[GrumpyCat]

Hello everyone, my friend suggested that i make a post on this forum about the problem i am having with my Cayman.

So quick info on the car. Its a 2006 987.1 Cayman S that i recently purchased last May from a nice gentleman in California. The previous owner blew up the motor on track and had the m96 rebuilt and stroked to 3.8L The engine was built to Vision motorsport 3.8 specs which included rods, pistons, sleeves, balancing the crank, ims and oiling issues addressed. Current mileage on the rebuilt motor is aprox 15000

When the car arrived it would smoke briefly on start up if it had sat a few days That was considered "normal" from the owner and a bit of research i did on the issue. Well now it smokes badly for at least 10 minutes and continues to smoke (but less) when i drive away. It will eventually go away after a few min of normal driving. I did some reading and it really sounded like a AOS issue. I pulled the AOS last weekend and replaced that and cleaned the throttle body and AOS hoses. While i was there i pulled the plugs and replaced them along with the coils. only the number 1 cylnder had a "wet" plug and the rest were "normal".

Now after replacing the AOS it is still smoking on start up but not as bad (yaay). I checked the oil and it was on the lowest bar and flashing so i added maybe a 1/3 of a quart. Drive around and get more smoke on start up. I let the car sit over night in the garage (flat and level) check the oil in the morning (cold) and the level indicator is still flashing on the lowest bar. I go on a long 1 hour drive to get the engine really up to temp and come home. The oil level (hot) is still in the same spot (lowest bar flashing) so i add the rest of the quart. now I'm felling confidant that i will see some movement of the gauge but nope, didn't move at all. Now I'm getting pretty frustrated and later that evening i check the oil (cold) same spot, i add another half quart and go for a drive, get it warm, come home and check, still no movement of the indicator. I check the vacuum on the oil cap and its much better (not much vacuum) than before. I let the car cool down and add another half quart and let it warm up, the level indicator still hasn't moved off the lowest bar flashing. Im VERY frustrated at this point and order a durametric pro (rental) so i can talk to tis oil level sensor/indicator and see what's going on. I know from reading horror stories that these oil level sensors are very sensitive and after adding 1.5 quarts i should see some movement.

So my plan is to drain the oil and measure how much comes out and compare that amount to what the indicator is telling me. Does anyone have any ideas? At this point im scared to start the car because i think its over filled. i need to drain it tonight and try to figure out how to measure the oil

[cmartin]

I just drained one into a 2 gal kitchen tub. Translucent and graduated, even I can figure it out.

I would not pass go and do a compression test and leakdown to help issolate/confirm whats going on.

Good luck

cambro 8qt but several similar options available

[GrumpyCat]

Originally Posted by cmartin

I just drained one into a 2 gal kitchen tub. Translucent and graduated, even I can figure it out.

I would not pass go and do a compression test and leakdown to help issolate/confirm whats going on.

Good luck

cambro 8qt but several similar options available

That kitchen tub is a fantastic idea! looks like i will be stopping by walmart after work, thank you! I can add the compression test to the list because i have a compression gage, i do not however have a leakdown tester. I will knock this out tonight hopefully and post up my results. Thanks again

[BillC]

IIRC, all Caymans came with the M97 engine, not the M96. Only the '05 and '06 987.1 Boxsters still had the M96 engine, and they all switched over in '07.

It is easier to replace the AOS on an M97 than it is on an M96.

[GrumpyCat]

Thanks for letting me know. Im not sure where I got that from but I looked it up just now and yeah its a m97 derived from the m96

[Dr K]

Originally Posted by cmartin

I just drained one into a 2 gal kitchen tub. Translucent and graduated, even I can figure it out.

I would not pass go and do a compression test and leakdown to help issolate/confirm whats going on.

Good luck

cambro 8qt but several similar options available

Chris, I think you have a serious problem with your engine if your oil came out looking like that!!

[cmartin]

You should've seen the filter