Please help: I have 3 small problems (hopefully) with my Boxster - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

mptoledo · 08-31-2009, 06:14 AM

Car: 2001 "s" 63k miles. work done in last month
oil,air filter(normal K&N), plugs,serpentine(gatorback), throttle body clean, new tires

My problems:
1.) car stalls after restarted after being run for ahwile(see below for details).
2.) Get a puff of white smoke rarely
3.) idles high when first started.

1.) My box will occasionally stall when I try to start it after I have run it for a while. It only happens occasionally and seems to be on very hot days. My temp gauges are in the normal area. I changed my ignition switch, plugs, serpentine belt recently before this started happening. I cleaned my throttle body and it still happens. I put a gatorback serpentine belt on and it was definately snug. i wonder if that could be the problem? I still need to put a new fuel filter.

2.)I get a puff of white smoke when the car has set for over 3 or 4 days(which is rare). It goes right away. I have heard this is normal, but I don't really think its my aos, but I am no expert. I can live with this if its normal.

3.) when I start my box, it idles a little high about 1000-1100 then I tap the gas or put it in gear and it idles fine from there after. Since my new gator back is extremely tight when I put it on, I am wondering if that could be the culprit.

Thumper · 08-31-2009, 06:23 AM

Actually, I only think #1 is a problem. My '01 has done both #2 and #3 ever since I bought it 5 years ago. Changing the fuel filter would be a good place to start. It might not be getting enough fuel due to the filter being clogged. My gatorback belt was super tight when I put it on too. It stretches a bit after awhile.

d18mike · 08-31-2009, 06:43 AM

Agree. 2&3 are common and not major issues. Regarding #1 -- how do you get it to start again after it stalls? Is it a mater of waiting awhile?

Kirk · 08-31-2009, 08:16 AM

#2 is indeed just a function of having a flat boxer engine. Oil can seep into the combustion chambers when the car sits for a while, which then gives you a puff of white smoke when you start up.

#3 is the cold start system. The car will idle high at first until it warms up a bit. In the old days we used to have to pump the gas to start our cars and then keep our foot on the gas peddle slightly until the car warmed up. The modern cold start system does away with this nonsense as the car does it for you. So this is a "feature" rather than a problem.

Kirk

mptoledo · 08-31-2009, 11:22 AM

Hey, thanks for the support.
Actually #1 (stall) has only happened two maybe three times. To restart it I just turn the key to the off and restart it immediately, no problem. It has never happened while driving and usually only happens when its real hot out(>85 deg). Usually after I have driven about 10 to 20 miles turn the car off, go into a store and come back out. Didn't happen today, but it is real cool out.

Hey, I noticed a multiple pinging sound(like when you shoot a tin can with bb's but like 100's of them) when I got my car home while it was running. It sounds like the muffler cooling after you turn most cars off. I have never heard it while the car was running though. Is this normal?

mikes_box · 08-31-2009, 11:32 AM

i get that sound too when i turn off the car... hear it mostly when i stick the car in the garage and close it... funny when i bought a new car back in the days i even brought it back to the dealers because of hearing that sound after driving it... was told it was the catalytic converters cooling... since then i've gotten use to the sound.. if you have some smoke on start up on every now and then i'd consider doing the aos with about 62k miles i would call it more preventative maintenance than anything else. I use to get a puff of smoke every now and then, i too thought it was from the way the engine is so i never thought about it too much... then one day out of the blue at a stop sign, i get a check engine light.... pull over, turn off the engine and try to restart... smoke everywhere... i knew it was the aos but the tow driver thought for sure i needed a new engine due to a headgasket... since i owned a 97 previously, i knew it was the aos... checked the two codes and it pointed to the aos... next day bought a new one from the dealer for $120... two hours later car ran beautifully, no more check engine light and no more puffs... and my car only has 40k miles on it... so i doing the aos wouldn't be too bad at your milage... don't wait for it to fail cause that thing gives you no true indication it is about to fail....

yimmy149 · 08-31-2009, 11:38 AM

The pinging sound while running: You might have a bad cat with pieces floating around in it - I think my car might have the same problem. Or, your new tight belt may have finished off your waterpump bearing.

mptoledo · 08-31-2009, 11:41 AM

yeah, I read your thread on the AOS. I rarely get smoke. I have only seen it twice and that was after the car had sat for awhile. I didn't think the pinging was an issue as my Suv does it too, but I thought I would ask to make sure. My luck it would be first/last sign of IMS failure or something

My main concern is the stall issue.

"Actually #1 (stall) has only happened two maybe three times. To restart it I just turn the key to the off and restart it immediately, no problem. It has never happened while driving and usually only happens when its real hot out(>85 deg). Usually after I have driven about 10 to 20 miles turn the car off, go into a store and come back out. Didn't happen today, but it is real cool out."

mikes_box · 08-31-2009, 11:44 AM

lets hope and pray its not the ims... i'm sure its not...

mptoledo · 08-31-2009, 11:49 AM

No, I was just joking. I seriously doubt ims, its more electrical or fuel related. I thought maybe it was the tight gatorback serpentine belt I had put on.

pk2 · 09-01-2009, 06:53 AM

You might have a vacuum leak or your running lean for some other reason if the ping stops when you turn it of. If you know your way around your motor, you can squirt starter fluid (carefull with it) at all potential leak areas, hose ends and junctions...and hoses themselves if cracked, on the topside of motor. Listen for the engine for a short rev. 'bout a second after you squirt. If it does rev, that's a leak.

Running lean is not good.

Any mechanic can do this if you can get the hatch of the motor for then.

Regards, PK

mptoledo · 09-01-2009, 07:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pk2

You might have a vacuum leak or your running lean for some other reason if the ping stops when you turn it of. If you know your way around your motor, you can squirt starter fluid (carefull with it) at all potential leak areas, hose ends and junctions...and hoses themselves if cracked, on the topside of motor. Listen for the engine for a short rev. 'bout a second after you squirt. If it does rev, that's a leak.

Running lean is not good.

Any mechanic can do this if you can get the hatch of the motor for then.

Regards, PK

I did that with some carb cleaner, but just around the throttle body and "T" connector, to make sure I re-assmebled them correctly after the throttle body cleaning. I might have to take a closer look underneath and around the sides of the motor. I do smell a gas rich odor after I start the car up in the garage and it seemed I was getting worse gas mileage. I noticed the mileage and the smell before I desnorkled. My mileage was around 26 to 29 on my ride home from cali with the top up, but that was all highway mileage. I now get around 20 to 21 mpg, but most is city and I almost always have the top down(but no ac on) and I was getting on it in the twisties. I also ran some techron fuel system cleaner for a while. I don't know if that effects MPG and would account for the smell.

I might try the fuel filter change to see if that helps.