In Spain in our Soloporsche.com community, we are trying to give a solid step against the M96 engine failures. First of all we are compiling several dozens of IMS failures well documented. All of them are soloporsche users. We have opened some threads to get more information. Porsche AG workers had the chance to come into this discussion as anonymus user, to explain us about real percentage and what they really know. (Soloporsche admin are checking the real personality to avoid trolls) Are people suffering hysteria? No they aren't. We have lot of friends with engine failures and we know that the M96 engine is a complete design error. Engineers, Porsche Motorsport division, Mechanical experts, told us the real thing. Wendelin Wiedeking is the principal responsible. He tried to rise Porsche profits and order to develop a new platform (M96) to susbtitute air cooled family. This engine was developed half time, and half budget as it needed. Porsche was in troubles and Boxster and 996 were two new models to be the angular stone for a new era of benefits. Low cost materials, an IMS that never was to be born (as the new DFI engines), disalingment shaft problems, different expansion coefficient materials, low cost alluminun frame, a shaft that works in a false steel case that is closed in a twin alluminun cases,... Engines derived from GT1 block as GT3, GT3 RS GT2, TT were too expensive to produce. If they would decided to produce a light version of this block to be placed in Carrera models, surely would be the best decision, because we´ll never heard anything about blown engines. Besides it would cause a huge decrease of Porsche accounts due to the high cost of this platform. Porsche AG left this problem run until they changed the M97 engine for the new family without IMS, DFI, etc. They passed 11 years, so much time keeping the wrong thing. Meanwhile, there are a pile of blown engines in Porsche history, and whats more, there are a pile that are going to fail. I prefer to listen Porsche experts, not urban legends. I'm always talking about this with real arguments. I'm a bit tired to read that they are a very small percentage, and what we have to do, is to enjoy our cars. I've seen several failures with my eyes! What would you think if a Porsche expert engineer tells you that the best thing to prevent the failure, is to reinforce the IMS with a solid kit? (I don't sell anything, I don't have any commercial interest) What can we do if you're out of warranty? Pay for a reman engine or throw the car to the river from a bridge. Porsche should give us a new engine everytime It happens. We are trying to compile more data and some soloporsche people want to go to the justice court. Everyone know that It's too difficult to prove that It's a failed design, opposite a Judge, but we are very ungry to read a blown engine everyweek in our small Soloporsche comunity. I enjoy driving my 996, I love it and I want to keep on with it for many years. I reinforced the IMS with a hand made kit, use a racing lubricant, etc In Soloporsche, an expert motor engineer is developing a solution but It won't be ready yet because It's a critical idea and needs several test, but It would be probably the IMS 100% guard. Nevertheless there were thousand of failures here in Rennlist, Renntech, 6Speedonline, Pistonheads, Rennteam, and so on. We have lots of articles published in Total 911, Excellence, GT Purely Porsche magazines talking about this. We want to get a good finish, and join efforts to solve this embarrased problem. All your contributions will be welcome. Does anyone know a jugdgment that condemned Porsche AG? Joaquin
How I came to know this forum existed. Joaquín, This is your exact same letter I read on GT Purely Porsche that made me aware this forum existed. I joined right away. I own a 2006 Carrera S with X51 Powerkit and it was a car I ordered at the dealer to my exact specification. I plan on keeping it for many years and thus have a great interest in this particular subject of engine failures due to the IMS. Have you seen failures on the M97/01 and M97/01S engines so far? My motor has the last revision of the IMS done in the 2006 year model and it's allegedly a lot less prone to this failure than the cars from 2005 and earlier 996 models. The downside is that an IMS retrofit of commercially available parts is not possible as the case would have to come apart, unlike the 2005 997s and 996s which can have those retrofitted. I will keep my eye on this thread then.
Porsche 996 and 997 engine failure with non-dry sump engines is like playing Russian roulette, I'm afraid. There's no guarantee it can't crop up in even the most pampered cars. That's what happens when a builder of sports cars quits campaigning and instead marketing and financial objectives take over in the board room. Interestingly enough, we don't see any comparable engine failures from Audi, who have continued to campaign their platforms year after year at Le Mans. Former Porsche Motorsport director and now Audi CEO, Ferdinand Piech, wouldn't have it any other way!
Hi. I am in Portugal and in 2004 my 996 from 1999 blown the engine. Car had 53.000Km when it happened and had all the mantainace made by the book, without one single over rev on the ECU. Sent several letters to Porsche Spain and to the Factory too. Didn´t get any help from Porsche and had to buy a rebuild engine from them. The bill was almost 10.000eur including a new clucth and two years warranty on the engine. I sold the car just after this episode. There are several stories of blown engine here in Portugal in Boxster and 996. I personaly know some of them apart from my own. Just three months ago, we had a Dyno day between friends organised by Porschefans.com (Portuguese Porsche forum) and there were few Porsche on the Dyno. One of the 996 blow the engine while making the dyno test, it was frustrating for all of us, it was the IMS that failed. Owner was devasted to see see just in front of his own eyes the engine blowing. I have some pictures of this event, my 997.2 S was there for the dyno day too. Ever since 1997 I´ve been on Rennlist, Rennteam, 6speed and in some other Porsche forum, and the stories of blown engine thrue out the years has been constant. Can´t really understand how Porsche during so many years didn´t manage to solve the M96 engine problems. Shame on you Porsche. J.Seven
