The Winter of Carnage

[redpepperracing]

I hadn't really thought to create a thread when I started this, but in hindsight there may be some interest in what I found with my engine over the winter. Going back to late summer, I was doing a DE and got a check engine light and rough running, I forget the exact code but it was cam timing related. I reset the code and made it home without incident, and was able to drive the car normally for a bit. We threw a Durametric on it and the cam deviation was quite high, approaching -7 on one bank, and I forget the other, it was bad but not as bad as the other bank. Obvious conclusion is chain guides. We checked the oil filter and there was a lot of brown plastic debris, which backed up the chain guide analysis. So, out came the engine, and the parts ordering began, since while I'm in there...

I got new guides, the two top chains, all new chain tensioners, thermostat, 996 oil cooler, front main seal, coolant overflow tank, all new coolant hoses, and a bunch of other stuff I don't remember. The PO had done water pump, front engine mount, spark plugs and tubes, IMS and RMS, so I didn't have to worry about any of that.

You may ask, what carnage? Well...

Here are my chain guides:


Just a bit of scoring in the oil pump:


If you look closely in the top right you can see where I unknowingly broke the fuel line going to the fuel rail:


I took off the oil pan and found a can of worms in the oil pickup:


And one exhaust stud broke when removing the manifolds, here are the various nuts and things we tried to use to extract it:


Side note: we did have some challenges with the welder, once we got it straightened out, literally, we got great penetration, it was just seized so badly that none of it worked, it just progressively broke closer and closer to the head, so we made a drill plate and guide, and here we are:


It is still messed up, I can't get a tap to bite, I may try picking out the left overs, but I'm not holding my breath. I think the next step is a time-sert.

There are lots of other things that I am working on, 987 airbox, 997 throttle body, adding a centre radiator, Koni shocks all around, Eibach sway bars front and rear, and some other various bits, but right now I'm stuck on the exahust manifold.

[Danimal]

Thanks, for sharing. It makes me wonder what could be in my oil pick up. Hopefully you’ll get the exhaust manifold sorted soon!

[redpepperracing]

Originally Posted by Danimal

Thanks, for sharing. It makes me wonder what could be in my oil pick up. Hopefully you’ll get the exhaust manifold sorted soon!

I'm honestly surprised I didn't blow it up on the track with that much blockage, considering how everyone says these are sensitive to oil pressure problems. I'm certainly glad I dropped the pan, I'm still trying to figure out if I'm going to get a deep pan, regardless though cleaning out that debris was very satisfying. I took the whole pickup off as well as the swirl pots and cleaned everything thoroughly, so I at least know that part is good.

Still not sure on the exhaust stud...

[elgyqc]

Nice project, you are going a lot further than I have on my various Boxster engine interventions.
I went back and looked at the site that I bought my oil pressure gauge from and you were right I was on the US site. Prices have doubled in the last three years.
Here is the link to the Canadian site for the heritage gauge that should work with the 996 sender and it is currently relatively cheap.
https://www.cip1.ca/vdo-a2c53402717-s/

[redpepperracing]

Thanks Grant, that's what I thought. I'm not a fan of the heritage gauge, I am seeing a lot of the black face gauges on ebay though, so that's probably where I'll get mine, once I'm ready.