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YOUR RESEARCHPopped a CAM/Oil Pump Plug...Common?
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Fill with these same sorts of silver bullets
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This video is not free, it's part of the 15 hours of edited content that is FILLED with these same sorts of silver bullets.
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or they have been pulled and replaced too many times..
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Doesn't look like any sealant was used on the one I just popped off (old motor)
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Suggestion
either from internal parts or checking the hole for damage.
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Suggestion
In some engines,, (Not specifically porsche) Metal Plugs can heat work and get loose,, but I'd check for movement that shouldn't be in that plug hole..
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In some engines,, (Not specifically porsche) Metal Plugs can heat work and get loose,, but I'd check for movement that shouldn't be in that plug hole..
Use 3-m super weatherstrip adhesive -yellow version
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If you are not going to fashion a retaining plate to hold them in, then use 3-M Super Weatherstrip Adhesive -Yellow version, it is the original "Gorilla Snot" , you will see why after you use it...
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Use rubber gloves, if it gets on your fingers you can't get it off till it completely dries ( wiping or chemicals will not remove it) then peel it off.
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Is this a common m96 thing? I just replaced my AOS this year and last weak did the lower AOS vent tube. Coincidence or do I have an issue with crankcase pressure?
Not the green ones, but a larger metal type on the opposite end.
Time to invest in a basic vacuum gauge. (The harbour freight one is "good enough" to just spot test with)
But it could just be age of the plastic plugs if original,,
or they have been pulled and replaced too many times..
Ah darn I somehow mis read that..
That is a much more interesting problem..
In some engines,, (Not specifically porsche) Metal Plugs can heat work and get loose,, but I'd check for movement that shouldn't be in that plug hole.. either from internal parts or checking the hole for damage. It may be as simple as missing lock=tight back whenever that plug was last removed. Is that the plug that comes out when you pull the valve cover?
Not sure as I've never pulled a valve cover but looking at my old motor it appears that all would come out, 2 green and this one bigger one.
I wonder if I can pop one off the old motor and transfer to my car to get it home 5 miles? Doesn't look like any sealant was used on the one I just popped off (old motor)
sounds like one that "should" have some locktight somewhere,, but I bet its in a manual someplace..
Ya don't hear much on the forum about that problem on the forum,, so must not happen real often.
As long as the plugs sealing areas look good I'd think you could re-use to to limp to the shop, but if
you already can pull the plug,, heck I'd just order one on line and install it unless the valve cover has to come off..
Not a big deal, just pop an old one a get it home.
I have seen many of these pop out if the engine if turned to the red line or hits the rev limiter. There is a lot of pulses going on in the 996.2 crankcases and with over 2 inches of circumference it only takes a fraction of a PSI to pop out the big plug.
The race team fleet that used to have a bunch of these cars in 996.2 or 997.1 and would come to our shop to prep their cars for the Porsche 250, had made a aluminum retainer plate to hold those plugs in on all their cars.
One friend of mine who had a track only 996.2 (ex-race car) as he was learning to drive it, spun it out on a turn and went "both feet in" on the clutch and brake, but unfortunately his right foot was also partly on the accelerator.. The engine was bouncing on the rev-limiter for quite a long time until he stopped spinning and calmed down. He found his big rubber plug laying on the ground. we just put in a new one and carried on..
You will be fine.....
If the small oil passage at the plug is clogged with sealant then it can pop out from the oil not having enough room to go when leaving the last cam bearing.
Can this passage be seen with the plug out or does the cover need to be removed? If so I can peek in with my borescope... Got a picture of this oil passage?
Yes, you can easily see it when the plugs are out. They are 2-3mm wide channels between the end of the camshaft bearing and the start of the mating surface of the valve cover. Check out the last picture in Post 60 of this my engine repair thread
https://rennlist.com/forums/rennlist...f-these-5.html
Those cam plugs you are referencing are the 996.1 3.4 small cam plugs. The 996.2 has some of these ,but ALSO has a larger one about twice the diameter (where the vario-cam phaser bolt is accessed)
Bill, I would not install that dry even though Porsche and Bentley both say so. I have seen too many of them pop out. If you are not going to fashion a retaining plate to hold them in, then use 3-M Super Weatherstrip Adhesive -Yellow version, it is the original "Gorilla Snot" , you will see why after you use it...
The videographer is doing an excerpt from my engine rebuild video series for you. We will post it here when he finishes it.
This video is not free, it's part of the 15 hours of edited content that is FILLED with these same sorts of silver bullets. This isn't for youtube consumption, it costs real money :-)
Basically, these plugs don't pop out unless there's a reason for it.. If you don't address this, it'll just do it again.
Stand by.
Yah, I ordered all six and they should be here tomorrow.
I just hope I don't have a plugged oil passage that's causing this...Took only 5K miles for this one to pop out.
No worries about a blocked oil passage causing the LARGE cam plug to pop out, there are no oil passages behind that plug.
The oil passages that can get blocked and cause the cam plugs to pop out are at the END of the cam (opposite the chain) where the small cam plugs are located.
No sure what "Vampires" are lurking in the 996.2 engine that I haven't seen, only thing that can pop them out is crankcase pressure pulses (ie. blowby)
I appreciate all the help and enjoy learning all I can about this motor. I've dreamt of owning a 911 since the late 70's and have no plans on ever letting this one go!
I guess I didn't read correctly.. I was expecting this was the small green plugs at the ends of the cam tunnels. Sounds like its the large brown plug.
No silver bullet for that one.
I experienced the green plugs blowing out. Are you saying crankcase pressure can be the cause? Or something else? I've never experience the larger brown plug popping out, but those green ones would pop loose. Why would the pressure not affect the brown plug like the green ones? Should these green plugs be glued into the crankcase or what? Aren't these just caps for the camshafts???
You can see it with a borescope... here�s mine
When I did my cam chain pads, I got a little over zealous with the sealer and it popped the green plug at the end of the cam cover. There's an old thread documenting the whole thing floating around somewhere.
The 996.2 LARGE cam plug (factory brown, aftermarket sometimes black) is for access to the vario-cam phaser bolt. It is exposed on the back side to crankcase pressures/vacuum and has no oil passages behind it.
The SMALL cam plugs (factory green, aftermarket sometimes black) are to seal the cam bores after machining of the bores. The ones at the END of the cam (opposite chain) are not exposed to crankcase pressure/vacuum, but are exposed to an oil drain passage, if the oil drain passage is blocked (too much sealer) the oil pressure will back up and it will pop the plug out.
There is 1 SMALL cam plug on the 996.1 (each side) that is only exposed to crankcase pressure/vacuum, but the small diameter will keep the pressures from popping it out.
The reason that the LARGE one 996.2 will pop out and not the SMALL one on the 996.1 due to crankcase pressure/vacuum is simple physics, .5 psi on a 1 inch diameter cam plug is .5lbs force, .5psi on a 2 inch cam plug is 1 lbs force (ie twice as much force)
It's hard to explain simple things in detail at times, but to do a NTK (need to know) recap, the SMALL cam plugs pop out due to too much sealer on the cam cover blocking the oil drain and no "glue" is needed to hold them in(just a clear drain path), the LARGE cam plugs pop out due to crankcase pressures/vacuum acting on a larger diameter surface and need a "glue" to hold them in.
Silicone sealer is good for sealing and stopping leaks, but that isn't a problem on the cam plugs, Gorilla Snot is better for holding things in place, get you some, it can be found at most any auto parts store.
I've found that wicking lactate (620) holds these in better than anything else. Ultimately they should never eject, if they do, you have an underlying cause that must be investigated. If the AOS is doing it's job, you should never have positive crankcase pressure, so the ;large brown plug should never have enough force to become ejected. I see 5-6" of water column vacuum on these crankcases.
Some tips for using this product, apply to both surfaces, let dry till tacky (doesn't take long) then assemble
Use rubber gloves, if it gets on your fingers you can't get it off till it completely dries ( wiping or chemicals will not remove it) then peel it off.
When/where possible, press both surfaces together then pull back apart ( adhesive will be stringy spider-web like) allow to air dry about 10 seconds then press back together , fast drying.
Great for many other applications, door seals, trim pieces, carpets, headliners, use to hold gaskets overhead while assembly ect. A staple for any mechanics tool box, and the reason it is affectionately nicknamed "Gorilla Snot" even though the nickname has been since confused with other products and commercialized , this product is the real deal..
This is a source reference. Confirm exact model applicability in the original material.
