My C2S 997.1 engine after 50,000 miles & several track days
Discussion
Hi there
As many of you know I've modified my C2S, now making 375BHP and do several track days a year.
When I purchased the car it had 27,000 miles and roughly 1700 operating hours with quite a lot of R1 and R2 ignitions. A bore inspection by Mike at S&C revealed a spotless engine with zero scoring when I purchased the car.
Now at 49,000 miles and many trackdays later I'm at Hartech for a low temp stat to be fitted, bore inspection and looking at my corrupted DME, though DME is fine just operating hours corrupted due to welding exhaust.
Good news is Hartech also said it's a rare occasion that a 3.8s with such mileage to be so clean as the bores are still spotless, all of them, so very happy.
Bad news bolt snapped on thermostat housing so need to leave with them and DME they are gonna check over.
So my regular oil changes, driving the car as intended and trackdays have kept the engine in good order.
Hartech say fitting the 3rd radiator was a good move when I got the car.
To be honest I expected my bores to be scored as you read so much about it and how most cars have it due to flaws in the engine design. So to be told not a single mark is great, fingers crossed it stays that way and I've taken every precaution to keep the engine safe.
As many of you know I've modified my C2S, now making 375BHP and do several track days a year.
When I purchased the car it had 27,000 miles and roughly 1700 operating hours with quite a lot of R1 and R2 ignitions. A bore inspection by Mike at S&C revealed a spotless engine with zero scoring when I purchased the car.
Now at 49,000 miles and many trackdays later I'm at Hartech for a low temp stat to be fitted, bore inspection and looking at my corrupted DME, though DME is fine just operating hours corrupted due to welding exhaust.
Good news is Hartech also said it's a rare occasion that a 3.8s with such mileage to be so clean as the bores are still spotless, all of them, so very happy.
Bad news bolt snapped on thermostat housing so need to leave with them and DME they are gonna check over.
So my regular oil changes, driving the car as intended and trackdays have kept the engine in good order.
Hartech say fitting the 3rd radiator was a good move when I got the car.
To be honest I expected my bores to be scored as you read so much about it and how most cars have it due to flaws in the engine design. So to be told not a single mark is great, fingers crossed it stays that way and I've taken every precaution to keep the engine safe.
AlexH997 said:
great news! do you use your car daily as well and avoid short trips?
How frequent do you change your oil?
Surprised you didn't get the LTT fitted at the same time as the 3rd radiator.
It is used several times a week, shortest trips are 20 minutes, but generally 30-40 minutes. I only rev to 3000rpm revs until water is upto 80c on gauge, then I rev upto 3500rpm and don't exceed 4000rpm until oil reaches 90c. Very rare I encounter traffic and I get to drive decent NSL roads at which point the car gets a spanking. How frequent do you change your oil?
Surprised you didn't get the LTT fitted at the same time as the 3rd radiator.
Oil changed every 5000-6000 miles as I do 5-6 track days per year. The first owner took the car to the recommended 20k miles before servicing,then second owner serviced the car every year so at about 4000 mile intervals. I then got it and do it roughly every 5k miles.
When I got the car had new rads, 3rd radiator, plugs, coils etc. I change plugs every 20k miles.
I'm now also using 10W-50 and getting LTT fitted, so every precaution now taken, fingers crossed the car will get to 100k trouble free. Oh and it only ever drinks Vpower.
This is good as it proves more power, remapping, higher rpm's, spanking them, driving regular does not cause scoring of bores, it's the opposite. Garage queens, thrashed from cold, not spanking them when warm, not changing oil regular enough and them getting too hot due to no 3rd radiator.
In short to prevent it I can only repeat what Baz has said:-
1. Use good fuel - Vpower
2. Use thicker oil and change every 5-6k miles
3. Fit 3rd radiator
4. Fit LTT
5. Let car warm up before spanking.
6. Don't change up sub 3000rpm, torque kills them.
7. Drive often, not short trips and once warm give them a spanking, I.e. Track day but do it like a sprinter, not a marathon, so on track 15 minutes, then plenty of cooling off before in and let things cool. Treat it with respect!
8. Enjoy the car!
AlexH997 said:
thats really useful in a nutshell so thanks.
how many miles per annum do you do? how often do you change your tyres?
About 10,000how many miles per annum do you do? how often do you change your tyres?
Tyres brand dependent, a set of SuperSports did 10 track days and 10,000 miles and rears after that had 3mm and fronts 5mm, amazing tyre. Other tyres last far less!
AlexH997 said:
Just re-read this thread....iI take it you don't do much city driving? mainly motorway and track days?
Very little motorway, mainly country roads, very little traffic and yes track days. So the engine is always allowed to warm properly, then given a good workout almost daily and never sits un-used for more than a week.They like to be used and driven as Porsche intended, they hate to sit not used or cooked up in traffic jams, does them no good at all.
AlexH997 said:
interesting so your engine is always kept cool as it has constant air flow.
Yes, plus as soon as I purchased the car I fitted the 3rd radiator which greatly reduced peak temperatures on the road and even more so on track.For me the longevity of these engines is by keeping them cool or at least preventing engine hot spots, regular oil changes and driving them as intended.
Does a 997.1 tip already have this 3rd rad and from what's been said always drive the car in manual auto mode and start in 1st rather than the programmed 2nd? Would the fitting of this lower temp thermostat be noticeable as the car is still under OPC warranty? Many thanks in advance.
branko said:
Does a 997.1 tip already have this 3rd rad and from what's been said always drive the car in manual auto mode and start in 1st rather than the programmed 2nd? Would the fitting of this lower temp thermostat be noticeable as the car is still under OPC warranty? Many thanks in advance.
It does but on the tip it cools the tip box, does not really provide extra cooling for the engine, but can't hurt. I'd definitely fit the stat and like you say use it in manual mode and pull of in 1st. As it is believe that its the torque between 1000-2500rpm which causes the damage and sitting in traffic.AlexH997 said:
I was told by my opc chap that tips come with the 3rd rad to cool the gearbox. Anything to reduce rising temps around the engine can only be a good thing.
Owning and driving like Gibbo seems to be the smart way to own a 997
One could say drive it like you stole it, but wait for oil to hit 90c and try to avoid traffic grand prix as it harms all cars, very stressing on them, so avoid it.Owning and driving like Gibbo seems to be the smart way to own a 997
Gibbo205 said:
I'm now also using 10W-50 3.
Is this what your using Gibbo?http://www.opieoils.co.uk/p-73733-millers-oils-nan...
Trev450 said:
Yes.Before that was Mobile One 0W-40 so that cant be bad either.
Gibbo205 said:
Trev450 said:
Yes.Before that was Mobile One 0W-40 so that cant be bad either.
Trev450 said:
I've been using Mobile 1 0w-40 as well but am more than likely going to change to the Millers as I plan to take my car on track and if it helps prevent bore scoring then it has to be a good thing.
I did a lot of track days on the Mobil, so its obviously OK, but yes Millers should be better.Best thing more than anything though is regular changes, I changed mine every 5k miles or every 2 track days.
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