Engine repair shop near Pittsburgh?

Hi folks, it looks like I just ruined my 3.6L engine. Terrible metallic noise. Everything started after I moved to the hills from Chicago. Maximum acceleration uphill (14%) with a right hand corner caused oil to get into the engine. Massive blue exhaust gases during the uphill drive. Got better but after cool down and restart again massive blue fumes but disappeared after 2-3 restarts. Today the final day. Normal drive but started suddenly with metallic, mechanical noises of the pistons. I'm afraid I need a new engine. I'm hoping for a skilled repair shop which can fix it without selling me a "new" engine. Does anyone know a knowledgable specialist near Pittsburgh? I don't trust the Porsche dealer in general. They tried to rip me off with my IMS and I guess they just want to sell me a replacement engine. My car is (was) worth $27k. I'm afraid to spend $18k for a new engine. Every help would be appreciated. Peter 2002 996 convertible 52k miles

This will cost a minimum $10K but probably a lot more. Can you afford that?

I have a guy up here in Erie. Pm me for info

There is also a euro repaid shop over on rt 60/Steubenville pike right off 79

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I have to be able to afford this. There is no alternative. Either I have a piece of in my garage or I loose tons of money by selling a car with a blown engine. I did not know that a sports car is not meant to be driven sporty. Actually I thought about doing a track day but I think it's not a good idea to do it with the 996. No luck with the car. 3000 miles driven and $15,000 costs (I have the IMS issue too)

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Just as I thought another infomercial...Peter A/K/A Varianti, Rady(?)...what a f'in joke!

Lets be fair, the engine was trying to tell you something was wrong, you choose to ignore it and then something finally let go. Guessing from the way you describe the events, you mechanical abilities are limited and this is one more reason to listen when an engine is trying to tell you something is wrong. I think your cheapest option is to get a used engine and have it installed.

Put it on our southbound truck and send it on down. The next one departs the NE in 10 days, passes through Pennsylvania and heads down through the mid-west and then to Georgia.

I have a couple trusted Indy's I go to. PM me for details but there is C&G Performance off the Wexford Exit on I79 and then also 20 mins north of there, George Riggin off the Evans City Exit of I79. Both have extensive experience with all aspects of our cars and may be able to help, hopefully in your price range. Good Luck.

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Yes, you are right. Sorry it was a mistake on my side. Did not want to post under my real name. It was dumb...

Wow! I did not know that driving a German car makes some drivers very German in their abilities to communicate with people. I am German myself but was still surprised by the flak given (southbound truck, affordability, mechanicals skills). I assume that we all drive 996 because we can't afford newer ones or other more expensive ones. There is maybe someone out there who thinks that the 996 is an icon but most have other dream cars. I think looking after repair costs is a legitimate task. I never financed or leased cars always paid cash but that doesn't mean I'm not looking after the money. I'm not talking about saving $1,000 but $5,000 does make a difference. Thanks for the ones who gave valuable information in the matter. I will give them a try.

This is a technical forum and so are the suggestions.

This tread is so strange. Starts of with a post from Peter Herzhoff And it is the 1st post since 2012. Then changes to Varianti with 1st post since 2013 Lots of negative comments for so few posts.

Also call John Raysich in Bridgeville, just south of the city.

Just an update. I talked with John Raysich. He had a look at the car and said it is the IMSB and I should better bring the car to Sewickley. (Niceley he didn't charge me for this check.) Sewickley diagnoses an broken IMSB and said maybe it's just the bearing. So they exchanged the bearing and told me afterwards that the timing is off and some valves touched the pistons. Now he offered me two options: 1. rebuild: total costs incl. the initial IMSB exchange and tax = $18,366 2. new engine total costs incl. the initial IMSB exchange and tax. = $27,209 (core price of $12,000 is already deducted) In detail (IMSB was done separately from engine exchange): remanufactured engine price incl. coolant + power steering fluid =$22,489 + IMSB = $23,245.07 labor for both = $3,705 engine repair incl. IMSB: $4,300 in parts + $13,100 in labor In the best case I will end up with $13,775 after the possible 25% from the class action suit for the IMSB failure. I guess my best option is to go with the engine repair because I don't see how I can get $27k (or $20k after class action) back when I sell the car after repair. With much luck I will get 5K more for a new engine with 2 year warranty. The car is worth approx. $27-28k (when it would run).

You might consider Jake's truck. His rebuild addresses issues that a standard rebuild may not. Talk to him. His engine may add more value back into your car than the other alternatives. There was also the suggestion of a used engine.

So someone installed a replacement IMSB before verifying collateral damages? Then they just happened to find that the engine did have collateral damages? Classic.

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So your mechanic (use the term loosely here) decided to replace the bearing and didn't use a boroscope to see if there was any piston/valve contact first? Holy Sh*t!! That about sums it up...

Wow, talk about closing up the barn after the horses are gone...either there was a communication issue with the mechanic, or he just felt like burning some of your cash. I would have guessed a bad AOS caused hydrolock, but I'm just some loser on the Internet...I definitely would not have thought "Hmm, let's slap a new bearing on this sucker and hope for the best."

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If your 996 has been in service for 10 years, which seems logical since it's an '02, I believe your potential settlement amount is closer to $0. I hope I'm incorrect.

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This happens routinely. This week alone we've gotten engines from two different shops after they tried to "repair" them. Its such an issue I added an hour in my WTI M96 Engine Mechanical Class to go over engine resurrection and what not to do. These are the types of issues that can give our products a bad name, when they are applied to engines that have suffered unknown collateral damage, then the bearing/ component fails due to that collateral damage. Most of what we see has been "worked on" by some other shop, then they got in over their head, gave up or screwed up and then they pack all the parts in the trunk and ship it on down. We call these "a trunk job". Here is an illustration of a Boxster version: This is also a classic that came in from a supposed "M96 Expert" in Florida, see these pics and read the descriptions. They didn't do ANYTHING correctly. M96 Disaster That said, you really have to determine if you want to keep the car long term before you comment to a repair. If you don't want to keep the car long term its much better to liquidate the car broken and take the losses without any further investment. The engine could be repaired after a complete disassembly, thorough ultrasonic cleaning and some updates. Thats not difficult, if someone is proficient with this engine.

Damn, Jake, the carnage on your Facebook page scares the hell out of my wallet.

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Remember, outside of our preventive procedures all we see are failures.. No simple service work, no work on "cars"... Everything is blown apart, worst case and has usually been screwed with by someone else before we receive it. So yeah, thats why I am so biased. Its like working in a Morgue, but the only difference is that every now and then you experience a resurrection.