15 captured repliesDiscussion pagination complete · Source accounts, not a confirmed diagnosis
THIS DISCUSSION / SOURCE-DERIVED OVERVIEW
Discussion summary
YOUR RESEARCHIs this drip from the RMS
Reported or suspected cause
ims solution 'cover' seal
Reported cause
No successful repair reported for this finding.
1
Identified cause
0
Suspected cause
0
Reported fixes
Read evidence and context
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Discussions that report identifying a cause
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Reported cause
Turns out it was the IMS solution 'cover' seal that was leaking.
Leading evidence: 'ims solution 'cover' seal' (1 discussions report identifying this cause; no attributable repair resolution). Across 1 matching discussions, the most frequently mentioned possible cause is 'ims solution 'cover' seal' (1 discussions; 1 report identifying it and 0 suggest it). The most frequently discussed action is 'Check alignment' (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.
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Discussions that contain suggestions
1
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Performed · outcome unconfirmed
I had the RMS replaced 3 separate times on my car due to leaks, fortunately all under warranty.
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Suggestion
Every time you saw a drop of oil, you would bring the car into the dealer and they would use the Go-No-Go tool to check the alignment.
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Suggestion
If it were mine I'd clean the engine from top to bottom
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Suggestion
Porsche was replacing engines left and right under warranty for RMS leaks back when the cars were new.
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.
15 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.
1 acknowledgements have no verified action link; they do not establish a repair result.
Outcome without a verified action link
Agreed on the "guess" but the car has 112k and only started last month so I'm thinking (hoping) it is one of the "good ones".....either way, I'll eventually have it fixed.
So I let car sit for week or two and noticed I had a small drop of oil after pulling it out for drive. I got underneath to take a peek and noticed the drip from pictures posted. I think this is the RMS but not sure. Thoughts
Any idea the rough cost of having it taken care of?
A picture with 4 times more area coverage would be better.
If it's the RMS, it would be $1,000 to drop the gearbox, remove the pressure plate, clutch and flywheel, replace the RMS, and reverse the process. Replacement of flywheel bolts is required. Anything else is optional and extra costs,
I watched a PCA video about the IMS bearing with a guest appearance by Jake Raby a while back. One thing I remembered clearly is that many people misdiagnose the RMS when the IMS was actually leaking.
I would probably consider replacing the IMS anyway, as long as you�re digging around its vicinity. Maybe even the clutch, if it�s getting close.
I had a leak there. Turns out it was the IMS solution 'cover' seal that was leaking. So threw a new clutch kit at the same time as there were hot spots on the pressure plate / flywheel and the clutch material was worn down 50%. I also replaced the AOS at the same time as it is just there once the gearbox is out.
$5000AUD
And this slipped my mind earlier:
I would think it would be unlikely for our cars to leak at the crankshaft seals, due to the naturally aspirated engines. Turbocharged cars are much more likely to spew oil from the front and rear crankshaft seals after pressurizing the crankcase.
It�s still possible for it to happen to us, due to excessive blow-by, but I would imagine that you�d notice other worrying symptoms too.
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I would think it would be unlikely for our cars to leak at the crankshaft seals, due to the naturally aspirated engines. Turbocharged cars are much more likely to spew oil from the front and rear crankshaft seals after pressurizing the crankcase.
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The rear main seal (RMS) has been updated by Porsche numerous times trying to prevent leaks - at that exact spot. So your thinking is misguided in this arena. And as mentioned above - the IMS cover and o-ring around the bolt are both capable of creating the same leak symptoms.
-Tom
2003 C2
I had the RMS replaced 3 separate times on my car due to leaks, fortunately all under warranty. Car was a daily driver at the time (105k miles now), so not due to sitting around. That bugger can definitely leak.
Thanks for the response everyone! I figured as much and since I won't tackle that project, I'll bring it in and see what the cost would be to replace. I HATE oil drops on my garage floor....it's a OCD thing ....lol
As wdb said above...
Unfortunately on a full run of engines Porsche incorrectly machined the crank carrier to the block, or something like that. That let the rms be misaligned and seep/leak. Seals would not last long and start seeping quickly, then over time turn to a full fledged leak. All the new seals in the world wouldn't fix this misalignment of the seal boss to the crank. So warranty engines were installed for this problem, along with all the imsb warranty engines.
Not sure how long that faulty engine run lasted, but it wasn't just a few, it was thousands iirr..
So if anyone has one of these engines that 'continuously need new RMS', your car missed the warranty engine it really needed...
As you know, the main culprits are, rms & imsb, or aos and its piping seeping/leaking and running down the from top of engine.
If it were mine I'd clean the engine from top to bottom
and drive it till you can see the leak and check if its running downhill from aos. if not... Till the tranny/flywheel is removed, everything is just a guess as to where your leak is coming from.
Agreed on the "guess" but the car has 112k and only started last month so I'm thinking (hoping) it is one of the "good ones".....either way, I'll eventually have it fixed. Just haven't had time to stop by one of the many Posches Indy's here in Houston. Not sure the cost....hoping less than $1500 but we'll see I guess.
It prob is, just like mine at 74k ....No leaks and that "guess" is just that nothing more.
Sorry to tell you if its prob more than $1,500 because while you are there repairs will bring it up.
Yeah, they will leak from all the areas described by the guys above.
I lived thru the RMS and Go-No-Go era as described by Allcool. It was no big deal. First of all the original RMS was not robust enough. I remember clearly from 2002-2006 as the factory went thru many different iterations of new RMSs until i believe they settled on using one from the Cayenne which was pretty robust.
Every time you saw a drop of oil, you would bring the car into the dealer and they would use the Go-No-Go tool to check the alignment. If it was within spec, you would get a "Go" and they would replace the RMS with the new version. If you got a "No-Go" meaning the alignment was not within spec, then you got a replacement engine under warranty. Dont know how many engines were replaced, but it was pretty clear for all M96 engine owners that you should bring your cars into the dealer for a checkup and RMS upgrade.
Once I understood that Porsche understood they had to find a robust RMS and were constantly upgrading the RMS, i would willingly look for a drip so I could get the next version of the RMS. They would have a 911, Boxster or Cayenne waiting for me as a loaner and I would enjoy test driving the new models. No big deal.
Today we have a pretty robust RMS. But it will eventually leak. Especially if the car sits a long time. I just replaced mine after 10 years a year ago.
Again, no big deal.
Below is a link to LN's website if any of you want to buy the "Go-No-Go tool" as well as the RMS.
https://lnengineering.com/m96-m97-9699-1-crankshaft-go-no-go-gauge-inspection-rear-main-checker-tool.html
My RMS leaked when I got the car. 99k miles. It hadn't been driven in a while and indy said, drive it harder it won't leak anymore. Sure enough, within 300 miles and now almost 4k miles, no more drips at all.
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