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Engine Failure in 996

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YOUR RESEARCHEngine Failure in 996

Leading reported evidence

Check filter

Performed · outcome unconfirmed

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Performed · outcome unconfirmed

I always checked the old filter for debris...never saw anything out of the ordinary.

Engine Failure in 996
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Leading evidence: 'Check filter' (no explicit attributable resolution; this is a reported action or suggestion). Across 1 matching discussions, the most frequently mentioned possible cause is 'ims' (1 discussions; 0 report identifying it and 1 suggest it). The most frequently discussed action is 'Check filter' (1 discussions). For that action, 0 discussions report a resolution and 0 report an unsuccessful attempt. No action has an explicit, attributable resolution report under the current rules. These are forum reports and suggestions, not a confirmed diagnosis.

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Install (ouch

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Performed · outcome unconfirmed · Original poster

$14k installed (ouch!)

Engine Failure in 996

Install on two cars

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Performed · outcome unconfirmed

Now I am curious since I've had two LN Retrofits installed on two cars.

Engine Failure in 996

Replace can be "rebuilt"

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Performed · outcome unconfirmed

Anything that's taken apart, cleaned up, and has a few worn parts replaced can be "rebuilt".

Engine Failure in 996

Replace engine in my mk i due

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Performed · outcome unconfirmed

I recently replaced the engine in my Mk I due to a catastrophic failure.

Engine Failure in 996
Frequently discussed actions (10)

These are separate views of the same evidence. Frequency alone does not establish a fix, and these counts must not be added together.

Check filter

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Performed · outcome unconfirmed

I always checked the old filter for debris...never saw anything out of the ordinary.

Engine Failure in 996

Check various parameters

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Suggestion

Proper maintenance and checking various parameters with a Durametric will keep you ahead of the ballgame (hopefully).

Engine Failure in 996

Install (ouch

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Performed · outcome unconfirmed · Original poster

$14k installed (ouch!)

Engine Failure in 996

Install on two cars

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Performed · outcome unconfirmed

Now I am curious since I've had two LN Retrofits installed on two cars.

Engine Failure in 996

Recommend not putting in more money into your car

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Suggestion

Also, I recommend not putting in more money into your car.

Engine Failure in 996

Repair refresh, and rebuild

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Suggestion

There is a huge difference between repair, refresh, and rebuild.

Engine Failure in 996

Repair the cost will be a lot less

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Suggestion

If it can be repaired, the cost will be a lot less.

Engine Failure in 996

Replace can be "rebuilt"

No successful repair reported for this finding.

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Performed · outcome unconfirmed

Anything that's taken apart, cleaned up, and has a few worn parts replaced can be "rebuilt".

Engine Failure in 996

Replace engine in my mk i due

No successful repair reported for this finding.

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Discussions that performed work without a confirmed outcome
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Performed · outcome unconfirmed

I recently replaced the engine in my Mk I due to a catastrophic failure.

Engine Failure in 996

Replace intervals

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Suggestion

Oil change intervals?

Engine Failure in 996
Reported and suspected causes (1)

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ims

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Suspected cause

That being said, I suspect IMS.

Engine Failure in 996
Coverage and how to read this overview

Counts describe captured discussions, not unique people or a diagnosis. Author identities are not reliably stored. Exact duplicate evidence is counted once across matching discussions; one discussion counts at most once per action/state. Multiple repairs reported together remain a combination. Suggestions and failed attempts do not establish a fix. Matches cover whole discussions and can include related faults, model variants and incomplete threads.

80 eligible posts · 0 unverified posts · 1 discussions match the subject in their title or opening post.

  • Rennlist: 1 discussions

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Generation: 20261026T142254Z · outcome-qualification-6. Deterministic extraction; no AI model inference. How we use sources

POST 1 / ORIGINAL POSTEROriginal post

Found out this morning my 2004 Carrera had catastrophic engine failure. The timing chain broke. Just lovely. I'm sick. Anyone know how to find out what it's worth as a "roller"? I'm trying to weigh my options. Indy thinks rebuilt engine with warranty will be approx. $14k installed (ouch!) Sell as a roller and walk away.

POST 2Original post

Quotes source post: 16114785

Don't sell, fix it! A crate engine from Porsche is around $7K, get some buddies to help you put it in.

POST 3Original post

Quotes source post: 16114795

^^^ How about some real data to back up that claim ?^^^

POST 4Original post

Quotes source post: 16114785

Very sorry to hear this. How many miles and how/when did it happen? Just cruising? I have seen the insides of one that had a broken chain and it was mostly just small pieces of shrapnel.

POST 5 / ORIGINAL POSTEROriginal post

I have 96k on her. Did a 40 minute drive home from dinner, stopped at grocery for a quick 5 minutes. No warning or sounds whatsoever. Upon re-start...all hell broke loose. Engine immediately sounded like metal on metal. So not good.

POST 6Original post

Quotes source post: 16114859

It's certainly possible, but it's hard to believe there was "no warning or sounds whatsoever". This is not to say that you're lying, just that maybe you missed something that wasn't so obvious. Regardless of the cause, the result sucks big time. I hope you get it figured out in the least painful way.

POST 7Original post

Quotes source post: 16114795

If anything that's probably just a short block. Seems like I remember Porsche offering short blocks for around that amount.

POST 8Original post

Quotes source post: 16114859

Sorry to hear about that! I think it's the worst nightmare around these M96 parts. Can you tell us more about your ownership that led up to this failure? How long you've owned it. What kind of service you do on it? Oil change intervals? Minor repairs? ... any preventive maintenance (e.g. water pump, AOS, RMS, or IMS bearing)?

POST 9Original post

Quotes source post: 16114806

Just called my local dealer, short block is the only thing available, it's $7200 (plus a core charge). So I guess OP is about right with $14K, got to rebuild or get some heads. And Raby's about $20K from what I've read here on the forum. Anyone know where OP can get a complete engine?

POST 10Original post

it was at idle when the engine fell apart supposedly.... could you likely salvage the existing heads with some new valves and seats?

POST 11Original post

Quotes source post: 16115003

Probably but someone will still need to take the engine apart. Might not even need seats, just some valves. My '99 has 3 bent valves when I picked it up as anon runner 7 years ago. After changing the valves the engine ran fine. Pull the sump late (oil pan) and see if there are any large metal chunks in there. If not then the engine can probably be repaired. There is a huge difference between repair, refresh, and rebuild. If it can be repaired, the cost will be a lot less.

POST 12Original post

Quotes source post: 16114975

^^^ Yup, that's more like it. FSI has a few different build levels. $20k would be very optimistic even for the street performer build. The only way to determine price with them is to speak to Jake - he doesn't post prices on the web (smart guy!).

POST 13Original post

So sorry to read of this. My roller did the same thing, no warning from what I was told. I would sell it to me cheap ($4K) or save up and have JR build it. The factory short block would be my second option but you still have all the old failure prone parts.

POST 14 / ORIGINAL POSTEROriginal post

Yep, sounds unbelievable. 40 min drive was all highway with no stop till shut it off at the grocery.

POST 15Original post

Quotes source post: 16115114

Where do you live? I'm always on the lookout for a roller. I knew I would find you in here! We're like vultures, you know?! lol

POST 16 / ORIGINAL POSTEROriginal post

Tampa. Any idea how much it's worth as a "roller"?

POST 17Original post

Sorry to hear about the misfortune. That's unfortunately the risk we take with these cars. Man, that's pretty far. In my searches, they can go from $4k to $7500. Post up some details about your car.

POST 18Original post

Ugh, another one. So sorry to hear of this. Such an occurrence would be devastating. To answer your question, as a roller $4-7k seems to be the going rate. Id give it a few days before you make any decisions, but since someone else in this thread asked if anyone knew of a complete motor for sale, I though I�d offer up the link below (no affiliation, just trying to provide options)... https://www.6speedonline.com/forums/...84k-miles.html

POST 19Original post

Quotes source post: 16114859

I'm curious why and how this happens. Warn chain guides and or Chain tensioners ? What RPM do you normally drive and what RPM do you shift? Does low RPM shifting cause added stress on the chains?

POST 20Original post

Quotes source post: 16114913

Happens all the time. I lost the engine in my 2001 Boxster (68K miles) last Thursday in NC on the way to a Porsche event. I was 10 miles from the hotel just cruising along. Heard a muffled noise for a second or two then the dashboard lit up, engine shut down and that was it.

POST 22Original post

Sorry to hear it (again)! That's the 2nd report of an engine failure in a 996 that I've seen/read in just a few days and it's got me spooked. Makes me just want to flip the 2000 C4 Cab that I just bought a couple of wks ago Bought it cheap and should still be able to make a few $k on it, even after paying for tax/reg and an oil/filter change, but not if spend any more on it. These problems have definitely got me thinking . . .

POST 23Original post

I made an appointment to get the IMS solution put into my car ($4000 cdn), but these failures are also spooking me. Spend 4 grand to just have something else blow up anyway ... ugh ...

POST 24Original post

Quotes source post: 16115410

Dont know, yet. AAAPremiere has a 200 mile towing limit and I was further than that from home when the engine failed. But, my farm in NC was inside the limit so had it towed there. The car is three hours away from me now and I have commitments this weekend and travel for work next week so it will be a while before I can get the car. That being said, I suspect IMS. But, it could be any one or a combination of the 31 failure modes.

POST 25Original post

Quotes source post: 16115423

I spent months doing my homework and knew the risks before pulling the trigger. Proper maintenance and checking various parameters with a Durametric will keep you ahead of the ballgame (hopefully). But some cars just fail with no warning at all.

POST 26Original post

Quotes source post: 16115444

How many miles on the motor? Have you ever dropped your sump?

POST 27Original post

Quotes source post: 16115526

I did my research too (over the years that I've been looking for one) but it's the "just fail w/no warning at all" even if you've taken proper care of it that's got me spooked. I've got the money to rebuild the engine if it became necessary but who even wants to worry about that? And we're not even talking about the IMS. We're talking about timing chain failures in the 2 most recent engine blow ups and that really wasn't on my radar; only the IMS was. So, I will have to give some serious thought to flipping my 996 to avoid the need to worry about it. My MR2 Spyder has given me 15 years of problem and carefree use and, while it's not a 996, it is a rag top 2 seater that tracks like it's on rails and is a heck of a lot of fun to drive even if it is down on power. The plan was actually to sell the MR2 after I got the 996 but the way it looks, I just might sell the 996 and keep the MR2. We'll see . . .

POST 28Original post

This is why I've been recommending people buy rollers and have the engine rebuilt the right way. If you're not a 996 enthusiast AND willing to spend $35k to have it fixed up, you're running a huge gamble. If you spend the ~$35k, you can have yourself a pretty reliable 911. It will be cheaper in the long run, too. The lower prices are luring in people.

POST 29Original post

Quotes source post: 16115547

That was exactly my plan when I bought my roller. Long term plan was to send the motor to JR once I eliminated the LS route, then a member messaged me about a good running, low mile factory replacement that was being parted out, so I rolled the dice and so far it's been a blast to drive...I hope it keeps on keeping on as I bring the rest of the car back up to date. Suspension work is next on the list. I love this car and will keep it for as long as I'm able to drive!

POST 30Original post

Quotes source post: 16115536

The car has 170 000 km now. The motor was replaced with another 99 mother when the car had 90 000 km. Mileage on the motor when it went in is not known (work was done in Japan). Porsche says to leave it alone, and not do anything until the clutch needs to be done (Lol, my car is an automatic ...). It is not known if the IMS was replaced at that point, but PO said it was. Also not known if the IMS is Porsche or aftermarket. $4000 cdn is a hefty price to pay. Bump that up to $5500 cdn if I want to do the RMS. RMS is not leaking at all. I have not had the sump dropped.

POST 31Original post

Quotes source post: 16115672

You have a bad quote on the addition of the RMS. If you/they are in there for the IMSB, the RMS is not a big deal. $250 additional, tops.

POST 32Original post

Quotes source post: 16115672

RMS could be leaking even if it's not yet showing from the outside. You are getting price gauged on that! Takes 15- 20 min max (with engine out) to change and the part is ($25.00) cheap...I suggest you research all replacement parts cost if you're not doing your own work.

POST 33Original post

Im kind ofstuck with these guys if i want the IMS solution as they are the only ones in the province approved to install it ...

POST 34Original post

Quotes source post: 16115801

Educate yourself and then question them in a friendly way...Let them know you know what the parts cost and what's involved in the process. Looks like they are charging you twice to drop the motor. Maalco, sorry for the thread drift. Jim this should be discussed in your own thread.

POST 35Original post

Jake is the best but his 12 month wait time and open checkbook for a DD is not right for many of us. Talk to local PCA members in you town and find a good indy. Sorry to hear the news.

POST 36Original post

$4k canadian is inexpensive. Factor in the clutch $1000, maybe flywheel $1400. I had them replace water pump and coolant too, thermostat and AOS. $8k canadian $6000 us

POST 37Original post

Sorry to hear about your engine troubles, OP. Like many here, I'd like to hear more details regarding the cause of the failure. My 996 is currently in the shop with engine troubles (broken oil scavenging pump and intake valve spring). Mike

POST 38Original post

Quotes source post: 16115539

DO NOT SELL THE SPYDER, with the 996 you have 2 choices, drive enjoy till the (wheels or engine fall, could happen in 1 month or 10 years?) or sell it and buy a 2010 and up

POST 39Original post

Quotes source post: 16115684

The rear main seal is a $40 part and takes less than half an hour to replace when the flywheel is already off. $250 extra is a huge overcharge.

POST 40Original post

Boy, the more I read these days, the more dismal the 996 ownership thing becomes. I believe 2 this week on this board and 1 on the 986 board. Now I am curious since I've had two LN Retrofits installed on two cars. Both by certified installers with no problems to date. My question is, the Retrofit has now been around long enough that there must be some historic data on these? What is the failure rate on these? I am hoping super low. Lastly, the IMSB was the big issue and now it seems chains are popping off. My mechanic told me to wait and get a 3 chain due to reliability and then I've read here 5 chains are better and more robust. Not sure if he was talking chain specifically or engine in total. These cars seem to have more do's and don'ts. Is there any preventative stuff we can do regarding chains? If it wasn't for the sales tax I just paid, I would definitely get rid of mine now. The thought of a car losing 2/3's of it value due to some flaw is really hard to grip and dropping another 25k for a fancy rebuild just seems like I should have bought a turbo. What is a 02 guard red C4S roller worth?

POST 41Original post

Quotes source post: 16115475

^^^ Future "Barn Find" right there

POST 42Original post

Quotes source post: 16115373

Yeah, I get it, but my point was more that I bet there are tell tale symptoms, noises etc. (albeit very subtle) that are generally dismissed out of hand as "normal"... until something like this happens. One I can think of right off the bat is, chain noise when starting the engine. It pretty much happens on all these engines good or bad when starting - maybe in some cases there is damage being done unbeknownst to us? Maybe once the chain pads wear, the chains start to contact the metal parts of the tensioners causing said damage/wear. Or, perhaps there was a batch of bad chains that just give up the ghost without warning - this is the most disconcerting possibility, and the one that just scares the crap out of everyone

POST 43Original post

Quotes source post: 16116807

Agreed. But it's still a hell of a lot closer to reality than the quote of $1500 extra. I also know those Canadian doellers don't go as far as US dollars.

POST 44Original post

Quotes source post: 16117018

I'd like to hear some answers to these questions as well. I need to decide whether I want to "invest" anymore $ in my 996 to fix various things that need to (but do not "have" to be) fixed or just sell it "as is" (which is how I got it) in order to avoid the need to worry about the engine blowing up on me unexpectedly. Don't even have the pink slip yet and am going on a 2 week trip overseas in a couple of days. So, any decision will have to wait til I get back.

POST 45Original post

Quotes source post: 16117130

Not necessarily any symptoms. The link breaks and the engine is toast within one or two revolutions of the crank. Assuming the rpms were at 1500 when starting the car in the parking lot, that's 0.08 seconds before valve heads are being broken off. From all the posts I have read, chain failures are most common in the three chain 3.6, and the 2002 model in particular.

POST 46Original post

Quotes source post: 16117018

Mine had a LN IMS bearing bearing installed in 2012. Yes...it was two years past the bearing service life. Totally my fault and no one else. of course, I'm assuming an IMS failure. I don't know the cause at this point. If there is a next time, I'll spend the money for the permanent solution. One of the reasons I would do that is that I am not hard on a clutch. So, unless a RMS is leaking I won't need to separate the engine and transmission during my ownership. The service life will expire before my clutch.

POST 47Original post

Quotes source post: 16117130

As a multiple 996 and 986 owner, I can tell you that every one I have owned makes noise at startup. In my opinion they all sound like they are falling apart. Does the engine sound more "self destructive" one day than the next? Hard to tell. How long the motor sits between starting has a lot to with it. A warm start with the tensioners still full of oil sounds much better than the winter cold start after sitting a couple of weeks. I once had a Maserati with a pre oiler (like many airplanes have) and it made a big difference on startup by reducing timing chain noise and, hopefully, wear.

POST 48Original post

Thanks for responding. How many miles you put on the new IMSB? Did you change oil frequently.

POST 49Original post

Quotes source post: 16117839

I bought the car with it already installed. I put a little over 10,000 miles on it in since May 2016. Oil was changed every 6 to 8 months by me with DT-40. I always checked the old filter for debris...never saw anything out of the ordinary.

POST 50Original post

This engine has been on Craigslist for awhile. I can check for you. Its outside of Philly in great area to give you a idea of area. I don’t know them from Adam but you could sell trans to offset and you old engine. Good luck with your car here is link. https://philadelphia.craigslist.org/...979398612.html

POST 51Original post

Quotes source post: 16117984

Says it needs a rebuild. That's not going to help him, unfortunately

POST 52Original post

If he needed a case it would. Maybe he can decide what’s good for him. I’m just throwing it out there.

POST 53Original post

Quotes source post: 16118100

No, it won't help because it's a 3.4 and his is a 3.6 with no case damage. Good try though.

POST 54Original post

Quotes source post: 16117591

Ask yourself this question. If you drove your car right now and the engine blew, where would that leave you? If it would cause you major problems as far as financially or not being able to go with a proper rebuild, get rid of it. I will keep saying it. These cars aren't for just anybody. There was no way I was going to buy a running one and pay what they are going for now. Too much money for an unreliable car. Also, I recommend not putting in more money into your car. You run the risk of increasing your losses if the engine dies. Nothing you do will minimize the chances of the engine blowing.

POST 55Original post

Chain noise on start up can be the hydraulic chain tensioner getting worn and taking a few seconds to re pressurise, like a lifter they are supposed to hold pressure but can leak down with age, I suppose this could cause stress on the chains as they rattle for a few seconds! Two of the three tensioners are so easy to change aswel, the ims chain tensioner and the bank 1-3 tensioner are underneath the engine just behind the oil pan, on the five chain you only have to set engine at TDC then just remove and replace , porsche revised this part about 4 times so if you got an early car, your tensioners are 1 old and 2 obsolete, I did these on my car to help with start up rattle and it has helped , just need to do bank 4-6 but unfortunately that one is on top of the engine under the power steering pump so is an **** to do!! Not expensive either , tensioners run at about �75 each so get it done !!

POST 56Original post

Quotes source post: 16115539

The thing about forums is selection bias and an insignificant sample size. Your MR2 was problem free. A coworker of mine went through 3 engines before selling his as a roller. A problem that only occurs 1% of the time still happens to about 1000 911s per year. In the end, chance plays a role.

POST 57Original post

Quotes source post: 16119143

My point was not to say that MR2s (as a group) were more reliable than 996s but that that the MR2 that I've got has NOT given me any problems whatsoever in 15 years and I don't need to buy any car (996 or otherwise) that could cause me major problems even if I do everything to properly maintain and run it.

POST 58Original post

Quotes source post: 16118668

I have the $ to "fix" the 996 if the engine blows but obviously it is something that I would not want to spend $ on. It's not just the $, it's the time and aggravation that comes w/it that is also off-putting. I have had "problem" cars in the past and just dumped them when they started to cost me $. That's easy if the problems are relatively minor but not if an engine blows. I'm already leaning towards not putting any more $ in it (not even to buy an extra key) and just dumping it as soon as I receive the pink slip. As much as I like the car, I've got another 2 seater that I can drive w/has never caused me any problems, and it's just not worth the worry to hang on to the 996 if the engine could blow up on up even if I do everything to service/maintain it properly. With 90k miles on it, it's in great shape cosmetically and mechanically (IMS upgrade and new clutch installed 3 yrs and only 5k miles ago) w/only a few problems know to me that I have already fully disclosed/discussed here on the forum. If anyone in the SF Bay Area is interested in it, send me a PM to discuss it b4 I list it for sale elsewhere.

POST 59Original post

Quotes source post: 16119356

What I'm saying is then prepare to never buy another car, because every single car could give you a major problem no matter what you do.

POST 60Original post

Quotes source post: 16119407

996 non-turbo or GT typical purchase and two years maintenance $30-35k, with those very lucky $18k and very unlucky $50k. Buyer choice of used vehicle moves average and low and high costs; Toyota down Ferrari up etc. After choice of vehicle type and depth of pre-purchase inspection control of outcome leaves buyer's hands and becomes an almost complete gamble. Owning a vehicle costs money and buyer has to decide if joy of driving 996 matches their financial resources, and we never know if our gamble pays off until we sell and pass risk on to next owner. .

POST 61Original post

Quotes source post: 16119407

I'vet purchased/leased about 100 vehicles of all types (cars, trucks, motorcycles and big rig tractors) during the 53 years that I have been licensed to drive and have NEVER had a serious problem w/any of them. So, I think that know a few things about buying/driving cars but . . . I've never purchased a vehicle like the 2000 C4 Cab that I just bought, where other owners of the line (like the 996) have so often reported that their engines blew up, not even the BMW 335i in which early versions reportedly had major problems w/turbo failures & waste gate rattles that could also cause engine failures. So, it's not as though I'm not willing to a risk on a car w/an unfavorable "reliability" reputation. My 335i BTW has also caused me NO problems in the 6 years that I've owned it. It just disconcerting to hear these 996 engine failure stories so soon after I purchased mine, which have NOTHING to do w/the IMS "problem" that I was aware of but with the timing chain that I never heard of before. I may or may not get over it. Time will tell . . .

POST 62Original post

Quotes source post: 16120001

I spent months reading researching the 996 before I bought mine (as a roller) and am curious if you did any research or just bought it on a whim without a PPI? Do you know why the previous owner sold and did it have any service history? There are some simple things to check, replace and track that will greatly reduce the risk of engine failure.

POST 63Original post

Quotes source post: 16120413

Let's make something clear. There is NOTHING mechanically wrong, as far as I know, with the 996 that I bought. There is a problem w/the CLS, the driver's side window regulator and the hydraulic cylinders for the roof may need replacement but, as far as the engine goes, it's running well (so far). My current concerns about the car.relate to the recent reports of 996 engine failures posted on this forum that are apparently due to timing chain malfunctions. I was well aware of the widely reported IMS problem and received service records proving that that work was done before I bought the car. However, I was NOT previously aware that 996 engine failures can be caused by other things (like timing chains) that cannot be detected or prevented by means of normal maintenance and service. My prior ignorance of this possibility is "on me" but now that I know about it, I have to decide what, if anything, to do about it. The choice may be to sell the car as soon as I get the pink slip in my hands to simply avoid needing to worry about the possibility of such an engine failure happening to my car, especially since I also own another fully reliable 2 seater that has never given me any such cause for concern. I haven't decided sell the 996 yet but I am DEFINITELY thinking about it. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- BTW, your quotation of my prior post is incorrect. I did not state "Once I get this one all dialed in I'd like to get a second (TIP) for the wife..." My 996 is an MT (not a TIP) and I don't have a wife. Thank goodness for both. LOL!

POST 64Original post

I bought a 2003 six months ago with 98k miles on it. Good service records came with the car. Have put over 5k miles on it in the past 6 months and am absolutely loving it. No reason to be unduly concerned. This engine like all high performance engines have some traits that bear monitoring but the driving the car makes it worthwhile. I put on a spin on filter adapter, magnetic plug and will monitor the oil. AND drive it whenever I can. Life is too short to overanalyze this. Enjoy the drive.

POST 65Original post

Quotes source post: 16121023

One of the main things I see with these cars is that people don't really start learning about them until AFTER they buy them - me included! Of course I had a rudimentary knowledge of Porsche cars in general - I knew the difference between a 911 and others, I knew the difference between water cooled and air cooled cars, body styles, turbo's etc. I really knew nothing specifically about the M96, it's different iterations, or it's many documented modes of failure... None of this would have kept me from buying the car I bought, but I certainly would have been better prepared to deal with the issues I've had. Good luck!

POST 66Original post

Just a reminder how 996 with a slightly different engine can go. Maybe those that blew up were beat and never maintenanced , some M96 are in the 150k range and Originial Engine still. Here is a one that proofs the 996 generation isn’t as bad as people think https://www.roadandtrack.com/car-cul...0-miles-on-it/ i last saw he put more more mileage on it So if you ask me the 996 is a great car .

POST 67Original post

Quotes source post: 16122684

I agree, the 996 is a great generation of Porsche cars, but you must understand the design differences between say a M96.03 versus the Mezger M96.70 for example. Totally two different engine platforms. Unfortunately, the reputation of all of the M96 cars have been stained by the IMS bearing fiasco. Partly because of how Porsche handled the whole matter. For base M96 Carrera owners, my best advice would be to not stick your head in the sand, but be prepared to address known failures points on these engines. Don't let that stop you from having fun in the car. These are still great 911 cars, go out and drive! Just make sure you have road side assistance in your insurance policy. You think I'm kidding?

POST 68Original post

Yep.. 2/3 of the submission tickets that come in here from failures are in the category "I just bought a Porsche, and I need help". Then it starts out "I bought this car 3 weeks ago, and something has failed......" Here's the most recent one from over the weekend: "Hey guys I think unfortunately I have a cylinder problem. I bought my car 2 months ago and it developed what sounded to me like a litter problem. Now one tail pipe is dark and after reading more about the common problems I am convinced I have a scoured cylinder. If I pull my engine and ship it to you what would be the price range to fix this issue?"

POST 69Original post

Quotes source post: 16122567

My dad bought mine as the second owner back in 2005. The prior owner had an engine replaced under warranty at 35k miles and immediately traded it in to the dealer. Since then my dad used it as a daily for several years, then my brother used it as a track car, now I'm using it as a daily. Here we are 14 years later at 107k miles and no engine problems. This car was always maintained by the book, meaning not only no less than the book calls for, but also no more than the book calls for.

POST 70 / ORIGINAL POSTEROriginal post

So - I found someone to help me get a rebuilt engine at a cheaper total price than the first Indy quoted. Here's my question: Me being not an informed fella on engines (much of what y'all posted went over my head) ---> Am I better selling the car once repaired? Get few more $$ since it'll have a new engine? Or perhaps driving it for a while since the motor will have a warranty?

POST 71Original post

Quotes source post: 16123081

That's such a loaded question...How much for the rebuild (you most likely won't recoup the cost) and what exactly is included in the rebuild. Who's the rebuilder and what's the warranty? How much did you pay for the car plus the cost of the work still equals a $17-$20K car.

POST 72Original post

The term "rebuilt' is broad spectrum. Anything that's taken apart, cleaned up, and has a few worn parts replaced can be "rebuilt". Get a list of EXACTLY what processes are done, what is replaced, and what replacement parts are used. The same for processes, and machining. Keep in mind that the uninformed buyer is the perfect prey for the predators out there that need an engine for one of these cars. If you don't understand, you better understand before you make the purchase. I hear "if I knew then, what I know now, I would have never bought the engine that's in my car now" all the time. The most expensive Porsche engine you'll ever buy, is the cheapest one that you can find.

POST 73Original post

Quotes source post: 16123078

Knowing what we now know about 996 ownership, I think the OP could get the short block from the dealer, get full credit for the core(they are not expecting a pristine core, just a block without holes in it) have the heads inspected, cleaned and a some valves replaced and have a car that would provide them with years of driving enjoyment for less than $12k, all in. The folks who say that your buying a new Porsche motor with the same problems I would have to disagree. You are buying a M96 motor with everything Porsche has learned about the failures. all of the 2006+ upgrades are in the short block, including a larger bearing and a 2 year warranty........... Is this a direct alternative to a Raby motor, of course not. But if i invested in a Jake Raby Motor I would be damn sure to get agreed value insurance on the car due to the investment. You can have an idiot run a light with a Raby motor our back or a new porsche short block.

POST 74Original post

I recently replaced the engine in my Mk I due to a catastrophic failure. I chose a fully rebuilt engine from a well known builder in Southern California. In the process I learned several sensible additional steps; i.e., "while we're in there" stuff. For example, I had the coolant tank replaced and I had a re-built alternator installed. Both of these items are pretty easy to install with the re-built engine still on the pallet. But real bastards to replace once the engine is installed! Maybe I wasted some money, but my '99 had 96K miles on it and both replaced parts were original. Meanwhile, the car now drives like a new one, and I sleep better. relinuca

POST 75Original post

Alternators are easy to change when the engine is in the car.

POST 76Original post

Quotes source post: 16123081

Which subsequent plan of action is "best" can only be answered by you. Perhaps the process to get it back on the road will be so vexing you'll be chomping at the bit to get rid of it.... or maybe it will be so fun bringing it back to life you'll never want to part with it. Your's is a question relating to passion... there is no other factor here, as simple logic would be to dump the car now, by a Honda and never look back. These cars are born out of motorsport, they're built to high tolerances that translate into fun machines. They are not built to be uber reliable daily drivers that can rack up 400k miles with only a few sets of tires and annual oil changes to show for it. But before you plunk down your money on this rebuilt motor, I totally echo what Flat6 Innovations recommends above (and why wouldn't I, they know more about these motors than just about anyone). For any motor (rebuilt or otherwise) I'd always wanna know (at the very least) the following: 1. Why was the motor pulled? 2. What's been replaced and do you have receipts for all work done? 3. What known needs does the motor have? If they can't speak candidly and intelligently to all, I'd move on. If they can, insight gained will have you a far more informed buyer. And while I posted this earlier in this thread, I'm posting again in case you missed it: https://www.6speedonline.com/forums/...84k-miles.html I have no affiliation w/ the seller, simply trying to provide options for you. Obviously, the advice above would hold true for this or any other replacement motor you consider.

POST 77Original post

Quotes source post: 16119366

Clearly, as expressed here and in another thread, you seem to be a guy looking for guarantees....there are non to be had here (or in any other car forum). There are no guarantees with any generation of automobile in its 20th year of existence and, especially, not in this series. The reality is that Porsche dramatically changed the way they designed and built cars and this series suffered for it. Sure, I worry about the future of my 2000 C2 cab....but I'm grinning like an idiot while I drive it anyway.

POST 78Original post

Quotes source post: 16125710

And it's still the best bang for the buck in 911 land!

POST 79Original post

There seem to be three major factors at play that determine engine longevity; maintenance, how it's driven (infrequently, cold weather starts, revving engine with cold oil, etc), and luck. My 1999 was purchased new from Brumos Porsche in April or May 1998 by Michelin Research and Development. It had a full roll cage installed, along with wheel studs, jacking points, X51 baffle, Euro GT3 seats, and a couple of other things I can't think of off the top of my head. It spent the first 42k miles as a tire testing track car at their facility in Spartanburg SC. My driving instructor knows one of the guys who drove it at Michelin and he said it was driven hard. The second owner put mostly interstate miles on it between Greenville SC and Spartanburg, but he liked to drive fast. He said he had it up to 168 mph at one time. When I bought the car from him, he took me for a ride in his Audi S4 and we were going 110 on the back roads, so I tend to believe him. The car is maxed out on level 1 over-revs (something over three minutes total at red line) and 3.1 seconds total over red line (very early in the cars life according to the Durametric data). I have tracked it a Road Atlanta multiple times. It now has 92k miles on the original engine. My point is that these engines are not as fragile as they appear in the forums, because the forum threads deal primarily with mechanical and electrical failures of some sort, including the dreaded engine failure. Will my engine die at some point? Absolutely. It's mechanical with lots of moving parts. In my case, since I track it, the failure will probably be catastrophic. Does it keep me awake at night? No. I paid cash for it and it's my toy. If it dies, I won't be making payments on a dead car, which could keep me up at night. 🙂 My advise, if you really want a 911, would be to have a thorough PPI done, buy it, do the necessary preventative maintenance to get it in the best shape possible, and drive it. My 996 is a ton of fun to me. I like to drive it after driving my F250 SD. The 996 feels like a go kart.

POST 80Original post

Quotes source post: 16123149

Jake hit this right on the head. Rebuilt is such a wide description. I've seen countless engines that were "rebuilt" and then needed another rebuild less than a year later. Incorrect pistons, incorrect rings, incorrect clearances... the list goes on. Not to mention builders that reused case halves as is. They are always out of round and have excessive taper, but ignorance is bliss when most don't own precision measurement tools like dial bore gauges and profilometers. That's just focusing on one single aspect. I've read the fine print from other rebuilders as to what they re-use and actually replace and some are little more than silver spray paint and STP. Caveat emptor - you get what you pay for.

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