'02 Boxster S TLC. - Page 2 - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

TrumpyAl · 12-03-2015, 10:56 PM

I've been trying to find time to keep moving on this, it's been difficult with kids and the business.

I managed to pull another half a dozen or so small dents out of the boot and roof cowl last weekend. I'm very happy with the results on the small ones, the large ones not so much...yet.

And I have just ordered a genuine Durametric unit.

TrumpyAl · 12-03-2015, 11:12 PM

Oops, hadn't finished that last post, had a browser issue :-/

One thing that I've been avoiding sharing is that every panel on this car has been keyed. I know, poor little Porka right? It looked so sad sitting there, all unloved, how could I not try and sort it out?

Anyway, I've been testing my intended method for cleaning up the scratches as well as I possibly can - without resorting to paint. My fuel filler cover has been my test patch.

Before...

After. It looks good from this angle...

But with the light on it, you can see that the process of polishing out the sanding marks has taken out more touch-up paint that the surrounding paint.

So I'm planning to try again, this time using clear coat and leaving it to dry for a week before sanding and polishing. I can't make it look worse, so I've nothing to lose!

TrumpyAl · 12-09-2015, 07:08 AM

I finally made the call and ordered the Durametric, it's a nice unit and likewise for the software.

It arrived today and there's a very suspicious code and persistent there. If I clear it, then it reoccurs as soon as I crank it.

I hope to post good news once I've sourced a replacement crank angle sensor.

TrumpyAl · 12-13-2015, 06:19 PM

This is what the windscreen trim looks like on my car. It seems that it's always looked this way, but I'm not 100% sure. I don't much like it but I thought I'd check here before changing it just in case it's a highly valued rare option or somesuch!

I think that I recall reading somehwere that it was supposed to be 'Platinum' coloured, the same as the badging on the boot???

I'd like to take that coating off to expose something less drab. Should I not?

TrumpyAl · 12-15-2015, 06:50 AM

Facebook group reassured me that the finish had deteriorated so I attacked it with 0000 steel wool lubricated with some clay lube.

Pic shows the improvement (on the left!). I'm happy that I tried this. Recommended.

TrumpyAl · 12-15-2015, 07:05 AM

I figured out the paint code for the silver details within the cabin - L4W9.

The glossy silver details are usually referred to as Alumalook.

I sprayed a pencil as a test, including clear, and it's bang on. So I can definitely say that the paint code for Alumalook is L4W9!

I'm considering colour coding the roll hoops to the exterior, and doing the console in Alumalook. I think that any combo will look much better than it does now so I'll not overthink it.

Oh, I also broke a roof mechanism pushrod on the weekend - and due to impatience I paid 5 or six times too much by buying the pushrod from Porsche - they wouldn't supply the broken plastic section on its own. At least install is easy.

Finally, I replaced the crank angle sensor today as the Durametric was showing me a code but, *sob*, the car is still not starting. I'm rather annoyed as I shouldn't have jumped at a simple code - the taco was moving. I got overexcited at having a code for a known weak component that would cause a non-start. Stupid. At least it wasn't too expensive.

I'll pull a plug when I get time to take another look. Back to basics...got lazy.

jcslocum · 12-15-2015, 07:26 AM

Check for fuel in the rail. Or give it a huff of starting ether in the intake and see if you get fire...

paulofto · 12-15-2015, 08:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TrumpyAl

I'm considering colour coding the roll hoops to the exterior, and doing the console in Alumalook. I think that any combo will look much better than it does now so I'll not overthink it.

Here is what the 'Aluminum Look' roll hoops, console and A/C surround will look like if you do it. Notice the ignition surround as well. Good luck with your project.

TrumpyAl · 12-15-2015, 09:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jcslocum

Check for fuel in the rail. Or give it a huff of starting ether in the intake and see if you get fire...

Thanks again for the suggestions, all welcome!

I've had a heap of pressure in the rail when I 've checked previously, and this morning there was a bit of a development when I had another go at starting it. It was cranking very fast and after I stopped cranking, it actually ran for a fraction of a second - it sounded very much like it was flooded and I saw black smoke. Progress!!!

A too-rich scenario does make sense as it tends to give an optomistic kick when first cranked, then it settles into a fast crank.

I was on my way to the office and was suited up so couldn't delve deeper. I really need to take a day off to take my time and work through this. Having a baby in the house and a baby in the garage is not a good life choice, but I'll get there.

And I dearly miss having access to an oscillascope

And being able to speak to the previous owner would be damned handy too!

Quote:

Originally Posted by paulofto

Here is what the 'Aluminum Look' roll hoops, console and A/C surround will look like if you do it. Notice the ignition surround as well. Good luck with your project.

It looks like yours is Seal Grey too? Great to see the pics thanks - and well done on the tweaks - these cars really are a lot of fun! Yours reminds me of the concept's interior.

(pic credit to Boxster Buyers Guide - Boxster Owners Guide)

I'm definitely going to go silver on the console as that looks brilliant on yours and it ties in with the rest of the S interior. The roll hoops I'm still undecided and probably always will be!

TrumpyAl · 12-16-2015, 06:46 AM

Pulled a plug and it seems to me that it certainly has both fuel and spark. Too much fuel it seems - but when I pulled the fuel pump fuse and gave it a few good cranks it settled down into a normal speed crank as the fuel supply dwindled, but it didn't fire at any stage. I'd expect it to at least run for a moment or two as it transitioned from too much fuel to too little.

It's such a disadvantage to be trying to sort all this out with no knowledge of the cars history. Anyway, that's what I signed up for so no point whining about it

To ease my frustration I did a spot of detailing in the frunk, replaced a blown headlight bulb and repaired the wiring to a front indicator. I also replaced the rear and side indicators as they had faded to white on the rear, and the side indicators had clear bulbs in them so they were flashing white - which is no good in Aus!

Getting the car moving under it's own power was a key part of getting this thing sorted out in a reasonable time frame. So I'm tired and annoyed at the moment, I will come back to this another day.

dghii · 12-16-2015, 07:02 PM

I'd bet sorting the CPS will get the car started.

TrumpyAl · 12-17-2015, 06:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dghii

I'd bet sorting the CPS will get the car started.

I replaced the CPS a couple of days ago and.....no change.

I cleared all the codes and got a range of them come back. I'll clear them all again when I get time and document it.

I'm tempted to throw a key/immobilizer/DME set at it just to get a known good set in there.

paulofto · 12-19-2015, 08:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TrumpyAl

It looks like yours is Seal Grey too? Great to see the pics thanks - and well done on the tweaks - these cars really are a lot of fun! Yours reminds me of the concept's interior
I'm definitely going to go silver on the console as that looks brilliant on yours and it ties in with the rest of the S interior. The roll hoops I'm still undecided and probably always will be!

My car is actually Arctic Silver and the Silver inside really complements the exterior. I also painted my rear bumperettes to match the body. Here is a shot of the rear and a side shot as well. I think the roll hoops tie in great with the humps as well

TrumpyAl · 12-19-2015, 02:14 PM

Looks brilliant, a must do for your colour combo.

dghii · 12-19-2015, 06:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TrumpyAl

I replaced the CPS a couple of days ago and.....no change.

I cleared all the codes and got a range of them come back. I'll clear them all again when I get time and document it.

I'm tempted to throw a key/immobilizer/DME set at it just to get a known good set in there.

Sorry I missed where you had replace the CPS...Just saw that you had ordered it!

TrumpyAl · 12-21-2015, 08:32 PM

Oops, duplicate post.

TrumpyAl · 12-21-2015, 08:42 PM

Well I took a couple of hours off work and pulled the plugs.

The two front plugs are pitch black with soot - so firing, presumably with too much fuel. It was one of these that I used to test that the car had spark back on day one.
One of the others from each side is almost completely clean and smelling of fuel - so not firing and has fuel.
The remaining two, one from each side, are what I'd call normal.

I did a quick test on the coils with a Ohm meter and they are all the same. The two outside terminals have zero resistance, and no other pins registered infinite resistance. That seemed odd, but they were all the same so I'll take some more time soon and check spark swapping out each coil one at a time on the one cylinder that I can see while cranking the car. If they are all firing when connected to that plug, I'll move my testing to one of the other plugs.

I'm somewhat encouraged as if the car has two cylinders not firing and another two flooded then that would explain why it's not quite starting. Hopefully I'm looking at a couple of faulty coils and some dodgy injectors - that's a huge guess of course.

jcslocum · 12-22-2015, 04:44 AM

Wish I could help....

Maybe a smoke test to check for vacuum leaks?? Might be why it's rich on some and lean on others.

jcslocum · 12-31-2015, 05:49 AM

You getting anywhere with this???

TrumpyAl · 12-31-2015, 06:07 AM

Thanks for checking in. I'm standing here next to the car reading my multimeter's manual to understand if it can give me a millisecond reading on the injectors, or just a duty cycle.

Today I confirmed that all the coils are firing across a 2cm gap. I confirmed one side of the car that this is the case no matter which connector I plug the coil into. So I'm confident that it has spark on all 6 cylinders.

I'm toying with the idea of taking off the manifold to inspect it, as well as to hopefully be able to see a valve moving within the inlet port which I can hopefully use to check the timing of the cams. I doesn't look easy though...

And have also been doing a job that no one should ever have to do...

And also derived a bizarre amount of satisfaction detailing one particular spot on the car.

I received the decals for my calipers so that's now waiting for me to get time.

Here she sits. Still!

p.s. 2016 is 75 minutes old here - HAPPY NEW YEAR!