Red Bear

Both Clarke and I had engine failures at VIR with no over revs. Trackside Porsche Tech mentioned the code could be an actuator failure. He also mentioned this is a known problem where Porsche did not torque the actuators properly. Anyone else have these issues as this is the first time I am hearing of this issue? Besides the pressure plate and the actuator issues what else should I expect to go South on this car? I would rather pay now and do some preventive maintenance than to loose anymore track days.

mdrums

Wow, sorry to hear this. I hope Porsche covers it for you guys. I know of a new 4.0 that had engine failure at a recent Sebring DE and Porsche replaced the entire engine.

savyboy

Are you referring to the vario cam assembly? If so, a bolt coming loose there has been a "common" problem since the .2's came out (2010). Some come loose, some don't.

Only preventative maintenance is to replace the OE LSD right away, replace the clutch throwout bearing and CL hubs every hundred track hours.

That was likely an incorrectly fitted oil galley plug coming out and the oil dumping out. There is a campaign coming out for that now. Unfortunately it seems to have happened to more than a few 4.0's.

TRAKCAR

I had the same. Turned out to be the actuator sensor.

CRex

Peter--if yours was just the sensor you probably lucked out.

The 997.2 intake variocam actuators saw an "update" from 997.1 and some of them aren't torqued properly from factory. Affects both MY2010 and MY2011. Problem manifests itself when the five bolts unseat themselves and start grinding against he cam housing. At that stage you'll hear loud engine rattles--sounds like a shattered clutch except it'd be persistent, combined with loss of power and likely a cam timing code. Not always accompanied by a CEL light though--go with audible warnings.

Been documented in my earlier post here. These bolts just came out on their own. Just like that, and doesn't take abuse or over-revs An acquaintance of mine had the same thing happen. Except he didn't realize the extent of the problem and kept the engine running in city traffic. 15 minutes later his engine seized entirely.



This is one for warranty. No enterprising owner's gonna drop the engine just to open the variocam covers and retorque the actuators. Those parts are not serviceable anyways and don't come with torque specs in the workshop guides. This is your culprit:

mooty

so actugator is in cam housing
listen fir Loyd weird noises
shut down
get warranty

WTF

raving bicycle was so much simpler.

samo6556

Sounds familiar. This happens on e46 m3s with the cam bolts for the variable valve timing backing out. BMW had upgraded bolts they used in the z4m that people switched to and used red lock tight when torquing them down.

Izzone

This is the risk of buying a low mileage bubble wrapped car

None of these bugs are worked out. The bolts typically back out between 2-5K miles

stujelly

Grady i had same problem at Birmingham last year. Engine only had 1000 miles.

Required a complete replacement but under warranty.

Targa Tim

I wonder what else can fail on a .2GT3RS that has not happened yet. Damn.

I think I will just stick to playing remote control RS for now...

Red Bear

Thanks for quick reposnse and hopefully they are fresh out of 3.8's and send a 4.0...ha ha.

mdrums

....cue.... Rad to promote the Fiat

stevecolletti

Do we know that the 4.0 doesn't have this same issue?

pill pusher

What a bummer guys, hope you got some good sessions in before the failures. Gonna let my buddy with a 4.0 know~

CRex

With a smaller sample size and higher % of bubble-wraps / garage queens we probably won't know... on the other hand, any owner who cares to know can lend me his 4.0 to put it through a very scientific battery of track tests conducted by yours truly