txhokie4life

when you try to turn it over

1) does the starter turn?

(why was the battery wire fried?)

might be worth going over the various grounds in the system and cleaning them up

2) does the tachometer move (even if just a little)

if the crank position sensor is not working or is not picking up a signal, you will not get a spark.

The tach is will jump if you are getting a signal.

Note I'm not 100% sure if the tach is connected to the signal, or gets a pulse from the DME.

It is possible you are getting the sensor signal but your DME is bad.

3) is your fuel pump running? you should be able to feel it when the key is turned on.

There is a relay (which when pulled can be jumpered) that runs your fuel pump.

4) is your timing belt good.

if something happened to it and you are out of timing, you will not start the engine.

this should at least give you a good starting point.

Mike

Hello,

I am new here and I just joined this forum. I have a BMW 3-series for a few years now and I am looking to get a 1999-2002 Porsche 911 (996). Folks on the BMW forum (E46fanatics) referred me to this forum. I have been reading here for a few days and found it very informational and helpful - the first few pinned threads.

Now based on my very limited reading so far, it seems that the 996 is a good deal but with a few caveats as I summarized below. Here you gurus please chime in with your experience, knowledge and opinions. Nothing beats real world ownership experience. I need your help to solidify my decision to get a Porsche. It is my childhood dream and I hope to fulfill it at least once in my lifetime. I love driving and it is one of very few things I really enjoy a lot. Sorry for the long post.

911 (996) 1999-2004 engine issues:

- Intermix problem: requires engine replacement

- Intermediate shaft bearing failure: requires engine replacement/rebuild but may be fixed with aftermarket kits (LN engineering) as a preventive measure

- Engine rear main seal leak: fix requires dropping the engine but can be done at the same time with clutch work

I also realized that Porsche repairs are expensive mostly due to the tight space requiring dropping the engine/ transmission for most major work.

Thanks for your advice and help!

Jzwu

I would avoid the 99's they have the additional problem of some of the cars having porous castings of the block by a third party supplier.

My research shows this to be limited to the 99 models for the 996. Sadly there is no way to determine this ahead of time.

RMS is an annoyance -- not a go no go.

Any of these I would budget $1500-2000 for an IMSR.

Cracked cylinder heads happen -- not sure if there is a range of years or not -- and no known (to me) preventative maintenance.

AOS -- These can go bad -- worst case you hydrolock the engine. Normally you mosquito fog the neighborhood. I'm not sure if there

is a way to detect that they are going -- or what early symptoms are. Relatively cheap part ~$100 -- not sure of labor time.

Water Pump -- change it every 30k miles -- treat it as preventive maintenance. They go can go bad, and if you don't catch it == you

can overheat and either blow a head gasket -- or more likely, and problematic, blow an internal freeze plug causing intermix.

Chains and chain tensioners break. No real preventative maintenance here. Although a good oil change regimen should help.

The 3.4s can go out of ovality -- lending to lower compression and possible cylinder head cracking --- of all the M96 engines,

they have the thinnest cylinder liners.

If it were me -- I would look at the 3.6 engines. 2002-2005. And do the IMSR, WP, AOS, Oil Change and start from a known good point.

If you plan to track these -- then I would seriously look into some sort of oil sump expansion or back-up (accusump) as

they can suffer from oil starvation which can lead to #6 bearing spinning, scoring the crank and doing other bad things.

These are the heavy hitters I know about. I'm sure there are even more failure modes.

Folks will debate the frequency of these occurrences. At least you can go into the 996 relationship as informed as you can.

Mike

Thanks Maurice.. They are even cheaper now....

So :

dismantler quoted $15K for a USED 2004 996 engine with 18K miles.

Dealer was $16K for a NEW / REMAN engine

I've need to be charging more.....

I've got 3 different 996 3.6L spanning 4500-33k miles all less than $9k. No core charge.

mike

Just remeember that you will not go fast over night. Alot of

fast guys have been driving fast for a long time. They

work there way up to fast speeds. It is better to drive where

you feel in control.

Do not push yourself to fast because you will break your car.

Paul

You really need to goto a Porsche DE -- here you can drive as fast as you are capable in a relatively safe, legal, and controlled environment with instruction.

I just got back from an event this weekend at Texas World Speedway.

what a blast,

Mike

It seemed to be 3,000 RPMs regardless of speed, but more than it seemed related to acceleration up to and beyond 3k rpms. Your ice theory might be correct, both to and from work there were patches of icey snow I had to pass over. Definitely nothing I have ever experienced before and seemingly steering or wheel related. I've never had ice on a wheel like though, so I can't be certain what it was.

squeak? maybe PS fluid?

check to see if your wheels are balanced.

always a chance you lost a weight.

also check to see if there are any pending codes

mike

Hi

I have done an engine swap on my boxster to a 3.2 engine and having trouble getting it to start. Originally I Purchased everything for the swap in 2002 spec i.e DME 7.2 Full Wiring loom cluster and abs pump. I had issues with the engine in respect of it not starting and after lots of issues I found out with the help of loren that my 2002 full working engine was actually a 2004 engine with an ims faliure. The engine has ben stripped and repaired and rebuilt. now with some slight wiring mods and a DME 7.8 the car turns over and gets to the point where it will fire but not go that extra bit. I have checked the timings and everything seems fine in that respect. has anyone got any ideas. think of it as a 2002 car with upgraded engine and ecu. also something else the interior is not in the car I read somewhere that airbags not being connected will stop the car starting I dont think its this as there is fuel and it is firing just not running

I could be wrong - but did you get the DME programmed to match the Immobilizer. If they do not match -- security will not let you fire up the engine.

The other possibility would be that the crank position sensor is not hooked up properly -- or the wires are swapped with the cam position sensor.

I believe the two connectors can be physically interchanged.

the M96 will rotate I think 3 times before firing. During this period it is observing the crank position sensor as well as the cam position sensors

to make sure all looks good before lighting up the spark plugs and fuel injectors. Sort of a diagnostic self test on the timing system.

Mike

mike

My shop is two for two on actual IMS failures -- Both were tiptronics

a 99 and a 03 S.

We have a 99 manual engine diagnosed as a IMS fail -- but we haven't confirmed it yet.

I also know of a recent '05 manual that failed -- but it was R&R'd at the dealership at no charge!

Your mileage and IMS may vary,

Mike

This has to be this week's "dumbest dealer explanation for a possible IMS issue"…………..

+1

Well, I just came back from the dealer's and to be fair, he hasn't explicitly said anything about PCNA not honoring the warranty but has definitely left the door opened to that possibility, mentioning readings of overev ect...I have never seen an overrev as when the rpm's reach redline, the Tip automatically upchanges.

All maintenance has been up to date and oil changes done at 5k miles intervals.

I don't think, based upon my readings here and in other forums that it's an IMS/RMS issue as there was no noise accompanying the event, as I said, stopped for a red light and the engine shuddered and died.

I will update this topic as I get more info.

The car was on a lift and a tech was working on it as I could see. I am reserving judgement.

Thanks all.

I don't know for a fact -- but the overrevs that can be read out of a duramatic have been explained to me as

two levels.

One where the rev limiter has been hit - and really isn't an over rev per se.

The second is the one of concern -- and usually implies a down shift based over rev.

Type 1's should not be an issue.

mike

My car is a 2005 996 C4S with tip. Last Thursday, while stopped at a red light, the engine shuddered and died. All my efforts to restart it were for nought although it turned over. After a tow to my nearest Porsche dealer and the New year delay, this a.m, the service adviser informed me that the engine somehow jumped time and that it will need disassemby to determine the cause. It gets interesting as the car is a CPO under Porsche warranty and I'm told that since I have an aftermarket audio system (Pioneer AVX), some readings can't be had from the PCM and until disassemby and no determination can be made as to PCNA's responsability for repair and or engine replacement. Car has currenly ~16k miles. Any comments or advice? Thanks

Well unless your after market stereo was played too loud -- there is no way it caused your engine to loose timing :-)

Sounds like an IMS problem to me.

Mike

Because of how, and where, the chain guide paddles are located (they are what the tensioners are pushing against), this requires some significant effort and specilized tooling (cam allocation related). Not a "backyard DIY" type of project, which is why most try different oils first.................

More to the point -- you have to crack the case to get to these parts.

The real tricky part is assembling the 4-6 pistons and doing the blind wrist pin spring lock.

My partner manufactured his own tool -- but its not for the feint of heart. If the spring lock

doesn't take it will require taking the block halves apart -- finding the spring lock -- and

starting all over.

mike

First, all "flat six" engines are prone to the occasional puff of smoke on a cold start, this is normal. If the smoke always occurs on start, or is particularly heavy, you may have another issue such as the AoS going south on you. If it is the AoS, it needs to be addressed before it totally craps out and hydraulics the engine, which is both a real possibility and always fatal......

Do you hear a high pitched whine during start-up that lasts maybe 45 seconds?

My boxster does this -- and if I drive off before waiting for it to stop -- I get a secondary air injection failure withing a couple miles.

I haven't dug into it yet -- been busy with other projects.

m

Recent quote from an indie here in Las Vegas was 3,500 to 4,000 to replace clutch, RMS, IMS, AOS and the crankcase breather hose.

After break down, he determined that the IMS did not need replacement so I decided to wait until the next clutch replacement to upgrade it.

Tim

For a TIP needing a dual row IMSR -- it would be $1440 plus tax at Silent Automotive here in Austin.

Danny who owns the shop is a very good mechanic who happens to be deaf.

He does everything from M96 rebuilds to simple oil changes.

Place isn't much to look at but he does good, reasonably priced work.

Mike

If you are not a confident dyier

And your mechanic won't touch it

You should have some concern

However just about anything short

Of engine issues

There isn't anything your mechanic should need special tools for

Will 996 hard top holder work for a 986 hard top

Thx

Mike

Where is that assembly -- is it behind the door panel -- back along the end of the door?

I've taken a couple doors apart -- but its been awhile and it was for something else (broken cable)

thanks,

mike

Mike:

It's behind the door panel, here (click on the photo to get a good look):

Regards, Maurice.

Dang -- looks like another door dive.

BTW, anyone know if the cable from the door latch to the door handle is a replaceable item?

I had to canalbalize my race car awhile back -- but now need to put the race car door back together.

Mike

I have a very similar problem. Only the driver's side window. It lowers when I open the door, but it then goes back up again before I can close the door. So I end up banging the top window edge against the plastic covertible strut all the time. Does yours do that? And where would this micro switch be located?

I know this was a long time ago -- but my sister-in-laws car did this tonite.

what was the solution?

m

Mike:

When the window goes back up that 1/2 inch while the door is still open, the problem is usually caused by a fault in the door lock assembly. Sometimes the connections or the microswitch will be intermittent or one of the wires leading to it has become chafed or pinched (and thus causes a short) and sometimes the solder connections inside the assembly crack or come apart. Porsche only sells the complete assembly (), but you can take the housing apart carefully and resolder the connections. One poster on 986forum ("Jinster"), who also posts here was even able to re-flow the solder to those joints WITHOUT taking the housing apart.

Here is a photo of the inside of the assembly (courtesy of "sb01Box"):

Regards, Maurice.

Where is that assembly -- is it behind the door panel -- back along the end of the door?

I've taken a couple doors apart -- but its been awhile and it was for something else (broken cable)

thanks,

mike

I have a very similar problem. Only the driver's side window. It lowers when I open the door, but it then goes back up again before I can close the door. So I end up banging the top window edge against the plastic covertible strut all the time. Does yours do that? And where would this micro switch be located?

I know this was a long time ago -- but my sister-in-laws car did this tonite.

what was the solution?

m

Not sure if all this math is sound (no pun intended):

Knowing that the revolutions of the cams are 1/2 that of the crankshaft.

At idle ~800rpm is ~13.3 r p s

IF it was a valve lifter -- the frequency would be 1/2 that.or about 6.6 times a second.

If I got my math right -- can you determine how many clicks there are and isolate it from there?

Has the car been tracked? IS there any chance you spun a bearing?

Mike

It is definitely not normal, I'd start by checking the other mounts to see if they look beat, I'd also connect a scanner with real time PID capture capabilities and run the car through the problem "zone" a couple of times to see what the sensors are saying........

Agree -- this is not normal.

The vario cams kick in at this point.. Is it possible one side it working (or slow to work) but the other not? Sort of throwing things off balance if you will.

Mike

99 996 with reverse mirror.

Seems to do its tilt when put in reverse but does not return to proper position,

although it I can remotely reposition from drivers door/A pillar controls.

thanks,

Mike

I don't know what the percentages really are, but I can speak from my own experience. I recently had a IMS bearing failure on my 2003 911 with 59k miles on the clock. The vehicle has been well cared for and not tracked or abused. The bearing damaged the snap ring and welded it to the intermediate shaft, so the engine will probably need a complete rebuild, even though I shut the car down and soon as I heard the noise. As a more cost effective solution, I am considering Motormeister (no affiliation) in California to do the rebuild. Are there any other companies in the states that rebuild these engines?

thanks,

j

We can either do a rebuild for you or sell you a replacement --

I have several references if you go the rebuild route.

I have a three 996 engines already in flight --

One ready to go out the door is

an '02 with 30K miles -- IMSR, AOS, Water Pump, Belt, Plugs.

There was nothing wrong with the engine -- I bought it from an

estate that was in the midst of a boxster upgrade but

never got to the engine swap before the owner passed.

The reason I haven't sold any of the 996 engines is that we only sell engines

that are fully tested and our test mule for 996 engines

is not finished.

We've been too focused on customer rebuilds where we have the complete car to

actually get to the test mule.

contact me offline or PM me and we can talk details.

Mike in Austin, Texas

mike@lonestarrpm.com

512-560-4603

Charles-

Thank you for taking the time to do this. I did some studying today myself of a vane type 3.2 Boxster engine and heads, and thoroughly studied the oil flow through the case up to the head and hydraulic solenoid. All of the oil feed to the heads is up through the head bolt bores, and then there are passages machined in the head in the bores to feed oil to wherever it has to go. In the case of the vane cell oil feed, it has its own feed from the upper head bolt nearest the adjuster.

As you can see in the pictures I took, these passages are quite large, and there's really no way that anything could clog these up, and if any debris did get through (up from the bearing carrier), it would have lodged in the finger screen before the solenoid, which again, has been clean each time I've had it out. Further, since this oil comes off the bearing carrier, if there was any starvation issues they would have to be present at a main bearing journal, and if that was the case, the motor would have spun a bearing a LONG time ago.

Examining the head gaskets, no matter how you put the gasket on, or what version of gasket was used, there'd be no way to partially plug up the feed hole, so I think that rules that possibility out.

The 3.6 engine this all started with was intact, and had not suffered a failure, it was merely semi high mileage (75K or so). I did not source parts from several motors to complete this, nor did the motor blow up prior. However, maybe it is time to pull the cams from the engine and swap out vane cell adjusters. I would, however, like to find a way to inspect that oil passage in the head for damage (and obviously contamination), but I have no idea where to get a borescope that small.

I don't think an RPM switch would work for this, as it needs multiple inputs. People have used that type of system to trigger the valve LIFT function, but that would not really work for the valve advance. There is no problem with the valve lift functionality. I have to assume, however, that when a tuner was writing a map for this thing, that the advance could easily be disabled below a certain RPM.

Does anyone know of available of "normal" cams and solid lifters?

Could you perform some sort of pressure testing on the oil galleys?

mike

Got an '00 s.

there are times when I get a ticking noise -- sort of sounds like the normal sewing machine -- but about 4 times as loud.

follows the RPMs

However it is inconsistent -- been going off/on for over a year.

I notice it more often towards the end of my oil life (about 6 miles). -- at least i think this true.

Seems worse with thinner oil /30W, vs /40w or /50w, but still occurs with thicker oil too.

Seems worse if I have less oil (I had a slow leak which I have fixed), so when/if I topped it off -- it would be better for a bit (or so it would seem)

When it is occurring -- it usually is noticed after driving at least 10 minutes. Engine/oil warm?

very noticable when it reflects off a wall or a barrier.

No performance issues that I can tell.

Even today at the shop -- had it running specifically to look/listen to it -- wouldn't do it. Even after idling for 5-10 minutes. Engine was warm. Oil ok, but on the low side.

20 minute drive home -- it was ticking when I pulled into the garage. I think its more pronounced on driver side,

but I think I can here it from both sides. Not sure.

thanks,

Mike

Going in to valve train , would that require pulling the engine and thus big bucks? Thanks.

I know it has been a while -- what was the end result?

Looking at a 928S4 in the Phoenix area.

Looking for a member that might be interested in checking it out -- or a PPI recommendation.

Pix and story look good -- but I'm about 1000 miles away :-)

contact mike@lonestarrpm.com

thanks,

Mike