c4sdave

Last night I drove my friend's Boxster, 98 w/62k, approximately 1.5 miles from my house when a large dark cloud of smoke came from the exhaust. Shortly after this, the engine started running rough at which time I immediately turned the car off. I tried to restart, but the engine will not even crank over.

Prior to this short drive, the car had sat for about 5 days without being driven in weather between 24-34 degrees. At the initial start up, the car was idling rough, however it smoothed out and seemed fine until the smoke.

I have been told that Boxster's manufactured after 10/98 - 2000 are problematic engine problem cars in general.

Any feedback from someone that knows about these cars/engines would be greatly appreciated. The car was towed over to the shop Friday night, so I have the weekend to sit around and worry about what might have happened.

deliriousga

It's the engines built from 10/98-~3/99 that have the known problems.

During the short drive, were the rpms getting high or were you staying low? What about when the problem occured?

If it dies then won't turn over at all, it sounds like hydrolock. Not a pretty picture if that's the case.

gfl

Early 986 (m96) engines has porous blocks and some had sleeves. This can led to what is in effect a cylinder wall failure - catastrophic. Could the dark sloud have been a huge amount of oil being consumed?

Let's try to be optimistic, though. It could also be a valve, an injection problem, etc.

As to the refusal to crank, you need to tell us more. What happens and what does not? Does it try to crank but the engine is seized? Does it not even try (that's en electrical problem). If an electrical problem, could that also cause a hugely rich environment? You need real , competent diagnosis. Its a step-by-step logical process. I cant divine what's happening remotely.

Bets of luck, though, checl carefully before any guru guesses wrong.

Grant