Crankshaft bearing problem... maybe

[Juan Saca]

Hello, I have a 2001 boxster s. I want to know if you have any reports on a crankshaft bearing fail on this model. My car has an annoying sound in the motor, and when serviced, metal parts were in the oil. What parts can the bearing ruin in the motor?

[JFP in PA]

Originally Posted by Juan Saca

Hello, I have a 2001 boxster s. I want to know if you have any reports on a crankshaft bearing fail on this model. My car has an annoying sound in the motor, and when serviced, metal parts were in the oil. What parts can the bearing ruin in the motor?

If the metal in your oil is ferrous, can be attracted to a magnet, you have a major league issue and need to stop using the car until someone can look at it and determine what has happened. Any metal in the oil can tear up but crank and rod bearings, but ferrous based debris is the worst.

[steveng1993]

Ims?

[Scnell Gelb]

Do not run the engine.The sound may be fatal, not just annoying if it is a bearing !
Drop the sump plate and inspect for debris. carefully save all of the debris.Ditto the oil filter.
If the debris is a glitter-gold color it may be crankshaft bearing(often #5).
Wash the debris with gasoline(petrol) to remove the oil. Separate the magnetic from the non-magnetic. The oil can make some debris appear golden - but it is just the color of the oil that tricks the eye.
In the non-magnetic pile you may have silver(aluminum) color and golden. Both are problems.
Post the photos here and we'll try to help.Give us the full history of the engine.
Meanwhile read about the virtues of a full flow filter by LN -available from Pelican here.
Pelican Parts
Spin-on Oil Filter Adapter for MY97-08 Boxster/Cayman/911 - Parts & Upgrades - Products LN Engineering

[Sapientoni]

The schrapnel in the oil pan will look much the same for either the IMS or the #5 or #6 rod bearing. If the noise is just a tapping, the bearing may be failing and not to the steel backing or rod surfaces. For sure, PARK IT! Best of luck to ya.

[Scnell Gelb]

Here is what I learned rebuilding my M96:
IMSB debris is ferrous & magnetic.It is silver when clean & dry.

Crankshaft bearing debris is neither.It is a copper/lead/bronze alloy. Gold color when clean & dry.Usually in the form of flakes.If the bearings are worn through to the steel backing -that requires prolonged,gross abuse of the engine.

Collateral damage to aluminum(for example camshaft carriers) is neither ferrous nor magnetic but is silver color when cleaned and dried.Often in flakes and chunks.

Damage to sprockets and chains will be ferrous.

More important is material that may plug the labyrinth of small diameter oil-ways in the engine. Getting that out is a challenge.
The pro M96 rebuilders usually reject cores that have suffered from distributed debris because it is almost impossible to be sure you have removed all the debris from every oilway. There is no redundancy in many areas of the M96 oilway layout.So one chunk remaining can cause another catastrophic failure soon after a rebuilt engine is run. I know of no way to verify that an engine has been perfectly cleaned of debris. The warranty/reputation of the engine builder is the best guarantee?
Yemv.

[Sapientoni]

Having only disassembled 2 Of the 3.4 engines, one with the rod bearing inserts totally obliterated past the rod material and the other with failed IMSB, I can authoritatively state the debris of both has ferrous material and look identical. When you remove the IMSB flange you will know for certain which failure you have. Bearing inserts are a three layer steel/bronze or copper/ lead material and if failed to the point of rod on crankshaft, there's ferrous in the oil pan.

[SCUDERIA928]

Here's a photo of what can happen what can happen