GT4 Gearbox Failure

[ralphmusic]

The Car was supplied new in July 2016!!

See this log on Rennlist re build dates of reported USA failures, although I am not sure this is fully up to date. Most are mid 2016. I know one of the drivers and he is an experienced GT3 Cup driver.



..and an in-car video of failure moment.

For context, there are 2,326 GT4s logged on this USA database

 

[Buddy]

With regard to all Porsche transmissions, one concern is that if parts cannot be bought or any non-franchised specialist repairer available then the only recourse for repair is to buy a replacement unit and in the case of OEM a PDK transmission is around £13K the price of a manual I'm unaware of but we can be sure it will still be relatively expensive, thanks Ralph for the link, their torque capacity claims for the clutches are very impressive and it is possible that design wise the weak link in the PDK transmissions could be the clutches better than wrecking the box after all but I must admit I haven't been through their website in detail but will look further, a lot of members don't carry a Porsche Warranty and so take a chance on the possibility of a parts failure, anything modified on the car prevents it from being allowed a warranty with Porsche and if under warranty we all know that is voided by fitting of any non-OEM parts from mechanical parts to wiper blades...

There are several non-franchised repairers capable of rebuilding engines from sleeving scored bores etc and many I expect will be capable of repairing a manual gearbox but when the 7 speed becomes an installation in the Cayman at some point then both manual and PDK will have much the same cogs etc but selection will be different, we are likely at some point to have someone who has no warranty suffer a transaxle failure and to be looking for a repairer capable of carrying out a good repair many such failures are covered by the fitting of a second hand unit as the cheaper option but this is not always available, does anyone know of a UK transaxle repairer capable of repairing a Porsche unit?

 

[geoff.private@underwood.co.uk]

I've just been told by the Porsche Centre that a new gearbox should arrive next week sometime. Good news!

 

[Buddy]

Pleased to hear that Geoff, I hope you are soon back on the road again.

 

[ralphmusic]

Now this posting re failure on a manual 718

 

[geoff.private@underwood.co.uk]

Yes that sounds just like the failure on my car, which has now been fixed

 

[Motorhead]

Good to hear that Geoff and hope that the problem doesn't reoccur. I presume that Porsche haven't commented on the cause of the failure?

Enjoy the car.

Jeff

 

[geoff.private@underwood.co.uk]

The Porsche Centre were not even allowed to look inside the gearbox to see the problem.

i was a little concerned that because of the problems in getting the new transaxle, that I would get one that had been returned to Porsche, repaired and sent out again. The Porsche Centre said there was no way to tell.

 

[Motorhead]

Geoff,

From what I can make out reading the US forums, the problem appears to be the 3rd gear dog-ring detaching itself from the gear itself due to failure of the weld. Most of the cars reported seem to have been subjected to track use, some fairly heavy, so that may be an issue.

The problem has also been reported on a GTS and, as Ralph has noted, a PCGB member experienced the same problem recently whilst driving a 718 Cayman S at the PEC, a car which has been subjected to significant track-type use I would expect.

As usual, there has been no comment from Porsche on this matter and replacement transmissions have been fitted under warranty. I presume that Porsche and Getrag are looking carefully at the cause of the failures in order to find a timely solution.

You appear to be the only person posting here to have been unfortunate enough to have experienced the failure so let's hope that it stays that way and that you don't have any further problems.

Jeff

 

[ChrisW]

And hopefully Porsche will turn a blind-eye should a car with modified rear toe-links or running MPSS tyres (etc) suffer a similar unrelated failure on an otherwise standard car ...

I have given McLaren a very hard time for an oil leak problem and full gearbox replacement with the Graziano box on a 4000 mile MP412c ... that had had three main dealer services but was just out of warranty ... citing P 991GT3 engine replacements as a service quality comparison ...

That cost £18k + fitting ... and they refused to allow a known UK repairer from accessing the parts required to repair this known issue.

We shall all have to see !!

 

[ralphmusic]

And hopefully Porsche will turn a blind-eye should a car with modified rear toe-links or running MPSS tyres (etc) suffer a similar unrelated failure on an otherwise standard car ...

Chris, would you like a Modified Register sticker? I'll have some at Spa.

 

[ralphmusic]

A posting on planet9 suggests the third gear failure and gearbox replacement issue has not gone away for this 718 Boxster S....

http://www.planet-9.com/7...nsion.html#post1893721

 

[Motorhead]

Yes Ralph,

Yet again on a car that's been tracked heavily. Clearly a durability issue, perhaps exacerbated by the extra low speed torque of the flat-4 turbo motor.

That chap's not alone. A 718 Cayman S owner in Dubai reported the same problem back in August and was facing a long wait for a transmission replacement along with receiving some grief from Porsche for over-range issues ( http://www.718forum.com/forum/718-boxster-cayman-issues-problems/7162-manual-718-cayman-s-3rd-gear-gone-2.html ).

Jeff