oil sump pan - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

alfonso · 11-15-2006, 03:19 PM

Hi i just got a 2001 boxster with only 2900 miles on it. The car still has the original oil in it .The former owner never got to take it for service due to the low miles.Still it should of have recived one at least every year.However i took it to a recommended shop specialized in porche and these are there recomendations.Oil and filter ok. Plugs ok (there not that expensive).Fuel filter ok (also not expensive).Also the check engine light went on, most probably the oxigen sensors.The car was not moved for over a year so a bottle of octane boost was given to the half tank of gas and when it was consumed a injector cleaner was added,still working on that tank of gas.Here is my question ......The mechanic said that a oil sump pan should be instaled for these cars for they tend to go dry in cornering hard and lead to engine failure.Sounds ok to me that is the reason for that part .But being this my first porsche how could porsche not take that into consideration for a sports car.The kit goes for 350.00 plus 80.00 for the work.Is he pulling my leg or is this legit?

blinkwatt · 11-15-2006, 03:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alfonso

Is he pulling my leg or is this legit?

Bull****************! Ask anyone on this forum,almost all of us push our cars through turns on a daily basis w/o a single issue.

11-15-2006, 03:27 PM

How's your leg feeling? Is it still there?

Do I have this right? Your oil is about 5-6 years old, but the shop you took the car to says it's OK...but he wants you to spend over $400 to put in an oil sump pan.

You either need to get a new shop...or gain the ability to grow a new leg every few weeks like a starfish.

blinkwatt · 11-15-2006, 03:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bmussatti

How's your leg feeling? Is it still there?

Do I have this right? Your oil is about 5-6 years old, but the shop you took the car to says it's OK...

Porsche recommends an oil change every 15k or two years,whichever comes first. If I were you I would just pay the $$$ and do the 60k tune-up way ahead of time. It includes changing alot of the fluid and filters. The car sat for a year?!?!?!

RandallNeighbour · 11-15-2006, 04:04 PM

Your incredibly low mileage boxster was designed with a dry sump system that insures the engine will receive all the oil it needs under very hard cornering.

You need to find a porsche mechanic you can trust... read not a dealership

MNBoxster · 11-15-2006, 08:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RandallNeighbour

Your incredibly low mileage boxster was designed with a dry sump system that insures the engine will receive all the oil it needs under very hard cornering.

You need to find a porsche mechanic you can trust... read not a dealership

Hi,

It's actually a Quasi-Dry Sump system. Traditionally a Dry Sump system consists of a Remote Holding Tank which acts to cool, de-aerate, and de-foam the Oil. Also, a secondary Return Oil Pump is used to send the circulated Oil to the Remote Tank, and there is no Sump Pan (or at least not in the traditional sense).

The Boxster lacks either of these and supplements a traditional Wet Sump with both additional capacity and an integral Oil/Air Separator. Lacking a secondary Return Pump, the Boxster instead relies on Gravity to return the Oil to the Pickup Tube(s) in the Sump. This is what defines it as a Quasi-Dry Sump.

But there were some Oil Starvation issues in the early 996 and 986 (through '98) M96 engines during high G maneuvering. After this MY, Porsche added additional internal baffling in the Sump to keep all of the Oil from moving to the outside of the turn and possibly away from the Pickup Tube(s). This is why the Aftermarket piece is available, but it would be redundant on an '01. BTW, DUMP the Mechanic who recommends staying with 5-6 year old Oil, his advice is unsound. Hope this helps...

Happy Motoring!... Jim'99

Tool Pants · 11-15-2006, 11:14 PM

Unless you are a professional race car driver, running on slicks, on a banked track, I would not worry too much. Plus you usually see this issue raised only with 996 owners as the 996 engine is "backwards." There is/was an oil kit for the 3.4 996.

alfonso · 11-16-2006, 05:03 PM

What i said was that the recomendations from the shop to change oil and filter plus the fuel filter and the plugs where ok to me for they are not expensive.Even thou the low miles. The car was turned on every once in a while to move it in the garage for whatever reason.This does not allow time to reach normal temp,so i asume carbon build up in the plugs plus the gas being so old may cause the filter to clog up.Being that it is not that expensive to tune up i am ok whith the shop .What got me thinking was the oil sump.The person who sold me the car is in poor health and short on cash due to this and other reasons so he had to sell the car. thank you all for your advise.

11-16-2006, 06:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alfonso

What i said was that the recomendations from the shop to change oil and filter plus the fuel filter and the plugs where ok to me for they are not expensive.Even thou the low miles. The car was turned on every once in a while to move it in the garage for whatever reason.This does not allow time to reach normal temp,so i asume carbon build up in the plugs plus the gas being so old may cause the filter to clog up.Being that it is not that expensive to tune up i am ok whith the shop .What got me thinking was the oil sump.The person who sold me the car is in poor health and short on cash due to this and other reasons so he had to sell the car. thank you all for your advise.

OK, this is much clearer now. Thanks. Sorry if I misunderstood you. Your plan of attack sounds reasonable. You should do it, but forego the oil sump pan option.

You should also consider a brake fluid change, coolant change and a tranny fluid change. Brake fluid would be the most critical of these three.

How are the tires?

MNBoxster · 11-16-2006, 08:33 PM

Hi,

Forget Tranny fluid, this is a sealed system and should be OK. Tires are shot, replace them, or risk $20K + of sheet metal for $1k worth of tires...

Happy Motoring!... Jim'99

alfonso · 11-17-2006, 06:48 PM

Yes i ordered a set of 4 new bridgestones from the tire rack,they should be here soon.Coolant looked fine, the brake fluid will be tested to see if water is presnt if so it will be replaced. Iam also looking foward to swap out the stereo .I think that it is not what it should be for such a nice and expensive car.Thank you for the advice.

MNBoxster · 11-17-2006, 07:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alfonso

Yes i ordered a set of 4 new bridgestones from the tire rack,they should be here soon.Coolant looked fine, the brake fluid will be tested to see if water is presnt if so it will be replaced. Iam also looking foward to swap out the stereo .I think that it is not what it should be for such a nice and expensive car.Thank you for the advice.

Hi,

Don't bother testing the Brake Fluid - just change it! It WILL be loaded with moisture after so many years. Be sure to flush lots of fluid through the system to remove all contamination and corrosion which has occured...

Happy Motoring!... Jim'99