Has anyone actually DIY chain tensioner pads?
 

I have a cam deviation of -9.13 on bank 1 and 0.62 on bank 2. Thought it was probly the cam chain tensioner pads needed changing. I've read about it and I've perused Wayne Dempsey's book but I really don't see how one can do this without dropping the engine out of the car (maybe this winter). :eek: Out of the car it seems fairly straight forward.
Does anyone have any actual experience with this?
Cheers, -James

In a Boxster this can be done in the car. Its a ********************, but it can be done. With those cam deviations you should certainly change the wear pads.

Yeah, the car's coming up on 84,000 miles so there's probably some stuff I could check out at the same time (lifters,etc). The IMSB and RMS were done by the previous owner about a year ago so that should be okay. I guess I'll check around to see how much it will cost to remove/replace the engine and transmission as I don't have a lift in my dinky garage. :rolleyes:
Any suggestions before I get my hands dirty?
:)

If you are going to do that much work, just pull the engine.. You'll save time in the end.

Plus save some skin on my knuckles and flying wrenches! :D

Go for it. Get the Bentley book as well.
I don't have a lift either, I removed my engine last winter, spring and ....well, I guess summer also. I had it back in and turned the key Sept 15. Anyways I jacked it up and put it on stands. It makes a great winter project.
I got to buy some tools, make some tools and use alot of tools. You will want a lift(jack) to lower the muffler, transmission and engine. I bought the sears pro atv jack, works great. Last year during Jan and Feb the sale on tools was very good.
Make sure you have patience or go find some.
I took alot of pics so if you want to see something let me know.

pjq
You dropped the engine yourself? :eek:
If so I am TOTALLY in awe!
I'm willing to take on the project but that would take some pretty tall jack stands, no?

Its not that bad if you have time. Its kinda cool how they put it all together and fit so much into such a small cavity. Its like a plug and play engine. To work comfortably under the car I had the back of the car 24 inches off the ground measuered from the rear jack point. It just so happens a 30 ton bottle screw house jack is this tall. Thats what the car is sitting on in the rear. The second picture is how high you have to lift the car to slide the engine out after you have dropped it down. That is without removing the structural cross member.

http://986forum.com/forums/uploads01...1381129300.jpg

http://986forum.com/forums/uploads01...1381129330.jpg

Wow, that's pretty impressive! So you cranked it up to the full height with those house jacks? I guess one can rent those.

Holy SHI* those pictures caused me severe stress and made me sweat. You sir are without fear apparently. I am afraid to do anything to this car for fear of screwing it up but you dropped your engine in your garage without a lift...you give a whole new meaning to DIYer...

wrong pics

Hahaaa, pretty crazy looking eh! It reminds me of a downhill skier in the tuck position.
I was like you afraid of my PORSCHE, didn't want to touch it. But after it had an IMSB failure ...... I had to wake up and snap out of the dream. Its a fine piece of machinery and its hot but ... it is a machine no longer hand assembled.
If you liked those pics here it is again but installing the rebuilt engine. Thats the sears craftsmen pro atv lift under the engine, great purchase.
I had 31 inches of clearance from the bottom of the structural cross member to the floor to slide the engine under the car. I could have done it with 30 inche clearance. i then lowered the car down to the bottom of the house screw jacks (24 inches) then jacked the engine, very slowly due to clearance, back up into its cavity (2 person job or 4 eyes, 6 eyes better).
The original idea was to screw the car up to the required height using the jacks BUT great plans don't always work in practice. The car is relatively light compared to a 10 - 20ton lift, so as I turned the jack the top swivel surface of the jack did not swivel BUT the car started to rotate as I rotated the screw!!!!( so i went to plan B. Plan B was using a 3 ton hydraulic jack ontop of wood blocking lifting on the black structural cross member. I placed a piece of wood in between the top of the 3t jack and the base of the structural cross member. The car is not heavy because the engine is not in it yet so the cross member can handle it.
The screw jacks make for a very sturdy support, much better than the 3t car jacks I have.

http://986forum.com/forums/uploads01...1381189227.jpg
http://986forum.com/forums/uploads01...1381189263.jpg

Reminds me of my old VW days. Only 6 bolts held the engine in. Course the engine was behind the transaxle. You could drop in an hour.:cheers:

PJQ: But the first time you jacked that thing up to the ceiling there was an engine in it. Did you use that same method that you just described?
.
JCB986 - And the cylinders just bolted on. Cracked cylinder? No sweat, just swap in a new one!

Great pics pjq!
Sure, the Box is an incredible, beautiful automobile, but it's still just that.. a car with an engine.
This car definitely doesn't need to be babied! :)

If things go as planned I will be in a similar position with my car this winter. It looks very doable to get in there and drop that tranny.

NewArt, both times I jacked the car to the ceiling, haaaa, the engine was already lowered. You just jack it this high to slide the engine out/in from under the car because I didn't want to remove the cross member (rear axle support).
For me removing the rear axle support might have opened another can of worms? I was just trying to keep it as simple as possible. I also didn't like the idea of losing my left to right integrity.
That being said removing the rear axle support you don't have to jack the car nearly as high and it would possibly make the process easier and quicker.

I followed the Bentley and 101 Projects books its laid out step by step and also these forums.

Ahh, I see. Clear as beer! :cheers:
Nt sure what you mean by L/R integrity. Figure the car would split open laterally?

No I don't think it would split open but may it rack/twist or spread slightly??
The bentley book shows the procedure with the support removed. 101 Projects shows the project with the support in.
I read somewhere, 101 projects website I think, that wayne recommends if you do remove the support be sure to get a four wheel alignment.
I also saw an engine installation on line where they are using a come-a-long to pull the sides back together so as to be able to install the axle support, so on that note I guess the sides must have moved some?
For me temporarily jacking the car up higher was not an issue but removing the cross member structure was an unknown that may have issues. I had a failed engine (IMSB and metal throughout the engine)but I didn't know just how extensive it was at that time, I didn't need any more unknowns.

As a side note - when i removed the exhaust sytem it come out quite easily, 1 piece. After sitting to the side for 5 months when i went to install it back in its place it wouldn't fit width wise. In that time period, 5 months, it had sprung out, approx. 1 inch. Just enough I could not get it into position. I had to use 2 ratchet straps to very slowly pull it back together then place it into position and secure it.

So if you did remove the axle support I would put it back immediately after the engine was slide out from under the car.

Yes, you're probably right. When I removed the aluminum plate that covers the transmission and had removed the diagonal support bars in order to get it out, I had a bit of a time getting them back into place because the bolts were displaced about 1/2" within half an hour.
I have the 101 book and Amazon should be ringing my door soon with the Bentley's.
Still a couple of weeks before the snow flies here in Montreal. Figured I may attack this project in November. I'll try to gather the necessities in the meantime.:)

BTW, this link shows someone using a support bar: Project NUTROD
did you use one? I guess this is for security? :confused:

One of these billet tensioner paddles might be a worthy investment since you're going to all that trouble:
FOR PORSCHE: 10610, 106 10 - READY TO SHIP - (BILLET CRANKSHAFT TO IMS CHAIN TENSIONER PADDLE BOXSTER/CAYMAN)

It takes OEM Porsche tensioner pads.

I saw a 3.6 from a 03 C4S that was in my mechanic's shop for a rebuild the other day and the tensioner paddle was snapped clean in half..

NewArt yes I used one (home made) and its not for security, you need it... unless you have a car hoist, you might be able to do the project in a different sequence with a hoist.
The engine is bollted with the transmission, the only support holding this unit in place is the engine support at the front of the engine and the left and right transmission support.
If you remove the transmission to get at the engine, the engine will only be supported by the front engine support, this is insufficient support. So you have to temporarily support the engine from above (like project nutrod) or below with a jack.
The jack I removed my transmission with was the same jack that I was going to use to lower my engine with, so it becomes a matter of logistics. Logistics of tools as well as space. I went with the support from above.

Below are some home made tools that might help you, let me know if you want measurements.

engine strong back support 2(2x4x60")
http://986forum.com/forums/uploads01...1381363659.jpg
http://986forum.com/forums/uploads01...1381363722.jpg

steering pump tank syringe with tube
http://986forum.com/forums/uploads01...1381363834.jpg

coolant thermostat remover/installer (1 5/8" cooper drain pipe)
http://986forum.com/forums/uploads01...1381363944.jpg

car lift pad (hockey puck and 1/2" pipe flange)
http://986forum.com/forums/uploads01...1381364426.jpg
http://986forum.com/forums/uploads01...1381364679.jpg

Love that 2x4 brace! I've found some links on this forum on the fabrication of specialized tools like cam positioning etc.
Maybe I can fashion my own tensioner pads out of soapstone or something! Or not. 😜
Thanks for any and all advice! Pictures are a great help.

So now I'm putting together a list of stuff I will need to do this job.

Tools I have:
-Usual sockets and air tools
-2 garage jacks
-4 jack stands
-Durametric
-tye wraps, clamps, rags, plastic wrap

Going to buy:
-ATV jack (to drop the engine)

Want to make:
-tools for camshaft (found some plans, would appreciate others, especially dimensions). The price of the ready-made tools is crazy. Seems that with a drill press, a band saw and a tap and die set, the fabrication of these tools is not rocket science!

I guess I'll wait until I open up the engine to order any parts.

(I am not a rocket surgeon.) :cool: Please feel free to input! I need all the help I can get!

You have to split the case halves to install that, but you can buy it much cheaper directly from LN

Yeah, I don't know if I want to dig that deep on my first foray. I'm thinking cam timing and tensioners, check/replace the lifters if necessary, install low temp thermostat and maybe replacing the ATF temp sensor wiring harness which has been throwing me P0710 codes (see my post elsewhere about this: D-4 lights flashing but normal shifting? - Pelican Parts Technical BBS ).
From the "if it ain't broke..." school, I know, but there's always preventative stuff to be done on an old car! ;)

Tub O Towels from Canadian Tire or Lowes in USA. They have a degreasing solution in them. I used them regularly on my project and was glad to have them.

Engine stand - I bought one with a "U" base and this worked out well in combination with my ATV jack. I'm normally working alone. When it was time to install or uninstall engine to stand I just wheeled my engine (on ATV jack) in between "U" base of engine stand and transfered it to engine stand. If your ATV jack doesn't lift high enough you may have to place some blocking between engine and jack.
At the final stage of my bebuild project my son was home so we lifted the engine on and off the stand, much quicker.

NewArt,
just to give you an idea what your going after, below are the tensioners and guides that I replaced in my 04S.
I replaced them all even though the tensioner from the IMS to Crank was the only one that broke. The others had metal pieces embeded in their running surface.

I'm glad you liked the 2X4 brace (the art of necessity the mother of invention). What do you think of the copper drain pipe thermostat removal tool!! works slick.


http://986forum.com/forums/uploads01...1382099168.jpg

I can see how the "u" base could be useful. Don't seem to have it at Can Tire; trying Kijiji and others. I'm a big fan of homebuilt tools and I have access to a shop. :)

Porsche (unfindable) extra special tool 9599
 

Some of your have followed my quest for info about dropping the engine and doing a chain tensioner swap/upgrade/replacement. I have seen references to the Porsche factory chain tensioner tool 9599 which is apparently quite expensive and, if I understand correctly, unnecessary according to Wayne Dempster's book: "If you do not have this extremely expensive tool (upper right inset of Figure 24), you can tighten up the tension on the chain using the regular chain tensioner. Reinstall the tensioner completely into the bottom of the case."
So, do I do, or do I don't need this? If you have any experience with this please let me know. :confused:

with my rebuild we followed Jake R. method and precharged the actual chain tensioners with a heavy weight oil (pour oil into a bowl to a level that will cover the tensioner, place tensioner in bowl and with fingers squeeze tensioner in and out displacing any old oil and replacing with new heavier weight oil from bowl).

If I recall you should be able to search this sight, renntech and rennlist to find out more on this topic "chain tensioner tool 9599".

Newart i was thinking of you yesterday when I saw engine supports on sale at princess auto, $69 i think, good price.
Princess Auto just opened in S.J. only about 8 months late for me.

Yeah, I saw that too :) Actually, I've located one for sale on Kijiji locally for $50. Closest Princess is at Ottawa (2 hour drive).

Making sure that oil is warm, makes a huge difference.. Just warm enough to burn you and not hot enough to produce any smoke and you are just fine!

I also use a lightweight oil, not a heavy weight.

I like to cook um @ 250degrees & use a egg carton to store lifters & make sure they go back where they came from if they pass the test.http://986forum.com/forums/uploads01...1382647395.jpg

Looks delicious! :cheers: But why are you cooking the lifters?

Because I paid Jake to tell me what to do & this is what he told you & I to do, although I may be a little high on the temp.

Yep, he learned that in my training center :-)

The hot oil is viscous, which means it easily enters the lifters and fills air pockets with oil. This means at start up the lifters are already "pumped up".

hijack!!! or is that hijake? anyways, on the topic of lifters, any feel for what rpm the hydraulic lifters max out and solid lifters become the better option?

ok, back on topic!

Jake has answered this before. I don't remember if it was Rennlist 996 forum or this one.