WATCH: Porsche Boxster S M96 Flat-Six Engine Teardown Is A Financial Disaster

Sep. 04, 2023 7:44 AM ET byRex Sanchez Engine /2 Comments

This was the brand's first water-cooled engine not seated at the front.

When Porsche scrapped air-cooled engines in favor of water-cooled ones, the cars came under fire for reliability issues, particularly involving IMS bearings. Thanks to a new video on YouTube, we can get a closer look at the infamous M96 flat-six engine that ran theBoxster 986and learn more about the internals.

Eric fromI Do Carsworked on a core return 3.2-liter M96 he sold six months ago. He said the engine was bad, although no damage could be seen from the outside. In fact, it is looking clean. which is something different from the other recent mass-market mills he tore down, such as the 2.0-literEcoBoost from a Ford Focus.

That said, we can see him disassembling parts a little more carefully this time. The first order of business was checking the conditions of the spark plugs. He was off to a good start, as these electrical devices were still in good condition. Even the oil he drained did not include metal scraps.

After removing the intake manifolds, Eric saw the intake valves were not so bad. Even the camshafts visually looked fine upon the removal of the valve cover. However, when he tried to rotate the camshafts manually, one did not move.

Eventually, he discovered the camshaft sprocket bolt and the cam sensor bolt were loose. Eric wasn't sure whether it was a problem or someone who worked on the M96 just left it loose. But we can add that to the engine's list of possible problems.

When Eric removed one cylinder head, another problem was discovered. He saw the intake valves were hitting the cylinder head. There wasn't major damage, but the contacts left marks. Meanwhile, the other cylinder head looked better. Eric checked the bores, which were in good condition.

The teardown ended at this point as Eric was told that further disassembling the engine block would be a financial disaster. He would find it more difficult to sell the power unit, compromising his auto salvage business.

The main reason why he canned any further work might be found in the rest of the assembly. The most significant issue he discovered was the crashed valves that would've caused improper intake during combustion.

It's a lesson learned, showing that even the people who make the sublime911don't always produce engines that are free of trouble, and it's always worth doing a lot of research before jumping at what may on the surface appear to be a bargain. Whether it's a mass-market Ford engine,a massive Cummins diesel, or a Porsche power plant, good maintenance is the key to longevity.