Summary of M96 engine problem and fixes anywhere?

[jjflash]

Hi,

I've pretty much decided that my next daily driver is going to be on of the early Boxsters. These cars are beginning to show up at the sub-$10K price level and they are just too tempting too not get one at that price. I might be willing to pay more--maybe up to $12K when the time comes to purchase.

In this light, I've started to read as much as I can about Boxster in particular and the M-96 engine "problems" in general. I have a friend who has a very high-mileage 996 that is on it's THIRD engine already, so it seems to me that however difficult it might be to quantify the risk of these engines failing, there is significant risk and it's probably raised with the higher-mileage cars.

What I've not yet been able to find, is a real good summary of the chronological development of these engines and the various fixes that are either available now, or were handled by Porsche replacement engines.

From what I've "learned" so far (and corrections, additions are certainly welcomed here):

1. The very early cars suffered from "casting porosity" in the blocks which would basically total the engine and in a relatively short period of time. This affected the cars from 1997 to some point in 1999. I don't have any serial # cutoff for when the re-designed blocks ended this problem for good. And I'm assuming that this is NOT a problem with any cars either built after the cutoff point, or with a replacement engined manufactured after that cutoff point.

2. The RMS leaking problem. This is the problem that I'm least clear about. From what I've read there have been several redesigns of this and I'm not sure that it has ever been totally solved? Additionally some RMS problems are worse than others, causing the crankshaft to be out of alignment? As I said, I'm really not clear about this one.

3. The IMS problems, which seem to be the focus of most of the recent work done on fixing the M96 engine. Apparently this one has never really been addressed satisfactorily by Porsche and even the newest M96 engines are susceptible to this problem. Sounds like the consensus on this one is get the LN kit, or an alternative, and just treat this as a preventive-maintenance item: something to be done when the clutch is replaced is often mentioned.

4. There are a series of other, less serious, problems that one is likely to deal with as the cars age, including leaking coolant reservoirs, oil/air separators, squeaky/worn out suspension bushings, cracked, cloudy rear windows and worn-out tops, and probably a bunch of others. I think my main focus would be to understand the more serious, potentially catastrophic, engine problems would be my main focus.

That's about the extent of my understanding of the issues at this point. I don't really know whether Wayne's new book will address this question in a comprehensive fashion, but that isn't going to be out until later this summer (??) and I'd like to have more info as I research available cars. Any additional information that others can contribute to this thread, or perhaps just a pointer to an already-available resource that I'm not yet aware of, would help out immensely.

I'm sure looking forward to Wayne's book also--I think that we're on the brink of a Boxster boom where financially-challenged enthusiasts will move in a start to recondition and improve these cars. The next 944, except the pool of available candidates is HUGE.

TIA.

[Wayne 962]

Project 13 is "Common Engine Failures", which details all of this and the fixes involved. I'll be putting it up on the web soon. I don't want to post it here though, otherwise Google will index the forums, instead of the main site when it goes up.

-Wayne

[jjflash]

Originally Posted by Wayne at Pelican Parts

Project 13 is "Common Engine Failures", which details all of this and the fixes involved. I'll be putting it up on the web soon. I don't want to post it here though, otherwise Google will index the forums, instead of the main site when it goes up.

-Wayne

Great news. I'll keep monitoring this forum for news.

[racer]

Not to be overlooked, but keeping 10-15% extra cash after purchase to address any issues is a wise idea. Depending how much more cash you have (since you say the cars are only now getting into your budget) is perhaps an expensive aftermarket warranty or your ability to "self warranty" should you experience one of the problems you've listed above (ie, an extra $4k for at least a used replacement motor should yours fail.)

So.. $10-12K for a car
another.. $1500 for misc expenses or upgrades
and worse case, a spare $4k for a replacement motor

This makes this, imho, closer to a $17K car.

I couldn't do it myself. I found a 2000 boxster a few years ago at the top of my price range and it nearly consumed me (a $2000 bill to replace a failed variocam tensioner - part alone was $800- was a nasty experience)... I had to get rid of it out of peace of mind more than anything else.

[Wayne 962]

Originally Posted by racer

I couldn't do it myself. I found a 2000 boxster a few years ago at the top of my price range and it nearly consumed me (a $2000 bill to replace a failed variocam tensioner - part alone was $800- was a nasty experience)... I had to get rid of it out of peace of mind more than anything else.

Covered in the book - usually it's the solenoid, but that requires the same amount of effort to replace as the tensioner itself.

-Wayne

[mikefocke]

Link
problemareas (mikefocke2)

[Wayne 962]

That's a good summary. I actually used your webpage as a checklist to make sure I had covered all of that in the book!

-Wayne

[jjflash]

Originally Posted by mikefocke

Link
problemareas (mikefocke2)

Mike,

Thanks for the link. I went through it and realized that I had already read it once and then had gotten "lost" in all my other reading. It's exactly what I was looking for and I feel like if I choose the right car I can minimize (not eliminate) the risk of catastrophic engine failure (knock on wood).

There was a car advertised here recently that I just missed that sounded as though it would have fit the bill: a '99 in Polar Silver (beautiful color, IMO). ~75K miles with a factory replacement engine at around 50K. New clutch at the same time. New top two years ago. AOS replaced. Front radiators replaced. Suspension bushings replaced. Oil changes, etc. all done religiously. I had an accepted offer of $10.5K contingent on a possible trade for a project SC. He took the trade. So I'll be looking for something similar, hopefully with a factory replacement engine somewhere in its history.

I'll be monitoring this and other sites. I found the PPBB and that looks like a great resource also.

[mikefocke]

That sounds like it was an exceptional car. Good shopping. See my note on the 2000 TIP change.

[Wayne 962]

Let us know if you have any questions!

-Wayne

[jjflash]

Originally Posted by Wayne at Pelican Parts

Let us know if you have any questions!

-Wayne

You can count on that!

[jjflash]

Originally Posted by mikefocke

That sounds like it was an exceptional car. Good shopping. See my note on the 2000 TIP change.

Mike,

Here's a pic of "the one that got away." Funny, it was for sale for a long time before I noticed it! I'm enjoying the search for the right one though.




Love that Polar Silver.