38D

At the Thurs before the NJMP race, I came out of T2 and as I put down the power, the engine seemed flat, much like if a rocker was broken. So I got off the gas and was coasting tho T3 when I saw a big cloud of smoke out the back. i **** the engine off, and coasted to a spot near T4 to pull over. I pulled off and checked for fire. Tow truck pulled me in. There were no major drips under the car, but it wouldn't turn over at all. Anyway, I towed home and started the teardown process.

Here's some picts of what I found.









It was not the IMS as that was totally fine. I suspect either a rod bolt or a cylinder failure, but I will know more when I spit the case (no real reason other than morbid curiosity). There was some oil on the top of the engine, but very little dripping...which I think is because I shut it off fast. I especially like the pict that shows the valves full of oil and the broken ring in there...yikes! Another "oh my" moment was when I pulled the oil drain plug and the first gallon was coolant!

Brian A.

That sucks. My condolences.

TRT41

did you have an accusump installed? just curious about SPB failures w/ and w/o them.

38D

Yep, had an accusump. The engine did have 123k street miles and 4 race days.

paradisenb

Bummer. The up side is a new engine will cost less than a valve job on a 911.

Are you going to rebuild or drop in a crate motor from Porsche? I think crates run about $4k.

Good luck.

race911

Really? I know when I do the top end on the RSA in the next month or so, it will be well under $2K for parts and what I need to sublet. (Still unsure about doing the heads myself as I no longer have access to a Serdi. If so, that brings the cost into the ~$1K range.)

With a Boxster (or any of the similar water cooled 911 variants), what exactly are you buying? Factory new, from zero time components? Or like a 2.4 Factory Reman engine I pulled apart years ago that had a .10/.10 crank? Even building engines out of my garage I didn't put undersized cranks in my rebuilds.

APKhaos

Looks a bit terminal. Maybe a rod bolt failed first, but its going to be hard to tell with any certainty. Sorry to see that happen to you, man.

If Randy is right an a crate is $4K that might be one of the best deals around! I seem to remember the 996 crate was around $6K, and even then was far better than the cost of a rebuild. That engine is probably not a good candidate for a rebuild in any case, right?

TR6

Looks like it may be the common 996/986 failure. Chunk of the cylinder wall let go leading to catastrophic failure of that cylinder's piston/rings. If that is what it is, that engine is scrap.

BTW, latest info I had a month ago was that new boxster 2.5 crate motors from Porsche dealer are in the $12k range now.

38D

2.5L crate motors have gone way up (they were $8k last year), good used ones are $4-5k.

Rebuild, um did ya see the hole inn the case?

Chris M.

Sorry to see your engine go. Every time someone tells me that the fragility of the wet sump M96/7 engines will be the achilles heel of SPB and Spec 996, another one comes along and says how cheap and prevalent replacement motors are, and how much cheaper they are than rebuilding air-cooled motors. I will be curious to see how easily you and another RL member whose 996 3.4 recently let go are able to find suitable replacements. Please keep us posted.

Is something like THIS a possibility?

MUSSBERGER

You must be looking at different pix than me.

paradisenb

Ken, the difference for you is that you are doing the labor. I don't think a highly qualified race car mechanic is going to do all the labor plus provide parts for under $4K. Probably $6k +.

I think Mooty has 1st hand experience with the price of the 2.5L engines. Remaned from Porsche used to run +/- $4k.

According to Colin, it seems they have doubled in price. To bad, makes the SB less attactive from a cost standpoint.

Paul 996

Folks are smoking some funny ****e with this +/- $4K for a Porsche reman. The price actually used to be 2x that from Porsche the last time I priced and bought... key term is "used to be". They are considerably more now. The M96 2.5 and 3.4 motors have gone up drastically in price over the last 3-4 years.

kurt M

I might guess a "D" chunk that advanced into a rod fail.

Factory reman motors also need an aproved condition motor back to Porsche or you get hit for the core charge which is sizeable. I will ask at work (Porsche dealer) what the core return conditions are. PM me the spec on the motor and I can get you some real number.

Unless money is not an issue I would start looking for a good used motor or an entire car to rob for parts

J richard

A little JB weld will fix'er right up...since that rod cap is turtle'd through the case I think you can pretty much guess the fail point as a rod bolt but it will be interesting to see what you find. Bummer. I can't fathom anything new in the $4k range, it would be cheaper than the 44 spec...

Best of luck with it...(and I still like the old 38's....)