Tell me how to track my GTS and protect motor

[PowerKraus]

Next year I plan to have a little road track fun with my '02 GTS. But I have come across several posts about blowing out the #3 rod and oil starvation on sweepers. I've done a few searches and just can't seem to peg the correct search words to nail this issue down, with specifics.

Soooo, is oil starvation a problem for a 2002 GTS, and what are my options to prevent this. And while I drag race my Vette and have it set-up properly...I am new to road racing my Viper. I certainly would appreciate any pointers here...

My 'intent' is to begin my 'recreational' tracking at Motorsports Ranch here in Texas.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Ron]

The issue mainly occured in the early GENII's that had smaller oil pans.

MY2000 and up had the full 10 qt. pan that effectively negates the issue. Further protection can be had by adding baffles to your existing pan. Stage II would be a oil accumulator and finally the ultimate solution, a dry sump system. I'd guess baffles would be more than enough for your application, but I'm sure others would have better knowledge on the subject than I.

A properly mounted low oil pressure bright LED would enable you to see if momentary oil pressure loss occured and warn you to upgrade before it was too late. The stock Viper OP guage is worthless and the factory OP idiot light is mounted too low and dim to see a momentary blip.

 

[Chuck 98 RT/10]

Road racing aint drag racing. Save your motor and don't go revving it to 5200+ every shift. You're just tracking, not doing time trials.

And don't go banging gears trying to shave off a tenth. You'll make more shifts in one lap than you do a whole day at the dragstrip, take care of your equipment.

Banging gears and high revs is the biggest problem dragracers have when they switch to road.

 

[Nadine UK GTS]

You already have the bigger oil pan (2000+) do the oil pan trap doors kit and scalloped windage tray and ACR oil filter adapter. Also take caution with the brakes and pad and rotor choice. Run cool air ducts (like "Cones" Partsrack sells) I've found I like grooved rotors and Performance Friction 01 compound pads. For track make sure all fluids are renewed regularly, brake, synthetic trans, diff, motor etc. And some Khumo tires will help you keep you on the track too!

 

[Vic]

If you haven't heard, change to Red Line p.s. fluid, it has a higher flash point, and foams up less than stock fluid does. And keep your p.s. cap tight.

Under heavy braking, the oil in the valve covers sloshes forward, only to be ingested into the intake again. Makes lots of embarrassing blue smoke. If you ingest oil, it knocks real bad. Stay off the gas until it clears out. A good fix is to reroute the breather tubes into a Mr Gasket catch can, along with the p.s. reservoir breather. Then plug the old breather ****** on the airbox.

Get rid of the DOT3 brake fluid, go with Motul or Castrol high temp stuff. Brakeman 3 pads and stock rotors get along well, good enough till you get faster.

Cool your brakes, at least with some Porsche deflectors, or better yet, air ducting. Oh, well, the mods are endless, you'll learn them as you go. Come back again later, and Chuck or me or someone will fill you in!

One last thing, if you can get nitrogen for your tires, you'll spend less time dicking around with the tire pressures.

 

[PowerKraus]

All these replies sound like solid advice. I sure appreciate ya'll taking the time to reply. I am especially releived to know my '02 has an improved oil pan that may lessen the startvation risk, but I am especially curious about adding some baffles. I would assume one of our vendors has a kit for this? If so, please advise.

I am saddened to hear powershifting is out and redline runs are a no no...just rips the heart out of a drag racer to shift a 1,000 rpm below redline....

Again, thanks...and I look forward to any other Viper advice.

 

[Chuck 98 RT/10]

I am saddened to hear powershifting is out and redline runs are a no no...just rips the heart out of a drag racer to shift a 1,000 rpm below redline....

Feeling the g's pulling from every direction will brighten your spirits.

 

[1TONY1]

I would worry about the fenders first really !!

 

[Batboy]

Hey! How come no one told me this stuff??!! It might have saved me a couple spins. But since we are on the topic please allow me to hijack. What are these air deflectors/ducts all about? Despite having Motul 600 and Brakeman 3's I still had brake fade. Will these help that?

Also, my check engine light came on and I noticed my oil pressure was a little low. Is this due to the oil pan thing? I have a '99 GTS. Can I replace mine with a newer one and will it fix this? Also, interesting point on the blue smoke. After my *cough* first spin, I noticed as I came out of the hairpin turn after the long straight stretch I would get some blue smoke. We thought it was brake smoke, but that didn't really make sense since it was well after I started accelerating. Do you think this was that oil pan issue?

Lots of great tips here Power. Listen to these guys. They know their sh-tuff!

 

[Hoosier Daddy]

Heat shield all the rubber suspension boots otherwise from the brake rotor heat they will all harden and fall apart.

 

[thebigsnake]

Drive yours sensibly and track your friend's Viper.

 

[Catwood]

Road racing aint drag racing. Save your motor and don't go revving it to 5200+ every shift. You're just tracking, not doing time trials.

And don't go banging gears trying to shave off a tenth. You'll make more shifts in one lap than you do a whole day at the dragstrip, take care of your equipment.

Banging gears and high revs is the biggest problem dragracers have when they switch to road.

I thought the rev limiter told you when to shift? Actually I pull mine pretty deep on the back straight at willow in 3rd, and am willing to go deeper in 4th on the main straight if I can just carry enough speed around turn 9. I've found sometime short shifting is better to get the car set up for a corner and use lower end torque coming off. The early shift often helps me get the car balanced for the corner sooner.

I'm sure everyone has their own approach but for me it get's real busy sometimes trying to brake, revmatch, get slowed enough to turn without locking up a tire, etc.....I try and pick what works for me and adjust from there.

 

[FrankBarba]

If you shift by your rev limiter you are loosing time. (fuel dilevery will shut off) Shift around & between 5900 & 6100 rpm.

 

[Vic]

Hey! How come no one told me this stuff??!! It might have saved me a couple spins. But since we are on the topic please allow me to hijack. What are these air deflectors/ducts all about?

They are made by Porsche, sorry I don't have the part number, as I got mine from John Dearing. You can cable tie them to the lower control arms, and they catch some undercarriage air and deflect it towards the front rotors. Some people make their own ducts from NAPA flex hose or similar, going from high pressure areas like the fog light holes, or lower lip of the front fascia, dumping into the center of the rotors.

Despite having Motul 600 and Brakeman 3's I still had brake fade. Will these help that?

If you heat the brakes enough, you will have fade. There is no magic bullet, only mitigating techniques. Make sure your pads are near full thickness, as it helps insulate the friction plane from the brake fluid. Yes, definitely, deflectors and ducts absolutely will help resist brake fade.

Also, my check engine light came on and I noticed my oil pressure was a little low. Is this due to the oil pan thing?

I don't think anyone can say without reading the fault codes, but it seems possible oil was dirtying up the sensors or something. Did the light ever go out?

I have a '99 GTS. Can I replace mine with a newer one and will it fix this?

I don't know. Better to ask Joe Dozzo on this site, he is far more knowledgable on oil pans. He also can sell you the trap doors, that help the oil pick up stay submerged during cornering.

Also, interesting point on the blue smoke. After my *cough* first spin, I noticed as I came out of the hairpin turn after the long straight stretch I would get some blue smoke. We thought it was brake smoke, but that didn't really make sense since it was well after I started accelerating. Do you think this was that oil pan issue?

Sounds like ingested oil to me!

Have fun and stay safe!

 

[Catwood]

I'm working on a group buy for the oil pan trap kit. See my post for the GP if your interested.

Carl

 

[Chuck 98 RT/10]

Road racing aint drag racing. Save your motor and don't go revving it to 5200+ every shift. You're just tracking, not doing time trials.

And don't go banging gears trying to shave off a tenth. You'll make more shifts in one lap than you do a whole day at the dragstrip, take care of your equipment.

Banging gears and high revs is the biggest problem dragracers have when they switch to road.

I thought the rev limiter told you when to shift?

LOL Whatever works for you Cat. I need my motor to last. It's on a six year, 35,000 mile endurance run now.

 

[Chuck 98 RT/10]

Despite having Motul 600 and Brakeman 3's I still had brake fade.

Castrol SRF brake fluid. Problem solved.

 

[Catwood]

I thought the rev limiter told you when to shift?


LOL Whatever works for you Cat. I need my motor to last. It's on a six year, 35,000 mile endurance run now.

I was only joking dude!

 

[Chuck 98 RT/10]

I thought the rev limiter told you when to shift?


LOL Whatever works for you Cat. I need my motor to last. It's on a six year, 35,000 mile endurance run now.

I was only joking dude!

I know. That's why I put the "LOL" in front.

 

[Batboy]

Where's the post Cat? I might be interested in that.

Vic, yes the check engine light did eventually go out, so I didn't worry much about it. I figured it had something to do with the spin. Despite the fact that our cars are very easy to spin they sure don't like it when you do spin 'em!

Chuck, I just might try that Castrol. I bought three pints of the Motul 600 and barely used one. As for my pads they were brand spanking new. The only problem there is that I may have not broke them in enough and they may have glazed a little.

 

[Batboy]

Nevermind Cat. I see it.

 

[Yellow32]

Batboy:

Hey! How come no one told me this stuff??!! It might have saved me a couple spins. But since we are on the topic please allow me to hijack. What are these air deflectors/ducts all about? Despite having Motul 600 and Brakeman 3's I still had brake fade. Will these help that?

The airducts are made by a few folks, they work by drafting cool air from the front of the car directly over the brake rotors. They say it cools the rotors by 200F. I have a friend who tracks his 98 GTS and before the air duct kit installation he boiled his fluid (Motul 600 - DOT4) all the time now he doesn't.

Look here for the air duct kits:

http://www.bobbyarchermotorsports.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=BAM&Product_Code=VSBDK01

http://partsrack.blastmart.com/customer/product.php?productid=613&cat=99&page=1

https://secure.fiftybelow.com/archerracing/index.cfm?page=item-detail&ID=V-BRAKE%20DUCT%20KIT&storeid=1&vtype=viper

-J