How boned am I?

New member here with my recent 2005 Boxster S purchase. I, foolishly, didn't do a PPI and was just playing around with my new Durametric Pro and looked at the Over-Rev report. Car seems to run and drive great for the little bit I have been able to drive it (We are getting almost record snowfall this year). How much sleep should I loose over this? James 2005 Boxster S

Porsche rev range activity | engine over revs explained by 911virgin Understanding Porsche rev range activity. A detailed guide from Porsche specialist dealer 911virgin based in Uxbridge, West London 911virgin.com

If the car seems to run and drive great, err to that side of your thinking. She's yours now so drive it and enjoy it, don't lose any sleep. Take care of it the way you would now and run it.

Given that it happened a thousand operating hours ago, I wouldn't think twice about it. If any damage was done, it would have shown up within a few hours of operation. I'm not sure how accurate these measurements are, but I also have a hard time believing that the engine hit range 5 at all given that it only spent 1/3 of a revolution at range 4.

This was a super helpful article to read. Thanks!

It's around 900 hours since the over-rev occurred (if it occurred) so I wouldn't be concerned. The reason I said "IF" is the page that was referred to: The Durametric is showing 1 ignition in ranges 4 and 5. I think those are spurious errors for the reasons given above.

That motor is probably in better running shape than a 10k mile garage Queen…. Change the oil regularly and keep ignition parts up to date

If it drives fine, just count your lucky stars, those overrevs appear when the car was brand new, not broken yet. They seem to appear 5 hours into the life of the car, probably 300 miles or less. I can't believe people do that. Porbably a test drive when new. Salespeople and test drivers don't care and do that. As people said, if it drives fine you are good. Corrected mistake. Enjoy it now!

Not sure I understand that. Which overrevs are you talking about, and how do you read 5 hours in that table?

When an ignition cut would be the best idea for an over rev prevention

Note that ranges 1, 2 and probably 3 are NOT considered over-revs by Porsche . Also from the same source: Again making the point that readings of 1 ignition in adjoining ranges is actually impossible. In this case, Range 4 would have to be a minimum of 3 in order for Range 5 to equal 1.

No PPI? They are such a quick easy thing to do. It takes less than the time of an oil change to pull off the sump plate… then you can scope it from the bottom side… sounds like you lucked out… I’m glad for ya

Had the same odd range 4 & 5 numbers (1) on our 987--likely physically impossible to do. I traded the car with 42K on it and there were no issues ever with it in the 7 years we owned it. The Range 4&5 over revs showed up several thousand hours before we sold it.

My car came to me with 51 ignitions in range 6 and 551 in range 5. Both were over 800 hours before I had the car, and the car ran great. These were discovered during the PPI and even the shop said these were not a concern since it was so long ago. You're in basically the same situation - it's old enough that it shouldn't matter, if the car is running fine. My shop, in fact, said they didn't expect to see any overrevs, because it ran so well... they were surprised to see it at all. I'd say, you're fine... don't worry about it at all. As noted, your 4/5 range ones are likely spurious readings, if anything.

I honestly wouldn't worry about it; odds are your engine is just fine! If you saw a ton of over-revs (especially range 6), then that's a sign that someone beat the hell out of the car at the track -- or really just trashed the car. I think you can sleep really easily here.

I had a car that had 1 over rev in 4-5-6, I later found out that is impossible, if you had real over revs in 4 and 5 the numbers would never be the same, it would look similar to the 1-2-3 numbers with a high number of say 48 in rev rang 5 then 36 in rev rang 4, numbers being exactly the same are impossible.

Thank you all for your knowledge and responses. I feel so much better now! James

Were here for you!!

Now go-on! Drive it like it’s stolen 🤣

I have over revs on all of my cars, even the PDK

Assuming the PPI did their job correctly

Welcome to the family. Post some pictures, we love pictures. Do the maintenance and enjoy! Owers manual, a battery tender (I like the CTEK MSX 5.0 w/comfort connect), FCP Euro (no I am not affiliated) and Planet are your new best friends. Eyes up, look ahead😎

The engine electronics have what's known as a "soft limiter" and a "hard limiter." At something like 7000 the ignition system reduces power in order to give you a hint. Then at some later engine speed is a hard cut. If I had to guess, the original poster's single ignitions in the 4 and 5 range were due to previous owner upshifting but accidentally shifting into neutral instead of the next gear; then, getting on the gas, you're just revving the engine in neutral. Either that, or not removing foot from gas when upshifting near redline... engine revs up quickly before you drop the clutch after selecting next gear. Damaging over revs are more likely to occur when a driver downshifts to a lower gear than expected. Happened to a friend on a racetrack when driving moderately: 90+ MPH on a straightaway in 5th, but then downshifted to 2nd instead of 4th. Rear wheels skidding followed by recording dozens of ignitions in category 5. That scary incident has a happy ending, though: Drove his car home and car has gone 5+ years as a daily driver since that date.

Looking seriously at my first purchase. An 05 Boxter S with 35k on it. Attached is the rev report. A local Porsche racing guy says to keep looking past this one given the over revs. The car is otherwise pretty clean and it’s at a Porsche dealer, but I’m inclined to keep searching for the right one. Any advice pro or con is appreciated..

Look for another one. Someone liked listening to the engine at red-line.

There somewhere here on Planet-9 is a VERY long thread about what the operating ranges actually mean. To complicate things, Porsche changed what they meant at least once, and perhaps twice, so it's also year dependent. In general range #1 is near the redline - if the redline is 7200 RPM, range #1 is probably 7000 RPM. Range 2 - in most cases - means redline. And 3-6 are various ranges above redline. That's from memory.. and doesn't account for the changes Porsche made, but I think it's correct for this car. Porsche will actually certify cars with excursions up into range #3 if enough hours have passed since the last excursion to demonstrate no engine damage occurred. The long thread talks (in a somewhat confusing manner) about Porsche certifying engine that made it up into range #4 - again based on time since the last excursion. They generally will not certify engines that have seen any significant 5 or 6 range excursions. There have been cases of phantom ones showing up in higher ranges -- that were impossible because the amount of them is less than would be generated with one revolution of the engine at that speed. The thing to me is - why buy possible trouble? If it has that many over-revs chances are it was used on the track quite a bit, and while that doesn't destroy one of these cars it does put more stress on everything in the car than the average person using it as a normal sports car does. And if you go to sell it or trade it in later - there is a chance the over-revs will be scanned (especially trading it into a Porsche dealer) and that might cause issues or prevent the sale/trade-in from even happening. You got the info so you'd know what to avoid. This is one I'd avoid.

I came across this today which cleared a lot up for me. Much is what you just reported. It will be interesting to see how many of these nearly 20 YO cars have a much better record. Engine over Revs This Porsche dealer also had an 07 that I really liked and had only 23k on it. Salesman said the 05 was WAY better. He sent me both service appraisals on the trade ins. The 07 sheet lists 61k in repairs. The 05 only 7k most of which was cosmetic. I won’t be able to pull the trigger without having this data. I guess that’s good.

I think I’m going the CPO route. Found one with 656 in range one and 21 in range two. Zero in 3-6. Two years worth of warranty seems worth it to me for my first foray into this world.

Update. Tomorrow I am flying to FL to make my purchase. I put a deposit on it last week. As stated it’s a CPO 2012 Boxter S Black Edition with 77k on it. 2 owner with the most recent 10 years owned by the local PCA chapter President. At least that’s what I’ve been told. I’m pleased to get the CPO designation and have a local dealer within 5 miles of my home. If there’s anything I should be wary of, especially wrt the warranty and things I need to check once I have it in my garage I would appreciate. The CPO checklist indicates the tires are nearly new and is verified by the car fax maintenance visit from a couple months ago.. I will post as a new owner with photos once I take delivery. I am going to have the car shipped to my home as it’s more than 1000 miles away. Pretty pumped to be honest..

Great purchase and good to have you are a member. Please attach a picture when your car is good to go.

@Busdrvr - the CPO warranty transfer official only happens when the sale is (1) from a Porsche dealer (2) or from a private owner. If the car has been sold by a used car dealer - all bets are off on CPO.

Hi @ deilenberger. It's at one of the Porsche dealers in town. So CPO is good to go! Drove it a couple hours ago and waiting for my flight home. It's fantastic!!