Hong Kong 996 Failure

My engine has just blown..i cant be bothered to go into details suffice it to say though 1999 996 same old story...anyways i live in HK and getting a replacement engine is not as easy as say in US or Europe. Anyone have any ideas of people that export 996 engines to Asia.....from US or Europe?? Also is there a big diff in prices between 3.4 / 3.6 / 3.8 and for future reliabilty is there one particular i should go for????? I really been screwed on this but my own fault i just looking for damage limitation now...thx guys

Hi- My commiserations. I know you don't really want to relive it, but could provide a few details about what actually happened? e.g. Coolant in engine oil,RMS, hydrolock etc etc. If its too painful don't worry. Thanks.

Ok..i bought 1998 996 it was in mint condition seal grey lovely car ..got it looked over here by 2 independant mechanics all both said it was solid and lovely example..now Luxury cars in Hk are liable for 100% tax on top of there value ...so Porsches are very very expensive here..i'll give you a clue 1999 996 50kms on clock worked out about 65kUS$!!!!!!!I know i know buts thats just the nature of the beast here... So the coolant light starts flashing right from the get go but again in HK no warranty on a car that old i know its hard for you guys to get but if you wanna Porsche in thsi country with a full warranty you ar elooking around 200Kus$ for a 2006 motor . i take it to a Porsche mechanic who eventually tells me that there is water in the oil...and coolant is leaking out of the right tail pipe....Car running fine no loss of power on the diagnostic only flashing light tell tale sign... to be honest the engine hasnt gone yet but i have worked myself into such a lave as the mechanic tells me its only a matter of time i have convinced myself its gonna blow and i am prepping and sourcing engines for when it happens!!!!! the oil on the dipstick is fine but there just seems something funny is going on...there is not a more slippery character than a HK car dealer believe me...anyways i would love your thoughts on this ..i have seen so many posts on this matter and i cant beleive so many cars hve had this problem..but when you pay this sort of money for a ddog with fleas it hurts!!!!!!

Yes, if it is devouring coolant, it will be a matter of time before it deteriorates to the point it could potentially hydraulic lock the cylinder and bend a connecting rod. Or, it will leak coolant into the cylinder overnight and then lock the engine. It is not a condition that you can continue to drive under.

I'm confused? And something doesn't add up. Is your car a 99 as in the first post or a 98 (European) 996 as in the second post? You also state that your engine has just "blown" , but then you state that it just has coolant in the oil and has not blown. Could you clarify...then maybe people could help without having another 200 posts on blown engines.

Autofarm in the UK will ship a rebuilt engine that eill not have future problems. They will want your core or you will have to pay more.

sorry let me clarify the engine has been diagnosed terminal....not physically blown as in smoke billowing out of the tail pipes but according the mechanics it needs to be replaced and i need to find a new engine from somewhere and asia is not the easiest or cheapest to source one from.... My car is a late 1998 996 carrera 2.. sorry 1999 was a typo. i sent the car to the mechanic and the car was running well and fine he said he had put it on the diagnostic and it was ok.Then when it came back is was running like a dog with green coolant pouring out the left tail pipe and the guy said the engine was finished and needed to be replaced!!!

sorry when you say core do you mean the old engine????How much ball park youthink it will cost??do they normally come with a warranty???

autofarm just quoted me 7450 pounds : (

i'm bummed for you man, but cool to hear from a rennlister from HK!

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Delivered to HK? What are the terms of that quote? See if you can buy a crated engine from the West coast US and ship it over to HK LCL. Freight rates would be very cheap with a 14 day transit time. You may be able to get a better deal.

I must say, getting a Porsche in HK under those conditions. You are a true Porsch enthusiast and rennlister! Best of luck in getting this taken care of...wish I could help!

Whoops Porsche...not Porsch. What a time for a miss spell

west coast of US would look like my best bet if anyone has any ideas of where to get an engine please let me know.....appreciate it thx

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cylinder, either side, up at top of cylinder. At first just a crack and coolant can leak into cylinder. But not long after crack results in a piece of the cylinder wall coming loose and of course it drops into cylinder proper and the engine's really toast when this happens. Only the 3.4l engine has exhibited this failure. I've not come across any reports of any other Boxster or Carrera engine doing this. Anyhow, even if you catch engine before piece of cylinder breaks loose and drops into cylinder, engine's almost toast, though I suppose if one caught the problem in time the block could be replaced with a new one or even sleeved. Autofarm in the UK sleeves these engines and can at the same time up the displacement. 4.0l has been mentioned. If you go this sleeve route the engine's existing internals can be reused provided they are in good reusable condition, unless you elect to up the displacement, then of course pistons/rings and possibly crankshaft/bearings (if displacement increase requires stroker crank) will be required. Run the engine too long even if cylinder doesn't fail completely, coolant in oil will at some point see the engine oil pickup grab water/coolant instead of oil and then most bearings will be toast and engine is good for maybe a core charge, if you're lucky. If you want to replace engine I'd at least check with local Porsche dealersihp to see about availability and cost. Here in USA if Porsche dealer replaces engine work/parts come with 2 year/unlimited (?) miles warranty. Or if engine sleevable contacting Autofarm to see what it can do for you might be a plan. Sincerely, Macster.

Is this due to a crack cylinder head or can it be just a blown head gasket? I have had similar symptom on my bmw and it was a blown head gasket. If its a blown head gasket, isn't that repairable?

i am not sure the tax rate about importing a engine. otherwise, the best way is the buy a remanufactured engine from US, then ship to HK. the weak dollar makes u a sweet deal than buying from euro. don't mention to US dealer that you are going to ship the engine out of US.

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Suncoast or Sunset is a Porsche dealer in Oregon. Call a freight broker in Hong Kong for freight rates, customs clearance and duty rates etc... If you have any questions, send me a PM. I move thousands of containers a year and can steer you in the right direction.

being told it looks like a cracked cylinder head ...is this repairable???

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Yes. I would replace the cylinder head...obviously cheaper than the entire engine, but may be looking at 5 thousand state side for the repair...HK, who knows? Good Luck, and get that thing back on the road!

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Ouch

Got your PM. I'm no expert, but here's my logic: If it's a gasket, intuition says fix it, however I know there are many seal issues well documented all over the web RE: the 3.4L M96. If it's a head and only a head, it stands to reason that you can just get away with just a new head or set of heads, but there's a lot of variables involved and this could be a very long road if that doesn't fix the situation, especially considering the fact that you are in one of the more expensive car markets in the world and dealers in HK are a whole other ball of wax. The problem with repairing heads in old, highly strung motors is that while the cracked head is conspicuous and easy to diagnose, it may be just the tip of the iceberg. Once the cam covers come off you may find a lot more stuff needs fixing, and before you know it you're paying someone in HK to rebuild your motor piece by piece, HKD by HKD. At the very least I would think that you'd have to do more than just the one head given the age and condition of the motor, and once you unscrew a 10 year old motor you'll be redoing all the gaskets and seals and by the end of it maybe a lot more. Patching a piece of something big also has a tendency to bring out other failures shortly thereafter in other components not accustomed to the new tolerances and conditions of your engine post repair. Of course I'm making a lot of assumptions, but I know how hard it is to get serious work done on vehicles in markets like HK. Unless of course it's a Toyota Crown. Lastly, while a new engine arguably would increase the value of your vehicle, especially considering its age (98). Not dollar for dollar of course, but the warranty and the "new" part (even thought it's rebuilt) will definitely give you something back on sale. Major engine work as being contemplated otherwise will only cause people to avoid purchasing your vehicle in the future or assume that they will need to replace the motor and try to price that into their offer price. If you were in the USA and this was a Corvette I'd say fix the heads and have a stiff drink, but even in the US it seems that Porsche is very aggressive about exchanging and providing comparatively inexpensive replacement motors (10-15K might not sound inexpensive, but it's well under half of what the 993 or 964 motors cost for replacement) and the conventional wisdom seems to be to replace any engine with a significant problem with a freshly rebuilt engine. I think you should : 1) Get a quote for repair of the head(s) locally include parts labor and warranty 2) Keep your existing engine replacement quote of $16K with a 2 year warranty from a Porsche dealer in your city in mind 3) Post this over at Renntech.org, and ask what else typically goes wrong in these watercooled motors when the initial diagnosis is cracked cylinder head and you've been running it for while this way. 4) Have a stiff drink, and be thankful you didn't buy a Ferrari Good luck!

PS. If you buy from Autofarm, please find out how much more for that 4 liter big bore I heard they make!

hahah you defo seem to know your HK car market...i have it in jebsen the main dealer here and get a definitive answer on the car tomorrow...i went back to the dealer and SHE...i have to say has been very good about the whole situation..(apart from the fact she sold me a dog with fleas)i dont think that she new about this problem!!!!They have a reationship with Jebsen and i think they will try and get the job done at teh best price .i.e a new engine which only comes with a 1 year warranty...I think they are going to offer me around 30K HK$ about 3600US$.which considering the car has no warranty and they are within there rights to tell me do one i am actually quite impressed!!! i need to know can i do this that much cheaper state side to make it worth my while instead of paying say 13K US$ if they assist me and have the car done on home soil.....your thoughts are greatly appreciated...i.e what would you guys do..i have to say apart from the engine the car is absolutely mint and i love it and feel strangely attached to it..like its my sick pet...

The new engine, if it is a remanufactured, has upgrades. For $3600; its a no brainer. Do a search and you will find that people have gone through this process, with no warranty, for around $10K. Even people who went through a warranty claim spent around $2500 to buy a warranty.

sorry you misunderstand me..the dealer has offered to give me 3600 US $ towards the new engine.Been quoted 16K to replace so net whole thing gonna cost me 12400 which considering HK prices seems ok...saying that the offer from the dealer is not firm yet!!!

I've been pricing a 3.4L engine here in Southern California and the going rate is $10,300 (not including install, etc.). If it's about $12,400 installed that's almost the same price as here. Seems like a good way to go. What kind of warranty will they give you?

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and fitted along with new gaskets, etc. In some cases -- this is my experience with other engines anyhow -- a cracked head is due to overheating or something else and the deck of the block can suffer some degradation. Before you have new head fitted you want to make sure the surface to which the new head will fit, must fit, is flat, straight, and has no areas where coolant or combustion gases have eroded the block material to the the point the new gasket/head will not maintain a leak free state for many years, thousands and thousands of miles. In some cases if damage not severe the block surface where the head fits can be machined but this requires the engine be removed from the car and disassembled. Also, a good mechanic will ensure the new head is straight, flat, etc. They can come new warped or otherwise off (due to sloppy machining, etc.). If used in a new engine new car warranty covers this but if the part is used in an older engine and the part found later to be defective, while the part might be warrantied, all that labor to remove the bad new head, install another new good head is not going to be covered by any warranty. 'course, if the mechanic fails to notice/detect the new head's not right he should maKe it up to you, but better to make sure the new head is indeed good. Also, the oil passages should be checked for any metal debris or blockages before installing new head on engine. Nice too if camshafts can be installed with lots of oil and spun by hand to ensure the camshaft bearings are in line....And so on. Sincerely, Macster.

1 year warranty only but also i need to factor in freight prices core to US.... engine to HK prob 1600 US then if the car needs to use warranty from US..i am stuck in HK and need to get the engine back to US again..i think i am gonna go HK route seems about the same price net net and a whole lot less agg.... Just hope i can get this resolved asap..out of interest what does a new engine realistically do to the value of the car????

HK sorry for your issues, but to answer the last question, a new engine will sell your car perhaps a little faster but will add little actual monetary value (at least here in America).

sunset imports in oregon have offered a new engine 9K plus freighting etc and this comes with a 2 year unlimited miles warranty !!!! They are saying that it the warranty doesnt come in print form just word of mouth.Does anyone here have any experience with these guys they seem pretty switched on..wish i had this level of service here!!!!!

sunset is very well liked here and I'm sure you'd get a great motor, but you're maybe going to save $1000 after two way two freight (core), and then who knows? Duties which you didn't dream of applying might break your back, and that warranty is in the US. Not worth the effort for the slim savings in my opinion. Jebsen is an OLD (19th century) company in HK/Macau, still family run (and the Chairman's name is Hans). They are definitely the people whom I would want supporting my replacement engine warranty if I was in HK. See if you can get a few more HKD out of the selling dealer toward the replacement (how long ago did you buy from her?) and go local, at least if something needs fixing you can lean on someone locally.

i hear you but the original quote was monster 170k for a rebuild 22kUS$ and much more for a NEW engine..Just cant get there for that sort of money..what sort of duties will i be liable for ?? sunset here have offered an engine for 8622 US$ with 2 yr warranty freight might be 2K US and refundable core deposit 2500 US$ more than a slim saving????

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I am looking for engine also and I am thinking of doing a price match with porsche dealer vs suncoast quote that is local. I would pay taxes but save on shipping I would hope this would be a positive thing for porsche if they would like me to buy another car from them down the road. Just thinking of options like you.

oh i thought 16K installed was the quote. $22K yeah import from sunset. no clue on duty, perhaps zero (but unlikely, again this is HK we are talking about), I was never importing anything into HK for local disposition, but just call a freight forwarder in HK and get a full intermodal LCL quote (sunset > ground > customs > sea > customs > ground > your installer in HK) on DDP terms (delivered duty paid) and give them declared value of USD$8622 for the material and ask if it will help if you can prove that this is a replacement for a failed engine. You will need to ask sunset for the weight and dimensions of the engine (fully crated and boxed). they will send you a breakdown of freight and the customs expenses then ask the dealer you bought the car from and also whomever you are going to use as an installer to get the same quotes (they may have some licensing which permits them to import at no or low duty).

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worth a shot

okk no duty to pay..dealer giving me 4K US$ towards the new engine ...sunset engine is 8750 US$ no sales tax.My independant gonna charge me 2K US$ to install.prob 2K freight =total cost $8750. If you ask me thats a result (by the way 2 year warranty)at last i can crack a smile!!!! htny thoughts??? sunset said there engines hardly ever have any problems again there return rate is v v v low.At last i can see some light. Guys thanks for your help during this horrible time..been very supportive!!!! hkmacca

by the way the quote by jebsen was all in US$ 22k!!!!!!!! 2 year warranty

Sounds like a great deal (importing it), jump on it!

craked engine block is the official diagnosis...i am now on the look out for a reman ROW engine.I had one on order from the US (sunset) but it fell off the forklift truck and broke....They can odere me one but 6-7 weeks waiting.Ha anyone any ideas where i can get one from???

In what country did it fall off of the forklift?

Get it straight from Porsche in Germany, or ask Gert at Carnewal.com. Ask them to quote you without the VAT.