2001 Porsche Boxster Tiptronic hard shifting
 

Hello - I would like to get some advice on my Boxster. I brought it in for it's 60k service and they recommended I change transmission fluid as well. I also had small oil drip that was leaking and that was tied to valve leak so was also fixed. Upon leaving the shop, the service center informed me that the shifting was a little rough and they weren't sure if I had noticed it before. I drove it for a few hours and dropped it back off it was so horrible. Most noticeable between 2nd and 3rd and really noticeable during heavy acceleration. In 4th or 5th gear no matter the speed, it runs beautiful. You feel a hard slam as gear shifts. Even on downshifting. A little better using the tiptronics (manual mode). There are no error codes and it's never been in limp mode before. They used Porsche labeled transmission fluid. The shop game back today and told me they are going to a local specialist to have gear box looked through, but told them I would pick the car back up and hold off on any repair/diagnosis at this point. What would you all recommend doing at this point? Like to hear your feedback. Jeff

Ehh, have they checked the front motor mount? Mine did exactly the same thing when mount went. Caused all kinds of havoc with it as well...

SWEPCO (have them look it up)

Unless you have PSTII or a PIWIS, I don't know of a way to properly check the transmission temp to even perform the fluid fill (it has to be at a certain temp)

ALL of our rough shifting issues in the 993's/986's/996's have been cleaned up with running SWEPCO. I believe it is the SWEPCO 720.

We used SWEPCO gear lube in Porsche 5-6speeds for years, found out their auto tranny fluid is the best on the market.


B

I dropped it at Porsche Dealer for diagnosis. Will let you know.

...............................

Madmods - you have checked tranny fluid level I assume? Read a lot on hard braking sending all fluid forward so when shift happens fluid level throughout majority of tranny is low

..................................

.................................

Porsche dealership came back straight away and found that the independent shop drained almost the full 8 quarts and only put 4 quarts back in. So I was roughly 3.5qts low. While draining the porsche dealer found chunks of my clutch/tranny floating in the fluid. Root cause, 3.5 quarts low permanently damaged my TIP transmission and I’m looking at a $10k replacement. Obviously not going out without a multi-year fight.

and I'll quote myself...

I have a 997 in the shop right now that another shop F'd up... and a BoxsterS that yet another shop F'd up..

Word to the wise:

Look at your chosen shop. Do you see several other cars that look like yours? If not.. go away.. find another shop.

ASK them if they have factory diagnostic tools (there are ONLY TWO) if they don't have them.. they cannot successfully perform work on your car.

I receive phone calls EVERY DAY from shops who are just now starting to work on the water cooled Porsches.. um.. they are behind by 13 years now..


B