Huge backfire...then dead.

That seems logical, Al.  I can only think of one other thing at the moment and that would be timing related.  Either the chain broke, or the cam is no longer attached to the gear, both of which sound unlikely.

That would be the chain for the gerbil driven super charger?

Wait...  these have gear driven cams, don't they?

 

DOH!

Thanks, Lane. Man, am I stupid.   I found that the gerbil driven dizzy module had a broken wire to the gerbil driven coil....hence, no spark. I should have found that while I was waiting for the gerbil driven flatbed for 2 FOCKIN HOURS!

Good catch!

 

Found this Boxster of CL for dirt cheap price.  

 

http://okaloosa.craigslist.org/cto/5105393486.html

 

Owner says it won't start "maybe due to a security lock out"!  I sent note asking if the IMS bearing had ever been replaced or even checked.  Still waiting on reply (of course).  Guess guy is trying to pass it off to some unsuspecting buyer - vs replacing the engine for $15k!  Man, that IMS issue is scary - I know it doesn't affect all but it is a large number.

I just relocated my hamster dirven coil away from the Fuel lines and was getting some pops yesterday also...I better check that new Coil wire I made...bet that damned hamster put the bite on it and it's now intermittiently working. Frikin' hamsters anyway...causing just as much trouble as your gerbil I guess.

Good find, Al.  Next time, bring Wild Bill along - he's good at finding stuff like that.

 

Unrelatedly, I wanted to rev the engine to find a noise source in my Rogue and thought I could just start it, open the hood and blip the throttle cable.  

 

OOPS!  

 

No throttle cable.  

 

Damn thing is a drive-by-wire electric throttle (just like the electric power steering, electric emergency brake and a bunch of other stuff I never expected to see in there).  

 

It also has a big shift lever that simply closes switches in different positions to tell the tranny program what I want it to do.  Shoot - I could-a done that with through my iPhone on Bluetooth!

 

"Siri?  Take us outa here!"

Greg,
I thought the IMS issue was the earlier cars but you are correct in that it is a ticking time bomb.  I looked at one once and between that and the so called 'D' chunk issue with the block I decided to buy the Speedster.
That said, could you take the VIN to a dealer and check to see if it was done?

I bought a used Mazda for my wife and the CarFax even listed oil changes, but that was at the dealer also.  A friend of ours had a 911 or a 993 and had his done just for piece of mind. Not really sure what that entails, but it cost a couple K, I think.

IMS issue is 1997-2008 and affects 7-20% of cars.  If it rattled or vibrated before it went that would be ok - but it just lets go and grenades the engine.  Apparently Porsche went to a double row bearing after that.  12 hours labor and rather costly part - so near $3k.  Best to do when trans is out for a clutch replacement to save few $.

I got a Carfax on my F250 before I sold it and made it a part of the sale speel.  Prospective buyers (there were five, IIRC) were impressed that I was willing to share it with them as buyers but, why not?  They could access it anyway and it was easy to do.  I can't remember if it cost anything and, if there was a charge, it was infinitesimal compared to the selling price and well worth it.

 

Carfax only shows dealer-provided service, or service provided by a dealer network attached mechanic (and there aren't too many of those).  It didn't show oil changes and stuff done by me (like new Universals on the driveshaft and getting it spin-balanced), but it did show all four of the major engine weak point replacements I had done at the dealer, so it was worth it.  If the seller is a stand-up person, they may have written documentation of out-of-network service done.

A blown engine is an awesome security lockout.  That car ain't going anywhere.

You Abide, Al!

 

~The Dude