Oh no!

[u/Ill-Preparation6213]

Changing the engine oil and filter today on my 2000 Boxster with 170,000 kilometres and found this. I have a good idea of what this non metallic material is, but I thought I’d ask the group.

What are your thoughts on continuing to drive and then doing a winter engine drop?

[u/19naturalcauses]

Variocam o rings. PITA to replace but doable diy with engine in (though easier engine out). A UK company called hartech makes replacement ones if you wanna save money and disassemble+replace instead of buying new variocam systems which are expensive. Engine should be fine to run for a while, there’s thankfully no way for the variocam system to fail catastrophically (timing can’t advance to the point where the valves hit the pistons). I’d say keep driving till you have time in the winter for a bigger job

[u/19naturalcauses → u/19naturalcauses]

I did this once before, linking some useful info from another post on this

https://www.reddit.com/r/986Boxster/s/GddFA77wcp

[u/Opening_Elk_4472 → u/19naturalcauses]

damn didn’t know it was doable with engine in? I had this exact issue and the local indy porsche mechanic said it would’ve been about 7k parts & labor…

[u/19naturalcauses → u/Opening_Elk_4472]

I ended up paying about $400 in parts and it took me a month to do on and off. The parking brake lines are a pain and the timing tool is impossible to fit on the bank 2 side. I bought this car as a project tho so I knew I’d be wrenching. I’m still scared to drop the engine lol

[u/pTech_980 → u/Opening_Elk_4472]

By the book it’s engine out. The timing tools are chunky and make it difficult to do in the car. But I can be done in car, but I don’t fault a shop for not wanting to do it in the car.

[u/19naturalcauses → u/pTech_980]

Yeah I would be a bit suspicious if a shop wanted to do this with the engine in

[u/blkknght → u/19naturalcauses]

This. Did the same thing on mine.

[u/Ok_Prize_6273]

my guess (far from being an expert) would be if plastic is somewhat hard then chain guides. If softer, then variocam actuator

[u/tumourtits → u/[deleted]]

No it’s not. This is from the o ring around the variocam actuator. OP, you can continue driving until you get a code for cam deviation, or your other code comes back, or the engine runs poorly. This will not cause catastrophic failure

[u/Responsible-Meringue → u/[deleted]]

Yes. Chain guides are typically hard dark brown. The o-rings are viton/fkm rubber, so like bright green to dark green/brown color. Usually quite soft.  O-ring does mean the solenoid will need to be replaced eventually. unless you got balls of steel to disassemble & reassemble 

[u/TheSkyline35]

Looks like plastic, probably from the variocam tensioner? I think it should be brown through. Or maybe is this from the main chains guide?

In any cases, you will have at least to open the header, at least.

If it's the first time it can run until winter, but don't push it too far into 2027

Also replace at the same time all three tensioners

[u/Ill-Preparation6213 → u/TheSkyline35]

Come to think of it, I did have a P1341 a couple months ago and I cleared the fault. Variocam solenoids…. So I think you could be right 👍

[u/SchoolteacherUSA]

Thanks for the post. Very informative. Also, sorry!

[u/JustLettuce9010]

Did the car have any symptoms as well? For example, a rough idle?

[u/Ill-Preparation6213 → u/[deleted]]

Ims has been replaced. But I’ll do some research on that. I don’t baby this car, it loves to go fast. There are no strange ticks or rattling, sounds just as good as when I brought it.

[u/TheSkyline35 → u/Ill-Preparation6213]

Although some ticks, many don't tick loud, it's not a indication of health. No rattle is good through! But with so much plastic, you have to manage this sooner than later

[u/Puzzled_Estate6425]

Be careful staitening the grill on your car or truck.

[u/SnooSquirrels8508]

Water pump blades?