Planet 9

I was at a DE last weekend. On the last run exiting a left hander, the engine warning light came on, with text about taking to a workshop or something. The light was on for no more than a few seconds with maybe brief limp mode - I didn't step on the gas to find out. I drove into the pits with all seemingly back to normal.

Other than that, I had huge amounts of blue/white smoke on restarting after each run and went through 1.6 liters of Mobil 1 for the weekend. On that last run, oil level was at full before and after (no overfill) and the lowest it ever got was 0.8 liters low.

On returning home, all seems normal. No smoke, no warnings...

Interesting to note that I blew my first engine exiting that same left hand turn in 2006. Testing then showed metal fragments in the oil but normal compression and leak down test results. The engine was shipped to Germany for autopsy and they dropped a new one in under waranty. Didn't have the white smoke then, but driving faster now on Hoosiers and Hawk Blues (141.8 lap at Road Atlanta).

Any thoughts? I was advised to wait at least a week or 2 post DE to take it in if it seems fine to avoid potential warranty questions, given it's my second engine.

Have you done any of the track reliability mods discussed here (VOS, oil sump, etc.)? I hate to say it, but I would be really careful with engine #2 unless you are willing to treat it as practically a consumable/cost of fun. Coverage once is great, but...

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2007 Cayman S, Arctic Silver
Gone but not forgotten: 1980 911SC
PCA San Diego Region

Haven't done any of the mods. It's on a lease, so not ready to plunk down too much on mods and certainly don't want to spring for a new engine. Any ballpark for parts and labor for these mods? Doesn't sound like the VOS (what is the V in VOS - oil separator I guess is OS) will protect the engine much and I imagine a sump is pretty costly with installation?? May have to hang up track days with the Cayman.

I was really curious if anyone might guess what the warning related to? Has anyone else seen this short of engine failure? I certainly will post the PIWIS results when I take it in.

I have heard of a CS going into limp mode on a left turn with banking under a fair amount of g's. Also accompanied by tell-tale signs of oil ingestion. My guess is that you ingested a substantial amount of oil - smoke and oil consumption says that - and there is some way that the system detects this and puts the engine in limp mode with the accompanying CEL.

From what I have read in the numerous posts on this board is that sustained substantial high g forces (as you can achieve with R compound tires, etc.) can, with our engines, cause oil to go where it's not supposed to (ingestion) and/or not go where it's supposed to (oil starvation and potential engine failure). And the hazards to the engine can be intensified by consistent high RPM and really intensified by downshift overrevs.

Other folks here know this a lot better than me though - from direct experience.

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2007 Cayman S, Arctic Silver
Gone but not forgotten: 1980 911SC
PCA San Diego Region

The improved VOS will completely solve the oil ingestion problem. 1 qt or so per weekend before the install and zero oil use after.

Cheers,

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www.caymanspec.com

I have had the engine light briefly come on a couple of times. So many things can cause it, unless it is frequent, or stays on, I would not worry about it. And my dealer gave the same advice.

Regarding your engine durability, that becomes problematic when moving to sticky tires and/or a more track oriented suspension. I lost an engine in an '08 ZO6, and these same problems exist with that car, as with most all street cars. Each to their own, but I have adopted the policy of avoiding modifications, at least during the warranty period. Although the car is not track prepared, it is sufficiently competent in stock form to have fun on track. If I want to get into it deeper, I'll build a dedicated track car.

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I saw a video tour of the KY facility recently and they spoke at length of the use of the dry sump rather than the typical oil pan for the Z06. Was this an oil related failure or just a component failure?

Well, I'll never know for sure. The car was returned to Bowling Green for a new motor, but I was told they could not divulge the results of the engine analysis. The '09 model went to the larger oil sump used in the ZR1, increasing capacity from roughly 8, to 10 quarts, probably still marginal for a 427 motor. But frankly, I doubt the capacity was the problem. Regardless of capacity, the engine has to have sufficient flow, so I suspect a pump failure, either the component itself, or resulting from a metal contaminant from another part. In any event, there were a few engine failures (eight other ZO6's were waiting for motors when mine was there). I haven't researched the experience with the larger tank yet to know the results. If GM maintains ZO6 production, I will look into it when things stabilize some, as the car still holds a lot of appeal for me.

IVOS = Improved Vapour Oil Separator

VOS = Vapour Oil Separator (that's the original part fitted to the car)

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Email: allan@motordrive.com
Group Buys: http://motordrive.com/acatalog/Cayma...roup_Buys.html

Hi Scopacetic;

I believe Fondueski has accurately assessed your issue...furthermore, I doubt that it is coincidental that you are having similiar results on the same track, in the same corner, with the same car particularly if no preventative mods have been implemented.

The odds of being struck by lightning are mathmatically very slim however; if you are leaning against a lightning rod during a storm the mathmatics may certainly become more statistical in nature...lol

The VOS/Oil sump/Pwr.Steering issues have been amply documented by the hard chargers on this & other forums...

I hear this rationalization a fair bit; ironically the same folks saying this will frequently spend the same or greater amounts on a new/different set of tires/wheels etc without hesitation. Granted a new IVOS/Sump mod is not nearly as sexy as a fresh set of Champions with Sport Cups but neither is coming back smokin' & drippin' on a flatbed...
Additionally; although I understand the finance argument just remember that a car, like a house or a spouse is always a liability up to the moment you sell them...
Once you accept that, you can free yourself mentally to play hard with a clear conscience...lol

As a track junkie & Club Racer with well over a hundred+ weekends on the track with 951s (944 Turbos) & 968s (both stock & dedicated/heavily modified/boosted) & now my '08 Cayman S, I don't ever tiptoe around potential oiling &/or hydro-locking issues. I get proactive all over them & as a result I don't need to deal with the irritating & costly consequences. This in turn greatly increases my 'Fun Factor'...

The IVOS & sump mods are fairly inexpensive depending on the labor structure at your repair facility of choice...the pair of mods with parts will typically range in the 2.0-2.5k area if you combine the sump upgrade with your next oil change. (...or slightly less than a weekend in Vegas with a budding young supermodel...).
The P/S Underdrive pulley & installation is minimal & works well for most...I also added radiant barrier heat shielding on all P/S lines/hoses from pump to the bottom of the engine bulkhead area & have had zero expansion overflow or fluid loss. To monitor same I spliced in an extension on the vent hose with a little catch bottle within viewing range near the l/h rear wheel. If that changes I'll know it's time to add a cooler...

One of our PCA Region instructor/Club Racers also has a Cayman S; got his a little while before I got mine & was having the same ingestion issues with the voluminous smoking, power loss with CEL coding & oil consumption (.75-1.0 qt. per weekend). Since installing the IVOS mod he has had none of these issues return; I installed all my mods before ever setting foot (OK, tires) on track & as a result have never had a moments trouble with the IVOS/Sump or P/S scenarios.
He is also using the X51 pan baffle setup; I am using the Mantis solution. We are both fast, aggressive drivers & run on Hoosier R6s, Kumho V710s, or similiar tires with the usual suspension improvments & reasonably aggressive alignments for dual duty cars that we drive to the track...these aren't our Club Race cars.

Another of our Clients couldn't mentally get past the argument that Porsche should pick up the tab for the mod(s) & therefore didn't make the upgrades in spite of all the aforementioned warning signs...the engine failed catastrophically a few weekends later...

The frisky folks at tracks over the U.S. & abroad have done the research & documentation for us all but they can't force anyone to make the improvements however; if you grenade your engine & dump oil all over our favorite apexes we are really gonna' be pissed 'bout that...!!! lol...

Do the mods, get it over with, & go have fun without needless worrying...there are tires waiting to be spanked!!!

Remember; rubber is evil...it must be punished...

Randall
Car #007

Yellow Run Group - Set 3 | Hart Photography & Graphics

White Run Group - Set 1 | Hart Photography & Graphics

ps: re: This is an irresponsible response from any Dealer or shop if a car is seeing any time on the track...the car should be hooked up to a PIWIS tester at minimum to verify what if any codes have triggered as at least a courtesy inspection to help protect the Client from potential issues...
Just sayin'...sorry, I'll get off my soapbox...lol

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Randall L. Johnson/Park Place Porsche/Parts Mgr.
PCA Member/Club Racer
2008 Porsche Cayman S; Guards Red/Black
1986 Porsche 951 Cobalt Blue;Track Car; GT-3S
1986 Porsche 951 Silver Met;Track Car; GT-3S

Welcome to the land of Porsche VOS problems.
If you want to regularly track your car with R compound tires then you need to address the oil and power steering shortcomings of this Porsche model.

The Motorsport VOS (vapor oil separator) part is $560 plus 10-12 hours labor to install. I would also do the Mantis sump extension, under drive pulley and power steering insulation. I have all these on my car.

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Augie

Sport Chrono,Seats & steering wheel, Xenon, Bose. JIC Cross coilovers, Mantis pulley & oil sump ext, Epiq p/s insulation, TR Motorsport wheels, Hoosier; BMC air filter, DCM harness bar, G-Force harness, Corbeau Forza II seat, Softronic Plenum & 4.1, Milltex headers & exhaust, Motorsport VOS