Hello, I just picked up a 1997 boxster 2.5 with Auto. The car was water damaged but not sure to what extent. Oil is good, but made it 10" up the inside door panels. Most electronics are junk. I pulled plugs and all looks well. Before I go any deeper I need to know if engine is worth fixing or part it out. How do I hand crank this sucker?? I don't wantto drop the engine if i'll be repairing it.
Thanks

 

IF most electronics are junk the car's junk. Good for body parts and that's about it.

Otherwise you are looking at all new wiring and electronics. A few owners who have had their cars visited by mice have to fallback to using their homeowners insurance to cover just an engine wiring harness replacement. To restore the entire car's electrical wiring and electronics… Ouch.

An engine exposed to a brief and partial submersion can possibly be resurrected. The engine may not have any water in it. But a prompt oil drain and refill with fresh oil along with a new filter is called for.

If the engine ingested water the plugs will have to be removed and the engine spun. Using the starter works.

Then the engine oil/filter needs to be replaced along with the plugs.

 

Even if all the wiring harneses need to be replaced and the electrionic boxs, It seems do-able... the parts are available at some bone yards, though still expensive. Am I over simplifiing the process of installing a used harness's and or control box's? I have the car on the lift and plennty of room in the garage. I'm thinking 3 days (most) to strip and re-install dash wiring, engine wiring, bonnet and door wiring and control boxs. So far I think these used parts could run me about $1800. Looks like I can hand crank from the main pully just like any other engine but would like to confirm.

 

yes just like many motors...crank pulley .socket or wrench

 

You can hand crank the engine with the plugs removed using the main pulley. You won't be able to crank it very fast, of course.

In the past when I've cranked an engine using this technique it has been to position the engine for cam or ignition timing checking/adjustment.

While I have never done a complete wiring harness replacement in any car you are under estimating the amount of work. I have come upon vehicles in the dealer service bay with wiring harness problems and these are some of the most labor intensive repairs imaginable. The wiring harnesses are installed first when the car is assembled and to get then out and new/used ones installed requires considerable car disassembly. I have seen car interiors stripped down to their painted surfaces just to replace the harness that connects to the seats. To replace the engine wiring harness requires the engine to be removed from the car.

My second hand info is not all wiring harnesses are the same. You have to find ones that come from a car that was optioned pretty close to the one you are trying to resurrect in order that wiring harness is the same. Otherwise, you might find some wiring is not present and some options in the car you are working on will not have electrical power.

Every electrical contact submerged will be compromised. The car will develop a foul odor that is very hard to eliminate. And so on. While a car that has been submerged may after being removed from the water appear to be rather unaffected barring being smashed flat by a heavy object the car has sustained about as much damage as it can.

I would not have a submerged/flood damaged car as a gift.

 

I wouldn't go THAT far... Yes, it is a ton of serious work- and you will go crazy with missing or different connectors with used equipment... But if you are looking to build a track car, and go through everything anyways- a flood damage car for sale can be a unicorn.

Ps- still looking for a water salvage cayman! Anyone?

 

Motor stuck....... standing water pooled in the throttle boby and air intake tubing. Going to pull intake this weekend and/or drop the motor and trans. Doesn't look good, could be a 40k mile boat Anchor

 

I have a 2.5 tip engine harness that I will not be using. Let me know if you're interested.

 

I'll let you know this weekend, hopefully I will need it. Borrowed a boroscope and just need to remove the engine to figure up if it's repairable

 

Well, Intake valves had water and salt deposits on them but cleaned up well, dont look bad. Cleaned up with lacqure thinner. Pulling the intake off with the motor in the car was a nightmare. kinked a crossover hose. Havent had the time it takes to drop the motor for closer inspection. I'll try to get the exhaust off tonight.

 

Do yourself a favor and drop the engine. It's not THAT big of a deal, even on jack stands...

 

Dropped motor and Tip Auto as one. Went pretty smooth. there was about 1/2 pint water in all the Tip fluid, So I'm thinking it should be good after a flush and a cleaning. The Engine is another story. Like I posted before it is seized. Can't get the bolts off the flexplate as I can't/won't force the motor to spin to line up the bolt holes to it off. The intake and exhaust valves don't seem to be an issue, they cleaned up well. Right now I have the engine on its Lt side and Marvel Mystery oil soaking in the piston bores. Wednesday I'll flip the assembly over and soak the other bores.... finger crossed. Of note: dropped oil Pan and all looks good there was some thin pudding skin I wiped out though, so I plan a major flushing. My plan is to pull valve covers and clean/flush from there as well, concerned about the conditions on the rings. Manual said that they and the bore sleeves are "iron" water was sitting in there.. no 02 though so maybe no corrossion

 

There's air in the water. The rings are ferrous metal and the pistons are coated with some kind of thin iron surface treatment. I would be very surprised if there is no corrosion of these items.

 

So will I

 

Going smooth till last head bolt stripped, any secrets to one of these goofy bolts off once it's foolish t50 is stripped.