My 996 engine went 'pop', then dumped all its oil !!
My 996 engine went 'pop', then dumped all its oil !!
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16610LV

Original Poster:

311 posts

245 months

Wednesday 2nd May 2007
quotequote all
Started the car at station car park a couple of days ago and heard a loud 'pop' as I was slowly pulling away. Thought a tyre had blown, as the steering went really heavy suddenly. As I pulled in to another parking bay - loads of smoke from engine and then noticed the oil all over the car park floor as I got out.

Still being looked at by OPC. At least I have a warranty and Porsche Assist were very quick with recovery/replacement car.

Very pissed off as the car had just (a week ago) got back from repairs - water pump, oil separator and spark plug tubes!

I suppose it may be an intermediate shaft failure. Hopefully they give me a new engine. Could a cock-up during the earlier repairs have led to this, or am I just unlucky?

trickywoo

14,242 posts

260 months

Wednesday 2nd May 2007
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16610LV said:
Could a cock-up during the earlier repairs have led to this, or am I just unlucky?



I'd put money on that being the case. They are never going to admit to it though.

rude-boy

22,227 posts

263 months

Wednesday 2nd May 2007
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To be fair though it might not have been a 'cock up,' just a case of something that was hanging on by the skin of it's teeth in the first place being put under higher pressures or strains due to the new parts and finally giving up the ghost. Not got any facts of figures to back it up but I’d say that the majority of mechanical failures on any car, or other complex product, occur within a very short space of time from when someone last had their fingers prodding it.

16610LV

Original Poster:

311 posts

245 months

Wednesday 2nd May 2007
quotequote all
...still haven't heard back from the OPC. So have no idea what the problem is yet.

DucatiGary

7,765 posts

255 months

Wednesday 2nd May 2007
quotequote all
16610LV said:

Very pissed off as the car had just (a week ago) got back from repairs - water pump, oil separator and spark plug tubes!

Could a cock-up during the earlier repairs have led to this, or am I just unlucky?


feeling for you mate, I hope you dont find out its a similiar case of what happend to me, OPC work, didnt screw somthing back on right, 2 weeks later pop bang and the dealer principle held his hand in the air, shaking his head muttering the words "not my problem"

hope you get it fixed up soon.

16610LV

Original Poster:

311 posts

245 months

Wednesday 2nd May 2007
quotequote all
UPDATE - It turns out that the problem was a massive power steering fluid leak and not engine oil at all! Could have fooled me (from the amount of smoke seeming to come out of the engine)! Anyway, that explains why the steering went very heavy straight after the popping sound.

They've ordered new parts, etc. Under warranty of course.

So, the engine is fine!! Good news, as I had always been impressed by how strongly it pulled, with very little oil useage.

SNDa

1,107 posts

238 months

Wednesday 2nd May 2007
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:sighofrelief:

rude-boy

22,227 posts

263 months

Wednesday 2nd May 2007
quotequote all
16610LV said:
UPDATE - the problem was a massive power steering fluid leak.


Glad to hear nothing too serious or costly then.

This stuff seems to me to be very wierd. My old Audi dumped it's entire reservoir one night, with no apparent leaks or reason, filled it back up with new stuff and never had a problem in the 10k odd miles i did in it before i sold it.

benaldo

393 posts

257 months

Wednesday 2nd May 2007
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Just my 'engine failure' left then.....

Well done on the positive outcome - did they say how much it would have cost if you didn't have the warranty ? It's always good to know if the warranty paid for itself or not.

16610LV

Original Poster:

311 posts

245 months

Wednesday 2nd May 2007
quotequote all
benaldo said:
Just my 'engine failure' left then.....

Well done on the positive outcome - did they say how much it would have cost if you didn't have the warranty ? It's always good to know if the warranty paid for itself or not.

...best of luck with your issue too! I'll ask the OPC about the cost of the required repairs to my car. Thing is, the fluid that came out all over the car park was black and fairly thick looking - certainly didn't look like power steering fluid to me!

Maybe the OPC is covering up a botched earlier oil separator repair with this story?! Or can PS fluid look like engine oil?

sportsandclassic

3,774 posts

248 months

Thursday 3rd May 2007
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996 Engine 3.4L is £9500 plus labour at OPC rate £1200 plus Coolant £125

= £10825 plus VAT !!!!

£825 Warranty is a NO BRAINER !!

Mike

Sports and classic

anonymous-user

84 months

Thursday 3rd May 2007
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sportsandclassic said:

£825 Warranty is a NO BRAINER !!


well that depends how likely you are to need a new engine. if porsche make a healthy profit on them its far from a no brainer. i bet porsches waranty dept are secretly quite happy with 996's reputation for self destruction.

diesel130

1,549 posts

242 months

Thursday 3rd May 2007
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sportsandclassic said:
£825 Warranty is a NO BRAINER !!


Unfortunately it's now £895. Still a no brainer for me ... but each to their own ... I mean if you always have £10K lying around in case of emergency, could be worth a gamble.

wanta996

5,622 posts

237 months

Thursday 3rd May 2007
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Its the first car that i have known of that requires a yearly £895 fund - And yes i will be paying it threw fear! LOL, may i add i have never felt the need to pay such a fee with any other car i have had.