Thank you!

[bg305]

Just wanted to drop a quick thank you to everyone who helped me along my recent journey with my Box. This forum has always been my first stop for guidance and I appreciate everyone's guidance helping me learn and hopefully get things right. Not just for the direct answers to my queries, but for the wealth of information that I spend uncountable hours reading.

I have had a fair number of threads over the last months asking for help diagnosing my engines chain noise, even earlier threads identifying that my variocam chain guides warn, my fuel rail getting "tugged" as my return line got snagged on my e-brake line dropping the engine, second guessing myself on the chain noise origin when I discovered the chain guides were not completely warn and much more. I am happy to report that all of my issues have been rectified. New variocam chain guides installed, all 3 tensioners, new cam chains, 1 tappet (lifter) replaced, and a bunch of other little things I am sure I forgot.

This project was a big leap forward for me. I brought the car to a local specialist for the chain noise and received a 11k estimate to fix.. That sticker-shock got me thinking that I could get a nice scissor lift and do it myself and still save a bundle. Mission accomplished, one more 2001 seal gray boxster is now back on the road and running smoother then ever. Admittedly I was not 100% sure I could pull it off, I had never pulled an engine before, dealt with timing, etc..

Thanks again!
Brian

A few pics of the project:






And finally.. One from today:

[911monty]

Congratulations! That's Awesome!

[BruceH]

Awesome!

[Realtormike]

what was the specialist recommendation for the $11K ? what did you end up buying to rectify the rattling?

[bg305]

Originally Posted by Realtormike

what was the specialist recommendation for the $11K ? what did you end up buying to rectify the rattling?

They were going to replace all timing chains and tensioners and guides. (that was about 8k of the cost). the other 3.5k was clutch and an LN dual row (lower then stand alone since the engine was out).

I don't think the shop was overcharging or doing me wrong in any way. When I bought the car I did so wanting not just to drive it but to actually wrench on it as well. At first I was tentative jumping in this deep, but when I looked at the cost and realized for less I could get the tools and lift to do it safely and give me the best chance of success, that is really what swayed my decision. Worst case I could part the car and sell the lift it was not all a complete loss.

I also made a decision (around the time I was putting the engine back together) to hold off on the ims (which I confirmed was dual row, previously it was unknown single / dual) and clutch. Mainly because I was concerned over how successful I would be. If I did fail I would have another 2k in that would be meaningless. Now that I have the lift pulling the tranny should be a cake walk So I am just going to do that either this winter or next (the clutch is still holding strong @ 53k on the car).

I replaced cam chains, variocam guides, all tensioners and one questionable tappet (lifter). At least one of my tensioners was failing as I had noticed some chain slap on a couple of cold starts. Initially when I started I thought I was going to find a variocam guide pad completely failed and that would account for the noise (chain running over the metal underneath). But that was not the case, the guide pads were worn but had not failed. Since the change that led to the chain noise (and the engine sounding different in general, more hollow if that makes sense) was sudden I believe a tensioner really was the culprit but the guides def need to be replaced as well. Whatever the case, the engine is running smooth as butter now .