CaymanPower

Following the thread Base Gen2 Cayman - Smoke upon startup and Valve guide issue and after a number of requests asking me to disclose the outcome, here it is how it all turned out:

First of all, let me start by saying that I've just sold my Cayman and that after the pistons replacement I've never had any smoke upon start-up issue whatsoever during the following 10500 miles of ownership.

Yes, I think it's now reasonable to say that I was wrong about the exhaust valve guides being the cause of the smoke. There you have it. I've said it: I WAS WRONG about the cause!

However, I wasn't wrong about the fact that we were dealing with a problem as it was confirmed by the pistons replacement (per Porsche instruction).

I don't know about you... BUT in my book a piston related problem is even worse than excessive valve stem-to-guide clearance for reasons that I'm not going to get into now but that should come obvious to you.

I will however give you some facts:

1. The engine was smoking only from one engine side, bank 2 (cyl. # 4, 5 and 6);
   
2. That was after the bank 1 head has been previously pulled off in searching for the problem's cause and after the bank 1 HG has been necessarily replaced;
3. Therefore, I can't know for sure if the smoke was also coming from the right side of the engine before the engine head has been pulled off and the respective HG replaced (the HG looked OK though!);
   
4. After the pistons replacement - both HGs were also replaced, once again for bank 1 - despite the smoke has gone the engine has EVER SINCE exhibited high oil consumption rate whereas before it never did: as high as 1,3qt./900 miles (which is within the acceptable range for Porsche but not for me of course!);
   
5. The ticking noise still occurs sometimes and I'm in position to say it correlates perfectly with the engine oil level being down, which points out to insufficient oil flow to feed the valve lifters OR oil foaming excessively due to aeration, because once I top it off the noise goes away after a few miles of normal driving.

BTW, the engine didn't have any scored cylinders.


I know this is an inconvenient truth but no one, in all honesty, can keep going on conveniently ignoring three fundamental facts:

1. This was my second 2.9 Cayman with the VERY same symptoms (the former was a MY09 Cayman and the latter a MY10) - I don't believe in coincidences;
   
2. There was a 2009 Porsche TSB for the oil smoke upon startup in the Caymans/Boxsters consisting in a DME reflash - certainly to try to disguise the problem, now we know;
   
3. There was three different piston types for this engine with the following part numbers (the last being the good one, supposedly):9A1 103 029 63, 9A1 103 029 06, 9A1 103 029 09.

This is NOT an isolated problem!


I wish Porsche had acted correctly in this case as they recently did when, for instance, they issued a campaign to replace the HPFP (High Pressure Fuel Pump), free of charge and following BMW's example, in the MY09, MY10 and MY11 gen2 Caymans/Boxsters S depending on the VIN number and despite the absence of failure symptoms because they encountered a potential problem with those pumps and are therefore defending Porsche's name and encouraging its loyalists to keep chasing their dream car!

Doesn't the peace of mind come precisely from actions like that?! Don't actions like that actually contribute decisively to eliminate ANY unsatisfied customers?!

Why there should be a single unsatisfied customer, let alone 100 unsatisfied customers?!

So, what is wrong?!

Let me tell you... what is wrong is the fact that Porsche has long become a committee... and, in the wise words of Ferdinand Anton Ernst Porsche himself:


And what is worse still is how people are willing to accept as reasonable the most absurd, without even complaining.

I think the main problem is the fact that most of the Porsche buyers are happy enough for just having a Porsche because of what it represents in terms of self image perception and projecting it to others.

Thus, in the event of an engine failure most of the Porsche buyers simply opt to buy a new Porsche giving the bad one in trade albeit losing money.

Most of the Porsche buyers simply don't care because they are rich enough to do so!

But, this is NOT what Ferdinand Anton Ernst Porsche wanted:

This, at the very least, will mean stand behind its products AND deal with its customers fairly, don't you think so?!

Do you realize how far Porsche is now from this goal?!

And why?! Because most of its customers don't care and don't want others to care.

If I would have stepped back and listened to others, and Porsche for that matter, I would never have known what the cause of the smoke was. Therefore, I would never have solved the problem.


So, these are the facts. I really hope you can learn from my experience as much as I did.

f4 plt

My first question to all is what is the sample size. IE has anyone else had a problem with the 2.9 engine. I have a 2010 base Cayman and have over 15,000 miles on it with some track time and no issues or noises. A friend has over 40,000 miles on a'10 base Cayman and significant track time and no issues. I'm not doubting your problem I just want to know if it is a unique issue or have others had it. As for smoke at first crank my '12 Spyder does it my '09 C2S ( sold with over 24,000 miles and no issues) had it and my '11 Cayenne s has it. I have heard it is a function of DFI none of these had oil issues. By the way the Gen II base Cayman is not DFI. Still the question, have others suffered issues with their 2.9 engines?.. .inquiring minds want to know

Boxster in my Future?

I have a 2009 base Boxster which, of course, is not DFI. During the first year, it would blow smoke upon startup, unless the engine was warm and parked for under an hour or so. Sometimes the smoke was modest, sometimes it was very noticeable. After the 1st oil change (at about 6K miles) this smoke upon startup issue calmed down, but it has not completely gone away. Now, it will sometimes start with no smoke, but other times, it does. I was essentially told this is normal due to the horizontally opposed engine design and small amounts of oil will burn off at startup. But, this still worries me.

My question to the OP is what car are you driving now?

Doug

CaymanPower

Doug don't take me wrong, but if it is the smoke upon startup in your car that you are still worried about why do you care about what car I'm driving now?

CaymanPower

Porsche issued a campaign, depending on the VIN number, to replace the HPFP (High Pressure Fuel Pump) in MY09, MY10 and MY11 gen2 Caymans/Boxsters S despite the absence of failure symptoms just because they encountered a potential problem with those pumps.

No evidence of failure is needed for the HPFP to be replaced free of charge, as long as your car's VIN number is covered by the campaign.

Did you ask yourself why?


In the case of the smoke at first crank the sample should be at least the size of ALL '09 2.9 Caymans/Boxsters whose owners complain about it since there is a Porsche TSB addressing the oil smoke upon startup consisting in a DME reflash.

I say at least because my last 2.9 Cayman (I had two with the exact same problem) was a MY10 car, which after the pistons have been replaced NEVER showed ANY smoke at first crank (or in any other situation for that matter) and still doesn't show after 10500 miles.

f4 plt

I must be dumb, but I still do not understand the point you are trying to make . They fixed your car and from your last post I assume you are still the owner and driving it without issues. What do you want Porsche to do, it is a mechanical product and like all man made mechanical products may not be perfect. As for sample size I have not seen a chorus of people chiming in with the same problem.

By the way High pressure fuel pump issues seems to be a more widespread industry issue with DFI engines and is not unique to Porsche. Enjoy you car, I sure like mine and I don't stay awake at night worrying about issues that may happen or have happened and were fixed. White smoke coming out of a cold engine is most probably water vapor.

Boxster in my Future?

Just curious about what you chose after dumping the Porsche is all. If you don't want to answer, that's fine.

Unkle

Just enjoy it or trade it. There are millions dying in the world with disease, stavation or shot to bits in a war zone, and you are fortunate enough to own and experience a Porsche.

I thank my lucky stars i am in this position in life....

CaymanPower

Thank you for making my words so clearly understood:

CaymanPower

No, I'm not the owner anymore. I sold the car. The smoke upon startup has gone, that's true. However, I don't consider an oil consumption rate as high as 1,3qt./900 miles a fix. To me, this is a big issue for any modern car engine.

But Porsche thinks otherwise, the same way they will keep telling you that oil smoke upon startup is normal.

It was only until I managed to show them, by rerouting and split the exhaust tailpipes, that the engine only smoked from one engine side (bank #2) that they finally acknowledged the problem:


Have you seen a chorus of people chiming in with the High pressure fuel pump problem in Porsche's DFI engines?


Yes... it's how they handle adverse sitiuations and how they deal with its customers that makes ALL the difference.

That is the only way to get a true sense of a company!


Yes... water vapor... and all was needed to make it go away was to replace the pistons (per Porsche instruction).

I'm surely enjoying my new car so far!

CaymanPower

Doug,

Do you find the smoke in those videos familiar?

If so, I believe you are entitled to a new engine. Replacing the pistons may not be good enough.

What is your car's oil consumption rate?

If you have a hunch something is up with your smokey car, get it checked! Ask for a borescopy test (camera inserted to get cylinder images). Dont settle for all this "they all smoke, live with it, its normal" nonesense!

CaymanPower

Original tailpipe:





Rerouting and split the exhaust tailpipes:






That was what I needed to do for Porsche to finally acknowledge the problem.

Marine Blue

I agree that it is unfortunate that you had to go through this. But you need to consider that the majority of DFI engine owners have not had a problem like yours.

For example, my Spyder which has 3300 miles hasn't burned any measurable oil since new.

If you follow the GT3 997 forum you will see that the bulletproof Mezger engines also have problems with crankcases blowing up but its rare as well.

Bottom line is that it is a manufacturing process and you can't expect it to be perfect. Unfortunately you were one of the unlucky to get one of the 2 - 3% bad engines and I don't blame you for being sour.

CaymanPower

First of all, I'm talking about the 2.9L engines which are not DFI.


Secondly, the engine didn't burned any measurable oil until the pistons were replaced.

The pistons were replaced, per Porsche instruction, because of the smoke upon startup.

Until I managed to show them, by rerouting and split the exhaust tailpipes, that the engine only smoked from one engine side (bank #2) they kept saying that the smoke upon startup was normal.

Well, it ain't normal period. That's what I'm trying to show you.


Those are made up numbers! Please, do care to show the source of those numbers regarding the 2.9L engine.

But, I can and I should always expect that Porsche stands behind its products AND deals with its customers fairly.

Don't you think so?!

Boxster in my Future?

Doug,

Do you find the smoke in those videos familiar?

If so, I believe you are entitled to a new engine. Replacing the pistons may not be good enough.

What is your car's oil consumption rate?

If you have a hunch something is up with your smokey car, get it checked! Ask for a borescopy test (camera inserted to get cylinder images). Dont settle for all this "they all smoke, live with it, its normal" nonesense!


There is far more and longer lasting smoke in your videos that what I've ever seen in my 2.9 exhaust. As mentioned, mine does not smoke all the time at start-up. And since the oil change, it is infrequent. It DID consume nearly 3 quarts before I added oil, then had it changed. It's been nearly one year and about 3,500 miles since then, and according to the questionable digital read-out, I maybe 1/2 quart low now. The car,however, is in storage and so I cannot do any tests right now. When the weather warms up I am taking it to the dealer for its next oil change and I will do more checking of the start-up exhaust appearance, more investigating and dialogue before taking it in. I am still not pleased that there is any smoke upon start-up, but the fact that the oil level was only marginally lower after driving those 3,500 miles since that last oil change makes me feel this is likely not serious. In your case, it clearly was.