Markus. I agree with what you posted, but want to clarify a few things.
At first the engine was not my priority because it had been in that condition for four months. As soon as I drained the water and oil, the condition changed and the internal engine was exposed to air. Then it became urgent.
I would have pulled the oil pan, except that when I drained the engine, only two things came out: Clean water and clean oil. I think that there is minimal residual water in there now and I will flush more oil through, to clear it.
I have removed them from the bags. The purpose of the bags was to allow a mildew killing agent to seep into the seats without dispersing.
Yes, soon.
Correct, they can not be filled. What I did do was spray 'fogging oil' into the spark plug holes until it flowed back out, then pumped some 2-stroke oil into both sides of the plenum.

vielen Dank :cheers:

I am rooting for a full restoration! These SE cars are the pinnacle of the 986, and it’s a shame when any don’t make it. Good luck to you!

If and when you get to that point, I would also address the IMSB (if it hasn’t been done). I recall reading that the SE cars tend to have higher failure rates on their single row bearings (possibly due to many became garage Queens), but I don’t know if this has been proven. In any event, it’s a good idea anyway.


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Yesterday afternoon it was 70 degrees and partly sunny. Then the thunderstorms came. After nightfall the cold front swept through. I can't complain. I accomplished what I intended to yesterday. By dusk, I had given the engine plenty of turns running the starter, with oiled cylinders and plenty of fresh oil in the case.

Today I am sore and it's a damp, windy 40 degrees outside. Sitting by my wood stove at the computer, it is hard to muster the motivation to crawl under the car. I really need to move it into the garage, but my 2000 S - Audi V8 swap project is filling that space. Wednesday I have a full day off. Then, I'll bolt the rear suspension back on that and switch the cars around.

Today? I think I should turn the engine a little more, then drain the oil. After draining, I'll put fresh oil in with a 50-50 mix of Rotella T6 and some Quicksilver 25W-40 marine oil (as suggested) for the additive package.

Some pictures from yesterday:
6 plugs removed.
http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02...1516650309.jpg

Some oil and a very small bit of water came out of cylinder #1 and #3. The others were surprisingly dry.
http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02...1516650671.jpg

Taking the cover off after a short rain shower.
http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02...1516650723.jpg

The mess in my garage.
http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02...1516650878.jpg

Nice shirt! lol. That's great news about only one cylinder having water in it. Water doesn't really get in the journals because there's already oil in there when the car gets flooded. Rust inside the combustion chambers scares me more. I've dealt with four flooded motors and you'd be surprised by the lack of rust. In reality though, water in the electronics is a bigger problem. Have you checked the transmission yet?

What number 550 is she???

Well, problem here is if the valves of a cylinder are open, the cylinder is exposed to air. ;)

I think that is also why you have water in one cylinder, but not in all. If the water was really clean, the damage might be not that bad.

Primary problem in that case are the piston rings.

If the water wasn't clean, than we have a bigger problem, because all the debree is in the engine and that will cause major problems. So our major problem is not only to get all water / huminity out of the engine but also all debree.

In general i would say it's safer to rebuilt the engine; or at least pull the heads and oil pan etc. and clean everything up, just to make shure possible debree doesn't eat up the engine. As you know most M96 parts are made of alloy, not steel.

Hope weather conditions get better soon. But if you can work in a t-shirt it might be not that bad. Over here in Germany we have snow and below 40 degrees F. So no t-shirt weather. ;)

Regards, Markus

Not yet. Tuesday or Wednesday hopefully.
The batwing is missing. Is there another way to find the number?
I did look up the build sheet:
http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02...1516689153.jpg

Fresh, clear water... like Evian. My guess is that the water entered the cylinder by the exhaust valve.
I think I will take a chance on the engine without a rebuild. If a problem shows, hopefully it will not be catastrophic - then rebuild. I have magnets on my filter and will order a magnetic plug soon to catch debris.
http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02...1516689860.jpg

Once I am confident in the engine, I intend to have a LN IMS bearing replacement.

Here's my video from turning the engine with the starter:
https://youtu.be/s5MqC3bWho4
:cheers:

The valve openings are only so big from a debris point of view.

It seems like you could vacuum out the cylinders through the spark plug hole
anything else left is likely to be harmless or disintegrate quickly.

Mike

I want to start the engine. It could still take me weeks before it's really ready, but running it up to temperature would be good to get the moisture out and get a better idea of the condition. Tell me what I need to do first. Here's a quick list:

• Immobilizer/DME/Key are in hand, ready to install.
• Starting on electronics - removal and cleaning today.
• Open the transmission drain to check for water. Soon.
• Take a fuel sample. Power fuel pump and sample at engine feed line.
• Find the coolant leak and fix it. Haven't even looked yet.
• Replace air filter, clean TB, MAF, and intake tubing.
• Fully drain or just replace the exhaust.

So... what else? I don't want to rush and ruin it all.

Looking at your build sheet, it was probably #60. But - digging around at my shop in my big "pile-o-parts", it looks like the number now is going to be 0835/1953. :D I'd hate to see you get it all put back together and have a big hole on the console where the batwing goes. It might not be totally correct and purist true, but this will look much better.

I bought this several years ago off the board here, off a wreck, for a wall hanger, knowing it was as close as I'd probably ever get to owning a 550SE.

It's your now - we'll add it to the cup of coffee I owe you for the 2.5 long block. :cheers:

Rick

That's awesome! Thanks so much. 0835 it is then! :D:D:D


Today I pulled out some electronics. The CDR23/amp/CDC4 are beyond repair. I'm really hoping that Fred shows up soon with some toys for us to buy: http://986forum.com/forums/diy-project-guides/66808-infotainment-system-porsche-car-%5B-cad-prototyping-finish%5D.html
That is what I want in this car. Better than OEM.

I think that the switches are all going to be fine, but I'm going to replace the ignition switch and headlight switch since I already have spares on hand. Why take a chance.
I am going to take a chance on the Convertible Top relay. It looks good and it's easy to replace if it goes bad. About half the other relays looked bad internally, so they are All going in the trash. I pulled all of the fuses and cleaned out the holder. Many had signs of corrosion. Hunting down intermittent electrical problems can suck. Why take a chance... They are all in the trash.
http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02...1516764807.jpg
http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02/fuse1516764820.jpg

The climate control unit was surprisingly good. Just some very light signs of water that I cleaned off with industrial strength alcohol and electronics cleaner. There's still a chance that the LCD screen is bad, but hoping for the best.
http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02/cc1516765244.jpg
http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02...1516765262.jpg

Pardon if this suggestion is beyond obvious, but if you get to the point when you would like to try to start the car, I would have all the nonessential electronics disconnected and then start adding them back in one at a time (or add "donor" components)....this way you won't be trying to chase gremlins throughout the entire electrical system, and should be easy enough to find if one component is bad.

Additionally, the per your pic of the climate board...even though there is no obvious corrosion, I would think the IC's would be toast, but then again, I might be wrong.

I said this before, but you sir are a braver man than I...and I salute you for being so.

Great ideas above.

I think this is going to turn out better than you expected when you bought the car. Your worst case to this project has not changed while your best case seems to be improving every day.

Best of luck!

Did the 2004 550 SE get the 987 upgraded ignition switch and lock assembly, just like it got the 987 air filter housing? I know they changed over the lock and switch at some point after my 2003. I had mine upgraded to after my second failed ignition switch.

I own a 2004 SE....
 

...what should I look for?

On the ignition switch and lock? Sorry I don’t know. Maybe search for the parts by your VIN on a site like Sunset, and compare those part numbers to the part numbers for an 03 and an 05, and see what matches.

Actually, that's what I was working on today. The ignition and steering lock assembly is the same as previous 986s:
http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02...1516842883.jpg

hanging for the updates, love this, hope the water wasnt poo water?? dont lick it to test...

Question where did you pull your 550 SE build sheet. I have yet to see one like that

I read in this thread: http://986forum.com/forums/boxster-general-discussions/60610-free-build-sheet-vin.html

Use this link, except replace the VIN with your car's VIN:
https://admin.porschedealer.com/reports/build_sheets/print.php?vin=Wp0cb29872u662584

It seems that it does not work on all 986s. None of the '99s I've had show up, but my '01 does:
https://admin.porschedealer.com/reports/build_sheets/print.php?vin=WP0CA29871U624130

I was curious about the flooding and location. When I received the title, I did a little detective work with the previous owner's name (address wasn't listed on the insurance title). The house I identified is in this neighborhood, which was flooded by intentional release of a reservoir:
http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02...1516857014.jpg

Here's an article: https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2017/national/harvey-flood/?utm_term=.923c11be1dd3

Replacing the Steering Lock and Ignition Tumbler

Buying a car without a key presents a challenge. You can lock it, but you can't unlock it. You can not start it. In this case, the immobilizer/central locking unit module under the driver's seat, was corroded so badly that even if the car had a key, it would not have functioned. I bought a matching set of 3 keys, steering lock, immobilizer box, and DME for about $500. The challenge was, how to get the tumbler and steering lock out.

Edit: First step, remove the instrument cluster (mine was already out). See this article and be very careful with the brittle connectors on the back of the cluster: https://www.pelicanparts.com/techarticles/Boxster_Tech/90-ELEC-996_Cluster/90-ELEC-996_Cluster.htm
Remove the side vent and headlight switch.
Disconnect all the wires from the ignition and steering lock.
Removing the tumbler: Pull out the rubber surrounding the ignition tumbler, then use a chisel to bend and crack the soft cast aluminum that holds the tumbler. Eventually you will be able to pull it out.
Remove the steering wheel: If the steering wheel is locked, you should now be able to push in and turn the ignition with a screwdriver to unlock the steering. Fully loosen the 2 captive screws that hold the airbag and remove it. Disconnect wires. Mark the steering wheel and shaft so that you can reinstall it in the correct position. (24 mm nut and washer.)
http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02...1516857247.jpg

Remove the rest of the stuff that's in the way of the steering column. (Small screws and gently prying.)
Remove the bolt that holds the steering lock (10 mm) and the screw for the bracket over the ignition switch.
Push the release button on the steering column where the steering lock connects. It should easily depress if the steering is unlocked. Slide the steering lock out.
Reverse the steps to install the new one.
http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02...1516857315.jpg

In my car the release button wouldn't move. Something was stuck. I tried various combinations of screwdrivers, rods, and hammers. Nothing worked and at one point I bumped the windshield with the back of the hammer. As a last resort, I used a drill to drill out the button. When I started drilling, the button popped down and the steering lock started to slide out. The drill must have scared it more than the hammer.
Installation was easy.

Interesting. Thanks man. Mine was built in April and my commission # is 523103. Hmmm

Enough highjacking and back to the resurrection

Sounds good.

My proposal would be:

Don't turn over engine.

Replace engine oil and oil filter with cheap new ones.

Remove spark plugs and fill cylinders with engine oil / rost inhibitor as good as you can. Let it soak.

Remove air intake at tb. Check air intake filter and clean air intake housing and hose as good as you can without ripping it out of the car. If the air intake filter is intact and no debree passed it, chances are high that the intake system ist free of debree like sand etc. That would be a big plus. For first turn over don't connect intake hose to tb.

Remove headers from engine. Best would be to pull the complete exhaust system and check for water and especially for engine oil. If there is a bigger amount of water / engine oil sludge in the cats this can be problem. For first turn over don't connect headers to engine.

Remove all fuses you don't need and check all electronic parts you need to turn over the engine with the starter.

Check fuel tank for water. If there is water inside, pump all old fuel out and replace it with new fuel. The SE doesn't have an external fuel filter. So if you want to check the filter you have to pull the fuel pump - integral part of the pump.

Check cooling water for debree oil etc. If there is oil in the cooling water check why.

Check belt, tensioner etc.

Remove fuel pump and ignition fuses. Connect starter battery to terminals. Check electronics and fuses once again for shorts and functionality.

Turn over engine with starter motor. This will throw all oil and debree out of the cylinders. This will also make a mess – so be prepared.

If you like you can refill the cylinders with oil and do the procedure again until all oil came out of the cylinders.

Install spark plugs and ignition coils / cables etc. install fuses (fuel pump, ignition).

Start engine without headers and tb intake hose. Prepare - this will be loud. Check if all cylinders are present. Check for unusual noises etc. If everything is OK let the engine warm up at idle / lower revs for 10 minutes. That should be enough time to get humidity out.

Than check other components and think about what needs additional cleaning, replacement etc.

Hope that is useful.

Again good look with the SE Houston project…

Regards, Markus

That sounds good. At first, only essentials in the car, then rather than putting the original stuff back in, I'll use my spares (as much as possible). After I know the basic systems and are harness good, I'll switch in the original equipment one by one (the parts that cleaned up and looked good).

So far I have done much of what Markus suggested, except I haven't applied power to the car yet. I put power directly to the starter with the intake and throttle body removed. First with the spark plugs out, then later with the spark plugs in. All of this with the exhaust drained and open and fresh oil with anti rust additive (marine oil).

I pushed other my project car out of the garage today, but still need to clean up and organize my junk before the Houston SE goes in.
http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02...1516935388.jpg

My grandson (6 years old) will be visiting this weekend, so probably not much progress unless he wants to play with cars.
http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02...1516936083.jpg

Impressed with the progress you're making AND time for the grandkids! Curious if there was any water in the intake tract downstream of the TB. I would think since TB was closed and tested to 26" manifold vacuum it should have been water tight. The exhaust side of course is open and 2 exhaust valve should be in various states of open but interesting they were same bank. As far as debris the catalyst is a pretty good strainer, so I wouldn't remove the headers unless you really want to. Since exhaust is stainless and water (condensation) is normal, The muffler is all I'd think that needs to be inspected. Carry On!!! :cheers:

Problem is, that there was too little engine oil in the engine and a lot of water. So it's possible that the engine oil is in the exhaust system and in the cats. In my opionion it's highly recommended to remove the exhaust system at the headers and check if there is engine oil in the exhaust system / cats.

My experience says grandsons always wants to play with cars. But it's questionable if you really have progress with the work you want to do on your cars. ;)

Have a good time with your grandson and family. Much more important than cars. ;)

Regards, Markus

Totally agree. However, while motor oil may kill the cats, the only way to know will be to run them and cook the oil out with exhaust heat. I don't know the condition of the exhaust manifold to head bolts, but at this point I wouldn't risk breaking a few just to see if there is oil in there when we all know the answer to that one (see post 38). If the cats fail deal with it then. They may be fine. Lots of failed AOS that oil soaked cats came back from.

Glad to see that you made it!

Now, everyone in here needs to chime in over there! - DM

Markus, Monty... Yes the cats have oil in them. I am fortunate to have 2 complete Boxster S exhaust systems in my storm cellar full of car parts. I will back-flush the primary cats, with water, then some waste Jet Fuel (like Kerosine), while I have the O2 sensors out. If they fail, I'll replace them later.

Dave, Thanks for introducing me to Grassroots. :cheers:

I drove to Missouri and picked up my grandson in a Boxster. "Granny drives an SUV, Grampa drives a sports car..."
(Airbags are disabled in this one.)
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4677/...b7fc20cb_c.jpg

[QUOTE=78F350;561190]Markus, Monty... Yes the cats have oil in them. I am fortunate to have 2 complete Boxster S exhaust systems in my storm cellar full of car parts. I will back-flush the primary cats, with water, then some waste Jet Fuel (like Kerosine), while I have the O2 sensors out. If they fail, I'll replace them later.


I'm not sure this is a good idea. Just a rich fuel mixture causes the cats to overheat and burn out. Wouldn't want to see the exothermic reaction that would happen with raw fuel in there. I've never actually heard of any cleaners for cats.


PS: Actually I did see a buddies 2006 chevy pickup with a bad supercharger install dumping raw fuel into the cats. They were bright red, almost white, and the undercoating was dripping from the frame rails. Towed his boat to my house to show me.....Amazing it didn't burn down in my driveway.

The US SE has 4 cats. 2 in the headers and 2 before the muffler. One problem i see is back pressure. Oil / water mixture in cats can be very tough / doughy (don't know the right english word). If you want to start the car, this can cause more problems than a sheared off head bolt. Also if the oil starts to burn (specially the header cats) by exhaust temperature, the cats will clog / die in a short time.

There are specialized companies that can clean oil contaminated catalytic converters. Oil contamination happens often if turbochargers fail.

And yes, if one or more header bolt shears off this is also a problem. But if you soak them in rust dessolver (min. 2-3 days and don't start the engine in this time) and clean them extensively (best is to soak and clean more than one time) with a steel brush before you try to open them in general they don't shear off. In my opinion these shear off fails are often caused by much too short preparation time.

My approach is always to check for risks and try to go the way with the least risks. Even if it takes more time. And for shure everybody has made it's own experiences and has it's own opinion. In the end everything can go wrong, even if you have tried to take all aspects in consideration.

Just my 2 cents…

Regards, Markus

I was thinking of flushing them out long before actually running the engine. The Jet Fuel would all be evaporated out (and blown through with compressed air when I flushed) Do you think that would still be a problem?

On the first day, I sprayed them with penetrating oil, and I have done it again a few times. There is still risk, but I think I can remove them safely if needed.

The rear cats and muffler are already unbolted. I am going to replace them with a good, dry parts before I start. The 'wet' muffler from this car will become my spare.

[QUOTE=911monty;561195] I've personally seen this happen on a boxster and it's a common cause of fires with them. I'm kind of surprised it's not talked about more on here.

[QUOTE=78F350;561197]I was thinking of flushing them out long before actually running the engine. The Jet Fuel would all be evaporated out (and blown through with compressed air when I flushed) Do you think that would still be a problem?


I would not recommend using ANY hydrocarbon in the cats. To the cats the only real difference between gasoline and jet fuel is the length of the molecular chain. JP5, JP8 doesn't matter, they are similar to diesel which does not completely evaporate and will leave residual hydrocarbons in the cats (feels oily) which is mostly paraffin. Simple Green maybe?

Sometimes I'm slow, but it is finally sinking in. No flammable hydrocarbons. Now tending towards soapy water to get the oily film out of the primary cats, rather than just running the car and burning it out.
I saw some YouTube videos about cleaning old cats. People who were trying to fix failed cats didn't have good results. In this case, I assume they are still good, but coated with oil.
Eric the Car Guy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1uukKrgBXeo

I'm just going to throw this out there as something to consider. I can tell by what you've already accomplished that you have no reservations to getting your hands dirty.
I question how "oily" the cats can be. Let's think about the sequence of events and how oil came to be in the cats in the first place.
Flood waters rise and enter the muffler. water fills the entire exhaust system and enters a couple cylinders, (intake valves are at top), then displaces oil to the TOP of the crankcase and back out through the cylinders. Because the exhaust system is entirely full and due to phase separation (oil floating on top of the water) then the only contact of oil to the cats is at the top of the substrate as the oil migrates out the exhaust in a thin stream at the surface of the water. What does this mean? It is likely there was only a minor stream of oil in the exhaust at any given time, far less than the flood that would be seen from a failed AOS that experienced hydrolock. The water/oil did not form an emulsion since it was never sheared. Certainly cleaning is not going to hurt anything but is it necessary?
Regardless I am enjoying this thread. Keep up the good work! :cheers:

The point of this post is: in my experience with flooded boat engines is that the quicker you could get one running (usually hours) the better. Detailing can happen later.

Are you certain that the trashed CD player is a CDC-4 and is not a CDC-3?

If it might indeed be a -3, I could use the magazine if you'd be willing to sell it.

Thanks - DM

It was a CDC-4 in the car and I think I have a couple -3s in a box. I'll PM or post a pic and price later.