Porsche owners know that they might need to rebuild their engines eventually. When that time comes for your dream sports car, PKW Motorwerks can help. We rebuild Porsche engines regularly for our customers, and your Porsche might be on the road to an engine rebuild if you notice any of the following things when you take your baby out on the road. Don’t panic. Although frustrating, engine rebuilds are fairly common with many Porsche models.
Reduced Performance
If your Porsche suddenly seems sluggish and isn’t performing as it normally does, it might be time to consider an engine rebuild and it’s definitely time for an inspection. The reduced engine performance could be engine ruining, but it could also be carbon buildup, something that happens in all gasoline engines. If the buildup isn’t too bad, we can clean it to restore your engine’s high performance.
Increased Emissions
If your Porsche is burning oil, you might notice blue exhaust coming out of the tailpipes. Older vehicles, including Porsches, can suffer from devastating oil leaks in the piston rings and valve seals. This can lead to major engine trouble that facilitates a rebuild to solve the problem. If your Porsche’s emissions have increased beyond the normal, regulated levels, your sports car will also likely fail an emissions test.
Engine Knocks
A knocking engine is a sign of death. Depending on how many miles you have on your Porsche, you may have years of the engine parts heating up and cooling down, which loosens them eventually. Once the pistons and rods loosen, they can start to damage your cylinders. The knocking you hear is the pistons and rods clanking up against the cylinder walls, and you don’t need us to tell you how bad that is.
Oil Sludge
Glitter in your Porsche’s motor oil is not its idea of bling. Rather, the stuff that looks like glitter in the oil is actually metal shavings from the engine parts. You might also end up with a ton of sludge in the oil pan, and these two things signal serious engine trouble. Generally, what this means is that you have metal components rubbing against each other that shouldn’t be and they’re wearing each other down.
Porsche 911 Rebuilds
Finally, the Porsche 911 generations 986 and 996 have an engine design problem that requires an engine rebuild to resolve it. On these models, the Intermediate Shaft Bearing, or IMS, causes total engine failure because it’s prone to seizing. The problem lies in how the bearing is lubricated. It should be lubricated by pressurized oil, but it’s lubricated by internal grease that dries up eventually.
If you’ve noticed a change in how your Porsche performs, call PKW Motorwerks in Plainfield, IL. We’ll inspect the engine and discuss a repair or rebuild plan in great detail with you.