Mr.Mike111

Hello All,

I had a very unfortunate situation happen this past Sunday, would love any input that could be provided. So quick background, I purchased this 2004 C4S in February. It had 73k miles, IMS solution done and had a good PPI and boroscope performed, everything checked out. I drove it from Orange county down to where I live in San Diego, got a fresh liquimolly oil change and oil analysis done and everything looked good there.

Since then I've put about 800 miles on the car with zero issues. I always start it, drive right away, and don't go hard/shift past 3k until oil is at operating temp.

This Sunday I was driving the car, engine was at temp and I went to shift from 2nd to 3rd about about 4k. Once I made the shift, I heard the worst sound you could imagine, like if the engine was dropped in a garbage disposal. All lights lit up, lost power, cruised to a safe spot, did try to turn over again but it failed.

Any ideas as to what I could have experienced? I've had the fear of bore scoring since before I even took ownership, and feel that that would not happen as sudden as this occured. Also, as mentioned prior, IMS was taken care of.

Please provide any input, hoping it's not full engine failure. If that is the case, if anyone can recommend what people do in that situation i.e. options for rebuild/standard price? Sell as a roller? etc.

Thanks,

Mike

DBJoe996

Sit down and breath, then open your wallet. Get it diagnosed first by a reputable Porsche mechanic.

wildbilly32

Bore scoring wouldn't normally make that noise or the lock-up you wrote about. Don't try to start it again. Drop the pan and look for junk in the pan. I understand you say the car has The Solution, but the IMSB failure sound has been described as "Marbles rattling around in a tin can." Did it sound like that?

TexSquirrel

Could be many things.
But what comes to mind first is a broken timing chain.
I agree with Wildbilly32, drop the pan and take a look.
Your options depend upon what you find.

Mr.Mike111

Didn't necessarily sound like marbles in a can. Timing chain was mechanics guess before going tearing it apart as well. What sort of damage would I be looking at if it is timing chain?

Dr_Strangelove

If this is true and you didn't mistakenly call the IMS Retrofit the "solution" (not meaning to insult your intelligence - this mistake happens often on here,) then you wouldn't have any marbles to shake up your can, anyhow.

yelcab

You need a new engine if the timing chain let go.

Mr.Mike111

If it is that, is this something that a PPI should've caught?

TexSquirrel

Broken timing chain means the engine is not worth rebuilding.
PPI won't find that normally.
But usually a timing chain breaks at idle.

Mr.Mike111

Appreciate the information, and I'll just see what things look like once they can fully diag. If we are looking at absolute worst case scenario, meaning new engine etc. Should I be expecting a $30k bill, more/less?

gbarron

Were the cam deviation numbers checked/recorded during the PPI? Engine over revs? Oil filter removed and inspected? Oil sampling performed? How was the bore scoring inspection done (via spark plug holes or oil pan removed)?

Mr.Mike111

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I'm not sure on cam deviation numbers checked, but this is the PPI. The over revs were checked, the oil filter was checked, boroscope was done via the spark plug holes

meirschwartz

You will not be able to tell more before dropping the sump and inspecting what’s in there.
if it’s the timing chain, there is no way to find it during a standard PPI.

Chris(MA)

Spark plug holes are not the best place to check for scoring as it starts on the skirt. Having said that bore scoring won't make the engine go boom like that. It sounds like timing chain, i might be wrong but i think it's been posted here 3.6 engines have more failure prone timing chains than 3.4 engines, someone else might comfirm

TexSquirrel

Correct, all of above.
From what I've been told, 2002 are the worst at breaking timing chains.
But any 996 can break one.