My engine is toast

[Gilles]

PS: Like this 3.4 w/55k for $9k and no core

https://www.ebay.com/itm/08-Boxster-S-RWD-Porsche-987-COMPLETE-ENGINE-3-4-Motor-M97-21-M97-21-56-346/302772903272?hash=item467eabdd68:g:EzIAAOSwPKlbI~G n

[BYprodriver]

Originally Posted by PaulE

The 3.6 from an 02-05 996 will “bolt in” to an 03-04 Boxster S. But to get the 996’s 320 HP of the 996 you need improve the intake and exhaust from stock Boxster S and had the ECU flashed to the 996 tune, according to what I’ve read on the inter web which is never wrong. The 996 intake manifold works if you lower the engine or maybe modify the engine cover and don’t care about your rear speakers etc. some of the engine ancillary things like the oil and cooling fillers need to be changed to the Boxster items and the intake plenum and cross over tubes are reversed on the 996 vs the 996. The exhaust manifolds need to be swapped for headers and the system opened up from stock. That’s what I think I know about it.

This would be the best end result, I have a 2002 3.6L case & many of the external bolt on parts to do just this. I'm pretty sure you can use the original 3.2 heads to keep all the bolt holes in the right place. Have the engine resleeved with larger cylinders to make it 3.8-4.0L.

[78F350]

Sorry to hear of this Paul, but impressed with how you're handling it. Looking at the costs and options, I hope it works out as an opportunity for the upgraded engine rather than loss of the car.

[PaulE]

Thanks Jon, I'll get it figured out. Naturally this is the busiest time of the year for my shop, like most shops. Once they have it torn down a little further and we know what this motor needs we'll figure out what to do. A 3.6 would certainly be nice but if I end up with a rebuilt 3.2 with a 987 airbox and headers and a few other goodies that will be nice too!

[PaulE]

Well it looks like one of the timing chain ramps or something else at the back of the engine broke. So far it looks like the crank, rods, pistons and cylinders are all good. I'll need a new intermediate shaft and a new IMSB as crap got in my LN single row pro. I'll also get a new set of lifters as they could have metal particles in them that can't be flushed out. They are working up the numbers on what it will cost to rebuild my engine. I already bought a complete 987 air box to have installed as the engine came out of the car. Depending on how bad the numbers are I may put some Fabspeed sport headers on too. As they say, as long as you're in there.

If I live that long, maybe you'll be reading a story about my 35 years of Boxster S ownership in Panorama or Excellence in another 20 years!

[MWS]

I love hearing stories of individuals like yourself that love their car enough to spend time and money to repair. I find myself screaming at my ipad "nooooo!" when I read posts about individuals who have experienced a failure and just says "hell with it". I know there is always a time to say "good-bye", but personally I tend to avoid that moment as much as possible. Get it back on the road, keep it there and I'm looking forward to your "35 year" update.

What the hell...it's only money, right?

[PaulE]

Money’s just something to throw off the back of a train! Today my eBay 987 airbox arrived. That thing is huge. My hat goes off to anyone that installed one of these with their engine in place, even if they disconnected the intake plenum and bent the mounting tab for the engine cover!

[mikefocke]

If there was debris in the engine enough to get in the IMS, how do you know that it didn't get in the small oil passages in the heads or into things like the crank bearings? How will you measure the IMS bearing hole in the block to make sure it is not scored and is still true? Bearings that fail can wobble.

[PaulE]

Engine will be completely disassembled and checked out, but based on what they’ve seen so far it looks good. The crank will be polished and the engine will be rebuilt with all new bearings, rings, valve job, timing chains, gaskets, etc. I still need to hear what they think it’s going to cost.

[BYprodriver]

Originally Posted by PaulE

Money’s just something to throw off the back of a train! Today my eBay 987 airbox arrived. That thing is huge. My hat goes off to anyone that installed one of these with their engine in place, even if they disconnected the intake plenum and bent the mounting tab for the engine cover!

There is a lot that can be trimmed off to get-er done, search for the long thread for tips.

[PaulE]

Originally Posted by BYprodriver

There is a lot that can be trimmed off to get-er done, search for the long thread for tips.

Thanks, I've read that long 987 vs 986 airbox thread a few times. I'm only doing this because the engine is out! And other than sourcing the 987 S airbox, trimming off the muffler and plastic welding the hole on the back, I'm not doing it! My shop will install it while the engine is out. They've done this a few times. I'm not sure if they're going to use the 987 MAF holder/tube thing with the screen or somehow use the one from my 986 airbox. I was still surprised by its size when the box arrived yesterday, and continue to be impressed by what members of this forum contribute!

[BYprodriver]

Originally Posted by PaulE

Thanks, I've read that long 987 vs 986 airbox thread a few times. I'm only doing this because the engine is out! And other than sourcing the 987 S airbox, trimming off the muffler and plastic welding the hole on the back, I'm not doing it! My shop will install it while the engine is out. They've done this a few times. I'm not sure if they're going to use the 987 MAF holder/tube thing with the screen or somehow use the one from my 986 airbox. I was still surprised by its size when the box arrived yesterday, and continue to be impressed by what members of this forum contribute!

Much better airflow if you retain the 987 MAF tube but then you have to program the DME with the 996 tune or a custom tune.

[PaulE]

Originally Posted by BYprodriver

Much better airflow if you retain the 987 MAF tube but then you have to program the DME with the 996 tune or a custom tune.

I dropped the airbox off at the shop today, they're going to let me know about changing the tune to use the 987 MAF tube or using my old MAF tube.

Turns out my LN Single Row Pro IMSB failed. It was in the car for about 36,000 miles. I still have the original IMSB, which had not failed, although engine oil continues to leak out of the intact bearing seals into the ziplock bag it sits in. My timing chain rail on the back of the engine also broke, who knows which went first. The heads, block, crank, rods, pistons and cylinders are all good, but the engine needs a new IMS, some oil pump parts and timing chain rails and tensioners in addition to rings, bearings, gaskets, etc. I guess all the time I've spent here taught me to shut the engine down as soon as I heard an ugly noise.

I'm thinking about the 3.6 LN Nickies and pistons, but they think that will add at least 8 weeks to the job, in addition to the cost. Once I see the estimate I'll probably come back to reality and pass on this upgrade.

[thom4782]

Looking forward to hearing about the price of the rebuild.

My 01S, which has a failing, but not yet failed, timing chain, was seeing numbers north of $5K just for replacing the rails alone. It's all about the labor cost.

BTW: my guess is the rail failed failed first and destroyed the IMSB in the process.

[particlewave]

It must have been the chain first because we all know that LN bearings never fail




That's the only story that will be accepted, anyway.

[PaulE]

I see LN also makes and sells Billet chain rails. The failed IMSB will become a souvenir on my desk.