investigating boxster s engine failure

[glenn986]

I have a 2000 986 S with an engine failure of oil and coolant mixing.
It is suspect that this is due to a porous or cracked crankcase, and I've taken on the challenge to investigate the problem myself.
It seems that this is an epidemic problem -certainly for earlier models.
So, to bring more awareness to this potential problem, I have created a site to document my progress and findings.
I've been posting on another site, but I want make my efforts more visible.

Anyone else experience this sort of failure?

glenn


my site

[Sammy]

Interesting idea and I commend you for your efforts!

Might I suggest you provide some more details regarding the mileage on the engine, how you drove the car, maybe have someone translate the VIN to see when and where it was made?

I'm anxious to see your findings!

[NickCats]

Great website, Glenn...

Good luck with the project !

Interested to hear the results.

Nick

[glenn986]

Great suggestions. I'll add more info to my site.
It is a Finnish assembled 2000 986S with about 92k miles on it, and I've pampered this car in every way.
When the problem occured, it was instantious, and since then I've learned about the huge number of defective castings from Rheinmetall (see link on my site) AG.
Moreover, it seems that there have been many Boxsters with this problem and no one has truly uncovered the evidence.....yet.

Cheers,

Glenn

[rbellezza]

There is a scan tool able to retrieve all of the info about your car, go on the web and google Durametric. It's an absolutely amazing tool and allow the user to find out the complete history of the car besides being a OBD2 scan code. A tool like this would be an exeptional investiment, if used before buying a pre owned Boxster !!!!
Anyway... good luck with your project.
Seen your pictures, I can tell you know what you are doing.
Roberto.

[j.fro]

Nice engine work. I've done lots of Chevys, just like you're doing with the 986 motor. I haven't seen anyone else take to our motors like this. Here's my first question: Is the damage confined to the heads, or is the lower end damaged? Q2: If the bottom end is OK, do you think you could replace the heads, re-assemble, and be ready to go? The ability to replace the heads would give us all LOTS of options! GT3 heads with higher compression and more aggressive factory cams??; Turbo heads with lower compression, then add turbos or a supercharger?? Just get another good set of 3.2 heads and give them a good porting/polishing??
Since you're in it up to your elbows, I'd love to hear your thoughts.
Of course, if the bottom end is toast, all of this is out the window!
Best wishes getting your baby running again.

[Tool Pants]

You can guess all day long until you have the head pulled.

Most common is a cracked cylinder, head, or gasket.

Joe's 996.

[ashley79]

My boxster (black also) 64k on the clock has the same problem. I crashed my car and did minor damage. Still cost me £6000 to repair. Got the car back and blue somoe poured out the side vents and exhaust then car over heated.

Took the car back and was told i needed a new water pump which i paid for at £450. Got car back 10 mins down the road over heated again but no blue smoke.

The system was flushed so all the gunk (water and oil mix) was flushed out so the car should have been running better than before if not new.

Took the car back in and was told the Cylinder Head might be cracked. How can i find this out for sure?? I have been told I need a new engine is this the case or can it be repaired. if so will a specialist be the only person able to do this or can i get a small garage who charges less to do it.. im at a lose end as i have had the care for 5 months and only had it to drive for about a month. it has cost me £6500 already and think im looking at another £3000. In all honestly its way to much to pay. I bought the car for £12,000 originally.

Any suggestions on this..

Chheers guyx.

[glenn986]

Originally Posted by j.fro

Nice engine work. I've done lots of Chevys, just like you're doing with the 986 motor. I haven't seen anyone else take to our motors like this. Here's my first question: Is the damage confined to the heads, or is the lower end damaged? Q2: If the bottom end is OK, do you think you could replace the heads, re-assemble, and be ready to go? The ability to replace the heads would give us all LOTS of options! GT3 heads with higher compression and more aggressive factory cams??; Turbo heads with lower compression, then add turbos or a supercharger?? Just get another good set of 3.2 heads and give them a good porting/polishing??
Since you're in it up to your elbows, I'd love to hear your thoughts.
Of course, if the bottom end is toast, all of this is out the window!
Best wishes getting your baby running again.

Hey J,

I haven't located the exact location of the failure yet. Time is an expensive commodity in my day-to-day, but I am getting closer. Both heads are removed, and it appears that the breach is located within the crankcase. It is true that the 986 case is really a 996 3.2 for the 2000 S, but I haven't looked into if the GT3 or 996 turbo head geometry would work out. It's also hard to say if the current firmware would have to be tweaked to take advantage of these changes. In the long-run it would probably be cheapest and the most reliable route to just replace the power plant with a new 3.4 or 3.6.
Thanks for the good wishes, and stay tuned...

glenn

[glenn986]

Originally Posted by Tool Pants

You can guess all day long until you have the head pulled.

Most common is a cracked cylinder, head, or gasket.

Joe's 996.

Hey Tool,

I have both heads removed, but their integrity is in-tact. It is certainly not a cracked cylinder either. Right now, I'm in the process of testing the crankcase.

The image you show is quite catistrophic! This sort of failure could easily be located before engine removal by a compression test -not to mention the huge amounts of coolant entering into the one particular cylinder.

cheers,

glenn

[glenn986]

Originally Posted by ashley79

My boxster (black also) 64k on the clock has the same problem. I crashed my car and did minor damage. Still cost me £6000 to repair. Got the car back and blue somoe poured out the side vents and exhaust then car over heated.

Took the car back and was told i needed a new water pump which i paid for at £450. Got car back 10 mins down the road over heated again but no blue smoke.

The system was flushed so all the gunk (water and oil mix) was flushed out so the car should have been running better than before if not new.

Took the car back in and was told the Cylinder Head might be cracked. How can i find this out for sure?? I have been told I need a new engine is this the case or can it be repaired. if so will a specialist be the only person able to do this or can i get a small garage who charges less to do it.. im at a lose end as i have had the care for 5 months and only had it to drive for about a month. it has cost me £6500 already and think im looking at another £3000. In all honestly its way to much to pay. I bought the car for £12,000 originally.

Any suggestions on this..

Chheers guyx.

Hey ashley,

Sorry to hear about your Boxster! Bloody Porsche wankers. Sounds like you really have multiple problems. Blue smoke usually indicates oil in one or more cylinders being burned. Overheating can be due to many different things. But, since you state that you had the system flushed, and suggest that oil and coolant have mixed, this could be serious. I'd say more data should be collected and some more questions answered. For example, was coolant found in the oil, and oil found in the coolant?
Has a compression test been performed? Has a cooling system pressure test been performed?

cheers,

Glenn