JFP in PA

You do not need to reset anything for the car to accept the new plugs and O2 sensors. Nice shop layout, by-the-by. :thumbup:

I had an additional thought on this repair; a couple of companies produce stainless steel replacement stud kits for mounting the calipers, like those used on the cup cars. You would still need to do the Time Cert repair, but instead of using new caliper bolts, you would install the corrosion proof stainless studs which would never have to be removed again. This would add about $100 to the project, but you would never be faced with a repeat of the problem you currently have.

If the alternator shaft threads are damaged, you may have to spring for an entire new unit, which can be a bit expensive. You could use a thread locker to help hold it, but that would create additional problems down the road if you ever had to take it apart. You can use Sunset Porsche's online system to get a decent price for a replacement unit: http://www.porschepartshub.com/

Only when someone did something stupid. This car sounds like it may have been run up on something as leaking radiators are often the result of something on that side suffering an impact, like running the car up on a parking space curb or a rock. The strange thing to me is that the rims of the front wheel are fine, and since these cars are tracked, maybe this is a built in safety release of pressure.under compression. We have been servicing an repairing these cars for many years, and I have never hear or read about any kind of "safety release under compression" for this component, but we have seen people get overly creative when trying to drive them and end up over their heads and with an extensive repair bill. And the lower strut clamping mounting method is commonly used on a lot of vehicles, not just Porsches. If you are seriously considering this car, I would not buy it without having the car's four wheel alignment checked first, and perhaps even having it checked on a frame jig for straightness as well. I'll keep the topic updated when I get more information on it. On this specific question, have you ever seen this slip between the knuckle and the lower end of the strut, on a Porsche ? Was it a 977 ? Does the C4 and C2 share the same fitment of the lower end of the strut into the al. knuckle ? Thanks again. Yes, but only in cases where there was abuse (the car hit something like a curb or pothole very hard; or someone had not reassembled the car correctly). C2 and C4 cars use different front strut and wheel carrier assemblies, but both have a similar method of how they are clamped in the wheel carriers. If you have access to a Bentley service manual, there are complete diagrams and photos of both style assemblies.

These engines use MLS head gaskets, and I have never seen or heard of one failing. Cylinder heads crack, but the head gaskets have proven to be bullet proof. We have also seen our share of M96 IMS failures; some of the engines were internally devastated, but never dropped a spec of oil or coolant on the ground. The most common description of the IMS failure was that the engine started to shake or make an odd sound, lost power, and then just stopped. You may have suffered a catastrophic AOS failure, which will suddenly suck in a lot of oil into the engine, eventually stalling it. If the car threw a code, it should still be retained in the DME, so along with checking the oil filter for debris, I would scan the car without starting it.

Only when someone did something stupid. This car sounds like it may have been run up on something as leaking radiators are often the result of something on that side suffering an impact, like running the car up on a parking space curb or a rock. The strange thing to me is that the rims of the front wheel are fine, and since these cars are tracked, maybe this is a built in safety release of pressure.under compression. We have been servicing an repairing these cars for many years, and I have never hear or read about any kind of "safety release under compression" for this component, but we have seen people get overly creative when trying to drive them and end up over their heads and with an extensive repair bill. And the lower strut clamping mounting method is commonly used on a lot of vehicles, not just Porsches. If you are seriously considering this car, I would not buy it without having the car's four wheel alignment checked first, and perhaps even having it checked on a frame jig for straightness as well.

New member :eek: The 997 gen I (2006) C4 Cab we are looking at has a M9605 engine, according to the Porsche VIN report. Engine # is 69606529. I thought that the 3.8 (s) cars had the M97 engine. If you look back in this thread, Loren posted a PDF breaking down how the engine codes work, which should be helpful.

Only when someone did something stupid. This car sounds like it may have been run up on something as leaking radiators are often the result of something on that side suffering an impact, like running the car up on a parking space curb or a rock.

For future reference, you should only use product's designed for the purpose, like MAF cleaners such as the CRC product: A lot of brake cleaners are chlorinated, which can damage critical components in some systems. The Durametric system is functioning correctly; the ROW cars use and different DME software which responds differently than that found the North American cars.

P0506 indicates that the idle air control valve may be sticking, causing the engine to idle too low. If cleaning the IAC does not improve the situation (they usually suffer from a carbon build up), replace it. Early ROW 996's can only trigger one bank's VarioCam actuators using the Durametric system.

You are actually kind of spoiled for choice in your area as there are a lot of respected independent shops at nearby locations: Dougherty Automotive in West Chester Possum Hollow Motorsports in Phoenixville Performance Automotive in Malvern Tilson Motorcars in PHL Woodlawn Service in PHL Just to name a few. You can also contact your local PCA chapter (Riesentöter http://rtr-pca.org/) as I am sure the local members will have direct experience based suggestions as well.

When was the transmission last serviced? I don't show any service in any of the paperwork. Then change the transmission oil and filter; while you may only have low miles, the fluid is 14 years old.

When was the transmission last serviced?

There is a company in New Jersey called Wurth Products (201-825-2710) that is supposed to have the Time Cert kit for the M12x1.5x72 caliper bolts. http://www.wurthusa.com/web/en/website/company/aboutwurthusa/aboutwurthusa.php

The factory caliper bolt should be a M12X1.5X72. Thanks JFP, there are many kits out there. would you happen to know of one with exact dimension in insert? Where should go to purchase? A Porsche owner on rennlist said he found a kit with exact match but did not state where he purchased The Time Sert or Helicoil repair kit has to match the thickness of the area on the carrier where the caliper bolts to it, as well as the fastener itself. Companies like Fastenal that specialize is fasteners should be able to help you, or if you have the kit number the Rennlist poster used, you could probably find it cheaper (and perhaps faster) online, as even Amazon sells them. You can also look here: http://www.timesert.com/html/mtrcsert.html

Bad scenario. The car, as a "roller" (read dead engine) is only worth a couple grand, even in near perfect condition. And don't even consider trying to break the car up and sell it for parts as that usually does not work out well as a DIY. Probably the optimum solution is to source a used but good engine from a wreck and have that installed; then you would have a serviceable used car if you wanted to sell it. Depending upon your location and the style engine in the car, you would be spending a few thousand for the used engine and a couple grand more to do the swap. Still not cheap, but better than having a lawn ornament, and it would have much better resale or trade value to help recoup the outlay.

The factory caliper bolt should be a M12X1.5X72.

Obviously, Jake sees a lot more engines completely disassembled than we do, so I would be the last to refute his observations, plus there are many instances we are aware of that ultimately turned out to be confirmed cylinder issues on the M96/97 engines. He does have a valid point about cold start induced wear, particularly on engines that continue to run lower film strength 0W-40 oils as most engine wear occurs during cold start and warm up when these oils are at their weakest levels of wear protection, and the cars are often just cold started and then immediately driven without any real warm up period. If you are concerned that Jake may be correct, I would pull the plugs and bore scope the cylinders looking for signs of unusual thrust side wear patterns, which are often quite obvious even to the untrained observer. For clarification, when you said "the cars are often just cold started and then immediately driven without any real warm up period." this was talking about when people went past 3000rpms while the engine/oil is cold? While RPM's will obviously exacerbate the problem, the real issue is a combination of the design, plus the efforts by all of the OEM's to convince people that it is perfectly fine to start a dead cold engine in the winter and then just drive off. While the OEM's want to max out the CAFE potential by not allowing the car to idle a bit to warm up, the pistons and the cylinders expand under heat at differing rates, the DFI tends it increase cylinder "wash" when cold, and the "preferred" oil is low in film strength. Not a good combination for longevity.

If the plug tubes leak, normally I would expect to see oil seepage on the cylinder heads, and would definitely expect to see oil on the coil packs when removed.

It all has to do with the combination of the very low piston ring tension found in these engines, and deposit build up. DFI injection systems utilize very high fuel pressure to obtain atomization in the combustion chamber, and any change in the spray pattern can significantly alter how the car runs. One of the unfortunate side effects of having an injector inside the chamber is that you can get build up on the injector tip, which can alter it spray pattern and there by reduce its efficiency. The occasional use of a high dose of a quality product like Techron helps to clean the injectors, and at the same time removes any build up in ring lands of the pistons and on the low tension rings themselves as well, promoting better sealing, and reduced oil usage. A lot of old time mechanics used to tell customers to give their car's an "Italian tune up", basically take the car out and beat the Hell out of it to "clean it out". Techron does that without the probability of getting a ticket at the same time.

Pulley or idlers, water pump, power steering pump.

The use of fuel system cleaners like Techron can remove carbon and other build up off pistons, rings, and valves, improving seal and overall performance. That said, a lot of what the additive removes ends up in the oil, so we normally suggest using Techron in the last tank of fuel before you do an oil change.

Rather than spray it with WD 40, which will attract dirt, spray it with DuPont dry Teflon spray which coats it with a Teflon lubricant that remains dry and won't attract any dirt.

There have also been reports of wiring from something like a radar detector that passes near the sensor throwing it off as well.

While the Durametric is always a good buy, it is entirely possible that the momentary PSM activation is nothing more than the direct result of your "grip check". Sudden yaw motions induced by "dropping the hammer" can activate the sensors in the PSM system, which will turn on the MIL momentarily. While the Durametric system can do a lot of things, I do not believe it can recode your rain sensor system wipe frequency. Coding at that level requires a PIWIS, and even then some things are pre set parameters that cannot be altered.