[flash]

ok - i think there are 2 separate issues here.  let's discount the oil in the intake for a moment.

 

all of the other symptoms point toward a failed starter.  something that helps point there is the fact that there is a known issue with the ignition switch in that car. the previous owner did a "workaround" to get the switch to work, but it has never really worked right, with the tip indicator not functioning, and the power to the running position being modified.  i would not be a bit surprised if the switch failed, sent power to the starter while the engine was running, the starter suddenly saw 6000 rpm instead of its normal 200 rpm, had a kinipshin fit, and blew out.  the tip computer would have seen a fault, put you in limp mode, and the starter would likely have jammed up, preventing the engine from turning.

 

the oil in the intake would point to valve train issues, or a disconnected AOS vacuum line.

Partial Post: Please Login or Register to read the full post.

[wildcat]

If the igniter in the DME (the triggering mechanism for the coil) was going bad you might expect similar results. This would mean bad combustion say if it was sending a signal every other time, you'd lose power, and produce smoke out the tail pipe, and when you stopped the car some of that some might get back into the engine compartment making you think it was coming from the engine. That would be a DME issue. And you would'nt get any warning lights. And the no click etc. Its the last thing you'd expect. $500 bucks to get fixed sent to Florida. They do good work if that's the case. 

Partial Post: Please Login or Register to read the full post.

[ds968]

Continued with the process of elimination steps today but the problem still remains a mystery since everything we checked seems to be in working order ( including a spare starter available for testing .. ). However, the engine is frozen solid and nothing will turn it, manually or otherwise . Time ran out for now, so we're continuing the drama tomorrow evening. Will post an update after the next round of testing of everything that comes to mind .

Partial Post: Please Login or Register to read the full post.

[PorscheG96]

I had a spare tiptronic starter from my driveline conversion and, even though it spins when hooked up to Dan's car while the original doesn't, I'm concerned that simply installing and hoping to turn over a seized engine could burn it out like the last one. I've tried everything to turn this motor including checking camshaft tensioner & belt assembly, removing plugs, fully loosening sc and AC belt tension, removing potentially seized starter and lifting rear wheels off the ground but no matter what we try, I cannot turn the crank bolt in either direction using a 24" breaker bar. Obviously, with battery connected we've moved the gear selector from P to N for eliminating drive lock and diff was ruled out since we can turn the wheels. Bellhousing inspection revealed nothing obvious though clutch inspection or empty starter holes. Something has caused his engine to be totally jammed...

Partial Post: Please Login or Register to read the full post.

[Bulti]

This is obviously not a nice X-Mas present :-(

Partial Post: Please Login or Register to read the full post.

[Waylander]

thinking about the drive line if you have removed everything the only part left is the torque tube, wonder if the bolt has come out of the nose shaft?

Partial Post: Please Login or Register to read the full post.

[PorscheG96]

There isn't a nose shaft on Tiptronic. It uses full length 944 torque tube with short 944 bell housing.

Partial Post: Please Login or Register to read the full post.

[Waylander]

I know very little about TIP's, one wonders if the oil pickup fractured and the mains have seized.

 

you say the engine wont move in either direction is that not at all or just a little bit?

 

have to say its not looking good so far

Partial Post: Please Login or Register to read the full post.

[ds968]

Yeah, I'm guessing that anything which completely seizes / blocks the engine like that can only be seriously bad news.

The flex plate is perfectly fine but we were wondering if maybe something in the gear box could have broken and is blocking. the engine somehow ?

So to recap, the flex plate is fine, the cam assembly is fine, the timing belt is fine, there is no oil in the cylinders which could hydro-lock the engine, MY old starter ( ultimately ) got fried, even though it did turn briefly on a couple of different attempts few minutes apart after the engine stalled out , but Trevor's starter turns so the cable connections to the starter are fine . Probably not an electrical issue because that would certainly not prevent the engine from being cranked by hand..

So could it be an oil pick up tube fracture ? Maybe that would also explain the oil in the intake ?


To further recap what triggered all of this and the ensuing events, just to see if there is anything else that comes to mind ..: Cruising normally ( in D - so fourth gear ) accelerated powerfully at full SC boost which automatically downshifts it two gears ( when you're around 60-65 in D that is ) the revs were up close to the redline but the car did not shift up a gear as it usually does so I let off the gas immediately before it got to the redline, the car restored itself to Drive and then just a few seconds it started to slow down somewhat, and subsequently a few seconds after that I started hearing some rattle which sounded as if it was coming from underneath the car. There was a gradual loss of power for the next three or four minutes as I was driving toward the exit, and while it was not reposting very well to the gas pedal it was responding sufficiently to allow the car to be driven slowly, stop at the exit stop sign, then continue to driven again for another 300 ft or so to the side of the road where I found place to park it..right about the same time the engine stalled . All along this time the rattle I was hearing continued but it did not become louder , it was just there until I stopped the car .

So guessing the high revs was the catalyst for whatever " broke " , but given the rest of the symptoms and this weekend's findings , what are the likely possibilities..or even remote ones ? I'm far less concerned about the cost of getting this fixed than I am about just how much damage there is, and if it CAN be fixed without having to replace the engine !

Partial Post: Please Login or Register to read the full post.

[vliegwielolaf1234]

Drain the engine oil , if it is a bearring problem you will find metall parts in the oil .

Partial Post: Please Login or Register to read the full post.

[az968]

Still sounds like transmission to me with the symptoms described - not up shifting as nearing red line (should shift around 6500 rpm), then going into "limited driving mode". Don't know tips so will have to look at shop manual, but there has to be a solid connection from the engine to the front of the transmission than might have siezed.

Partial Post: Please Login or Register to read the full post.

[PorscheG96]

Yup, next two steps in our plan tonight were to decouple engine from trans + try turning engine again and if still stuck, drain oil.

Partial Post: Please Login or Register to read the full post.

[MCL968]

I am going to guess the pickup tube fractured and the pickup dropped off. It fell into the oil pan and met with the rod ends which were still spinning. This was the noise from under the car. The bearings overheated and seized,producing the thin wispy smoke. Top end looks good because it is, plugs will tell you nothing. Drain the oil and look into the crankcase with a scope.

Partial Post: Please Login or Register to read the full post.

[Bulti]

You could also cut the oil filter open. It's easy to spot debris there.

Partial Post: Please Login or Register to read the full post.

[ds968]

I have the Canon billet one, so very easy to unscrew the top , take out the metal filter insert and check..,

Partial Post: Please Login or Register to read the full post.

[MCL968]

Once the pickup tube failed, there would be no way for debris to get into the system. The filter would not tell you anything.

Partial Post: Please Login or Register to read the full post.

[ds968]

In the words of Kate Miiddleton . " I'm royally fu*ked ! " We found a piece of a piston ring in the oil pan . In spite of this awful news, there is a sliver lining : Trevor has a spare engine we can use to exchange with tne " deceased ' one, so that's the plan..

Btw, the oil filter was completely mangled !!

Partial Post: Please Login or Register to read the full post.

[vliegwielolaf1234]

Bummer , not good .

 

About the filter , i have the canton oil filter unit and removed it after finding the filter element mangeld/dented when changing the oil , also i was not happy with the way it build's oil pressure at start up( longer than the Original filter ) ,  because of the filter insert being disformed in the unit first time i thought maybe  i installed it wrong , but second an third time no way(drove it only a few hunderd miles)  , i am back to the messy oil filter change .

 

you will have to take the engine appart to find out , i am intrested to see what went wrong .

Partial Post: Please Login or Register to read the full post.

[Bulti]

?? How on earth can the filter element be mangeled?

Partial Post: Please Login or Register to read the full post.

[Waylander]

What a disaster, the news none of us wanted to hear.


Do you intend to find out what caused the failure?

 

wonder if its the normal problem, No2 big end spun the shell and cut off the oil squirt to cool the piston

Partial Post: Please Login or Register to read the full post.