"What are the common issues with the M96 engine in this model?"

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Great question! I need to clarify something important about your 1998 Porsche 993 Carrera S: it doesn't actually have the M96 engine. The 993 generation (1994-1998) uses the air-cooled M64 engine, while the M96 is the water-cooled engine that debuted in the 996 generation (1999-2005).

Your 993 has the M64 air-cooled engine, which has different characteristics:

Common M64 (Air-cooled) Issues:
- Oil leaks from various engine seals (rear main seal, camshaft housing seals)
- Oil consumption can be higher than modern engines
- Chain tensioner wear over time
- Valve guide wear in higher mileage examples
- Engine mount deterioration (many owners upgrade to stiffer RS mounts)

M96 (Water-cooled) Issues you asked about:
Since you mentioned the M96 specifically, the main issues with those engines are:
- Intermediate Shaft (IMS) bearing failures
- Rear Main Seal (RMS) leaks
- Cylinder cracking in early versions
- Oil starvation issues on track use
- Cooling system problems

The good news is that your low-mileage 993 (13,694 miles) with its air-cooled M64 engine is generally considered more reliable than the early M96 engines, and being the last year of air-cooled 911s, it's quite desirable!

Would you like me to help you find similar 993 Carrera S models, or do you have other questions about maintaining this classic?

Lot 3251C: 1998 Porsche 911 Carrera S

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Lot 3251C: 1998 Porsche 911 Carrera S

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