You guys are jinx or what!

All this talk about RMS leak and what do I find yesterday? a nice little puddle of oil right under were its supposed to be!! Well, I guess I have the record now of leak at the most milage, 55,000miles and out of warranty (from what is, a design flaw, not usual wear and tear BTW). And the 997 carreras are rumored to have the M96 engine again?? I will want to change to a 997 but how does Wiedeking expect us to trust that engine in the 997 if they haven't been able to fix it over the course of all these years still since 2003's are still going to the shop from leaks? (Maybe the rumored 997C2S doesn't have the M96 since its supposed to have 380HP...let us pray) Oh well, to the shop it goes...

Are you sure it wasn't the horrid vibratory effects from those rear air pumps?? Hmmmm... and just about directly above that rear main seal.... You do know, don't you, that's the way, basically, that they dissolve kidney stones?

All this RMS talk has got me interested in the issue as well and I've been doing a little research on it on the Web. One site I ran across (not Porsche specific) said that 20% of the RMS leaks spontaneous stop leaking by themselves, so you might want to test your luck for a while before taking it in. P.S. Technically these are called "radial shaft seals" if you or anyone wants to check out the literature.

If you wait too long though, won't the engine or transmission go. I though I read somewhere that the RMS could mess up the transmission or something. BOb

I've seen posts that claim clutch splippage. I can't figure that unless it leaks from top?

that's why my 99 had the clutch replace was because of the rms leak, according to the tech anyways

What about tip? Plus even if you have an RMS leak can't you just top up the engine with some oil? From what I understand an RMS leak is a very small amount no?

The RMS is at center, surrounded by the circle of the clutch.

it sprays oil to the clutch disc and causes it to slip badly as it goes worse.. My former own used to blow a huge puff of smoke everytime i floored the throttle as the clutch was spinning.. Flinstones.. yaaa badabada.. dooo!! Waz

well, i have read in other forums that the reparation cost is around $800 (something affordable). the big problem is when the camshafts allocation hole is above 4mm then the engine must be changed. i guess that after 55,000 miles properly working that is not the problem. here in Madrid there is a well-known independent P mechanic called Baltasar, maybe he can help you. Carlos, good luck.

Thanks Yes, "Balta" the great Porsche "guru"! I have heard of him, he is a leyend as far back as when Porche was building 356's but too far away for me. BTW I don't know what is rear main seal in spanish which should come in handy when I go to the shop next week is it something like "junta del soporte del cig�e�al"?

Oh I see Jeff 25 got interested all of a sudden! What a lot of crud. I see, so the RMS spontaneously fixes itself. I suppose it also cleans up all the oil that it spilled out over the clutch too. P.S. technically, these things are called "Rear Main Crankshaft Seals". Porsche documentation refers to the actual seal as the "Crankshaft Sealing Ring - Flywheel Side" Here's the official gaf on the subject of engine replacement from the TSB: QUOTE: In the Technical Manual, Repair Group - 13 59 19 - Removing and installing Crankshaft Sealing Ring - Flywheel Side, the following is specified in Chapter "installing the crankshaft sealing ring", on pages 13-39 page 3 under Point 2 "Check crankshaft installation position": If the measuring mandrel (special tool 9699/1) cannot be posotioned, the crankcase must be disassembled and the bearing housing or crankshaft refastened. This statement is no longer valid, and is hereby cancelled. The following applies: - When checking the installation position of the crankshaft, if the special tool 9699/1 cannot be placed with slight resistance in the crankshaft housing bore, the engine must be replaced with a replacement engine . ENDQUOTE

yes i guess, or junta alojamiento del cig�e�al. in this link you can find pictures and explanations and they talk about a new tool for a final reparation http://www.renntech.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=15

junta alojamiento del cig�e�al, that sound more proper. Thanks, I had read that thread on renntech before (Tool Pants and Loren are always an invaluable great help) and I actually sent by email a couple of those pics to the Porsche's shop head mechanic so he new exactly what I was talking about since I didn't now the name in spanish the other day in the phone The good thing is that I caught it before any signs of clutch slippage yet

"While you're in there syndrome" If they have to replace the RMS, you probably should replace the clutch. Interesting, that I have clutch slippage when downshifting to accelerate (5,000 rpm+/-); but no sign of leak yet (spots on floor) I have about 30,000 mi on C2.