Oil & Water
 

Looking to tap into some collective wisdom here.
Picked up a 2002 S which had some poorly-executed repairs. Editing the story down, I elected to get another engine.
I replaced the IMS bearing and the RMS. It had a new oil cooler already.
It's in the car now, and after filling it with oil and started to refill coolant.
Last night, I found oil dripping from the bellhousing bottom. Today, I was resigned to taking the transmission out as I figured I didn't seat the seal well. So I started draining the oil to lower the level. I got a surprise in the form of coolant draining instead.
Now, is the obvious suspect the new intercooler? Or did this engine already likely have an intermix problem dumping gallons of coolant in the oil? Or am I an idiot and just plumbed wrong?
Thanks for any ideas.

Using your signature line as guidance, I would suspect the engine had an intermix problem which is why the exchanger was replaced.

Need more information, yeah? What testing did you do in the new engine. Compression and leak down should have happened before an investment of labor. Were you replacing fluids before running it? The oil cooler leaking would be bad orings or improper installation, but wouldn’t intermix with running the car. A pressure test on Coolant system should reveal defect also. Its a closed system, so some simple tests should point to problem.


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I always look for the simplest things first.
So are you positive that you removed the oil sump plug and not the coolant drain plug??

Yes.
Oil followed after two gallons of coolant.

Well if you didn't pour coolant into the oil filler tube. Then two gallons of coolant in the sump is sorry to say a major issue.
If you have access to a coolant system pressure tester you may be able to put pressure to the system and then hear air passing buy listening at the oil filler tube and around different point of the engine.
you can remove the plugs and listen with a piece of hose at the plug holes. Sorry I can't be more help

Thanks Blue. I tried to pull a vacuum but just get major gurgling. So I think this one is toast.
On the bright side, I really wanted 3.6!

I have just what you want in the parts for sale section.


http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02...1592929761.jpg

Yes you do, but at twice the value of the car, the wife is probably correct this time.

Chevy makes a good engine. They usually go for less than $500 running. :D LOL

Let me count the ways that is unacceptable....

Mine had an oil/coolant mix issue too. Took out the 3.2, skipped right by the 3.6, and wound up with a 6.0. So far I'm all in at about $9k, but oh boy does it sound good! :cheers:

I mean, Porsche isn't the only engine manufacturer; there are other cheap, reliable, plentiful engines out there.

I'm at $9850 (car/parts/engine/paint/top/tires/suspension).

It'd be MUCH cheaper and easier to do a K24 swap. I kinda wanna get either another Box or a Cayman and run that one till the engine goes pop and swap a Honda engine in it. Shoot with that honda engine you could put oil in it then weld the lid shut ROTFLMAO. :D


EDIT: if you wanna "stay in the family" The audi 4 banger works well and is quite powerful. But its not cheap either IMPO.

Do it nice or do it twice !

Maybe just go all-out and put a KIA in it.
You're kidding, right? Honda is appliance, soulless appliance, the antithesis of Porsche.

The Honda engine is going in the next Porsche I get. That's like 100% certain. I'll drive the liquid cooled boxer till it meets its inevitable demise, but when it does, Honda.

Whats not to like about a K series?

They get beaten, smashed, drivin hard put away wet, never get serviced, (to be honest I think they use a timing belt but I've never even recommended one) and nobody ever changes the timing belt(?). And they still last over 200k on a regular.

Stock they almost make the same power... add some boost and they make more. Add a crank, head, and a big turbo and it will make TONS of power.

The engine weighs gobs less than the M96. It just does I don't have a second point here LOL


Kia? Like a 4G69? I gotta say I was apposed to the 4G engines, but after my wife got into the Eclipse and I had to rebuild her engine I'm impressed. I can say that they are very heavy engines; that's why all those guys just boost the living daylights out of them. That 4G block is THICK. I hear that Kia has done well with the platform since they bought it from Mitsubishi, but IDK if the quality has gone down. I'd be skeptical about putting a Kia block in my car. BUT if you want to I support it.


I'm just suggesting if you can't afford a tough built right engine like BYprodriver's then you do have options. You'll have more fun zipping down the road in a Chevy/Honda/Kia powered boxster than looking at an engineless one in your garage.

THAT is some serious words of Wisdom right there.

AMEN to that.

I'm just suggesting if you can't afford a tough built right engine like BYprodriver's then you do have options. You'll have more fun zipping down the road in a Chevy/Honda/Kia powered boxster than looking at an engineless one in your garage.[/QUOTE]

It's not a matter of affording, it's a matter of philosophy.
I like Japanese motorcycles, but hate their cars.
I'm not polluting a Porsche with one of those boring things. I'd put a MB in there first. In fact, the 1.8T VW is a far better option, and will bolt to the gearbox, so that's a real possibility at some point.

So..No Subaru engines fit a boxster..??

That's been done

Subaru powered Porsche Boxster – Build Threads

Kent is a master fabricator. I have many of his Spec Boxster parts on my car.

hehe, I'm not gonna lie, also not to drag this topic further away from its origins, but when you said Kia it got my thinker thinking. The main reason why I chose a 4.3 for my car is cause I have a truck with that same engine. Why not use a 4G69 in my next Porsche? I love the miles my wife racks up in her car. They can take the boost, and I'm familiar with the block.

And as a side note I LOVE Honda (as long as the Honda product has wings on the emblem). I've had Honda generators, lawnmowers, motorbikes, and pressure washers, but I refuse to buy Honda products that don't have wings (ie their cars). I see Honda cars as an affront to the good Mr. Honda. Who just wanted to give post war Japanese citizens a way to power their bicycles. So I think I will now keep the tradition of NO HONDA CARS. :D


Back to the topic at hand:

Dude totally do that 1.8 engine. It'll be fun, powerful, light weight, and mildly reliable. You'll find parts everywhere too.

AND you'll be amazed at how big that engine bay is. You're gonna have all the room in the world to work around it. Shoot I can wrap my hands around my 4.3 when its in the engine bay.

Join us on the dark side... we have cookies :D

You are limiting yourself there, buddy. Hondas make more power with much better reliability than our M96 engines. But if you want to be a snob, go right ahead!

I used to have an Accord (speaking of boring cars) that was a real sleeper, because it had the 240 HP 3.0 V6 and a 6-speed manual. That was a great engine, it had made of torque but had screaming top end as well. I used to hunt for 1.8 turbo Audis, because it would just kill them. I always thought the 3.0 Honda would be a good swap for a Boxster, easily modded to get more power than the 3.2 M96, more reliable, and probably a lot lighter.

I've seen a Miata track day car with the 3.0 Honda in it, and it was a rocket. He paid $600 for the engine, and with a tune, intake, and exhaust was making 300 HP. Same story with a MR2 with a Camry V6 at a track day. He paid $500 for the 3.0 V6, and was getting 300 HP. Either of those soul-less Japanese engines will last a lot longer than a M96 while making more power.