Engine just greasy... or leaking oil?
 

Hi Experts,

Please allow me to borrow your collective wisdom. This potential buy has about 45k km driven and the engine looks like this. I am aware the pic quality is not perfect...

Would you say this is normal (especially on 1st pic), or do you see something to worry about?

That is cosmoline used to protect metal parts from oxidization and sea salt when shipping overseas. It's normal.
The usual leak points like valve covers, timing chain covers, you would see oil running down the heat exchangers.
Feel it with your fingers, if it's hard and dry it's cosmoline if it's wet and greasy it's oil

The top side of the motor looks dirtier then the bottom! ; )

Oily film on engine case is normal on most cars. If the seals are leaking to the point that drops are on the floor in your garage or oil dripping on the exhaust smells of burning oil it may be time to find the leak and fix it. Usually the cause is valve cover that is easy to have the seals replaced.
The modeled brown appearance of the engine case is normal. It is what remains of of an anti-corrosion compound sprayed on the engine to protect it from corrosion in shipping to the dealer when the car was new.

The cover under the engine is regularly discarded by 993 owners as the thinking is it inhibits engine cooling.
The cover over the transmission should be retained. If missing I would replace it after spray painting my name on it and the phrase "Please Reinstall this panel" So some time in the future when a technician removes it he is prompted to reinstall it.

Thank you very much! You guys are amazing!

With the coamoline question behind us, I’d like to see the rest of this blue 993. Looks like a nice shade of blue.

here is the rest of the beast in its glory... talking about the color / paint. Without a professional paint thickness measurement device, is there a pretty accurate way to figure out if the vehicle is sprayed?


...will keep you posted!



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Open the doors and look closely at the door jambs for overspray, also in the "frunk" and engine compartment. Gently pry up the rubber windshield and back glass weatherstrip in a small area with a plastic knife edge. If it was a "glass out" job, you may not see any difference but if it was a "roped" job, you may see evidence of a re-paint. Check under the front valence and wheel wells. Sometimes, they won't mask sufficiently and you'll find overspray. Look at the sunroof. If there's new felt, they're either anal or they've removed it to paint the panel. If it's the original, a re-paint will be pretty easy to spot because of the masking tape used.

Get a proper PPI. Free internet opinions based on crappy pics is not a substitute.

True, but the best thing is to have someone from Rennlist drive it for you. A current 993 owner will reveal things a paid inspector who has never owned a 993 will miss. Things such as suspension issues and engine sounds and performance as well as drive train issues, clutch, shifting smoothness etc.

Make a request here and someone near you will pop up.
Andy