I'd love to have a sample of the old and new bolts - if anyone has done the job proactively and kept the old parts..

I'd love to x-ray the bolts and see what the difference really is.. and perhaps some hardness measurements, and precise physical measurements.

It would be nice if we could find replacement steel bolts that matched these bizarre composite bolts. I have no idea why they would use an aluminum bolt with a steel core - except for weight. But I also can't imagine the difference in weight would make any difference in the engine given the max RPM of the engine - and these turn at half the engine speed.

Have to look on a parts website and see if similar bolts were used on earlier V8 engines, like the 4.5L.. or the early 4.8L and if they're available.

 

they weren't, my best friend has an 08 CTT. They did it to light the engine. But come on......

 

I went through several BMW parts websites - and found no listings for the bolts, on the 4.5L or the 4.8L - which seems a bit odd.. Went and searched PET (Parts Program) - and find nothing at all on the bolts. If someone has a PN for the "kit" used to fix it - I could look by PN..

 

I probably have got a couple of the broken "bad" bolts in my tool box. They are not aluminum/steel rod, they are all aluminum. The issue is the head of the bolt where the Torx drive is recessed into the head is too deep and comes too close to the shank area and weakens the bolt, the head pops off and even leaves a hole where the Torx drive is. My opinion on the issue is that Porsche had some other vender make the complete adjuster assembly and are returning it to them for compensation, and are probably arguing with them over how many and which ones are faulty , and what to do about it. Like was mentioned earlier the bolts are the problem not the complete adjuster, but they are returning the complete adjuster to the vender that supplied it.IMOP. I have done a few of these campaigns ( before I retired due to open heart surgery)and have also seen some fail that were not involved in the campaign. If it were mine I would be replacing the adjusters or at least replacing the bolts with steel ones, some specialty bolt suppliers surely has this bolt in steel without having to buy the whole adjuster and having the extra labor to replace both adjusters. Replacing the bolts proactively would be much simpler, like in 1/4 the time. I think I'll go dig out those old broken bolts and see if I can find some steel replacements. I thought this issue would be over by now.

 

Porschetech - that would be a wonderful thing if you can.. and yeah, I can see the scenario with the vendor and Porsche making the vendor pay the full cost of any failures.

Doing just the bolts should just require R&R of the valve covers, and a bit of time with a torque wrench (and perhaps some loctite on the bolts).

 

I did exactly this. I got a hold on one of the aluminum bolts and went out and bought the exact Thread-Length-Torx bolt but in Steel. Then I ended buying the whole set for the same reason you described, the bolts manufacturer must also be the adjuster manufacturer. In that case I went and bought the set of new revised adjusters. I ended throwing away the steel bolts I bought. My tech was the one that suggested to only switch the bolts. So YES, if you get 2 set of 8 steel torx bolts (same thread, length and head size) it will work.

By the way take into consideration that the bolts must sit flush on the adjuster otherwise it will not work.

 

Miguel,

I realize English probably isn't your first language - and your English is excellent, but one thing you said puzzled me, and I suspect it's that I'm not understanding what you've said:

That's the sentence I don't quite understand. Did you mean you bought the entire assembly (adjuster with bolts) because the bolts MUST be made by the manufacturer?

Please clarify..

I assume your last sentence means the head of the bolt must sit flush (or lower) with the surface of the adjuster.

Wish you'd kept or tried the steel bolts.. I can't imagine any reason they wouldn't work since the plate they bolt into is magnetic - meaning it's steel.. so aside from some frivolous weight reduction - there is no reason to use aluminum for the application. And I believe the new assembly comes with steel bolts (someone mentioned they are magnetic..)

 

hi deilenberger

Yes English is my second language sorry for maybe not making myself clear, also for some reason my keyboard wants to correct what's right.

Well the bolts I bought worked on the camshaft adjuster but I later decided to buy the 2 new factory adjusters to substitute the old ones. I meant that obviously the manufacturer of the camshaft adjuster is the one that also makes the bolts since they come together and not as a separate item with its corresponding part #. Something in my head made me buy from scratch because I thought the adjusters were also faulty. Later I started hitting my head the wall because of this.

The bolts did work but, well what can I say, I spent the money. Buying the bolts is possible because I did it and my tech told me it would work fine. I don't see why anyone can't do this.

And to your last paragraph, yes the new adjusters do have the steel bolts. I went the cheapest way to fix this with no problem but then I bought the new replacement parts which at the end was a bad call.

 

Hi Miguel,

Thanks for the reply. That's what I thought you meant - but I was too dense to be sure of it.

I think we are all going to hope that Porschetech comes up with a source for the bolts and spec's. I'd certainly swap them out. If they were done one bolt at a time, chiss-cross pattern I could see doing the entire job in an afternoon, with no major engine disassembly required. They look easily accessible from the rear of the assembly.

Any possibility that your tech kept the old adjusters/bolts? FWIW - I see no reason these have to be Torx bolts - they could easily be Allen bolts which are much easier to come by in the US.

 

my bad. They were Allen. I'll ask him when he comes back from the Porsche training course.

 

Miguel, that would be great!

 

Hi everyone....

Thank you for this information. Very scary stuff. I just bought a 2011 certified Cayenne Turbo . I did not know about this major issuse or neither was I told by the dealer. How can I check if my truck is involved in the Service Bullitein /recall by Porsche?
Also , if it isn't part of the recall ....How do I get Porsche to replace it? Cost? I just want to be pro active


Any info would be great....

Vin: WP1AC2A29BLA82964

Thanks

Will

 

You can do a Google Search for Porsche Recalls and one of the results near the top will be for a web page on a Porsche hosted site where you can enter your VIN and it will tell you if any service or recall campaigns are open on the vehicle with that VIN number.

 

hi, well scary yes because Porsche knows and has not issue a recall. To check a few other fellow members said how to do it a couple of posts up. Search for it.

The question of making Porsche replace it, well that will be something I'm willing to see someone accomplish. They will do it when it fails and if it's under warranty.

Cost is $560.40 per adjuster (2 needed). Check on sunsetporscheparts, they have the best price on parts. Labor is another thing just don't take it to a local shop. This needs to be tighten to an specific torque. Hope it helps.

 

Will,

I think reading this thread CAREFULLY and thinking about what you're reading will answer your questions.

Porsche isn't going to fix it for you unless your VIN# falls into the Workshop Campaign VIN range.

Looking for a "Workshop Campaign" on a "RECALL" database is futile.

A Workshop Campaign is a designation given when Porsche doesn't want to advertise they screwed up and issue a recall (which is public, the WC is sort of private..) You're not going to find it - or any other Workshop Campaign in that database. The only way to REALLY find out if your car VIN# falls in the range is to have the dealer do a search on it. IF you read the Workshop Campaign - you'll see that is the first instruction in the campaign - look on Porsche's computers to see if the VIN# is included. If not - tell the customer to blow farts..

Meanwhile you can hope and pray (if that's your thing) that your engine DOES blow up during the CPO warranty period. Porsche CPO is amazingly good - if it blows up you'll get a nice shiny new engine, and probably the loan of a new Cayenne or Panamera while waiting for the engine/installation. So not to worry.

If you have some specific questions that haven't been answered or discussed in the thread - please ask away - after reading it very carefully.