help with diagnosis on 2000 boxster s
 

I have a 2000 boxster s with 53,000 miles. I haven't had it very long and don't know the service history. I could use some help diagnosing a problem. Here are the symptoms:
[*]had a check engine light code P1341. I reset it and it came back after 20 miles or less[*]the engine has a rattle at start up that last just a second or two[*]i found lots of green bits of rubber in the oil filter[*]durametric cam deviation is -7% bank one and -10% bank 2. both are solid and unchanging. also cam timing is 1 deg up to 2500 or 3000 and then changes to 25deg on both banks
Car runs very well.

After researching it sounds to me like one or both chain tensioners for the variocam is/are toast.

Any input would be appreciated. Thanks

Sounds like the cam timing chain tensioner pads are damaged, recommend removing both cam covers to inspect & run engine as little as possible until issue is resolved.
This is a very difficult operation to do with engine in the car.

You need to change the chain ramps (pads/guides). Doable in the car but a lot easier if you drop the engine.
Ha, BYpro beatme to it!

Thanks for the quick replies. I was hoping to not drop the engine....but if i'm pulling both cam covers off it will be time well spent removing the engine. I will post up what i find in a couple weeks when i work on it over Christmas. Thanks again.

not pads - actuators. much more expensive. pads are dark brown hard plastic, o-rings in actuators are soft green. failed actuator will give big deviation values.

I'm thinking Radium King is correct as I had to replace mine for the same reason. My motor only had 37K on it and I believe the rubber O-rings deteriorated from sitting around too long. Not a cheap fix.
2001 Porsche Boxster S Convertible - Camshafts & Timing Chains - Page 2

Sounds like cam timing chain tensioner pads are damaged. Why not ask from a local Porsche dealership's service department? A quick call may give a better idea.

I checked with the dealer earlier and the master tech said it might be from the oil filter housing but wasn't sure.

Still planing on dropping the engine and removing the valve covers. Any way to tell by looking at the actuators if they are bad since the seals are inside?

they are non-serviceable, so you cant open them to look inside (the actuators in the image - from my car - were ‘destructively disassembled’). ps, ask your tech how a failed oil filter o-ring gives you a -10 deviation. it’s a trick they play - tell you it’s a cheap fix to get you to start they work (ie, pads) and, once the engine is opened, hit you with an additional $2k for the actuators. fyi, the other ‘while you are in there’ jobs are variocam chains and the three tensioners (make sure you get the updated items). i think the actuators come with the updated pads. mine were done with engine in car.

The green bits of rubber in the oil tell the story.

I think its the only green rubber inside the engine so that must be it unfortunately.

Good news it that you discovered it while things are still working well and not seriously gone bad.

OK. I have the engine out of the car. Here is what im planning on replacing:
Clutch, dual mass fly wheel, IMS, both verio cam adjusters, oil cooler o rings, both chains for the veri cam & spark plug tubes and o rings. I'm trying to make sure i have a complete shopping list of part i need. I plan on buying the crush washers for tensioners and coolant. Bolts for dual mass and pressure plate, green plugs. Can i reuse the cam cover bolts? Any other parts that are not reusable?

I did everything on your list last winter. And I reused the cam cover bolts. Just cleaned them.

You will need some special tools to do the job. I made them myself.

Besides the cam holding tool used before removing the valve covers what other tools did you need?

There is the #9611 tool to hold down the camshafts while removing and replacing the actuator. Made mine from wood and used cam cover bolts to hold them down. Also the #9634 which is one you are probably referring to which holds the camshaft ends. Made that from aluminum angle stock with some bolts. Also #9632 for compressing the actuator. Not totally necessary as you can compress them other ways but it was a lot easier for me to remove and reassemble with that tool. Made mine from reverse thread stock and a couple of locknuts. Super easy if you can get the correct reverse thread stock and nuts. (If you want to borrow mine just send me a PM and I will drop it in the mail for you to use)

http://www.nutrod.com/Nutrod/Pics/Pages/Install_Head_4-6.html#20


Of course you can buy them but I am a DIYer to the extent possible and since I was doing all this work with the engine still in the car I was planning on making things as easy as possible. Plus I had a little time to think about it and make the tools. Doing it with the engine out would have been significantly easier.

Dave

When removing the valve covers should the cam with the single notch (the side with only one green plug). should the notch point in or out for bank 1-2-3? and for 4-5-6?

When removing the cam cover, the engine should be locked at TDC, and a cam holding tool should be in place.

I have the cams out of side 4-6. 1) can i rotate the engine so i can take the cams out of 1-3 before putting 4-6 back together? 2) The tensioner moves freely back and forth but doesn't compress is that normal? Im trying to figure out if i have one bad tensioner or two.

you were correct. The one in your picture looks like 4-6 and mine is missing the thick green o ring completely. There was a little chunk in side the other piston....but none where it should be. The pads on 4-6 were in really bad shape but the 1-3 only one pad was bad.

Replace all the tensioners while you are there... gotta spend that $$$. If one failed, its probable the other isn’t too far behind. Personally, I would replace all accessible wear items, save you $$$ down the road.