Timing chain

[Ben]

Just saw this ad on Auto Trader.:

 

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202101147978096?atmobcid=soc3
 

A very unfortunate situation, got to feel for anyone this happens to. 

I've not heard many stories of timing chain failure though, I wonder how common it is? 

 

[extanker]

Way too many hoops they want me to click on before i can read the article.......was it caused by IMSB failure ? 

[Ben]

1 hour ago, extanker said:

Way too many hoops they want me to click on before i can read the article.......was it caused by IMSB failure ? 

Here's a copy of the text of the description in the ad:

 

An intro to this ad:On 27th December after 2 and a half years of reliable ownership the engine for this car cut out at 3k RPM with a "Low Oil Pressure" Warning.After being taken to a Porsche specialist in Reading, Berkshire the oil sump was removed to find metal fragments in the oil. As the car is a 2007 model and has the upgraded IMS bearing it is extremely unlikely that this part has failed. The diagnosis from the mechanics was a broken timing chain. This advertisement is firmly on the basis that the engine requires work to get the car back on the road.I'm not in a position to finance the rebuild myself (I am aware this will run in to the 1000's) thus I am extremely sad to have to be selling it. The car is fantastic.The advertisement:2007 2.7L Porsche Cayman (987)Black with Black leather interior5-Speed Manual 82k milesNew Sachs Clutch, LuK Flywheel & Bilstein Front Shock Absorbers at 72k miles (original brands)2 KeysMOT until 19th August 2021The vehicle registration will revert back to original plate following sale. Use K66TNG for any vehicle searches until then.Full Porsche / Porsche Specialist Service History dating back to the original sale in 2007, including the original sales order and customer-dealership correspondence.The car has not been driven on a track in my ownership. I also made sure to research the same during the original purchase in 2018, and found that it was very unlikely to have been case with the previous owners (3).I searched meticulously to find a model with all the extras I wanted, some of which are extremely rare on the 2.7. The factory options include:Porsche Sports Exhaust with dashboard valve switch (this sounds absolutely incredible)Porsche 911 (997) Sports Steering WheelPorsche 911 (997) 19" Turbo Alloy Wheels2 Setting Heated SeatsBose Sound SystemThe car is completely original / stock except for the following upgrades:Rear LED Taillights (the originals will also be included in sale) & LED dipped beam bulbs.7" Sony Carplay/ Android Auto Head Unit with Reversing camera installed just last year.Red Callipers with original white Porsche lettering (as per Cayman S)For those familiar with the 987 this car visually resembles the Cayman S "Design Edition 1"Issues:Engine is as describedPassenger cupholder needs fixing Once the engine is sorted, this will resume being an absolutely brilliant car. Serious offers/ buyers only. You will need to have transportation arranged. Tyrekickers: No. Semi-Serious Buyers: No. Black, 4 owners, £6,295

Vehicle registered: 14/07/2007

[Ben]

2 hours ago, eponymoose said:

Not common at all, if indeed it has happened in this case.

 

986 3.2 is supposedly a tiny bit prone to snapped chains. But even then, rare. On the M97 onwards very rare indeed, I would say.

 

Good to know.  Yes I don't think I've ever come across this before.  Theoretically I presume they should last the lifetime of the engine.    

[extanker]

ok thanks ,i see its advertised as an 2.7 motor not a 3.2........either way who ever buys it should budget on that motor being a boat anchor . As a "roller" it aint worth much around here but would appeal to some one who has a motor laying around otherwise its just a parts car imho

[extanker]

7 minutes ago, Ben said:

 

Good to know.  Yes I don't think I've ever come across this before.  Theoretically I presume they should last the lifetime of the engine.    

Usually its the IMSB or it ate a chain guide ........the whole sealed bearing inside a motor is a design flaw that will haunt po for decades......what were they thinking 

[Lennym1984]

"car has not been driven on a track in my ownership. I also made sure to research the same during the original purchase in 2018, and found that it was very unlikely to have been case with the previous owners (3)." 

 

I find this fear of cars previously having been tracked a bit unfounded really. Most people I know (and there are of course exceptions) who take their cars on track are fastidious about maintenance and tend to drive with more mechanical sympathy than the average driver. In contrast to this, the clichéd "one lady owner" or "retired gentleman" that I know only do the bare minimum of maintenance, smash it through the gears, and dawdle around with the engine labouring in the wrong gear.

 

[Windymiller]

@Lennym1984 - agree with your point above re trackdayed cars as ‘pariahs’. 
 

I service mine religiously every year with typically 6k miles in the year, using the best oil and fluids etc and ensure that brakes, suspension etc are checked regularly and replaced immediately if/when worn.  And whilst it gets driven hard for about 1000 track miles in a year, the other 5k are merely spirited with a lot of mechanical sympathy for the car. 
 

I suspect many 2-3yr PCP cars that never see a track get ragged senseless with barely a minor service change in their first 3 years of life before being ‘tossed back’ to the dealer... 🤨🤔🤷‍♂️

Edited January 20, 2021 by Windymiller

[Lennym1984]

1 hour ago, Windymiller said:

@Lennym1984 - agree with your point above re trackdayed cars as ‘pariahs’. 
 

I service mine religiously every year with typically 6k miles in the year, using the best oil and fluids etc and ensure that brakes, suspension etc are checked regularly and replaced immediately if/when worn.  And whilst it gets driven hard for about 1000 track miles in a year, the other 5k are merely spirited with a lot of mechanical sympathy for the car. 
 

I suspect many 2-3yr PCP cars that never see a track get ragged senseless with barely a minor service change in their first 3 years of life before being ‘tossed back’ to the dealer... 🤨🤔🤷‍♂️

 

Amen to that. Mine (a cheap, leggy 2.7) gets Millers oil every year and 4k miles, brake fluid gets changed at least once per year, and I spend enough time underneath it tweaking things to spot chipped underseal and the like long before it becomes a problem. With the exception of stone chips on the front bumper, even the bodywork is kept immaculate.

 

I can see why people may not be in the market for an out and out track car (roll bars and harnesses aren't that practical for a sunday afternoon trip to Stow-on-the-Wold) but I just can't see the issue with a "regular" car that gets taken on track every now and again.

 

 

 

 

Edited January 20, 2021 by Lennym1984