- Joined
- Jan 3, 2009
- Messages
- 12
- Reaction score
- 8
- Points
- 3
- Location
- Herefordshire
- Website
- www.danarmstrongmusic.co.uk
Well, while I'm not back in the Audi yet, it seems like a great time to post about my current car - the Porsche 996 Carrera 4.
Coming through the ranks of various "sporty" cars, (a couple of modded Scoobs, a MK5 Golf GTI, an Audi S4, 306 GTi6), it was only when I went to a Ferrari dealership and sat in a 911 (!) that I started wondering. I've always preferred AWD/4WD to FWD or RWD: I live in the countryside. Winters are tough and the roads are rubbish. I also like the reassurance for when Wifey is driving.
The hunt took a while (to the point where some people on 911uk.com thought I was just a time-waster!) - I really did my homework as the water-cooled Porsches have a bit of a reputation. An expensive reputation. But I forged ahead and looked at 9 in total - ranging from cabriolets, manual, Tiptronics Carrera 2 vs Carrera 4 etc, just to see what would fit the bill.
I have a very patient wife who eventually helped me find this one - down by Guilford (I live between Cardiff & Birmingham, so a bit of a trek). Had it checked out and aside from few minor things, the car was given a clean bill of health. Bought it.
The drive back was great - always nice to find those lines on a car you'd not seen before (similar to the bonnet scoop on the Scoob from the driving position) - that rear quarter is fantastic.
All was going well for 6 months, until I took it in for it's major service, expecting a bill of about £500. The garage declined to work on the car saying it needed a rebuild due to piston-slap. A £10k bill. I was in shock.
Trying to decide what to do was a challenge - all the research and checking to ensure this very thing didn't take place was to no avail. I thought I'd covered all angles.
To explain the issue - and this affects most water-cooled Porsches, but the focus is on the 911s. Specifically the
So, what's the problem and how's it caused?
Simply put, Porsche didn't provide good-enough cooling to all the pistons. By the time the coolant gets to piston 5 & 6, the coolant is very warm, thus causing issues:
D-chunking, ovalling of the cylinder and piston-slap.
It is meant to affect the 3.6l more, thus making the earlier 3.4 (subjectively) safer choice.
Needless to say, mine had it all - on the 3.4
Cue a trip to Hartech up in Bolton, where Grant and Barry made it all go away - for a LOT of money. As can be seen from the one piston, it was FUBAR'D.
They channel out the engine to create a larger flow for coolant, change the liners and pistons. They also put on an additional low temp thermostat and while there for good measure, they check the other weak area which is the IMS bearing and shaft.
If either of these go, it's instant game over and a BIG rebuild.
Thankfully, mine were fine, but I got them changed for more robust items
If you go to Porsche with the problem, they simply swap out the engine - that to this day HAS THE SAME ISSUES!
Ironically, you say "Hartech" or "rebuild" to some people and they run a mile and would prefer to go to Porsche. Personally, I wouldn't touch an earlier Porsche that hasn't been worked on by Hartech (although there are other rebuilders out there too).
From this point on, and so early in the ownership, I had a choice to cut my losses and run or keep it. As you can guess, I kept it. Why wouldn't you?
"Oh no, my car for the next few years is a sorted Porsche 911. How will I cope?"
TBH, I didn't expect to keep it as long as I did - coming up to it's 10th year. The simple reason is that it has been brilliant. It's very quick (some 320ish BHP), I still look back at it in a carpark, and it's a great drive. I've really struggled to find a suitable replacement. Until this last year or so.
Now due to the pandemic, I held off as there were bigger concerns.
But I did go and try S5s (V8 & V6), M4, C63. I'm tempted by the the RS5, but personally I think the biggest issue with the RS5 is the V6 S5 and it's mod-ability: similar power gains for less money and running costs.
So in the meantime, I'm the in Porsche, driving it while it's on the market. Enjoying it while it's on the market. I can think of worse cars to be driving while waiting for my next car
It will be missed, but it won't be my last Porsche.
However, it's time for someone else to enjoy the car - knowing that the big expensive pitfalls have been sorted
Dano
Coming through the ranks of various "sporty" cars, (a couple of modded Scoobs, a MK5 Golf GTI, an Audi S4, 306 GTi6), it was only when I went to a Ferrari dealership and sat in a 911 (!) that I started wondering. I've always preferred AWD/4WD to FWD or RWD: I live in the countryside. Winters are tough and the roads are rubbish. I also like the reassurance for when Wifey is driving.
The hunt took a while (to the point where some people on 911uk.com thought I was just a time-waster!) - I really did my homework as the water-cooled Porsches have a bit of a reputation. An expensive reputation. But I forged ahead and looked at 9 in total - ranging from cabriolets, manual, Tiptronics Carrera 2 vs Carrera 4 etc, just to see what would fit the bill.
I have a very patient wife who eventually helped me find this one - down by Guilford (I live between Cardiff & Birmingham, so a bit of a trek). Had it checked out and aside from few minor things, the car was given a clean bill of health. Bought it.
The drive back was great - always nice to find those lines on a car you'd not seen before (similar to the bonnet scoop on the Scoob from the driving position) - that rear quarter is fantastic.
All was going well for 6 months, until I took it in for it's major service, expecting a bill of about £500. The garage declined to work on the car saying it needed a rebuild due to piston-slap. A £10k bill. I was in shock.
Trying to decide what to do was a challenge - all the research and checking to ensure this very thing didn't take place was to no avail. I thought I'd covered all angles.
To explain the issue - and this affects most water-cooled Porsches, but the focus is on the 911s. Specifically the
- 996.1 3.4l (fried-egg headlights)
- 996.2 3.6l (bigger fried-egg headlights)
- 997.1 3.6l (oval/traditional headlights)
So, what's the problem and how's it caused?
Simply put, Porsche didn't provide good-enough cooling to all the pistons. By the time the coolant gets to piston 5 & 6, the coolant is very warm, thus causing issues:
D-chunking, ovalling of the cylinder and piston-slap.
It is meant to affect the 3.6l more, thus making the earlier 3.4 (subjectively) safer choice.
Needless to say, mine had it all - on the 3.4
Cue a trip to Hartech up in Bolton, where Grant and Barry made it all go away - for a LOT of money. As can be seen from the one piston, it was FUBAR'D.
They channel out the engine to create a larger flow for coolant, change the liners and pistons. They also put on an additional low temp thermostat and while there for good measure, they check the other weak area which is the IMS bearing and shaft.
If either of these go, it's instant game over and a BIG rebuild.
Thankfully, mine were fine, but I got them changed for more robust items
If you go to Porsche with the problem, they simply swap out the engine - that to this day HAS THE SAME ISSUES!
Ironically, you say "Hartech" or "rebuild" to some people and they run a mile and would prefer to go to Porsche. Personally, I wouldn't touch an earlier Porsche that hasn't been worked on by Hartech (although there are other rebuilders out there too).
From this point on, and so early in the ownership, I had a choice to cut my losses and run or keep it. As you can guess, I kept it. Why wouldn't you?
"Oh no, my car for the next few years is a sorted Porsche 911. How will I cope?"
TBH, I didn't expect to keep it as long as I did - coming up to it's 10th year. The simple reason is that it has been brilliant. It's very quick (some 320ish BHP), I still look back at it in a carpark, and it's a great drive. I've really struggled to find a suitable replacement. Until this last year or so.
Now due to the pandemic, I held off as there were bigger concerns.
But I did go and try S5s (V8 & V6), M4, C63. I'm tempted by the the RS5, but personally I think the biggest issue with the RS5 is the V6 S5 and it's mod-ability: similar power gains for less money and running costs.
So in the meantime, I'm the in Porsche, driving it while it's on the market. Enjoying it while it's on the market. I can think of worse cars to be driving while waiting for my next car
It will be missed, but it won't be my last Porsche.
However, it's time for someone else to enjoy the car - knowing that the big expensive pitfalls have been sorted
Dano
