Boxster disposal
#1
Boxster disposal
Our 2000 Boxster S has a cracked cylinder head at 109K. Exhaust gas is pushing into the cooling system when hot and displacing coolant. When the car is cool, water can enter a cylinder and temporarily foul the plug until running the car burns it off. Repairs are estimated at $7-8,000 to replace cracked head. Our mechanic thinks it is not economic to repair and we agree. Any suggestions on what to do with the remains? The car has turbo wheels, decent rubber, runs fine (except needs a pint of water in the radiator daily) and no significant damage to outside or inside of the car other than the engine problem. We will drive it home from the repair shop tomorrow and probably use it around town until it is disposed of. I am thinking it is worth $2500 as rolling parts. Anyone else have an experience like this and an idea about what to do next?
#2
Race Director
yeah, should be worth $3k as a roller in good condition.
FWIW, a good motor is about $3500 for your car, and install should be no more than $1k, so you could pursue that route if you love the car.
FWIW, a good motor is about $3500 for your car, and install should be no more than $1k, so you could pursue that route if you love the car.
#3
Hell, you could buy a wrecked 986... pull the properly sorted engine... install it into your roller... then selling many parts from the wrecker to cover that purchase.
I'm amazed at the ridiculously low prices for Boxsters. They're not throwaways as much as we believe. Easy to work on... part prices are reasonable.
#4
Race Director
Our 2000 Boxster S has a cracked cylinder head at 109K. Exhaust gas is pushing into the cooling system when hot and displacing coolant. When the car is cool, water can enter a cylinder and temporarily foul the plug until running the car burns it off. Repairs are estimated at $7-8,000 to replace cracked head. Our mechanic thinks it is not economic to repair and we agree. Any suggestions on what to do with the remains? The car has turbo wheels, decent rubber, runs fine (except needs a pint of water in the radiator daily) and no significant damage to outside or inside of the car other than the engine problem. We will drive it home from the repair shop tomorrow and probably use it around town until it is disposed of. I am thinking it is worth $2500 as rolling parts. Anyone else have an experience like this and an idea about what to do next?
Or contact your local Porsche dealer. I did and managed to sell my Boxster -- which was practically a roller with a CEL and error code that 2 dealers after 3 attempts (one lasting nearly 30 days) had been unable to even identify the cause -- to the local dealer who then turned around and sold it at a dealer only auction as a roller. I got a couple of thousand dollars out of the car with no hassle of trying to sell a roller car. Actually the engine ran fine but in CA one can't register the car with a CEL and with no registration it can't be insured and is thus can't be driven.
I would not continue to drive the car, run the engine. More use in the engine's condition can only damage the engine. As it is now very likely the engine can be saved with a proper head repair or replacement.
#5
These engines are becoming less expensive to repair. We just did a 2001 Boxster S with a blown freeze plug and bad oil separator , total rebuild for 5900 included down to the open case with new bearings new clutch new IMS etc. Len Hoffman does great work repairing the cracked heads very reasonably
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#9
Rennlist Member
Call Dwayne at vision Motorsports . Ask him for a quote for an engine. He’s got a large engine replacement program for the early water cooled cars.
#11
Glad you arent' closer. I would be tempted, and I can't afford another project.
If there's no intermix and the compression is okay, I'd probably put another head on it. That ain't a $7-8000 job For someone like me, it would be a learning experience. I guess in the LA area, I'd be shopping around for someone to do the work reasonably. Here in Tucson there are Hispanics that are highly skilled mechanics rather than parts replacers. My Hispanic nephew (in Reno) can do Tiptronic rebuilds. And almost everything else.
If there's no intermix and the compression is okay, I'd probably put another head on it. That ain't a $7-8000 job For someone like me, it would be a learning experience. I guess in the LA area, I'd be shopping around for someone to do the work reasonably. Here in Tucson there are Hispanics that are highly skilled mechanics rather than parts replacers. My Hispanic nephew (in Reno) can do Tiptronic rebuilds. And almost everything else.