c70Pete

http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/coupes...provements.html

looks like Porsche has had enough engine failures and chosen to follow new 997.2 engine modifications and apply them to the Cayman S 3.4 !!

this should be one quick car... but I think they kept the gear ratio slightly taller than the 997..... in PDK apparently its a rocket!!

lets see how good this engine is or if another "new" engine brings "new" problems !!

fingers crossed.

C70pete and Loren,

Yes, it was intermittent rattling and not a ticking. Also, it did not increase in frequency with RPM increase (although it would be very difficult to hear the rattling over a revving engine). It sounds like the intermittent rattling may not have been caused or related to the IMS failure; it's the only unusual sound I noticed, so I guess I came to that conclusion after the fact. However, if I ever hear that sound again, I'm going straight to the mechanic. The car was absolutely silent when it failed and would not start again. I didn't observe the "bucket of bolts" sound at any time preceding or following failure. Hmmm.

Togilvie,

that's good to know.... I have a ticking and we believe it to be something lose on the exhaust manifold a bolt or so... that ticks with each exhaust pulse... were hoping its that... otherwise were looking at a bad lifter? it ticks faster as rpm increases.... its going to the shop this weekend so I'll let you guys know what we found....

Togilvie... that's exactly the symptom my car had... I have a 99c2... I think its your bearings ... does it happen on the right rear side of the car? do you still hear the tick as RPM increases or does it go away? what is the mileage of your car....

do the 3.6 engines already have this build in?

Only X51 engines.

thx Loren,

what about the 2005 and beyond 3.6 and 3.8 engines... did they have any type of oiling implements that were not present in the 2002-2004 3.6 engines?

Given the explanation above, what causes the "bump" in power at about 3,000 rpm for the 3.6 engine? (Traditionally people have said it was the variocam -- but the rpm's listed in Loren's post suggest otherwise.)

VarioCam Plus is quite different

As a Contributing Member you can read the 4 page write up in the MY2002 Technical Information Book.

Looks like I might have something a bit deeper going wrong. Sat listening to the car tick over last night and it started knocking for no reason and then stopped again after a while. Think there maybe some open heart surgery required in the new year.

Oh woe is me.

I have the same sound you have... coming out of the right rear of my car.... took it to porsche... scored cylinder #6... the explanation from a tech is probably the bearings are worn out and it causes the knocking at low rpm.... when I rev my engine past 4000 rpm the knocking disappears...

does your knocking disappear over 4000 rpm? I can't say for sure what your issue is but are you burning a lot of oil as well?

I thought suncoast porsche provided a performance oiling kit for the Carrera... cost was about $1K sounds like a worthwhile mod... I recently scored cylinder #6 at a recent track event... probably due to oil starvation...

do the 3.6 engines already have this build in?

did anybody read the article in December's issue of EXCELLENCE? - about the m96 motors... from 99 right to 2008.... ALSO BY JIM PASHA :clapping:

I guess time really shows how good an m96 motor is....

does anybody know if the 2009 3.4 caymans have an intermediate shaft?

i agree with Pete. I have a c4s which needs a new engine with 46116 kilometers. It all started with rattling on cold start. i would roll it off a cliff if i was you and save the headaches.....believe me...

a 3.6 with 46K on it and it failed? what was the diagnosis... hmm.... apparently they didn't do much between the 3.4 and 3.6.... design... I know its got more parts in it but they are still failing.... a common failure seems to be the bearings at the intermediate shaft (IMS)... .I guess that's why in the new 997.2 they have done away with IMS... cause they could never get it right...

I've read so many failures on these motors that its clear to me you won't be enjoying them for "years to come"... and what is porsche doing about it... NOTHING... making clients pay for a new motor... where companies like BMW when they had bearing failures on their E46 M3 they warrantied all these motors for 160,000 km.... now THATS standing behind your product.

get a warranty!!! you will not regret it... .the rattling sound is not good... it will manifest itself in an engine failure one day... warranty is best $$$ you will be spending... @ 123,000 km on a 3.4 I'm surprise it hasn't grenaded yet...

C70pete and Loren,

Yes, it was intermittent rattling and not a ticking. Also, it did not increase in frequency with RPM increase (although it would be very difficult to hear the rattling over a revving engine). It sounds like the intermittent rattling may not have been caused or related to the IMS failure; it's the only unusual sound I noticed, so I guess I came to that conclusion after the fact. However, if I ever hear that sound again, I'm going straight to the mechanic. The car was absolutely silent when it failed and would not start again. I didn't observe the "bucket of bolts" sound at any time preceding or following failure. Hmmm.

Togilvie,

that's good to know.... I have a ticking and we believe it to be something lose on the exhaust manifold a bolt or so... that ticks with each exhaust pulse... were hoping its that... otherwise were looking at a bad lifter? it ticks faster as rpm increases.... its going to the shop this weekend so I'll let you guys know what we found....

Now, a few weeks preceding this event, an intermittent, muffled clanking noise (hmm... like a nylon screw rattling around in a coffee can?) could be heard when inspecting an idling engine. It was sometimes difficult to hear, and sometimes the noise would cease for periods longer than a day. I do not hear this noise on my rebuilt engine, so perhaps this was the indicator. I monitored (but somewhat disregarded) this noise because it is often trumped by my ticking lifters, automatic fans, etc.

ADVICE: if you hear a similar sound, don't hesitate to take the car to an indie and inquire about this problem and preventive remedies, but note that this clanking is intermittent and is not the same as the periodic ticking noise often encountered in an old hydraulic lifter.

so it was a rattle and not a ticking.... and it did not increase in frequency i.e faster rattling or more tapping as the engine revs increased? hmmm... maybe we have a bad lifter instead?

Most of the reports that I have read say the IMS failure is immediate, you dont get any warning. Compare that with other ball bearing problems in cars or machinery, usually the faulty bearing will continue to work for a while but gradually gets noisier.

From first-hand experience - the "IMS Death Rattle" is not uncommon. I thought it was a water pump, then maybe a belt tensioner/pulley, then it just let loose and dumped 9 qts of M1 20w-50 on the garage floor. The rattle was probably present from the first time I noticed it, until it worsened over the course of 200-300 miles in a week - then it failed.

Hey Doug,

what exactly did the rattle sound like....? we have a 996 that is making a loud ticking that seems to be coming form the right rear of the car... and it gets faster as the RPM's go higher and doesn't want to go away... is this what your car sounded like?

P.

Hi,

interesting theory....

I have the ROW M030 with 17" 225/45/17 and 255/40/17.... when my rears wear I will get 265/40/17 - the ROW 030 kit dials out some of the nasty understeer found on the 911 ... but going 285 is pretty wide... you think the car will be faster with 285 in acceleration.... what percentage difference in diameter exists between 285 and 265?

I have 265/35- 18, for which 285/30-18 is a Porsche approved alternative.

Tire height is a percentage of its width, hence two "tire heights" in addition to the rim size will give total wheel/tire diameter.

The circumference is PI (~3,14) times the diameter.

The circumference of the 265/35 should be:

PI * (2 * 26,5 cm * 35% + 18" * 2,54 cm) = 201,91 cm

The circumference of the 285/30 should be:

PI * (2* 28,5 cm * 35% + 18" * 2,54 cm) = 197,35 cm

Hence replacing the 265/35-18 with 285/30-18 will reduce rolling distance by approx 2,3%.

2.3% is ok... its when you get beyond 4% its start to play havoc with the ABS system.

what model of tire are you running for 265/35/18 ? what model of tire are you gong to run for 285/30/18... ?

going wider in the rear will give you more understeer... stay with 265 in the rear

EURO M030 and GT3 sway bars are an excellent combination.... but stay away from the 285 in the rear... it will make your car slower as those tires weigh more *and* create more friction.... Michelin PS2 is a nice 18" tire that is lightweight for 265 size...

Yes, the wider rears will give more understeer, that what I wanted to counter-act with the adjustable sways.

The wider tires will provide more lateral grip, and thereby allow slightly higher corner exit speeds.

I do not think the weight difference will play make any measurable difference in how fast the car is or feels. If anything the slightly smaller tire circumference of the 285/30 compared to the 265/35 will make the car accellerate better!

Anyway, have you got the M030 / GT3 Sways combo on your car?

Hi,

interesting theory....

I have the ROW M030 with 17" 225/45/17 and 255/40/17.... when my rears wear I will get 265/40/17 - the ROW 030 kit dials out some of the nasty understeer found on the 911 ... but going 285 is pretty wide... you think the car will be faster with 285 in acceleration.... what percentage difference in diameter exists between 285 and 265?

I have a 1998 996 C2 with standard european suspension and 265/35-18 rear tires.

In order to improve grip and handling I am considering changing to:

-285/30 rear tires

-Euro M030 springs/shocks

-GT3 adjustable anti sway bars

I am thinking about the GT3 swaybars since I want to use the wider rear tires, but do not want any more understeer!

Has anybody got any experience with this combination?

going wider in the rear will give you more understeer... stay with 265 in the rear

EURO M030 and GT3 sway bars are an excellent combination.... but stay away from the 285 in the rear... it will make your car slower as those tires weigh more *and* create more friction.... Michelin PS2 is a nice 18" tire that is lightweight for 265 size...

forget headers...

go with 200 cell hi-flow cats from a reputable manufacturer like Cargraphic... then you'll see more midrange and top end...

when I bought my 99 996 I asked all the same questions and yes many will tell you if you are looking for 30-150 extra hp dont waste your time on anything but Superchargers and a 15k price tag. I thankfully did not listen. I have added some toys to my stock 996 that I have enjoyed the results from. The RSS plenum and EVOMS cold air intake woke up my sleeper 996. I just added aftermkt exhaust and even though the sounds is quite a bit louder than stock - it is a nice addition. I will consider a ECU flash to tie it all together, but so far I do not feel any loss of any power anywhere in the rpm range. My advice is this - if you want to spend some $$$ on upgrades, Go to the forums that offer group discounts/group buys to save some money. Anything for these P cars is ridiculously expensive compared to aftermkt mustang or vette parts. We as owners have a bullseye on our backs to pay more for everything because it says porsche...buyer beware.

Most importantly....have fun doing it. Remember the Twin Turbo prices are falling quick, and will continue to drop and for mid 40s low 50s you can get all the horsepower you need.....

interesting... I LOST power with the EVOMS intake on my 99 C2 and went back to the stock airbox & K&N filter with great results... I haven't tried the plenum yet...

when you flash your car with the GIAC flash I'd be interested to hear some feedback given the mods you have...

Greetings All,

New to Renntech; love the site and am very impressed by all the expertise and helpful posts available. I'm sure this has been discussed elsewhere (but I don't seem to be able to locate the relevant post). I have a 1999 C2 (6sp) with a Fabspeed performance exhaust (from cat back) fitted. Sounds great and the quality is excellent. Any suggestions for additional (mild) performance upgrades? I'm thinking of helping the engine breath better and consider putting in a cold air intake and/or revised plenum. I've read about potential problems resulting from air flow sensors effects and check engine lights. Also, would you recommend starting to think about an ECU upgrade? Thank you.

Don't waste your money, not much you can do to the engine, other that supercharger upgrade about 10K, or buy a turbo 996 instead, other than that you are going to spend a ton of money for no more than 10 HP.

Thanks for your reply and sharing your insights, Cesarfl. I'm not looking for maximum raw power here as I actually like the characteristics of the naturally aspirated engine for everyday driving. The upgrades I'm looking for make a noticeable difference at lower revs. If I end up with about 30 to 35 additional hp (incl. exhaust, air intake, plenum) and related torque gains, that's a 10 plus percent increase in total hp.

I agree I seriously doubt you will get what these folks are advertising on a normally aspirated car. In some case folks lose midrange power and torque.

I agree with Loren... I don't know about 35 hp.... change in powerband is more likely.... however..

I also have a 99 C2 with with PSE and found the GIAC ECU flash to be worthwhile upgrade... feels good after 4500 rpm and removes the lethartic spot in the 3.4 engine @ 3200 rpm....

I would recommend the GIAC flash and if that's not enough then some 200 cell hi-flow cats from Cargraphic (excellent quality) for more top end punch... the GIAC flash will adapt nicely to those cats... but that's it.. don't bother with headers.... I also don't know about the plenum... questionable.

maybe oil is leaking/sweating from your variocam seals? could that cause such a high rate of oil usage...?

Has anybody tried the Yokohama Advan AD07 on their 996? hearing good things about them but would like to hear somebody who has any track experience with these tires?

I have 17" rims on my 99 996 and plan to do about 15-20 track DE days this summer....

the stock size are 205/55/17 and 255/40/17

Is there a disadvantage go going with a wider tire size in the front... say a 215/45/17 or a 225/45/17... I checked the rolling

radius for both tires and the best match would be the 225 but the 215 ain't far off.....

will this reduce understeer in the car.. and most importantly is it safe for tracking?

Anybody try the new Bridgestone RE01-R tires... on the track?

cheers

P.

Didn't know that. Pete, you have a source in the US for them? Google just came up with European or Asian sites. I have only seen the "red box" which are the cheap ones. I would still keep a set on my tool bin that I take to the track, in case I need to swap a quick set to drive home with. I am tryin BHP front ones next weekend at CMP. Have not seen nor heard a lot about them on the forums.

I do have a source for them but if they don't have them in stock they can order them from Europe and it will take 12-16 weeks... I'm currently waiting for a set for my C70; I hear they are a great pad period so I took the plunge....

You can get them here:

Parts for Imports

ask for Mark Papadopoulos

856-665-2300

regards,

Pete

Those prices seem high to me. Check out Pelican Parts for Mintex, I think they are $37 and $47 per set, rear and fronts. I always keep a fresh set and take to the track as spares since they are so cheap. If you use on the street, they are fine, on track they will last you one day or about 250 miles or hard driving. Ask me how I know..... :drive:

www.pelicanparts.com

pelican parts doesn't carry the mintex C-tech 1144 compound... just the standard ones... you want the 1144 compound.

anybody try 200 cell cats... I hear that *is* a worthwhile upgrade and lets your engine rev faster beyond 4000 rpm....???

I had a cel today and error 1531 came out.... none the less I still drove the car around as the CEL *wasn't* flashing.... after a few starts and some mileage the CEL did not come one when I started the car...

I had the 1531 come on about 2 years ago...we cleared the CEL and it didn't come back on until today... engine seems to be fine.... if this indeed is a problem..

so now I have cruised around for a few hours with no CEL on.... any recommendations?

I would clean the wiring connector and inspect it for damage.

Thx Loren,

is this something I can do myself or does it involve extensive work...?