My entry into the P-car world

Inspired by DGI and his DGI's Project 996 "Sally" thread, I'm beginning a thread too. This past Friday I purchased my first P-car, a 1999 coupe I found on Craigslist. I've wanted a Porsche since about 1981, so this is a long time coming. Here are a few pictures from CL: Generally it's in good shape. The frunk lid and deck lid are wrapped in vinyl and the spoiler in Plasti-Dip. My plan is to remove go back to silver, but not a rush. It has 110k miles and is a very low option car. The PO changed the clutch, RMS, and planned to change the IMS bearing but when he got in there he was surprised to find a non-serviceable bearing like the M97 engine. So he removed the bearing seal and put everything back together. As yet I haven't confirmed if it's an M97. This will be my daily driver as it is replacing a 1993 Miata. I turn my own wrenches so I should be able to afford driving this car. So far I absolutely love it! I've been watching the P-car market for the last six to eight months. It all started when I ran across a local Boxster on Craigslist. I drove that car but it was too much of a project and didn't financially make sense. I began doing research and thought that I might be able to get into a early Boxster for reasonable money. Then I noticed that the 996 models were going for good prices (although I apparently missed the really good prices from a few years ago). This thread will be slow moving since I don't have a ton of money left and I need to prepare my Miata for sale. Plus I have several other cars to maintain. And... I'll ask a question: The front license plate bracket was barely holding on when I got the car. Only one screw was actually connected to anything! I removed it to see what the problem was but after I removed it I couldn't tell what the screw had been attached to! I suspect that whatever it was attached to fell down into the bumper housing--although I didn't hear anything fall and nothing hit the garage floor. So, what are those screws supposed to attach to?

Congrats on the purchase. Not sure about the plate. I am lucky enough to live in a state that does not require one. You don't have an M97, but an M96 with some M97 parts. It is likely a remanufactured motor from Porsche. Check the engine serial number (located to the left of the oil pan). If the letters AT appear, it is a remanufactured motor.

Looks like a fun project car!

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I didn't know M97 parts could go on a M96, but I'm learning. I too suspect it's a rebuild. I haven't gotten under the car yet to look at the serial number--perhaps tonight. Thanks for the info! If indeed it's an M97 style non-serviceable IMS bearing I'm thinking of getting the technoFix DOF from Pedro's Garage. I'd think it's a better idea than just holding my breath.

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Well, so far, I'm absolutely loving it! As long as I don't suffer something catastrophic in the near future my affair will continue. Sure, it's a silver over black 996. Less desirable that some color combos. And very few options (* see below). But for those of us on a beer budget and used to driving Miatas, it's awesome! A dream come true actually. _____ Options: 437 - 8-way electrical seat, left 438 - 8-way electrical seat, right 537 - Seat memory, left 692 - 6-disc CD

You win! Betting yo got it at a very fair price with low options and just over 100k miles, but with new style engine. Being a DIY, you'll be visiting this forum fairly often. There is a good wealth of experience here, almost as good as the 928 forum. Plenty of DIY jobs that are covered well in these threads. Things to keep in mind as you enjoy your ride: Keylock module replacement Water pump and low temp thermostat replacement Y starter alternator cable upgrade Rear motor mount replacement AOS replacement (air oil sep) Radiator/condenser cleaning center third radiator upgrade LN full flow oil filter mod Deep sump pan and baffle upgrade Searching on these will produce plenty of hits. I did most all of these within the first 2 years of ownership. Nothing too hard, and very gratifying to complete. The only one that will leave you stranded is the keylock ign module. Buy one and have handy just in case.

Here's the front license plate kit that I used: https://www.pelicanparts.com/cgi-bin/ksearch/pel_search_2016.cgi?command=show_part_page&please_wait=NG&make=POR&model =927&section=BDYEXT&page=3&bookmark=8&part_number=PEL-996-BRACKET The screws that I have screw into pieces that press fit into the existing holes in the bumper. That does not look like what you have, the license plate is too close to the bumper. Also, the bumper is pretty easy to take off, but I haven't seen any of these brackets that require that. I would order a new one, but investigate the tow-hole version, lots of folks like that one. The pelican one is still pretty fragile (license plate got ripped off in a car wash). Good luck! I've had mine a year and a half and I've loved every minute.

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Call me strange, but I prefer lower optioned vehicles. I wish mine didn�t have electric seats. I removed my CD changer, and have thought about dumping the Kenwood double din stereo and reinstalling the original radio. (It was included with the car) Then a console delete would be possible. My autodimming side mirrors have been replaced with European aspheric mirrors. I like having all the options in my wife�s minivan, but the Porsche should only have what�s necessary IMHO.

Congrats.

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Well, I think I got it at a very fair price; < $15k. Others may think I overpaid. It's a driver, not a garage queen, which is exactly what I wanted. If the engine doesn't grenade in the next year I'll know I got a good deal. Thanks for the list, I'll be scrutinizing it over the next day or two. Some of those things I was aware of, others are new to me.

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TBH that kit you linked to looks exceptionally similar to what the car has. Well other than the washers. If I scroll further down on that page I see "Expanding Nut for License Plate Bracket" which is what I think I'm missing. This car was in Maryland before Virginia, so the PO may have added the front license kit recently and not gotten the expanding nuts. I don't know what the one screw was anchoring to before. I wonder if I can find something similar at a local auto parts store... While I like the tow hole version, spending ~$5 versus $125 right now is a win. Perhaps in the future...

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I dont know about that :-) To me the Silver over Black is the most desirable colour option. With Black on Black being the second and white a distant third place :-)

The engine will be fine.... Having read everything I could find about IMS issues very recently, it would be a good bet to think you have nothing to worry about at this point. Especially if you drive it daily. I picked up a similar model last month that does have an LNS replacement bearing. However I almost wish it hadnt been replaced; it's now got a service part instead of a lifetime part. At some point the LNS part will need replacing, whereas the Porsche part was designed to last the life of the engine.

Agreed. Less options can be a win. Although mine has options I do like: the 3-spoke sports steering wheel, full leather interior - headlining, pillars etc.. and the ruched leather seats whatever that is called and Traction Control. Not that I've ever needed the traction control - but it works when you provoke it on a wet corner :-D Previous owner did upgrade the original CD stereo unit, which works well and has a USB hookup in the centre console, but I'd like to go back to the original for aesthetics. Sports seats I'd like as an option actually....

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I will take exception to this. The ball bearing design may have been idealized as a lifetime component of the engine, however it has shown a remarkable propensity to fail and cause catastrophic damage. That is not me who says so, but the class action court order against Porsche. It was a design fault, and an implementation fault rolled together. It is a 100% failure item when compared to the 'life of the engine' and should be serviced/replaced no matter what was in there from the factory. edit; One can quibble about the 'life of engine' and degrade the number to around 20 years or 3000 miles, which ever comes first. In that respect then yes, it would be a 'lifetime' component.

Fireball...FWIW - it�s LNE (LN Engineering), not LNS... The original bearing = Lifetime ? Go do some more reading... your understanding of the issue is very shallow. While it is somewhat nuanced, it shouldn�t be difficult to grasp the fact that the use of a ball bearing to support the transmission end of the IMS was a bad idea. To say or think that it could or would last the �life of the engine� without failing was even worse - especially given the fact they were recommending 15k mike oil changes...

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Of course - my understanding is only the articles I can find on the web and YouTube videos. I've read as many of those articles as I can and watched as many videos as I can find. I'm not a trained engineer or Porsche mechanic, so yes, like most people I get my info from the internet. So yes, it is very shallow. I'm not offended :-) I'm just parroting what I'd read - or it may have been a video - which if I recall correctly was from a Porsche specialist. If I find it, I'll post it. Anyway, I'm in no position to debate these things, which have already been debated to death. I don't have a fixed opinion on it... but many recent opinions do suggest that if the IMS hasn't gone already it probably wont, whereas the LNE part will need replacing on schedule :-) Just what I've read. I'd love to be pointed to reference materials that are credible and not written by a garage that is selling the LNE replacement install :-)

Congrats on a beautiful car!!! I'll follow along with interest as my car is also a low option car with no IMS upgrade (even though seller claims it has been done i'm treating it as if it hasnt) and similar mileage (currently at 114,8xx). I'll be doing most of my own wrenching as well so maybe we can compare notes from time to time Drive the hell out of it brother! I wish mine were a daily driver but I recently bought a different car for that purpose. Good luck and keep us updated!!!

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This is one of the many things makes the car world so cool--the many opinions. For years I wanted a Guards Red 911. But as I've (ahem) matured, I'd prefer to blend in and not be noticed as much. So Arctic Silver Metallic slathered on a 911 is flashy enough for me, especially on a DD! I've owned a black car and, while beautiful when clean, I don't have enough time and energy to keep one clean these days. White is high on my list too. Now if I won the lottery I'd certainly have some bright colored cars in the stable. Reminds me, I need to buy a ticket...

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You are probably right. Probably. However, given the cost of a rebuild or replacement engine I'm not likely to gamble. I'm not in a panic to "fix" the IMS but it's something that I will address at some point in the future. There's a chance this is my "forever" car since there aren't many cars that could fill the shoes of a 911. A turbo is probably about it. Anything else either gets into big money or is out of the DD arena.

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In my opinion, you're making the right decision about removing the vinyl black portions and returning the car to the factory original arctic silver. I'm like you, I don't care for flashy colors. The others have given you some good advice on the motor. First things first, check the engine to see if it's a true Porsche "AT" replacement motor. If it definitely has the newer larger single row IMS found in the M97 motors, then I wouldn't sweat it. Just go out and drive the darn thing, but keep a watchful eye on the oil filter for metal debris. Enjoy!

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Thanks! Congrats to you too! I'm envious of your wheel choices. I wanted the 18" Turbo Twists, but when I saw what a set of replacement tires cost compared to a set of 17" replacements I was okay with the base wheels. At least for the near term. Yeah, without proof, the IMS upgrade didn't happen. I probably won't "drive it like you stole it" too often for fear of tickets, but I will definitely stretch it's legs when opportunity arises. Suggestion: Once yours is more sorted sell your current DD and switch to the 996.

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Im looking for either Turbo Twists (my car came with C4S wheels that wont work on narrow body) or Sport Design Wheels. To tell you the truth, for the right price, I'd slap on a set of 17s and enjoy cheaper tires also. I love sidewalls!!! I have always downsized when possible to get a nicer ride and more wheel protection from the terrible streets in Baltimore... I'll drive this thing pretty often but seeing how it qualifies for "Historic" tags and my collectors car insurance is only $219 per year (no mileage restriction) its hard to justify bringing it to work with me. It'll get used plenty after work however depending on how my two boys fit in the back. I'm 6'6" so it may be a little tight behind me lol

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No wonder it had Fikse on it! I'd bet the story of how the original wheels became C4S wheels is interesting. We don't have awful roads here in southwest VA, but yeah, for the time being I'll enjoy my 17s. Perhaps some day they'll host winter tires and I'll have some Turbo Twists with summer only tires. Is that $219 full coverage or liability only? I'm paying ~$300 per year for liability only (at least that's what they said on the phone), which I thought was a reasonable price.

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$219 full coverage with it insured for $15K. Once I "restore" it and add some fun bits to it, i can add a list of parts, etc and adjust the agreed value to suit whatever I need. My Fox mustang thats got a ton of work done to it is $400 a year but its insured for $25K I believe. But again, this is not for "daily" use. Recreation, shows, dinners, etc are allowed but to and from work, etc isnt.

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Looking at the link above and scrolling down a few items I noticed the "Expanding Nut for License Plate Bracket" and thought that's what I need. So I stopped by AutoZone on the way home from work last night and picked up some 1/4" nylon nuts that fit perfectly in the square holes in the bumper. When I got home I grabbed the license plate hardware and oops, not gonna work. The "tabs" should expand and lock the spacer block to the bumper. But in this case either the hole is too big or the expansion wasn't enough because only one of the screws had any traction and it was pitiful traction at that. Dremel too the rescue. I had to shave the tabs off and trim some of the plastic so the spacer block would fit flush. Here's an image as I tightened everything down. And here's what it looks like complete. Nice and snug. Now I don't fear my front license plate falling off. And it only cost ~$3.00 for six nylon nuts. Sweet. TAGS: 996 front license plate install

On a Porsche, the fewer the options...the better the car. Less crap that will break. You did good. Change out the water pump, the white coolant tank and put in some new quality anti-freeze and your daily driver will love ya for it.

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Thanks! Well, the options list is what it is. Personally I'd love to have a few more, but it's (obviously) not a deal-breaker for me. While there are options I'd like (X51, 220, 982, 030) the only thing I really wish it had was heated seats (139, 340, 342). But I'll survive. The car came with a few receipts a couple of which I am glad to have. It got a coolant reservoir in 2009, a left window regulator in 2010, and a brake booster in 2011. While it's been a while since the coolant reservoir was replaced I probably won't replace it soon. A coolant flush and a water pump might be in order though. But first I've got to diagnose some oil drips...

And if it is a factory replacement engine with non serviceable bearing, get the seal off of the bearing! The bearing then can sit in fresh oil (no need for DOF) instead of old trapped oil as the grease has most likely been washed away by now. At 50K my grease was gone...

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You can buy a new seat foam that comes with a heating element (and wire). . Then you just have to swap out the seat foam and wire it up a to a switch that is connected to your 12V battery. This is a very doable upgrade.

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I had a local upholstery shop install heated seats in my 2000 Jeep Wrangler back in the day for $240 installed! LOL Some discreet switches were added to my dash but im sure you could wire a similar system to factory switches if needed.

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Well, according to the seller the seal was removed from the bearing when he did the clutch some time in the last year and a half. He said most of the grease was gone then (and I know he bought it at just over 100k). So the DOF is quickly moving further and further down my list.

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I found a part number (996.653.105.01) for it and it just got added to my TODO list. Thanks!

You can follow these to do a factory retrofit. If the pictures are gone, put the links into the "wayback machine" at wayback.org to get the pictures to show. https://www.6speedonline.com/forums/...ting-996t.html http://dennisvogel.com/heatedseats/index.html

Congrats and welcome to the Rennlist, keep us informed with updates.

I was able to get under the car this weekend and found this: so I definitely have a Porsche replacement engine. I have no indication of when this occurred as the few receipts I have don't include an engine and the CarFax doesn't list it either. While under the car I looked around trying to determine the source of the oil drips. Before crawling under there I figured it was coming from the spark plug tubes but I found them to be dry. It actually appears to be coming from the RMS/IMS, given how wet that area is. It's more than seepage but not enough to panic over. I wonder if it's the RMS or the IMS cover seal. I'm going to use my borescope and peak around on the top of the engine so see if oil is coming from the top too. The PO replaced the RMS and pulled the seal off the oversized IMS bearing when he was in there. I'm going to contact him with some questions.

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Well, here's what we know from the number on your engine: 1. M96/01 - 3.4L 2. AT - Porsche factory replacement engine. (AT stands for Austauschmotor) 3. 66X- 1999 4. 67127 - serial number What baffles me is that the previous owner states that his mechanic confirmed the engine had the latest M97 type large single row "non-serviceable" bearing. This is confusing at best. Someone please correct me here. The shaft in the 3.4L engines can NOT support the M97 bearing? Seems like Porsche would have replaced it with a dual or single row bearing suitable for the 3.4L engine instead of the M97 type bearing. I would love to see what this engine looks like with the transaxle removed.

1999 designed case may have been re-machined to fit the large dia single bearing. Assemble, and deliver to dealer for repl under good-will or warranty, or partial cust payment setup. unless the 3.4 case cannot be machined for the larger bearing. I don't know the case well enough to determine that.

A 3.4 liter M96/01 replacement motor COULD have a large IMS bearing if it is manufactured after the line changed over to the large single row version. Jake Raby and the PCA have a great video that discusses both the multiple generation of intermediate shafts and various generations of bearings. In that video he points out that the factory uses the latest technology in their replacement engines.

Do you have a price on 996.653.105.01? I am on the same journey.. I bought a 99 also, haven't driven it yet, been in the shop getting painted, was white.. gonna be black, been in the storage for a while, finally getting it done. Can't wait to see what things you do, mine was wrecked, so I have a clean slate to work with.

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Yes, thank you. I've watched all of the Raby/PCA videos. Very informative. This motor has a remanufactured date of 1999; therefore, it would have the parts that were manufactured in 1999, not 6+ years later, correct? It would completely make sense if this was a Porsche AT 3.4L motor remanufactured in 2006 or later.

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The PO said he was surprised to see the non-serviceable IMS bearing when he took the cover off. I think it took him a minute to realize what he was looking at and he said the large nut should have been a giveaway. I've contacted him to see if he took any pictures, but I doubt he did. Hopefully he'll get back to me soon but I believe he's out of the country. I know nothing about deciphering Porsche engine numbers but the 66X (1999) is definitely the year re-manufactured, and not the intended recipient?

OK, follow me though on this. The cases leave the foundry in 1999, and as with all other engine cases goes down the line and gets the stamp of approval with the '99' coded just like the case before, and just like the case after. Dateline: circa 2001-2006, our erstwhile case has been returned to Stuttgart for some reason(cracked head, bore score, or one of the 89,526 failure modes not damaging the block). The cases are cleaned, machined, big bearing installed, and new cyl and heads are put on, and it's tossed on the engine shelf; 'good 3.4 US spec engine, signed Franz'. A day/week/month/year go by and Stuttgart gets a cal; 'Hey, Franz, this is Tony from Porsche New Joiesee, I need a good engine for a 99'. Franz looks on the shelf, slaps a shipping label on, and away the cases go to Tony in Joiesee to be installed in this chassis as another 3.4 has gone Tango Uniform, and the dealer needs a repl. QED That's my story, and I'm sticking to it.

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Yes, 66X is for year 1999. It's my bet that this motor was manufactured in the year of 1999 and the original engine was replaced with your current engine under warranty. It's also my bet that you have a standard 3.4L replacement engine with an original dual row bearing not the M97 large single row bearing. I could be wrong. Could it be that an original 3.4L that was originally stamped a 1999 was pulled and modified by the factory and updated with the M97 bearing? That's what others are claiming... They could be right... With Porsche crazier things have happened. The only way to truly know is to remove the transaxle and closely examine the bearing.

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Beautiful write up! Even if I questioned the validity of your argument, I still enjoyed the delivery! (nods)

Here is the pic the previous owner took

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I don't mind eating crow and bowing honorably in defeat. I stand (or better yet - sit) corrected. That appears to be the last generation of bearings that Porsche introduced for the IMS. Still blows my mind that an remanufactured engine with 1999 serial number has the newest M97 bearing in it.

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Well I'm just glad that it doesn't have the single-row bearing! I've asked him if there are any other pictures--I'm hoping he took one after the seal was removed. When he sent the picture he said that the IMS cover bolts were replaced with new bolts. I'm bummed about that because I was hoping he reused the old cover bolts at that could be blamed for the oil leak I'm experiencing. So at some point I will be removing the transmission to find the source of oil...

details, it IS a single row bearing. Just the larger one that came in the later production. If you go in, one of the gurus (Jake Raby) around here suggests that you remove that outer oil seal on the bearing. Once you drop the transmission and take off the clutch and flywheel, you'll find your leak. There are a bunch of potential sources, not just the IMS flange. The flange itself has three bolts that need sealant, the post gets sealed, and the flange itself has a seal. But you also have the rear main seal, and the transmission input shaft seal. They're both easy enough to do once you get in there. Don't forget new bolts for the clutch and flywheel, and check the dual mass flywheel for failure (depending upon how much you like pulling the transmission, these are relatively low cost items to replace too - Luk flywheel, Sachs clutch kit).

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Like Jake says in the video, it can be hard to tell. My 2002 chassis has a 2005 date coded AT replacement engine, installed in late 2007.

My greatness is only exceeded by my modesty. Alternately, it was a lucky guess by a bone amateur.

Quick update. First, I've been having occasional problems engaging reverse. Maybe 10-15% of the time it takes patience and multiple attempts to get it into reverse. After some research I decided to buy the Shift Cable Lock Bridge Tool (000-721-961-91) to adjust the shifter cables. This part number is actually for the 997 as the 996 part is no longer available. From what I could tell they are either exactly alike, or very similar. At any rate I adjusted the shifter and getting into reverse is now very easy. Sadly, I haven't liked the feel of the clutch since getting the car. I would have thought that a 911 would have a world-class shifter and clutch mechanism, but compared to my Miata, well, I prefer the Miata. So the second thing I did was to remove the factory "helper" spring on the clutch mechanism (I found a thread here ). I replaced the spring with a weaker spring from Home Depot and find that the clutch feel is much more linear and usable now. I plan to replace the shifter or at least the shifter bushings in the future. The two of these mods have improved my enjoyment greatly. Very good weekend.