60K mi gotchas that are not often found(?)

[Boxxy]

Being also a Boxster owner, I read this post on a Boxster board that came from an engine rebuilder. It sure sounded like sage advice for 986/996 engine owners. Can someone familiar with the innards of our TT engines comment?

In particular:

1) how hard is it to "pull the sump". Is that the oil pan? If so, just a lot of screws plus a new gasket when done?

2) Ignition coil packs. Is this truly harmful or is it that one won't get max spark and thus lose performance? How does one detect this? [by his post, it looks like detection is by visual inspection]

3) Vario-Cam tensioner pads. I don't hear too much about this. I have read that for some older engines (944/968), tensioner pad failure could mean catastrophic engine failure as valves hit the pistons. Not sure about ours.

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Quote:

We are learning that more should be inspected at 60K than just what Porsche recommends.. This includes a lifter inspection and an inspection of the variocam components as the tensioner pads are normally shot at 60K.

I have saved more than a few engines by pulling the sump at 60K miles and cleaning sealant from the oil pick up tube that had been partially blocking the oil inlet, thus reducing oil pressure.

By 60K most engines have a handful of lifters that have seized and at least the upper vario cam pad tensioners are heavily worn. Timing chains are also starting to wear and can have notable wear at 60K miles.

I have yet to do a single 60K service on a vehicle that didn't have at least 3 ignition coil packs that were cracked and required replacement.

Long story short, done right this inspection needs to go further than the "book" says to ensure you don't end up without an issue that can cut your engine's life short.

From what I have seen the Techs that are doing these inspections just go through the motions at the Dealerships.. They don't look at anything they don't have to per the directives and they certainly don't go any deeper than they have to looking for issues that can be noted and then solved with preventive measures before they break.

A car came to us for an IMS bearing retrofit recently and it had just had a 60K done by a Dealer in Texas..(700 miles prior) All 6 coil packs were cracked, it had a broken vario cam tensioner pad on the 4-6 bank and 6 noisy lifters. The Dealer didn't annotate any of these issues on the invoice but they did charge 1100 bucks extra to re-seal the cam covers. (and they still leaked)

Ensure who ever does these services doesn't just go through the motions and follow some generic check list. What was **believed** to be necessary at 60K miles when these cars were new isn't what reality has proven to be necessary. Having deep internal experience with these engines has taught us whats really necessary.

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[txhokie4life]

I would replace the water pump (cheap enough relative to what you have listed)

I would replace filters (oil/fuel/air)nnn

Check RMS, upgrade IMS.

replace clutch (or at least give it a good inspection)

check the coolant tank

m

[jjrho]

boxxy, where r u? are you an independent shop owner?

i'm in so.calif with a '03 x50tip...no rms issue i guess but....what is IMS?

as long as the ignition is ok, does cracked housing make a difference?

thanks for your insight...

james R

so calif

[Chuck Jones]

I believe the IMS is the Intermediate Shaft....known to go out on some cars, usually without any warning. I dont' know how you'd check this without tearing into the engine and doing a visual.

[jpflip]

You got it Chuck....Video : IMS explained

[Loren]

Folks the intermediate shaft on the Turbo and GT3 engines is completely different than the intermediate shaft on the 9x6 series and 9x7 series Boxster, Carrera, and Caymans.

Remember Turbo/GT3 is a different engine.

[Chuck Jones]

jpflip: Good post and reference to the video clip on the Intermediate Shaft.. That helps to put it issue in perspective..it's just too bad that Porsche hasn't seen fit to do something about these failures when video clips like this clearly show a common denominator on a weak part that's been prone to repeated failures. I hate to think of how much money has been spent by folks who have had to deal with this issue after the warranty ran out. When they go...they just let loose with what's been described as the sound of "a coffee can full of bolts".

[jpflip]

Loren mention an important detail, there is a difference between the 996 and 996 turbo intermediate shaft.996 is chain driven and 996 turbo is gear driven. Completely different design...

[txhokie4life]

Loren mention an important detail, there is a difference between the 996 and 996 turbo intermediate shaft.996 is chain driven and 996 turbo is gear driven. Completely different design...

More importantly it looks like the Turbo cam are both on the same side.

that seems like it would be less torque on the IMS as well as less mass.

All should help any bearing issues.

probably less play in the gears vs chain as well

mike