I Bought a Mechanically Totaled Porsche and Fixed it with a $200 Amazon Timing Kit
Summary
TLDRIn this detailed account, the narrator recounts the journey of purchasing a Porsche with a known engine issue at a bank sale for a scrap value price. The car, suspected to have a loose timing chain, was taken to a dealer for a potential free recall fix. Upon diagnosis, it was found that the car had multiple misfires and fuel-related issues, with a slack timing chain identified as the likely culprit. Despite an open recall for a known problem with the cam adjuster bolts, the dealership's service suggested costly replacements unrelated to the timing system. Dissatisfied, the owner decided to tackle the repair himself, removing the valve covers, and discovering worn-out timing chain guides. With a DIY approach, he replaced the timing set, including the chain, guides, and tensioner, using a kit purchased online for a fraction of the dealer's quote. After a thorough reassembly and a surprising discovery that the car wouldn't start due to an empty fuel tank, the car was brought back to life, running smoothly and vindicating the owner's decision to self-repair. The video serves as a testament to the importance of vehicle diagnostics and the potential savings from DIY repairs.
Takeaways
- 🚗 The Porsche was bought at a bank sale for a low price due to a marked engine issue.
- 🔍 The car was taken to a dealer because it was under a recall that might fix the engine issue for free.
- 📉 The vehicle was considered a 'ticking time bomb' in its current state due to a loose timing chain.
- 💡 Diagnostic scans revealed a crankshaft camshaft correlation code, multiple misfires, and fuel-related issues.
- 🔧 The dealership identified the need for new motor mounts, tire replacement, front brakes, and spark plugs, but did not address the timing system.
- 💰 The cost quoted by the dealership for the additional recommended work was considered outrageous by the owner.
- 🛠️ The owner decided to perform their own diagnostics and repairs using a tool like Carly for dealer-level diagnostics.
- 🧐 Upon further inspection, the owner discovered worn-out plastic timing guides, which were causing the slack in the timing chain.
- 🔩 The owner replaced the timing chain and guides, which was a task that the dealership had quoted at a high price.
- 🚫 The car initially failed to start after the repair due to an empty gas tank, not a motor mount issue as suspected.
- 🎉 After adding gas, the car started smoothly, indicating the repair was successful and the engine issues were resolved.
Q & A
Why was the Porsche bought at a bank sale for a scrap value?
-The Porsche was purchased at a bank sale for a scrap value because it was marked with an engine issue.
What was the first action taken by the owner after buying the Porsche?
-The first action taken by the owner was to take the car straight to the dealer because it was under an open recall that might fix its engine issues for free.
Why is the car described as a 'ticking time bomb' in its current state?
-The car is referred to as a 'ticking time bomb' due to a loose timing chain, which is likely the root of the engine issues.
What was discovered when the car's engine codes were read using a scanner?
-When the car's engine codes were read, a crankshaft camshaft correlation code along with multiple misfires and a few fuel-related issues were identified.
What recall did Porsche issue several years ago?
-Porsche issued a recall for their cam adjuster bolts on the Panamera and Cayenne models due to the bolts that hold the gear to the cam adjuster backing out or breaking.
Why did the dealership suggest replacing the motor mounts?
-The dealership suggested replacing the motor mounts because the engine was vibrating heavily, which they believed was due to the motor mounts needing replacement.
What was the total cost quoted by the dealership for the additional recommended services?
-The total cost quoted by the dealership for the additional recommended services was $4,346 for a set of engine mounts, $2,587 for front pads and rotors, and $2,246 for spark plugs.
What was the actual issue with the timing system of the Porsche?
-The actual issue with the timing system was that the plastic guide of the timing chain was worn out, causing slack in the chain and leading to the engine running out of time.
Why did the owner decide to perform the repair themselves instead of using the dealership?
-The owner decided to perform the repair themselves because they believed the dealership's diagnosis was incomplete and the costs for the recommended services were outrageously high.
What tool did the owner use to diagnose the car's issues?
-The owner used a diagnostic tool called Carly, which provides dealer-level diagnostics and support articles for common issues on specific car models.
What was the final outcome after the owner completed the repair?
-The final outcome was successful; the car's engine ran smoothly after the repair, and the owner saved significantly by performing the repair themselves instead of using the dealership.
Outlines
🚗 Purchasing a Porsche with Engine Issues
The narrator describes buying a Porsche at a bank sale due to an engine issue, which allowed him to purchase it at a low price. He takes it to a dealer for a potential recall fix that could resolve the engine problem for free. The car is in a precarious state, likened to a 'ticking time bomb,' and the video aims to diagnose the issue with the timing chain that is suspected to be the root cause of the engine troubles.
📝 Dealing with Dealership and Diagnostics
The narrator recounts the process of taking the car to the dealership and receiving a list of recommended repairs from a service technician. These include tire replacement, brake service, spark plugs, and engine mounts. The narrator questions the necessity and cost of these repairs, especially since the engine's misfiring and timing issues were not addressed. He also emphasizes the value of having a diagnostic tool like Carly for DIY car owners to understand and manage their car's issues.
🔍 Investigating the Timing System
The narrator investigates the Porsche's timing system by removing the valve covers and discovering that the tension in the timing chain seems fine. However, upon closer inspection with a scope camera, he finds that the original bolts on the cam adjuster were never replaced as part of the recall, and a piece of the plastic guide is found to be loose, indicating excessive wear. This wear could cause the slack in the timing chain and potentially lead to more serious engine damage.
🔧 DIY Engine Work and Spark Plug Inspection
The narrator proceeds with DIY work on the Porsche by removing the valve covers and inspecting the engine. He finds that the engine mounts appear to be in good condition, contrary to the dealership's recommendation. He also checks the spark plugs and decides they are in good enough condition to be cleaned and reused, saving a significant amount of money compared to the dealership's quote for new ones.
🧐 Further Inspection and Timing Chain Replacement
The narrator continues to inspect the engine, focusing on the timing cover and related components. He finds plastic shards from the timing guide and realizes that the original timing chain and guides are worn out, necessitating their replacement. Despite the dealership's high quote for labor, the narrator decides to replace the timing chain and guides himself, highlighting the car's good overall condition and potential value.
🔨 Reassembling the Engine and Testing
After replacing the worn-out timing components, the narrator reassembles the engine. He uses special tools to ensure the timing is set correctly and torques all the necessary bolts. Upon testing, the engine does not start initially, but after checking for fuel flow and connections, it turns out the car was simply out of gas. Once refueled, the car starts smoothly, indicating that the engine timing and repairs were successful.
🚫 Testing Motor Mounts and Future Plans
The final part of the video involves testing the motor mounts to see if they need replacement, as recommended by the dealership. The narrator performs a test by putting the car in drive and giving it some gas while pressing the brake pedal. The engine does not leap out of the engine bay, indicating that the motor mounts are in good condition. The video concludes with the narrator reflecting on the repair process and planning to investigate other potential issues with the car in the next video.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Timing Chain
💡Recall
💡Camshaft
💡Misfire
💡Diagnostic Scanner
💡Engine Mounts
💡Spark Plugs
💡Valve Covers
💡Oil Pan
💡Tensioner
💡Porsche Panamera
Highlights
Purchased a Porsche with a known engine issue at a bank sale for a low price.
The car was under a recall that could potentially fix the engine issue for free.
Discovered a loose timing chain, which is likely the root cause of the engine problems.
Porsche had issued a recall for cam adjuster bolts due to them backing out or breaking.
The vehicle's previous service history showed the car was well maintained by its first owner.
Despite the open recall, the dealership had not performed the recall work.
The dealership suggested replacing motor mounts and other parts without addressing the timing system.
The cost for recommended parts and labor at the dealership was exorbitant, indicating potential overcharging.
Used a diagnostic tool to gain a better understanding of the car's issues, emphasizing the importance of DIY diagnostics.
Removed valve covers to access the timing system, revealing the engine to be in good condition.
Identified broken pieces of the plastic timing chain guide as the cause of the slack in the timing chain.
Conducted a cost-effective repair by replacing the entire timing set with a kit purchased on Amazon.
Employed special timing tools to ensure the accuracy and correctness of the engine timing.
Successfully completed the timing replacement and reassembly in a cow pasture with basic tools.
The car initially failed to start after reassembly due to an empty fuel tank, not a mechanical issue.
After adding fuel, the car started smoothly, indicating the repair was successful.
Conducted a test to check the motor mounts by revving the engine in drive while braking.
Confirmed that the motor mounts were in good condition, contrary to the dealership's expensive recommendation.
Transcripts
I just bought this Porsche at a bank
sale where was marked with an engine
issue and because of that it sold for
basically scrap value and I took it
straight to the dealer because it's
under an open recall that might fix its
engine totally free now I brought this
car here on the trailer because in its
current state it's a ticking Time Bomb
let me show you
why this loose timing chain is likely
the root of our engine issues but let's
go back just a few hours when the car
was first dropped off the transporter
left it in a super convenient spot right
here in the middle of traffic he
obviously moved it on and off his truck
so it's no surprise that it runs and
[Music]
drives okay all right it's running uh
really crummy that's
good look at this guy he's doing an oil
change here in the middle of the
road this thing has a really bad Idol as
soon as I got the Porsche home I plugged
in my scanner so we could read its
engine codes and right off the bat we
found a crankshaft cam shaft correlation
code along with multiple misfires and a
few fuel related issues at this point I
popped the oil cap and found this slack
in our timing chain it's pretty obvious
this thing is out of time and several
years ago Porsche issued a recall for
their cam adjuster bolts not only on the
Panamera but also for the Cayenne that
has the same exact V8 engine basically
these bolts that hold the gear to the
cam adjuster would back out or break and
this is all attached to the cam shaft
when this would happen the adjuster will
spin but the cam shaft will stay put and
that'll definitely put you out of time
now I have the recall paper right here
and it basically tells you how to
pinpoint a broken cam adjuster bolt it
starts with a set of diagnostic trouble
codes and the codes listed here are
nearly a onetoone match of what we've
already generated with Carly our
diagnostic to down the list it tells you
to remove the oil cap and take a look at
the cam shaft itself and watch it as you
turn the motor over to see if this
adjuster which again is basically a big
gear spins in sync with the cam shaft so
we went ahead and did this and
everything did spin in syn like it
should so I took things one step further
and put a scope camera down this oil cap
to take a look at these adjuster bolts
because I just couldn't believe that
this recall was never done and it turns
out the bolts that came installed in
this car were definitely the factory
Originals you could tell because the
originals were a security Tor with a dot
in the center of the head now when I
bought this car I had checked the VIN
and saw this open recall but I called
the dealership to verify they said it
had never been done and this is all
insane considering this recall was
issued again several years ago from
Porsche and this car has 180,000 Mi
160,000 of that 180,000 were done from
the first owner and he serviced this car
religious ly so how it was never done is
beyond me but the other side is that it
doesn't seem like the bolts that are
known to fail have failed so it's very
likely that just another part of our
timing system at 180,000 Mi has been
worn out but the dealership's got to
mess with the timing system and if you
think about it they've got to take those
old style bolts out when they torque the
new ones back in they're going to be
putting tension on our adjusters our cam
gears and they risk slipping those gears
with a loose timing chain so while they
could probably perform this recall while
being very very careful it's a bit risky
for a dealership to take a car that's
out of time mess with the timing system
and hand it back to the customer without
the very least telling me about the
issues that it currently has or just
game plan it with me one way or another
either way we're going to drop this
thing at the dealership and hopefully
they can tell us what's wrong with it
and if we get really lucky maybe they're
even able to fix what wrong with it and
give it back to us all under the
recall before we get it into the uh
dealership we should take these stickers
off this car is really Shifty to run
listen to
this uh we have to make it from right
here to just across the street without
it skipping time let's see if we can do
it that's probably the way we should
have taken this into the dealer but I
like to live
dangerously so it's been like 3 days
since we dropped this Porche off at the
dealership I finally heard from them
they sent me a text message uh with a
video attached to it and the video is
the tech that's working on the car uh in
the service Bay and he's basically just
recommending additional things be done
to the car while it's still there at the
dealer I won't play his audio but I'll
just basically tell you what he's saying
he first starts off by saying all the
tires are 6 years old so he recommends
that we get those replaced and
recommends that we do the front brakes
at the same time because they're worn
but anyway he recommends we get a set of
spark plugs while we're there and then
this is the most interesting part of the
whole entire video he says that your
engine is vibrating heavily so I suggest
this set of replacement motor mounts now
in my opinion the engine is vibrating
heavily because it's continuously
misfiring because it's out of time but
he doesn't mention anything about the
timing system he says it's uh basically
ready to be picked up at that point I
get on the phone with the service
advisor who's a guy in the office not
working on the car and he has that list
of stuff that the tech uh basically
recommended I had him price it out just
wait till you hear the price on some of
this stuff it's outrageous it sure
doesn't sound like they did any
additional work in the timing Department
maybe I was totally kidding myself and
just surprised that nothing was
mentioned but anyway we won't know what
happened until we get the car and check
it out for ourselves all right I got my
paperwork here I'm assuming this is
going to sound identical to the way we
left it to him let's see
here yeah same all right I'm a bit
surprised at the dealership here and to
be completely honest I wasn't looking
for some sort of free major service
along with a new timing set and
everything done at their dime that would
be totally unreasonable I was just
looking for them to pinpoint the issue
which I think you could probably do with
the valve covers off that's as far as
they got during the recall and if they
were an amazing dealer when they
pinpointed that issue they would have
said hey you know you got a major
problem but we've already started taking
apart your engine to do the recall so
we'll take that sort of time off your
bill here's what it's going to cost you
uh but instead they suggested I get new
motor mounts and wait till you hear how
much they were $
4,346 for a set of engine mounts
installed along with that they quoted
$2,587 for front pads and rotors
honestly brakes are super expensive at
the dealership you should never get them
done there and uh last was pretty insane
as well spark plugs
$2,246 they look super simple to get to
and we'll have them out here in a moment
because I think we're going to start
ripping this engine apart and see if we
can't figure out what's wrong with it
but this is where I urge you guys I've
said it in a ton of videos to get a
diagnostic tool we knew more than
apparently the dealership teched with
this little tool here course charges
like $300 an hour now call him up I
swear to you I couldn't believe one he
told me it's $300 a labor hour this is
well less than bucks and the cool thing
about Carly is that it's a full system
scanner for a ton of different makes and
models you know the cheaper tools
usually will just tell you just your
engine codes this will tell you
everything wrong from your engine
transmission brakes to all the
electronics and the interior and
everything so provides dealer level
Diagnostics uh and they take it one step
further with something called smart
mechanic so if you have a common issue
on your specific car they'll have a
support article there ready for you it
will tell you exactly what your problem
is and then will give you a list of the
most common fixes for that problem so
this tool was definitely designed with
the DIY in mind no matter your level of
skill I still find it very important to
have a diagnostic reader if you own a
car so at the very least you have the
knowledge to know what's going on with
your car because it's the difference of
you owning your own car or the
dealership owning you I've left a link
to this tool down in the description now
we've got to figure out what our problem
is with this Porsche we're going to
start simply by just removing the valve
covers just like the dealership did this
engine doesn't look too terribly bad
like you see these covers here that look
like they just kind of get out of the
way yeah that was easy all right the
other side let's see I actually stuck
this motor mount here over this thing
does this slide under no it doesn't
slide under so I mean it just will come
out with one bolt and this will probably
spin upward
by the way they wanted to sell us motor
mounts look at that thing that motor
mount looks brand new otherwise it's a
matter of just kind of pulling and
moving just disconnect everything here
pull these ignition coils out the valve
covers don't look like they'll be too
difficult to get out of place maybe a
couple of tight screws to get to but
otherwise not bad considering it's a
portion they charge a fortune for any
work on it at the dealer
cool all
right there we
go let's see what we
[Music]
got there you
go right here that gasket should be new
so that was good there all right oo
still a little warm from us moving it
and so oil cover was here dude what's
going on look at this before there was I
could literally slap this against the
valve cover now it's got perfect
tension look this isn't moving at all I
guess the slack could be
elsewhere
or is it the hydraulic tensioner is
going to bleed off and we've got a worn
hydraulic tensioner I thought it was for
sure the GU well we still got to get
this side off and that'll help us figure
did he change these no no okay good good
call so if we look on the back here
these guys here and according to the uh
service advisor they just take one out
at a time and I think there's four of
them in there and they just put another
one in that's why he said that they
didn't have to mess with the timing but
you would think they were putting torque
against this right there's a a tool
that goes against the cam shafts back
here you can actually see where the
timing dots are right there and right
there uh and it only you know fits in
one place You' think if they were
putting torque against this they would
want to put that timing tool in wouldn't
you think if they were changing the
bolts you know so anyway this is crazy
that there's perfect tension so there's
more to this story either the hydraulic
tensioner got a problem there's slack in
the chain elsewhere which doesn't make a
lot of sense turn the engine over by
hand well we're going to do that let's
let's get that other cover off first all
right here we go let's see what do we
got again we got perfect tension on this
side too how did you check the tension
before I literally stuck my finger on
this and it the oil engine cap and it
would just hit the valve uh cover so you
weren't able to check this side at all
definitely
not all
right there we
go perfect look at that all right
I think I see something Mike this is
unbelievable but it's kind of exactly
what we thought and uh well I think Mike
even already sees it Mike what do you
see I see the a piece of the plastic
guide right here just a piece though you
don't see a lot of the plastic guide
just a piece it's actually quite loose
so you want to get a picture of it
before it falls deeper into the
engine oh there you go there's some good
slack in the chain okay okay so it's
really dependent on the position the
chain is in and where that plastic is
moving at the time let's see we got the
scope so you can see it a little bit
better but you see that so that's it's
pieces of the guide bunching up in there
it's all broken up now look I want you
to switch it from this side switch it to
this side you could see there's like
literally just one Shard of it left and
the rest of it's straight metal take a
look see there you go there's the bridge
guide right there and there's just a
fragment of plastic hanging on for dear
life in the corner here that guide is
completely gone you could see A Shard of
plastic just hanging out right there so
my question is okay you got to figure
the tech the tech had the engine just
like we have it here both valve covers
off in order to do the recall that's as
um disassembled as this engine was okay
something like this should he have
spotted that again from the naked eye
here you can see that that's straight
metal and there should be a little bit
of plastic on the end the plastic spans
the entire way of that guide it normally
looks something like this that little
thin piece of plastic is basically the
barrier between the timing chain and the
metal bridge that it runs on after
seeing nearly 200,000 Mi on this Porsche
it's got to just be worn to bits and
even though it's probably only a
millimeter or two thick the difference
is enough to cause slack in the chain
and it's got to be why we're out of time
driving this thing right now with that
little thin plastic strip ining would be
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samrack now from what I read the
dealership actually quotes an engine out
job to the tuna like 30 labor hours in
order to do a timing job on both the
Panamera and the Cayenne but I'm trying
to figure out why that's the case