JTW

I wanted the rest of the community to see this; this response is the result of my loud rattle post. Sorry if there was a better way to repost.
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Guys,
The Bad News
I have just been informed that I need a new engine. Yep, you heard it right, a new engine. The service tech, a really nice, low-key, knowledgeable "kid" diagnosed the problem as an intermediate shaft gear that is "pressed on" to the shaft and has come loose. He said he knew what it was as soon as he started the car.

Damnit, I knew something was up when the tech disappeared for a long while shortly after putting the car on the lift.

The Good News (I think)
The disappearance was due to the tech and the service manager being on the phone with the district manager who has, as far as they tell me, already authorized a new engine. The guys told me that Porsche does not want them touching the shaft or pullling it apart; they want the engine pulled out, crated, and sent back to Germany. I will retain my exhaust and cats...everything else will be new.

The guys told me that they have recently seen "several" of these failures, albeit on 996TTs which, they were quick to point out, use the same block as the GT3 (I knew this). I guess I haven't been paying enough attention to the 996 Turbo board; I don't recall seeing anything on this issue over there.

It's not in my nature to now start slamming Porsche or lamenting my bad fortune (at least since I have gotten older and wiser). I am focused on taking care of the problem as analytically as possible. I have already stated my concern that the engine has to be knew...not rebuilt. Their answer is that this should not be a problem given that there aren't many of these cars around. In their words, the engine will be new. Is this a valid concern? Does it even really matter? Are there spare 996 GT3 engines just lying around? Will numbers match? On the positive side, I guess I'll basically have a new car again.

Sorry for the length of this post. Any advice on how to cover all the bases and ensure a positive outcome is appreciated. So far my interactions with the dealer service people were very positive. Funny, this is my first visit to this particular dealer as our local Porsche dealer is now basically out of the business. What a way to start a relationship with a new service department!

ltc

No, your replacement engine will carry its own, unique, ID #.
So, if you did purchase a COA and have listed the VIN, chassis and engine#'s, you will need to keep all service documentation to show that the car no longer meets the condition it was in when it was produced; that in fact PAG/PCNA replaced the engine #A with engine #B.....only really matters if you decide to later sell the car and the buyer checks COA #'s.
Best of luck.

GT3BB

There must have been others but yours is the first GT3 engine I have heard ever replaced.

jim911

Anyone else hear of this problem with a GT3?

JS

This is the 1st.

GT3BB

"Intermediate Shaft".

Is that attached to the crankshaft?

skl

Too bad- mine was one of the lucky ones with the valve retainer problem- fixed by a dealer in Chicago as I didn't trust the local dealer to take THAT engine apart! Porsche transported the car to and from and took care of everything- just took a lot longer than I thought it would. Luckily it was over the winter...runs great now. Yours should be as good as new- lots of other 996 people have new engines because of RMS problems and they seem reasonably happy. Hope your car isn't a trendsetter though!

RJFabCab

Thanks for the update, Jim. Sorry about the bad news, but you'll be good to go with a new engine.

What kind of time course did they give you on replacing the engine?

PCNA needs to get you another set of wheels while your baby is being operated on. Perhaps a loaner C2...

roberga

what did it sound like? Mine has one at <2,500 with no real strees. The service manager though it might be a bearing in the ac unit. They took off all the belts, still there. They called the Porsche rep he said it was a normal sound. I have heard the same noise in another GT3 but I am still not sure.

TonyW

An excellent response from Porsche.
What mileage were you at ?
I have just had a new air mass meter unit and 2 oil leaks fixed under warranty.
My car is a 99 Mk1 at 26k.
You can bet that I'll be renewing my warranty when it's due.

TonyW

JTW

RJ - The service manager said he was going to make some calls today to get me a loaner and that it would be something "nice", not some PoS. I am okay with that. Regarding the timeframe, they said they have done several of these with TTs; takes no more than two days to install the engine. The big dependency is how long it takes to get an engine. If there's one in the States, they overnight it. If it's in Germany, it could take three - five days.

Roberga, this is a difficult question. My car has made the noise from day-one and I just assumed (and was told by many who even heard it) that this is just what they sound like. However, it's getting worse. The noise is a "tinny" rattle, almost a vibration. It emanates from directly under the center of the car (even confirmed by my wife and others). It's most audible at around 2000 RPM - 2700 RPM, especially under deceleration. It sounds as if there is something smaller spiinning at a different rate of speed than the the engine itself. As well, the car has begun making a big racket for a second after cold startup. Like many here posited, this sounded as if something in the exhaust system was loose.

GrantG

Jim - Sorry to hear that! Just be VERY happy that the car is under warranty, otherwise the bill would be about on par with a used 1999 996...

RJFabCab

Yep. That was my real question!

Don't sweat it... especially if they provide you with decent transportation during the transplant.

However, you may as well head out now to your local grocery for a box of Kleenex to keep with you as you prepare for your new engine break in.

skl

The new breakin will be a PITA- I had to have a new oil pump and rod bearing in my previous E46 M3 ( a common problem to those engines) and had to do the breakin all over again. Have to admit I wasn't quite as religious the second time around!

JTW

Yeah, can you say, "extended warranty"? Break-in will be a pain, but the least of my problems, I guess. No track days for a while. BTW, mileage is 3300...but like I mentioned, some of this has been going on for some time.