Blown engine. This sucks! - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

Perfectlap · 09-04-2014, 08:18 AM

Ouch! Sounds like you could have done some things differently to have minimized this risk.
But what's done is done. If I were in your shoes I would park the car and keep an eye out for a used motor. No point wrecking your credit. You'll have one expensive Porsche once its running again but the math on owning these cars long-term is always horrible. You either lose $40k in depreciation or you end up spending as much on repairs and maintenance, upgrades as you paid for the car in the first place.

Topless · 09-04-2014, 08:47 AM

A bad day for sure.

Find a same year replacement motor at a dismantler for $3-5k, have the IMS and chain guides replaced and get it installed. Maybe $6-8k and you are back in business. Things could be worse.

Giller · 09-04-2014, 08:57 AM

That's really crappy man. I feel for ya. I just got to a similar place in life where I could stretch it and get a Porsche - and now I too do live with a similar fear.

Good lesson for all new buyers - get a PPI done before purchase and check/change the oil often. Everything I've read says consistent oil changes will give you good notice to hopefully help avoid impending doom. (not foolproof of course).

kk2002s · 09-05-2014, 05:52 AM

This is the situation most of us lose sleep over. It's the scenario we keep playing through our heads driving down the road.

So we all have a true soft spot for you and your situation

I have a year left on my extended Power train warranty. After that I'm truly flying solo and I maybe I'm flying solo even with it. Would only know if something happens

I would be in the same place if it let go with no warranty.
I have a loan so either I get another loan to fix the engine, part it out or sit it in the garage until I could afford to fix it on my own

And for those who tends to bash Jack as a domes day guy about engine issues - He is the one bring a ray of light and hope into this conversation

crod · 09-05-2014, 11:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kk2002s

This is the situation most of us lose sleep over. It's the scenario we keep playing through our heads driving down the road.

So we all have a true soft spot for you and your situation

I have a year left on my extended Power train warranty. After that I'm truly flying solo and I maybe I'm flying solo even with it. Would only know if something happens

I would be in the same place if it let go with no warranty.
I have a loan so either I get another loan to fix the engine, part it out or sit it in the garage until I could afford to fix it on my own

And for those who tends to bash Jack as a domes day guy about engine issues - He is the one bring a ray of light and hope into this conversation

For sure Jake is the guy and the more knowledgeable one out there on this matter. If I were a new owner, first thing for sure is to take care of the IMS. And then make it a routine, changing it every 25,000 to 35,000 miles with the clutch.

We changed ours at 56,000 miles and it was in good shape as far as I could see. Next time clutch is done, new IMS is going in for sure.

CR

Jake Raby · 09-05-2014, 11:21 AM

No, this engine is not just another engine. One reason why Cros probably had a better outcome than most is because he didn't have any other engine building experience to relate to this engine.

Thats where people screw up.. They believe this is just another engine, and no it wasn't built by Aliens, it was built by German Accountants.

People treating this engine like any other, is what keeps my reconstruction backlog at 10-13 months and its been that way since 2007 on the M96 side of the house...

crod · 09-06-2014, 05:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jake Raby

No, this engine is not just another engine. One reason why Cros probably had a better outcome than most is because he didn't have any other engine building experience to relate to this engine.

Thats where people screw up.. They believe this is just another engine, and no it wasn't built by Aliens, it was built by German Accountants.

People treating this engine like any other, is what keeps my reconstruction backlog at 10-13 months and its been that way since 2007 on the M96 side of the house...

Whatever it is, I am living proof it can be rebuilt at home by someone that had never attempted anything similar.

As I said mine has never been better, running much stronger and with zero issues. We are keeping a close eye on it of course. So far, 3,000 miles later it is all 100%.

CR

flaps10 · 09-06-2014, 11:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jake Raby

Thats where people screw up.. They believe this is just another engine, and no it wasn't built by Aliens, it was built by German Accountants.

That is a fact, and something most vehicle enthusiasts don't seem to understand. I often read "why did these engineers make this decision?"

I work for a company that makes machines an order of magnitude more complex and expensive than any Porsche.

The sad truth is that every good idea put forth to improve our product has to be approved by managers and has to "buy its way on" to the vehicle. The number of ideas that die or are replaced by chicken **************** solutions is staggering.

Not to say that we don't make a good product because we do. If engineers ran the cash registers our product would be fantastic - and we'd be bankrupt.

78F350 · 09-04-2014, 08:59 AM

Sorry for your loss. Like the others are saying though, it can be fixed for a lot less than your current quote. I am still very new to these, but before buying learned that I would have to budget $2-$3K a year for care and feeding. $14.5k is well beyond that.
I'm guessing that you are not in a position to DIY, but that is a possibility if you have some aptitude, time, and space. There are some good guides, and plenty of people on the forums to help with questions. Do you have any local enthusiasts that may lend a hand? I would if I was local.

Jake Raby · 09-04-2014, 07:45 PM

Hmmn, This is a classic issue for that particular engine. I don't believe that you need an engine, I believe that you need a repair.

No compression on one cylinder and those faults could mean a munched cam lobe or lifter (both super common with that M code engine) or even a broken valve spring. Any of these will lead to metal suspended in the oil, but in the hands of a specialist that's resurrected engines for over a decade, it may not be terminal. At the same time, not calling the tow truck could have lead to driving the car to death.

BTW- The factory engine program is gone forever- there are no more completes, just short blocks that are being quoted at 18-20K. That won't help you, because a short block uses your old heads, which is probably where your damage lies.

Get another opinion, get several and go invasive. Assume nothing, quantify everything.

Do this right, or you'll be doing it again.

Your engine code is synonymous with failed cam lobes on the outboard intake valve for cylinder #1, I've seen dozens of these fail, BUT out of all those we've saved all of them but one. At 64K, its worth seeing the extent of collateral damage before throwing in the towel. No one else will tell you this- they only know how to swap things out and at the end of the day, saving an engine probably doesn't mean more to them than their paycheck.