drain cover cap stuck in my hardtop mount?

[SeanZ4]

This has been bugging me.... When my top is down there are mounting bracket/holes on each side presumably for the hardtop. One side had what appeared to be a plastic trim cap in it. The other side did not. I pulled it out and tried and tried to find a part # for it, as it was a strange looking plug/cap to me. Then, reading someone else's thread the other day, it linked me to a website

http://www.dietersmotorsports.com/tech/2002/Boxster_bath04-03.htm

... that showed a pic of the same part laying by the drain hole under the top. Mine does not have those "umbrella shaped" things in the drain holes. But there was one "stuck" in the mounting hole for the hardtop...

sooo..... Does anyone else have trim caps stuck in the hardtop mounting holes???

and.... should I have those drain-stop little umbrella things to keep debris out? Or am I better off without them??

thanks for anyone who replies...!

sean

[Mark_T]

OMG - my sides are hurting from laughing (not at you - the other guy)! That umbrella shaped thing is the plug for that mounting bracket you described, but that guy's plug obviously fell out and ended up sitting in the drain plug hole and he thought it was supposed to be there! Glad he's not my mechanic. Actually, it because of bozo's like this that I try and do as much of my own work as I can.

Here's your part number: 986 561 655 00, called an "interior cap"

They're cheap - order two! Please don't use them to plug your drain

Here's the page from the parts catalog that shows the part (it's #21)



Mark

[JTP]

Haha! Little umbrellas. Very interesting.
I haven't removed the seat and looked but has anyone tried moving the control unit to a less water prone location like under the dash? Or maybe encasing it in a waterproof container (with a vent tube going higher up)?

[SeanZ4]

Thanks Mark for responding! I thought that was a strange use for that plastic piece. I too, found that part # on Auto Atlanta's site. There's only been one owner before me on my '00 S and I thought it to be strange that he'd pick that up out of the convert. top tray and stick it in the hardtop mount hole??? Right?? Do you think the "little umbrella" guy just made that up?? I'm glad I asked about this..... trivial, yes... but it puts my mind at ease.

sean

[Mark_T]

I think it was probably more a case of inexperience and him not correctly interpreting something he found in a client's car, and not bothering to confirm his assumption.