Your Porsche Engine Has a Problem. Now What? | Jake Raby

What do you do when your Porsche engine starts leaking, making noise, showing signs of bore scoring, or simply reaches the point where you have to decide whether to keep driving or tear it apart?

Jake Raby of Flat Six Innovations joins me for a wide-ranging conversation about Porsche engine problems, rebuilds, upgrades, M96/M97 failures, air-cooled engines, bore scoring, IMS issues, and what owners should know before spending serious money.

We start with one of the biggest questions Porsche owners face: How do you know when an engine actually needs to come apart?

Jake explains what separates a true engine builder from a general repair shop, what questions you should ask before handing over your engine, why flat-rate work can be a warning sign, and why he believes standards and discipline matter more than speed.

Then we get into the engines themselves.

Jake explains why he considers bore scoring advanced wear rather than a traditional failure, why he believes some engines may effectively be born predisposed to it, and why low-mileage cars can sometimes concern him more than cars that have been driven hard.

We also talk about my own 1972 911T and its leaking 2.7-liter engine. Do I leave it alone? Reseal it? Rebuild it? Make it bigger? Or put the engine aside and install something completely different?

And yes, Jake also makes one statement that will probably start an argument: after owning and working on plenty of both, he believes the 996.1 is a better all-around car than the 964 or 993.

Other topics include:

• When an oil leak actually becomes a reason to open an engine

• Rebuilding stock versus upgrading while you're in there

• Why Jake rarely puts an engine back exactly as Porsche built it

• 3.2-liter air-cooled engine swaps

• LS V8 swaps into 996s

• What Jake thinks of modern M96/M97 engine conversions

• IMS bearing failures

• Bore scoring and cylinder wear

• Why some low-mileage Porsches may need more work than you expect

• Why Jake says you should fully warm up your Porsche, then drive it hard

• The Porsche Jake would keep if he could own only one

GUEST: JAKE RABY

Founder, Flat Six Innovations / Raby Engine Development

FLAT SIX INNOVATIONS

Website:

https://flat6innovations.com/

RABY AIRCOOLED TECHNOLOGY

Website:

https://aircooledtechnology.com/

ELEVENAFTERNINE

Website & Porsche Consulting:

https://www.elevenafternine.com/

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CHAPTERS

00:00 Your Porsche engine has a problem. Now what?

05:38 What separates a real engine builder?

17:59 Why Jake builds engines differently

25:05 How to choose a Porsche engine builder

32:10 Why water-cooled engine failures feel different

37:56 Jake: The 996.1 is better than the 964 and 993

47:54 My leaking 2.7-liter 911 engine

53:00 When is an oil leak bad enough to fix?

57:58 Rebuild it stock or make it better?

1:02:53 LS V8 swaps in a Porsche 996

1:08:55 When engine failure becomes an opportunity

1:11:22 Jake's take on the cause of bore scoring

1:12:38 Low mileage versus hard-driven engines

1:16:04 How to keep your Porsche engine healthy

1:18:33 Why Jake says to drive your Porsche hard

1:28:58 The one Porsche Jake would keep

ElevenAfterNine is an independent enthusiast podcast and is not affiliated with, authorized by, or endorsed by Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG.

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