High Mileage 993
#16
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If you go ahead with the PPI make sure they do both a leak down and a compression test. These will tell you about the health of the engine and they only cost a couple hundred bucks. And be sure to ask the mechanic where the leak is coming from if any are detected. Post the results here and we can tell you the type of costs you are looking at, if any.
If you get told by the shop they are not needed, walk. Its your money they are risking, not theirs.
Cheers,
Mike
#19
Intermediate
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Thanks again for all the great advice. One quick question - how much do you all typically pay for the major service interval on these cars? I think it's every 30k miles? I'm sure it varies a lot depending on where you are.
#20
Race Car
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Most of the the "major service" items are DIY if you have some basic skills and the desire to learn how to do them. Lots of info and write ups on how to do anything to a 993 on here.
But, to answer the question you are really wanting to ask: it takes about $2,000 per year to properly maintain a well sorted 993. Some years will be less, some will be more. But it's eerie how closely it averages out to $2k.
That info comes from averaging every dollar that's ever been spent on my car, except gas.
But, to answer the question you are really wanting to ask: it takes about $2,000 per year to properly maintain a well sorted 993. Some years will be less, some will be more. But it's eerie how closely it averages out to $2k.
That info comes from averaging every dollar that's ever been spent on my car, except gas.
#21
RL Community Team
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I wouldn't consider 115k miles high mileage on a 15+ year old 911, as these cars are meant to be driven.
I bought mine last year with about 173k and now it is about 300 miles shy of 180. Doesn't smoke one bit and it pulls very strong. Never had an engine or top-end rebuild. First owner drove it 20k miles/year for 5 years before selling it. I did buy it with the intention of keeping it forever so I know it will need work eventually. Oh and as yours, mine had full service history which to me is more important than basically anything else.
I bought mine last year with about 173k and now it is about 300 miles shy of 180. Doesn't smoke one bit and it pulls very strong. Never had an engine or top-end rebuild. First owner drove it 20k miles/year for 5 years before selling it. I did buy it with the intention of keeping it forever so I know it will need work eventually. Oh and as yours, mine had full service history which to me is more important than basically anything else.
Andy
#22
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I find it interesting that people fret over 993s having greater than 100K - My Chevy Silverado Pickups consistently get better than 300K and they are not designed for racing. So should we be really concerned if our P cars get routine maintenance. Btw I have a fellow P car owner driving a 2002 911 with well over 450K.
#23
Burning Brakes
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I purchased my 98 993 C2S two years ago with 107K on the odometer. Had a PPI done on the car, and leak downs were a little high.....in the 6 to 8% range, but felt that was ok given the mileage. I drove the car for a year and then could not get the car to pass smog testing here in Illinois. Since I have always done all of my own mechanical work, I elected to drop the engine and do a valve job on the motor. You have to take the heads off the motor in order to get to the root of the smog issue which is the SAI air ports which carbon up from oil as the motor ages.
My experience has been the classic "while your in there" experience. Without going into details, I made the decision to split the case on the motor to inspect the bearings. Now that teardown is complete and I know what was found, I can tell you that the most your engine should need in 250k miles would be an upper end refresh (aka: valve job). All my bearings looked as new. The mains were absolutely perfect. Con rod big end bearings showed some very minor wear, but were close to perfect. The only bearings that showed any wear were the IMS bearings, and I bet they would have made the run to 250K.
But, my SAI air injection ports were completely plugged, which sets off the CEL which will fail a car in Illinois. On teardown of the heads, the valve guides were pretty much trashed, which is typical of most 911's since Porsche has always opted for soft valve guides. But, they could have made more mileage, though oil consumption would eventually have become an issue.
At 110K miles there was no perceptible wear on the cylinders......you could actually still see the original machining marks on the cylinders.
There were several oil leaks on the engine.
So, with a high mileage machine, if you have to have the car smogged, you will probably need to do a valve job and SAI port clean out in the next 10 to 20K miles. But, not much else. A very reliable motor.
My experience has been the classic "while your in there" experience. Without going into details, I made the decision to split the case on the motor to inspect the bearings. Now that teardown is complete and I know what was found, I can tell you that the most your engine should need in 250k miles would be an upper end refresh (aka: valve job). All my bearings looked as new. The mains were absolutely perfect. Con rod big end bearings showed some very minor wear, but were close to perfect. The only bearings that showed any wear were the IMS bearings, and I bet they would have made the run to 250K.
But, my SAI air injection ports were completely plugged, which sets off the CEL which will fail a car in Illinois. On teardown of the heads, the valve guides were pretty much trashed, which is typical of most 911's since Porsche has always opted for soft valve guides. But, they could have made more mileage, though oil consumption would eventually have become an issue.
At 110K miles there was no perceptible wear on the cylinders......you could actually still see the original machining marks on the cylinders.
There were several oil leaks on the engine.
So, with a high mileage machine, if you have to have the car smogged, you will probably need to do a valve job and SAI port clean out in the next 10 to 20K miles. But, not much else. A very reliable motor.
#24
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I purchased my 98 993 C2S two years ago with 107K on the odometer. Had a PPI done on the car, and leak downs were a little high.....in the 6 to 8% range, but felt that was ok given the mileage. I drove the car for a year and then could not get the car to pass smog testing here in Illinois. Since I have always done all of my own mechanical work, I elected to drop the engine and do a valve job on the motor. You have to take the heads off the motor in order to get to the root of the smog issue which is the SAI air ports which carbon up from oil as the motor ages.
My experience has been the classic "while your in there" experience. Without going into details, I made the decision to split the case on the motor to inspect the bearings. Now that teardown is complete and I know what was found, I can tell you that the most your engine should need in 250k miles would be an upper end refresh (aka: valve job). All my bearings looked as new. The mains were absolutely perfect. Con rod big end bearings showed some very minor wear, but were close to perfect. The only bearings that showed any wear were the IMS bearings, and I bet they would have made the run to 250K.
But, my SAI air injection ports were completely plugged, which sets off the CEL which will fail a car in Illinois. On teardown of the heads, the valve guides were pretty much trashed, which is typical of most 911's since Porsche has always opted for soft valve guides. But, they could have made more mileage, though oil consumption would eventually have become an issue.
At 110K miles there was no perceptible wear on the cylinders......you could actually still see the original machining marks on the cylinders.
There were several oil leaks on the engine.
So, with a high mileage machine, if you have to have the car smogged, you will probably need to do a valve job and SAI port clean out in the next 10 to 20K miles. But, not much else. A very reliable motor.
My experience has been the classic "while your in there" experience. Without going into details, I made the decision to split the case on the motor to inspect the bearings. Now that teardown is complete and I know what was found, I can tell you that the most your engine should need in 250k miles would be an upper end refresh (aka: valve job). All my bearings looked as new. The mains were absolutely perfect. Con rod big end bearings showed some very minor wear, but were close to perfect. The only bearings that showed any wear were the IMS bearings, and I bet they would have made the run to 250K.
But, my SAI air injection ports were completely plugged, which sets off the CEL which will fail a car in Illinois. On teardown of the heads, the valve guides were pretty much trashed, which is typical of most 911's since Porsche has always opted for soft valve guides. But, they could have made more mileage, though oil consumption would eventually have become an issue.
At 110K miles there was no perceptible wear on the cylinders......you could actually still see the original machining marks on the cylinders.
There were several oil leaks on the engine.
So, with a high mileage machine, if you have to have the car smogged, you will probably need to do a valve job and SAI port clean out in the next 10 to 20K miles. But, not much else. A very reliable motor.
#25
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This is a timely topic. My beloved C2S with 122K miles on it has just received a whopping repair estimate: Leaking steering rack - they want to replace, not rebuild; new boots, new tie rod ends, all for about $3,500 parts and labor. Crankcase gasket, cylinder head gasket replace...drop engine and split the case...a whopping $7,500. Plus a few other minor things like plug wires, oil cooler fan...this is going to put a serious dent in my scotch drinking habit...
The thing has been leaking like a sieve lately, and I know the timing chain cover gasket needs replacement (valve covers and gaskets have already been addressed), but the crankcase gasket? I've not seen much on this here, so I wanted to ask before I gave the go ahead. Please let me know what you guys think. Can the steering rack be rebuilt instead of replaced? If so, how much would that save? The shop is super duper reputable, but I am scrounging for cost saving alternatives. Thanks.
The thing has been leaking like a sieve lately, and I know the timing chain cover gasket needs replacement (valve covers and gaskets have already been addressed), but the crankcase gasket? I've not seen much on this here, so I wanted to ask before I gave the go ahead. Please let me know what you guys think. Can the steering rack be rebuilt instead of replaced? If so, how much would that save? The shop is super duper reputable, but I am scrounging for cost saving alternatives. Thanks.
#26
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Steering racks can definitely be rebuilt (around $1400 for the rebuilt rack). The rest of those steering related parts aren't too much, we're talking almost $2000 in labor!! What the heck are they doing!!? For that much work to be done and at that expense I would get a second opinion.
#27
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There is no "crankcase gasket." There may be something else going on, but there's NOTHING at 122K (absent running the engine out of oil to the extent that you damage the lower end) that would require going in beyond the cylinder heads, really the valve guides and maybe, maybe some cam/rocker/chain/sprocket wear needing attention.
So, I'm skeptical.
So, I'm skeptical.
#29
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There is no "crankcase gasket." There may be something else going on, but there's NOTHING at 122K (absent running the engine out of oil to the extent that you damage the lower end) that would require going in beyond the cylinder heads, really the valve guides and maybe, maybe some cam/rocker/chain/sprocket wear needing attention.
So, I'm skeptical.
So, I'm skeptical.