car won't run - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

csu15919 · 02-11-2008, 09:42 AM

i'm kind of a new kid here. i've had my 01 boxster s for about a year now, 67k on the clock. i recently replaced my clutch, flywheel, all that good stuff. i installed a lightweight flywheel, and it took me sometime to get used to the chatter, and the whurring sound (once the throttle is released). to get to the point...the other night i went out, laid my foot in the throttle for about 3 miles, got off at my exit, and the car died...a friend and i pushed the car to the nearest parking lot, where i was able to pop the clutch and get the car to start, but, if i didn't keep my foot on the throttle, the car would just die. initially, my oil gauge read that i was about 1qt low, so i grabbed some oil and tried to start the car....no go. we pushed the car a little more, and i was able to pop the clutch again and tried to drive it home. about 2 miles down the road, my buddy calls and tells me to turn it off, my exhaust is glowing cherry red. mind you, as i was driving, the car would struggle to get over 4k rpm (i could only keep the car in 1st or 2nd gear). i haven't taken the time to get under the car yet, but i'm just trying to find out if anyone else has had an issue like this before. the only other thing i did differently with the car, was install the deluboz headers (roughly 1 week ago when i finished the clutch job). for the car not wanting to start once the key is turned, i'm assuming there's a sensor issue somewhere (i have a good feeling i melted an o2 sensor with the exhaust getting so hot). well...i'd appreciate any help and/or suggestions.

-stephen

steve00s · 02-11-2008, 09:59 AM

First of all welcome to the forum. Did you get a CEL through all of this and if so have you been able to read the codes? That would help diagnose. If parameters get totally out of whack the car will go into "limp home mode" by shutting down a cylinder (disables one of the injectors I believe). This will cause the car to miss badly but should still run. Sounds like there is something more going on here. Headers and the O2 sensors could be a culprit but the codes will shed more light.

CJ_Boxster · 02-11-2008, 10:00 AM

Cherry Red Glowing exhaust are a sign of a clog in your exhaust system, Usually you can tell where the clog is by the location of the glowing areas of the exhaust,

If the headers were the only thing glowing.. then your cats are cloged

If all the exhaust pipes were glowing, even the pipes that hold the 02 sensors, then your muffler is clogged up with chunks of broken catalytic converter honey comb.

To verify, remove the muffler and start her up and see if that improves the idle and press the throttle to see if the RPM's pick up quickly... if its seems like a 80% improvement then buy a new exhaust and cats... or straight pipe that mofo and buy a new exhaust.

CJ_Boxster · 02-12-2008, 08:49 AM

Update us on your progress, cause if im correct, I would like to bask in my own self-worth

csu15919 · 02-12-2008, 10:23 AM

i still haven't taken the time to take a look at this thing yet. i was also assuming that it had something to do with some sort of clog in the exhaust. i figured it was either that, or maybe i burned up an oxygen sensor. hopefully i'll get a chance to check it out this weekend, and can give you guys an update. i really appreciate the advice!!!

stephen

csu15919 · 02-12-2008, 04:31 PM

alright, so i pulled the codes and i have this:

p1117- fuel/air metering device malfunction

p1118- fuel/air metering device malfunction

p0305- cyl #5 missfire

p0306- cyl #6 missfire

p0300- multiple cylinder missfire

so far, i'm assuming that i've got an issue with the MAF...that's the reason it won't start (hence, the first 2 codes i pulled). i'm thinking the missfire codes have to do with the engine being in "safe mode." i will tell you this, i pulled the codes twice, and the first time i actually pulled 13 codes. i had a miss on every cylinder (i can't imagine every plug/coil going bad), still pulled the two fuel/air codes, and i pulled a couple o2 codes (i know that has something to do with the headers, seeing is how they're jerry-rigged right now). now, i did manage to start it up again, and let me tell you...my poor motor....sounds BAD. as much as i hate to admit it, it actually sounds like rod knock. i'm hoping...PRAYING...that noise is a loose baffle in the cats/muffler. i have yet to pull the muffler down again, but i'm going to attempt it in a minute. does anyone have any ideas thus far?????

-stephen

CJ_Boxster · 02-19-2008, 10:40 AM

Ill bump this for yah, usually i see all threads nearly everyday and i must have missed your last reply. The codes are interesting... Im still going to say clog in the exhuast system.

Maybe someone else can chime in with some advise or good ideas as to what it could be.

Topless · 02-19-2008, 10:54 AM

Since the only changes you said you made since it ran well was add headers, start there first. Retrace your steps. Clogged cats (rag left in there??), clogged exhaust, mis-wired O2 sensors or burned O2 wires are all possible. You need those O2 sensors in there and working right to get proper air/fuel mixture. These will all cause your car to run like dog doo. Hopefully you have not killed your motor by driving around with jury rigged sensors. Good luck.

porsche986spyder · 02-19-2008, 10:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by csu15919

i'm kind of a new kid here. i've had my 01 boxster s for about a year now, 67k on the clock. i recently replaced my clutch, flywheel, all that good stuff. i installed a lightweight flywheel, and it took me sometime to get used to the chatter, and the whurring sound (once the throttle is released).

-stephen

I'm not sure about why your car is stalling but you should not here any chatter coming from the flywheel and clutch. Especially if its brand new.

csu15919 · 02-25-2008, 09:41 AM

alright guys....so i've reached a few conclusions. BTW, 986spyder, the chatter i was referring to was the chatter that lightweight flywheels make (it's fairly common when ppl stick those things on our cars). so i removed the exhaust, and now the car will atleast START with the key, but dies out shortly after. I'm now picking up only ONE code, and it's:

p0107

MAP/BARO malfunction

So now I have 1 definite answer...there is definitely a clog in the exhaust (you were right CJ). with the car only wanting to start without the exhaust on, there is some sort of problem with the exhaust.

my second answer is really only a possiblity...i have a bad MAF. i'm about to go pull the throttle and take a peak at it. now, i did end up throwing a little oil in the motor the night it died (it was about 1qt low, just found out my NEW rms is leaking), and i did pour just a tad too much oil in the motor that night. with the exhaust off, i'm getting a little oil blow by out of the passenger side of the motor, so i'm wondering if the cylinder pressure pushed enough into the intake (maybe during valve overlap) to foul out a sensor or two. i don't seem to hear that infamous knocking i heard earlier (although, it's hard to hear anything with an open exhaust), so i'm chalking that sound up to maybe whatever baffle is loose in my exhaust. well, i'm going to try and take a peek at the MAF and see what i can see...any other advice as always, is greatly appreciated!!

csu15919 · 02-25-2008, 03:22 PM

ok, so yeah...i also have a bad MAF. i found a thread on here about how to check it (un-plug it, and if the car runs right, then the MAF is bad). soooo, here's an assumption of my seqence of events/bad decisions on that fateful night. the car died initially due to a clog in the exhaust. me not knowing, and reading that i was low on oil, added oil but apparently put too much (about 1/2-3/4 of a qt too much). by forcing the car to start back up, and trying to get it home, i began blowing the excess oil back through the intake causing me to foul out my MAF.

at this point, i've cleaned out my throttle body and main intake tube (had a small puddle of oil in both), and i'm going to attempt to clean the MAF. i'm also going to change my oil (it's about time anyhow), and go back and to the RMS AAGGAAIINN. I can't see why it's leaking anyhow...i used a tool that i borrowed from a mechanic at the dealer, and it's almost impossible to do it wrong with the tool...but i guess...where there's a will...there's a way. i did find a post from some guy on renntech who had his seal replaced, and it began leaking that same day so they used some sort of "glue"??? that's a first for me...but i'll do my research. so now i'm in the market for an exhaust i suppose also.

geez, this car is breaking the bank...and my back. i'm sure my neighbors had quite a time this afternoon/evening watching me climb/lay on the trunk as i was fooling with the intake. well...i'll keep you folks posted on the progress!

stephen