Freakin' out... Tranny/Engine Mount?
 

Gents,
just got my top replaced!! so I'm all excited, and then I hear sounds that aren't normal and sound expensive. I first attributed the different sound of the car running to the new top (with glass), but it seems like the transmission "whine" in 1st and 2nd are more "low" pitch.. kinda like when you leave the vacuum in one spot for too long.

*This is a '00 base Tiptronic*

Car runs fine otherwise, but around 2000rpm (1800-2200 only, nowhere else) there is this "stutter" feel to the car if I accelerate slowly. It feels the same as when your transmission is slipping, but this is more of a noticeable vibration type feel.

The scary part happened today though when I got home. I pulled in to a spot, stopped, and then reversed to straighten out a bit. When I got done reversing, I put it back in Drive and it made this horrid noise like the engine banging against the firewall or something... fearing the worst, I thought to myself, "well... there it goes...". I immediately put it in Park, then back to Drive (almost assuming it wouldn't go into gear for some reason), but it went into gear just fine and I was able to park it.

I've been wanting to replace the engine mount for some time now as preventative maintenance (74k miles with no record of replacement), so I'm thinking it's either the mount is bad or something worse... the tran$mi$$ion. Could it be a misfire or something else even?

sounds almost exactly like what i experienced 2 years ago @ 75k miles.

was driving down the highway and noticed a weird noise. seemed to only occur when i slowed down to right around 2k. it also felt as if my car was slightly shuddering...

i was in dallas at the time. parked at a hotel and when i went to reverse, heard a horrid "BANG/CLUNK" noise. turned it off, checked it out. nothing loose or dangling.

i didn't have any problems driving it to the shop (~15 miles). took a few hours for them to replace the engine mount.

drove it back to maryland and haven't had any issues from it (2 yrs / 20k miles.)

the mount itself was slightly cracked and the rubber material was quite deteriorated. surprised i didn't notice it before it got to that point but i guess it just reached a specific point before it became "really" noticeable.

'01 base + tip. total cost to replace at the shop was $314.

I am ready to order the part and replace mine in the next few weeks. Sounds like its a good idea. I get this shudder at 69-72mph and I have tried everything else:mad: and this is my next shot at getting that resolved. Hope it helps and if it doesnt I am certain it will shift smoother. :D

may as well do the two lower hoses...

Consider replacing the waterpump, if it has significant miles on it, like 75k, while you are replacing the mount. To get at the mount its much easier if the main coolant hoses are disconnected (which you have to do if you replace the pump) and once the motor mount is out, replacing the pump is an absolute piece of cake. Easy to clean the mating surface on the block and torque all the pump bolts with a torque wrench.

When you replace the mount, be sure to torque the studs that go into the frame to the proper torque. If they are loose, you will strip the threads in the frame when you tighten the nuts on the studs and you will be in a world of ********************.

At 75K miles- Motor mount, water pump, hoses, L&N T Stat, serpentine belt, inspect the idler pulleys, while you are in there...

what are the hoses exactly? and what does the lower tstat actually do?

Coolant hoses. They are 11yrs old and you will have to torque on them pretty good to get them off and replace the water pump. Adding fresh hoses is a no-brainer. The T Stat is right there in the same spot, also 11 yrs old, and the original one is set too high (180F) and of crappy design. The LN 160F T-stat is a much more robust design and will allow your car to run cooler which saves fuel, protects your oil temps and engine, and gives you a little better cooling efficiency with more water flow.

While you are in there and the car is up in the air, coolant drained, might as well take care of a few parts on the common Boxster hit list. You will be glad you did.

well i pulled the trigger on a lift couple days ago so i guess the timing is right? lol

does all the coolant get drained (if that's easier), or just some of it? is it safe to say that my transmission is fine, and it is most likely the engine mount?

i always thought the engine mounts failed slowly, but today it seemed like it was BAM!, all of a sudden. any damage in driving with it like that for a week or two until i get all the parts in?

while not definitive, i'm sure the transmission is fine. i can show you the "spot" my engine mount went out in dallas (just past buckner blvd. on 35) though that's not true - that's just where i noticed it...

Get either a Bentley manual or Pelican 101projects and they will walk you through the process. With 75k I would use fresh Porsche coolant also and follow the refill and air purge instructions carefully so you don't run your motor dry and kill it dead. None of this work is terribly difficult but a Porsche is a little odd if you are used to working on Japanese and American cars. This will be a test of how well you follow instructions. Have fun with it.

Fellas,
Is this the correct part number for the cayman mount?
Porsche Boxster Cayman Engine Mount + Bracket GENUINE | eBay

98737502305

I've seen some that end in 4, so want to make sure before ordering.

Thanks!

that looks right - looks like mine.

pelican's site lists the part number as "987-375-023-05-M100" for 1997-2004 the "04" must be the previous revision.

Pelican promotions going on?
 

edited. wrong thread.

Just an update on this... my transmission was shot. '00 base Tip with 74k miles on it. what a f**king nightmare ordeal the whole thing has been, not to mention expensive. Could've bought another used Box for the price of the transmission replacement.

7 months later (no joke), a used 98 Blazer purchase to get me to work, and a $7,600 repair bill, I'm back on the road.

If only I knew back then what I know now... CPO! CPO! CPO! Extended Warranty! and get a Manual! You can't even buy parts for the Tip tranny... it's pretty much pull and replace...

what an ordeal...

and as if that weren't enough.. I still get the 1128/1130 CEL daily just to put salt in the wound... good times.

There's no substitute.

How often do you change the tranny fluids? Usually autos last forever unless it's been abused...

Personally I will change fluid every 40K to 50K miles simply because new fluid is far cheaper then a blown tranny.

I hate thinking this but......did the "top guy" take your car for a ride and ground out the trans ? Or, miss a gear at the wrong time ? Strange things happen when you leave your car. There seems to be no respect for other's property now days. Getting away with it is now the "cool".....DUDE !!! Always take an odometer reading with an understanding that you will not accept this bull shi#.

How do you miss a gear with a slush box...?

Odometer is always checked as well as placement of all dings/scratches before taking my car to ANYONE.

This is my daily driver so it was never "abused" (not sure how you abuse a Tip really). Car was purchased at 42k miles and fluid was supposedly changed by Porsche dealership I bought it from at that time.

I don't know what it was called, but there was a bearing inside the transmission that broke and was spinning freely, as well as a leaking "double lip seal" that was causing the differential to leak.