2003 Boxster travails

[boxfix]

I put 87 miles on the Boxster today and the SAI has not yet reset.

I did more testing on the vacuum system with the new reservoir installed.

I am getting 18" of HG at my 1000 feet or elevation. This appears to be a good reading. I tried this before with the leaking reservoir in there and I was getting like 9 "hg.

I wish I had done this test days and miles ago.

You can get a vacuum gauge for $13 from Harbor freight, and a hand vacuum pump for $25 or so.

I used the hand pump to test the reservoir and the good one would hold 15" hg.

Bad one would not hold any vacuum. I kept the reservoir in place and reached in there with 2 long needle nose pliers to remove the hose on the old reservoir. then I put the hand pump with a long piece of silicone tubing hooked to the old reservoir. Sure enough it would hold no vacuum.

I put on connector on the "Y" fitting and use a long piece of hose to hook the new reservoir into the system.

I disconnected a vacuum line on solenoid for the Triptronic and installed the test vacuum gauge there. I go 17"HG which climbed to over 18" when the car warmed up. That was at 830 idle RPM.

So I feel I have fixed the vacuum leaks. I assume I would not have this much vacuum if I had a leak of any size.

I have replaced every bit of vacuum tubing I can reach with 4mm ID silicon tubing and brass barbed connectors.

[boxfix]

finally got all the monitors to reset yesterday. Passed CA smog today.

Replacing the vacuum reservoir was the last step. It too 200 miles or so for all the monitors to go PASS on the Durametric.

Lesson learned......put a vacuum gauge on the system and make sure you have 15 to 20 " Hg. Then you are in the ball park.

suspect all connections and hoses and REALLY suspect the reservoir......and it only costs $21. Test it with a hand vacuum pump.