Porsche997dxb

Hi there,
am very new to this forum, and thanks found it

I have an issue in my beauty trubo 997 2007, as I am 2nd owner bought it last Dec. with 72k and it was perfect, till it had another 7000km, I started to notice back whining noise, took it to the Garage and they reported that the diff has to be changed and since it's only come with whole gearbox then had to change the whole thing about $20,000!!!

Am so shocked to hear that, even though the gearbox has no failure at all and still drive and shifts smoothly, except the whining noise!

am from Dubai, please advise me, as it is my first 997 ever, and started to hate it. (not really I love it,, but i hate the garages here i feel they just abuse everything, recent experience of small problem of cable short circut costed me $1,200 plus the whole DME control which still working but they replaced it)

Thanks

GTgears

Can you post more exact details of what they say failed? I can likely help you with more information. The actual differential is the same as some other cars. The crown wheel and pinion is another bigger issue.

alexb76

We need more info, manual/auto? What's the exact diagnosis? When's the whining happening, during gear change or at all times? or when AWD is engaged on some wheel, etc...

jhbrennan

Ask your question in the turbo forum too -

https://rennlist.com/forums/997-turbo-forum-139/

Macster

Correctly ID'ing a noise as coming from the tranny/diff is some science and some art and some experience. If the shop made the diagnosis the tranny/diff is bad well, then either you go with their diagnosis or you don't.

If you don't then you have to have a fall back shop that you do trust. And if you have this fallback shop why you are using the 1st shop is beyond me.

Unfortunately I suspect there is no fallback shop. I do not know what options there are available to you. Perhaps shipping the car to a place that has a well regarded Porsche repair shop?

There are other things that can generate noise that could be mistaken for a bad tranny/diff though an experienced tech should be able to distinguish the difference.

A wheel bearing, or even tire noise, can have one suspecting a bad tranny/diff when of course the problem lies elsewhere.

If the noise is coming from the diff or tranny it is possible the unit could be removed and repaired. With a tranny/diff you have a smaller package to ship if there is no place where you are that is qualified to do this level of work.

Some places just remove and replace. They are not set up to dismantle, repair a tranny/diff. I do not know the 997 manual gearbox, if it is the same as the one in the 996 Turbo. My tech contacts tell me the 996 Turbo 6-speed is not quite the same as the N/A 6-speed tranny but it is similar and it can be rebuilt. This subject came up when my 996 Turbo was ID'd with a selector shaft leak and there was some question as to whether it would be repaired or replaced -- thankfully under CPO warranty. As it turned out the factory shipped over a new tranny and that was that.

Oh, the cost for the replacement was estimated at $11,000 including removing the old one and installing the new one. A "rebuild" was estimated to be around one half that $11K number.

Based on my info then $20,000 for a new transmission seems a might high, but being where you are probably accounts for the higher cost, assuming the quote numbers I received were realistic and since I didn't have to pay for the new unit nor pay for its rebuild I have no way of knowing how real those quoted numbers were.

So where does this leave you? Well, the diagnosis might be accurate. If you doubt it then you have to find a place that can give you an accurate diagnosis.

Ask about having the tranny/diff removed and shipped off to be repaired. There are companies that advertise in the UK Porsche indy mags that repair transmissions if you want to ship the unit there. There are of course companies in the USA that offer this service as well. Check ads in Panorama and Excellence.

You'll have to call around and see which shop can accept the tranny/diff and what the cost will be along with the turn-around time.

The shipping cost is what it is. My WAG is it will be less than paying $20K for a new tranny/diff but no promises.

Best of luck.

alexb76

The OP has an Automatic gearbox, hence the possible higher cost vs. Manual. Agreed on Macster suggestions, in all cases with such large repair bill, a second opinion is needed. I'd take it for diagnosis to an actual Porsche dealer, and then based on their recommendation pick between them or the current shop.

Gearboxes can always be repaired, but sometimes if the country doesn't offer that, the cost of shipping back/forth may outweigh the saving on repair vs. replacement.

Good luck!

ru'

Where have you taken it? There's official Porsche dealers in Dubai and Abu Dhabi who may be able to offer a second opinion.

Porsche997dxb

So finally I could post in.... Thanks to everyone who replied,

latest up-date i have found:

I understand your frustration by the idea of changing the complete gearbox due to the whining noise. Almost all multi-brand garages claim complete replacement of engine or transmission when there is any internal problem as it requires special tools, skills and part supply to repair it.



First of all, at least let us see and hear the noise, perhaps we can pinpoint if it is bearing or ring/pinion noise. By the way, the problem would be much easier if it is bearing(s) problem. If you have not let any on these garages change the gearbox oil, the inspection of the oil can also give us some clues if bearing or ring/pinion gear.



But, you need to understand few facts here:

- If it is confirm that transmission is no problem but can not be confirm that if the noise is ring/pinion or bearings, without opening or touching the transmission side, we need to see the inside of the differential for visual inspection. This is more than a 15 hours work which cost you xxx AED at regular price but I can cap it by xxxx AED. There are some seals, gaskets, (depending on oil condition) oil sort of consumables are addition cost. Either bearings are bad or not there are 2 of 4 bearings in there must be replaced as they can not be closed after opened and I suggest other 2 also should be changed once all these hassle is gone through. The bearing set is not less than xxxx AED plus machine shop cost of xxxx AED for press out and in the bearings…

- If the ring and pinion is the problem, I can not tell you the part cost for it or how long to get them as they are not a spare part at the dealer, the transmission(gear box manufacturer of your 997 is ZF Engineering from Germany that we need to contact them. However, the ring and pinion set with shipment and tax could be xxxx AED. And, if the ring and pinion needs to be replaced there will be and additional labour charge of xxxx AED for their replacement and alignment (alignment is the most time taking and special tool required part)



We can summarize that your cost would be around xxxx AED if the problems are only bearing related. And, additional xxxxxx if it involves the ring and the pinion.



Now it is the worse scenario:



The bearings have seats in the differential when bearings sit properly their position are micron accurate. If these inner bearing seats(s) are worn (damage) the complete transmission housing needs to be changed although all internals of auto transmission is good. This housing is card to find alone… The damaged seats might be repaired at machine shop but there is no warranty at all about how long will it go.



So, I disagree with the other 2 garage claiming the gearbox completely needs to be changed but you should also understand that this might not be as easy as you think….



As suggested above, if you let us see and hear the problem as a first step, we would be in better condition to evaluate the options…

Any possibility to find the ring+pinion just in case???
Wish me luck

Porsche997dxb

Hi,,,

where can I find diff bearings ! or what is the OEM part no

Macster

Talked to a Porsche tech today.

He said the 997 Turbo S Tip transmissions can be "rebuilt". There are a couple of shops here in Livermore CA that do this work. Obviously, using a shop here is not realistic. My point is even a small (<100K pop.) town has shops that specialize on these (ZF?) transmissions.

The tech reminded me that GT (Guard Transmission?) sells diff kits (gears? LSD? bearings?) for these transmissions, too.

As long the "damage" is limited to just the bearings and the case has not suffered any damage or degradation from say a bearing becoming loose in its bore I believe a well equipped/experienced transmission shop should be able to remove the old bearings and and install the new bearings, and do whatever else is necessary to resurrect the Tip but of course you should hear this from the shop you end up using, not me.