Clean oil filter. Am I safe?

[piper6909]

Hi. Just did my first oil change on my 2002 Boxster base 90K miles. Don't have maintenance history on the car, but I got it at a fairly good price. Filter looks very clean:dance:, so does that mean I don't have to worry about the IMS bearing or the variocams? Or at least worry less about it? Or wishful thinking?

[Ciao]

IMS bearing is always a worry; keep the oil and filter changed with correct type of oil (synthetic) & weight for your climate and worry less about it.

[piper6909]

Originally Posted by Ciao

IMS bearing is always a worry; keep the oil and filter changed with correct type of oil (synthetic) & weight for your climate and worry less about it.

Thanks, Ciao. I would consider changing the IMSB when I'd change the clutch if it was a manual, but since it's an automatic (Bought for my wife, but I enjoy it too), there's no convenient time for me to do it.

I think I'll follow your advise and keep up on the oil and filter and enjoy the car. If the IMSB blows up, I can find another motor for 3k or less.

I read 5K miles or every year, whichever came first. Does that sound right? And yes, always synthetic.

[Rickvd]

Check out the following article Good Vibrations concerning vibrational analysis. I exchanged emails with the author and he recommended monitoring the cam deviations with the durametric tool. I monitor mine and drive more \ worry less. And yes oil/ filter changes are important.

[paulofto]

Frequent oil changes are the cheapest insurance for your engine.

[piper6909]

Originally Posted by Rickvd

Check out the following article Good Vibrations concerning vibrational analysis. I exchanged emails with the author and he recommended monitoring the cam deviations with the durametric tool. I monitor mine and drive more \ worry less. And yes oil/ filter changes are important.

Cool article from Pedro's Garage. Thanks for sharing, Rickyd.

I'm all about worrying less. If the motor has a catastrophic failure, I could always find one for around 3K or less. I paid so little for the car, I mentally built in the cost for a motor anyway. However, I'd also like to give this engine every opportunity survive, without going nuts and getting nickle and dimed over it. Is it worth for me to pull the Tiptronic tranny to change the IMS bearing because there's a 8 -10 percent chance it'll fail, when if it did I could find another motor for around 3K? I'm thinking not. What could I do about the variocams if they fail? I'd probably have to pull the motor to get to them, right? I guess if I get a durametric tool I could monitor them like you do, and if they start to go bad I could weigh my options then. Maybe replace them, along with the IMS bearing. Worry less, drive more!

[piper6909]

Originally Posted by paulofto

Frequent oil changes are the cheapest insurance for your engine.

Thanks for the reply. 5K miles or 1 year whichever comes first? Is that frequent enough?

[piper6909]

Originally Posted by Rickvd

Check out the following article Good Vibrations concerning vibrational analysis. I exchanged emails with the author and he recommended monitoring the cam deviations with the durametric tool. I monitor mine and drive more \ worry less. And yes oil/ filter changes are important.

Cool article from Pedro's Garage. I've seen his vids on youtube. Thanks for sharing, Rickyd.

I'm all about driving more, worry less. If this motor has a catastrophic failure I could always find one for around 3K. I bought the car for so little that if I have to get a motor for it, I'm still ok. However, I do want to give this motor every chance to survive, as long as I'm not nickle and diming myself to death.

I could get a Durametric tool and monitor the variocams like you do. And if they start to go, maybe then replace everything, since I'm sure I'd have to pull the motor to get to the cams anyway. In the meantime, drive more and worry less!

[Brian in Tucson]

Originally Posted by piper6909

Thanks for the reply. 5K miles or 1 year whichever comes first? Is that frequent enough?

If you're using full synthetic and good oil filters. If you drive your car like a sports car and not like a race car, the engine will last longer. Service manager at the local Porsche dealer told me that hi-revs are hard on IMS bearings,

[mikefocke]

Originally Posted by Brian in Tucson

If you're using full synthetic and good oil filters. If you drive your car like a sports car and not like a race car, the engine will last longer. Service manager at the local Porsche dealer told me that hi-revs are hard on IMS bearings,

Most service managers are sales motivated, not experts. Yours may be different but always approach what they say with considerable doubt.

Raced Boxsters fail less than garage queens. Who says. Well the guys who discovered that they could do things Porsche said couldn't be done. And they race every weekend.

Change the oil often, maybe half what the manual says. Use good approved oil. Inspect the filters every time. Once the temps have risen to the center of the gauge for a while, then run the revs up. Splash that oil around. Not saying to miss a shift and over-rev. Just take it into the 5k range for a bit.

[Ciao]

Don't forget other safety components: brake fluid changed every 2 years (unless you track then once each race); check brake pads, brake lines, CV boots, coolant tank, PS fluid, all filters, wheel alignment, tire wear, etc. These are all easy DIYs.

[piper6909]

Originally Posted by Ciao

Don't forget other safety components: brake fluid changed every 2 years (unless you track then once each race); check brake pads, brake lines, CV boots, coolant tank, PS fluid, all filters, wheel alignment, tire wear, etc. These are all easy DIYs.

Thanks for the great suggestions.

[BoxMann]

Originally Posted by mikefocke

Most service managers are sales motivated, not experts. Yours may be different but always approach what they say with considerable doubt.

Raced Boxsters fail less than garage queens. Who says. Well the guys who discovered that they could do things Porsche said couldn't be done. And they race every weekend.

Change the oil often, maybe half what the manual says. Use good approved oil. Inspect the filters every time. Once the temps have risen to the center of the gauge for a while, then run the revs up. Splash that oil around. Not saying to miss a shift and over-rev. Just take it into the 5k range for a bit.

Mike, what about getting a magnetic drain plug and oil analysis every oil change? How valuable is a visual inspection of the magnetic plug?

I just bought my Boxster and that's what I plan on doing.

[thom4782]

Wishful thinking...you're never going to be completely safe. You can only change the odds of suffering a catastrophic failure.

By the time ferrous metal shows up in filters or drain plugs, damage is taking place already. Maybe a major rebuild fixes things; maybe not.

As others have said, change the oil regularly and change the IMS when replacing the clutch. This is probably the most cost effective approach.

[Oldcarguy]

Originally Posted by BoxMann

Mike, what about getting a magnetic drain plug and oil analysis every oil change? How valuable is a visual inspection of the magnetic plug?

I just bought my Boxster and that's what I plan on doing.

Hi Boxmann, congrats on your new to you Porsche! While the magnetic drain plug is a good idea, to really pull ferrous material out of the oil proactively you might consider the high temp Neodymium magnet hack on the stock oil canister or a spin-on filter/adapter and at least one Filtermag (which uses shielded hi-temp neodymium magnets). Just google on this site for more info on both options. There are pros and cons with each, so there’s no perfect solution.