Record Time for an Oil & Filter Change
 

This morning I changed my oil & filter in record time for me: One hour and six minutes. That time included getting the car up on & off the rack, cleaning (sweeping & mopping the bay).

This first time I changed my oil & filter it must of took me close to 3.5 hours.

I purchased my 1999 Boxster in Sep 09, with 104,000 miles.
Today, I have 307,792 miles. I change my oil & filter every 10,000 miles. I have a box full of my used crush washers, old oil plugs and old rubber gaskets for the filter cover. I am on my second (Advance Auto/Auto Zone) oil filter wrench.

I discovered that I need to replace both my center and rear plastic splash guards/plates. I will have to go to a salvage yard in Buda or Dallas. The dealer wants way too much for one.

P.S. "I am quite sure that I am on the original dual row IMS."
MNC-I

noticed rear passenger tire a bit deflated, looked around and found this.....

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At least a washer was used!!! :p

Now to find a tire shop open on a sunday....

I changed the oil and filter (housing and insert) and tried to replace my brake pads and rotors so I can pass my inspection (technically they are fine, but not quite good enough I guess). I bought PowerStop products but the front rotors and pads are smaller than what was on the car already. Amazon, R0ck Aut0, Jegs, and others all say that I bought the right ones, but the PowerStop site lists a different product number!? So, I guess I have some calls to make to PowerStop to figure out what's what. The diameter of the set that PowerStop lists for me actually match what I have on the car whereas the set I bought are about an inch smaller. I don't know if there is a bad flag somewhere that is saying these are good for my 2000 S across all the sites, but I'll post whatever I find.
Luckily, my oil filter looked good and my magnetic oil plug didn't have any concerning particles stuck to it, so the afternoon wasn't a total waste.

Throttle Body
 

Spent the afternoon removing, cleaning and reinstalling my throttle body. Also cleaned the MAF. No real issues just wanted to keep things nice and clean on the inside. Although my AOS (original) is showing no symptoms of failure, it was still amazing to see how much oil coats the inside of the plenum.

Bought new front tires from Tire Rack and drove Old Topanga to Tuna Canyon down to PCH and back through Malibu Canyon.

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Never mind :)

Put about 480miles on my '03 Boxster base this weekend . Saturday, drove from Sacramento to San Jose, Sunday, spent several hours on my favorite roads in the hills near Santa Cruz - Hwy 9, Jamison Crk, Empire Grade, Pine Flats, Bonny Doon, Hwy 1, Gazos Crk, Stage Rd, Hwy 84, Hwy 35, Hwy 9, then freeway back to Sac.

Traditionally, for me, this is my motorcycle loop. I never knew it could be this good in a car. It was amazing. Maybe I'll sell my R1200GS...

The Boxster is a close second to a motorcycle but if I were you I would not sell the R1200GS. I say this as a motorcycle rider myself.

Took the Boxster in for a pre-track inspection. Ouch, new front tires and rear brakes needed. Bought the brakes and I'll do them Wednesday, ordered Michelin Pilot Sports all around to replace the Hankooks which took a beating from my driving on the track. That and had great day driving it around, even if I did get stuck in rush hour.

BTW, I hear you about the bike vs. Boxster. In my case it is time to downsize the toys and the bike (Ducati Multistrada) will be the loser. Next spring.

On the first oil change 18 months ago, I discovered some non-ferrous fragments in the pleats of the filter. Installed a spin-on adapter, filter magnets, and magnetic drain plug. Oil analysis showed lower than universal averages of metals except copper. Filled with Mobil 1 0W40. Next oil change still some non-ferrous fragments in the filter pleats but not as many as before. Very little build up on the magnetic drain plug or the inside of the metal filter housing. Oil analysis again showed lower than universal averages of metals except copper. Filled with JG BR30 in advance of a change to JG DT40.

I knew I really should have dropped the oil pan by this stage but have been putting it off for fear of finding something I didn't want to see. So, I booked Friday as a vacation day and took the plunge. Relief :) No metal particles in the pan. I did find a couple of pieces of gasket material, one in the pan and one in the oil pickup plus a small piece of plastic that looks like a piece of chain guide (bottom right-hand corner). Filled with JG DT40 and drove it like I stole it :p

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Yesterday I took my car in for an oil and filter change and tech inspection for an upcoming HPDE. While I was there I also had my ignition steering column lock/switch upgraded to the newer part. My original switch lasted 13 years, the replacement I put in lasted only 6 months. I have decided I will never change my ignition switch myself again, I hope this new unit lasts 13 more years!

Today I changed the rear brakes, since I needed to so I could pass inspection for an upcoming DE weekend. I'll take it back to the dealer and have the inspection completed and new tires all round mounted.

While I was in there I took a crack at the parking brake, which has always been a bit on the loose side, so much so that sometimes unless really pulled up the car would roll down the driveway. Figured out the adjustments thanks to 101 Projects for your Boxster, although they have changed the front adjustment betweeen the pics in the book and mine, so that I couldn't reach the adjusting nuts at the parking brake lever. They were hidden under the console, I could feel them, but could not figure out how to reach them. Some playing around with the rear adjusters had got me in shape, and it appears to hold at about 5-6 clicks vs. the 9+ before.

Took me about 4 hours tota for the discs and pads, parking break adjustment and cleaning the wheels while they were off. Doing just the pads on these cars would be dead simple.

Took the pooch for an afternoon stroll in the park.

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Just sayin'.......

TO

Got in a few hundred miles on a quick family trip yesterday. Even with 133K miles, the car still runs like new and averaged about 32.5 mpg on the cruise.

I hadn't had the opportunity to drive the car like this in a while. I won't let that happen again!

Topped off with Ethanol free 91 octane fuel. At almost 15 gallons cost was $48 and change.

Happy dog!

What's the unit to the right of the radar detector?

Garmin GPS receiver.

TO

Replaced one rear strut and spring. One, only one. I can't believe how much time it took...:confused:
Will replace the other tomorrow, hopefully much faster... The fronts were a breeze...

Did you clean out the throttle body before putting it back together? If so, I suspect a hose or something else may have not been connected/reassembled properly when you were putting everything back. The starter motor has no effect on the engine after the car starts.

Usually the second one goes much faster, like 50-60% of the time, at least for me.