new boxster owner with engine problems
 

hi there new boxster owner looking for some advice. purchased a 2004 2.7 boxster with 54000 miles full porsche service history. car has been running great only done 400 miles. drove last night maybe ten miles engine management light was flashing then engine started shuddering and violently shaking. got car home but engine managment light now staying on car sounds terrible and shudders when driven. also car shaking violently even when idiling. does anyone have any ideas to the problem or past experiance. as stated new to this so any feedback much appreciated
cheers jamie

Sounds like coilpacks to me.

thanks for the feed back just hoping its not something serious thats going to break the bank

A blinking CEL is a sign that
 

you have a serious problem. The general guidance is to not even run the engine but to flatbed the car to what you over there call an OPC and we call a dealer.

What you can do short of that is to obtain a code reader and read the codes through the OBD2 port and post them and have someone interpret them for you. Then and only then will we be able to tell which of the hundreds of causes the CEL could be triggered by you might look for.

I don't suspect a single coilpack but the codes will tell us more.

Sure sorry to hear of your problem.

Mikefocke is right...you need to know the code first. It could also be the cam timing sensor. Only the codes will help diagnosis the problem. :cheers:

symptoms sound similar to what I had when I had a loose coilpack (I had just changed the plugs and didn't snap the coil pack connector fully).

either way, like the others stated, don't drive it because a flashing cell is generally a misfire and can be damaging. get the codes read.

Cheers guys for all the input called the dealer and they picked the car up. They told me today there replacing the coils. Is this a regular thing that has to be done or to be looked out for. Luckily I have some warranty left so they footing the bill for the repair

Dealer repair AND they're paying the bill? Big piece of pie for you my friend! :cheers:

well i bought the car from a mercedes dealer. some old guy traded it in for an ml. but i was informed that there head mechanic was a porsche mechanic. i reckon it being mercedes garage the repair will be upto a good standard...... hopefully

Wow, nice going! Glad it got solved, please report back if indeed the coils were bad.... Maybe I was right after all..... :cheers:

Later,
Andy

cheers andy ill post up soon as i get all the info cant wait to get the car back they have given me a merc a class while mines is in , its so slow .just out of intrest have you ever had any probs with these coils

No, not with the Porsche but with my Audi. Seems to be pretty common these days across the brands.

Jamie,
The 6 coils are mounted on top of each spark plug and are exposed to the elements. Over time (especially in your weather), the coils crack and allow moisture, salt, dirt etc into the windings, shorting them out. Usually they need changing at about 50,000 - 60,000 miles depending. They are not too difficult to replace.
If you are interested, Mike Focke (who posted below) has a great little website < mikesporscheboxsterwebpages > for Boxster owners - do yourself a favour and read it, it may help you (and save you some money too) in the future.

Hey guys getting the car back to day thank god. They told me they changed the coil packs and plugs. Reading through the paper work with the car the coils have been changed three times so this is the fourth must just be the weather like suggested.
Thanks for all your help
Jamie

how it goin guys posted last week to ask bout my engine problem as you might have read got the coils and sparks changed so car was running good again.
just last night since being fixed heard a high pitched screech from what sounds like inside the exhaust. only heard this when i reversed into the drive with the window down. it occurs now when between 0-5 mph and when idling just wondering if this is linked to the coils failing or if you've got any suggestions to the problem cheers
jamie