Help with Tough Decision (memoirs of a track newb)

[ninjabones]

catchacab wrote:

Glen,

I have been thinking about the Boxster, and although they have been tracked successfully for years there have are a number of areas that can lead to engine failure in the 986/987/996/997 series. The Rear Main Seal issue should be of little concern compared to these problems.

1. Intermediate Shaft failure (IMS)

2. engine block failure generally confined to the 1998-9 model years

3. The oiling system is not a true dry sump, like their air-cooled brothers. (After losing two engines due to this, I will only track a true dry sump engine, or one that has been tested like the 997 MKII engine) Air induction into the oiling system can lead to premature failure of your engine, fixes are available (deepened and baffled sumps (Brey-Krauss, Mantis), having additional oil pick up fabricated and placed. There is also a problem with the oil/air separator. Go to the Cayman Club and look up smoking caymen (especially at the track).

What is your source for a $3K engine replacement? New replacement engines from PCNA I believe go for about $10-14K

I know that some find PCM and the inability to left foot brake a hindrance on the track. A Cayman guy I know that club races has had problems with the ABS in his Cayman, and had to upgrade it to a Porsche Motorsport ABS unit.

These are just some things that I have seen. But still these water cooled cars can be successfully tracked, you just need to have all the information before making your decision. I know you are active on RL, search and keep you eyes open there and ask a ton of questions, there is a lot of info to be found there, in addition to our local club.

I am not saying that the air cooled cars are better, trust me they do have their problems and limitations.

Good luck in your search.

-Eric

PS If you want a cheap track car to purchase, but expensive to maintain, you can always buy a 944. I know a guy who has one, it just needs an engine

Eric:

Here is a compilation of responses that I got on the Spec Boxster forum regarding your boxster concerns:

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"Ninjabones,

I shared some of these concerns before I got into Spec Boxster as well. I was tracking my 964 before I got the box. What I found is that while these are theoretically good points, in practice they are less worrysome. Sure, the idea of dry sump makes you feel more comfortable, but in reality the boxster has been tracked/raced quite a bit w/o any oiling problems. I think the only oiling problem we might have seen was on the banks at LVMS. The POC folks have been flogging the heck out of these cars for a couple years now, and not one failure that I know of.

In terms of picking a 'good' motor, I generally use the rule that if the motor has seen > 50k then it's likely fine, if it's lower mileage than that, it may still be a 'bad one'. Mine had 90k and so far has been perfect.

3k motors are used motors most likely.

I think you mean PSM not PCM right? 97-99 box does not have it, it started in 2001 as far as I know.The 97-99 cars in the spec are not egas, and the only option on some cars is the traction control (which everyone turns off). My car does not have traction control. Many guys left foot brake w/o problems.

Hope this helps! These cars are outstanding track cars, simple, fast, light, fun, relatively inexpensive



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I came from dry sump cars as well(993Cup, RSA & 996Cup) & had some of the same concerns as you but in researching this class & talking w/people running it, I found out that the cars are very reliable. We can run the deeper sump but that issue is not as prevalent in Boxsters as it is in in 996s since their moment of inertia is different. The 996 motor being hung out back makes the issue much worse then the mid-engine Bxoster set-up. The air/oil seperator is on version:5, I think & the new ones are reliable. My car was run in California for over a year & has 135k+ miles on it. Like Kenny said, higher mileage motors seem to be better since any gremlins will have reared their head by then. Some like them over 100k to start. Motors from Porsche I think are up to around $ 7k now on a reman but other options are about to hit the market(check recent threads here). Used motors are cheap. I just picked up an 80k motor up for $ 1,250.00 & see them often for $ 3k or less. Trannys run around a grand if you ever need one. Haven't heard anything about intermediate shaft or weak blocks being an issue.
J
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To back up Kenny's point, I have traction control which I occasionally forget to turn off. It lets me know right away on the first turn. I have no problem left foot braking into a turn with it on or off. I have PSM on my 997S and it shuts off the fuel if I try to left foot brake. There have been zero (0) motor failures yet in a Boxster and many of these cars have over 100k miles on them. They apparently do not suffer the oil starvation issues the 996 motors have....

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Data from my 3.2L at TWS, MSR and ECR show that Oil P drops below 15psi on most corners. That has me a little scared, although the 2.5L seems to be holding up well (other than the ones with sleeve issues)...

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My 02 S Boxster blew up at Buttonwillow in 2006. (Tons of emulsified oil and shiny little pieces of metal in the rear trunk.) Not sure why it blew as I got rid of the car without fixing the engine. It was a Tiptronic so it could not have been caused by missing a gear, over reving, etc. I have heard of other Boxster S's losing engines and even some Caymans--but not the 2.5L early boxes. Perhaps the S and Cayman are more prone to this problem.