I have to agree that if the heat melts the glue, then a pin solution will only keep the insert from coming all the way out. It will still leak past the joint,therefore,a correct welding seems the permanent solution.

 

I am considering doing the pinned fix on mine soon.
Anyone got an idea how much will it cost to get the job done?

 

What happens to all the metal from drilling? Does it just go into the engine.

 

Put some vaseline or grease on the tip of the drill bit and clean / grease the bit several times as you drill into the manifold. That should catch basically all the aluminum shavings. Then do a good coolant flush.....

 

Funny how this is such a debate, you cannot pin them all with the engine in place. Need to drop it anyways so why not do it right, weld and forget forever. While your there replace the hoses, gaskets and o-ring they are cheap.

I just ordered every hose, gasket and o-ring from the radiators to the engine as well as new coolant res, i had a hose rupture at the track last year and worried about it and the fittings every time I drove it. Peace of mind is worth the effort.

 

Where are you getting this information that you have to drop the motor to pin all of the fittings?

 

Have yet to see any 996 turbos done, all of the threads are for 997 GT3's which are significantly different. I've done this weld repair (not going by what I've read), also done other work in the engine bay. Enough to conclude that I would rather drop the engine out and do this repair properly rather then try to save some money. Saying the pinning method is proven by comparing a small number that have had it done (still unsure how many were 996 turbos) isnt exactly enough for me.

Im sure with enough effort you could remove enough parts with the engine lowered a bunch in the car. Probably not much more work to just completely removing it.

For a street car i'd wait till it happened or some other work. If your tracking these cars without this done I think your asking for trouble and should have it fix asap.

 

There are a small number of people that have had the problem so what else are we supposed to compare it to? Not ONE episode of pinning has failed or leaked (that we know of)

60-70 cars is not an insignificant amount. Sharkwerks has done almost that many by themselves. And many of those were preventative maintenance. Point being there are likely more people that have had the fix than have had the problem. The internet hysteria of it is blowing things out of proportion. As for me, 60-70 cars not having any problems with pinning is good enough for me to consider it a legitimate fix.

This is not some epidemic, you are just as likely to be at the track and a Corvette or 944 blow up right in front of you. The sample size of failures is still VERY VERY small compared to the number of Porsches at the track on any given weekend.

I agree that it should be addressed asap for track goers.

 

Quite honestly this is one of the issues I have with buying another Porsche. Loved my 996TT, but honestly, between the ridiculous cost to replace the motor when it goes (and they all will need to be R&R at some point), the mickey mouse clutch hydraulics on the turbo, and the GLUED IN water lines on the m1 motors, I just don't know if I want the headaches anymore... As much as I love the brand, these issues have forced me to look at other brands/models to consider the options...

 

I don't understand where the debate is in the proposed repair method? Do what you think is right. Both methods have been used with success in tracking environments. I will say that Sharkwerks has done more than probably any other sponsor here and they use the pinning method. Somebody link a thread of the pin method failing? I have seen threads of the welding method failing. Not to say that one is better than the other, I am just saying the margin for error when welding to molded aluminum that gets heat cycled repeatedly is next to nothing. Do whatever makes you feel all warm and fuzzy

 

What other type of car can you get this kind of performance on the track and be more reliable?

I doubt a Corvette will be a lot more reliable. Can see anything else, Lotus Exige maybe?

 

Pumalex, Actually, I'm looking at the C6 grandsport and Z06. Reliability is about the same, and performance is about the same... Exterior fit and finish is about the same, interior isn't, but hey they don't have a $30K motor to replace either... Check prices on 996TTs lately? Motor replacements are nearing the cost of the cars to buy.

I love the Porsche brand... And I'm not saying I'm "not" going to buy a cup-car. But I'm also weighing all my options...And make no bones about it, I owned a Vette previously, so I know what is involved with the platform. It's not a Porsche and the community is not what the PCA community is...
Just sayin' !

 

I must admit that having an engine blow and wondering if buying an other car isn't cheaper isn't the greatest feeling...

Z06 are incredible car but i know of a couple that had engine issues with them. Cheaper to fix obviously.

If i was a track junky like you, i would buy a way cheaper car and cage it and have fun. I am having more fun in my friend's racing RSX than in my TT.

I wouldn't want to own a cup car and deal with the maintenance, rebuild an engine after 50 hours? And you are worried about the TT reliability? Man, even if i drool at the performance of a cup car, i couldn't live with such a princess unless i was extremly rich.

 

Is it really that common to have to replace an engine? Unlike the 996, I haven't heard of that being much of an issue with the 996TT.

In terms of reliability, my limited data points (comparing my experience with some friends with C6s) tells me that it's about a wash. Their C6s have had more issues (a lot of it minor stuff), but it usually costs half to fix anything in terms of parts and labor.

I wouldn't agree on the fit and finish though -- inside or outside. But no doubt, the C6/Z06 are great cars to drive. It was a close call for me -- in the end, I wanted something a bit more refined, a bit less flashy, and I needed the back seats .

As an aside, at the track day I went to yesterday, the track had to be shut down for 20 minutes due to an oil spill on the track. Stuff happens when you push a car hard -- I'm not sure that the data shows that coolant failures are any more of a problem than anything else that goes on out there. I'm willing to be informed otherwise.

 

I had two well known tuners tell me that at 50 hours track time the 996TT motor should be gone thru just like a cupcar motor... So keep that in mind when tracking yours. Mind you, I was told this AFTER I sold mine, conveniently... Just sayin'!

As I said above, I'm not saying I will or won't buy another Porsche. Quite honestly I'm glad PCA has gone this route. It will force the cars to be fixed if those owners want to de the cars. Unfortunately, I feel it is a poor design on Porsches part.

I'd be welding anything that came off... Not knocking Sharkwerx and I'm sure their solution is a good altenative. But welding and then pressure testing is the only "final" solution.

Pumalex, you're right about the cup cars being princesses. That's why I want and may buy one... We'll have to see how things shake out. Right now I have the V8 Zcar caged and ready to be tuned with new standalone EFI and changes in the wheels/bodywork for 2012. It will see significant track time this year. I also have my E36m3 DD that is pretty much track ready as well.

Mike