RMS Mystery Solved

After extensive research I have put the following facts together which should cure potential & actual 996, boxster & 997 purchasers concerns regarding the infamous RMS issue. The RMS facts: - The Chance of experiencing RMS Failure:- 996,997 & Boxster owners have an approx. 35% chance of suffering RMS (rear main seal) failure (40% Reenlist poll, 30% PCGB Survey + misc other evidence). An unlucky 5% of owners will require more than one RMS replacement. The Symptoms:- In the vast majority of cases an RMS failure will mean a small but noticeable sweating of oil & possibly a small film of oil will be seen when the car is on the ramps or worst case scenario a few drips will appear on the garage floor. The potential & actual results of an RMS failure:- Oil spots on your garage floor. In theory the clutch could be contaminated with dripping oil although in practise there are no (or very, very, very few) reported cases of this ever happening.. There are no other problems associated with having a failing RMS, it has never, repeat never caused engine failure. The cause:- Many, many theories but no actual evidence, I would imagine Porsche�s silence on the issue means they don�t even know or they would have cured it by now. The Solution:- The very rich & very unlucky owner that has a carpeted garage & had an RMS failure outside of warranty can get it replaced for approx �700, $1,000. The very unlucky owner that does not have a carpeted garage or more money than sense can wait until the clutch needs replacing at which time a new RMS can be installed for the price of the seal (�$ no money) 60% of owners will never experience the problem. The vast majority of the 40% of owners that have experienced RMS failure have had it replaced under warranty & have never experienced the problem again. The unlucky 5% that have had multiple RMS failures have had their engines replaced if they live in the USA �for a very small oil leek !�, where as Porsche UK seems to think their UK customers are less likely to have carpeted garages & therefore can live with a small oil leek. I must surely being missing something, the RMS issue very nearly put me off buying a 996 & I am sure it is one of the causes for the depreciation experienced on these cars. Thank you internet RMS hysteria, you have has saved us second hand Porsche owners a fortune.

[flame suit on] Well - postings like this do not actually help the problem, do they? Calling it a fact that ~35% of all owners have had RMS problems is a bit far stretched IMHO. Especially when based on non-demographic correct surveys. 99% of all P-owners do not participate in these forums, and only those with RMS problems would most likely report back on a problem in a poll. So I'm very very convinced that its NOT a fact that 35% have RMS. The basis for your statistics claims is simply wrong [flame suit off] /me steps down from his box Seriously - I know lots of people with 996 and never has any of them had RMS - me included. Read various articles from people actually working on Porsches in the shops, and they will say the same. RMS is a hyped up problem, and you are contributing to this. Besides - I would not call it a problem at all. A sportscar engine that develops a small leak and that can be fixed for less than $1k - thats not a problem at all! Try to ask the Ferrari guys what they pay for just regular service!!

Sorry Man of Ice, I don't think you read the post properly, as the whole nature of the thread was that the RMS issue is over hyped (please read again). N.B The stats from Porsche Club GB were from a survey sent to members & had a larger & more statistically significant response (not just from forum users with a problem), however I agree that 35% is a worst case scenario & that the problem is probably even less significant than that.

Good to know figures! Thanks for taking the time.

Any reason why you chose to SPAM as many forums as you could (996,997,986)? No intro, no nothing other than a very UNSCIENTIFIC take on the rear main seal issue. Bob? Is that you? 4 posts to your name and they all happen to do with RMS. Weak. FYI....there is NO SUCH THING as a "more statistically significant response". Data is either significant or it isn't based on critical levels you state a priori. Please understand that what you have reported is mere anectodal at best.

Had my 996 inspected prior to buying in June with no leak. Come November and I got bit by the RMS bug. Yes, spent over $1k to get it taken care of(hopefully for good), but don't regret my purchase for one second and would've done it again in a heartbeat. To have this one issue deter you from enjoying a porsche is unwarranted. I don't know any car manufacturer thats issue free.

porsche is relooking at the rms issue for even those out of warrenty in Europe. A german paper made this issue very public and it looks like PAG caved. http://img60.imageshack.us/img60/9478/simmerring7kq.jpg

I wish i could read the article

Spot on, Dell. Frankly, and again, we're talking about a MODEST oil leak from a known problem that has a known number of solutions vis a vis new seals. If you're out of warranty and keep your eye on the oil level now and again, you can have it swapped out painless on clutch replacement. If you have warranty, it's no big deal.....at worst, you get a NEW engine and 2 more years of warranty life. Hoo rah!

Ok, so the hype is wrong and RMS failures on Porsches are no different frm the other RMS failures I've had experiences with (on a Benz for me and a 68 Camaro of a friend. Both of us have had RMS leaks in our cars for over a decade, and just top off the oil every now and then and don't worry about a thing). I was getting the impression from the net that for some reason an RMS failure in a Porsche is detrimental and was starting to worry for my dad who just bought an '02 996 (though his has 3 years and 2 months of warranty so I guess no big deal either way). Thanks, Richard

LOL...you are too funny Dell. Buy the damn car and drive it. Every car has its cons, except it and move on chiefy or don't buy the car.

It never ceases to amaze me how much attention this issue gets on Porsche forums, since this problem falls more into the nuisance than serious issue category. Furthermore with the new fix, RMS is a dead issue as far as I'm concerned.

Now, if only we could resolve that nagging PMS concern....

Here is a translation of the Auto Bild magazine artical done by my native German speaking wife: For shops it's a classic with the classic 911. Oil leaking engines, which we have seen through all generations since its origin in '64. They cleaned it and covered it up--untill '97 there was exclusively the air cooled boxer.The incontinance was on a long-term basis hardly avoidable due to high thermal load and the associated material expansion. Then they came up with the 996 the first watercooled engine but the problem with the leak hasn't been solved as we have seen in many cases. But the devil lays in the detail: the waterboxer still has leaking issues with the transmission /crankshaft, its housing, screws and cover especially with the first 996 series with 3.4 liter boxer. Even Porsche specialists say that more than 50% have a leak.In addition, Boxster (986) as well as 996,3,6 (starting from at the end of of 2002) are among the lubricant losers. Probably even their current inheriting 987 and 997. First, complete engines were exchanged on warantee, later - after several modification to the seal carrier casting and seals of the housing mold - the shaft seals. The solution held only few thousand kilometers.