12 captured repliesDiscussion pagination complete · Source accounts, not a confirmed diagnosis
THIS DISCUSSION / SOURCE-DERIVED OVERVIEW
Discussion summary
YOUR RESEARCHWhat exactly is RMS?
Leading reported evidence
Replace but will likely be
Performed · outcome unconfirmed
No successful repair reported for this finding.
0
Reported fixes
0
Unsuccessful attempts
1
Discussions
Read evidence and context
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
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Performed · outcome unconfirmed · Original poster
Thus, it can be replaced but will likely be replaced again (and again, and again).
Leading evidence: 'Replace but will likely be' (no explicit attributable resolution; this is a reported action or suggestion). Across 1 matching discussions, The most frequently discussed action is 'Replace but will likely be' (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.
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.
12 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: 20261027T182539Z · outcome-qualification-6. Deterministic extraction; no AI model inference. How we use sources
I hate to reveal my ignorance but what exactly is the RMS? I'm sure there is a post somewhere but there are so many RMS posts to wade through.
Thanks,
Tim
I don't understand why that would sometimes require an engine replacement. Engines have developed rear main seal leaks with age and time for decades, especially US V8s. Why couldn't the seal or seals just be replaced? Does it happen so quickly it loses all the oil in short time and cause internal damage? Or is there something i don't understand? I never heard of the problem with 996/986s until I joined this forum this week and i've become all lathered up about it. I have one of each. I've never seen a drop of oil under either one, which is really a pleasant surprise for one who has had older 911s
As I understand the issue (just to save you some reading) - is that some engines are manufactured out of spec such that the seal will not fit properly. Thus, it can be replaced but will likely be replaced again (and again, and again).
Ekename
Thank you very much. I have been reading posts from scouser, but there are a great many. This does make more sense to my feeble old brain. I have 47k on my 2000 996 and 101k on the 97 Boxster. Neither have had any problems. From all I've read thus far, I may not be out of the woods, but it seems to me that if either were out of spec, I would have probably seen something before now. I also have a 968 and have not had the dreaded pinion gear problem with the 6 speed. I must be living more "right" than I knew. I only take my cars to the shop for valves or belts and never to a dealer, my mechanic has never even mentioned the RMS issue to me. Didn't want me to worry I guess.
The problem is that none of us has any idea how often the problem occurs. I for example belong to a local Porsche club and no one has the problem. On the other hand when I was shopping for a 996 during the summer, I came across two 996s on dealers lots which had their rear main seals replaced. My gut tells me that the problem doesn't occur that often, and that there are probably less than 10% of 996s that have RMS leaks. But again that's just a guess.
That sums it up nicely.
The issue of value occurred to me. How would the posters who know of the rms value a used 996.
Should a 996 with 20,000 mi and one rms replacement be worth more than a 40,000 mi 996 with no rms problem. Cars same yr., color, model etc.
What do you think.
vove
I haven't done anything to 996s valves, but I have two other Pcars now and have had several 911s. The older ones needed valves adjusted every 15k by someone who knew what they were doing.I never had the confidence to tackle the project, so I went to see mechanic regularly. Knock on wood, the 996 has needed nothing since I bought it that I couldn't do myself, but I have driven down there more than once.
This is a source reference. Confirm exact model applicability in the original material.
