Track car - how often to service?

[Mark_H]

[redacted]

[DaGinge]

If it was yearly maintenance then the oil wasn't changed, I'd change it now. Depends on how hard you are pushing it on the track days etc, but if used hard I'd say twice a year wouldn't do any harm.

[911nutter]

i asked this question as well, with varying replies. in the end i decided to opt for an oil (gearbox and engine) change every 5 (full) trackdays plus general lookover. possibly overkill but what harm can it do? preventative rather than curative is my opinion.

brake fluid every year - have upgraded to castrol sxr(?) or srx or something.

[Mark_H]

Cheers Rob

I'll book it in ASAP.

Also needs new tyres - f**k, I forgot how expensive tracking a car is!

(in case the wife is reading the tyres and service will cost about £200!)

[Glenn McMenamin]

I aim for Oil and filter change after 6-7 trackdays, and have chanaged the gearbox oil only twice since having the car.

As for tyres, don't get me started on tyres !!!!!!




G.

[gt3rs]

Mark the oil was changed at the annual service and I had it changed at 1000 miles. Cheers Dean.

[zanzibar]

My GT3 had a yearly maintenance service 3500 miles ago at 6795 miles. I have done 5 track days since -

What do people recommend (i.e. oil change, full service etc) and how often?

Thanks,

Mark


I change my engine oil/filter every 5 track days, gearbox oil every 8. I have also come to the conclusion front tyres are still decent up to 9 track days rears are pretty hopeless after 4. Castrol SRF fliud needs a bleed/top up after 5 track days or the pedal goes long. My Alcon floating disc's are still OK after 10 track days but pads don't last much more than 4/5 track days, once the pads are low they tend to transfer the heat into the caliper/fluid = fade.

Russell

[Don]

If you consider that each mile on track is about as wearing as twenty on the road you will not go far wrong IMO.

e.g. 100 track miles = 2000 road miles.

Adjust servicing accordingly and make them change the oil.

[Henry-F]

Have the car looked over before every trackday. You don`t want to get there only to find something has worked loose or is about to fail, similarly when you`re hard into a corner at 130mph do you not worry a little bit that something you did to the last last, 2 or 3 trackdays ago will come back and bite you in the bum.

We service the GT3 before every race and do potentially fewer hours per meeting than you do on a trackday. I`m not sugesting you change all the fluids etc but a wheel off pre-race check as it were would be the way to go and at say £100 a pop gives you piece of mind.


Henry

[Don]

Care to recommend an independent for this sort of "Track Day Pre-Service" service, Henry?

Presumably your team is servicing your race car...

[Henry-F]

Jaz Porsche in Wembley are running the car. Steve is the main chap to speak to and their phone number is 0208 9031118.

I`m sure they would be happy to cast an eye over your car for you. A big benefit is that having been involved in racing Porsches for a number of years they do have a wealth of practical experience, that experience is not limited to one specific model either. It ranges from Steve`s snot-wagon, sorry 196? green 911 thing with a very loud exhaust, to our magnificent GT3 cup car with pretty much everything in the middle, 2.0, 2.4, 2.7, 3.0, 3.2, Turbo, 964, 993, 996 even a PSI GT2.

They also have their feet firmly on the ground !

Henry

[Mark_H]

Bloody hell I didn't realise it was quite so expensive. OPC prices:

Oil and filter £270
Gearbox oil - £88

That and the new tyres...

>> Edited by Mark_H on Thursday 4th August 13:08

[seandudding]

Mark

JZ charge about 140 for an oil and filter change. It needs 9 litres so most of this is the oil itself.

Cheers Sean

[Merritt]

Mark,

You can do the oil and filter yourself very easily (if you are that way inclined and/or can be bothered). cost wise breaks down like this:

* 9 Litres Mobil1 £78
* Oil filter from OPC with new sealing washers £11

* Correct oil filter wrench (i.e for Porsche) from Halfords £5 (ONE OFF)
* Oil drain container £5 (ONE OFF)

so basically you are looking at £90 and about a half hour of your time excluding the one off items. Also you can sometimes get Mobil1 on deal prices so it becomes even cheaper.

Dan Sasson has published the recommended torque settings for the drain plugs on the PCGB forums.

I had to drop and change my oil before the Bedford trackday on Tuesday (long story) so I know its easy..

Cheers

Steve M

>> Edited by Merritt on Thursday 4th August 15:51

[55jnj]

Don said:

If you consider that each mile on track is about as wearing as twenty on the road you will not go far wrong IMO. e.g. 100 track miles = 2000 road miles. Adjust servicing accordingly and make them change the oil.

That's a fair comment. I now change oil & filter every 2 track days. Average say 150/200 miles each day, so about 3/4,000 road miles equivalent. 2 days = 6/8,000 road miles. Oil & filter change costs about £70 (no labour cost) so £35 per track day. Small price to pay for peace of mind I feel.