Greetings from Portland
 

Portland, Oregon, that is. Just joined yesterday, and I'm very glad to hook up with this forum and its knowledgeable members. Perhaps I can even contribute something worthwhile.

The first of the year I picked up a 2000 986 base: Arctic Silver/black, 2.7L, 5-speed manual, bone stock. The old guy who sold it to me gave me a folder full of receipts for service and maintenance. I was glad to see that, because it had 154,000 miles on the clock. Ordinarily, I would pass on a high-mileage vehicle, but it all depends on how well it has been maintained. I talked to a guy in a Safeway parking lot whose '96 986 had almost 300K on it, so there you go.

A little about me. I'm mechanically inclined. I've rebuilt a few engines, including a Chevy 230 c.i. and a TR-4 four cylinder, plus a number of motorcycle engines, two w/ OHC. I'm going to enjoy wrenching on my 986. I invested in an ODBII diagnostic scanner, an iCarsoft POR V1.0, which is configured for Porsches.

I've owned a number of sports cars: '60 Bugeye Sprite, '62 Alfa Romeo Veloce Spider, '68 Sprite, '69 TR-4, '72 Porsche 914, '78 280Z, '81 280ZX. and '90 Miata. I wrenched on every one of them. In fact, I completely restored the Bugeye and TR-4.

My 986 came with only one key and it was falling apart, literally, so keys were high on my priority list. I ordered a couple blades @ $7.90 ea and had them cut by a local locksmith for $45 per blade, thereby avoiding shelling out $140 per blade at Porsche Beaverton (and never Beaverton Porsche!). However, I did buy two new fobs from them, to the tune of $266 each, plus $210 for one hour's programming, for a total just shy of $850. Highway robbery for two keys, but it could've been worse. It was my initiation to ownership of a luxury sports car.

I keep hearing bloodcurdling stories about the IMS bearing. As far as I can tell, mine has the original bearing. All the same, if (or when) I need to replace the clutch, I'll replace the IMS at the same time. I'm also about to pull the trigger on a set of new tires. Any recommendations as to brand? Currently, it's running on Toyo Proxes4 Plus, which are down to 2 mm tread depth.

I've encountered one perplexing problem with the car: It's hard starting just after I fill the tank. I can always coax it to life, but it's embarrassing when it happens at gas stations. ("Ha ha, smart-ass girl can't get her Porsh started!") Some sort of fuel pressure sensor or something? Advice would be much appreciated.

One more thing before I go. I've always felt the 986 was the most beautiful Boxster of all. They nailed it with the first generation's design. The changes in later models weren't necessarily improvements. But of course the designers just had to fiddle with perfection (as did their counterparts with the aesthetically perfect Series 1 E-Type, which Enzo Ferrari called "the most beautiful car in the world"). When I was having my keys programmed at Porsche Beaverton I wandered into the showroom and checked out a loaded 718. Lordy, it was gorgeous! As well it oughta be, for around ninety-two thousand. But for pure aesthetics, I'll take my 986 (which I picked up for five grand).

Okay, folks, that'll about do it for my first post. Glad to be here!

Welcome! Given your prior experiences, I think you could contribute greatly. Even though it on other cars, there are some tricks of the trade that are universal.

Enjoy the car!

Welcome LoneWolfGal
I think people have posted about the fuel fill issue on here. You can probably fix it.
Love TR4, dad just bought another TR3 in January.
I’m with you on the beauty of the 986
718 @ $92000 / $5000 = 18.4 you think it’s 18.4 times better?🧐
Maybe you buy 17 more and use the rest for a nice dinner

RE Fuel pressure situation
 

I had the same problem, while there can be a number of reasons, in my case I eventually found it to be a bad vacuum hose from the intake to the fuel pressure sensor on the fuel rail.

Viewed from the back on engine compartment, it is on the fuel rail, left upper corner.
\
Hopefully this will help and you can avoid the throw parts at it path I went down.

David

Btw
 

Porsche Beaverton, still Sunset Porsche to me has online part sales at very completive prices, shipping can be a little high.

Would you happen to have a photo or illustration that shows the location of the vacuum hose?

I can get that
 

Just need to shift my lazy self, please give me a day or two

If the hard starting issue only arises after fueling up ......it is most likely an issue with something in the EVAP system. Like a faulty purge valve or cracked vacuum canister or the like.

If you had an issue with a vacuum line to the fuel pressure regulator I would think your hard starting issue would happen more often then just at fuel up.

When you have the hard start issue does holding the gas pedal to the floor help in getting the car to start?

Congrats and welcome! It sounds like you will find your way around the Boxster quite easily. :cheers:

It's hard starting only after fueling, no other time. Yes, flooring the gas pedal does help to get it running.

Thanks, Bruce. A service manual should be a great help in finding my way around.

I bought a very nice pair of rubber floormats that have the Porsche logo from Sunset for $89. I've been spoiled by Amazon Prime, so any shipping charge seems exorbitant to me.

I would go thru the EVAP system.
If flooring the gas pedal helps get it started then that points towards a too rich mixture when cranking. Flooring the gas pedal opens the throttle body butterfly allowing more air to enter.. so that leans the mixture out and helps get it started.
Now this is all guessing on my part so bear that in mind.
So look for things that could possibly cause a too rick starting mixture.
EVAP issues can do that... things like a stuck open purge valve or vacuum leaks in the hoses that connect up parts of the EVAP system or a cracked charcoal vacuum canister.

You can check the vacuum hose to the fuel pressure regulator as well (simple to do) but I do think if that was the issue it would cause problems a more times then just when you refuel.

That makes sense, thanks. After I get the shop manual I ordered, I can get serious about troubleshooting. Right now I'm flying blind without an instrument rating.

The more I research the problem, the more convinced I am that you're right about it being an issue with the EVAP system. Good call, blue62. After inspecting the hoses I think I'll begin with replacing the fuel vapor carbon cannister, since it seems the most likely culprit. I'm not getting a CEL and it's my understanding that a cannister issue usually won't throw a code. If replacing it doesn't solve the problem I'll look at the purge valves. In any case, I'm going to wait until my shop manual arrives before tearing into it.

If I change my Avatar name to Bush_Pilot_Girl will I get this level of support too?

You could do a search here on the forum for EVAP system issues.
One of the members here has excellent pictures of various systems on theses cars.
Once you know how things are laid out you can test things like hoses or cannisters by applying a vacuum and see if the vacuum will hold with something like a handy vac.

My reasoning for not going with the fuel pressure regulator vacuum line .... is that at starter cranking speed there is the least amount of vacuum being applied. I could be wrong but it doesn't make sense to me that a vacuum operated fuel pressure regulator would have any affect on fuel pressure with the least amount of vacuum applied.
Much more likely that the fuel pressure regulator comes into play when the greatest amount of vacuum is applied to it.

It's worth a shot.

(BTW, I salute a fellow pilot, although I haven't slipped the surly bonds of Earth in a while. However, a friend just completed an RV-12, and I'm looking forward to going up with him soon.)

Tires
 

The correct answer depends on how you intend to drive your Box and what priorities are important to you. There are specific tires that are designed for vastly different needs - high performance, high mileage, all-season (rain?), etc. Everyone drives their cars differently and buying an all-season tire when you needed a high performance tire (or vice versa) will result in a lot of unhappy driving or an expensive 2nd trip to the tire store.

For example, I have 2 987Ss that live entirely different lives. My Cayman is a DE and show car in the summer and my 'winter beater'. I use high performance tires in the summer, drive to the track, and use those same tires on the track. Plus I have camber dialed into it, so inside tire wear is accelerated. Michelin Sport Cup 2s would be the best tire for the track, but would wear out too quickly driving to the track along with the camber. So I look for bargain HP tires since I go thru them faster than normal. Currently have a set of Yokohoma's on that are just a touch below Continentals but I got them for $750 (before all the extra costs). The .5 sec I lose per lap to a Conti is worth it to my wallet. And in the winter I put a set of Blizzaks on and go anywhere as long as the snow isn't > 4".

My Box LE is my nice weather spring to fall car. I do fun runs with her. Comfort and tire mileage are more important for her. Oddly enough, I have a set of Yoko's on her too. I was impressed with them on my Cayman so I bought another set when the Box needed tires.

I would suggest going to TireRack.com and search for tires for your 00 Box. You'll be given a myriad of options and can determine which brand fits your requirements. There are also comments from buyers but they can be confusing - 1st says they're the greatest and the next comment says they're the worst. But they provide data pts.

As a matter of fact, after hours of comparisons at TireRack, I've narrowed it down to a set of Continental ExtremeContact DWS 06 Plus. All season, which I think should be perfect for year-round driving in Oregon. $689.96 for a set, not too bad. After they're mounted and balanced I will of course make sure to get an alignment.

I had to laugh at some of the review comments on various tires, such as the one by a guy who chose Riken Raptors because of the "cool tread pattern." And they accuse women of being concerned with frivolous stuff? :confused: