Bullwings

Doesn't count if you were running "cheater" 200TW tires like RE-71R, A052, RT660, or Direzza ZIII.

All of those tires are capable of hotlap times faster than older gen 100TW tires like NT-01, RA1, or RC1s for at least 2 hotlaps during a session prior to overheating, getting greasy, and needing a cool down lap before pushing it hard again.

WolfpackS2k

Ehhhh, honestly the NT05s didn't impress me much at all. They were not as sticky, or as durable, as the Direzza Star Spec Z1s I had on my S2000 (and S2000 had no issues) 8 years ago. Also there was a stock 2008 Cayman S at CMP on NT01s that was MUCH faster than me.

Also also, my potential bore scoring event happened on Pilot Super Sports.

Minor details, but just mentioning.

zeroptzero

With many of the higher end cars being tested on the "Ring" you think they might be better prepared for these oiling system issues. That is what I would expect from a Porsche, I think of them as having race-bred engineering much more so than other cars. But at the end of the day tracking any car puts quite a bit more stress on components compared to street driving conditions so this stuff can happen to any vehicle and I certainly have seen evidence of that. It just down right sucks when it happens, I feel the pain.

jeffbrig

Wolfpack, any updates?

WolfpackS2k

Actually, sold the car over the weekend. To someone in West Virginia that wants to swap in a K24 (with turbo I'm guessing).

S2KIWI

FYI F20C has similar issue, and LS engines and.. etc.
This is why the first 'performance' mod I got for my LS2K was a proper external dry sump. That investment is worth the hassle to 'knock' the main engine killer off the list.. low oil pressure in specific turns due to oil buildup in heads or movement in pan.

WolfpackS2k

yeah, in the future I will be putting a LOT more money/effort into monitoring the engine's oiling system/ability (regardless of what car that may be).

Haven't decided on a replacement yet.

samk

I was just checking back on this to see what you did. Super interesting to hear the new owner was to K-swap it. I'm into it though! Good luck on a replacement!

serialk11r

The M97 engine really dates back to the 1997 Boxster's M96 though. It's just...a very very poorly designed engine in so many ways, probably because they had no money at the time. When Porsche released the MA1/9A1, they had much more money to do things right.

For a street car, the M97 is fine, and the M96 in lower displacements is also fine (with realistic expectations for time before teardown, since the chain guides wear at a frankly unacceptable rate), but the poor reliability is why the cars equipped with them are so cheap.

Bullwings

F20C and F22C have far better oiling than the M96/97. The early issue with the oil banjo bolts was resolved in late 2002 and up models, and can be easily back dated when dropping the pan.

Anecdotal, but my F22C has ~30 track days with an oil baffle plate, and ~50 more with one, ~80 total and counting.

This guy https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvN...T8CS0mc18lHorA
holds numerous NASA TT5 track records (VIR, Watkins Glen, Summit Point, NMJP to name a few) and was the national champ for the region he races in. He runs Hoosier A7s - no baffle plate, accusump or anything. Between the two different s2ks that he's built and raced in TT5, neither of them has blown up a motor.

The main oiling issue with the F20C is blow by and the "right-turn smoke screen" in long sweepers. It's resolved via a catch can (band aid) or drilling some holes in the valve cover plate to allow the oil to drain back into the pan easier and not accumulate in the valve cover. The F22C resolved most of those issues as well.

The s2000 and the F-series motors have their short comings and are by no means perfect cars; however, oiling isn't one of them.

For how much M96/97 motors cost and the Porsche tax in general, this is a major design failure for what these cars are marketed for.