotes source post: 19658372

Hey Ben, check that group's convertible policy. Some groups don't allow convertibles without a fixed roll bar, some allow the factory pop up bars, some don't care.

Quotes source post: 19659823

Yes I had checked that. They list the 996 on here (which they link to from their site): https://community.drivenasa.com/topi...-trial-groups/ I might also just add the hard top on that day regardless.

Quotes source post: 19658310

Good question. The 3 chain is said to be more durable than the 5 chain. But this topic probably needs it's own thread to explore to fully understand and define procedures. As a 3.6 owner with 64k miles, other than checking deviations every so often using a durametric, checking for bits in the sump amd oil filter, and running UAOs, I haven't worked into my service schedule any major service for it as of yet. It would be a good thing to discuss.

Quotes source post: 19660107

are you starting a thread or should I?

Quotes source post: 19660126

Go for it!

First NASA HPDE Level 1(and 2) was a success at Willow Springs (Big Willow). After the first session, the instructor said I should be in Level 2. We did the second session together, and he had the lead instructor promote me to Level 2 so I could out without an instructor. It was a lot of fun. The classroom content was pretty basic, but helpful for those of us who have never been on a track before (like what do all the flags mean). Third session of the day I did the track on my own, and got to be first out, so had the entire track to myself. The BMW behind me couldn't keep up, so then I really had the track to myself for a bit as he held back some of the pack (certain point passing zones). Best lap time was 1:46.7 I think that's pretty decent. My skilled friend in his stock (except tires/pads/wheels) Corvette C7 Grand Sport does the same track in 1:28.9 - and the C7 is a effing beast... Half way in, I think my tires were getting too hot, and I should have dropped the pressure more before hand. A group caught up with me and passed, and I couldn't keep pace without a lot of tire squealing and one rear end loss (minor). When I ended my session, I checked my tires and they were 38F 41R. I think lower would have helped (but I'm still learning that...). Lines felt really solid, but a lot to work on. Turn 9 is a ! Car temps were excellent early in the day, by mid day the gauge stayed solid on the right edge of the 0 in 180. Coming off the track I still have the low pressure/ticking at idle but I think that's just how it's going to be when oil is super hot. Oil pressures looked good, and while they were floating a bit in turns, it wasn't terrible. After the third session I got a Brake Wear warning light and I was mentally a bit drained, so ended up skipping the last session and coming home (1.5 hr drive back). All in all a good day and I can see why it's addicting!!

Quotes source post: 19673000

Congrats Ben! Glad to hear there was no disasters, definitely best to go in prepared and you did that. Turn 9 is a puckering one for sure. I'm hoping to hit the SoW again this year, but time is running out.

And some stats for those who like stats: Fastest lap was 1:46.7 which was in my last session lap with the instructor (the red line). You can see I was able to get more speed in straight line (Max 121mph into turn 1) but I couldn't hold the same speed through turns, and I wonder if the instructor's weight was helping mitigate the tire squealing from what I think were slightly over pressure tires... Blue and Green lines were driving solo.

Im glad your track day was positive. I would recommend that u continue with an instructor as long as u can. But next time email the promoter and ask for a more advanced instructor to help more on technic as u r probably safe.

Congratulations! When's your next one? Your tires indeed ended up too hot, something like 32/35 or thereabouts is probably a better choice. The brake wear light is because the sensors melted. Been there, done that. Cut the sensors off and join the 2 wires together.

That�s great to hear. You had a blast and learned a ton. That�s what DEs are for. And the car, well, the car loves you for what you did.

Loving it!

Great to hear Ben! There is nothing better than getting your 996 on the track. You start to appreciate the incredible engineering of the 996. Not to mention the skills needed to balance the car around the track to carry speed. DeJeeper said it best. Use as many instructors as you can to develop these skills. It takes years to pull it all together, but seat time and instruction is the key. Even if it's an instructor sitting in the passenger seat for the first session just for a "tune up". Resist the temptation to focus on lap time. Instead, focus on the line and balancing the car with smooth transitions with your hands and feet into braking zones, turn ins, and exits. Speed will come pretty quickly as a result. Remember, you don't have to beat the hell out of your car to go fast. Smoother is better because you can carry more momentum. Hope you caught the bug!

Thanks all, and yes I do plan on using an instructor again. I was just chuffed that I got to move up midday and took advantage of trying the course solo. I know specific areas i would want help in. And I wasn't going for lap times at all, but I did run the timer because I was curious to check afterwards. And speaking of curious, I overlaid my friend's C7 best time of 1:28. His car is almost 2x as fast as mine, and out handles it by far, but cool to see my flow through the lines somewhat matched up. But I'm never going to be able to get up to 140mph in turn 1 or 130mph into 8, nor pull almost 1.5gs without some serious mods!

Do it. I took my 100k mile 996 to a HPDE event and it was one of the coolest experiences I've had (top 5, and that's saying a lot). The car ran flawlessly, zero issues. In fact, every single Porsche at that event ran with no issues. The cars that had issues were non-Porsches. Sure something can break or go wrong, it's an older car after all. But, this is what they were designed to do and you aren't going to be setting any lap records your first time out. Better to live and potentially regret than to never live at all. Do it.

@Ben8jam as a data point, I suggest to remove the oil filter and check for metal flakes since you mentioned 'floating oil pressure' and ticking at idle when oil was hot.

Quotes source post: 19674768

This ticking is a long time issue now (coming up on a year, I have other threads about it). Filter has been changed twice with no signs of any flakes. Ticking is most likely a sticky lifter so when oil pressure is low ( bc oil is so hot ), it ticks, little boost in pressure (AC on) it stops. Let it sit off for 5 mins, cools enough no more tick.

Just coming back to say thanks for all the advice guys. My son and I did attend the track day at autobahn in joliet IL with PCA Chicago. We had a great time. I managed to do a lot of maintenance to both cars before the track day. the only issue at the track was my son pulled in with a flat tire. His car never made it on track. We ran in different groups and shared my car. we had a great time! Lots of great people and great cars. One Miata had a really bad day but other than that no issues. thanks .

@wrightbenz by your photo it looks like this won�t be your first rodeo with the 996. Edit: it looks like I didn�t read all the way before replying. Congrats on the event and great that the car could pull double stints without issue. as others have said, brake fluid, pads, and fresh oil are step 1. The AOS can get overwhelmed at any time. Running the oil level at half will reduce the chance it will fail, but also increase oil starvation risk. I�d check all of the coolant hoses for any signs of bulging or general softness. I ran a car without doing that and popped two different hoses at two different events. Adding the UAOS is recommended, and doesn�t take that long to complete. It just a bit of a pain to swap the AOS with the modified unit. I�d plan on 4 hours and 2 beers

Quotes source post: 19674778

If you haven�t, try replacing the oil pressure relief spring. That could help. I would be concerned about tracking an M96 with fluctuating oil pressure. You could also try a track specific oil like Driven XP9 or XP6.

For serious Track Work definitely install the UAOS with Track Drain so you can run additional oil....also use a Track Designed 50 weight oil...a 40 weight will thin out at high temps and will have an abundance of oil in the heads and not enough in the Sump...so always use a 50 weight Track oil like Driven XP6 , Amsoil Dominator, Motul 300 V , or MIllers Nano...all are good 50 weight Track oils with PAO +Ester+ Moly+ Zinc+ Phosphorous

Quotes source posts: 19688867, 19686683

Yes going to order an UAOS track ver. Using 5W50 currently, but not a "track oil", just Mobile 1. Yup, already did that. Someone in my TIre thread posted a link to "Oil instability" post that is 123 replies long... I'm not sure how I've never come across that, but I have a bit of reading to do... though doesn't look like the core issue was ever figured out.

Quotes source posts: 19688979, 19688979

Excellent !! Consider using a track focused oil also, they have a stronger anti-aeration additive.. Yes the root issue was observed with very much data but much drama convoluted the thread...The good things to come from that thread was the UAOS Track Versions and the Twin Tunnel Port / UIDS !!