DC from Cape Cod

Don't you have 2 years until your next inspection? That means you have 24 months (give or take) to determine the exact problem and budget the $$ needed to correct it.

Don't let it detract from your enjoyment of the car. Just be realistic - when you buy a car without a warranty you must acknowledge the possibility that you will have unplanned for expenses down the road. You know about certain items at time of purchase.....but you also must have known that other things could go wrong in the future.

At least you have a long period of time to plan and budget.....and when fixed you will know that a huge part of your engine will be in as-new condition.

P.S. - If/when it happens to me, I will take the car to a place I trust to get their assessment and then I will get it fixed. This is why you get the checkbook back (and a secret credit card in your name only). Make sure the credit card is from the bank that you use for your regular credit card - that way, if she sees a check to them for a payment, she won't be suspicious.

ecobb993

Here are some pictures that help illustrate what we're up against:

systemsc.com/pictures.htm

As already detailed in my previous post, these clogged ports only reduce (or stop) the injecton of fresh air into the exhaust for the first minute after starting a cold engine, required to more quickly light up the catalytic converter (so we don't pollute during that minute or so! ).

If you're not burning oil at an undue rate (a quart every 1500+/- miles or less, some say) replacing valves/guides shouldn't really be required.

But if you don't want to pollute (for those extra few seconds), pull the heads and clean out those ports; and you might as well do a valve job at the same time. Keep in mind that those silly ports will be clogged again someday, so keep saving your money to do this again in another 5 years.

JC

Steve 96C4S

Cool pics, though I'm afraid I don't really know what I'm looking at or what's wrong in those pics, as I know nothing about cars other than I love to drive them They really are excellent closeups, though, and I'm sure others will know what they are looking at. This reminds me that I need to get another digital camera at some point - mine dropped and broke while I was visiting France 2 months ago. Had to use a cheapie disposable camera for the rest of the trip!

And DC from Cape Cod - Yeah, I guess I need to attack this problem one prong at a time. I'll see what my independent says. Initially, he DID actually say that if it were him, he'd do nothing and just drive it and enjoy it. The CEL situation I have, as my car burns very little oil, is mostly just a nuisance and doesn't affect performance.

I liked to hear that.

Steve

DC from Cape Cod

Steve,

I think the only real issue is passing your state inspection.

Have someone you trust look at it and give you a written estimate. Ask them what happens if the repair is done and the problem still exists. Do you get credit towards a more substantial fix?

If you are not buring a lot of oil then I wouldn't worry too much. Disconnect the light - you can always wire in a resistor if the system needs a load on that circuit.

Take control of the finances and start stashing away money for future work.

deleonl1

Could the air pump or check valve ever be the problem in this situation? I don't own a Porsche, but on my 98 Volvo V70R, the CEL is coming on because my air pump has seized (a common problem), basically because the check valve also needs to be replaced. The check valve breaks and stays in the open position, allowing moisture to build up inside the air pump and over time the air pump corrodes and seizes up.

Rick Lee

I'm no expert, but if your oil level is at the top of the twisty part of the dipstick, then you are overfilled and are kidding yourself about consumption. I let my car get good and hot - like temp gauge needle at almost 9 o'clock before I check the oil. It's amazing what a difference that makes in oil level reading. At least on the older 911's, the correct fill point was exactly halfway between the two tick marks on the dipstick. There was about 2 liters of difference between the marks. So if your car was totally warm and your oil level was at the top mark, then you would be one liter overfilled. I think the 993 is the same and level should be at midway on the twisty part when car is totally hot. I double check by watching the gauge needle on my dash rise as I fill it. I let it get just below the halfway mark, which means, when it gets totally hot, temp and level gauge needles will be at 3 o'clock and 9 o'clock, respectively. That said, I am using .75 - 1 qt. per 1500 miles, drive my car like I stole it and have not yet seen the C(ash) E(mptying) L(ight).

RMEllis

Steve,
My mechanic just fixed the carbon problem by cleaning the ports without removing the engine. Total cost ~$975. The light has not reappeared since then.

ecobb993

Please send your mechanic's name/number. I'll drive to NO and while he works his magic, try to win his fee on the river.

Steve 96C4S

Thanks guys - I'll try checking the oil more frequently using your method, Rick. To RM Ellis - I'll run that one by my mechanic and see if he knows how to do that! If not, I'll have my mechanic call your mechanic, if that's ok. And to DC from Cape Cod (you have the nicest C2S on the planet by the way!), I'll run that info by my mechanic about wiring in that resistor.

Lots of great stuff on this board. I wonder what people do who have this problem if they don't have Rennlist and simply rely on their Porsche Dealer to give them all the answers... It must get expensive as time goes by.

Unfortunately, I'm not a "rich spoiled child" (see below) who can afford to spend the $5k now to "solve" this problem for good

AUDI : Another Ugly Deutsche Invention
BMW : Brings Me Women but Broke My Wallet
FIAT : Failure in Italian Automotive Technology
FORD : Fast Only Rolling Downhill
HYUNDAI : Hope You Understand Nothing's Driveable and Inexpensive
SAAB : Shape Appears ***-Backwards
SUBARU : Screwed Up Beyond All Repair Usually
VOLVO : Very Odd Looking Vehicular Object
PORSCHE : Proof Of Rich Spoiled Children Having Everything

Steve

RMEllis

The shop where I get my work done is Greff Motors, 504-834-6955. They removed the exhaust, filled the ports with a carbon remover, let it soak for a day and then used bent wire to poke and pull out all the gunk. He said my right side was almost totally clogged and the lefts were getting there. It has been just a little over a month and no light.

ecobb993

Wow, that sounds easy. I've already called Greff but Randy was out. Can't wait to find out more.

A month might not be long enough to really know. It'll take up to a couple months before the CEL system reads the error enough to trip the light again. But if your ports are clean, no reason to expect another error until they clog again - another 5 years?

Let us know if there's a change. And I'll post what more I learn from RMEllis' mechanic.

Thank you!

Randy M '96 Silver 993

JC - Thanks for calling the mechanic. I would love to hear what he has to say about this. What Carbon Remover did he use would be 1 of my questions.

Thanks all.

DC from Cape Cod

I think semantics is getting in the way here. When I say the top top of the twisty part, I do not mean the entire twisty part is covered. I mean that is is in the area of the top twist....it is kind of hard to see exactly where it is given the nature of oil, gravity and the length of the rod.

In any event, I measure mine hot and it sits in the top twist....just where it was 1500+ miles ago when a complete service was done by Inskip.

I suppose it is possible that there is an extra 1/2 quart in there.....or it could be some moisture build up as I haven't had a long drive in a few weeks.

Terry Adams

I don't have the problem, but recall a similar wire ream out solution explained by my independent, Don at CT. In addition, I think he said (gasp!) that he drills out the hole a little more to facilitate flow.

ecobb993

Actually the difference between the high and low mark (the twisty part) on the dipstick indicate a change of 1.5 liters or 1.6 quarts.