29 captured repliesDiscussion pagination complete · Source accounts, not a confirmed diagnosis
THIS DISCUSSION / SOURCE-DERIVED OVERVIEW
Discussion summary
YOUR RESEARCHWhy is my engine missing a serial number?
Leading reported evidence
Replace ims
Performed · outcome unconfirmed
No successful repair reported for this finding.
0
Reported fixes
0
Unsuccessful attempts
1
Discussions
Read evidence and context
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Discussions that performed work without a confirmed outcome
1
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Performed · outcome unconfirmed · Original poster
I had the IMS replaced with an LN and a double row came out so it's not a newer rebuilt motor with a single or big bearing.
Leading evidence: 'Replace ims' (no explicit attributable resolution; this is a reported action or suggestion). Across 1 matching discussions, the most frequently mentioned possible cause is 'she was stolen' (1 discussions; 0 report identifying it and 1 suggest it). The most frequently discussed action is 'Replace ims' (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 performed work without a confirmed outcome
1
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Performed · outcome unconfirmed · Original poster
I've discovered that when Porsche dealers or indys replaced just the engine case, that serial numbers were not used.
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 suspect a cause
1
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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
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Suggestion
You could try using some grime to try and fill in the digits, then wipe it off lightly, exposing them.
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.
29 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: 20261026T083035Z · outcome-qualification-6. Deterministic extraction; no AI model inference. How we use sources
The S/N on mine was stamped dot-matrix style so lightly that I had to wipe it down, then look very closely with a light shining at an angle in order to see it. It's hard to tell if yours is even there at all. You could try using some grime to try and fill in the digits, then wipe it off lightly, exposing them.
I'm starting to believe this....
I did this with some black grease and there isn't any other script on the tab/plate. I had the IMS replaced with an LN and a double row came out so it's not a newer rebuilt motor with a single or big bearing. I'm guessing this means it was rebuilt many years ago.
So strange.
Another hypothesis: Could it mean that the engine was remanufactured around 99 or early 2000, hence getting the dual row which was pretty well all you could get as an IMSB at the time?
Ha! Tell me about it. Despite that she sure does get lots of compliments, though. In a lot full of Porsches she's the one that the random kid is getting his picture taken with. He doesn't know she gets around....
Looks like the plate was previously media blasted or there is an unusual amount of corrosion.
I'm going with blasted to remove the SN since it was stolen.
Is this the only place with the engine SN?
Well I don't truly suspect she was stolen. The car was a Porsche lease from 99 to 03 and then the second owner had her until January 2015, then me. I was recently able to find some of her Porsche dealer service history dating back to 2004. I suspect the 2nd owner had an engine issue out of warranty and had a local indy shop do a rebuild.
From what I've been able to find, the previous owner was a gentleman named Trung Mai, who is one of the founders of the Sonos speaker company. Unfortunately I've not been able to find a way to get ahold of him. The Santa Barbara PCA has no record of him or his wife.
I believe this spot on the engine is the only location for the serial number. At least that's all I've been able to find on the interwebs.
Yeah that's what I was thinking too. Since the PO was Asian, it wouldn't surprise me if the motor was stolen if motor swap/repair was done at an Asian Indy with or without PO's knowledge. Don't ask me how I know...
I wanna hear the story too!
On a side note, I think another poster was correct. I've discovered that when Porsche dealers or indys replaced just the engine case, that serial numbers were not used. My car was a late '98 build so it's possible it suffered from the porous block issue and the case was replaced at some point.
alpine003 and I chatted a fair amount about it via PM. Apparently he's dealt with replica wings quite a bit. My wing has none of the tell-tale signs of a replica aside from missing the France wording. The material appears to be correct, the intakes are are correct, the inlaid metal nuts are proper, the metal intake grill and attachment screw are correct, the gurney lip, the adjustable wing with four hex head screws, etc.
I'm not sure I'll ever figure that mystery out.
Yeah seems very strange indeed. Only theory I have at this point was that it was either repainted or had some bodywork done where the "Made in France" was either covered up or removed somehow.
He even showed me the inside which has the tell tale signs of smooth fiberglass of the OEM and not the rough straw natured surface of replicas.
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