Gotta agree that's a warning. You might ask specifically what tools they are looking for. If they charge you for the tool, you should get to keep it! You shouldn't have to pay a dime for tools. If they get a new screwdriver are you gonna pay for that?? Tear down is easy and requires a respectful toolbox but nothing you can't find at local hardware stores.

 

Yea, not paying for any tools. I don't know what they were needing (if anything), their receptionist said that so it's possible that she didn't know what the deal was.

 

the big deal with these motors is you need special Timing tools to get the motor back together. the Tools from Porsche are first hard to get and second quite expensive. and even from baum they take a good long while to get there or did here recently.

 

Good luck OP; we're rooting for a good outcome!

 

Got an estimate, it's quite a bit higher than they originally said.
So far they've only e-mailed it to me, i didn't have time to go see them today, i'll talk to them tomorrow.
A big chunk of the increase in cost is because they're replacing a bunch of parts that might as well be done with the engine open, such as the bearings, rings, etc. There are also a couple expensive things that needed replacing, i.e. the cam actuator, lifters and chain tensioners.
They also messed up on the rod bearings, i think they got 6 sets of bearings rather than 6 bearings, so that will drop the price a bit. Oh, and this also doesn't include the machine shop work, so yea, not cheap.

Let me know what you guys think.

 

So what's wrong with the cam actuator and cam tensioners and such? Preventative or is there some damage?

 

The cam actuator had some crap in it, probably from the chain guide getting chewed up.
Not sure about the tensioners, i need to ask them when i go there tomorrow. Could just be preventative.

 

Either they forgot a lot of consumables or they are trying to give you a deal on some stuff. Rod bearings generally come in a set box, so i agree with you on that.

Oil, Antifreeze, sealants, pentosin, oil filter,

You might think about a wrightwood racing gasket kit(call ebs racing) could save you some money on the gaskets n orings.

you havent fixed any of the oem coolant fitting that are known to fail. add a few hundred to do those. You havent listed one item that is an upgrade besides the lifters which should be the updated part numbers for 997's

also a great time to do a clutch.

so without tax your hoovering just under 15k and your not done.

this game is expensive, i know i have been on a good journey with my own motor.

 

The only way to get an inexpensive rebuild accomplished is if you do not have to replace many parts and just put it back together with all new bearings, gaskets and seals, chain, tensioners and sprokets and ideally get the parts at cost and supply them yourself, only paying the labor.

IMO, as soon as you go beyond this, you are better off buying a new or used motor because you will quickly approach the cost of a new motor. And a used motor will save you a lot of money.

That is unless you WANT to go for an enhanced build with stronger connecting rods, stronger head studs, etc. with the intention of running high boost in the future - then you may as well spend the money and build it.

If you just intend to drive the car and enjoy it with fairly standard bolt on mods and I had the damage you are seeing, I am pretty sure that I would shop for a used motor in good condition, pop it in and be done. There is always a risk the shop doing the work will not do it properly and then it's tough to get most shops to admit any fault and make good on a faulty rebuild...

 

They have a separate $550 item for "shop supplies" which i guess should cover the fluids and the welding. They told me that those should be done as soon as they dropped the engine.

 

The problem with a used motor is that it's a crapshoot. I could get a great engine, or i could end up with a paperweight a few weeks in.
By fixing this engine and putting a bunch of new parts i'm hopefully getting a practically new engine that should last a lot longer than a used one.

 

True, for reference - I recall there were some brand new crate motors from Porsche with warranty around a few years ago for around 18K ready to go in...they had alternators, everything...I think Suncoast had them for that price

 

18k? damn, that'd be a good price. The shop it's at called the dealership and they said a rebuilt engine would be around 36k. Autoatlanta has them for the low, low price of 76k

http://www.autoatlanta.com/tinyresul...=550&width=875

 

i remember seeing those at suncoast also, but i remember pricing at $24k for new crated motor from porsche..18 would be a deal with two year warranty

man, you've got some serious thinking to do. i'd really be looking for a lo mileage wrecked car with a drop in motor about now.. if it were me.

 

2 things I would do if I was rebuilding this motor is new rods n new head studs. But there goes another 2-3k