Engine replacement options

[Dharn55]

With the recent demise of my 3.4 engine (2000 C4 cab with 50,000 miles) due to the oil/coolant intermix I have done alot of research on options and pricing. Thought I would share the information I have gathered.

Pricing on Remanufactured engines from both Sunset and Suncoast

3.4 E-gas $11,010.06/$2,229.63 core charge

3.6 $8,543.78/$2,336.81 core charge

3.6 X51 $9,600.73/$2,566.24 core charge

Shipping seems to be $300-$400 each way to Chicago area. Remember that the core charge is refunded only after the core is returned to the dealer, then returned to Porsche and torn down to see if it is "rebuildable." I am not sure what impact a cracked cylinder head or cracked liner has on this refund, although Porsche does not seem to want to tell anyone what the problem with the engines are. Does anyone have any knowledge of how Porsche handles this.

Also, Suncoast says you can use a 3.4 core on a 3.6 engine, but you get the lower credit for the core return, so this could be a couple of hundred dollars.

R&R of the same engine (i.e. 3.4 for 3.4 or 3.6 for 3.6) seems to run from $1,500 to $2,500 depending on dealer or independant. Upgrading from a 3.4 to a 3.6 cost more. Roock quotes $4,000 to $5,000+ for a turnkey. They also said the price togo to a 3.8 (997) would be about the same. There was a 3.8S engine listed here in the classified for only $9,010 with a core charge of $2,376, but I have not checked this out with a dealer.

Other options, flat6 innovations is offering a rebuild, including new sleeves, and a proprietary IMS upgrade (they say better than Autofarm) for about $14,000. There is a shop in the Los Angeles area (not Motormeister) that has 3.4's foir $6,500, with a $2,500 core deposit, refunded if rebuildable, some reductions if a head is cracked, or a liner. 6 months 6,000 mile warranty. They say they check all heads and blocks for cracks, and have a proprietary upgrade to the IMS. Don't know too much about this one.

Of course there is always LA dismantlers, but there are alot of question and comments about these guys, and their pricing is almost what a remanufactured engine goes for.

I ahve been keeping an eye on the used market, and there seem to be engines (some new) that come on the market on a regular basis, but they also go real fast. There was a party on the classifieds here that had 3 3.6 engines, supposed to be new or almost, $11,000 for all three, or $3,500, $4,000 and $4,500 seperate, but he sold them in 2 days to a party that bought all three, I got there a few days later and they were gone. I would have gone for the $4,500 3.6 still in the crate, but too late.

By the way, I went to the dealer where I bought the car in 2000, and they said there was not way Porsche would help if the car was 8 years old.

Hope this helps others with engine failures. There seem to be alot of posts in the last few weeks.

[txhokie4life]

Do you know what the failure is exactly?

Are you sure your engine is not rebuildable?

Just had an '00 Boxster S torn apart -- with a coolant/oil geyser failure mode.

Dealership claimed a cracked liner, but after we tore it apart -- all we found so far is a freeze plug missing

from one of the cylinder heads, and found in the oil pan.

Hoping that is the cause and not just a symptom.... but if so,

a lot cheaper than other alternatives.

m

With the recent demise of my 3.4 engine (2000 C4 cab with 50,000 miles) due to the oil/coolant intermix I have done alot of research on options and pricing. Thought I would share the information I have gathered.

Pricing on Remanufactured engines from both Sunset and Suncoast

3.4 E-gas $11,010.06/$2,229.63 core charge

3.6 $8,543.78/$2,336.81 core charge

3.6 X51 $9,600.73/$2,566.24 core charge

Shipping seems to be $300-$400 each way to Chicago area. Remember that the core charge is refunded only after the core is returned to the dealer, then returned to Porsche and torn down to see if it is "rebuildable." I am not sure what impact a cracked cylinder head or cracked liner has on this refund, although Porsche does not seem to want to tell anyone what the problem with the engines are. Does anyone have any knowledge of how Porsche handles this.

Also, Suncoast says you can use a 3.4 core on a 3.6 engine, but you get the lower credit for the core return, so this could be a couple of hundred dollars.

R&R of the same engine (i.e. 3.4 for 3.4 or 3.6 for 3.6) seems to run from $1,500 to $2,500 depending on dealer or independant. Upgrading from a 3.4 to a 3.6 cost more. Roock quotes $4,000 to $5,000+ for a turnkey. They also said the price togo to a 3.8 (997) would be about the same. There was a 3.8S engine listed here in the classified for only $9,010 with a core charge of $2,376, but I have not checked this out with a dealer.

Other options, flat6 innovations is offering a rebuild, including new sleeves, and a proprietary IMS upgrade (they say better than Autofarm) for about $14,000. There is a shop in the Los Angeles area (not Motormeister) that has 3.4's foir $6,500, with a $2,500 core deposit, refunded if rebuildable, some reductions if a head is cracked, or a liner. 6 months 6,000 mile warranty. They say they check all heads and blocks for cracks, and have a proprietary upgrade to the IMS. Don't know too much about this one.

Of course there is always LA dismantlers, but there are alot of question and comments about these guys, and their pricing is almost what a remanufactured engine goes for.

I ahve been keeping an eye on the used market, and there seem to be engines (some new) that come on the market on a regular basis, but they also go real fast. There was a party on the classifieds here that had 3 3.6 engines, supposed to be new or almost, $11,000 for all three, or $3,500, $4,000 and $4,500 seperate, but he sold them in 2 days to a party that bought all three, I got there a few days later and they were gone. I would have gone for the $4,500 3.6 still in the crate, but too late.

By the way, I went to the dealer where I bought the car in 2000, and they said there was not way Porsche would help if the car was 8 years old.

Hope this helps others with engine failures. There seem to be alot of posts in the last few weeks.

[bmohr]

am i reading this right? Why is the 3.4 SO much more expensive than the 3.6?

[RFM]

It is a typical Porsche trick, once a part is a couple of years out of production ( and warranty ) the price go's up. If you need a new engine you pay the higher price and they recover a part what they ever have paid in warranties for this type of engine.

[bmohr]

thats just plain evil:(