M96/M97 Lifter fault Porsche tech please

[Gary11]

Can anyone give a timeline please for the "soft metal" problem with the lifters on these engines either in chassis numbers or man dates.I understand its a couple of years.
Thanks
G

[Rockster]

Gary11 said:

Can anyone give a timeline please for the "soft metal" problem with the lifters on these engines either in chassis numbers or man dates.I understand its a couple of years.
Thanks
G

New one on me. I have not come across any 996/997 engine problems related to lifters with soft metal.

Occasionally a new engine will have a lifter problem and the lifter (or lifters) are replaced, or valve spring will break or even a cam will suffer from a flat lobe.

Generally if any of the above happen at all, they happen pretty early on unless the car is simply not used enough to bring out any manufacturing defects.

Do you have any more to go on?

Sincerely,

Rockster.

[sportsandclassic]

Hi, yes seen this fault on 3.6l 996 engines around 7 years ago they must of had a hardness pro lem as the camshaft used to rub through the inlet lifters! Only seen a handful of cases maybe 4 i can recall. All 996 3.6l none on 997 yet!

[gtphile]

I have changed a few of the two stage lifters on inlet of the 996 3.6 due to them sticking on high lift at idle, normally cylinder 5 or 6, have seen them wear right through, and have seen them come apart.

The problem with sticking tappets will bring a check sum error fault up on the dme diagnostics, and put the cel on, not cheap to fix! from memory the inlet tappets are around £60 each!

[sportsandclassic]

gtphile said:

I have changed a few of the two stage lifters on inlet of the 996 3.6 due to them sticking on high lift at idle, normally cylinder 5 or 6, have seen them wear right through, and have seen them come apart.

The problem with sticking tappets will bring a check sum error fault up on the dme diagnostics, and put the cel on, not cheap to fix! from memory the inlet tappets are around £60 each!

Hi, yes you are correct NORMALLY they will store a checksum error in the DME , I would of agreed 100% until around 5 months ago we had a 996 3.6l engine act like it had a faulty lifter but no checksum error! We replaced all 6 on the 4-6 bank as a precaution, only needed 2 of them at the repair time but worth at least doing the whole bank in our opinion.

Mike

[gtphile]

sportsandclassic said:

Hi, yes you are correct NORMALLY they will store a checksum error in the DME , I would of agreed 100% until around 5 months ago we had a 996 3.6l engine act like it had a faulty lifter but no checksum error! We replaced all 6 on the 4-6 bank as a precaution, only needed 2 of them at the repair time but worth at least doing the whole bank in our opinion.

Mike

100% change all tappets on that bank I agree! Interesting to know about the one you had without faults, must remember that!

[Gary11]

Ok Thats a big help,another one to add to the list!Thanks very much.
G