Oil leak help

Went out to the garage yesterday and noticed a small puddle of oil under the car and the place where it's leaking, on the passenger side, is immediately obvious. The fix, however, doesn't seem as obvious to me. I'm not sure what this is called, but it's coming from this plug. If I clean it up, it looks to actually be seeping through the plug (like dead center where the middle arrow is pointing), not around it or from another place nearby. There is a good bit of rust around the hardware so I wouldn't be surprised at some rust/corrosion causing it but not sure how to address it. Any opinions, suggestions, advice?

It’s item 41 in this diagram. Latest part number is 99903602601. It’s a press fit in the cylinder head. Should be fairly easy to remove and replace.

Thanks. I've been looking at the same diagram and I was thinking it was 48 (on the bottom, not side). Either way, I'm still not exactly sure how you go about replacing it. Need to drill it out or is there some other way to pull it? Just fit in by pushing and then refill oil? This is one of those I just don't think I've ever seen.

I'm comparing it to the Boxster M96 that I have on the stand. It appears to be the same as this: That's a freeze plug in the valve cover. It's not like the typical camshaft end plugs. If it were me, I would pull the valve cover and try to drive it out from inside. Lots of work, but it should be possible. LOTS less chance of metal causing FOD.

I can pull my valve cover this evening and get a picture from inside if you'd like. But remember mine is an M96/25(987 Boxster engine) not a 996 engine, so there may be some differences inside.

Quotes source post: 15668606

Ouch. That's a lot more involved than I was hoping. But, yeah, you're probably right. Thanks for the info. That is the plug I thought it was. I think I may just order the plugs and take it to my indy and let him have at it. I've got a few other parts I've been waiting to get in when I go the chance and it might be a good opportunity for some "while you're in there" work.

I went ahead and removed the valve cover since I was my lunch hour. You definitely don't want any metal loose inside the valve cover. That is near the input to the oil scavenge pump. There is no direct access to the freeze plug. You'll have to come at it at an angle. Looks doable though. Here are some pictures. I don't have time to figure out which looks best, so here they all are.

If it were I, I would drill it, tap it with some thread, put a bolt in it, pull it out with a slide hammer. If that does not work, open up the valve cover and get to it at an angle from the inside. THEN, clean it really good with vacuum cleaner making sure all the metal shaving is gone before install the freeze plug with flange sealant.

Simple repair, use a sharp punch or ice pick, punch a hole in the Welch plug, use a slid hammer with a sheet metal screw attachment, screw into hole and slid hammer it out. Prep hole, use proper size driver ( or socket) drive in straight. Your Indy will have no problem doing this repair..

^^This!

Any way to tell which seal is leaking? Leak is more frequent that in recent months. Car is 2008 997.1, M96 motor. Thanks is closer to rear of car, behind oil plug What seal is leaking - RMS or IMS, if possible to tell?

Just based on those pictures, that could be coming from any of the seals, not just the RMS or IMS flange. (Camshaft plugs, variocam solenoids, cam sensors, etc) It looks like there is currently too much oil to be able to spot where it is coming from. First step is to thoroughly clean off the engine and then drive it a few miles and see if you can find where the leak is coming from.

With most of todays cell camera's a wider angle shot is better, the quality on most is good enough to let the folks looking zoom in as needed, With oil leaks it can travel quite a ways before dripping.

thanks pdmotorhead. here's wider angle shot