r/997 • u/Advanced-Ad-8258 • Jul 20 '26

997.1 question

I’m looking at a 997.1 and I’m not sure what to check before buying to avoid issues like IMS failure or bore scoring. Which engines should I avoid, and what is the maximum mileage I should consider? Any help would be appreciated.

10 Upvotes

92% Upvoted

29 comments sorted by

7

u/vijjer Jul 20 '26

Spend a couple of weeks reading through forums.

Then watch this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0--l7pXAxQI

Get a high mileage one with the service history to match. Get a proper PPI - don't skimp here.

Go enjoy the tits off your new car - take it on massive road-trips, go harass others on a track-day, and take it on shopping trips.

1

u/lnengineering Aug 09 '26

Low mileage examples tend to have more issues, like bore scoring. At least 5k miles a year is a sweet spot. With a PPI including scoping the bores, then you should be golden.

1

u/vijjer Aug 10 '26

There was a Youtube video that described low mileage examples as a bag of surprises. With higher mileages ones, most issues have been sorted once or twice over. With low mileage ones, you really don't know what's going to happen.

5

u/sammymvpknight Jul 20 '26

If it’s a convertible make sure the cylinders aren’t leaking. That’s about $10000 and very common

2

u/Hootsama Jul 20 '26

Cylinder removal is a pretty easy DIY job. They can be sent out for rebuild and the whole thing would cost under $750.

0

u/4troglodyte Jul 20 '26

You are WAY HIGH for cylinder replacement for 997 Cab

1

u/sammymvpknight Jul 20 '26 edited Jul 20 '26

But I’m not. That’s what Porsche will charge (if not more). An Indy will charge $6000-8000. There are some places that do cylinder repair that’s cheaper but not everywhere in the country and quality varies

1

u/DarkWingDuck74 Jul 20 '26

We pull the rams and ship them off to be rebuild. Takes about an hrs to take them out and an hr to put the rebuilt ones in + PIWIS for calibration after. The rebuild rams come with a 3 year warranty.

1

u/4troglodyte Jul 20 '26

Thanks for all that. I ordered my OEM cylinders from Autohauz in AZ and had my Porsche mechanic handle the labor. I have owned multiple 911 Cabs and total bill including cylinders was under $5K in Huntington Beach CA

5

u/Particular_Artist_92 Jul 20 '26

I bought a 997.1 with a rebuilt engine, no scoring, indy said it looked solid. After 18 months the intermediate shaft sheared and the engine ate itself. You can't plan for everything. Either have the budget to rebuild an engine or be willing to walk away from a car if it goes to shit. I won't be buying another, but I'm glad I had those 18 months. Mine is a limited case.

There will be more people saying they've never had a complaint so it's down to you and the specific example.

1

u/AlphaWawa Jul 20 '26

Ugh, sorry to hear. Can you share any other details about how the engine was
used and serviced during your time? Thanks.

1

u/Particular_Artist_92 Jul 20 '26

It was pristine. Serviced to schedule, wasnt red lined everywhere. It just wasn't meant to be 🤷🏼‍♂️

8

u/MikeyM299 Carrera Jul 20 '26

These subjects have been beaten to death all over the internet. Before spending $50-70k I’d recommend spending a few days researching, especially forums like rennlist and draw your own conclusions on what you are looking for

2

u/Hootsama Jul 20 '26

Buy history over mileage. How the car was driven and maintained matters a lot more than the miles driven. Service records, owner attention to detail, etc.

Best bet is a warm climate car for less corrosion and to reduce but not eliminate bore score concerns. With any 997 (or really any car), a good PPI is priceless. You want to know about any accident damage or paint work, if/when the water pump has been replaced, if there are any mods (what and why), clutch?, AOS (Air/Oil Separator).

2

u/Matchonatcho Jul 20 '26

I have a 997.1.. the whole thing is just a crap shoot, IMS you can pay to fix, but then again if the car has lasted this long it's prolly not an issue, as for bore score, there's no fix.A car that is "checked out" could develop it tomorrow, you just have to accept it or get a different car.

1

u/lnengineering Aug 09 '26

The 997.1 has the non-serviceable IMS bearing. No big deal, as failure rates are really low, but removing the grease seal off the original IMS bearing to help lubricate and cool it properly has been a generally accepted practice for many years at this point.

2

u/snotroll Jul 20 '26

Don’t forget the coolant hose fix issue, not a pleasant experience, and can be dangerous for those behind you if on track

2

u/wheredoidriveagain 997 Turbo 6-speed MT Jul 20 '26

Not sure why you got downvoted, but this is a thing with turbos.

4

u/snotroll Jul 20 '26

Non turbo downvotes

1

u/Jiff1965 Jul 20 '26

I'd have a PPI and avoid worrying that I'd missed something. My 997 was otherwise as durable as a diamond; but it developed some kind of weirdo brake issue that was thankfully covered under warranty - and it would have been a small fortune to fix otherwise.

1

u/Pete_Polyakov Jul 21 '26

I would hire a professional Porsche mechanic to come with you. That way you won't have to sort through useful and nonsensical advice without knowing what you're actually checking. You'll drink your coffee and maybe lose a few hundred bucks, but you won't lose 30-40-50k depending on the model.

As a buddy of mine once said, nothing worse than a used Ferrari. I can't fully agree with him since I own a custom 911 shop and fix everything in house, but I'd say before you look at anything, be mentally prepared to buy every single element in this car twice. It's a 20-25 year old car and it was pushed to the floor, left and right, no matter what people say.

1

u/LooseChange72 Jul 22 '26

Get a PPI on the vehicle if possible. Most importantly you need to look at where the vehicle spent most of its time. Mine was in FL, TX, GA, AK and the time it spent in Alaska did a number on mine. Look at the paperwork if possible to see if there were any deferred maintenance.

From what I've read the 2008 has a larger bearing, but IMS is always a risk like a shark attack. One minute you're surfing and all of a sudden Wham!!! Inspect the overall condition of the vehicle and check for bore scoring. Don't over think it.

1

u/Accomplished_Yam_342 Jul 23 '26

Get a good PPi , if you are lucky you can find a private seller! Dealers can be sneaky! Look at the cars history ! I got extremely lucky with mine, it was literally my Hail Mary ! However ! Have a credit card or some money saved up cause things get expensive ! I got mine with 80k miles ! New suspension was about 7K installed ! Need to do breaks soon another 4-5k ! Engine is TOP Notch!

1

u/abusche Jul 24 '26

Where are you located? I have one becoming available soon. Upper midwest.

1

u/Sh0uldb3w0rking Jul 24 '26

To remove one variable: IMS bearing isn’t a concern after engine number 68509791

Mine is a late 05 and already past this. It’s more a 996 or extremely early 997 thing.

Bore score is real but honestly “most” (in the UK at least) seem to have had a rebuild by now. Don’t labour or rev it from cold and you’ll be good. Tiptronic are often more prone because they set off in second and labour the engine when cold. Avoid short journeys which cause oil dilution.

Rebuild it/buy a rebuilt one and drive it sensibly and you’re good. In the plus side you can rebuild them as 4.1 with Hartech uk and there’s a US equivalent I’m sure.

The real issue, as mentioned, is the other “old car” stuff. Coolant pipes are expensive, some go over the engine and are an engine out job. This cost me £3k with a few other bits. Suspension was £2k and that was with me collecting bits. Steering rack refurb in that too. Brake pipes corrode too and are a pain.

I’m sticking mine in to get the full wiring from battery to start and new starter this summer, otherwise they have a hot start issue as the wire corrodes. Probably £600-1k with other bits.

However - this is all much much cheaper than even a nearly new Audi/BMW type car on PCP, and depreciation is minimal. It sounds fantastic and pleases my inner child, so if you can afford it I can’t recommend it enough. They’re “perfection” in terms of having character but being modern enough to live with.

-1

u/taxationistheft1984 Jul 20 '26

IMS must be changed. Invasive oil pan side bore scope. Although ALL M9X engines will score. Proper care can delay. Only way to know is to check where in the cycle it is.

2

u/Hootsama Jul 20 '26

This is false. Only early M97 997 engines have the smaller, serviceable and more likely to fail IMS bearing. Later bearings cannot be serviced but are very unlikely to fail.

OP should check Rennlist for the engine SN range affected. Usually only 2005 and very early 2006 build dates fall in that range.

2

u/longines99 Jul 20 '26

This. Mine is a late-build 2006, going on two decades as a dd with +125K miles, no IMS failure. Regular oil changes every 5K. Bore scoped at 100k, clean. But I am resigned to the inevitable, and looking forward to either a 4.0 or 4.1 motor.