Catastrophic engine failure 2008 3.8L
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 30
Likes: 2
From: Red Deer County, Alberta
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 2,616
Likes: 74
From: North Carolina
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 30
Likes: 2
From: Red Deer County, Alberta
I'm not grasping for warranty- I fully understand these are pricey toys and you pay to play.
Stuff happens- I expect the dealership price quote I noted above was not up for negotiation.
Stuff happens- I expect the dealership price quote I noted above was not up for negotiation.
Rennlist Member
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 1,403
Likes: 40
From: From 60607 in 06840
If you want to go the Porsche engine route get a Porsche certified rebuilt unit which is basically an old block completely rebuild by Porsche. I unfortunately was a victim of an IMS failure and went with the refurbished unit and it is literally like new. But $23,000 is way way too much. Call Bob McCarthy at Sunset Porsche in Oregon, he is the Porsche parts manager. Besides being some of the nicest and most helpful people in the Porsche world I got my motor last year for $16,500. I paid $34,000, they shipped the new engine and once I returned the my old one back there was a core credit of about $17,500 (minus $350 shipping). These guys are very professional and great to work with. Best of luck.
Sunset's number is 503-641-8600
Sunset's number is 503-641-8600
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 149
Likes: 0
From: Scottsdale, AZ
If you want to go the Porsche engine route get a Porsche certified rebuilt unit which is basically an old block completely rebuild by Porsche. I unfortunately was a victim of an IMS failure and went with the refurbished unit and it is literally like new. But $23,000 is way way too much. Call Bob McCarthy at Sunset Porsche in Oregon, he is the Porsche parts manager. Besides being some of the nicest and most helpful people in the Porsche world I got my motor last year for $16,500. I paid $34,000, they shipped the new engine and once I returned the my old one back there was a core credit of about $17,500 (minus $350 shipping). These guys are very professional and great to work with. Best of luck.
Sunset's number is 503-641-8600
Sunset's number is 503-641-8600
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 30
Likes: 2
From: Red Deer County, Alberta
Thanks for that lead, I'll call them Monday.
I just received a very complete and professional reply email from Jake at Flat Six Innovations- he's booked until April but since it's snowy here Oct-April that might be OK.
I just received a very complete and professional reply email from Jake at Flat Six Innovations- he's booked until April but since it's snowy here Oct-April that might be OK.
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Rennlist Member
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 8,678
Likes: 13
From: Tampa, FL
Yes this is a tough situation that many of my customers have faced. Never a good solution. For one customer we got a rebuild from Porsche, another we found a used donor motor, and another right now we are rebuilding as a 3.6 from a 3.4 for track purposes. The problem with Porsche and the INSANE core charge anymore is what if you buy a motor, pay the core, send yours back and they DENY the core. You now have just spent $40K for a rebuilt motor for your car. Plus many people cant just put out the extra almost $20K in hopes of return some day.
My recommendation would be to install a used 3.8l and sell the car. Buy a DFI car that is more up to the task of your occasional jaunts to the racetrack.
Also one other point. IF AT ALL POSSIBLE, NEVER TAKE A CAR TO THE DEALER NOT KNOWING YOUR OVERREVS! This is just information that will be used against you. You can check these with and Durametric cable or with a shop that has an independent PIWIS. You can then make the decision to RESET these overrevs before ever taking the car to the dealer. You then have some leverage for having the dealer try to explain to you what happened. In your case maybe they might have had some element of goodwill. But with Type 5 overrevs you will never know.
My recommendation would be to install a used 3.8l and sell the car. Buy a DFI car that is more up to the task of your occasional jaunts to the racetrack.
Also one other point. IF AT ALL POSSIBLE, NEVER TAKE A CAR TO THE DEALER NOT KNOWING YOUR OVERREVS! This is just information that will be used against you. You can check these with and Durametric cable or with a shop that has an independent PIWIS. You can then make the decision to RESET these overrevs before ever taking the car to the dealer. You then have some leverage for having the dealer try to explain to you what happened. In your case maybe they might have had some element of goodwill. But with Type 5 overrevs you will never know.
Banned
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 26,140
Likes: 5,466
From: Chicagoland Area
And you did not get range 4 and 5 over-revs from playing with the PSE. You missed a shift at some point. Only way possible.
You might have a "D chunk" with the current motor. Hope Jake can save it.
Rennlist Member
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 1,776
Likes: 4
From: Overland Park, KS
Also one other point. IF AT ALL POSSIBLE, NEVER TAKE A CAR TO THE DEALER NOT KNOWING YOUR OVERREVS! This is just information that will be used against you. You can check these with and Durametric cable or with a shop that has an independent PIWIS. You can then make the decision to RESET these overrevs before ever taking the car to the dealer. You then have some leverage for having the dealer try to explain to you what happened. In your case maybe they might have had some element of goodwill. But with Type 5 overrevs you will never know.
Based on this I now wonder what all the fuss is about when we have to see the rev ranges before buying a used car. CPO'ed or otherwise as this option (erasing) invalidates the whole reason for recording this information.
Last edited by Mark Harris; Aug 17, 2013 at 01:17 PM.
Rennlist Member
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 6,570
Likes: 89
From: Austin
Yes this is a tough situation that many of my customers have faced. Never a good solution. For one customer we got a rebuild from Porsche, another we found a used donor motor, and another right now we are rebuilding as a 3.6 from a 3.4 for track purposes. The problem with Porsche and the INSANE core charge anymore is what if you buy a motor, pay the core, send yours back and they DENY the core. You now have just spent $40K for a rebuilt motor for your car. Plus many people cant just put out the extra almost $20K in hopes of return some day.
My recommendation would be to install a used 3.8l and sell the car. Buy a DFI car that is more up to the task of your occasional jaunts to the racetrack.
Also one other point. IF AT ALL POSSIBLE, NEVER TAKE A CAR TO THE DEALER NOT KNOWING YOUR OVERREVS! This is just information that will be used against you. You can check these with and Durametric cable or with a shop that has an independent PIWIS. You can then make the decision to RESET these overrevs before ever taking the car to the dealer. You then have some leverage for having the dealer try to explain to you what happened. In your case maybe they might have had some element of goodwill. But with Type 5 overrevs you will never know.
My recommendation would be to install a used 3.8l and sell the car. Buy a DFI car that is more up to the task of your occasional jaunts to the racetrack.
Also one other point. IF AT ALL POSSIBLE, NEVER TAKE A CAR TO THE DEALER NOT KNOWING YOUR OVERREVS! This is just information that will be used against you. You can check these with and Durametric cable or with a shop that has an independent PIWIS. You can then make the decision to RESET these overrevs before ever taking the car to the dealer. You then have some leverage for having the dealer try to explain to you what happened. In your case maybe they might have had some element of goodwill. But with Type 5 overrevs you will never know.
Rennlist Member
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 8,678
Likes: 13
From: Tampa, FL
For Porsche yes it is a permanent part of the ECU. It is not a PIWIS function that can erase or alter them. It is a function that can be reset with the appropriate tuners. Have been doing it since the 996 days. Also do it on the cars converted to race cars so we can watch the overrevs for engine management purposes. You might check with some of the tuners and ask.
One issue with a car that has been read out at a dealer sometime with overrevs and then you alter them, next time the car is read at the dealer they can see the discrepency.
The overrevs are there as a big brother (Porsche) appoach to seeing what you did to the car so they can use it against you. There are NO LEGAL issues as this is merely a diagnostic tool and in NO WAY alters the true federally mandated information pertaining to odometer information.
One issue with a car that has been read out at a dealer sometime with overrevs and then you alter them, next time the car is read at the dealer they can see the discrepency.
The overrevs are there as a big brother (Porsche) appoach to seeing what you did to the car so they can use it against you. There are NO LEGAL issues as this is merely a diagnostic tool and in NO WAY alters the true federally mandated information pertaining to odometer information.
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 149
Likes: 0
From: Scottsdale, AZ
Booked until April? These are cars, people can't realistically expect to wait 6 mo for a repair! Maybe he needs to hire more people, gtreat for him for sure. No way I would wait 6 mo on 1 particular builder. Thats unsat in my book. Hell he must be great!