Starters different between S and base?
 

When I tried to remove the starter from the broken engine that came in my 2000 S project, to install it in the replacement engine, I was not able to remove it with the intake manifold in place. Strange, I had already changed a starter with the engine in the car a couple of years ago. I removed the intake manifold and got the starter out and compared it with my spare, out of a 2.7, and saw that the S starter is almost an inch longer. In the parts catalog there are 4 part numbers of 1.2KW, 1.7KW and 1.8KW, but it is not clear that one or another is specifically for the S. So, can I use the starter from the 2.7 in my 3.2 engine?

Are you talking about the starter or the alternator?

I've removed both from my 98... and the intake manifold remained in place. Now... for the starter on the 98 I did remove the throttle body and, if correctly I remember, did so to remove the alternator (for easier bolt access).

Starter. As mentioned I have changed a starter with the engine in the car. This time with the engine out I couldn't push the starter far enough towards the front of the engine to get the pinion out of the hole in the block that the starter sits in. That inch difference in length made the difference. If I can put the shorter starter in I would prefer that just in case it has to come out someday once the engine is back in the car.

I cleaned the starters up and found the part numbers.
The shorter one, originally on a 2.7l engine is part no. 996 604 104 00 which is 1.8Kw.
The longer one, from my 3.2l engine is part no. 996 604 103 00 which is 1.7Kw.
The other part numbers start with 986 (986 604 104 00 and 986 604 104 X) and they are 1.2Kw.
So it looks like both are higher output than the 986 standard starter.

Are the two starters from cars with the same type of transmission? Trying to replace my 986 starter I found the tiptronic starter is different, and once put in, I could not get the wiring to fit......

-Eric

Let's put this to rest: Manual transmission starters for the Boxster are all the same, base and S. The Tiptronic starter is completely different.

Thanks JFP. Now I see that the PET specifies that the 2 higher Kw starters are for Tiptronics. So neither of my starters is stock for the engine it came off.

The shorter starter is from a 5-speed base and the longer one from a 6-speed S.

Do the tips come with beefier battery and alternator as well?

Yes.......

Thanks, good to know, I just bought a tiptronic, good to get prepared..

Boxster Starter for tiptronic trans
 

I bought a DB starter for my 2001 S tiptronic through amazon. Was able to change out the old one. did not compare the two for size. I just went back to original amazon posting to find out my year 2001 3.2 listed as a suitable application. No mention of trans in their ad,Installed it with minor difficulty but it has worked ever since and its rated at only 1.1 KW. Am I in for a short life?