My hydraulic fluid saga - here's the deal - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

EPIQTodd · 06-07-2006, 08:10 PM

Well, this is the second event of the same leak in my power steering (hydraulic fluid) so Porsche had to call in the big guns (so they didn't get to three and have to replace my CAR via lemon law). Because the 987 does not have a way to measure pressure in the steering column like they do for the 986 they can only assume that there is a problem either there or the pump, so the parts have been ordered and I will be getting a new steering column, new power steering pump, and new hydraulic fluid line - good thing it's under warranty...

Brad Roberts · 06-07-2006, 10:25 PM

Do they know you are tracking the car?

Where was the leak? Was it on top of the engine where the cheesy line fitting enters the back of the pump?

mach schnell · 06-07-2006, 10:28 PM

with that whole thing, did you ever have what you would describe as unusual vibration or shimmy? just wondering if the power steering issue could be a more common thing than Porsche anticipated and if there's something going at that level with my Box - without being a car doc- it would seem logical that something in the steering column/mechanism would explain a shimmy (although i feel it all over in the car) and my description of instability going straight or through curves.

anyway - hope your car get's taken care of. i can't live with the problem and am tired of trying to get it resolved. by saturday i'll either own a 993 or 330ci performance pkg. hurts to get rid of the boxster, but i just hate the way it drives/handles. if it doesn't actually have a problem (i'm convinced it does, though), then my only other conclusion is that the normal driving experience (as described by the dealerships) is something i'm not happy with. it's killing me even more after (self) installing that schnell SS because that thing is so tight - in fact, one of the guys from Hoehn was like, wow this things way better than the porsche SS! i was like, i know! too bad you can't fix my car though.

993 will definitely get a SS, the 330ci has a pretty tight 6spd, but maybe eventually the UCC SS (however, for bmw, it requires getting underneath the car for installation).

EPIQTodd · 06-08-2006, 06:26 AM

Brad - track the car? Moi? Of course I don't track my car! Some spirited canyon runs and lots of trips to the tennis club, that's it!

MS - have they actually given up on your car and said that they cannot find the problem?? I'd suggest taking it to McKenna, and ask for my buddy Dominic - he will push the techs until they figure out what it is (he's now the service manager, I think). I didn't go there this time because it's a shorter distance to Hoehn and Hoehn has loaner cars, but now that it is there for such major surgery, I wish it was at McKenna. The leak was at the rack, or the pump, not by the engine. They replaced the line before but it keeps happening, so there is something wrong with the pressure that the pump is creating in the rack, so they figured they should just replace both.

Brad Roberts · 06-08-2006, 11:45 AM

Got it.

The early 986's have a issue with the line popping out of the power steering pump. I install a bracket that secures the line and keeps it from coming out (helps support the line)

I'm thinking about having a machine shop build a set of larger pulleys for the front of our engines. I need to slow down the accessories. The pumps are building too much pressure at Hi RPM for extended periods of time. Porsche figured this out on the GT3 engines. The lower pulley is a larger diameter then the 996/986/987/997 pulley's.

B

EPIQTodd · 06-08-2006, 11:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brad Roberts

Got it.

The early 986's have a issue with the line popping out of the power steering pump. I install a bracket that secures the line and keeps it from coming out (helps support the line)

I'm thinking about having a machine shop build a set of larger pulleys for the front of our engines. I need to slow down the accessories. The pumps are building too much pressure at Hi RPM for extended periods of time. Porsche figured this out on the GT3 engines. The lower pulley is a larger diameter then the 996/986/987/997 pulley's.

B

Let me know about those pulleys!!

Brad Roberts · 06-08-2006, 12:16 PM

We need to chat about several different products that YOU could sell (I'm tired of being accused of being a "vendor") Let's chat at the next event. I'll be at WillowSprings this weekend with POC and Streets on Monday with PCA.

I also would like to work with a SoCal vendor on the Boxster Spec stuff (products lines and such)

Also.. Bilstein released the PSS9's for 987/CaymanS. SSF should have access to them.

B