18 captured repliesDiscussion pagination complete · Source accounts, not a confirmed diagnosis
THIS DISCUSSION / SOURCE-DERIVED OVERVIEW
Discussion summary
YOUR RESEARCHHead Gasket Issue
Reported or suspected cause
usually a cracked head problem
Reported cause
No successful repair reported for this finding.
1
Identified cause
0
Suspected cause
0
Reported fixes
Read evidence and context
Explicit resolution reports before identified causes, performed actions and suggestions. Within each level, matching component labels precede direct query mentions and inherited thread context; successful versus unsuccessful discussion counts, owner confirmations and independent discussion support determine order. This is not a probability of success.
Discussions that report identifying a cause
1
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0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Reported cause
The head gasket problem is usually a cracked head problem that is not repaired by changing the head gasket.The cylinders nearest the water pump get starved of coolant when a chunk of plastic from the impeller breaks free.This is a known issue, so run away from this one.
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Suggestion
The head gasket problem is usually a cracked head problem that is not repaired by changing the head gasket.The cylinders nearest the water pump get starved of coolant when a chunk of plastic from the impeller breaks free.This is a known issue, so run away from this one.
Leading evidence: 'usually a cracked head problem' (1 discussions report identifying this cause; no attributable repair resolution). Across 1 matching discussions, the most frequently mentioned possible cause is 'usually a cracked head problem' (1 discussions; 1 report identifying it and 0 suggest it). The most frequently discussed action is 'Run away' (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.
Source reports, not a diagnosis or a success probability. Counts refer to discussions and can overlap.
Explicit resolution reports before identified causes, performed actions and suggestions. Within each level, matching component labels precede direct query mentions and inherited thread context; successful versus unsuccessful discussion counts, owner confirmations and independent discussion support determine order. This is not a probability of success.
Discussions that contain suggestions
1
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
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Suggestion
The head gasket problem is usually a cracked head problem that is not repaired by changing the head gasket.The cylinders nearest the water pump get starved of coolant when a chunk of plastic from the impeller breaks free.This is a known issue, so run away from this one.
Explicit resolution reports before identified causes, performed actions and suggestions. Within each level, matching component labels precede direct query mentions and inherited thread context; successful versus unsuccessful discussion counts, owner confirmations and independent discussion support determine order. This is not a probability of success.
Discussions that contain suggestions
1
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
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These are separate views of the same evidence. Frequency alone does not establish a fix, and these counts must not be added together.
Run away
No successful repair reported for this finding.
0
Reported fixes
0
Unsuccessful attempts
1
Discussions
Read evidence and context
Discussions that contain suggestions
1
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Suggestion
The head gasket problem is usually a cracked head problem that is not repaired by changing the head gasket.The cylinders nearest the water pump get starved of coolant when a chunk of plastic from the impeller breaks free.This is a known issue, so run away from this one.
These are separate views of the same evidence. Frequency alone does not establish a fix, and these counts must not be added together.
usually a cracked head problem
No successful repair reported for this finding.
1
Identified cause
0
Suspected cause
0
Reported fixes
Read evidence and context
Discussions that report identifying a cause
1
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Reported cause
The head gasket problem is usually a cracked head problem that is not repaired by changing the head gasket.The cylinders nearest the water pump get starved of coolant when a chunk of plastic from the impeller breaks free.This is a known issue, so run away from this one.
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.
18 eligible posts · 0 unverified posts · 1 discussions match the subject in their title or opening post.
Rennlist: 1 discussions
0 evidence records excluded for query context · 0 excluded by outcome qualification · 0 adjusted by outcome qualification.
0 acknowledgements have no verified action link; they do not establish a repair result.
Generation: 20261027T051247Z · outcome-qualification-6. Deterministic extraction; no AI model inference. How we use sources
So says the ebay post for this 996 2T. Salvage yard guy that bought car with a head gasket issue, previous owner didn't notice a coolant leak and over heated it. Says his rebuild shop rebuilt the engine, new gaskets, new seals, new clutch, new clutch master, new tires, all less then 500 miles ago.
Bidding well below book, but what kind of problem am I getting myself into?
Thanks
You have a link to the Ebay auction to help us out a little? If it overheated I would suspect a warped head or two and possible a slew of other issues. I wouldn't touch it unless the price was too amazing to pass up.
The head gasket problem is usually a cracked head problem that is not repaired by changing the head gasket.The cylinders nearest the water pump get starved of coolant when a chunk of plastic from the impeller breaks free.This is a known issue, so run away from this one.
welcome - the problem you are facing is a huge list of unknowns on a motor which coould end up costing you $15k-20k and when its all over you have a salvage title that makes the car worth about 1/2 for the $20k you spent to drive around in something that might not even be safe to drive on the highway depending on poorly the salvage rebuild is
RUN FOREST RUN... If it sold for $5k you would loose your a$$ IMO
not worth it
not with a salvage title unknown issue motor ... and who knows what else
The risks outweigh the rewards.
You are relying upon the quality of the rebuild and the rep of the shop to stand behind its work should the engine develop a problem.
An overheated engine is not a good rebuild candidate.
The kind of problems are too numerous to mention but the risk is the engine rebuild job is not good and the engine develops a serious problem that requires another rebuild -- assuming the shop you select believes the engine a suitable rebuild candidate (which it may decide it is not cause it has been at by some other shop and generally rebuilders want to start with an unmolested engine) -- or even a replacement.
From my point of view were I interested in a car like this -- and I would never be but for the sake of the discussion -- I'd have to get the car at a price that mitigated the risk the engine will require replacement, which means a substantial discount from the car's market value. I do not know what a new factory engine costs to have installed by a dealer -- cause one gets a 2 year, 24K mile warranty on the engine and 1 year warranty on the labor -- but it ain't cheap. Almost certainly it is over $10K and could reach $15K.
That's a heck of a discount and the seller may not go for it. Essentially the seller bought the car at some discount due to its condition and after the rebuild hopes to recoup the cost of the rebuild -- time/material -- plus something to make a profit. By seeking to buy the car at a price that mitigates your risk you erase most if not all this and well the seller's going to resist.
Walk away. There's always another car.
Sincerely,
Macster.
Thanks for all the useful advice.
If anyone feels like taking on this project, here's the link to the ebay.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...name=DCP:RV:GI
It's a beautiful car, I just don't know enough to take the risk.
I have been watching this auction for a while now. Obviously buying a car like this does involve a lot of risk. However, this is a Turbo so the cracked head issue that is known in the 996 non-Turbo is not really as applicable as the Turbo engine is entirely different from the non-Turbo engine.
The gaskets are so dependable the engine fails first <hint hint>
New seals? Epoxy resin JB Weld in cracks?
New clutch master? That makes me figure that section of the car got hit real bad. The cars is in a slavage yard which isn't where porsches go after an engine problem. It had to of taken a heavy hit to get into the clutch slave cylinder. As a buy and abuse or race car maybe. I wouldn't figure on staying dry during the rain since these guys aren't a Porsche shop and just a salvage yard.
Depending on the price (Why Macster is watching it also) it could be an alright deal. Priced as a running engine is out of the question. As a needs an engine and more fixing up price yah. I'd say the car has to be looked at to figure where to go.
1. Suspension and alignments of plus body
2. Fix everything like body seams they painted over to cover
3. Buy an engine
4. Redo windows, hoods and door alignments
Do you feel lucky?
I have no interest in the car. I have not even bothered to visit the link to the car and view the car details.
The OP is certainly free to do whatever he wants to learn as much as he can about the car regarding how it got into the condition it got into and the car's current condition and the quality of the rebuild and make some judgement as to the extent of the risk and buy the car or not as he sees fit.
The car might be a diamond on the rough, but for everyone that is a diamond in the rough, there are uncounted numbers that turn out to be the worst mistake a used car buyer ever made.
The odds are not in this car's favor that it is a diamond in the rough.
Sincerely,
Macster.
Not looking to buy it, Just curious. It started at about $1,000 with no reserve. If you were in the LA area and could have the car gone over very carefully, who knows?
