Boxster S head gasket failure?

tommytinkle · 5 Mar 2011 at 22:40

Hey,

Asking on behalf of a friend, he was driving back from work today and loss of power, puff of black smoke and then enough white steamy smoke to make a worldwide sauna!

Car had been starting suspect sometimes when hot, but despite a trip to the garage nothing was diagnosed untoward. Car was pulled over immediately and stopped. AA man asked to see the engine, :rolleyes:

lol.

Any guesses as to whether its hgf or something more serious?

Cheers

Sin_Chase · 5 Mar 2011 at 23:24

You are rolling eyes at the establishment he called to come save his ass whom asked to see the engine yet are posting on his behalf on an internet forum for ideas.

Guess who would have a better idea? (Hint - Not people on a forum who did not have the opportunity to see the thing)

tommytinkle · 5 Mar 2011 at 23:26

Sin_Chase said:
You are rolling eyes at the establishment he called to come save his ass whom asked to see the engine yet are posting on his behalf on an internet forum for ideas.

Guess who would have a better idea? (Hint - Not people on a forum who did not have the opportunity to see the thing)

He rang them, to get towed mate. The guy asked to see the engine when its pretty much IMPOSSIBLE to see the engine on a boxster at the roadside. Hence why the head gasket is around a 26 hour job if both need replacing. You realise there isn't a bonnet you can just POP open yes?

MehulLakhani · 5 Mar 2011 at 23:30

Hi

This is a common problem and happened to me just days after buying my boxster . It is not hgf , I have forgotten the exact name and on my iPhone currently - will try to find out for you tmrw - or a trawl through boxa.net will give you all the info and expected repair bill

So annoying to have forgotten the name ! Arghhhh

R

Mehul

tommytinkle · 5 Mar 2011 at 23:45

Hey,

Thanks for the reply! At least you seem to understand why the AA man asking to see the engine was a tad silly. Unlike the previous guy and his reply to me!

Let me know if you know what it is

tommytinkle · 5 Mar 2011 at 23:51

MehulLakhani said:
Hi

This is a common problem and happened to me just days after buying my boxster . It is not hgf , I have forgotten the exact name and on my iPhone currently - will try to find out for you tmrw - or a trawl through boxa.net will give you all the info and expected repair bill

So annoying to have forgotten the name ! Arghhhh

R

Mehul

Slipped cylinder liner mate?

MissChief · 6 Mar 2011 at 00:08

Whatever it is, the VAPT (Value Added Porsche Tax) will have your mate crying for months afterwards if it's not covered under warranty.

tommytinkle · 6 Mar 2011 at 00:25

MissChief said:
Whatever it is, the VAPT (Value Added Porsche Tax) will have your mate crying for months afterwards if it's not covered under warranty.

Lol mate,

Its a 2000 model, so its somewhat out of warranty! The aa guy towed it to the garage so who knows until monday!

Firestar_3x · 6 Mar 2011 at 00:27

If it's anything like the problem that happens with the 3.4 911 engines then the block is short, in this case (as with many other Porsche engine issues) it's a new engine job, 3 - 6k's worth.

tommytinkle · 6 Mar 2011 at 00:35

Firestar_3x said:
If it's anything like the problem that happens with the 3.4 911 engines then the block is short, in this case (as with many other Porsche engine issues) it's a new engine job, 3 - 6k's worth.

Hey mate,

Ouch if so, I think he's hopeful for headgasket failure! Though black then a steam cloud that filled the road in seconds doesn't sound promising? What do you mean by the block is short?

Cheers

Firestar_3x · 6 Mar 2011 at 00:39

A quote from the net saves me from rehashing:

Cylinder liners can also crack, and this is something that Autofarm has investigated in detail. The 996 engine is quite different to those in earlier 911s, in that the cylinder liners are cast into the two halves of the engine block. They are made of a very hard, carbon-heavy material called Lokasil, and are positioned in the cast and then surrounded by molten aluminium. When the casting cools, the liners become an integral part of the block.

Unfortunately, cracks can appear in the lining and its surrounding aluminium. “It appears to be an issue with the block’s torsional rigidity,” claims Nick. “All engines twist to some extent,” he explains. “And the harder you work them, the more they tend to distort. It’s like the wing of an aeroplane – it visibly moves up and down as the aircraft passes through turbulence, but if it didn’t flex it would simply snap.”

I must stress thats only if the boxster S engine is made the same way, it could also be problems with the head bolts, or heads cracking, either way unless its a simply coolant pipe / rad failure it's going to be an engine out job.

tommytinkle · 6 Mar 2011 at 00:42

Firestar_3x said:
A quote from the net saves me from rehashing:

I must stress thats only if the boxster S engine is made the same way, it could also be problems with the head bolts, or heads cracking, either way unless its a simply coolant pipe / rad failure it's going to be an engine out job.

Hey mate,

Definately passing coolant through the engine as the tailpipe is where the sauna is coming from. Apparently quite the steam show!

SB118 · 6 Mar 2011 at 08:57

tommytinkle said:
He rang them, to get towed mate. The guy asked to see the engine when its pretty much IMPOSSIBLE to see the engine on a boxster at the roadside. Hence why the head gasket is around a 26 hour job if both need replacing. You realise there isn't a bonnet you can just POP open yes?

Actually no, most people here aren't the fount of all knowledge on every car. It would never have occurred to me that there wasn't a bonnet/service hatch that would let you view the engine.

Dogbreath · 6 Mar 2011 at 09:49

SB118 said:
Actually no, most people here aren't the fount of all knowledge on every car. It would never have occurred to me that there wasn't a bonnet/service hatch that would let you view the engine.

Me either. Clearly they are so reliable that access for maintenance was considered unnecessary

Spamalot · 6 Mar 2011 at 12:12

SB118 said:
Actually no, most people here aren't the fount of all knowledge on every car. It would never have occurred to me that there wasn't a bonnet/service hatch that would let you view the engine.

A guy came and bought my Boxster yesterday and said "can I see the oily bits?", me; "errr not really".

Still bought it but obviously had no idea.

ganesh · 6 Mar 2011 at 12:23

Spamalot said:
A guy came and bought my Boxster yesterday and said "can I see the oily bits?", me; "errr not really".

Still bought it but obviously had no idea.

How do you check the oil and coolant etc?

Firestar_3x · 6 Mar 2011 at 12:27

Spamalot said:
A guy came and bought my Boxster yesterday and said "can I see the oily bits?", me; "errr not really".

Still bought it but obviously had no idea.

Not exactly the best way to go buy a Porsche, these sort of people are going to end up getting seriously burnt.

Spamalot · 6 Mar 2011 at 12:27

ganesh said:
How do you check the oil and coolant etc?

Very very long dip stick in the boot.

Spamalot · 6 Mar 2011 at 12:32

Firestar_3x said:
Not exactly the best way to go buy a Porsche, these sort of people are going to end up getting seriously burnt.

Tbh most people massively underestimate the cost of these things. It's due a major service and MOT next week. Last time around it cost £2500.

Firestar_3x · 6 Mar 2011 at 12:35

Whilst not cheap that's just the cost of doing business i suppose... However what i find unexceptable / unnerving is the frequency in which Porsches, mainly those around the 1998 - 2001 period, seem to enjoy having new engines fitted.