s2racer

So I'm running around on a Friday a few weeks ago, and stop for lunch. When I return to the car, I notice a nice, frisbee-sized wet spot under the car, and a little trail following me in. Since Vortex (Viper Bob) was about 5 minutes away I thought I'd drive there and have them take a look. Unfortunately, caught a light, and while waiting for the change, saw smoke out of the back, so cut across 3 lanes, against the red and parked it.
Flat bed to Vortex, and it's the rear main seal popped out and the motor needs to be dropped. How fortuitous, as it opened the opportunity to do a lot of fixing, replacing and tightening. New chain rails, timing cover gaskets, valve cover gaskets, plugs, distributors, oil return tubes, clutch slave and plate. The highlight is replacing the cats with Fabspeed's x-pipe. After 3 weeks got the car back yesterday, and wow! Everything is SO much tighter, sounds great, (feels) faster. The clutch plate is from a GT3 which gives me a stiffer clutch pedal which I'm getting used to.

All in all, Bob and the guys at Vortex did a great job, and if you're in Tampa Bay area, I highly recommend them.

IainM

But did you clean the engine bay?
https://rennlist.com/forums/993-foru...ay-thread.html

seriously, glad you were on the ball and had options to save the day. I'm in the same boat, been saving for the inevitable but amazed at how long its taking. Soon come, and I hope its less exciting than yours.

pp000830

Folks, be aware unlike earlier 911, the transmission can be removed without removing the engine on a 993, it was purposely designed to lower servicing cost. So clutches, flywheels, and rear main bearings & seals can be serviced without disturbing all those connections on a 20-year-old car's engine.
Shops don't like to discuss this, I think because they can slip in the extra billable hours involved in removing the engine. I come to this somewhat disparaging view as I was once quoted and billed for the engine out for a transmission service and personally observed at a progress visit that the engine was never removed. At the time I didn't call the shop on it, just tucked it into the back of my mind for future reference.
Andy

Twilightblue28A

I agree. I was told the same nonsense. You are correct. The clutch is removable without removing the engine.
Motivation isn't important. Knowing the contrary is rmost relevant.

s2racer

I knew that the clutch and flywheel can be serviced without dropping the motor, but wasn't aware the rear main seal could also be serviced. Live and learn. That being said, by dropping the motor, I got a ton of PIA things taken care of, not the least of which were the timing chain covers. Drove me nuts with the leakage. Plus the excuse I needed to go for the x-pipe . Still like the work Vortex did.

IainM

guess you could drop the tranny and do the RMS in place (I've never done it)

Don't know if this is S2racers situation, but I've been putting off a lot of maintenance work because I thought I would have to drop the engine for major work in the near future anyway and have been planning accordingly. I'm just waiting for a reason to pull the trigger and as yet it hasn't happened, a tribute to the quality and reliability of these cars.

ed devinney

Getting charged for work not done is nasty.

Having just dropped my engine to do many of the same things that the OP had done, I wouldn't be terribly afraid of the electrical connections. All are robust and clearly made for reuse, and as part of the work you get a chance to hit them with some contact cleaner (maybe not the O2 sensors).

When the clutch is next replaced I'll just drop the trans, but it was good to drop it this time and take care of a lot of things at once.

levtron

After 8 years, 4 engine drops, with the first and last being Clutch replacement and LWF, if you are doing the work yourself, do the full drop. Even though 'YOU" can drop the trans with out removing the engine, there are other challenges involved, including having to be able to remove the trans housing at an angle, which can be very awkward, and you could bend the bolt sliders. Yes the top one is removable, but it still dodgy...

If you have a lift... just drop it.. If you don't... find some one with a lift...

Plus.... What a great time to bond with your 993...