987 rebuild - anyone had one? - Page 2 - Boxster/Cayman - PistonHeads UK

Looks like the plastic chain guides are eating themselves and I believe I need a basic rebuild. Has anyone had their 2.7 rebuilt?

ricof said: Looks like the plastic chain guides are eating themselves and I believe I need a basic rebuild. Has anyone had their 2.7 rebuilt? If the timing chain guides are worn then you just need to replace them along with the chains. You would only need a rebuild if the timing chains are so stretched that the valves have hit the pistons.

14 said: If the timing chain guides are worn then you just need to replace them along with the chains. You would only need a rebuild if the timing chains are so stretched that the valves have hit the pistons. As far as I am aware and after speaking to a few specialists...the IMS chain tensioner cannot be replaced without splitting the block?

ricof said: As far as I am aware and after speaking to a few specialists...the IMS chain tensioner cannot be replaced without splitting the block? I didn’t know that, what a stupid design. You need to be 100 percent sure that the guides are broken otherwise you’ll just waste several grand.

ricof said: As far as I am aware and after speaking to a few specialists...the IMS chain tensioner cannot be replaced without splitting the block? this may be useful. https://www.pelicanparts.com/techarticles/Boxster_...

ffc said: this may be useful. https://www.pelicanparts.com/techarticles/Boxster_... I’m sure it is, but not to me…unless I’m missing something you’re implying?

ricof said: ffc said: this may be useful. https://www.pelicanparts.com/techarticles/Boxster_... I’m sure it is, but not to me…unless I’m missing something you’re implying? It shows the removal of the IMS chain tensioner, which is what you said that couldn’t be done without taking the engine apart. What you meant was the IMS chain tensioner which the link doesn’t show. Unless the IMS chain guide is broken, don’t replace it. It’s not worth over half of the value of the car to replace a small bit of plastic that isn’t broken. Edited by 14 on Sunday 8th September 04:10

14 said: It shows the removal of the IMS chain tensioner, which is what you said that couldn’t be done without taking the engine apart. What you meant was the IMS chain tensioner which the link doesn’t show. Unless the IMS chain guide is broken, don’t replace it. It’s not worth over half of the value of the car to replace a small bit of plastic that isn’t broken. Edited by 14 on Sunday 8th September 04:10 Ah I see what you mean - I did indeed mean the guides, apologies. It’s hard to know what is shedding plastic but it seems excessive and as I’m told by all the indies I’ve spoken to, better the devil you know. The car has had all the big jobs done and has been fettles to my liking over the years and I don’t want really want to buy another (unknown) car. I’ve been told to bushed £5k for an engine out base rebuilt by a reputable specialist.

ricof said: Ah I see what you mean - I did indeed mean the guides, apologies. It’s hard to know what is shedding plastic but it seems excessive and as I’m told by all the indies I’ve spoken to, better the devil you know. The car has had all the big jobs done and has been fettles to my liking over the years and I don’t want really want to buy another (unknown) car. I’ve been told to bushed £5k for an engine out base rebuilt by a reputable specialist. I would remove the camshaft covers and timing cover and use a borescope camera to check for damage to the guides.

ricof said: I’m sure it is, but not to me…unless I’m missing something you’re implying? Sorry, it's just the process for replacing the chain guides and tensioners which doesn't involve splitting the case. It includes the IMS chain tensioner in figure 12, and as such doesn't involve splitting the case.

ffc said: Sorry, it's just the process for replacing the chain guides and tensioners which doesn't involve splitting the case. It includes the IMS chain tensioner in figure 12, and as such doesn't involve splitting the case. Thanks. The IMS chain guide does require a split if I’m not mistaken.

Just out of curiosity how many miles has your car done? Any hard track days/redlined on road often?

Dakar Nofade said: Just out of curiosity how many miles has your car done? Any hard track days/redlined on road often? It's on 108k miles and yes I do drive it hard. Done a few euro trips and trackdays where of course it gets driven appropriately.

ricof said: It's on 108k miles and yes I do drive it hard. Done a few euro trips and trackdays where of course it gets driven appropriately. I tend to hope my 2.7 is invincible - the little engine that could Alls I know is we beat my 2.7 chronic on a drift day once and it took it like an absolute trooper. Hot summer's day and the temp gauge never even rose. Well, it did once after I'd had to turn it off n then sit idling momentarily afterwards but otherwise not a single protestation from the car.

Dakar Nofade said: I tend to hope my 2.7 is invincible - the little engine that could Alls I know is we beat my 2.7 chronic on a drift day once and it took it like an absolute trooper. Hot summer's day and the temp gauge never even rose. Well, it did once after I'd had to turn it off n then sit idling momentarily afterwards but otherwise not a single protestation from the car. Close your eyes when you next change the oil filter haha!

It was clean apparently! And I even pushed it to 2 years because I hadn't done too too many miles. 69k miles at the time. Such a peachy engine but yeah, your post has put those plastic chain guides in mind again. They never sat right with me anyway

Dakar Nofade said: It was clean apparently! And I even pushed it to 2 years because I hadn't done too too many miles. 69k miles at the time. Such a peachy engine but yeah, your post has put those plastic chain guides in mind again. They never sat right with me anyway It’s the bloody IMS chain guide that is irking me! The block needs to be split…

Dakar Nofade said: I tend to hope my 2.7 is invincible - the little engine that could Alls I know is we beat my 2.7 chronic on a drift day once and it took it like an absolute trooper. Hot summer's day and the temp gauge never even rose. Well, it did once after I'd had to turn it off n then sit idling momentarily afterwards but otherwise not a single protestation from the car. That's because the temp gauge is heavily buffered and reads "80" over a very wide range between about 75 degrees and something ridiculous like 115 degrees. It's very stupid and will only start moving beyond once the coolant temp is has long passed the point that the coolant tempo is abnormally going on dangerously hot. The temp gauge is not a real temp gauge. It's more like a binary warning system and one that arguably doesn't go off soon enough.

f6box said: That's because the temp gauge is heavily buffered and reads "80" over a very wide range between about 75 degrees and something ridiculous like 115 degrees. It's very stupid and will only start moving beyond once the coolant temp is has long passed the point that the coolant tempo is abnormally going on dangerously hot. The temp gauge is not a real temp gauge. It's more like a binary warning system and one that arguably doesn't go off soon enough. The thought had crossed my mind (honest guv;). Didn't imagine it was quite so perilously arranged though. Cheers for the info. @ricof not an enviable position to be in especially since you've put a lot into the car but man, for all the stick these IMS bearing engines get I still feel in the grander scheme of 986/987 era Porsche engines they are bloody good and dare I say it underrated. Just so keen to pull, arguably smoother than the 987.2 ones and with better mid-range. But at the prices you've mentioned it's a tough pill to swallow especially when you see the prices whole cars go for. Hope you can find a satisfactory course of action. If you're anything like as OCD about symmetry as I am the M96 design (ignoring the cost saving same casting for both heads) is wonderfully balanced taking into account the necessary offset of the crank pins. I feel privileged to be able to own such a machine at a relatively modest initial outlay. But with that comes the price of maintenance - my first 987 bill was £209 to replace a 50p washer Let us know how it all goes with yours man.

f6box said: That's because the temp gauge is heavily buffered and reads "80" over a very wide range between about 75 degrees and something ridiculous like 115 degrees. It's very stupid and will only start moving beyond once the coolant temp is has long passed the point that the coolant tempo is abnormally going on dangerously hot. The temp gauge is not a real temp gauge. It's more like a binary warning system and one that arguably doesn't go off soon enough. Are there any solutions to that problem?

ricof said: Are there any solutions to that problem? Well, you can get the true coolant temp through the OBD port. Various devices and displays you can use to view it. But don't think you can modify the actual cluster gauge to be an actual gauge, sadly.

It’s gone in for a rebuild.