Crankshaft position sensor replacement. Please help

[Rcheeseman]

Hello folks
My 2000 Porsche Boxster has been having issues when the car is warm and it won't restart and recently it has been having the problem where once it warms up the engine just dies. Now I know that this is a problem with the crankshaft position sensor and I have ordered a new one and received it. I have seen many threads on changing out the crankshaft position sensor but I have jacked up the car and I do not see it anywhere and I don't know where to even start to look because the YouTube videos that I've watched it is deep inside but it looks to be straight on past the axle but I am just having the hardest time trying to even locate it let alone replacing it. Can anybody out there help me because this is so frustrating

[dghii]

MY99 Boxster Crank Position sensor DIY - Pelican Parts Technical BBS

Passenger side of flywheel.

[Rcheeseman]

Yes I have removed the passenger side rear wheel because I had heard that that is the way to access it but I am very new to working on a Boxster so I am not sure if this is really the best approach to locate it or should I try to access the top of the engine and go that route. I have reviewed the Pelican Parts site and the pictures just really are not doing me justice to help me find it

[911monty]

Originally Posted by Rcheeseman

Hello folks
My 2000 Porsche Boxster has been having issues when the car is warm and it won't restart and recently it has been having the problem where once it warms up the engine just dies. Now I know that this is a problem with the crankshaft position sensor and I have ordered a new one and received it. I have seen many threads on changing out the crankshaft position sensor but I have jacked up the car and I do not see it anywhere and I don't know where to even start to look because the YouTube videos that I've watched it is deep inside but it looks to be straight on past the axle but I am just having the hardest time trying to even locate it let alone replacing it. Can anybody out there help me because this is so frustrating

And that should have alarm bells ringing!

[Rcheeseman]

Well I did talk to my local Porsche dealer and they wanted more than $800 for parts and labor and they said that they would not replace it without doing a diagnostic which was $295 so I thought after reviewing the YouTube videos and everything that I read that this should not be very hard to do myself. So are you saying that I should leave it to the professionals LOL

[rick3000]

I did this last year, it is in a very difficult location, but doable. The CPS is only held in place by one screw (don't drop it!), the part I had trouble with was releasing the wiring plug from the metal holder. I removed the passenger rear wheel, then laid on my back directly under the suspension with my head under the rotor/suspension and my legs under the engine/exhaust. I then reached up through the suspension to reach the CPS.

BTW, it is impossible to reach from the top.

[Rcheeseman]

Originally Posted by rick3000

I did this last year, it is in a very difficult location, but doable. The CPS is only held in place by one screw (don't drop it!), the part I had trouble with was releasing the wiring plug from the metal holder. I removed the passenger rear wheel, then laid on my back directly under the suspension with my head under the rotor/suspension and my legs under the engine/exhaust. I then reached up through the suspension to reach the CPS.

BTW, it is impossible to reach from the top.

Sweet, thanks for the reply. I will try that.

[Gilles]

Originally Posted by Rcheeseman

Well I did talk to my local Porsche dealer and they wanted more than $800 for parts and labor and they said that they would not replace it without doing a diagnostic which was $295 so I thought after reviewing the YouTube videos and everything that I read that this should not be very hard to do myself. So are you saying that I should leave it to the professionals LOL

Hello RCheeseman, don't give up.. you just need to get familiar with the car layout.

If you put the car on jack stands, laying on the floor (a thick piece of cardbox is great for this) and just spend some time underneath looking at all the details of the design, you will be able to see where the engine and transmission are attached to each other, on the engine side is the flywheel, this is where the sensor is bolted to the engine.

Be patient with the harness connector as mentioned earlier, remove the connector from the holder before you separate the connector.

Good luck!

[Rcheeseman]

Originally Posted by Gilles

Hello RCheeseman, don't give up.. you just need to get familiar with the car layout.

If you put the car on jack stands, laying on the floor (a thick piece of cardbox is great for this) and just spend some time underneath looking at all the details of the design, you will be able to see where the engine and transmission are attached to each other, on the engine side is the flywheel, this is where the sensor is bolted to the engine.

Be patient with the harness connector as mentioned earlier, remove the connector from the holder before you separate the connector.

Good luck!

Thanks for your reply! My last question is about jack points. There are 4 recommended jack points, right behind the front tires and right in front of the rear tires. Is there any point in the middle of the rear of the car that it would be safe to use the jack on? I have the jack stands setup on the rear jack points, but I want to put the jack on something in the rear just for safety sake. Basically want the extra protection not to be crushed.

[rick3000]

Put the jack under the forward point of the diamond shaped plate, between the two bolts. You can safely support the rear from that location, but it requires a long/low jack. Do not use the back of the plate near the exhaust, it cannot safely handle the weight. Make sure you use wheel chocks on the front wheels, since the car is RWD.

[dghii]

I typically place whatever tire/wheel I have removed under the center of the car as a safety net. Not using it to support any weight but its there for worst case.

[Skullb]

I am about to have a go at replacing the crank sensor. I want to make sure I have the right tools to hand . The bolt holding the sensor in looks to be a Torx bolt ? Does anyone know what size or what size torx they used to get it out ?

[Quadcammer]

I wanna say mine was a 5mm hex, but could be my memory failing. Its an m6 bolt, so you can look up what torx head that usually is. T30 or thereabouts

[Hotrod2147]

I have found the CPS but can’t find where the electrical connection is. Help

[JFP in PA]

Originally Posted by Hotrod2147

I have found the CPS but can’t find where the electrical connection is. Help

It is about 10 inches up the harness from the sensor itself.

[Newsguy]

Originally Posted by JFP in PA

It is about 10 inches up the harness from the sensor itself.

And it's a lot of fun to release!

[Robert986]

Just ordered a new sensor, reading this thread I realize I´ll have some fun to look forward to :-)

[Eric-986]

Hopefully a clearer view of the sensor and connector......

-Eric

[Starter986]

Originally Posted by Eric-986

Hopefully a clearer view of the sensor and connector......

-Eric

Are they the ones circled?







On a serious note... how about circling the parts, for us neophytes.

[Eric-986]

Better? (circles came out messy)

-Eric