Generally the best rebuild engine candidate is the engine...

Has anyone had any dealings with Motor Mieister in CA. They say that if you didn't drive your car without losing all your oil during an IMS failure that the engine is still fixable.They claim that they can tear down the whole engine check every part, put in a new ceramic bearing, replace any damaged parts if required and away you go. All this for around $5,000. The theory is that most of the metal shavings are caught in the first stage filters and that in most cases the engine is saved from major damage.This is quite contrary to what the dealers tell you.......they say a new engine is required at a much bigger expense. Are the dealers with holding information about the possibility of rebuilding these damaged engines or are they just in the business of full replacement?

No personal, first hand experience, but there is no shortage of information on Motor Meister available on numerous Porsche forums...none of it good, I'm afraid:
[forums.pelicanparts.com]

Pretty scary, actually.

Regards, Maurice.

+1 on second hand info about motor builder past history of poor performance...just sayin'
Personally I would do an engine swap to upgrade the power and reliability...

Best of luck

Roy Turner
Phoenix, AZ
2002 Boxster S Cobalt/Blk/Blk

Quote
getready
Has anyone had any dealings with Motor Mieister in CA. They say that if you didn't drive your car without losing all your oil during an IMS failure that the engine is still fixable.They claim that they can tear down the whole engine check every part, put in a new ceramic bearing, replace any damaged parts if required and away you go. All this for around $5,000. The theory is that most of the metal shavings are caught in the first stage filters and that in most cases the engine is saved from major damage.This is quite contrary to what the dealers tell you.......they say a new engine is required at a much bigger expense. Are the dealers with holding information about the possibility of rebuilding these damaged engines or are they just in the business of full replacement?

Oh, first no personal experience with the shop you asked about.

Anyhow, several years ago I encountered a 996 engine at a dealer service department torn down with obvious IMS bearing failure signs. (I have pics.)

In talking with the Porsche tech he told me that Porsche does authorize engine teardown/rebuild if the engine is covered by warranty (at least) and provided the engine meets certain requirements that make the engine a good rebuild candidate.

The basic engine must be sound. An engine that suffered overheating, loss of oil, structural failure (cracked block) and so on arising from IMS bearing failure or any other internal failure, is not a viable rebuild candidate.

Beyond the above, the IMS damage must not have resulted in metal debris making it into the "clean" side of the engine's oiling system. The oil scavage pumps are removed and if there is any metal debris/trash found...the engine is toast.

In this engine's case the clean side of the oiling system was free of debris, even though the IMS bearing had shed considerable metal particles as the bearing balls/races deterioriated.

There was one cracked/broken chain guide/tensioner. A piece of the composite plastic covering had come loose from the violence of the chain movement arising from the increased play due to the IMS bearing failing. The rest of the engine's internals, bearings, pistons, rings, valve lifter bucket tops, cam lobes, other chain tensioner/guides, everything else, looked ok and all items were reused.

Now it may be Porsche has rescinded this permission to rebuild engines for various reasons. Maybe the engines didn't last. But based on my impression I gained from talking with this tech it can't be due in all case to incompetent techs. The one I spoke with was very experienced. He had an amazing/impressive grasp of engine rebuilding.

In your case it will take a very knowledgeable tech to determine if your engine's a good candidate to be rebuilt. The longer these engines are run with a sick IMS bearing the less likely they'll be in a condition to be rebuilt.

If you want the name of the dealer at which I encountered the tech I mentioned, and the tech's name, send me an email. His service manager might be willing to let you talk to him about your situation and advise you of your engine's viability to be rebuilt, whether you elect to have it done at this dealer or some other shop. I can't make any promises though you'll be able to speak with the tech. It is up to the service manager and the tech.

Sincerely,

MarcW.

If you associate with the racing / track crowd in PCA you will find superb local shops. Attend some tech sessions.

In fact, these motors are very durable, aside from the occasional boom. So get a solid used one; swap the IMS while its on a bench, and proceed.

Where are you? I know several here in sunny New Jersey.

Grant

Grant

gee-lenahan-at-gee-mail-dot-com

that was in the car, unless the engine is past the point of no return.

If the engine expires from an IMSB failure as long as the collateral damage is not severe, and the engine is otherwise ok to resurrect, the owner knows the engine never ran out of oil, never overheated, never experienced a money shift, did not have any block or head leaks, and so on.

With a used engine, unless the buyer knows the used engine's history and condition as well or better than he knows his current engine's history and condition, he's better off with his current engine. Also there is no question the engine will when it is time to go back in the car, will fit just fine, that all of the wiring/fuel and other lines will hook up with no problems.

Sincerely,

MarcW.

.. unlikely a ruined lock, but LOTS of carnage from what i've seen.

But if it is rebuild=able, i agree with Marc.

Grant

Grant

gee-lenahan-at-gee-mail-dot-com

good morning...

would your knowledge of 'superb local shops' extend to Southern Ohio - specifically the Columbus/Cincinnati/Dayton triangle? I have reached the stage of Boxster ownership where my time to depart the comforting but golden confines of the main dealership may have come...they have been more than fair to me over the years but their overhead sure is high...

TIA, hope the shoulder heals soon...

Dealers, unfortunately, rate poorly on pretty much all counts in my experience. A combination of marginal work, minimal communications and hgih prices does not endear them to me.

Grant

Grant

gee-lenahan-at-gee-mail-dot-com

[kraftwerksperformance.com]

Jeff

I know he's done one IMS replacement and is currently rebuilding a '99' --IIRC--to be a track car.
Nice guy, knowledgeable and very connected with the Mid-OH region club, if you need references.
His shop is off 71 near the Rt 61 exchange, a bit north of Columbus.

thanks to both...will do

Grant

gee-lenahan-at-gee-mail-dot-com