I have accumulated over 100 KM on short trips around town and the engine is running better as the ECU gets used to it.
I had a high idle and it was giving the check engine code P0507 (high idle, duh) which would indicate a vacuum leak. I took the engine cover off and fiddled around... and found the brake booster hose was not properly pushed on. With that done the idle was fine.
Other minor problems, now corrected, a leaking coolant hose on the front of the engine (not properly installed or clamp not tight enough) and a small oil leak from the chain adjuster (tensioner) just under the A/C compressor.
I am starting to enjoy driving the car, at first I had the engine covers off so I could check the engine and hear any problems... the disadvantage with that is that you hear all sorts of things that are likely normal... that you don't hear with the covers and insulation in place, which encourages you to imagine all sorts of terrible things. With the covers on it sounds down right normal.
Now I have to get to work on the 3.2l engine I bought so that it will be ready to go into the car in the spring.

Today I started work on the 3.2l replacement engine. First thing I did was to verify the cylinders with my borescope... and there is no sign of scoring, that's a relief.
So far I have the bank one camshafts off so the tensioner pads can be replaced. The cams were properly synchronised (evidently, or the engine would not have run) but the short chain that connects the them was not installed the way it is supposed to be, with the odd coloured links aligned with the dimples on the cams.
Secondly I found the source of the beige sealant that was in the oil pickup screen. It was used on the cam cover to head joint. There was not a lot of it but the excess that is squeezed out of the mating surfaces does not stay in place, it easily comes loose and ends up in the bottom of the engine. The black sealant on the oil pan on the other hand stays in place (to the point where it is difficult to remove) even though there is a lot more of it.
Newart's video on changing the tensioner pads (starring yours truly) is very useful.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xXfR60GAJd0

I tried that too, they don’t sound so good with a quiet exhaust and all that accessory noise running right behind your ear.

Are you sure the small chain was offset? The colored links line up with the dimples only at assembly, some chains are not even marked. The dots on the sprockets have to be six links apart.

OK, now I understand. I assumed, for no reason, that the chain length and sprocket sizes meant that those links would always line up with the dimples, not very logical when you think about it. Thanks.

I had to take some parts that were missing from my replacement engine off the broken engine... and have ended up starting to disassemble it. The heads are off and next is splitting the crank case. The heads and cylinders look fine. The videos on youtube by "Man in a garage" are great and I am encouraged to go further. Depending on the condition of the rods and the crank I may even consider putting the engine back together rather than parting it out. I'll post pictures when I see the crank.

Found the problem...
 

I split the crankcase this morning and found the problem. The big end of piston 2's rod had spun the bearing.

http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02...1670728010.jpg

http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02...1670728039.jpg

Tomorrow I'll try to get a picture of the crankshaft.

The other bearings seem to be OK but I won't know for sure till I get the crankshaft out.

I think this came as no surprise! Rebuild definitely worth your consideration. I'd do it if I had a nice heated garage. ;)

I've started to think about it...
Today I took the bearing carrier apart to inspect the crankshaft. The main bearings beside the #2 piston are toast... all the others look good. The crankshaft journal looks OK. The big question is if the journal for the the big end of #2 is beyond repair. It is lightly scored, enough to feel it but not enough for a fingernail to catch on. I'm going to have to take it to a professional for an opinion.

This photo of the big end journal is not great but you can see the scoring, it looks worse than it feels. The main journal on the left is the one that has fried bearings.

http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02...1670897928.jpg

Here is one of the fried bearings. The bearing carrier seems to be fine when the offending bearing is removed.

http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02...1670897945.jpg

National Pieces et Moteurs can check it out
9385 Rue de Meaux, Saint-Léonard, QC H1R 3H3

If the scoring is not too bad it may be polished out and the clearance may still be within spec. The conrod is probably to be replaced if the bearing has spun inside of it. Sometimes you can find the crank-bearing carrier assembly for cheap on ebay, as an alternative.

I believe that this condition was caused by elongated conrod bolts, result of a Mickey Mouse quality hardware used by the manufacturer.. :mad:

I don`t think so. If the big end bearing seizes up the rotating journal will spin the inserts in the conrod big end bore, as they are held in place by small notches which are easy to break. Conrod bolts have nothing to do with this. This failure is typically caused by the lack of oil pressure at high rpms, due to partially blocked pick up screen.

Sorry, I was assuming that your spun bearing was one of the conrod bearings (caused by bolt stretching)

The spun bearing was a con rod big end bearing. The main bearing next to it was also in bad shape, but it did not spin. The crankshaft is now at the shop mentioned by Newart in a previous post and I am waiting to see what they say.
I have no experience with this kind of failure, but at this point I'm thinking that a lack of oil pressure toasted the two bearings (I'm assuming that the oil for piston 2's big end comes from the #3 main bearing).
I bought the car with the engine in this condition so have no idea of what the oil level was at the time of failure. I do know that there was a lot of sealant in the oil pickup screen... see the beginning of this thread.

I started a new thread to discuss what to do with the old, broken engine.
http://986forum.com/forums/performance-technical-chat/82796-what-can-i-do-3-2l-engine.html

Got back to work on the replacement engine. The new chain tensioner pads are installed in bank 1 and the oil filler tube is on the engine (the original was broken off when I got the engine)... installing it with the intake manifold in place was a challenge, I had to take the AOS to get working room. The AOS should be replaced anyway.
Got the cams off bank 2 and found this on the cam cover...

http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02...1672351596.jpg

Was this to prevent oil leaking with old o-rings, I wonder. I had to beat the tubes out with my rubber hammer... but oil had been leaking despite this.

And... sealant overflow, that channel is supposed to be open or there can be oil return problems according to Jake Raby. This is the sealant that I found in the oil pickup screen.

http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02...1672351848.jpg

I found another missing electrical connector, for an O2 sensor if I remember correctly. This time the wire was cut, not ripped out. I have been able to figure out what the connectors are, which is not evident given that they are not in the parts Katalog. The local Porsche parts department couldn't help beyonds saying that they are VW parts. I have ordered replacements for 2 of them. The third one is a Mercedes part number so I will have to visit the dealer... or see if I can find one at a scrap yard.

Here's link to the info what I used for new O2 sensor wireing and connectors that are working real well:
http://986forum.com/forums/boxster-general-discussions/78147-02-sensor-wire-question-header-hi-flow-cat-install.html#post619783

So I'm going to check out a 2003 at the local pick a part. If you can let me know exactly which connectors you need, I'd be happy to snip them off the car provided I can get to them. Just send me a list with what they are and maybe pics and where they are located and/or part numbers. I'll send them to you for whatever they charge me and shipping. Just be aware I will cut the wires with a few inches of wire unless there is a way to get it without cutting which there usually isn't so you will have to splice them into your harness.
Let me know ASAP.

Thanks for the offer. If it doesn't work out or they want crazy money no problem I think I have alternate sources. The pictures of the unbroken connectors are from another engine I have.
Connector 1 on right side of the engine, exits the wiring harness between 2nd and 3rd legs of the intake manifold and goes to the secondary air pump (or the engine fan)

http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02...1672678424.jpg

http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02...1672678445.jpg

Connector 2 on right side of the engine, exits the wiring harness between near the first leg of the intake manifold and goes to the engine fan (or the secondary air pump)

http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02...1672678463.jpg

http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02...1672678482.jpg

Connector 3 on left side of the engine, goes between the wires and the bracket on the valve cover. There is also one on the right side of the engine which might be easier if your are already in there for the other connectors.

http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02...1672678498.jpg

http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02...1672678513.jpg

Thanks in advance.

Ok, it might take a few days as it's been raining here a lot. Your explanation of parts needed is very good except I'm not sure what Connector 3 connects? You say from the harness to the "bracket on the cylinder head" but I'm not sure what you mean exactly. Is it for the cam position sensor?

And ha on the connectors 1 and 2 as those are the same ones I ripped off when lowering my engine. But don't worry as I've already located some for my car. Hell, I might just start grabbing these on every junkyard car from now on since they are easy to forget.

Also, I posted a thread awhile ago in Rennlist forum about getting into the engine bay from the top when I find a car in the junkyard and you posted about getting the car into service mode manually. Did you mean with no battery power at all? Someone else posted how to jump the relay but I would still need some kind of power. I wonder what cheap and easy to carry battery might be available for this purpose. Maybe a rechrargeable power tool battery? Does anyone know? If so, please DM me or post in this Rennlist thread:

https://rennlist.com/forums/boxster-and-boxster-s-986-forum/1281523-boxster-at-pick-a-part-how-do-i-put-it-in-service-mode-with-no-battery.html