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Old 09-18-2018, 01:29 PM   #1
1998 Boxster Silver/Red
 
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Codes came back...

Last week threw codes 1124 and 1126. Did a fair amount of reading on a few forums, so I'm not entirely ignorant about which corrective steps to take. I just need some guidance on the next steps towards remedying the situation.

Installed new fuel cap.

Checked and vacuumed air filter.

Cleaned MAF.

Examined AOS J-tube. No oil.

Checked oil-cap pressure, engine running. Not terribly difficult to remove... little suction... obvious suction sound. When I removed the cap the Rs dropped... then came back up a bit. Reinstalled oil cap... normal Rs.

Didn't hear any hissing from the engine compartment. Cursory hose/line examination revealed nothing extraordinary.

Filled it 3/4 fuel.

Closed it back up... cleared the codes. That was Saturday.

Today I took her for a short run, and up to temperature. Notice zero performance challenges... seems to be running as usual. No codes thrown. Got home... connected the OBD... and 1124 and 1126 returned... with a new code 0150. Did some reading... and here I am.

Now... last week when the codes threw I did pull from my OBD some information (today that information is absent... maybe because it hasnt yet thrown any CEL codes. They're just resident). The extra information from last week is:

Frame 1
Engine speed 798 RPM
Calc load 1.2%
Coolant 189 degrees
ST FTRM1 1.0%
ST FTRM2 0.08%

Frame 2
LT FTRM1 1.6%
LT FTRM2 0.0%
Vehicle speed 0 MPH
Fuel system 1 closed
Fuel system 2 closed

I phoned the local indy... and a smoke test will run me $90-$180.

Saw the cigar smoke test vid. Would that work? To which vacuum hose would I introduce the smoke? The vid illustrated blowing the smoke into the pipe.

Are there any other non-electrical, vacuum, etc. tests I should consider before going the "paid" smoke route?

These are the first codes the car has thrown in the 1 year I've owned the car. If anyone has some insight or direction... greatly it would be appreciated.

I've a new AOS waiting to be self-installed (along with the new WP, thermo, tubes, plugs, coils, etc.), just waiting for cooler weather.

Thank you.

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Old 09-18-2018, 02:18 PM   #2
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One of my Cayennes had a leak in the brake booster vacuum hose. I have not heard of it being a problem with the Boxsters, but turns out that it's pretty common in the early Cayennes. Take a good look and listen up front around the brake booster, especially near where the hose bends.
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Old 09-18-2018, 03:19 PM   #3
1998 Boxster Silver/Red
 
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Originally Posted by 78F350 View Post
One of my Cayennes had a leak in the brake booster vacuum hose. I have not heard of it being a problem with the Boxsters, but turns out that it's pretty common in the early Cayennes. Take a good look and listen up front around the brake booster, especially near where the hose bends.
I'll add that to my my list of things to check. I'm not having any spongy brake feel... but will chase anything at this point. Thank you.
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Old 09-19-2018, 09:37 AM   #4
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Originally Posted by 78F350 View Post
One of my Cayennes had a leak in the brake booster vacuum hose. I have not heard of it being a problem with the Boxsters, but turns out that it's pretty common in the early Cayennes. Take a good look and listen up front around the brake booster, especially near where the hose bends.
No leaks at the booster hose/area.

I've an AOS waiting to be installed. There is some suction with the oil cap off... and I believe it to be greater than that I've seen (online) of a newly installed part. Would anyone recommend anything else preliminary to installing a new AOS?

Thank you.
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Old 09-19-2018, 10:47 AM   #5
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If you have the capability to read real time fuel trim values that will tell you if you have a vacuum leak or not. I suggest watching these videos.

Part 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5WnM_NsOtd8

Part 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cARQ0jZZ4Qc

I had similar P1128 and P1130 codes. In the end for me it turned out to be a bad mass air flow sensor. You can see what I found in P1128 & P1130 and running fine turned into barely running engine. In the process of troubleshooting I smoked my engine multiple times looking for a nonexistent vacuum leak.

There are so many areas to check I think the cigar method would be tough even if you could get it into the engine. Create smoke and pressurize the system.

If you have an air compressor or access to one I suggest you make or buy a smoke tester. If short on time like I was, buy one from EBay made out of a paint can for about $70-$80.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/EVAP-Smoke-Machine-Diagnostic-Emissions-Vacuum-Leak-Detection-Tester-NEW/221913989725?hash=item33ab1ac25d:g:wg4AAOSwYlJW52L L:sc:USPSPriority!98125!US!-1

I hooked my tester up to a hose that runs from the right side of the throttle body to the another hose on the left side of the car. It is hose 12 on the diagram below.



When smoke testing I suggest doing the following.

1. Remove your mass air flow sensor so it doesn’t get fouled. Cover the opening with tape.

2. Remove the air filter. Cover the opening with tape and/or plastic as required.

3. Cover the air intake on the left side of the car outside with tape. This will help force smoke towards the engine better.

4. While smoking open and close the throttle body periodically by hand to let smoke into the intake and the engine.

5. Take off the oil fill cap to help draw smoke through the engine. Replace once smoke comes out.

If you have a big leak you should be able to see it pretty easy. I had small leaks at the oil filler cap and the accordion section of the oil fill tube. Those took moving the parts by hand to see the small wisps of smoking coming out.
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Old 09-20-2018, 08:34 AM   #6
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The car is running lean so it is either an intake vacuum leak or failed MAF sensor. You can rent a smoke tester at many auto parts stores and they work better than other shade tree methods.

If the MAF sensor is more than 5 yrs old I would change it.

Use an OEM fuel cap as many aftermarket caps do not seal completely.
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Last edited by Topless; 09-20-2018 at 08:38 AM.
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Old 09-20-2018, 04:45 PM   #7
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Fixed !!!!! ?????




OK. ~2 hours start to finish. First timer. AOS replacement.

Removal of, I believe, the original (horizontal) AOS. Replaced with the updated part (vertical)

Removal was easier than I expected... having read many, many posts. The middle hose that snaps on... that took about 10 minutes. There is very little room, and I followed the advice of first loosening the 2 AOS bolts. I tried from the bottom (wheel removed and on stands)... I had no luck. I have large hands. From the top I finagled it out.

The bellows. I forget exactly how it happened... but I had my hand under there, from the wheel well, was examining the bellows with my fingers... moving caked oil out of the way... and the bellows just folded like butter. Literally I just pulled the bellows off and the top and bottom of it just pulled apart from the clamps... leaving the clamps attached to the engine, and the AOS.

Went to the top... remembered to, IIRC, pull up pushing to the right rear. The part that seats into the engine... the part that slides in... that was giving me a challenge so a little nudge with a pry bar... slipped right out.

I believe the AOS to be the original part. It was caked with oil. That said...

Before I began installing the new part I put a few drops of oil on the part that slides into the engine, and a little white lithium grease on the inside of the bellows... on only the part of the bellows that would slide onto the engine.

Got under the car... and the bellows was fighting me a bit. There's not much room. So... I sprayed some lithium on the metal part the bellows slides over... finagled it for a couple of minutes... slid right on. Made sure it was on all the way around... no kinks. Gold. Pulled the blue ring... clamp on solid.

Went above and finished seating the part that slides into the engine... and finally I got in enough to recognize it wasn't going to go in much further. I then returned below and installed the 2 bolts. That further snugged it in.

Now... and you may know this... the new AOS requires a new upper hose, as the old one is ~1" short. I sourced that new part at ~$40. I did a search about alternatives to the new $69 hose... and ran across a thread in which I participated... asking about the same thing... and found the answer.

Took the hose to Autozone. Measured the outside diameter: 7/8". They had none.

Went to NAPA. Purchased the 7/8" hose and 2 clamps. $16. I used ~3" of the hose.

With the hose connected, only to the throttle body, I eyeballed how much hose I would need... the ~3". I then identified where was the straightest part of the tube, as the hose wasn't really too flexible. I marked the middle spot... sawed the original hose in 2... cleaned up the ends... connected the throttle body part of the old hose... sliped on the new hose and a clamp... slid the AOS end of the original hose into the new hose, with a clamp... connected the hose to the AOS... pulled everything together... tightened the clamps. Boom. Done.

Read the codes again, which were resident in the car but the CEL hadn't yet popped... and erased them. Only they didn't erase. Tried that twice. Huh.

Now... the codes I had were 1124, 1126, and 0150. Do, I Drove the car for about 8 minutes... pulled over, car running... checked for codes: gone. Engine cover was off... top up... and I heard no air leaks. Got home and checked for air leaks: None.

Drove it home a few miles... checked codes again... none. Buttoned her back up.

All that said... with the hose modification... ~2.5 hours. If ever I have to replace the AOS... 1-1.5 hours.

The car idles very nicely. A definite improvement. Simply purrs. I'll drive it 100+ miles Saturday... see if those codes don't resurface... and I'll report back.

I could not have done this without the great advice, tips, and insight from the members of this board. It truly is an invaluable resource. I know I saved more than several hundreds of dollars in labor... and the new $40 hose.

Finally, the other pic is the battery voltage LED I installed.

Cheers!
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Last edited by Starter986; 09-20-2018 at 04:47 PM.
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Old 09-20-2018, 06:15 PM   #8
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Sounds like you got it, Yay!
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Old 09-20-2018, 06:46 PM   #9
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[I]"Finally, the other pic is the battery voltage LED I installed."

I like it where did you get this??
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Old 09-21-2018, 03:15 AM   #10
1998 Boxster Silver/Red
 
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Thank you Topless. I did not plan on doing anything yesterday (Did you feel the humidity? We're practically neighbors). The advice on this forum is mindboggling!

JayKay... I purchased mine on eBay. Do a 12v battry charge LED gauge search... mixig up your seacrh term until you find the part you like. They're all over the place. I believe I paid ~$5 for mine... and ~$7 for the add-a-fuse. I drilled a small hole through the fuse face plate... ran the wires (2) through... found a "power on" fuse... boom... ran the ground to, well, a ground... and works fine.

By the way, to anyone who is interested... I've enough of that hose for anyone that needs a 3" piece for their AOS install (you can get your own clamps). Just PM me a name and address and I'll shoot off a piece. Gratis. Complimentary. Free. No charge. Until supplies last.

On another note, after the first two times I worked on the car... over... under... contorted... a couple hours later I found myself walking around like an invalid. You know... sore muscles. I now take 800mg ibuprofen before I even touch a wrench. Feels great!!!

Cheers!
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Old 09-21-2018, 08:51 AM   #11
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Thanks! Yeah.....the thing I hate the most is footwell work.....pedals. I did some product develop for aftermarket pedals...accelerator pedal replacement......I get a headache just thinking about that torture

Then next is anything like intake work top down
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Old 09-21-2018, 10:30 AM   #12
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...I now take 800mg ibuprofen before I even touch a wrench. Feels great!!!
This is my LOL for the day...maybe for the week.

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