JFP in PA

No, the Durametric system will not give you a “bad starter” code. Often, starters that are noisy have a problem with gunk and/or corrosion on the shaft of the Bendix drive, which causes it to stick and make this sound when the edge of the Bendix gear is grating on the flywheel; not a good thing. But it is easily fixable. Pull the starter and clean the Bendix drive with WD 40 or PB Blaster, then lubricate the shaft with DuPont Dry Teflon spray lubricant (does not attract water or dirt, last a long time). You can find this at Lowes. Put the start back in, and enjoy the fact you just fixed the car by spending less than $10.

Again, for reasons known only to them, Porsche tends to use weird rated gear oils. The OEM fill containers and tech sheets bear no "GL" ratings at all. When we last polled the larger and more reputable gear oil manufacturer's (not the blenders), most said they have "no direct match" of the OEM gear oils, but felt they had "something suitable that should work"..........right. Considering how much these gear boxes cost, and that we have swapped out a lot of aftermarket gear oils for the OEM brew and found quieter transmissions that shifted better according to their owners, we will stay with the OEM fill. Yes, it cost a bit more, but it appears to do the job well.

Because of the high internal resistance of a fully discharged battery, you need current more than voltage, in fact, as little as 9V will do it with enough amperage..

That would work, as would attaching another battery via that method.

His profile does not list the year of his 911. Unfortunately, if he does have an 06 or later car, he still faces the risk of engine failure due to the IMS (yes, even though the engine would have Porsche's "final solution" for the IMS problem, this last version still do fail), but unfortunately he cannot easily upgrade it because it would be the large diameter IMS which cannot be replaced without total disassembly of the engine. LN Engineering does have an upgrade for this version of the M96/97 IMS, but for obvious reasons there are not that many being upgraded………….. LN Engineering along with Flat 6 Innovations have developed a process and tool which allows you to replace the larger IMS without having to dismantel the engine. LN Engineering explains the process on their web site and go into great detail on the causes of IMS bearing failure and how to recognize it. Interesting read. I think you need to re-read the LN website concerning the late 05 through 08 IMS units; the late 05 and on cars (or factory replacement engines) all carry an oversized rear bearing that cannot physically fit through the opening in the assembled engines: " If the engine was made for MY06 or later, it will have the late revision, larger IMS bearing which is not serviceable." "The last option, our IMS Upgrade, requires engine disassembly. The intermediate shaft must be sent in to us to be upgraded to our triple-bearing upgrade. A separate ceramic hybrid bearing upgrade is available for the late-style MY06-08 M97 IMS as well."'

Your problem is the dead battery. With a battery that is really discharged, some of the normal items powered by it when the car is off (alarm system, immobilizer, etc.) tend to react to there suddenly being a source of power; that is the sounds you are hearing. Pull the battery and fully charge it, let it cool and then have it load tested; chances are better than even money it won't pass muster. If that is the case, put in a replacement (or just do that without testing if the original battery is more than a couple years old) and the car should recover fine, although you will still have the usual battery replacement woes (no radio presets, alarm will promptly go off, etc.).

His profile does not list the year of his 911. Unfortunately, if he does have an 06 or later car, he still faces the risk of engine failure due to the IMS (yes, even though the engine would have Porsche’s “final solution” for the IMS problem, this last version still do fail), but unfortunately he cannot easily upgrade it because it would be the large diameter IMS which cannot be replaced without total disassembly of the engine. LN Engineering does have an upgrade for this version of the M96/97 IMS, but for obvious reasons there are not that many being upgraded…………..

Liverpool my friend :thumbup: We may have been neighbors at one time, I lived near Runcorn (across the A533 bridge below Widnes), as well as down in Dorset and in the Isle of Man. Small world...................

You will never have a better time to access your AoS than when the gearbox is out...........

Where abouts in the UK?

Good time to update the RMS and IMS; due to how difficult they can be to get at, I'd also do the AoS while the car is apart.

+1 on Loren and McMike27's comments; I would only add that you should use an inch pound torque wrench on the sump cover bolts, much more accurate at low torque levels..............

Most likely, you are in for a "bone yard search" if the connector you broke is on the wiring up from the removable brake pigtail; only the very early cars had a disconnect point in the trunk area, yours probably does not. This is not a big project, but finding the connector will definitely be an "Easter Egg Hunt"........

Yes, #4 & 5 are cam holding tools.

I don’t mean to sound patronizing, but if you do not know how to use these tools, perhaps it would be better to either let someone that does handle it, or at least be there to guide you through the process……………..

As you just purchase the car, and you live in CA, it is the seller’s responsibility in to certify the car’s smog. Perhaps time to go back on them?

More and more, the OEM’s are making fewer driveline parts available for their cars. This is happening for multiple reasons: First, fewer dealer tech’s are qualified or equipped to disassemble driveline components. Second, rebuilding components on a flat rate basis sucks from the perspective of the dealer’s cash flow; too many rebuilds become money losers for the dealer. Third, simply too many come backs; both due to the lack of knowledge/equipment, and because something else craps out as soon as the first problem is fixed. So the standard “modus operandi” had become “pull it and put in a new/rebuilt unit” which address all the above. Doesn’t matter if it is the CVT in a Nissan Sentra or the PDK in a new Turbo……………..

I try cleaning up the bleeder valve and putting on a new cap, if the crud returns, you can easily rebuilt the unit, or just replace it; one word of caution: Be careful with the screws on the bleeder, they snap off if you look at them the wrong way.........

If you are refering the the small shaft under the bail moving up while the car is hot; yes, it is supposed to do that. More likely is that the cap is bad; what are the last two digits on your cap?

We have a couple of the older cars running them, no problems to date.

The unit with the external spring is the newer design that is supposed to keep the tensioner paddle from "flapping" until oil pressure has built up. They seem to work well.

Take it to the dealer so the problem is at least on record. Ask them to check the cam deviation values at idle; if they are steady, you are in good shape; if they swing back and forth, you/they need to worry. Try running a heavier weight oil; I prefer 10W-40, many like 5W-40. Pull the oil filter and cut it open; if it is clean, you are in good shape; if it holds metal flakes, specs of flat black plastic, or granular metal the can be picked up by a magnet, you/they need to worry.

Glad to hear you got it sorted.

As the washer protects the alloy crank carrier from wear, I don't think ignoring it is a long term option..............

It is a thrust washer, #24 in the diagram and it will require considerable disassembly to access: