Byron in MS

During PCA DE at Road Atlanta this weekend, the engine in my 2001 996 Turbo let go! It has 81K miles. I had got the dash light a couple of sessions earlier to add oil, which I did. After that, the car was smoking out of one bank. I looked at it and thought that I may have overfilled it a little. Some others suggested it might be a seal going bad in one of the turbos. As you can see in this video, it was not a turbo.

Coming down the hill to turn 10a you can hear the beep of the low oil pressure warning. 2 seconds later the engine dies and I coast up to the bridge. Engine won't turn; case is still intact; didn't drop any oil but the low coolant warning light comes on when the key is turned. Yes, I know I am a dumbass. Yes, I should have known better. Looking for some answers now. Anyone with rebuilding experience? Any ideas on what may have happened? I was trying to keep an eye on the oil pressure, and I didn't notice it falling to 0, but according to Harry's Lap Timer, it was zeroing out several times on this lap!

993GT

sorry to hear, sucks!
Oil and coolant issues happening at same time is a bit odd IMO
Few basic questions:
-does it turn over now? still seized?
-is coolant level indeed down/gone? reservoir check
-drained engine oil to inspect for contaminants/shavings?
-have you pulled the spark plugs?
Regards,
Rob

Byron in MS

Hi Rob....thus far I have done no diagnosing. Still sitting on the trailer. No coolant came out of the car, but there was a huge cloud of smoke just prior to the warning indicator. FYI...the car was running great, no clatter or clicking. No rattles or noises.

993GT

Hey Byron,
Sounds odd indeed. Just to clarify, the cooling system is still full(faulty indicator light), or is drained but no leaks?
If it's empty/low, I'd almost bet on the oiling/blow-by issue causing detonation and knocking out a headgasket and sucking up coolant.
Maybe the oil cooler is faulty and intermixed the oil/coolant.
If it hydro-locked or otherwise seized a cylinder(s), I'd still be worried about the case and would have it magnafluxed/looked-over during rebuild.
Pulling the plugs out and draining the oil will tell lots.
Hoping for the best!
-Rob

Byron in MS

Thanks again Rob...The coolant is not visible in the expansion tank. I have to travel for work over the next several days, so it may take me a little while to tear into it. I will keep this post updated as I progress.

thomapa1

Sorry to hear the bad news. Best of luck getting to the bottom of this.

blockhed

That's a tough pill to swallow sorry for your loss. Is it me or does the car sound "weird" when accelerating? Best of luck.

Tuxiemama

Byron, are you sure it is just not some conrods that got effed.... I am sorry if it as you think.... but maybe there is a silver lining for you... I really hope so mate

Kevin

Sorry for the mechanical loss.

Did you have a previous failure on your other car?

1) Check for stored CEL/ engine fault codes, you should have a few..

2) Do not try to start the engine..

3) Take you oil filter element out. Look for metal. This will give you the major clues as to bearing damage and point you to the cylinder head gasket.

4) Rarely will a blown turbocharger lock up an engine at full power. This is where the 996GT3 dipstick conversion is nice. You will need to drain the engine oil to see if you have coolant present.

5) 19mm crankshaft bolt. Try and turn the engine over by hand (wrench)..

6) If it's locked up, I'd then pull the spark plugs to see if there is coolant in the cylinder. Leak test is now in order.

7) Years ago, Tom Kerr had a crankshaft just break in half.. No warning.

8) I'd suspect that you broke a timing/camshaft chain. The engine will shut off, and the chain wraps around the IMS and locks the engine up.

Kevinmacd

If there was a head gasket compromise, you may have hydro locked the engine and bent a rod! Sorry to hear of your issue!

Macster

Based on what you posted and what I can observe from the video I suspect a turbo seal let go and the engine ran low on oil and seized.

Earlier, you report getting a warning to add oil then later on the track hearing the low oil level warning beep.

If I'm right generally an engine that has failed due to a lack of oil is a poor candidate for a rebuild.

But there are exceptions. If the block/cylinders are unmarked from the loss of oil, if the damage is confined to the crank/rod bearings, and the clean pressure side of the oil system is free of any debris, a new crank and rods could have the engine back on the road.

A good engine rebuilder can advise you.

jbossolo

This is just me, but if my engine blew, I'd go for one of these :
http://www.renegadehybrids.com/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i3GXpKRTCIw#t=262

John@Fabspeed

sounds like the perfect chance to build it bigger and badder. maybe some upgraded turbo madness?

neanicu

WOW! That sucks big time! I'd prefer buying a bicycle if my engine blew up and can't afford another one,rather than do that. Just listening to that guy in the video was annoying let alone put a Corvette engine in a Porsche.

jbossolo

^ Trust me, I've driven one, the car drives every bit as good as a stock one. Lighter, non-turbo engine (say goodbye to turbo lag), making the same level of power, and with an awesome V8 soundtrack to it. Not for everybody, I know. But the whole kit will cost you less than half what a rebuild of a stock 996TT engine will. For a track car, that's an unbeatable combination. To each it's own.
BTW, "that guy in the video" happens to be the shop owner, Scott Mann, a PCA National Instructor with over 20 years experience in racing, and a member of the PCA National DE Committee. They've been doing these conversions since 1983. I've visited their shop, and seen several of their conversions in the flesh. They look, function, and sound every bit as good (maybe even better, at least in the sound dept) as the stock items. So don't be too quick to judge, my friend.