Kimi322

I have a 99 boxster with 19K miles and just experienced a sleeve failure (crack) which allowed engine coolant into the cylinders and caused hydro-lock, preventing engine from turning over hence I need a new engine!

Luckily I purchased a warrantee from the dealer when I bought the car last year. However I am not sure if it will be covered. The P dealer is currently diagnosing the exact cause of failure and tells me if they/or the warrantee company conclude it is from driver abuse they will not cover.

I have heard of engine failures in the early year boxsters and that is why I purchased the warantee. However I think it is ridiuclous that this may not be covered. Sounds like a defect for an engine to fail with such low mileage.

Anyone have a similar experience or advice?

Kimi

Turboflyer

Yes but not in a Porsche. They are full of it. Was this on start up or while you were going done the road? The only way you could have caused that is to have neglected the coolant level or engine temp light. If the engine over heated you would no doubt have check engine light. If shut down immediately ,as safety dictated, they should be able to see this. Now, will they, I dont know. Is the warrantee by the dealer or through the dealer. If they are in bed with the warrantee company then....If not they dont care who pays for the new engine. The liner could have just cracked from fatigue or a stress line that was already there. That is a real bummer. Last note. If all engine parameters were normal at the time of failure they will have to pay up with out question.

Kimi322

It was at start-up. I've only put 3K miles on the car in the year i've owned it.

Turboflyer

Well I would say if what I posted before applies they definitely owe you and engine. I was fortunate in a built up 280Z that the car didnt start. New head gasket and all done. If it had started it would have been a bad bad thing. Dont think they are going to be able to pull up a fault code..."dont start, coolant in cylinder".

Tool Pants

What month was your car built?

Kimi322

February

m42racer

There is a huge pile of broken boxster engines at porsche. My local dealer had a room full. Most had the Crank moving due to a thrust problem. There is nothing a driver can do,(abuse) to break a cylinder Liner!! Thats just a failure, period.
If the P company do not replace this engine for you, jump up and down, shout, whatever. The dealer you are talking to has to have had failures before. Ask them to explain just how abuse causes a Cylinder Liner failure. Ask them to produce expert opinion to back it up. They won't be able to. At least nothing truthful. Its a shame Ralph Nader doesn't take up the Corvair challenge again over these cars.

Kimi322

Welp... after the dealer initially told me they had to determine if it was driver abuse, wanted me to pay up front and THEN contact the warranty co, it would take at least a month and generally seemed uncooperative, I did tons of research and made some calls to PCNA, my local rep and a few other people I was referred to.

It turns out, in the 99 boxster (especially ones built before March) engine failure due to a cracked sleeve is quite common. In most cases when the customer complained Porsche paid under what they call "good-faith".

Yesterday the dealer called and told me the good news is they ordered me a new engine, Porsche will pay 100% for it, the warantee co will pay for the labor they will try to have it ready in two weeks!

It jusy goes to show you that if you don't raise h-ll you may be taken advantage of. Thanks to everyone for their advice and referals!

Kim

Turboflyer

Bam! Justice. You done real good. Will the engine you get be one in which the cylinder liners have be upgraded. In other words, a newer manufacturing process to avoid a repeat down the road?

Kimi322

That was the first question I asked them! They said "yes any defect has been corrected in the rebuilt engines".

m42racer

If you can, get to speak to a tech who works on these new P cars. If he can "speak off the record", you may just run down to your local Saturn dealer and get a better made car. It really is a shame that they turned a once great engineering company into what we have today. Mr Porsche would be horrified.

Doug&Julie

Oh man...mine was built IN March. Cutting it close? Come on baby, hold together for me!

Kimi322

Chances are u will be fine :-) I just had some bad luck