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My Boxster journey
I have decided to pull links for my various Boxster threads into one place, mostly for myself so I can easily refer back to previous interventions, but also for others who might find my experiences useful.
In 2018 I already had a Porsche 924S and a 928 and I sort of fell into Boxster ownership. I started this thread to share the work needed to catch up the maintenance on the first Boxster, the green one. https://rennlist.com/forums/boxster-and-boxster-s-986-forum/1099769-getting-the-maintenance-up-to-date-on-my-new-2000-boxster.html Then it was the turn of number 2… the blue one. http://986forum.com/forums/boxster-general-discussions/74142-my-blue-boxster-refurb.html The original plan to sell the green boxster and keep the blue one got reversed… mostly because my friend Tony was more interested in the aesthetics than the mechanical and the blue boxster has nicer paint, beautiful wheels and fewer dents and scratches. The following threads are on specific repairs made to one or the other of the Boxsters. Clutch removal... http://986forum.com/forums/performance-technical-chat/74990-clutch-removal-notes-my-current-project.html Window regulator... http://986forum.com/forums/performance-technical-chat/78220-ebay-window-regulator-%2442-83-not-faint-heart.html Steering lock... http://986forum.com/forums/performance-technical-chat/75336-steering-locking-mechanism-problem-how-i-resolved.html Window drop problem… http://986forum.com/forums/boxster-general-discussions/78235-door-window-not-dropping-properly-%96-troubleshooting-check-list.html Then a new challenge with a spare engine I bought... http://986forum.com/forums/performance-technical-chat/79368-so-i-have-spare-engine.html Which caused me to think about and comment on the IMSB... http://986forum.com/forums/performance-technical-chat/79410-running-stock-ims-bearing-without-seal.html Then I wanted to save some money be making engine mount stops... http://986forum.com/forums/performance-technical-chat/79456-diy-engine-mount-stop-9a137525701.html I will add other threads as they come up. |
Nice! Thanks.
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The spare engine mentioned in the first post is going into the car and I have started a new thread on the reconditioning of the original engine that has been removed.
http://986forum.com/forums/performance-technical-chat/80969-going-through-my-original-engine.html#post637944 While switching engines I am doing a couple of other things: - new half-shaft boots and regreasing the CV joints - lubricating the steering column lock bolt |
While working on the half-shafts I found a loose wheel bearing so ended up making a hub puller to get to and change the bearing
http://986forum.com/forums/performance-technical-chat/81070-my-home-made-hub-puller.html#post638442 When I got the bearing off I found the grease was totally dried out, so I will be doing all four bearings. http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02...1625574704.jpg Newart lent me his bearing puller kit, which worked great once the hub was off. |
The hub puller successfully pulled the other hub, then the bearing got pulled...
http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02...1626173250.jpg The half-shafts are ready to go with new boots and regreased CV joints. As others have noted this is a really messy job. Start with a big stack of rags, a garbage bag and lots of hand cleaner. http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02...1626173182.jpg While waiting for new wheel bearings (a package got lost in transit) I have been working on getting my oil pressure gauge installed and have cleaned the airbag control module connector hoping that that will make the airbag light go away... which I doubt. I also renewed the brake fluid, another messy job. |
Did you connect a durametric to see what the airbag code was for?
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3 - supply 21 - ignition circuit driver It has been awhile, I may have abbreviated the descriptions. |
Sent you a PM, hope it helps.
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I "think" those are the codes that would happen if someone took the seat out/disconnected it while the battery was still connected or the steering wheel.
21 looks like it's for the steering wheel airbag, but I could be wrong. I would clear the airbag codes and see if they come back with the durametric. |
A set of wheel bearings finally arrived this morning. I have seen in a couple of videos that people open up the new bearings, take them apart and regrease them with high temperature grease. One video makes it look really easy to do this, in another it looks a bit harder and then there is a comment by a guy saying that he destroyed his bearings trying to take them apart. So I decided to do a partial repack, just removing the seals rather than trying a complete disassembly and cleaning. I used Lucas X-TRA Heavy Duty Grease,
The seals (2 on each side of each bearing) come off easily using a pick. My bearings did not have the grease really packed around all the balls. http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02...1626808036.jpg I wiped away as much of the original grease as possible and used a paper towel and small screw driver to get it out from between the balls. http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02...1626808256.jpg Then I used a drug store seringe to shoot grease into the space between the balls, hoping that will force it into the inner race and surround the balls. http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02...1626808432.jpg Regreased... http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02...1626808481.jpg ... and resealed... http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02...1626808531.jpg Bearings and hubs are now in the freezer for the next step... installing them. |
I haven't as yet checked the airbag codes with the Durametric. I did get the oil pressure gauge installed, but ran into a problem. I originally bought a sender and gauge on Amazon but then Newart gave me a real 996 combined sender, which I installed. It seems the cheap gauge didn't like the 996 sensor and went off the chart when I started the engine. So I ordered a real VDO gauge which is now installed but not yet tested.
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The car is back on the road, I only got the rear wheel bearings done, the fronts will be done... soon. The "new" engine seems to be fine.
While I had the Durametric on it I checked the Airbag codes and the list is long, but the important ones are: "3 - Supply voltage 195 - Control module internal fault - All fault codes over 100 indicate a critical fault and usually requre a new control module" I will check the supply voltage at the connector, if it is OK it would seem the control module is toast. Addition... I checked the supply voltage and it is OK... so it would seem that the module is defective. Still haven't got an oil pressure gauge. I think the sensor unit is defective, but that can wait. |
Did you clear the airbag codes to see if they come back?
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Had to ask, ya never know. It's pretty rare these would go bad.
Wonder if it is similar to an issue I had with my litronics module. One of the pins at the wiring connector had come out slightly and I needed to push it back in. |
After several days of driving the biggest improvement is because of the rebuilt engine mount, the vibration after shifting at anything over 4000 rpm is gone an a lot of the noise that I thought was coming from the suspension when going over bumps is also gone. The engine is a good as or better than the original engine.
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Just got back from a 5 day vacation in the Boxster, the new engine has done a total of 1600KM since being installed and it runs like a champion.
Today I finally got my oil-pressure gauge installed... it works a lot better when the wires are on the correct connectors :o Here is a discussion on what the oil pressure should be. http://986forum.com/forums/performance-technical-chat/81566-what-oil-pressure-supposed.html http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02...1629651073.jpg |
With the Boxster in the garage for the winter I am working on a couple of things.
The passenger window continues to cause problems because it does not drop enough when the door is opened. I have tightened up the regulator cable and it seems to be better... I will report back with details after further testing. The big project is reupholstering my seats which is described in this thread. http://986forum.com/forums/boxster-general-discussions/81934-reupholstering-boxster-seats-lseat-kit.html |
When I bought the car the driver's seat height adjustment mechanism was frozen and the socket on the plastic lever was broken. I got the mechanism oiled and freed up but I was not ready to pay $40 for a new, flimsy lever... so I decided to fix the old one. I cut a strip of aluminum and JB Welded it to the socket. I used safety wire to make sure that that I got a good bond.
http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02...1642886215.jpg A bolt replaced the pin that was broken off. http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02...1642886258.jpg Initial tests indicate that the lever is as good as new... or better. Updated January 2023... The repair described above seems to be fine, I almost never use the lever since I am normally the only person who drives the car. When I bought my 2000 S the driver's seat had the same problem, so I did the same repair. On this car the pin that centers the lever on the receiver in the seat was present, so initially I tried the repaired lever with the pin in place. Unfortunately the splines on the lever and the receiver were too damaged and the lever slipped as soon as significant pressure was put on it. So I removed the pin, drilled out the hole to 3/16" and inserted a bolt. The bolt holds the two pieces together solidly and now it doesn't slip. |
I am planning to do the front wheel bearings next, these videos have inspired me.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vsCHAIHuXWY and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P7zXCDyi234&t=1377s I'm waiting for spring compressors. |
I had hoped to use spring compressors, but when I borrowed a set I realised that they only work with the struts off the car... there is no room for them under the fender. So I used the same method as shown in the two videos in the previous post to compress the spring and remove the left front bearing. I had a problem compressing the spring enough... the car tended to lift. After a couple of tries I got the hub carrier high enough and attached the spring with a nylon strap. After hammering down on the hub carrier with a rubber mallet I ended up standing on the carrier to get it so slide down far enough on the strut to get the stub axle out.
When I pulled the bearing this is what I found... very little grease and what there was was more like cheese than grease. http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02...1643490014.jpg http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02...1643490035.jpg The bearing was not loose or noisy and had about 90K miles on it. The rear bearings were in similar shape although one of them was a bit loose. |
When I did the second front wheel bearing I figured out how to use the spring compressor that I borrowed. I used a piece of tubing (electrical conduit) to make a spacer. This really helped to compress the spring before using the jack and I was able to install the nylon webbing more easily and tighter. This in turn made dropping the hub carrier easier. Sorry for the fuzzy picture.
http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02...1643943931.jpg This bearing was similar to the others, despite no looseness the grease was hardened. |
Here is the cupholder I came up with, inspired by Miles1 here
http://986forum.com/forums/diy-project-guides/55667-boxster-cup-holders.html#post645976 http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02...1650115180.jpg http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02...1650115219.jpg I made a clip that blocks the lid of the storage space open because it always wants to fall down and get in the way of my shifting arm. |
An expensive week for me. I discovered that I was losing coolant and found that I had the well known cracked coolant reservoir problem. Then the battery, which had been showing signs of weakness, died, ie would not hold a charge for more than a couple of hours.
My thread on changing the coolant reservoir is here. http://986forum.com/forums/performance-technical-chat/82251-another-diy-thread-changing-coolant-reservoir.html While waiting for the new coolant reservoir to arrive I fixed the release cable for the trunk. It had frayed to the point where there were only a few wires left. Rather than pay for a new cable and go through the bother of replacing the old one I used a loop of cable from another project that I swaged (crimped) to the end of the old one. Seems to work fine but it is so ugly I didn't take a picture. |
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Sent from my SM-G970U1 using Tapatalk |
Last year my rear window degraded to the point where I couldn't see through it, so I put a patch in it.
http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02...1663008616.jpg Last month I decided to replace the whole window... http://986forum.com/forums/boxster-general-discussions/82464-diy-rear-window-my-new-top.html |
I didn't need another project, despite this I bought a Boxster 2000 S with a blown engine. The full story is here.
http://986forum.com/forums/boxster-general-discussions/82558-bought-2000-boxster-s-project-2.html After I got the S running, with the 2.7l engine originally from my green Boxster, Newart came by with his camera and included some footage in his latest Youtube video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jCZQxqrpWWY |
Mine has a crack underneath the coolant tank where no one could find it
Only leaked when hot...made it even harder to find and fix. Sent from my SM-G991U1 using Tapatalk |
My 2000 S project, mentioned above, is as finished as a 23 year old car can be... meaning other things will come up and maintenance will have to be done, but now I can return may attention to my green 2000 base which I want to sell.
Two years ago the green car's engine came out for maintenance and was replaced by an engine I bought off ebay. After removing the original engine I changed the cam chain pads, the IMSB, the AOS and a few other maintenance items. I was in no hurry to put it back in the green car, but it did pass a couple of months in my S while I was waiting to find a used 3.2 engine. Now that the S has its 3.2 installed the time has come to put the green car's original engine back in place, so today I started the preparation of another engine swap (my fourth). The car is now up in the air on my Quickjacks. Before starting the swap I have to finish up some details on the engine that is going in, new vacuum lines, oil cooler o-rings and a new RMS. |
I changed the vacuum lines and the vacuum canister. The canister that came out was leaking through a crack on the bottom, the same as the three other canisters that I have seen.
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A couple of the vacuum lines broke while I was removing them, they become very crunchy especially near the canister, I suppose because they are near the engine block there and get well cooked.
http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02...1700057464.jpg |
Good to see you still updating this thread! Good thing you bought new vacuum lines when you did the new canister!
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I'm back at it again, after months of not motivating myself to get out to the garage and get on with the swap I have finally taken a few steps forward. The engine that is coming out is sitting on my latest low-rise dolly on the garage floor and the original engine that is going back in just needs the new RMS installed followed by the flywheel and clutch.
Then I have to pull the outgoing engine from under the car and swap over the alternator and a power steering line as well as the transmission, and make sure nothing else has been forgotten. The garage is a bit crowded and I can't open the door yet to make space (during the winter I cover the door with styrofoam sheet insulation and seal it with plastic sheeting since the garage is heated by a thermo-pump). So moving around two engines, the engine hoist and the engine stand is a challenge in choreography. I succeeded in dropping the engine by myself despite a transmission jack that can only briefly hold weight, it needs a rebuild. I think the rebuild will have to be done before trying to reinstall the engine. |
I was able to pull the engine out from under the car today. My latest low-rise dolly worked great, I had almost an inch of clearance at the 2 strategic moments;
the transmission passing under the mounting bolts for the diagonal bracket http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02...1711230638.jpg the manifold under the bumper http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02...1711230975.jpg Pictures and more info on the new dolly are here https://986forum.com/forums/boxster-general-discussions/83130-engine-swap-%96-getting-enough-clearance-quickjack.html#post660142 |
That's great to see, at some point I'll need to recreate that setup.
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Nice! I finally got motivated on my winter project, I'm almost ready to reinstall the engine. I don't recall having an issue with the transmission, and I took the rear bumper and head shield off so no issues there.
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I was able to rebuild the transmission jack, but I could not find a replacement seal like the original. So I had to adapt a standard u-cup seal to make the repair. This seems to be par for the course for inexpensive Chinese made hydraulic equipment. My hack is explained here:
https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/threads/fixing-my-transmission-jack-and-engine-hoist-hydraulic-cylinder-seals.530957/ I added oil pressure gauges to both my Boxsters, in the original green 2000 base I installed a 996 sender with output for a gauge plus the output for the warning light along with a VDO gauge. When replacing the blown engine in my 2000 S I used a cheap gauge and sender bought off Amazon (which works fine except that the sender failed after a while, I installed a new sender and it is OK). Since I am selling the base I decided to swap the (expensive) VDO gauge and 996 sender to my S. Today I swapped over the gauge but it will be awhile before I switch the sensors... and lo and behold... the VDO gauge gives me about half the oil pressure on startup. So it seems that you cannot use a cheap Amazon sender with a VDO (Porsche) gauge... or vice versa. The engine that is going back in the car is now under the car, I was waiting for my transmission jack to start the installation... so I hope to start that process tomorrow. |
Hi Grant, I have added the 996 sender as well, which VDO gauge did you find that worked with it? I haven't looked around yet, apologies if it is a quick Google.
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https://www2.cip1.com A Canadian site that saved on the cross boarder hassle and their price was competitive. The model I got was VDO-350-104 and it was $46 three years ago. I don't see that model on their site now and the one that they have is $72. They also have a "heritage" model for $50 that should work. |
Thanks for that link. I assume the prices you are mentioning are the USD prices. I don't see the heritage one but I'll keep looking.
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