Suggestions for tracking stock 2.0L Options

[AndrewBlyholder]

I usually race a 914 race car, but it's engine expired at the end of 2019, and the rebuild is still in process. Many custom parts, suppliers on reduced capacity due to COVID, etc....

In the mean time, I started autocrossing my street 914, a solid, but unrestored '74 LE.

I had so much fun with that for the 2020 season, I decided to try it out at a DE track event in March. Everything was great, having a ball at Thunderhill (IMG:style_emoticons/default/driving.gif), until a rod bearing spun during the 5th run session late in the day. D'oh (IMG:style_emoticons/default/headbang.gif)

So now I have yet another engine to build before I get back to my race motor project. I plan to keep the rebuild mostly stock, but looking for suggestions to help make the new motor more reliable for DE track use. I finally have all the custom parts in hand for my race motor rebuild and I'm planning on getting that finished up in the next 2-3 months. So my street car probably won't get pressed into track use again soon, but you never know, so why not build something that can withstand some track usage.

The previous motor was just what was in the car when I bought it 25 years ago from a local Porsche mechanic. He got it from a client that couldn't pay for some repairs and ended up giving the mechanic the car. But that's all I know of it's history before me, so the pedigree of the motor was completely unknown. Because of that, I always considered the motor sacrificial. I figured I'd run it until it blows up and then build something proper. It took 25 years, but that's where we are now.

The motor was a bone-stock D-jet 2.0L. At the track it was running very hot, just under the red zone on the stock oil temp gauge. Air temp was 75. When the bearing spun and the loud noises started, I looked down at the temp gauge and it was solidly in the middle of the red. So more oil cooling is obviously top of the list.

I never noticed the oil pressure light coming on, so I don't think I was oil starving it, but I wasn't making a point of specifically checking it and the stock light is small and often blocked from view by my hands and the steering wheel, so I couldn't swear that it actually never came on.

While the car is a solid driver now, since it is an LE, I'd like to restore it to show car condition eventually. For that reason, I'll keep the rebuild as a D-jet with a stock external appearance. But I'm open to non-stock internal parts, and any new external systems (like oil coolers, deep sumps, etc.) that are easily reversible.

So those of you with some track experience with fairly stock motors, what would you suggest for both rebuild parts and additional systems that will allow a stock D-jet to stand up to DE track use?

Thanks,

Andrew Blyholder