New 996 owner

Hello everyone I am an active forum member and have a Boxster S with a Jake Raby 3.6 R51 engine . Yesterday I purchased a 1999 996 C4 with 6 speed manual and a dead engine 😩 . She's black over grey with 149k on the odometer . Has ROW M030 suspension with Bilstein's installed in 2016 . Plan is to pull the engine , perform the autopsy 😋 and build a 3.8 stage II at Jake's shop . I will add pics of the car and document her progress if there is any interest. I know Rennlist has a large water cooled crowd but I call Pelican home 😁

You won't be disappointed with that car. Even Jake will tell you, something about the 99 is just a better car. Almost like they took a little more time at the factory.

Van thanks for the reply . The internet searches I did before buying this one clearly showed there is a following for the 1999 model year . I hope to slowly bring her back to former glory but with the full punch of a 3.8 . I also plan to make her a GT3 clone with the addition of a GT3 front bumper , side skirts and rear taco wing . My Boxster S is a GT3 wannabe with an OEM GT3 front bumper , side skirts and a Joe Toth ducktail spoiler . Also has a GT3Tek rear diffuser that is just for looks . She is a hoot to drive with that 3.6 😋

The 4wd makes for a lot of fun on track too, car drags you out of the corners in a way thats very different than a C2... enjoy!!

^^^^ Says the previous owner 😁 . Was great doing business with you . Stay tuned for progress updates .

That's a good looking car. I would have paid that just to have it sit and look at it. (if I had the space that is.) I know you say you're gonna do a Raby motor, but being retired I would think it would be fun to pull the thing apart beforehand even if Jake does the rebuild. By the wording of the ad, the previous owner (see post #4) put a ton of miles on it so I'm sure it needs headwork and a complete rebuild of the lump. Might as well go big.

Milt I plan to do the teardown and let Jake's guys determine overall health . But plan is 3.8 Nickasil cylinders and all other internal goodies . Len Hoffman's shop will rework and port the heads . Should produce 300-320 whp with a solid torque curve.

Ok first update 😁, plan is to pull the engine this Saturday . Goal is to have the engine torn down by the end of the day . After performing the autopsy we can form the plan moving forward .

Small step forward , this morning I successfully registered the car and applied for the title . All went smoothly with no issues . My custom license plate # 996 C4 38 will arrive later this month 😊

Last night scored the first part for the build . I won an auction for a OEM 3.8 air box. Jake has proven on MANY Dyno runs that the 3.8 air box flows better and makes more power vs the 3.4 air box . Being a OEM part it's a perfect fit while using a stock filter insert . I will now be on the lookout for a GT3 throttle body and a IPD plenum . One step at a time 😋

This morning we removed the engine and transmission . After removing the transmission from the engine we started the disassembly of the engine . Got the engine completely disassembled and found two spun main bearings . Will have an expert next week look it over but I am hoping a simple crank polishing will do the trick .

Yesterday it was determined the crankshaft is toast ☹️ . Oh well I knew that was a possibility and just going to keep moving forward . Found another engine to purchase , it sounds like it has a good crank that I can use . Spare parts never a bad thing 😁

Ok problem solved 😊 . Today I purchased a same year dead 3.4 engine with a cracked cylinder . I gambled that the crank would be good . I tore the engine down , had an engine guru look the crank over and got a thumbs up. The engine I purchased today is actually cleaner than the engine I pulled out of the car so going to rebuild it instead . I will end up selling off the " spare engine " and will almost break even . Today was a great day 😊

Check out the coolant lines, cam actuators, ramps, and other rubber and plastic bits on my former motor, lots of bits replaced in last 4 years… assuming the shop didn’t lie! Also new motor mounts Good luck!

Engine mounts will be reused , everything else will be inspected and replaced as needed .

Small update: I submitted my " wish list " to LN Engineering and Charles replied with my invoice . Yesterday I cleaned the two block halves in a ultrasonic cleaner so they are basically ready to be boxed for shipment . I still have to pull the IMS bearing off the shaft and then clean the shaft . The heads I will deliver to Len Hoffman some time next week so he has plenty of time to fit them in . The engine block and parts won't be back from LN until April or May . So really the only thing I will be doing between now and then is cleaning and painting parts as needed.

Pics? Looking forward to seeing this whole thing!

Nothing really pic worthy , just parts spread out on a bench . And now everything is in totes .

Yesterday I dropped off the heads to Len Hoffman's shop . He will clean and inspect them and then we can discuss the path forward . Many options to discuss . This morning I ordered a FVD Brombacher X pipe as part of my exhaust renovation . I will use stock headers , the FVD x pipe and stock mufflers with a DIY Fister style mod . The money train has left the station 😁

Headers bro. Log style headers suck. If you want to save some bucks, you can get the OEM 997 fork/ Y-type as a used item, but long tube is best. It’s a dirty Porsche trick used for up selling models. The base model headers plain suck.

FVD x-pipe arrived today that is some auto art ! One more piece of the puzzle purchased .

Just made my first payment to LN Engineering for the block work and part goodies 🙂 . Unfortunately the block won't be done/ready until April or May . I did score an IPD plenum along with a 82mm throttle body that only had a 100 miles on them per the seller . He sold the car and pulled the parts to make some extra $$$ . A win/win for both of us .

Subscribed.

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Not much will be happening until at least June or July . I am slowly buying all the parts needed . LN is supplying most internal goodies but there are still a lot of parts and gaskets . I found a local shop that does Cerakote I am going to have them coat the OEM headers in silver to freshen them up . I plan to drop them off on Monday .

Today I dropped off the OEM headers and the exhaust bracket to a local powder coater . I have never used this guy but being local is a big plus . He is going to do a high heat silver Cerakote finish . Should be ready for pickup next week . I will post a pic when I get them back .

Another tiny step forward , this morning I picked up my headers and a bracket that I had coated in high temp Cerakote . Also found out that LN Engineering had completed the machine work on my block and it will be shipped to the platers later this week . Good stuff 😁

Today I received the price quote from Len Hoffman for the work on the heads . I am going to his shop on Friday to pay the deposit . Also heard from LN Engineering that my block will be shipping around 4/15 from the plater back to LN . It will get final clean up and inspection along with pressure testing . So it's all coming together slowly as planned .

This morning I made a deal to purchase a Boxster S center radiator with the mounts/duct/hoses . Should be a direct bolt in for my C4 . When increasing displacement and compression these cars tend to run hot with just two radiators . My Boxster S never runs hot so it's a proven solution.

Looks like you have some nice waterfalls in your neck of the woods.Fred

This morning I ordered the Gbox 2nd gear detent upgrade. My car has over 140,000 miles on it and because it was not running I really have no idea on the condition of the transmission . The seller stated it shifted fine and I have no reason to not believe him . It's cheap insurance while I have the transmission removed from the car . I will also do a gear oil replacement as a baseline for me . I have removed the rear transmission bracket along with the slave cylinder and shift cable bracket . They are heading to the same plater that did my headers. I am going to have these done in high gloss black Cerakote . That's it for now ✌️

surprised you stuck with OE headers for a 3.8 build...

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Jake Raby says they flow fine , seeing that he knows these engines like the back of his hand I choose to listen to him .

Yeah and the 3.4 also runs fine. But that ain’t the point is it?

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Just curious how many before and after Dyno runs have you performed on aftermarket headers vs OEM ? What were the results ? How much did the aftermarket headers gain or lose ?

lol... are you asking if I'm chasing dyno paper? My build was for real world power and I built a full exhaust meant to go with the build. Headers on their own don't change much unless the rest of the engine can flow as much as the headers can (valves, intake, downstream exhaust to include cats). But given all your posts about building a bigger motor and buying a plenum, I'm just surprised that you would skip that step just because your engine builder said, "they're fine". Did you ask Jack about your mid-range robbing x-pipe? Did he tell you how equal length headers can be helpful in regaining some of that mid range torque so long as they are not oversized primary diameter that slows the exhaust pulse too much? You seem awfully averse to differing view points for a guy who chooses to post about his build for everyone to see...

Not adverse at all about different opinions , just asking for some data to back up your comment . There are plenty of ways to build an engine . I never said or implied my way is the best . If you are happy with the results you achieved then great . I have yet to even start assembly so I have a ways to go . Yes I am increasing displacement, had to rebuild the engine anyway so why not go bigger ? I am not interested in bragging about maximum HP numbers. I want a solid HP/torque curve with drop dead reliability and I think I will achieve that . Time will tell and so will the Dyno . Have a great day.

This is where I am starting. Power starts at the heads.Headers with 200 cell count cat bypass pipes.About 30 hp bolt on.The headers are stainless and they will be sent tomorrow to be Ceramic coated in Silver.Van B. offered me a few tips today and I appreciated that.Thanks for the forum.This is my 1st water car.Fred

^^^ Looks good 👍

It's funny you show headers. I'm actively looking for the right 996 and was just looking at header options. Coincidence. What's the primary diameter? 1 5/8 or 1 3/4? No cats needed where I am. No car inspections.

An update but still nothing pic worthy 😁. So I have received all the various gaskets/bolts/bearings etc to complete my build . On Friday I sent my bearings off to be coated . Received my Boxster S center radiator it arrived safely . I received and installed the G Box 2nd gear detent so that's done . Friday I ordered a new fuel filter , much easier to replace with no engine in place . Next week I pick up the various metal transmission brackets from the powder coater , had them done in gloss black . It will start getting warmer here in Georgia next week so a thorough cleaning of the exterior of the transmission housing is next . I am slowly running parts through the ultrasonic cleaner at the shop I work at part time . My engine case and heads should be in my hands the end of April or beginning of May . So far all on schedule .

The O.D.on the primary tube is 42mm.

Thanks Fred.