Sebring was a blast. you don't need a ton of mods

A lot of people are posting about "what mods do I need for track days" recently. You Tube Yes, the M96 is prone to oiling issues. Moreso on DOT R comps or other sticky tires than regular street tires. I had a blast yesterday at Sebring on my 200tw tires, x51 engine (no deep sump yet), fresh "normal" AOS (the motorsports one doesn't fit with x51 intake), stock m030 springs and swaybars on konis, and XP9 in the sump. The car is on Ferodo DS2500 brake pads and Motul fluid. I do have the IMS Solution as well. Maybe the car is a ticking time bomb because I used 200tw tires or didn't have a deep sump and/or accusump etc but I'll tell you the car didn't make any weird ticking noises or lose oil pressure or run overly hot (on stock radiators but a fresh water pump). What is more likely to kill the motor is that damned sloppy shifter. There were several times when downshifting that I could feel I was not going into the gear I wanted and had to hesitate to make sure I got the right one. I could see how the Red Mist could takeover and you could money shift the car. I'm an avid double-clutch rev-matcher on my downshifts so if it doesn't just slide into the lower gear like butter I know it's wrong. But I've seen plenty of people just cram the shifter into the lower gear (that is what syncros are for, after all) and you could definitely end up over-revving doing that...

Good review. People often ask me which mods are needed before tracking a car when they find out I go to the track regularly. Most are surprised when I only recommend a nice set of summer tires and more aggressive track pads. Are you still running the stock 996 shifter?

Installing the Function-First transmission mount insert in my 2003 C2 made a HUGE improvement in shifting -- After adjusting the shifter, changing gear oil, changing to a 997GT3 shifter, and changing the engine mounts made no difference. The NVH was a small price to pay for the great shifter feel IMO.

I'm still on the stock shifter. I replaced the trans mount (made a nice writeup about the AGA tool if you haven't seen it) and engine mounts with OEM. I've never been a fan of short throw shifters. The throw is fine for me but it's the uncertainty of it that I don't like. I have already received a few suggestions of good shifters to try out. These cars seem to be really easy on brakes; the same pads and fluid were useless on my M5 but don't have a hint of fade on the 996. There were several 996s there; a few turbos that were built, a few true race cars with cages, and one gentleman who had picked up a low-mileage completely stock one without PSM. They were all having a lot of fun

Since you have the X51 I think that means you have an extra oil scavenge pump that isn't present in other M96 engines. That would make a big difference in maintaining oil pressure in the turns I think. Did you run the PSM active or inactive? Curious how much difference it really makes in spirited driving since I am not aware that I have had my PSM kick in no matter how hard I have tried!!

If you really seek a fine shifter feel there is a video on how to reduce the factory shifter play with shim stock by taking it all apart. makes a huge difference in the amount of free play in the shifter.

if you have time to double clutch, you aren't going fast enough

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the clutch is only out with the shifter in neutral for the amount of time it takes the revs to increase while I'm braking. I mean to be clear I am heel-toeing while I do this. I promise you there is no delay to my braking/downshift/turn/accelerate process

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The X51 indeed has the better scavenge setup and the baffles. It's an improvement but it's not nearly as good as some of the stuff you can get through LN / Flat 6. PSM off off OFF. Even if you drive smoothly and the PSM light never illuminates, if you leave it on it'll grab the rear brakes enough to start really heating them up. It's good to leave on if you're still learning the car and driving slowly, but you'll find that you're smoking the rear brakes as soon as you start getting some speed going.

Good comment on the PSM. As an instructor I had a student too scared to shut off his traction control on a 2015 Mustang GT even though I warned him he could cook the rear brakes as he improved at the end of the day. As he began picking up skill and speed he cooked the rear brakes so badly that the caliper blew brake fluid and he lost brakes.

I agree with the shifter issue. I repeatedly found it hard to find second gear at turn 7. That turn requires you to heel-toe from 5th to 2nd. Up shifting has always been fine.. but down shifting is the issue. You cant hurry the stock transmission.. it is 15+ years old after all. But the play of the stock shifter compounded the issue.

I guess I sound like a shill for Numeric, but their shifter is money well spent. I've had several flavors and of the ones I've tried, it is head and shoulders above (in order, #1 being the best for a dual use car): 1) Numeric 2) 996 with B&M SSK (but very notchy, I prefer the stock 997 in a street car) 3) 997 4) 996 I can's speak to CAE, Cup or GT3 shifters. I wish I'd just skipped all the others and gone straight to the Numeric. One other bonus in a street driven car is that as long as you don't add risers, it fits under the stock center tunnel trim and nobody by you knows it is there (maybe a downside too, since the milled aluminum unit is a work of mechanical art). Like others, I like to make sure the mounts are good - motor and transmission - I like the Function first rear/Renline trans combo if I'm buying, but I made my own 80A durometer out of Rein replacements.

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If you can accurately heel toe while double clutching and do so quickly, you must be a better driver than me

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I'm probably not, but I learned stick on delivery trucks with no syncros so the double-clutching was learned early on, and I have huge feet, which makes heel-toe pretty easy. So combining the two wasn't so bad for me

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I think I pulled over into the R gate once, and I pulled it down into 4th once. Both times I knew I had done it and sorted it out before letting the clutch out, but still. I think harnesses would probably help as much as a good shifter. I already have GT3 seats but need to get a roll bar to put in. Been thinking the DAS sport bar since it is 1.75" OD and .120" wall thickness.

I have a das sport roll bar in my 2002, its a very nice product.

added some in-car video from my friend and I to the first post. enjoy! and yes our lines are terrible in a few places. this was our first day and third session at Sebring ever, so we were still learning it

The 996 sounds good!

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$75 muffler delete baby! eBay

Continuing to the topic of "not needing a lot of mods" for Sebring.. The 996 is an incredibly capable platform and with simple upgrades to tires and brake cooling you will have pace to walk away from almost anything short of a GT badge on it.. Invest your money on two things - tires, and your ability to drive the car, then focus on managing temperatures and protecting the cars vitals as you get faster. I spent last Saturday and Sunday at Sebring. Temperatures were in the mid 90's all weekend and the car showed no signs of overheating or struggling with 2 days of abuse. No 3rd radiator, just basic mods for the track on an otherwise stock 996 C2 (no PSM and open diff.) Mods: Nitto NT01 Tires (245/40/18 Front, 315/30/18 Rear) O.Z. Alleggerita Wheels 8.5 inch front, 11 inch rear (996 GT3 spec) H&R Sport lowering springs (100% stock suspension otherwise) FVD Baffled Oil Pan PFC-08 Brake Pads, Prospeed RS683 brake fluid, 997 GT3 cooling ducts front/rear, stock brake rotors Roll Bar, Harnesses, HANS, Seats for safety Catless X-Pipe (which probably slowed me down more than anything loosing low end torque to exit turn 7 and turn 10) Oil pressures never dropped below 3 bar in the corners you really need to commit on (bishops, turn 17, turn 1). The stock brakes are strong, REALLY strong.. use them to your advantage. Until parts wear out, there's little need to upgrade from stock.. However, a good set of sway bars would help keep the rear end better in line. Some time was left on the table in turn 7 and 10. With slicks, a relatively stock 996 can touch 2:30 pace. The Spec 996 Lap Record is in the mid 2:20's... unless you're going to go club racing, is it really worth spending the money converting your car into a race car when you already own something this capable out of the box? Lap Information: rgaGzd6h.jpg 2VcVzpJ.jpg

Super impressed Viper that your 996 is essentially stock.... loving that video on IG. I want to get my 99 C2 to the track, but I'll definitely be doing a baffled oil pan first. I also have the H&R Sports springs, but now on KONI yellows other wise the car is stock except my hand built catless x pipe inside a borla muffler. I need to spend a bit of coin on the brakes to get them back up to par, but I look fwd to track days coming soon.

Projekt Epik. The baffled pan is definitely a worthwhile mod; if you're going to the trouble, go ahead and get that 2qt deep sump and upgraded swirl pots! That's next on my list. The Ferodo DS2500 is not a super-high-performance pad like some of the carbotechs or PFCs, but on street tires on the 996 I've yet to find a track that will fade them with good fluid. I only started using Motul recently; I was usually just fine on ATE Typ 200. These cars have great factory brakes. I just like the DS2500 because it is low enough dust and noise that I never change them. They're perfectly fine for the street.

Viper I can't wait for us to get out on a track day together. You joke about losing low-end torque with the catless x-pipe. It's not joke; even the muffler delete loses some torque (but makes up for it top-end). There was a ford fusion (possibly rental car) out in my group and I would have to slow my corner entry a lot before getting the point-by from them on the following straight....in low 3rd gear speeds the Fusion had way better holeshot. I couldn't reel them in until I got in the power band lol. Excited to get my DAS Sport roll bar and some harnesses. Just curious why did you go with the aftermarket wheel? Did you want to delete the airbag since you're in harnesses and a helmet?

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Let's do it! It sucks when you ride someone's *** for a point by but since they have more torque, they gap you enough to think.. "oh he must not want to pass me now" lol. This is what Miata's deal with on a daily basis The roll bar will look great once installed. I went with the wheel for the airbag delete but I also got a good deal on it so I didn't want to pass. I like the look but it feels great with gloves. Amen on the factory brake quality, it's a waste of money to upgrade them. Textar rotors are cheap and are literally the factory rotor with a different name (Same factory I believe) and they are like $70 a piece for the front and about $50 for the rear (+/-)

I will be at Sebring October 6th. This is my second track event on my new to me (4 month now) 02 4S and I am really looking forward to it, the car has a few mods but outside noisy/dirty brake pads nothing I would consider track only. I will be govern by crappy tires, but it is what it is for now. K-Sport Coilover - Done by PO 997 shifter - Done by PO These are things I have done since my last track day, ATE Type 200 fresh brake fluid Track pads GT3 front brake cooling LN Filter adapter Low temp thermostat New Clutch - Pressure plate RMS IMS, removed seal, have large bearing engine is an 07 New engine mounts Transmission mount insert - Powerflex yellow New spark plugs I have the LN 2Q deep sump pan, but won't have time to install it, since my tires are crap i'm not too worry about this, should I be?

You definitely have time to install it; I feel like if you already bought it; get it over with. what oil are you using? I know it�s a big controversy but I�m onboard the XP9 train. Sebring on street tires is probably fine; mine was at least, but if you already bought it just put it on and be done with it. My 2 cents

Hear you, I am using Total Quartz 9000 5w40 Oil, what I did the last time I tracked the car I changed the oil the day after. The Oil in there now is fresh and will have less than 1000 miles by the time I make it to the track. I know there is a lot of "oil opinions" outhere, a few are backed up by real data. I think XP9 is an excellent oil, there are other "racing" oil that are also good. My dilemma is, for now I drive the car to these events, so I have to be careful with racing oil and the miles driven. The main reason I have not installed the 2Q oil pan, is because when I would look under the car, my engine would be so low I was afraid to hit something while driving on the street, now that I change the engine mounts, she sits a good inch higher so I'm not so much worry about that anymore, it is amazing how much the older mounts had saged.

shft22, if you aren't trailering than you're correct about the racing oils. Would be more harm than good putting all those street miles on it. It's a major dilemma because every time I fill up with XP9; the car becomes a garage queen for a couple months. You are also correct about the deep sump being a collision issue- the matching skid plate is a mandatory add-on with the deep sump!