Is my engine blown? HELP!!!

dimitrimartin12 · 04-04-2012, 11:48 PM

Hi guys, I have been reading through these forums all afternoon... I think i might be facing a serious issue. Drive a 99 Boxster 2.5L 95K miles

Was driving on highway about 75mph when boom all of a sudden, yellow check engine light starts flashing and then goes solid then starts flashing again. Red light on the temp gage lights up. So I put it in neutral and turned it off and pulled over I tried to turn it on and move forward a bit to see and the engine started, idles really funny and when i put it in gear to move forward, there was a huge loss of power as well as an unbalanced knocking and vibration from the engine... so I didnt push and had it towed the rest of the way home. When i turned the key without starting it, I noticed that the oil level reading was not full (as it was that morning) but there were two bars that were missing. So 2 bars of oil vanished!

The car was stored for winter since November 1st and its the second week its out on the road and everything was perfect until today. The oil was changed about a year and a half ago, but way less than 5000 miles ago (more like 2000 miles. The coil packs and spark plugs were changed mid summer last year. When I got home, I removed the coil packs, and replaced them with the previous coil packs (which were still good at the time I changed all 6). No change in whats happening. The car idles extremely rough but does start. The yellow light flashes every time i turn the engine, so after replacing the coil packs I didnt let it run more than a few seconds. I have put a K&N style air filter and have read about the mass air sensor, but what worries me mainly is that the CEL is flasshing...

Can anyone tell me what could be causing this and is my engine scrapped? I am planning on getting a code reading tomorrow or the day after as a friend has a OBD reader, but am just looking for some help to try to understand what could have gone wrong in the meantime.. can anyone help?

dewolf · 05:35 AM

Sounds like the IMS has gone and the cam timing has jumped. Do not start the car anymore. If it is the IMS and it has only jumped one tooth on the chain you may be one of the lucky few.

mikefocke · 04-05-2012, 05:52 AM

Could be lots of things...after all the car is 13 years old. But the flashing light says that no more revolutions of the motor and take it to someone who specializes in the internals of the M96 engine. Cars that were in storage report more problems than those that weren't but only someone really experienced in the diagnosis of these engines will be able to tell you the probable cause and the costs.

If the engine is truly blown, then options are explained here.

Good luck.

dimitrimartin12 · 04-05-2012, 08:45 AM

ok so I plugged in the OBD II monitor and here is what it gave me :

p0300 generic random misfire detected
p0306 cylinder 6 misfire
p0304 cylinder 4 misfire
p0305 cylinder 5 misfire
p1319 misfire emission related signal implausible cyl 1-6
p1318 misfire emission related signal implausible cyl 1-6
p1316 misfire emission related signal implausible cyl 1-6
p1317 misfire emission related signal implausible cyl 1-6

Any ideas?

I changed the coil packs a while back ( about 8 months ago) and the spark plugs also. Yesterday I put 4/6 old coil backs back in (3 on the passenger side, and 1 in the center drivers side.)

I'm wondering at this point if I shouldnt just change out all the spark plugs, coil packs? or could this be a faulty O2 sensor or MAF sensor? Any info you could give me would be appreciated enormously! Cheers, D.

dimitrimartin12 · 04-05-2012, 09:18 AM

I just go off the phone with the porsvche dealership and they are telling me that the spak plugs for my car are different than on the standard models... so when I changed the spark plugs, they didnt tell me this. They gave me a part number 999.170.20.190 which when I look it up, gives me 14FR 7 LDU for Bosch. I guess i put the wrong spark plugs in there...damn.

Any idea where I can buy these plugs other than the dealer? He doesnt have them in stock and is saying a week!

Also, could this have damaged my engine? I mean will this really simply be a matter of swapping out the plugs and resetting the codes?

showbiz · 04-05-2012, 11:20 AM

Humm, the wrong plugs you would of had a problem from the start,start with basics do a compression check and take it from there,where was the car stored inside or in the weather,check to make sure the battrery in at full charge,low battery does funny things with computer controls. let me know if you need any electronic or mechanical parts for your 2.5 (have a excellent low mile used stuff) good luck Greg

dimitrimartin12 · 04-05-2012, 12:37 PM

Thanks Showbiz, so i've been reading and reading about what could be the issue, and so far what I have been able to read is that there are 2 potential bucket of issues :

Bucket 1 :

Spark plugs
Coil packs
O2 sensors
MAF sensor

or

Bucket 2 :

Cam alignment
IMS bearing
VarioCam issues

So I have decided that I will start with changing the plugs, swapping back the pre-swap coil packs which I know work for sure (Beru). If that works, great. If still getting CEL, will swap out all 4 02 sensors and get a new MAF sensor and install.

If that doesnt work, whats my next step?

mikefocke · 04-05-2012, 03:06 PM

Your challenge in diagnosis is greater because you said you had both mechanical failure noises and codes that pointed to relatively trivial issues.

Since the plugs and coil packs had been in for months or weeks, why are they the first suspect? MAF failure and O2 sensor failures don't lead to what you described it felt like on failure. Nor oil volume changes.

What does the anti-freeze and oil look like?

Borescope, compression/leakdown test?

If you have an internal engine failure, there are options I've seen that I wrote up here.

randy_k · randy_k's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by dimitrimartin12

Thanks Showbiz, so i've been reading and reading about what could be the issue, and so far what I have been able to read is that there are 2 potential bucket of issues :

Bucket 1 :

Spark plugs
Coil packs
O2 sensors
MAF sensor

or

Bucket 2 :

Cam alignment
IMS bearing
VarioCam issues

So I have decided that I will start with changing the plugs, swapping back the pre-swap coil packs which I know work for sure (Beru). If that works, great. If still getting CEL, will swap out all 4 02 sensors and get a new MAF sensor and install.

If that doesnt work, whats my next step?

I agree with Mike. Here's your problem. If you change all that and crank it over. You run a higher risk of more damage. If not total and complete. Call your local indy or dealer shop and see what they charge for a leak down test. Before starting it again. When things happen, like you described. knocking and unbalanced. I'm thinking plugs, coils, don't do that. All those codes could be caused by other things way more important. They just don't let it run very well. My 2 cents and I'll leave it at that.

Randy

showbiz · 04-05-2012, 03:56 PM

Any noise when cranking over?,disable fuel system If your worried about mechanical damage ,quick check and it seems you know what your doing, drain the oil in a clean container remove the oil filter and inspect for any metal ,if all looks good install fresh oil /filter and start with basics compression check. I have seen a MAF sensor do some and make the engine make very strange noises IMO. good luck Greg

mikefocke · 04-06-2012, 06:31 AM

The engine will run without the MAF even being connected so I doubt the problem is the MAF. O2 sensors will give codes long before their failure causes serious damage. The plugs were good enough to run last summer's end and two weeks this year likewise the coils.

Tell us where you live and maybe someone can point you to a decent M96 internals guy who can confirm that the basic engine is still sound...or not. Don't even rev the engine once until you rule out internal damage as every rev can cause more damage. I know I'm suggesting you spend money to flatbed the car and for the mechanic just because someone you don't know suggests things but I think the sudden BOOM told you it was serious.

dimitrimartin12 · 04-06-2012, 07:40 AM

Hi Mike, i have been debating what to do. I live in Montreal Quebec. I'll be pulling the spark plugs on 4,5 and 6 and checking them just to make sure it's not that, but I have a floating suspicion that the fact that the 3 cylinders are not firing on one side means something more serious. I don't plan on turning it over until I know what it is so I will take your advice and have the dealer run all the tests (450$) and will definitely flat bed it both ways. I will ask the dealer for a printout of the issue and repost the data here. Who knows, if I'm really unlucky and the engine is scrapped, I'll swap in a 3.4 or a 2.7 if I can find a good used one... And that's not entirely bad :0). Thanks for the advice from everyone on this, I'll post back once I have more info. D.

mikefocke · 04-06-2012, 10:12 AM

Don't assume the dealer has anyone who really understands the internals of the engines as for years their standard approach was, if it is broke, replace the entire motor. It has only been recently that parts were even available to dealers to begin to work on the internals.

That is why I'd ask around on the forums and see who really knows the inside of the M96. I know there are about a half dozen P-car specializing shops but which ones know the M96 isn't something I've been able to figure out online yet.

dimitrimartin12 · 04-06-2012, 11:46 AM

There is a shop in my area called Rombotis Tuning, and their lot has about 80 911's on it. So I ve made an appointment next week and won't turn the engine until try take a look at the inside of the engine.

mikefocke · 04-06-2012, 02:24 PM

wetune also comes up in the forums.

dimitrimartin12 · 04-07-2012, 09:15 AM

Called WeTune and as it turns out he's 5 blocks from my house will be going to visit him next week for a leakdown t'est and a full diagnosis. Big THANKS!!! I'll post the outcome. Cheers, d.

BYprodriver · BYprodriver's Garage

The quickest peek inside the engine is to remove the spark plugs & shine a light in the hole also should be able to look at the sparkplugs & tell if they are a factor in the issue.
once all the plugs are out remove the access panel behind the seats & turn the engine over CLOCKWISE ONLY with a 24mm wrench on the lowest silver pulley& listen for any noises.

dimitrimartin12 · 04-16-2012, 01:45 PM

Hi guys, just giving a status update. I removed the coils and plugs, everything looks normal, though the plugs look excessively clean. I am waiting for the correct plugs to reinstall everything.

In regards to the MAF sensor, I have been reading through and found this article.

http://ww2.justanswer.com/uploads/Speedytimzalez/2010-04-03_173002_061396.pdf

Strangely enough, the day before I had the car washed and had to tell the guy to stop spraying water with his powerwasher in the intake vent. No MAF sensor code though.

I have booked an appointment next week at my Indy to have this problem checked out, the guy is really busy.

showbiz · 04-16-2012, 11:49 PM

FWIW after hearing about the water ,I would remove electrical connectors and use electrical contact cleaner with low compressed air to dry all systems out .I lean toward a MAF sensor problem. have you done a compression check? or to be very safe, a leak down check?

dimitrimartin12 · 04-17-2012, 06:52 AM

Well at this point I have replaced the spark plugs, coil packs, I will me replacing the maf sensor and the o2 sensors this week. I'll clear the codes and give it a start it's been sitting in a heated garage for about 2 weeks now so it will have had time to dry out. If the codes come back I'll get a leakdown t'est done. I'll post the outcome.