GT4/Spyder engine failures
Discussion
I saw this topic over at pff.de that mentions multiple engine failures in GT4s and Spyders, all with relatively low milage.
https://www.pff.de/porsche/index.php?thread/276471...
Three of them had piston seizures, all on cylinder #4, possibly due to insufficient cooling.
Racing Erich (= Ehresmann Automotive, posting #124 and #131 in that topic) has heard of multiple engine failures defective spark plugs where the electrode breaks off and falls into the cylinder.
My car is going to arrive soon and I wanted to check if there's anything that can be done to prevent this.
https://www.pff.de/porsche/index.php?thread/276471...
Three of them had piston seizures, all on cylinder #4, possibly due to insufficient cooling.
Racing Erich (= Ehresmann Automotive, posting #124 and #131 in that topic) has heard of multiple engine failures defective spark plugs where the electrode breaks off and falls into the cylinder.
My car is going to arrive soon and I wanted to check if there's anything that can be done to prevent this.
swimd said:
I saw this topic over at pff.de that mentions multiple engine failures in GT4s and Spyders, all with relatively low milage.
https://www.pff.de/porsche/index.php?thread/276471...
Three of them had piston seizures, all on cylinder #4, possibly due to insufficient cooling.
Racing Erich (= Ehresmann Automotive, posting #124 and #131 in that topic) has heard of multiple engine failures defective spark plugs where the electrode breaks off and falls into the cylinder.
My car is going to arrive soon and I wanted to check if there's anything that can be done to prevent this.
Very worrying. I thought the latest Porsche DFI engines have done a great deal to significantly reduce the dreaded engine failures that have been seen on 996, Gen 1 997 & earlier Boxster & Caymen. Scored bores etc Poor cooling seems to have been a contributing factor to earlier engines (hence some owners fitted low temp thermostats). The guys at Hartech have done quite a bit of research in this area (plenty of reading material on their web site). I'am sure I read somewhere that Porsche had a challenge wrt cooling the 911 engine that is fitted to the GT4 & 981 Spyder due to space.https://www.pff.de/porsche/index.php?thread/276471...
Three of them had piston seizures, all on cylinder #4, possibly due to insufficient cooling.
Racing Erich (= Ehresmann Automotive, posting #124 and #131 in that topic) has heard of multiple engine failures defective spark plugs where the electrode breaks off and falls into the cylinder.
My car is going to arrive soon and I wanted to check if there's anything that can be done to prevent this.
Your GT4 will have a three year Porsche warranty which will cover replacement engine in the event of a full engine failure (but some folk maybe put off buying a used porker with a refitted engine. Its a bit like some people would be put off buying a house that has been treated for subsidence). Personally, when my Spyder lands I shall be following careful running-in which may help (under 4K revs for first 2000 miles).
woollyjoe said:
The engine is in a different place. Mid engines notoriously harder to cool. Not saying that's why - just that this is the main difference.
I always thought Porsche had such long gearing on purpose to limit the amount of revs through the engine. Day to day driving won't see 8k revs as we tend to change around 4k revs. When we do run it out, it is very rare because you are at illegal speeds on the road in second gear.
You're making me depressed reading that! Very rare that we'll 'run it out' ? Are you a policeman?I always thought Porsche had such long gearing on purpose to limit the amount of revs through the engine. Day to day driving won't see 8k revs as we tend to change around 4k revs. When we do run it out, it is very rare because you are at illegal speeds on the road in second gear.
C'mon chaps... go and drive the thing! Ive done 500 miles this week on some of Wales' best roads plus Evo triangle etc etc and rev'd it to about 8k about 100 times having now done 2000 miles in 4 weeks of ownership!
I heard about these engines failing about 6 months ago, so to me this is old news... I had a 996 C4S a few years ago, fitted the low temp thermo etc and had no issues. Only about 5% of cars were affected where the IMS was an issue. You'll only hear about the bad stuff so a couple of failed engines is nothing normal and to be expected.
Worrying about it and pampering your car won't make a blind bit of difference.
just had a read of some of the pff thread with attention to post 124 and it appears to be early engines suffering with sparkplug/coilpack failure and not engine specific!
so I would not worry too much as dfi engine is pretty proven and you now have gt4 clubsport which any problems would show up in racing!
just to add no failures posted since last year and perhaps some one who is better than me at techy things can translate,copy,paste,racing erich post 124
so I would not worry too much as dfi engine is pretty proven and you now have gt4 clubsport which any problems would show up in racing!
just to add no failures posted since last year and perhaps some one who is better than me at techy things can translate,copy,paste,racing erich post 124
Edited by GT4P on Thursday 7th April 18:12
GT4P said:
just to add no failures posted since last year and perhaps some one who is better than me at techy things can translate,copy,paste,racing erich post 124
I wish. Posting #238/#250 from 30. March 2016 reported another replacement engine. Started out as misfires on Cylinder #4, he had injectors, coilpack and sparkplugs replaced under warranty, problem persisted and then they found a seized piston.Posting #97 claims that he/she has heard of more than 10 engine failures. Various other posters question that, then Ehresmann (#116) steps in and says that not everyone with an engine failure posts about it.
I have to say that I get an uneasy feeling from this.
Fokker said:
You're making me depressed reading that! Very rare that we'll 'run it out' ? Are you a policeman?
C'mon chaps... go and drive the thing! Ive done 500 miles this week on some of Wales' best roads plus Evo triangle etc etc and rev'd it to about 8k about 100 times having now done 2000 miles in 4 weeks of ownership!
I heard about these engines failing about 6 months ago, so to me this is old news... I had a 996 C4S a few years ago, fitted the low temp thermo etc and had no issues. Only about 5% of cars were affected where the IMS was an issue. You'll only hear about the bad stuff so a couple of failed engines is nothing normal and to be expected.
Worrying about it and pampering your car won't make a blind bit of difference.
Good man I'm now on 3k miles and got spa this weekend !!C'mon chaps... go and drive the thing! Ive done 500 miles this week on some of Wales' best roads plus Evo triangle etc etc and rev'd it to about 8k about 100 times having now done 2000 miles in 4 weeks of ownership!
I heard about these engines failing about 6 months ago, so to me this is old news... I had a 996 C4S a few years ago, fitted the low temp thermo etc and had no issues. Only about 5% of cars were affected where the IMS was an issue. You'll only hear about the bad stuff so a couple of failed engines is nothing normal and to be expected.
Worrying about it and pampering your car won't make a blind bit of difference.
GT4P said:
Trev450 said:
ags11 said:
Forgive my ignorance, but why would the 3.8 be harder to cool than the 3.4?
More power equals greater heat generation.It's all speculation, I'm just interested in the concept.
Andrew911 said:
Very worrying. I thought the latest Porsche DFI engines have done a great deal to significantly reduce the dreaded engine failures that have been seen on 996, Gen 1 997 & earlier Boxster & Caymen. Scored bores etc Poor cooling seems to have been a contributing factor to earlier engines (hence some owners fitted low temp thermostats). The guys at Hartech have done quite a bit of research in this area (plenty of reading material on their web site). I'am sure I read somewhere that Porsche had a challenge wrt cooling the 911 engine that is fitted to the GT4 & 981 Spyder due to space.
Your GT4 will have a three year Porsche warranty which will cover replacement engine in the event of a full engine failure (but some folk maybe put off buying a used porker with a refitted engine. Its a bit like some people would be put off buying a house that has been treated for subsidence). Personally, when my Spyder lands I shall be following careful running-in which may help (under 4K revs for first 2000 miles).
spoil yourself, as per Mr D's Porsche info , you can go up to 4200 rpm for the first 2000 milesYour GT4 will have a three year Porsche warranty which will cover replacement engine in the event of a full engine failure (but some folk maybe put off buying a used porker with a refitted engine. Its a bit like some people would be put off buying a house that has been treated for subsidence). Personally, when my Spyder lands I shall be following careful running-in which may help (under 4K revs for first 2000 miles).
Edited by Akajak on Friday 8th April 02:04
Johnd52 said:
A new gt4 owner told me that he had quite restrictive and checkable running in instructions from Porsche.. Are they being careful?
I have heard buyers being told they dont need to run them in and just drive the nuts off it. And of course many buyers ignore running in anyway.And besides, IF there is a fundamental issue, like insufficient cooling, its not like running it in differently will fix it!
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