kellyclark

On Tuesday evening March 11, 2008, the engine of my 2000 Porsche Boxster (5 speed manual) suddenly began blowing large amounts of smoke and shut off abruptly. I had the car promptly towed to a trusted and experienced Porsche mechanic. He removed the lower oil pan and diagnosed that the oil strainer became clogged with silicone sealant, which had broken off from inside the pan. This constricted the oil flow and caused the engine to seize. I'm adding some pictures to show how this looked. The mechanic confirmed that this problem should be considered a manufacturing or repair issue that could not be prevented with regular maintenance. Nothing abnormal such as warning lights or increase in temperature indicated an impending problem. I purchased the car with only 22,000 miles on it and it still has less than 100,000 miles. The car was serviced just 7,000 miles ago and I noted the oil level was full that evening, having filled the gas tank just 2 miles prior to engine failure. I have maintained the car to the letter of the service manual, and the mechanic stated that the engine was otherwise in excellent shape, noting how the engine's oil and other components showed no indication of other issues. After reviewing my service records, I realized that the my local dealership in Atlanta, Georgia, which serviced the car regularly, replaced numerous gaskets and sealant applications under warranty at the scheduled 30,000 mile service on February 21, 2003. I asked the service manager at the dealership, who was also working there in 2003, if techician error could have caused this problem. Of course, he denied that possibility. Two weeks ago, I addressed a letter to the Manager of Customer Commitment with Porsche Cars North America outlining my car's situation and asking for Porsche's help to repair my engine. After all the supporting information, photographs of the engine and supporting documentation I provided, Porsche flatly declined to help repair my engine. So I wanted to make others aware of this potential problem, in case you own or are considering the purchase of a used 986. Hopefully you can use this information to avoid the great disappointment I've expereinced with my car. Kelly