Sarc1218

Hi guys!

I am wondering if anyone can tell me if this is normal before I proceed any further with my project. I recently had my heads rebuilt and started to install them this weekend along with new coolant pump, 4 new chain guides, new vario cam tensioner guides, low temp thermostat, new EPS clutch and pressure plate and headers. I decided to keep the IMS as I was happy to discover it had a dual row which seems to be in great condition. Here is my question, i have installed head and cams for head 1-3 and rotated the engine by hand to check for roughness and notice a Zipping sound does anyone know what this is, I feel slight resistance at one point during the rotation but I assume this is only the cam lobes because it is brief? I know the engine is dry but i did not hear this before i had them rebuilt. Also can someone tell me if I am supposed to fill the vario cam chain tensioner with oil before installation? I looked every where because I thought i read it at some point? Thanks guys!

Sarc1218

BUMP, anyone???

wildbilly32

Zipping sound like a coat zipper? Can you record and post. Resistance...don't think there should be, but others will have to comment on that.

Paul Waterloo

I just had a mechanical binding issue with an engine (not a Porsche) that I rebuilt. I ended up using a torque wrench to turn the engine over and could tell where it was binding. Marked the cam lobes where it was binding and figured out it was twice per crank revolution. It was as much as 80 ft-lbs at the binding point, when I fixed it (flex plate between engine and transmission installed backwards) it took about 30-40 ft-lbs max to turn the crank. So I would at least be documenting the torque required.

DBJoe996

You need to get with an engine expert. The tensioners and lifters should be soaked in warm oil overnight, then manually pumped up. Get with user Jake Raby with specific details about how to do this.

Sarc1218

I soaked the lifters, the tensioners I did not, the shop manual did not mention this, oh well I guess I can remove uninstalling soak and reinstall. Sucks because she is all timed up.

Another question ..does anyone know what these strange clear half capsule things are? They came with the gasket set and look like one half of a medicine pill I'm thinking maybe a type of shrink wrap /seal for a bolt? What bolts? I have no idea

Sarc1218

Oh and thanks for all the replies!

Sarc1218

Oh to clarify, I am referring to the variocam tensioner that sits in the head in between two cam sprockets , it has a solid void attached to it that has a electrical plug that feeds through the valve/cam cover. I hope it's the cylindrical ones that screw in that have to be submerge and pumped up as that will be easy peasy.!

Porschetech3

The clear "half capsule thing " is a valve stem seal protector to use when installing new stem seals ( I guess you're not performing that task)..

No need to oil the vario-cam actuator (or pump it up), it should have plenty of residual oil in it.

You should make a video and sound clip of the " zip" noise if you want technical help, that seems like it could be a serious issue.

Sarc1218

Thanks for the reply, Hoffman rebuilt and repaired both my heads. I was wondering what those things were. It would have haunted me forever. So the zip sound seems to be coming from the vario cam tensioners I suspect it will go away when they fill up all the way with oil. I took one out and the plunger makes that sound when It goes up an down. I took the other one out and it makes the same sound. I hope its normal. Does the engine oil pressure fill the tensioner? Also, there is no gasket that goes between the tensioner and the head is there?

Porschetech3

Yes, as soon as the oil pressure builds, it will fill and pressurize the actuator/tensioner.

It is a machine fit, no gasket required.

Sarc1218

You are awesome thank you very much!

Weazer

Boggles my mind that someone would go this deep into a rebuild and not change the IMSB because its a dual row and "seems to be in great condition." This is the second one this week. Good luck with that.

808Bill

My first thought as well...Pinching pennies will cost you dollars down the road!

Sarc1218

ok a 996 with 30k equipped with a dual row IMSB, info from 2 10 year porsche techs from 2 different dealerships reporting 0 dual row IMSB failures. What is it, a 1% failure rate on the dualbrow equipped cars? Hell I should have my perfectly good cylinders replaced with nickes as well right because they may get scored? Or just done an ls1 swap to avoid ALL potential failures.....What's with all the smart *** remarks. If you have something helpful to say the say it. I'm sure we can all do with out the smart *** comments.