My mechanic removed my engine last Friday to ship my transmission to be rebuilt again for the 2nd time this year for 2nd gear pop-out warranty issue after only 3000 miles. Anyway what else should I replace or check while my engine is out? This is what I've have had done in the last 9 months to my 2001 6spd with 42,000 miles W/softronic 1.1 bar tune. The worst part of this whole thing is I developed oil leak a few months ago and my mechanic still cant find the source of the leak even with the engine out I am going tomorrow to look for myself I hoping it's not my head gasket as I know this is very rare.

Awe Tunning 2.5 Sachs Clutch Kit (original clutch was slipping at 38,000 miles
New Oem 997 Transmission mount (preventive)
New Fly Wheel Bolts (preventive)
New Pressure Bolts (preventive)
New Rear Main Seal (preventive
New Clutch Release bearing (preventive)
Oem 997 Engine mounts (preventive)
Pinned all Coolant lines (preventive)
New Coolant Hoses/o-rings (preventive
New Coolant expansion tank (preventive)
New plugs (preventive)
New Water Pump (preventive)
New Coil Packs (preventive)
New Serpentine belt (preventive)
New Fuel Filter (preventive)
N75 Boost Control Valve (preventive)
Oil Pressure Sensor (preventive)
Oil Level Sensor (preventive)
Throttle Body Seal (preventive)
Solenoid Brackets (preventive)
997 SSK (fun)

 

i guess my first question is since the motor was out once and all this has been done why remove the motor just to remove the trans? its not necessary.
looks like you covered most everything the first time with the exception of replacing all the vacuum lines with new fresh rubber and clamps

 

Dropping the motor to get the trans out is Wayyyyyy easier than trying to get the trans out without dropping the engine.

 

not even close. i have done it both ways in my garage and its no issue at all to drop the trans without the motor. slave out, 4 bolts to the engine, trans brace, electric plug, cables , starter, axles drop that sucker and its done. 4 hrs tops

 

The main reason he took out the engine is I have an oil leak we can't find, my mechanic thinks maybe head-gasket but so far no luck finding the source it's very frustrating.

 

yes, no reason at ALL to remove the motor to get the trans out. it's a cpl hrs out, and cpl hrs back in once finished.

OP: the reason your trans popped out is the mechanic/tech that worked on your trans couldn't possibly have taken the later advice from porsche to re-shim it properly so that 4th gear is placed differently in the gear stack. absent that, the 1st/second gear synchro is exposed to the same intolerance as what caused the issue in the first place! it sucks, but it's probable the guy didn't have a lot of experience rebuilding m96g50 boxes. that's why it happened!

oil leak is *probably* emanating for the very top the motor..oil line? i've seen it. cant recall exact terminology, but it happens on trans removal(s).

 

The oil leak may be the oil cooler on top of the motor, or the oil lines going to/from the cooler.

Later, Steve

 

^ exactly.

 

Yeah I went down this morning to look for myself I couldn't find where it was leaking either looks like it's coming from the middle of the top engine. I really don't think its my head-gasket because the oil is pooling up on top of the driver side of top engine. I gave him the green light to remove everything on the top of engine to find the leak so hopefully know more this Thursday. Here are few pics from the driver side top engine

 

Unfortunately for me the guy who rebuilt it only works on are G50 boxes for the most part he has rebuilt a lot of 2nd gear pop-out issues matter fact I've sent him 2 other guys this year for rebuilds and their transmissions are great so far and they track their cars. I just got the luck of the draw i quess

 

i agree, it sucks, but it HAS to be a reshimming issue, if all other 1/2nd gear parts were "new".

the oil leak is as steve pointed out coming ( again ) from the top of the motor. it happens often when trans is pulled and reinstalled. not sure why, but had to have mine redone also.. on a different car. the one where they had to RE-SHIM it after using the original porsche factory specs, NOT the ammended ones! good luck man, been there. it sucks.

 

Update: So far no luck finding the leak my mechanic removed the intake and spent half hour looking everywhere with a bore scope and feeling everywhere, he couldn't find or feel any leaks. He found a brown streak that's about .5mm WIDE and 4mm LONG that looks like the sealant they used on the oil cooler console. He said it felt dry to the touch so he doesn't think it's oil but it might be? So the next step is to take off the oil tank, alt, power steering pump, power steering bracket, fuel lines, coolant lines, secondary air line basically everything off the top of the engine down to the long block. Not sure what to do but since I am this far with the engine out I told my mechanic to do what you have too to find the oil leak. I was really hoping that once the engine was out the leak would be very easy to see but not so far and still waiting from my transmission builder to see what went wrong with my rebuild. I am starting to really not like my car now.

 

I hope you find it. I've had one for 6 years and never bothered since I've yet to drop my engine. Keep us posted and you chin up. Just think when your finished you will really know what you have

 

Thanks I just got back from the shop and my mechanic nor I could find the source of the leak even with the borescope. My mechanic thinks that I possibly spilled oil last oil change in October in which I highly doubt it but anything is possible. At this point he's advising me not to take the rest of the engine apart to the long block and to clean it really good and put it back in and hope it doesn't start leaking again.

 

That would have to be pretty sloppy oil change but hope that is the cause.