Freeze plug failure?

[txhokie4life]

Has anyone had a freeze plug failure in a Boxster (or Boxster S) happen in the cylinder heads?

Our tear down of the failure of my newly acquired Boxster S is missing a plug.

Original Porsche diagnosis was way off --

just doing some home work before we declare victory.....

thanks,

M

[esq996tt]

I had a freeze plug issue on a 2000 S at 32k miles.

Ed.

[txhokie4life]

I had a freeze plug issue on a 2000 S at 32k miles.

Ed.

Wow -- what was your resolution? How did you fix it?

How was it determined? -- Did it just fail -- or was there a cause?

thanks,

Mike

[wvicary]

I don't recall any problems with freeze plugs but have read a few cases where a oil plug in the cylinder head I believe came loose and caused a massive leak.

[txhokie4life]

wvicary said:

I don't recall any problems with freeze plugs but have read a few cases where a oil plug in the cylinder head I believe came loose and caused a massive leak.

This I believe is one and the same -- the plug I am referring to is in the cylinder head.

It caused coolant and oil mixture and **** the engine down.

It got mis-diagnossed as a cylinder liner crack --

I bought it site unseen planning on rebuilding via relining from LNEngineering -- but it looks like

although we ripped all apart -- we don't have to do that.

What I want to make sure is that if someone else had this problem -- what was the believed cause -- want to make

sure I am fixing the problem -- and not just addressing a symptom of something else.

cheers,

M

[juniinc]

yup that would be the seal plug,,,

cause is another defective internal part, old steel plug keeps failing,,,

But Porsche changed it in 98.

The plug must be replaced with a new plug made of aluminum !

Edited September 23, 2008 by juniinc

[txhokie4life]

yup that would be the seal plug,,,

cause is another defective internal part, old steel plug keeps failing,,,

But Porsche changed it in 98.

The plug must be replaced with a new plug made of aluminum !

not sure of our eventual fix -- may seal it shut or place a threaded brass plug --

Freezng the block in Texas is unlikely :-)

m

[Jake Raby]

I upgrade all engines to thread in steel or brass plugs, this is a preventive measure thats wise to do.

[GTA_G20]

I know this is an old thread but instead of creating a new topic,

Where does the old plug go? Does it float around the valve train until the valve covers are pulled? Can these be injested into the combustion chamber?

thanks in advance

[esq996tt]

I had a freeze plug issue on a 2000 S at 32k miles.

Ed.

Wow -- what was your resolution? How did you fix it?

How was it determined? -- Did it just fail -- or was there a cause?

thanks,

Mike

Catastrophic engine failure.

Edited August 22, 2009 by esq996tt

[Kampfer]

Old Post but want to add to the statistics of this problem.  My 1997 Boxster had a freeze plug let go.   Supposedly Porsche used Non-aluminum freeze plugs in the 1997 engine block where it can corrode and rust away.   

I do auto cross so I run straight water.  Not knowing the freeze plug can corrode.  The plug corroded and I would lose coolant with no external leaks.  Only symptoms the loosing of coolant was very slow.   Occasionally start to get hot when sitting in traffic.   

One day on the freeway the plug let go.  I get the coolant warning light.  Pulled over and noticed the entire coolant tank was emptied.  Thinking the expansion tank might have burped all the coolant out I added water to the tank, looked under the car for leaks, but there was none and I continue to drive.  In less than a minute the coolant light was on again.   

I was completely puzzled, did the coolant tank burp all the coolant out again?  I added more water, but this time the water completely vanishes right away.   Pulled the dip stick and its milk shake.   

Completely destroyed this engine thanks to internal freeze plug by the cam shaft that corroded away.  

Had less than 70,000 miles.  

When you thought the IMS was a concern, this unsuspecting corroding freeze plug is catastrophic failure.    

Sadly my 986 Boxster has been sitting in my garage since 2019.  Contemplating on Tesla Large Unit conversion ~$65,000 or just rebuilding the 2.5L.   Currently getting my fix with 981 Boxster S  

 

 

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Edited January 22 by Kampfer