MeanRex

I have been quite interested in a 996 c2 3.4l especially as of lately with the prices dropping. After some updated research, I am rather irked by the fact that everyone is crying about the engine blowing up, and at the rate porsche dealers charge. I would be too.

I saw mention of it happening in both the 3.4l and 3.6l engines.

Are all years of the watercooled non GT1 block plagued by this occurence?

What the F is really happening?
I've seen mentions of loss of power and then CEL. Other mentions of oil in cylinder, and some of oil in two cylinders.

Could this be an oil leak and then a limp home ECU problem that porsche is ripping everyone on? Is it piston rings, or a gasket.

Someone has to have had their engine rebuilt and not just go the porsche dealer reman route.

Is there any reason to not trust the Porsche dealer/factory about this issue? They won't own up to the fault, but could they be making it out to be more than it is?

Is it even an issue worth a full engine rebuild. Of course on a 911, but is it light oil consumption and some oil in the cylinder or is the cylinder bathed and the thing drinking dino juice like the old aircooled engines like too.



Thanks for any replies and answers in advance,
Ben Martin

ivangene

ejdoherty911

Ben,

I highly recommend checking out the Sept. 2008 issue of Excellence magazine, which has an intelligent, sane, evaluation of the 996 and discusses the....ssshhhh.....(engine issues.) It's a sensitive topic on this board. I have a 1999 996 with 65K miles, which is 100% all original (except consumables oil, spark plugs, etc.). Yes, original clutch which operates perfectly.

At today's prices how could you go wrong? seriously HOW? To say the 996 is a bargain is like saying stocks are down this year.

salayc

Dave-ROR

There's a ton of info on the subject that can be found via the search. And lots of drama too...

Anyways, the 996 Enthusiasts guide has good info, as does the Sept 2008 article in Excellence.

MeanRex

Well well, I'll have to remember that issue of excellence. I read one article about the reliability of the M96 blocks and it said they were golden and mentioned nothing of this, but it was comparing the watercooled series to the aircooled engines.

Could it possibly be about cars that don't get driven like a Porsche SHOULD be driven. Not how most upper white class males baby them like a granny in a prius. Taking good care of a porsche by warming it up and not making short trips, and driving it like a chauffer are two diff things

There is a similar issue in the renesis rotary engine in the RX-8. Engine replacement from cars that are not driven hard enough. They have not had this problem with anyone who is a track enthusiast, as they regularly redline the bajesus out of the engine.


I know several porsche owners, and am not sure that they seek out the redline often enough. I do it every time I drive, but then again I drive rotary engines currently. zoom zoom boom

-Ben Martin

MeanRex

Where may I find this enthusiast guide? Is it located within Rennlists website?

And yes, I have been searching. It seems as if most of these are being handled by people shelling out $12-14k and having porsche blindly change it out for a reman.
No one is reporting any actual pictures or data from an affected engine as far as I have found.


And you guys are way more helpful than over at 6speed. 3 days, 1 response to no particular question that I asked.

Thank you!
-Ben Martin

Dave-ROR

It's a $100 book, you can order it from Amazon, Borders, etc. Expensive (as hell IMO) but it does have lots of good info. I got mine with my 40% off coupon from Borders so it was slightly more "reasonable"...

The reality is that these motors do have some issues that cause failures, but the percentage of cars with the major issues is statistically minor (which doesn't mean much if it happens to YOU...). Porsche has released parts to fix a bunch of it and all the reman engines since 2005 I believe have those parts.

This shouldn't really be a huge concern, it's either going to happen or not, with the chances leaning greatly towards "not". It's something to consider for sure, but the rest of the car outweighs the small chance of this happening. On the plus side, if it does happen and you replace the motor, you'll get a 2 year warranty on it and a car that is likely to last many many more miles without issue.

As for the motors, they aren't sleeved like normal, so when you get hydrolock in one, you actually crack and break the CASING not the sleeve since the cylinder is part of the casting.

edit: I wrote "this should really be a huge concern" but meant "shouldn't"

cdodkin

Great write up on this exact question from the UK (Total 911 Magazine) here:

http://www.autofarm.co.uk/pdf/Total911_July06.pdf

And you won't have to spend $100 to read it!

zroadhouse

I think the main issue I see here is that we don't have AutoFarm here in the US and that generally it seems that folks have to shell out for a new engine vs. doing bore-out and rebuild. Is the work being done by Flat Six Innovations and L&N Engineering comparable with how AutoFarm fixes a broken engine?

MeanRex

Dave-ROR; thanks for the reality check

cdodkin; thanks for the only real information as to a cause and solution to the problem.

That one link says a lot more than any of the many many pages of threads I've read through where people go on about porsche not taking responsibility and how much they charge for a reman and not WHY did this happen, and HOW can it be avoided or fixed.

And I haven't even gotten through page 1 of that link.....sheesh

-Ben Martin

redridge

Read this: download PDF file.

Might have to join to view: http://www.renntech.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=6470

red911c2

Love the new avatar!

redridge

Thanks.... ready for spring!

MeanRex

Totally off-topic, but you guys are awesome. Good forum members.


Here is my thread from 6sp
http://www.6speedonline.com/forums/9...t-3-4l-c2.html

what a dick, i would say a bunch of dicks, but theres only one active member on the forum!!!