993 backfire/intake separation -- causes & questions

[NOLAsc]

Hi Y'all,

I posted the following on the 964 & 993 forum this morning, but we all know the traffic is over here -- and isn't a 993 still a 911 at heart?

(Long unnecessary lead up, so skip to end if you wish.)

The other morning as I was putting my kids and their gear in my targa to take them to school, a neighbor asked me about Porsche mechanics -- other than the famous old name shop here in New Orleans. See... she's got a Porsche dead in her driveway and she's un-inclined to dump more money into it.... She said it was a 1995 911. What happened? Loud boom and then wouldn't run.

Sounds like the problem in either of these threads:
Help- Motor Blew apart or Having some (major?) engine problems

Anyway, I wanted to find out more, but had to get the kids to school. I was distracted all day at work. I stopped by her house after work to discuss and learned that she's the second owner of the car. Got it when it was 8 months old. Has been taking it to one of the known good p-car shops here (just as she had with her first car, a '71 914). She's had electrical issues, mainly with brake sensors over her years with the car. Had it tuned up just days before the "boom." That was 8 or so months ago. Car has 100,000 miles. I'm sure she has all the records, but they were not available the other night.

I want to help her get it running. I know my sc engine pretty well, but don't know much about a 993 other than what I read here.

Any initial thoughts about what to look for other than something loose in the intake? What are known causes for a backfire that would separate the intake from the engine (if that's what happened)? I'm guessing dizzy belt failure could be one cause. Any precautions to take with an engine that has not been cranked in 8 months?

Thanks in advance. I'll keep you posted. I'll probably go look at the car tomorrow afternoon.

Shawn