[bldn10]

"Even in manual mode, it'll prevent you from downshifting into a range that would over-rev, "
"nothing stopping you from shifting into second gear at 100 mph and leaving a trail of parts behind you! "

So what's the answer here? I've only tracked my car once and kept it in Sport Plus auto and there were times when getting back to WOT it would kick down. Next time I will try manual so I can already be in the lower gear, but that will involve downshifts.

 

[L8Apx]

You will often find "marbles" aka "tire buggers" collected on top of the suspension arms, plastic under tray, etc. after a car has been tracked.

 

[GroupJ]

Maybe there are a few people that run their Porsche into the ground as a track car, but based on what I have witnessed, guys that track their cars maintain them much better than the average Jo. Maybe I'd pick a car with meticulous all dealer maintenance over a track car but I would definitely choose a track car over a private owner with spotty maintenance. I track my PDK 987.2, do all the maintenance myself, change oil about every 2000 miles, change PDK fluid about every 4000 miles, bleed brakes after every track day, and go over it with a fine tooth comb every track day. You generally don't see ratty cars at the track. For the owners those are their babies.

PDKs are pretty tough. I am installing an aluminum sump to improve cooling, but I have had no issues tracking it.

 

[Major]

Tires worn on outside edges, wheels chipped up a little inside lug nut holes from frequent wheel changes, 200 tread-wear tires, my rear calipers are pinkish from getting so hot, the fronts no longer red but not as bad, cracking around holes on rotors, I really cant understand how you can own a car like this and never track it, I do not think its bad for the car if you service it with fluid changes, and basic maintenance, I have done over 20,000 track miles on a 987.2 PDK.

Good on you for driving the car as it was meant to be driven !! Very cool🤙 A few months ago I got a chance to drive a rental Cayman GT4 on Nurburgring; what a blast, what a car!

 

[jherrel]

Lets say one buys a low mile 918 (2014) and buys an extended warranty. Since a PDK cannot be over revved how would they know the car was tracked if you blow an engine or tranny or......?
I'm asking for a friend!

Let me give you a wider perspective. I own both a 2021 Cayman GTS 4.0 street car and a 2016 GT4 Clubsport race car. I got a Porsche Club Racing license last year. To get a PCA license you have to do a minimum of 12 track days and I did 17. I never saw a "blown" engine or transmission at a track day. Track Days are typically 2 day events. Before my race car was ready use, I tracked my GTS twice. You will wear out street tires and street brake pads in about 4 track days. Brakes get heavy use at many tracks. Brakes and tires get replaced so looking at tires and pads may tell you nothing. A Porsche certified mechanic told me lot of dealers replace rotors when they replace pads, either every set of pads or at least the second set of pads. So, rotors may tell you nothing. Some track cars use a second set of wheels and tires for track days. Both of my cars are PDK. On my GTS street car track days, I let the 7 speed PDK in automatic do all the shifting, never used the paddles. It mostly runs in 4-6th gear with an occasional shift to 3rd or 7th gear. In the GT4 Clubsport it runs in 4-6th gears, but I use the paddle to downshift to 3rd gear in slow corners, about twice per lap at most tracks. So, in my opinion, you shouldn't be abusing a PDK transmission on track days or races. A manual transmission is a different story.

 

[ICNU]

"Even in manual mode, it'll prevent you from downshifting into a range that would over-rev, "
"nothing stopping you from shifting into second gear at 100 mph and leaving a trail of parts behind you! "

So what's the answer here? I've only tracked my car once and kept it in Sport Plus auto and there were times when getting back to WOT it would kick down. Next time I will try manual so I can already be in the lower gear, but that will involve downshifts.

Those are my comments you quoted, however you cut the rest of the discussion out so there is no context where those comments came from. The first line you quoted is talking about the PDK

The second line was talking about a manual transmission car, not PDK. Both PDK and manual will stop you from over revving the motor as you shift up.

However a manual can be downshifted into the wrong gear and leave a trail of parts, AKA "money shift". A PDK will not downshift into an unsafe RPM, so it has protection both going up and going down, even if the PDK is being shifted manually (not to be confused with a "manual" car)

Hopefully that clears up those comments

 

[deilenberger]

Nope. Rev-limiter cuts in. Not even in Sport or Sport-Plus mode.

BTW- I tested that today. Didn't know it could reach >85mph in 2nd gear..

 

[schwinn]

Nice! Being a manual on my car, I generally consider 80 as max for 2nd gear (when downshifting) but I know there's room to go there.. quite impressive indeed.

Did you record or video the activity in any way? Curious to know where the tach actually tops out (granted, it's slightly buffered, so the needle may not be as accurate as other methods). Maybe I need to get into my car and see what my overrev report says after all (since I have a pre-purchase report somewhere as well).

 

[donR]

As jherrel points out above on the track the gear shifts are mainly from 4th to 6th with occassional shift down to 3rd or 2nd on slower corners. The car has considerable momentum/speed so IMO the strain on the PDK is not so much, particularly at higher speeds. This is in contrast to launch control and WOT starts from standstill on the street where the 2nd gear shift appears to put quite a bit more strain on the PDK.

 

[schwinn]

Just wanted to provide an update, as I finally got back to my car and checked the current overrevs via my Foxwell. I know I've bounced off the rev limiter a few times (manual trans) but interestingly enough, NONE of my overrevs have changed. Very interesting... as I thought that bouncing off the limiter would trip range 1?

 

[PorscheGreg]

Just wanted to provide an update, as I finally got back to my car and checked the current overrevs via my Foxwell. I know I've bounced off the rev limiter a few times (manual trans) but interestingly enough, NONE of my overrevs have changed. Very interesting... as I thought that bouncing off the limiter would trip range 1?

I had the same experience. I once accelerated to the point of the computer putting a hold on things. Expected to see that show up as a range 1. It didn’t get registered even though both range 1 and 2 are supposed to be below the redline. I guess the computer limits rpm’s to below the range 1 threshold when accelerating.

If this is truly correct, than the only way to have any overrevs show in a DME report is via a downshift on a manual transmission.