What to do about my Boxster

[99 Boxcutter]

75mph on the interstate and the red LED on my temperature gauge starts blinking.
Before I can get to the next exit my check engine light (CEL) starts rapidly flashing.
I put it in neutral and coast off to the shoulder and the car shuts off and every light on the dash comes on.
I wait 30 minutes but the car will not turn over again, but it really wants to. It says "vrig-jig-jig-jig-jig-j-j-jig"

Please tell me what's wrong with my Boxcutter? Tell me what to do, I'll do it. I will jack this thing up and pull out whatever you want me to. I will buy parts, I will replace them.

(Please don't tell me I have to replace the engine. I will hunt you down and kill you. haha, just kidding... well not really)

[gschotland]

Flashing CEL = Flatbed it to an experienced mechanic to properly diagnose the problem.

[tnoice]

It was your car's way of telling you, "you are going to fast!" just kiddding.

have it towed to a good mechanic.

[thstone]

Get your hands on an OBD-II (On Board Diagnostics) reader and read out the CEL codes. Post them here and someone (many) will offer advice on what the code means and what to do next.

[mikstew]

Dont waste your time reading CELs.

chances are with the failure you are describing, you'll be throwing every CEL in the book.

Think more fundamentally: you car overheated. What's the worst case scenario? over pressure in one of the water passages at or near the cylinders and a cracked case leaking water into the combustion chamber. Pull your plugs. Are they wet?

Why did your car overheat? Bad thermostat? Running low on coolant? Check your coolant. IF it isn't there, then where is it? Maybe it's In your cylinders... But hopefully not.

[JFP in PA]

Originally Posted by mikstew

Dont waste your time reading CELs.

Sorry, but that is bad advice. Without reading the codes, he is going to be chasing his tail, with the codes he has some hope of finding out what is going on...........

[99 Boxcutter]

Originally Posted by gschotland

Flashing CEL = Flatbed it to an experienced mechanic to properly diagnose the problem.

I did so and they are taking their sweet little time. He said it's either a chains broke or I'm totally screwed.

Originally Posted by Jake Raby

Seeing that its a 99 and had a coolant light before a flashing CEL, I'd have to say its a cylinder failure. I'd be willing to bet.

Any noises when all of this was occurring?

I didn't hear anything strange but I had the music on. :ah:

Originally Posted by thstone

Get your hands on an OBD-II (On Board Diagnostics) reader and read out the CEL codes. Post them here and someone (many) will offer advice on what the code means and what to do next.

can I buy one of those things?