So after a couple more troubleshooting sessions the shop has pinpointed the issue as the VarioCam actuator like we originally thought. Mechanic took the current actuator apart and there was apparently some silicone blocking the oil feed port. It’s unclear where this came from but he thinks it’s from a previous time the valve cover came off with a past owner.

He put the car back together and it runs MUCH better now and I was able to drive for an hour yesterday with no codes.

Unfortunately, eventually a CEL code came back for bank 1 timing adjustment. I think the actuator may have been damaged due to lack of oil or is working intermittently. Going to drive it for the weekend if the code keeps coming back we will put a new actuator in and hopefully have this issue put to bed.

Sounds like your making some progress as things are beginning to improve.
Keep us posted
Waiting for the: damn this thing runs great post:D

It’s running way better, but still randomly sluggish off the line which I think is due to actuator just not responding correctly 100% of the time. I had a blast last night cruising through the mountains though, so definitely making progress [emoji4].

Have you looked at the cam deviation? If it's reading negative more than 9, that will trigger cam.timing CEL and can indicate timing chain guide wear. Could be that the failed actuator accelerated the pad wear. Something to check. And if you don't mind telling, what shop are you using? I'm in Asheville as well. We are lucky to have a decent amount of Porsche shops around here.

At this point I’m only getting a “Camshaft adjustment Bank 1” code and it seems like the actuator is working intermittently. For example, 8/10 times when I start out in 1st gear the car will feel great with plenty of torque. The other 2 times it feels like it’s struggling to rev (no torque) and does not respond to throttle position well at all. Leads me to believe the timing is just not quite right in those instances on Bank 1 causing the sluggish behavior. I think I’m going to have to bite the bullet and just get the actuator fully replaced.

The shop I’m working with is All German Performance on Hendersonville road. Daniel (the owner/lead mechanic) has been great thus far and really fair with pricing out the labor. It’s been a bit of a goose chase trying to pinpoint this issue but I think we finally have it nailed down. Going to get the part swapped next week and hopefully that will be the end of it.

Closed out this saga today (hopefully). Ended up having the bank 1 camshaft adjuster (996-105-051-58) fully replaced. Drove the car pretty hard for 2+ hours this afternoon with zero CEL codes and no hesitation at all. I was also hearing a timing chain rattle at startup that is now gone.

In summary the fix for this problem was 1) timing adjustment and 2) new timing adjuster/actuator. I also replaced o2 sensors myself to get rid of those codes. It seems like the bad adjuster allowed the chain to skip a tooth and just was not functioning properly due to oil starvation from the gunk in the feed port. Another big lesson learned here was never trust the first diagnosis of a problem, especially when said diagnosis doesn't make a ton of sense. If we would have gone with the initial Porsche dealer diagnosis I would be out $6k in catalytic converters and likely no progress made at all. Find a trusted indy with good reviews and they will likely be able to get it fixed.

The car is now running great and I'm very happy with the purchase. Was a bit more pricey than I anticipated getting this thing running, but well worth it in the end. Looking forward to enjoying the car for years to come!

Cool deal. Glad Daniel fixed you up. I've only heard good things about him and his shop.

Glad you got it sorted.

Help Diagnosing Slew of CEL Codes
 

Thanks! Also thank you for the help and suggestions. Was able to have a more informed conversation with your feedback.

Put a couple hundred more miles on it this past weekend with no lights and none of the previous hesitation issue. Been a blast!

Glad I could help.;)
They are fun cars when everything is sorted and working correctly