found this in the oil filter - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

leowww · 01-03-2011, 09:06 PM

changed my oil and found all this in the filter dark green peaces of plastic like stuff
any one no what this is or were it could have come from

Steve Tinker · 01-04-2011, 12:27 AM

Whatever the colour, its not good news.......
1) The IMS bearing has plastic shields each side of the steel balls which helps (prevents ?) ingress of debris and egress of grease. But as far as I know, the seals are black in colour.
2) The timing chain tensioners are reported to be dark red plastic, which puts a question mark on those as being the culprit.
3) It may be from the the plastic anti surge baffles mounted in the oil sump - but again I understand them to be black plastic.
4) The only green coloured items (that I know of) are the plastic plugs on the ouside of the cambox, but......that's ouside of the engine.

Whatever, you should remove the sump and inspect the debris what may be laying in there as this has the potential to be terninal - no way should there be that amount of anything in your filter.....
I'm sure more knowlegable people here will chime in - keep us informed!

chrismanchr · 01-04-2011, 03:27 AM

everybody should study thier used oil and filter because it gives a good indication on how your engines running and if anythings been broken -up

I found thick black sludge that was like mud you'd find in the bottom of a pond ,it had completely filled the filter bowl ,i cleaned it out and its not come back

since then ive found some small metal pieces in the oil ,but nothing in the filter ,I had the sump removed and inspected they found nothing

so next time its due for oil&filter it'll be inspected again if theres more metal debris I'm gonna tear down the engine

Jake Raby · 01-04-2011, 05:01 AM

I see notable pieces of the variocam wear pads in that mess.. Also it appears that there are pieces of IMS bearing seal in the mix as well..

Thats a whole lot of debris, more than I think I have ever seen from a single engine.

Topless · 01-04-2011, 06:06 AM

Wow! Time for a motor refresh. Looks like tensioner guides and IMS bearing are heading south. How many miles since last oil change? Total miles on motor?

leowww · 01-04-2011, 06:11 AM

just got it 3 week ago has 105000 miles on it runs good from the looks of the oil it was in there a long time

Perfectlap · 01-04-2011, 06:19 AM

Holy cow....do not drive that thing another mile!! The next turn of the ignition could be your last. Have it towed to your local Porsche specialist and come up with a game plan, sounds like you've got a couple of issues there. It looks like the previous owners were not kind to your Boxster. What did you pay for it?

leowww · 01-04-2011, 06:32 AM

I did a trade for a chopper well there are no Porsche specialist any were around here so i am you no what

Topless · 01-04-2011, 06:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by leowww

I did a trade for a chopper well there are no Porsche specialist any were around here so i am you no what

If you want to save her, have her flatbedded to a competent shop in SoCal (Callas Rennsport or 911Design), or you could send her to Jake in GA for the gold standard treatment.

JTP · 01-04-2011, 06:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by leowww

I did a trade for a chopper well there are no Porsche specialist any were around here so i am you no what

Check LNE's list of approved installers and you might find a competent shop near you.

http://www.lnengineering.com/June%202010%20Dealer%20Listing.pdf

Perfectlap · 01-04-2011, 11:39 AM

I'd visit the forum for the Arizona Porsche club (you're in AZ right?). Ask for independent specialist recommendations in your area. At this point, most of the guys who know what they are doing with Porsches have become familiar with IMS upgrades either by doing them or reading about it. My specialist had never done one before but it was still a piece of cake for them. They'll surely be calling forum sponsor Flat 6 for advice. Get the car to the right people...
Put it this way, whatever it costs you to replace the IMS and any other issues now will be a lot better than waiting for the thing to fail when you will only have two options: junkyard for salvage parts or ordering a new $10+K engine and all the labor involved in a major transplant. That oil change filter is sending you about as clear a red flag as possible. Don't drive it anymore.

How does the car look otherwise?

Adam · 01-04-2011, 12:18 PM

That engine definately needs to go to rehab. Call Jake!

jaykay · 01-04-2011, 06:26 PM

I have found some small round black particles in my filter which look like what your main debris field is but you say it is all green?? The particles I had crumbled and crushed easily and appeared to be loosed carbon deposits but it is hard to be sure...plastic would not crumble and crush as far as I know...

I have never seen anything like this in any engine oil filter aircraft or auto. I would zero in on what this is before running the car again but that is just me....best to flat bedded if you need to move it. Take the debris to someone who knows and can view it first hand!

JTP · 01-04-2011, 06:54 PM

There was another forum member who found particles almost identical to yours posted on this thread:

Found this in the Oil Filter

leowww · 01-04-2011, 08:20 PM

Las vegas is the closest porsche repair shop I called 3 of them to day not on of them new what an IMS bearing was after I explained to them what it was I got quotes of 1000.00 to 3000.00 labor so if any one no's a shop in vegas that no's what they are doing please let me no

JTP · 01-05-2011, 02:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by leowww

Las vegas is the closest porsche repair shop I called 3 of them to day not on of them new what an IMS bearing was after I explained to them what it was I got quotes of 1000.00 to 3000.00 labor so if any one no's a shop in vegas that no's what they are doing please let me no

Did you even look at LNE's list of installers or call them? That list shows shops in Tucson, Phoenix, and Pleasant Valley. Or try taking the suggestion someone else gave and contact the local PCA. Vegas can't be the closet shop, I used to live in Sierra Vista and there were Porsches all over Tucson.

Perfectlap · 01-05-2011, 06:27 AM

Have you tried these?

Group One Motorwerks www.grouponemotorwerks.com -
3621 N Stone Ave, Tucson - (520) 887-6335

Radmacher Porsche Service
604 East Blacklidge Drive, Tucson - (520) 624-6642

I'd call this well known Porsche parts website below and ask them if they know of with a Porsche specialist in your area as you are in urgent need of a shop and parts.

******************************** AZ
3341 East Corona, Phoenix, AZ 85040
Phoenix Area & International Order Hot Line - (602) 276-9402
Outside the Phoenix Area Order Hot Line - (800) 240-4620

Topless · 01-05-2011, 06:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JTP

Did you even look at LNE's list of installers or call them? That list shows shops in Tucson, Phoenix, and Pleasant Valley. Or try taking the suggestion someone else gave and contact the local PCA. Vegas can't be the closet shop, I used to live in Sierra Vista and there were Porsches all over Tucson.

He is in Bullhead City. That is sort of no man's land, far from any major cities. Las Vegas, Phoenix and LA are closer than Tucson. There is one good Porsche indy I know in Vegas, 3 in Phoenix, and a dozen or more in the greater LA area. If it were my car I would take it to a shop that has been inside a couple hundred M96 motors.
That filter was really ugly.

JTP · 01-05-2011, 11:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Topless

He is in Bullhead City. That is sort of no man's land, far from any major cities. Las Vegas, Phoenix and LA are closer than Tucson. There is one good Porsche indy I know in Vegas, 3 in Phoenix, and a dozen or more in the greater LA area. If it were my car I would take it to a shop that has been inside a couple hundred M96 motors.
That filter was really ugly.

Ah, got it now, Bullhead City! I typed Bullhead AZ into Google maps and it showed it being 30 miles from Tucson.