My car is almost at 95K miles now and I'm starting to worry about how long the engine
and transmission will last. I've not had any problems whatsoever but I figure tracking
the car will eventually takes it toll. (03 Enthusiast)

What do you guys estimate would be the average cost of repairing or even replacing the
engine and/or transmission based on the typical type of engine/tranny problems that
might arise from tracking/racing a Z? (I'm not talking about going all-out and
rebuilding w/ tricked out parts, just fixing/replacing).

Thanks

 

There is no estimate. Drag racing breaks stuff quickly. Clutch, transmission, drive train.

Open road and autocross strains other suspension components such as wheel bearings.

The naturally aspirated 350Z motor does well at 100,000 miles plus. My money says that the motor will outlast the transmission.

 

The stock transmission is pretty stout. Tanner Faust was using the stock transmission on his 550+whp championship drift car last year, and you would be hard pressed to find a group that abuses cars more thoroughly than the top level drifters. I'd say that aside from replacing wear surfaces (clutches, brake pads, tires, etc.) the motor will probably go first. Guess we will see. As for the price, there really is a huge range. Tough to tell.

 

Frequent hard track use is going to eat up your OEM engine, but it happens over time. Jose hot about 2-3 hard seasons out of his, before his OEM motor started smoking and suffered from poor leakdown. It' time had come.

For a simple replacement, the cheapest thing to do is find a used low mileage engine for about $2000-$3000, and swap it in. That's about 22 hrs in labor, plus the engine. Not too bad....it's about the price of a big brake kit.

 

You got 95K out of it already! That's better then 90% of the cars ever built. Anything more is gravy, especially if you're running it on the track. Give your 350Z a hug, its done well by you.

 

so what kinda things to slow down this engine wear? oil cooler? diff cooler?
I only track mine a few times a yr, but still curious.

 

The car I spoke of, had an oil cooler. That simple fact is, you can't race an engine and expect to last for 150K miles. Even with oil changes after each track event, oil coolers, proper maintainence, the engines will not last forever. In all honesty, running an OEM engine for 100 days on track, is pretty respectable in anyone's book.

I would recommend using the best quality fluids and changing them before/after each track event, and being religious with track inspections, and general maintenence. All the key moving parts will wear out with time. Don't neglect things like upper and lower control arm bushings, front and rear hubs..etc..etc.

Have fun!

 

Sharif: do you consider an Oil Cooler Mandatory or Optional on a NA street/track car???

 

As hot a the oil gets, even with a cooler, I would consider it manditory...especially someone with your speed level.

For HPDE 1-2 level, I would consider it optional.

 

I was thinking about the AAM oil pan spacer so I could easily add an oil temp gauge at the same time. Then adding an oil cooler later so I could have before/after data.

I don't think the track day oil temp thread from a few years back ever had that info.

 

How does that spacer help a NA car??

 

more oil capacity = cooler oil

and easy way to add an oil temp gauge

 

How does that spacer help a NA car??

And can't u add the temp sending unit to a oil filter sandwich plate?

 

Can the spacer be installed with the engine in the car?

And How much extra oil do you get with the spacer mod?

 

Generally not true. It might take longer to heat soak the oil, but if the BTU balance is positive, the oil will eventually heat soak. A quart or two more won't appreciably help.

Setrab has a nice chart that gives BTU/HR for each size of their coolers.

http://www.setrabusa.com/pdf/ProLine-Dims-Apps.pdf

 

No need to remove engine. "Just" remove oil, remove oil pan, add spacer, add oil pickup extension, put oil pan on spacer.

1 extra quart.

 

Anyone reading - remember that the extra oil takes longer to heat up, which becomes a little bit of a hassle on my "old" 300ZXTT. I can't just start it and go, like I can in the morning with the 350 (within reason).

 

What about HPDE events, with the typical 15-20 minute run and 40 min cool off? I assume it's a lot less stress on the car than full out racing or longer duration tracking.

 

A "typical" HPDE session for the car goes like this :

1. Ten minutes idling in the cold pits with the occasional rev.
2. Clutch stall when the grid worker waves the car out.
3. Startup and then a small burnout.
4. Brisk acceleration and then mild braking for one lap.
5. Brisker acceleration and mild braking for two laps.
6. Hard acceleration and mild braking for 1/2 lap.
7. Heavy understeer and front tire grinding for one corner with a snap spin on exit.
8. Mild acceleration and mild braking for one lap.
9. Brisk acceleration and mild braking for two laps.
10. Idle into the paddock and shut off.

 

and then rinse and repeat.