Go Back   986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners > Porsche Boxster & Cayman Forums > Performance and Technical Chat

Post Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 12-29-2013, 01:28 PM   #1
Registered User
 
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Dahlonega , Georgia
Posts: 1,346
Durametric vs. ?

I'm new to the Boxster S will be picking up a 2002 in February. I see mention of a Durametric code scanner on various posts. Is there something unique about the Porsche OBDII that other code scanners won't work ? I have a generic code scanner and was wondering if it will work with the S ?

rfuerst911sc is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-29-2013, 02:28 PM   #2
Track rat
 
Topless's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Southern ID
Posts: 3,701
Garage
A standard code reader is fine for most novice to experienced mechanics. Get the error codes, search for diagnosis on the net and trace down your problem. For more detailed info like actual fuel trims, cam deviation, and O2 sensor voltages a Durametric is the choice for most independent Porsche shops and enthusiasts who want to get very intimately involved with their car. In 8 yrs of ownership I have never wanted for a Durametric but some here couldn't live without them. Different horses for different courses...
__________________
2009 Cayman 2.9L PDK (with a few tweaks)
PCA-GPX Chief Driving Instructor-Ret.
Topless is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-29-2013, 03:21 PM   #3
Artist, 986S tinkerer
 
NewArt's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Montreal, Canada
Posts: 1,821
the Durametric will let you scan the codes, clear the codes, and monitor real-time information when you are running the car.
__________________
James now has: 2008 987S 6 speed
Crashed: 2010 987.2 pdk in speed yellow!
Sold to a cool racer chick: 2004 986 S
YouTube channel: the PORSCHE as seen by NewArt
www.youtube.com/channel/UCohdrH2xHTklM1thxk0KKOQ?
NewArt is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-29-2013, 03:54 PM   #4
jakesbox
 
trimer's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Charlotte NC
Posts: 759
I love my durametric.m never used anything else though...
__________________
2003 996 Twin Turbo X50, PCCB, polar silver / 2004 996 Carerra Cabriolet, midnight blue, cinnamon leather, IMS Pro / 2003 Artic Silver Boxster - Short Throw Shift, IMS Upgrade, Carerra Light Wheels, De-Snorked with Evoms Cold Air Intake, GHL Exhaust (Sold) / 2002 Seal Grey Boxster - Fabspeed Exhaust, Black powder coated wheels, Porsche stripes (Sold) / 2 -1957 356 A Speedsters (signal red and seal grey) (Sold) / 1989 944 Turbo (m030 S options)
trimer is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-29-2013, 04:42 PM   #5
recycledsixtie
 
recycledsixtie's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Edmonton Canada
Posts: 824
Garage
I have had my 2001 Box base 2.5 years and have never had the codes read. 10k miles and no problems. Does that mean I am living in ignorance if nothing is wrong?
recycledsixtie is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-29-2013, 04:47 PM   #6
Registered User
 
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Miami florida
Posts: 1,591
Quote:
Originally Posted by recycledsixtie View Post
I have had my 2001 Box base 2.5 years and have never had the codes read. 10k miles and no problems. Does that mean I am living in ignorance if nothing is wrong?
Maybe. You may have some stored codes that didn't trigger aCEL that could be a hint of coming problems. But I wouldn't sweat it.
__________________
Current car

2000 Boxster 2.7l red/black

Previous cars

1973 Opel Manta
1969(?) Fiat 850 Convertible
1979 Lancia Beta Coupe
1981 Alfa Romeo GTV 6
1985 Alfa Romeo Graduate
1985 Porsche 944
1989 Porsche 944
1981 Triumph TR7
1989 (?) Alfa Romeo Milano
1993 Saab 9000
san rensho is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-29-2013, 09:58 PM   #7
2002 Boxster S
 
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: PCA Roadrunner Region, NM
Posts: 306
Garage
You can read/clear codes and monitor most data realtime with a bluetooth OBDII device and your smart phone.

But the way I understand it, the Durametric can actually reprogram things like passenger side airbags, temperature display, etc. (Correct me, Durametric users, if I have misunderstood this.)

How deep do you need to go? The generic OBDII tool might well be enough.
__________________
2009 Carrera S cabrio
ex-2002 Boxster S, Arctic Silver, Aerokit II
silver-S is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-30-2013, 02:29 AM   #8
Registered User
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: It's a kind of magic.....
Posts: 6,261
Quote:
Originally Posted by silver-S View Post
You can read/clear codes and monitor most data realtime with a bluetooth OBDII device and your smart phone.

But the way I understand it, the Durametric can actually reprogram things like passenger side airbags, temperature display, etc. (Correct me, Durametric users, if I have misunderstood this.)

How deep do you need to go? The generic OBDII tool might well be enough.
Because Porsche choose to use an unusual diagnostics system, most aftermarket scanners either cannot read many codes, or totally misread them, and cannot clear common MIL's like the air bags, PSM and ABS system codes on Porsche's. It is not unusual for a customer to come into the shop say I have this or that code that I got off my iphone; and when we scan the car, we get something else entirely.

Based upon what people have paid dealers to scan or clear codes, the Durametric system pays for itself the first time the car codes.........
__________________
Anything really new is invented only in one’s youth. Later, one becomes more experienced, more famous – and more stupid.” - Albert Einstein
JFP in PA is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-30-2013, 04:18 AM   #9
Registered User
 
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Dahlonega , Georgia
Posts: 1,346
So is the Durametric the go to scanning tool ? Or are there others ? And I thought I read somewhere that the Durametric can only be used on two different VIN numbers ? Any recommended places to purchase ? I'm not needing one right now as I don't even have the car yet but would like to purchase in the future.
rfuerst911sc is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-30-2013, 07:07 AM   #10
Registered User
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Sanford NC
Posts: 2,533
The Durametric can access codes that are Porsche proprietary in the areas of security and transmission that code readers can't. But maybe you'll never need to access those areas. Durametric has comparison charts on their web site to show the added capabilities. But buying one at the time you need it is possible.
mikefocke is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-30-2013, 07:16 AM   #11
Registered User
 
BirdDog's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Atlanta, GA
Posts: 419
My 2 cents - (sorry for the long post)...

A generic scan tool will allow you to talk to the engine computer, and that's about it.

The Durametric diagnostic tool will let you talk to ALL the computers on your Boxster S...

Besides the engine computer there are computers (or at least control modules that can store codes) for the transmission, ABS, Airbag/Seatbelt, A/C, and even one for your headlights if you have the Litronix headlights. The Durametic tool will let you talk to all of them. It will also let you clear the codes.

There are two version of the tool - pro and enthusiast. The pro version will let you do most of the things a dealer can do - real-time monitoring of just about everything that has a computer or sensor, read/clear codes, and enable/disable some subsystems. The enthusiast version will let you real-time monitor and read/clear codes but according to Durametric, it won't let you enable or disable any subsystems. The Pro version can be used with an unlimited number of VINs, the enthusiast version limits you to 3 VINs. The Pro version costs about twice that of the enthusiast version.

I bought my 2001 Boxster S back in October. Due to a dead battery, the airbag light was lit, and I used my Durametric cable to clear that code (it was actually the driver seat belt ground), and I discovered that it also had an A/C code set. I cleared that one as well. Both were false codes set as a result of the dead battery.

They're not cheap, but if you want to really dig into what's going on in your Boxster I'd definitely recommend getting an enthusiast cable.

A few words of caution...

1. According to Durametric, the cables are reported to not work with some USB-3 computers. I can verify that when I attempted to install mine on my laptops USB-3 port it crashed my computer. I restored my hard drive (I always shoot a full backup before installing any new hardware or software) and it installed just fine using one of the other USB-2 ports. If your computer ONLY has USB-3 ports, it probably wont work.

2. If buying a used cable off ebay, make sure it's the newer cable (check Durametrics website to determine how to tell), and if it's an enthusiast cable, get an assurance from the seller that it hasn't been used on 3 cars. The VINs are stored in the cable... so a fresh software install on your laptop isn't going to clear them. Older style cables can be upgraded to newer style ones, but there's a cost associated with that and you'll have to send the old one back to Durametric.

Hope this helps...

Bill
__________________
2001 Boxster S - Speed Yellow, Black Leather, Tiptronic, Jake Raby rebuilt 3.2 with IMS Solution

Last edited by BirdDog; 12-30-2013 at 08:17 AM.
BirdDog is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-30-2013, 08:56 AM   #12
Registered User
 
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Dahlonega , Georgia
Posts: 1,346
Bird dog good feedback that helps clear up some questions I had. I see you are in Atlanta we'll have to get together sometime.
rfuerst911sc is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-30-2013, 09:19 AM   #13
Registered User
 
BirdDog's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Atlanta, GA
Posts: 419
Quote:
Originally Posted by rfuerst911sc View Post
I see you are in Atlanta we'll have to get together sometime.
Definitely!

__________________
2001 Boxster S - Speed Yellow, Black Leather, Tiptronic, Jake Raby rebuilt 3.2 with IMS Solution
BirdDog is offline   Reply With Quote
Post Reply


Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is On
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On




All times are GMT -8. The time now is 04:57 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Content Relevant URLs by vBSEO 3.6.0
Copyright 2024 Pelican Parts, LLC - Posts may be archived for display on the Pelican Parts Website -    DMCA Registered Agent Contact Page