02' engine blown! - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

I was driving casually in rush hour traffic and my boxster stalls on me. I go it towed to an independent Porsche mechanic and they did a compression test and said that the engine is toast! Of course, the surprise big ticket quote was just icing on the cake. I thought this engine problem was reserved more for the older boxsters. Has anyone with an 02' or newer experienced this problem? Any thoughts on whether to go with a new engine or try to source a used one? Does anyone know where to look for another engine? This is the worst news ever! And I was just starting to love my boxster! Sigh...

I am so sorry for you! Sounds like classic IMS failure. Not to pour salt into the wound, but the mid-generation 986s and 987s are more prone to this failure than the early cars due to a redesign of the intermediate shaft. You can now look to a 3.4L or 3.6L replacement. There's also a company in the UK which has a permanent fix to the problem and this may also be an option being a commonwealth country and all. See: http://www.autofarm.co.uk/index . Good Luck!

I'm curious to find out the cause of the engine replacement.....

I can find anything on that webpage. It keeps on going back to the home page. What kind of fix do they have. Also, does anyone know what's involved in putting a 3.4 or 3.6 replacement? Is it a straightforward drop-in? Or do I have to replace other components like the ECU? How about the transmission, can it support the larger displacement? Any help would be appreciated.

Im curious to what happened too... Hows your coolant look? Oil? any Leaks? Will it start in Flood mode? Id say first step is to take the car to a second opinion. Also you can get a remanufactured Engine from Porsche in the sevens if you find a good dealer... the labor shouldnt cost you more than 2000, but more like 1500... 3.4 is basically a direct swap. The 3.6... not so much, although Im doing one right now. Its the swap were your 02 will need an upgrade to the 7.8... check out renntech.org for more info.

I did a search on renntech. Sounds like a lot of people are taking the engine from a 996 instead of the boxster. Is this what you meant? I was thinking of maybe taking a Boxster S engine. Anyone know which one would be easier? Pros/cons?

Sorry to hear about the news.... I have a DIY for a 3.4 that might interest you. Unfortunately, it's too big to download as an attachment. I picked it up a while back from renntech for my future mod in the event that this happens to me. But, if you give me your email address I will send it to you or you can go to the renntech website and download it for yourself. Let me know. Good luck with that and keep us posted!

Thanks for posting that autofarm link. Why don't they have shops like that in the US? Not only did they eliminate all the weak points of the engine, they can bore out a 3.2l S engine to 3.7 liters! Very cool. I wonder what hp that 3.7l would have? http://www.autofarm.co.uk/engines/water_cooled/capacity

Intersting article on engine failures http://www.autofarm.co.uk/pdf/Total911_July06.pdf and another from Renntech: http://www.renntech.org/forums/index.php?act=attach&type=post&id=3224

Thank-you. I pm'd you.

There is a Boxster "S" engine on ebay right now going for around $5K! That is a great price. It looks like it may be used though. Here is the link. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Porsche-Boxster-S-986-3-2-L-engine-assembly-OEM_W0QQitemZ270212476286QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item2 70212476286

Sorry to hear of your misfortune. How long have you owned the car and how many miles are on it?

I sympathize with you as my 01 engine blew in October of 07. I got a 3.2 from Jed at Silverstar Recycling and would recommend them if you do have to have one. Good luck to you. Mike

Hey Eric, I sent you the pdf of the DIY for a 3.4. Hey Mike, Anything to report on the 3.2 swap?? Has the swap already been completed?? I would be interested to get your thoughts on it.

I've had the car for almost 2 years now. Mileage is at about 60,000kms. Been good until now.

Was the process fairly easy? Did you need to upgrade anything else? Talking to my local mechanic, he thinks that my old transmission won't be able to handle a 3.2 or 3.4. Any thoughts?

DCPorsche99 and Victoreric, Yep, the swap has been completed. A nice upgrade that I would definitely recommend. Car has a lot more oommppphhhhh, especially noticeable from about 3500-5500 RPM. From standing still, until you hit 3,000 RPM or so, I don't really notice that much of a difference, but everything above that range is a DEFINITE large difference. I haven't tested the top speed limit of the motor yet, but I never tested that either with the 2.7. According to my installer, it was a simple swap, nothing complex. I am still using the same 5 speed transmission. I did install a new clutch kit. I can't speak to the life expectancy of the tranny as I've only had it now for about a month. My dealer didn't think that a 6 speed was necessary and actually indicated that the 5 speed would make it more fun to drive. As a 2.7, the car was a lot of fun, but now its so much better as a 3.2. It's not just me that notices the difference as my routine passengers have all commented on the increase in power. I do have a CEL, it throws codes of P1128 & P1130, but doesn't seem to affect performance. This probably means I need to clean my MAF sensor, or it could be related to my having installed Fabspeed Cat Bypass pipes. Either way, doesn't bother me and can't see that it's causing any issues with the car. One of these days I'll get around to cleaning the MAF and see if that fixes it. My 3.2, which included a years warranty on parts AND labor, cost me $5200.00 delivered if I remember correctly from Silver Star and no core was required. Buy the most power you can afford!!! Good luck in your decision. Mike

Did you ever consider a 3.4 or 3.6 and why did you end up going with a 3.2? Reading through the autofarm links about faulty engine, it seems that the earlier 3.4 also have a great chance of failure. So I'm wondering if it's worthwhile. Would the 3.2 S engine be more reliable?

victoreric, Do you know which modifications, if any, the new engine from Porsche would include? I assume the new Porsche engine would continue with the original cylinder sleeve design so that the cracked sleeve issue may still be there? Would the new Porsche engine have a modified intermediate shaft or the old design? Any changes to the head design that could prevent cracked cylinder heads? Finding the answers to these questions may be a guide as to whether to get a new Porsche engine or not. It may be worth the extra cost if these key problem areas are addressed in the new engine (notice when I say "new" I am not talking about the 987 engine, just the new crate 986 engine). Of course the Porsche warranty would be nice too. BTW, I am sure the new engine would have the revised RMS seal. Also, another good article on engine failures via autofarm: http://www.autofarm.co.uk/pdf/911PW_Apr06.pdf

victoreric, sorry to hear that news, but did it ever occur to you to get your car to a dealer to get a second opinion? maybe your independant shop is correct, but it doesn't hurt to get a second opinion, especially with such an expensive repair. it's easy for the shop to just tell you that you need a whole new engine, when in reality, you might just need a repair. Just a thought. Good luck with it.