Facts on a 2000 Blue 2.7 liter Boxster that I purchased brand new.
#1 Recently bought a gas powered 2200 PSI power washer and found out a few things not to do.
a. Thought that I'd use it on my soft top roof to rid the car of the nasty plastic wax that Porsche sells to keep the back window clear (No matter how hard you try, you always get just a little onto the fabric). It works great, but it changes the texture of fabric. Now I can see swirl marks from the high pressure wash. I've applied the Porsche water proofing fabric spray, and while it's better, it still visible.
b. While you can wash the metal parts of the car with the high pressure hose at an angle; using it on the front plastic bumper will remove the paint. A small area 1/2 the size of a dime is now missing. While I’m sure no one will notice, I know it's there, or rather not there.
c. You can power wash the tires and rims, but not the plastic Porsche emblem in the center of the wheel. The silver paint peels off.
#2 The Bentley Porsche manual recommends the use of an 11 mm "line wrench" to prevent rounding the corners of the brake bleeder valves. I actually found that it was easier to round the corners with this specialty wrench than it was with a straight open end wrench.
#3 If you bleed the brakes, you might just as well bleed the clutch while you are at it. It's clutch bleeder valve is located on the upper left side of the manual transmission. (Not sure where it is on the AT, but I'm sure it will be in the same general vicinity). This little guy requires a 9mm wrench, and not the 11 mm like the brakes. Try to find one of those baby's 10 PM on a Saturday.
#4 When you remove the plastic shrouds that cover the engine area, wear protective eyewear. For some reasons small rocks and other road debris love to hide on top of them.
#5 When you replace the shrouds from #4 above, you can somewhat torque the metal screws, but the 10mm nuts are made from plastic. DO NOT torque them in any way shape or form, or your will strip them. In fact, if I can find a source that’s not too $$$$, I'll just buy new attaching hardware for my next under car adventure.
#6 ALWAYS, replace the oil drain plug washer and use a torque wrench to tighten it to specifications (37 ft lbs). That flexible Permatech (sp) gasket stuff in a tube and the old washer does not work with a crap. When it leaks, it will spread a very thin brown like substance that covers the oil drain area and points forward, yes that's right, I said forward, that hide under the plastic shroud, and not a drop will get on your brand new garage floor. I thought it was some kind of under car sealant at first.
#7 When you clean the brown crud off the under side of the car with spray on brake cleaning fluid, wear protective eyewear (see item 4 above as well) and do it in a VERY VERY open area. Even in my three car garage with all of the doors open, I still got light headed.
Well, that's all of the bone headed things I can thing of right now. If you learn from your mistakes, I now have the IQ of a genius.
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