Step #2 - order from Amazon. Done. $15 toward enlightenment.. supposed to be here Monday.

 

Step #3 - try removing the bolts. Done. And they did not want to come out. The Torx recess in the bolt buggers-up (tech-term) before the bolt starts turning. That's with a brand new Torx driver. If I had to guess - either thread locker was used, or these are reverse thread (which is an old trick used on parts like this if the normal clockwise thread may lead to the bolt backing out due to rotational forces.)

Whatever - it's unlikely that the bolts could be removed with the adjusters in the engine, so that's the reason Porsche has you replace the adjusters for about $1500 in parts (plus labor).

 

Hi deilenberger it's been a while. Ok to help a bit the bolts are tightened with RED Loctite which means that getting them out is not an easy task if one does't know or has never worked with LOCTITES. Just remember that the difference between RED and BLUE threadlocker is that RED is commonly used for machinery in this case engine parts which under heat will not get loose. With this i mean that you'll need a torch or something else to first heat th ebolt to a high temperature before trying to loosen it. They claim is permanent but i've managed to loose bolts with RED without damaging the parts or bolts. BLUE threadlocker is medium strenght and just requires an specific amount of force to be applied, can be done manually but will require streght depending on the amount that was applied. Being said so, keep this in mind and use a Torch, heat the bolts and try to unscrew.

PS: I don't recall if they loosen by turning them counterclockwise.


Credit to henkel-adhesives.com


Red Threadlocker

High Strength, High Temperature Threadlocker

Permanently lock and seal threaded fasteners up to one-inch in diameter. Red LOCTITE Threadlockers are designed for high strength and high temperature applications.

Ideal for:

- Permanent assemblies
- Heavy equipment
- Suspension bolts
- Motor and pump mounts
- Bearing cap bolts and studs

- Designed to deliver high strength on ¼ " to ¾ " (6 mm to 22 mm) fasteners
- Optimum temperature range is -65ºF to 550ºF
- Disassembling requires localized heat (>550°F/260°C), hand tools, and disassembly while hot

Blue Threadlocker

Medium Strength, Removable Threadlocker

Fill spaces between threads to produce a secure one-piece assembly that will not loosen under stress, but can be removed with hand tools.

- Removable with standard hand tools on ¼ to ¾ fasteners.
- Available in liquid, stick, paste, gel and tape form.
- Fast fixture times.
- Optimum temperature range is range -65ºF to 650ºF.

 

Hi Miguel,

I'm not surprised that red Loctite was used (and I'm very familiar with it) - and while I might be able to get the bolts out after heating them, I rather doubt it actually since the aluminum heads are definitely quite weak. The Torx "cammed" out without a lot of force on it at all, and doing so damaged the bolt head so the Torx/bolt connection was even weaker.

The thing is - the idea was to be able to do this with the adjusters in place by just removing the valve covers. I don't see that as doable. The heat required to soften the red Loctite would likely ignite the oil in the area, which wouldn't be a good thing.

If you look at the last line on the listing you posted for Red Loctite:

I simply can't see that happening with them installed in the engine, and it's probably unlikely it could be done with them removed since there have to be seals inside the adjusters - and that amount of heat would destroy the seals.

So - my conclusion is - there is no cheap DIY way to solve this problem. It's going to at least cost the $1,500 USD in parts if you DIY, and doing it requires some special tools used to time the cams, chances of a home DIY'er having those tools is absolutely none. Even most independent shops won't have them.

Sorry about that - but in this case - the WC-22 document is accurate in what is required to fix it.

The only upside of this discovery - I don't feel so bad about having spent $3,000 to have the Porsche dealer replace them (and the water pump, serpentine belt and almost every seal on the engine..) Plus I ended up getting my intakes de-carboned - which does make quite a difference in smoothness of the engine.

 

You've done a service to the community with your investigation, and you have my thanks for adding valuable info to the discussion. I wish the conclusion were different, but there you have it. Good work and thanks again.

 

Think I might have this issue. 2011 S with 33k miles. Heard this and immediately parked and got an Uber home. Getting a tow to dealership and hoping this is covered by Porsche.

 

Towed to dealer. With a June 2010 build date, hopefully it's covered in the WC-22 campaign.

 

They're covering the repair. No hesitation. Engine was spared thankfully.

 

was it wc-22? any warranty on the car?

 

I'm not sure if it was WC-22. I will ask them when I pick it up, or maybe it'll be on the invoice.

I have no warranty on the car. They said it was covered "under warranty" so I'm assuming it was under the emissions warranty. This all happened in one day, from diagnosis to letting me know it's covered. I have a pretty early build, so I assume mine falls under WC-22.

What a relief! That was a tense weekend.

 

If they catch it before the broken bolts drop into the timing chain gallery (why I suggested not running the engine any more) - sometimes the engine can be saved. It will probably require R&R and a rework of the heads (and new valves on that head) - at least the head where the bolts failed, which is an engine out project.

If they're doing one head - the other one really should also be done, or at least removed and the carbon cleaned off the intakes and piston crowns. If they don't do that you'll have a lumpy running engine, with one side with clean valves/pistons and the other side with carbon restricting the flow a bit. The additional work to R&R the undamaged head isn't huge since most parts are already out of the way when the first head is removed.

They should also be replacing both VarioCam adjusters - those parts should be obvious on the bill - they're about $600 each (although warranty bills won't show parts prices - they will show part numbers.)

Please let us know as you find out more..

 

Confirmed they are replacing both adjusters.

 

Hi all.

Does anyone know the VIN Range for WC-22? I have a 2011 S with a March build date and 72K miles. I called the dealer (twice) and they told me that WC-22 does not apply. I confirmed that my car has the aluminum bolts via visual inspection.

I'm wondering if this issue could have been caused by a batch of defective bolts or by the over-torquing of the bolts upon assembly for a certain VIN range.

Are there confirmed examples of the failures occurring on Cayennes outside of the WC-22 VIN range ?

Trying to decide how to deal with this issue.

TIA

 

Since you have multiple questions - I'm numbering the answers.

1. No one knows and Porsche isn't talking. We don't know if it's certain specific VIN#'s or a range of VIN#'s, or even what VIN#'s got 15,000 recalled in China.

2. Could have been, or could have been (what I think) that aluminum was simply the WRONG CHOICE OF MATERIALS FOR THE APPLICATION. The bolts were STEEL before the failures, they are STEEL on the cars made after the failures, they are STEEL on the replacement parts. I think it's safe to say it was a **** poor choice of materials. Defective or not - perhaps the aluminum bolts aren't capable of being torqued to the required torque. In the long run - does it matter? You have aluminum bolts - I had aluminum bolts and no longer do (at my expense). What would I suggest? That you do what's required to have steel bolts.

3. Yes - lots of them, in fact - MOST of them I've heard of, and I've talked to a lot of the owners as to what they experienced.. Apparently the ones in the VIN range had the service campaign done on them during a dealer visit, I can't recall any reported failures where the VIN# was in the range that was covered by WC-22. Actually - I dunno that I can recall ANY vehicle that had WC-22 performed on it, in this or the other several forums I frequent.

How to deal with it? I understand denial. I tried it for a while. Then I got smarter. You have to move past denial into anger and eventually resolution - resolve to get rid of the aluminum bolts. The cost to do so is less than 1/10th the cost of a new engine installed, and THAT is what you're possibly looking at when they fail (not "if".. when.) There was another reported failure just the other day - low miles too (33k) and the guy had only owned it 3 weeks. Luckily Porsche covered it, I'm guessing because of the low mileage.

Whatever - if you have them changed, make sure NHTSA/DOT knows about your decision to change them at your own expense, and why.

 

Just a quick update. Something VERY interesting popped up on Rennlist's thread on this subject. I'll quote it exactly as it appeared:

Looking at the second document referenced - it's apparent the problem aluminum bolts were not just used on 2011 models. They must have also been used on some early production 2012 engines. This to me - rather puts the kabosh to Porsche Cars North America's VIN# claim for failures and indicates they know damn well that ALL the aluminum bolt Variocam units should be replaced.

Shame on you Porsche. Guess you're learning from VW..

BTW - I'm guessing SJG1138 at Rennlist and here is the same person. Thanks for the research, I'd love to know how this was found.