Engine Rebuild
 

My 2001 Boxster 2.7L IMS Bearing has disintegrated and left a bunch of debris in the engine. I found some small chunks of plastic (most likely from the chain tensioner) a few small bits of metal and whole bunch of what looks like brass flakes in the oil filter.
I am going to rebuild the engine myself but can't seem to find a manual on how to. I have the Bentley Manual and 101 Projects for your Porsche, but that's not enough.

Can anybody guide me in the general direction on where I can get a proper manual or advice on rebuilding a 968 engine.

Thanks:)

There are plenty of rebuild threads. Search for Nutrod an Ahsai to start. The M96 demands skills and $ way beyond doing an SBC. You need to be up to almost FAA mechanic standard of skill, tools and equipment. The cost often exceeds the value of the car if you work to the required standard.

Welcome to the forum!

It's a great place. Hopefully you'll find someone that has actually rebuilt an M96 and can offer some help.

I know from personal experience that having a good machine shop is invaluable. In your case, you'll want one with water-cooled Porsche engine expertise.

The reassembly videos I've seen look a bit challenging, but doable. Some special tools (as I'm sure you know), but no super-human skills.

Keep us posted on your progress.

Best of luck!

Start by searching youtube for Boxster engine rebuild and watch the glenn986 videos to get started. I rebuilt mine over 20K miles ago and will drive it to work this morning.

One word of advice, set the engine to zero timing before taking it apart or you can break the engine just by taking it apart. Also buy a set of cam locking tools right off the bat. This is no Chevy 350, it's quirky, almost a puzzle to take apart and re-assemble.

Wow
 

You have my awe and respect. I've rebuilt enough motors to know when something is going to be over my head. I don't know about Canada, but here in the US, one can find decent 2.7 engines relatively cheap--I paid $2500 (shipped) for my complete engine--putting it in right now.

Doing the Boxster engine looks like a real puzzle that require 4 hands. :cool:

Thanks for the Nutriod info looks to be very helpful. I’m not taking this lightly but I think with good research, preparation and some help along the it should be possible to get this done.

I have watched the videos on YouTube, very helpful but not enough info.
Thanks for the heads up in locking the engine up.
Where did you get the proper info and instructions to rebuild your engine? What did your rebuild entail?
I’m thinking, main bearings, connecting rod bearings, rings, chains, guides, heads machined.
I’d like to hear how you went about rebuilding your engine.

With metal in the oiling system I imagine the oil pumps (there are more then a few) are likely to need attention too. I've done rebuilds on old American V8's but this is a whole different level. Do you have someone that's done it before that can help oversee the project? Do you have a lot of rebuild experience?

If your really keen on this sort of rebuild then you could take the Jake Raby engine building course.

I believe he still does those once or more per year.

Its a hands on so you could bring your own engine.

Engine Rebuild School

I had quite a bit of metal in the pan. The entire bearing (including what was left of the balls and cage) and part of the IMS was in there. What a mess! I found that a neodymium magnet pulls iron filings off aluminum really well.

The engine had 120K on it when it gently lost the IMSB.

I tore it down to the crank and rebuilt it from there.

Due to failure I replaced the IMS shaft and bearing

Due to wear the chains and ramps, all the bearings, clutch friction disc

And likely some stuff that escapes me were replaced.

Replace the rod cap bolts - I read some sad stories of flying end caps.

I did have the heads re-worked

I did not replace the rings for 2 reasons

1) They showed very little wear after 120K miles

2) A set costs $1200. Really.

I did not replace the lifters and would do that if I were rebuilding again.

Expect to pay $2000 in parts

So there isn't a step by step rebuild guide -someone should write one! Jake likely has for his course

I used the information I could find on line the best of which was this forum.

Turns out if you ask nicely and refrain from being a jerk if you don't like the answer (a challenge for me at times...) folks on the forum will typically race each other to answer your question.

I received advice and even PMs from lots of the top folks on the forum including Jake Raby.

Figure out how to resurrect the rebuild threads on this forum, there are two or three. Read those, drop your engine Lock the timing to zero and dig in.

Good luck, enjoy!

Thanks for the welcome :cheers:, I look forward to sharing my experiences on here.

Jake Raby's rebuild school is here 03/29/2018: M96/97 Engine Rebuild Class 101 (Online) | The Knowledge Gruppe

The introductory class is $399 and is an online class.

The actual rebuild class is $1999 and is done only at the Georgia USA facility. Live interactions and the run of the Raby facilities.

Too much for me, and I'd probably not rebuild a M96 engine. But something you might consider.

Before there was a Raby class -- a friend of mine and I learned on our own.

I rebuilt a Boxster S in 2007/2008 timeframe and it became my daily driver.
In fact that car had an original 3 bearing IMS installed by LN Engineering.

Some of the special tools my buddy built himself, others we purchased.

I don't know if there is anything specifically tricky if you have experience doing engine work -- with the exception of the insertion of the wrist pins for the second set of cylinders. This is performed blind, and by feel.

Mike

With that extensive damage it is senseless to rebuild a 2.7L, just find a replacement.

If you want to rebuild a engine save it to practice on, disassembling it may change your mind.

As you can see in my Bio I've rebuilt one on my own as well. Search the internet for a Shop manual for a 99-03 this will give you a good step by step instructions. The You tube videos help put perspective you don't get from the manual.

I would take it apart and look at the block and heads carefully depending on your level of damage this can be cost prohibitive. You will need a couple sets of special tools to reassemble the engine. I believe the tools cost about $800 to $1000. Then add $2000 in gaskets, rings, bolts, ramps and a new IMS bearing kit about $695 - $1395. So your looking at about $4000 to rebuild. Or no work and By a salvage motor same cost some less.

That’s great advice, thanks. Parts for the rebuild do creep up rather quickly that’s if it doesn’t need anything major. Cost to rebuild the engine on your own can easily surpass value of car, with a used engine you don’t know what you’re getting and who knows how long it will last where a rebuild engine you know what’s been don’t to it and should last a few years.
I bought a whole parts car and will do a complete transplant then pull the old engine apart and see the extend of the damage.
At the end of the day it’s an engine held together by nuts and bolts meant to be serviced.
I bought both the Bentley and Pelican manuals but they don’t have a lot of info on engine rebuild, YouTube and this forum are my best friend.

You may very well be right, but how satisfying would it be to rebuild it?

Funny you should mention the wrist pins, I felt pretty confident up until I saw the YouTube video of them being installed, looks very challenging but doable with either the proper tool or a fabricated one.
How do you know if the piston and connecting rod are lined up before inserting the wrist pin?

Very satisfying IF there is no permanent damage internally!

Pre position the connecting rod, as I recall that is BDC. Then line up the piston compress the rings and install it in the bore. I had everything slopped in Mobil1. Gently tap the piston towards the rod while watching through the pin / clip installation hole. When it got close I cheated to get the final alignment by moving the crankshaft slightly. I also made my own wrist pin / clip installation tool with 3/4 electrical conduit and socket extensions.

The hardest part was getting the wrist pin clips into the installation tool without over bending them. I ended up using a piece of wood and a screwdriver. It was not graceful. The glenn986 video shows the tool he made to do this which was graceful.

I will see the extend of the damage once I pull the engine our and apart, you're not the only person who didn't replace the rings. How did you instal the wrist pins for cylinder 4,5, and 6?

Watch all of the glenn986 videos. They are quite good and will answer your questions.

A quick update on the dead Boxster, I will keep this short.
After a some contemplation about what to do with the engine with IMS bearing failure I decided that either a complete rebuild or used engine was the way to go.
The car is rust free and still holds its original paint which meant to me it was worth spending some time and money on it but not too much money.
So shortly after the end of this thread I found the same year and model Boxster on eBay. The car was a Flood car located in NY, when I say flood I mean nothing worked, all the electrical was pooched and I had no idea if the engine was any good or how many miles were on it, so I decided to take a big leap of faith and buy it.
The engine is in the car and I took video of the whole project and if I can find the time to edit them I would like to put on them on youtube so maybe I shouldn't give it away weather the car runs or not.http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02...1530148687.jpg
http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02...1530149013.jpg
http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02...1530149092.jpg

JamesSP,
Thx for the warning to lock the engine before disassembly or risk damage. Can you specify the damage? I bought a roller and just dropped the engine. Looks like the PO overheated it - 2 melted spark plug tubes but oil in filter & sump is clean. Want to disassemble but cannot rotate at all so TDC cannot happen. Any thoughts how I can avoid the damage in your warning?

Do you mean 986fix.com.......authored by Glenn? Yes, nothing beats a good mechanical engineer:D:D

Turning the engine to Zero will take most of the spring tension off the cams. The valve cover acts as the bearing caps for 2/3 of the camshafts. Once removed the cams can be damaged if too much spring tension is left on them.

Thx for the explanation. Now, in my case, because the engine cannot rotate, is there another way???

Try to take the chain tensioner springs out of the block. Remove the chain sprockets screws on the cams to Let the cams settle on their own and remove the valve covers.