21 captured repliesDiscussion pagination complete · Source accounts, not a confirmed diagnosis
THIS DISCUSSION / SOURCE-DERIVED OVERVIEW
Discussion summary
YOUR RESEARCHEngine in chain pad replacement
Reported or suspected cause
only chain guide
Reported cause
No successful repair reported for this finding.
1
Identified cause
0
Suspected cause
0
Reported fixes
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Reported cause
In my case, it was the only chain guide with damage.
Leading evidence: 'only chain guide' (1 discussions report identifying this cause; no attributable repair resolution). Across 1 matching discussions, the most frequently mentioned possible cause is 'only chain guide' (1 discussions; 1 report identifying it and 0 suggest it). The most frequently discussed action is 'Clean around 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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Suggestion
Plus, it's already hard enough to clean and keep everything clean around there.
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Suggestion
I think it's skipped during normal maintenance ,especially when replacing tensioners because of access issues, and it ends up being the problem.
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Suggestion
$1,000 for replacing the variorum pads on both sides
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21 eligible posts · 0 unverified posts · 1 discussions match the subject in their title or opening post.
Rennlist: 1 discussions
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Generation: 20261026T205155Z · outcome-qualification-6. Deterministic extraction; no AI model inference. How we use sources
Bank 1
Drain oil
Remove wheel, liner, bumper, remove muffler, mounting bracket, cam cover heat shields, spark plugs, any other plugs on cam covers
Remove header, you may also need to remove enough of the muffler cross pipes to gain access to the two cam plugs. Remove cam plugs
Engine at TDC, lock crankshaft.
Remove the chain tensioner on that side of the engine
Remove scavenge oil pump and its cover, unbolt and detach the sprocket from the cam shaft
Install cam ends holding tool
NOW remove cam cover
It is a good practice to also install cam shaft holding tool at the middle cam caps
undo all bolts attaching the tensioner to the heads
Remove the two front cam shaft caps (remember where they go)
Remove the central cam holding tools
Lift the two cam shafts with the tensioner and chain out and take it to the bench.
Remove any holding tools from the engine
At the bench, compress the tensioner with the special tool (left handed long M6 screw)
remove the pads, reinstall new pads
Release the tensioner tool
clean up black silicone at cam cover sealing surfaces.
Reinstall:
Set the pair of cam shafts into the engine
Install the cam holding tool at the center of the cam shafts
Install the front two cam caps in the right positions
Turn the exhaust cam shafts until it aligns with the TDC position
Install the cam timing tool at the end of the two cam shaft (ends facing the rear of the car)
Use your imagination to make sure this tool fits into the ends of both cam shafts and it is locked down
Now remove the holding tool at the middle section of the cam shafts
Torque the two cam caps at the front, as well as the three long bolts holding the tensioner
With both cam shafts in the correct timing position, now loosely attach the timing chain sprocket at the exhaust cam,
Install the main chain tensioner from the bottom of the engine, THEN torque down the bolts holding the sprocket to the exhaust cam shaft
Install the cam cover with a bead of black sealant.
Install the oil pump at the front
Torque all the bolts (M6) to 10 Nm
Remove tools
Install cam end caps
Install spark plugs, ignition wires, etc...
The other side has access problem with the ends facing the front. You need to figure that out,
I found a few posts using Google search. It's better/easier than using the forum search function. There are lots of results.
Google: 996 chain pad replacement
There are a number of items that should be replaced during this procedure, such as spark plug tubes (they are prone to cracking and leaking), o-rings, screws, etc.
Might want to look at metal-type spark plug tubes, I�ve heard those are a good option�
For bank 2, you'll need to remove the oil pump/coolant manifold for access to the chain guide bolts. Plan on gaskets for those too. If it's difficult to remove, you can remove the crank bolt for more room and leverage
Life got in the way and I ended of taking the car to Mayo Performance in Euless to get this done. They are doing all the �while you are in there� stuff like spark plug tubes and many other items while the motor is out. Clutch as well.
Good to hear. Chris is on this one. This car was a total gamble with a salvage title and motor. I told him if he saw anything glaringly bad to pull the plug
on it but he said this is one worth getting back to spec.
it definitely be great if someone was to undertake this in the future without dropping engine and video a DYI.
but hopefully i don't have to do this for many more miles.
I have done it multiple times with the engine in on 996 and Boxster, but I am not much of a Videographer. I have very serious photo equipment, I am just not interested in making video. Trust me, it can be done with engine in.
negative
I would have done it if there was a video DIY,,,I searched high and low and there is not a single one out there. There are a few threads that give a written step by step process however as a weekend mechanic it would take me forever to follow that type of instruction. I don�t have enough of a knowledge base on these engines.
Yelcab - you would do a great service to the 996 community if you could put a video together.
You'll have to specify if you have a 3-chain or 5-chain engine. The info on the 5-chain engine is widely available, but nearly inexistent on the 3-chain engine. They do differ. I took the plunge to do it on my own, with my 3-chain engine out of the car. I'm a weekend mechanic, too, and take extra time to do the things I'm not too familiar with. And that's why it's better to do it out the car. Less mistakes and oopsies when you can see better, or have more leverage. Once you're familiar with it, like I am experiencing now, then the risk is reduced when doing it in the car. Plus, it's already hard enough to clean and keep everything clean around there. Not to mention too many foreign object hazards.
Dropping the engine is not as difficult, or as great of a compromise as it sounds. And it's very doable without a 2-post lift. You just need to safely jack up the car about twice as much as usual for an oil change. If I can do it, anyone can.
If you do insist on keeping the engine the in the car, follow yelcab's instructions above for the 5-chain engines. I discovered the 3-chain engines are easier when it comes to parts under the cam covers. You'll be disconnecting everything electrical in that area, of course, and possibly some plumbing
In addition to yelcab's instructions, which are good for bank 1, and if you're doing bank 2, you'll remove the oil sending unit, and the entire oil/coolant manifold near the water pump, which includes the oil pump, and that means the large engine holding bracket first. This brings up the part that you'll be supporting the engine temporarily from the bottom while you're working on bank 2. You don't need to remove the intake if the engine is out of the car, but I think you'll need to do that if you keep it in the car, for access to some of the bolts.
Don't skip bank 2 just because it's more involved to access. In my case, it was the only chain guide with damage. I think it's skipped during normal maintenance ,especially when replacing tensioners because of access issues, and it ends up being the problem.
+1! I�ll add: On the 5-chain motors, don�t skip top or bottom pads just because the pads on the other side look like they don�t have much wear. The pads can wear unevenly, and one side could be a lot worse than the other.
Im curious to know what this will run you all said and done. My car will be needing this very soon and I'd love to know what to ready myself (read: wife) for.
as you are able. It's a whole different thing to make videos. I've started several, but get stuck in the editing.
Thank you for all of your insights!
All the best,
If you are going to do both sides Variocam, I would just take the engine out and save a lot of aggravation. As for cost, labor is
$1,000 for engine out and back in
$1,000 for replacing the variorum pads on both sides
$500 for the clutch job while engine is out
Parts are parts, whatever they cost. The variocam pads are not expensive but the solenoids and variocam tensioners are very costly. Clutch package is $800 ? Add $200 for oil and coolant. So $4K to $6K for this job depending on your parts. While you are in there, RMS, spark plugs, spark plug seals, AOS, water pump and thermostat and the list gets pretty long.
