porsche brake pad sensors - how accurate ?

[Flying Trotter]

whilst at Brands had the warning light on later in the session - in road driving since its not triggered - am I likely to have enough left for a day at Silverstone ?

[tertius]

I don't know if the system is the same however on my 993 the sensor would go off on track because the sensor would melt not because the pads had worn down. But once it had gone off that was it ... it wouldn't "reset" itself. So I took the sensors out and didn't bother with them on track (or indeed at all).

I just took a torch and looked directly at the pads which is what I suggest you do. Of course you can't see the inner pads so you have to be fairly cautious.

Also Silverstone is fairly heavy on brakes.

If the sensor has really been triggered because the pads are low, then no I wouldn't expect you to have enough left for another day, the sensor goes off with only a few mm left.

[sniff diesel]

Just a word of warning if they're anything like the ones on my M3. The light came on once during some heavy road driving in north Wales, so I backed off the pace a bit on my way home. The light went off so I just thought the sensor had been overheated, but it turns out the sensor had been completely worn through. The only reliable way is to check the pads properly with the wheels off.

[DiscoColin]

Flying Trotter said:

whilst at Brands had the warning light on later in the session - in road driving since its not triggered - am I likely to have enough left for a day at Silverstone ?

No. For road a non-issue (it'll go for ages more), but I had a warning light come on scarcely beyond half way through a track day at Brands and by my last run of the day I was into the backing plates and straight back into the pits on a suddenly very rapidly lengthening pedal

I would conclude that as soon as you see the light, you are pretty much done on track - change early to avoid disappointment.

[Flying Trotter]

thanks chaps - its now booked in with JZ Mach - better safe than sorry