Boxster Trouble

I just went out to the garage to take my 1997 Boxster out for the first drive of the season. I was greeted with a big puddle of oil under the car. I checked the oil, and it only seemed to be down about half a quart. Still, I left it parked until I can get it up on a lift to investigate the leak.

The car is a 2.5L '97 model with +/- 90K miles on it and I over maintain it. It's had the Rear Main Seal update, and I run Mobil 1 5W40 synthetic oil.

I've read a lot about M96 engine failures and I fear that the Intermediate Shaft cover is leaking. This would mean, based on what I've read (Excellence Magazine issue #170 & the June '11 issue of GT Porsche), that the IMS bearing has failed.

When it's running, it makes no untoward noises, the "check engine" light is not on, and it seems to run just fine.

Does anyone have any real, hands-on experience with these engines? Can the intermediate shaft bearing be changed to the updated version without disassembling the engine?

It's upset because you are just getting around to the first drive of the season when it has been nice for months.

M030 wrote: Does anyone have any real, hands-on experience with these engines? Can the intermediate shaft bearing be changed to the updated version without disassembling the engine?

Sorta.

Call these guys for help!

The noise is the water pump 99% sure only roars a little at high rpm's,but you should be able to here it at idle too.Now the oil take that synthetic oil OUT all Porsche owners know they are built to run real motor oil(10w 30) and synthetic causes leaks everywhere and its bad for the engine. Hope this helps if not your welcome to call me.I can talk faster than I type.lol

Don't they have a problem with the oil tank as well? You may want to check that out.

speedbiu wrote: The noise is the water pump 99% sure only roars a little at high rpm's,but you should be able to here it at idle too.Now the oil take that synthetic oil OUT all Porsche owners know they are built to run real motor oil(10w 30) and synthetic causes leaks everywhere and its bad for the engine. Hope this helps if not your welcome to call me.I can talk faster than I type.lol

What? My 2004 Boxster has a "uses Mobil 1 synthetic" sticker on it right from new. I think the problem is nothing to worry about unless it is ongoing, like a puddle every time it's parked.

In reply to speedbiu:

There's no noise, just a big puddle of oil. Engine seems to run fine.

In reply to Maroon92:

Thanks for the link. LN Engineering explains, on their website, that an early engine like mine does need to be fully disassembled to change the IMS bearing.

Now I just have to hope that's not the problem...

A guy in my club just did his IMS and it was around $1700 all in including the LNE kit. Could also be your RMS leaking?

Woody wrote: Don't they have a problem with the oil tank as well? You may want to check that out.

My bad; that was coolant tanks. Carry on.

In reply to johnnytorque:

Could be, but the rear main seal was replaced with Porsche's "updated" rear main seal about a year ago. At this point, I really hope that's what's leaking!

UPDATE:

I sent an email to Flat 6 Innovations through their website this (Sunday) morning. The body of my email was almost exactly what I wrote in my first post.

Within minutes I got a reply from Jake Raby, the president of the company, telling me not to start the car again, and that it it IS possible to change the intermediate shaft bearing without disassembling the engine.

I'm not affiliated with them in any way, but I want to plug Flat 6 Innovations here, because I'm so impressed that Jake Raby himself not only replied, but did so quickly and on a Sunday morning. I will definitely be buying the tools and parts to fix my car from them.