http://www.renntech.org/forums/lofiversion/index.php/t68.html
Found this link on renntech to a good thread on the reason older boxsters (97-99)have top problems.
In a nutshell, there's a plastic covered cable that links the top's raising/lowering mechanism to the transmission on each side. This cable stretches in length due to heat.
When it stretches, the metal cable within it that turns (as opposed to pushing or pulling) become disengaged (it does not stretch like the plastic). When this happens, one side goes up and the other doesn't and the clamshell twists and you say "oh crap."
The dealers do not remove the cables and shorten them to insure the metal inside bit is 3/4 out the end as it should ... they replace the whole transmission assembly for both sides at a whopping expense.
So, according to Jeff's thorough posts on Renntech (aka ToolPants) with pictures, he recommends that concerned boxster owners do the following:
1. Check to see if you have the newer cables, which have some sort of diamond pattern on them. These new cables are reinforced and should not stretch or grow. You're fine.
2. If you have the old ones, you have two options. Replace them with the new reinforced ones or remove them and shorten the plastic covering, exposing the 3/4 inches required for trouble free operation. Parts numbers and pictures are available on the thread above.
I still want to know if I can unscrew a couple of bolts somewhere and raise my top manually along my trip if it becomes messed up... there's gotta be a procedure for this... I just need to learn how to do it before the big trip just in case.
Threaded Mode
