This past weekend, my car went from the rarely smoking on start up to "OMG I'm at a rock concert and the smoke machine is going crazy!" So after some research here and other sites, it made sense to replace the AOS.
I've got a 2001 Boxster with around 85,000 miles on it so it made sense. I'm not a mechanic in the least but a regular DIY kind of guy. Unlike most repairs on the Box that are amazingly easy, this one is not even close for the only reason that it's a freakin' pain to get to. Be patient. Be patient. Take a break. Come back and be patient.
I got as many hoses out of the way as possible first. Removed the top hose first because it's easy and I wanted to trick myself into thinking this was going to be a quick two hour job. HAH! About 5 hours later, it's done. The smoking stopped, although the idle is just a bit off. I'm guessing once I take it for a long drive it'll be fine or else I'll need to clean the MAF.
Wayne's book from Pelican Parts has you work from both the top and under the car to do this job. I'd say that was best idea. Pedro's Garage has it all from the top with a lot of other stuff coming off.
The hose on the bottom is the one that's going to make you curse and throw wrenches. Before you even start this job, get a spring hose clamp tool like the one listed in Wayne's book. It still won't be super easy but you'll get it done and you'll save yourself a couple of hundred dollars in labor.
Lastly, Wayne's book suggests that you replace the hose that connects from the AOS to the throttle body. I bought one but didn't need it as the one on the car worked fine.
Hope this helps others who want to attack this project. Good luck!
