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YOUR RESEARCHDealer Short Block Installation
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Use egg carton method of keeping track of the lifters
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Performed · outcome unconfirmed · Original poster
I used the egg carton method of keeping track of the lifters.
Leading evidence: 'Use egg carton method of keeping track of the lifters' (no explicit attributable resolution; this is a reported action or suggestion). Across 1 matching discussions, the most frequently mentioned possible cause is 'most enjoyable work i've done' (1 discussions; 0 report identifying it and 1 suggest it). The most frequently discussed action is 'Check prices there' (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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Suspected cause · Original poster
The transferring of parts is not bad at all and probably the most enjoyable work I've done on the car.
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Suggestion
I have an 03 986S that I had to replace engine in back in 2015 after a track session where in a hot day, I spun a bearing.
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So I picked up the short block from the Porsche dealer. There is a thread that lead me to this conclusion. I spent a lot of time researching here in this forum and it seems like it is a really good option for me.
https://rennlist.com/forums/996-foru...o-get-out.html
I'll be updating my progress and my findings as I drop the engine, send off the heads, and re-assemble the short block. My hopes are to have it done by the summer. I'm confident that I can do all of this work myself in my garage.
I've got to keep the box/crate to return the core in. They won't take it back with out. I would guess that it will be returned to Germany. None of the guys at the dealer could answer what part of the engine was manufactured. Everything on the outside is new.
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https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/rennlist.com-vbulletin/2000x1504/20220128_162050_1ba646ca0c07a34defde79cc00db6152dae48535.jpg
The short block comes with this package of parts. I was really surprised to see the two chain tensioners for the heads included. It seems they have included everything for the chain system.
Agree, disclosing the ballpark price would be a service to all the 996 owners whose engines are on the way out. What is the bfd about disclosing a ballpark price?
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Did you have to split the block?
From what I can gather the large center nut is supposed to 22mm. Which means its an M97 engine IMS bearing that was improved upon. You have to split the case to change it out, but the good news is that these don't go bad.
Does anyone have any insight into these IMS bearings?
Negative. The new engines use the unservicable 997 IMS bearing which does not seem to fail and cannot be removed without splitting the case.
Eurocarguy that aluminum tape will be fine. If there is adhesive left on the surfaces when you get around to removing it, just use a little kerosene on a rag to wipe the adhesive off.
Ha! You have a funny way of showing it!
In all seriousness....I totally get it.
With that said, and not knowing you...in reviewing this thread (and original) it would seem you're not one to easily give up...like working on cars (beyond basic maintenance) ...and enjoy a challenge? If that's the case, this (unfortunate) situation checks the boxes! So does that mean somewhere deep inside you're actually looking forward to going through this journey over the next 6 months or so?
Like many others, I'm looking forward to learning more about your engine build journey. Because some of us may be closer to a similar decision than we know or want to know!
I like cars. I like German cars, specifically Mercedes-Benz. Drove some amazing cars over the years. When I stepped into this Porsche world I thought I could pull it off and was aware of the risks. How bad could it be?
I had no idea I would not be able to drive the car while working on it. It's been stunningly expensive and completely unreliable. It's a classic previous owner knowing what he has and passing it off to next unsuspecting person.
The thought was to get rid of it, but there were no serious offers and the suggestion of it's worth $7 to $10K was really unappealing. I've got $30K + into it. Walking away from that much investment didn't make any sense.
I think I could be working on my home. I think about what the rest of the fleet needs in terms of repair. There is a lot of things I can do with my time. I'm picking up a part time gig this summer to pay for the engine. This is really not fun.
The parts to rebuild the heads alone from FCP is more than $5K. There is a staggering amount of money to spent here and I just picked up the block. For what I have into this I could have several Mercedes SL convertibles. They run and are cheap to maintain. Run away from the 996.
Be encouraged folks.
$5K is all the parts. It's a kit.
https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/por...ylhdrebuildkt2
Seems like it has everything you'd ever need.
I've got an email into Hoffman. Checking prices there. It's the weekend so I would expect to hear back from them next week.
Skip is at Porschetec?
I am open to options and discussion.
Thank you!
I'd get that tape off and just put the block in a garbage bag or something. I've never seen that type of tape come off without leaving a residue.
...or you could just put it together immediately. ;-)
I know who you mean. We've chatted several times here. Lots of good folks on this site. It's these conversations that have helped keep this project reasonably sane.
Thank you!
UPDATE:
I had to get a part time job to pay for the dealer shortblock. I'm really grateful for where I am in my life and what I am able to do. I turned 57 while "on the job". To still be able to be relevant in my industry at this age and to have the ability to simply return to the road when I want is a rare thing in my industry. I thank God that I still have my health.
My part time job was a short tour with the largest touring sound company on the planet. I used to tour with them in the 80's and 90's. Now I'm off the road and teach at Middle Tennessee State University with my area being Live Entertainment Production. I set up the monitors. All fly dates because there is a shortage of bus drivers. Private rooms and lots of catering. Here a few pix of what I had to endure to be able to drive that car. My wife and I are sort of split on our feelings about the 911. On one hand it's been a huge pain to do nothing but work on it for three years. On the other hand it has afforded us opportunities for work and re-connections.
@ Radio City Music Hall in NYC
The Detroit Theatre
The theatre we played @ in Phoenix
Had a day off in LA & went to the Peterson car museum. The Porsche Continental is on the left and the 901 on the right. Two very rare cars
My wife got some jewelry from Tiffany's in Chicago. Finally she likes the car.
Dinner by the sea in Ft Lauderdale. Lots of great meals.
Cool! Now you got some happy stories wrapped around your 996 refresh. After what you been thru you need one. Best of the stories will be when its done and you can finally enjoy it!
I've been laughing since the band reveal. I always say when you work in the arts you rarely get handed the work you WANT. Ask my 4 wedding photographer buddies and me who takes pictures of beds and food - we all wanted to take pictures of Porsches.
As I say in class, The band is only 45 minutes out of my day. In this case the show was 2.5 hours. The CREW is 30 years of relationships.
When I have worked for my idols, Elton John, or Laurie Anderson, I've always been nervous. So much easy going to work when you are not emotionally involved. Yes, its an exciting industry, but after a couple of 20 hour days and your perspective changes.
The engine is up on a stand. I'm able to rotate it as I take the heads off to be reworked. Pull off parts and making the transfer to the block. Lots of packages coming in from FCP with new parts. More to be ordered.
It's been a while since I've posted, but I've been making slow progress. I got the heads off and shipped to Hoffman's. Of course one of them has an irreparable crack in the secondary air jacket. Looking at doing a ROW flash and deleting the system. Which means another round of learning curve.
The engine that came out of the car was a junkyard buy from the previous owner. It was scrap from the start, it's just taking me 2 years to know that for sure. Cracked block, bore score, and cracked head.
I used the egg carton method of keeping track of the lifters.
I finally have the old engine off the stand and the new short block on it. The transferring of parts is not bad at all and probably the most enjoyable work I've done on the car. That said, it's the most no fun I've ever had with car.
Check out the cool video Len made of my nonrepairable cracked head. Maybe if enough of us watch it I can monetize it on youtube to be able to pay for the new one!
You Tube
If the secondary air jacket gets welded off I've got to do a ROW flash and then delete the rest of the junk. Looks like that what's I'm into rather than buy a used head and have it rebuilt. Does anyone have any experience with the ROW flash and SAI delete?
Best,
Eurocarguy911, Thank you for this great post, and apologies for resurrecting an old thread! I hope you have had enough time since the rebuild to have forgotten the pain (sort of like childbirth, I'm told) and you're now enjoying the fruits of your labor. I too, have a 996, and it had nascent bore-scoring when I got it, so some sort of in-depth engine-out adventure awaits me, too, I was thinking LS (former Corvette owner, and lover of reliable power) or perhaps K2.7 swap. as an alternative to the rather expensive prospect of rebuilding the M96, when someone told me of complete engines available from Porsche for ~$6K. That really got my attention until I discovered it was a short block, and heads were 'extra.' Your thread has helped me to understand the process of working with the short block (and the time/expense associated with it!). My original premise that I could do this myself in my garage (with tall enough jack stands) will have to be rethought!
Again, thank you fro sharing your experience! Enjoy!
Did you ever get the motor squared away? I was confused by the post towards the end where you show returning the short block to dealer.
The other thing is, since it's 20 years old at this point, why not consider an LS swap. I have an 03 986S that I had to replace engine in back in 2015 after a track session where in a hot day, I spun a bearing. Assuming the worst, I searched for a year for a 3.2 and couldn't find one. Found a 3.6 from same yr 03 911. Should've been a plug and play. Found out hard way it wasn't quite that easy. I ended up with about $18k into that between motor and labor. It's now been 10 years/10k miles, and outside of tune issues tied to living at 7500' in Colorado the car has been dead reliable. I now live in Tennessee and the ECU is having to relearn sea level. If you ever want to get out for a spirited run, let me know.
I say all of that only to say that I've often thought that doing an LS swap might have been the way to go in light of what I spent overall.
Catch us up!
