boelem_b

Hi, yes it was the synchro ring. I just got the vehicle back and the problem is solved. It is a 200USD part, but they have to drop the engine and strip the gearbox, so the labour makes it quite an expensive exercise. Use the opportunity to check clutch, etc. as well. They found a split airhose in the process too, so that is a good thing. Below are two photographs of the damaged synchro. The arrow shows the corner of the raised block part that has a notch in that shouldn't be there.

I took it in to a local indie who opened up the tranny. He says it is the 2nd to 3rd synchro ring. Hopefully that's all that's wrong. He had to order the part from Germany, so I should know in about three weeks time.

After a 1/4 mile sprint, my 996TT now is very difficult to shift into third gear. No grinding, it just feels like there is something blocking it going into gear. If I take it from 2nd to 4th and then to 3rd it is fine, but 2nd to 3rd is very difficult and slow - I have to align it exactly before it goes in.

I have re-aligned the cables at the shifter with the centering tool and it improved slightly, but it is still far from right. There was quite a bit of black plastic(?) swarf around the shifter area. I also checked the cable linkage points on the gearbox and it seems to be fine. 

The gearbox was replaced (with a new one as far as I know) at 70000km by Porsche and I am now at 84000km, so effectively it is still quite new..

Any ideas? 

That has never been published to my knowledge.

I think Becker would be the people to inquire about that.

Thanks Loren. I must admit, this is more of an electronic question than a typical vehicle question. I will talk to Becker.

Does anyone have the schematic diagram of the 2001 PCM head unit? I am looking for the internal diagram, not the external wiring diagram.

This is the Becker BE2580 unit, 996.642.104.04 EFR

My PCM unit does not seek, store, etc. but does receive when the frequency is manually entered. I suspect that the second (search) tuner circuit inside the unit is faulty.

I have a circuit diagram for the BE4726, which has this separate tuner and I am guessing that the architecture is similar, but obviously it would be better to start with the correct schematic.

Thanks Loren. (I was AFK for a few days.)

My 2002 Carrera 4 surges a bit on light throttle. I am considering taking off the throttle body to clean it and also open and clean the position sensor. What is the torque value for tightening the four M6x40 bolts?

The synchromesh cannot be repaired, but it can be replaced. I'm sure the part is not expensive at all. Unfortunately, to get to it, the transmission must be removed and completely taken apart. Yes, I mean completely taken apart so, that would be very, very expensive.

Personally, I wouldn't worry about fixing the problem. It's hard to believe but, it's really not a big deal and what seems like more wear (the crunching or grinding) really isn't. The only time that it is more wear is if you are very slow to engage the gear and sort of hold it half in and half out while it is grinding. You may also notice that the problem is more noticeable if the car isn't warmed up, or vice versa.

FYI, most real race cars (as opposed to street cars put on the race track) have non-synchromesh transmissions. They grind or crunch every time a gear is engaged.

When transmissions start popping out of gear is when you need to worry.

b-man

What is wrong if it starts popping out of gear? I get that in 2nd gear. Initially I thought it was just my bad shifting, but it happened with a friend of mine too and it has been happening more often. I asked the OPC at the last service and they said it was a small adjustment, but it didn't make any difference. (996 C4 2002, 45000 km.)

Yes, you need a Torx bit (T20, I think.) And I also bought the MAF from Bosch, it was almost half the price of the OPC one and it even had the Porsche number on.

You need a special tool not in everyone's tool kit. And the MAF is best bought by it's original maker's part number and not by the Porsche part number. It takes about 20-30 minutes to remove and replace a MAF and is a 2 in difficulty on a scale where replacing the cabin air filter is a 1 and rebuilding the engine is a 10.

Part numbers/sources, tool descriptions and do-it-yourself instructions are here.

As for cleaning the throttle body, Pedro

There are many causes of the symptoms you describe that are not fixed by a MAF replacement.

I need to replace the MAF myself, I read a number of articles on this forum about replacing MAF, but I want to verify the process

I took my car to Porsche certified center to examine my car ide problem, when it is in ide state, it is kind of shaking 9very minor at this stage)

The technician told me that I need to replace th MAF and do some cleanup task

i will check all the losen air hoses and cleaup the air filter first, if the problem is not resolved then I would like to replace the MAF myself

If I purchase the same part number MAF from eBay, can I just swap the old one with the new one?

Do I need to do any programming or post-installation task?

Please advice

Thanks

I had a 2000 Boxster S with about 90 000 km. on. It never showed any error codes, but it did have a slight hesitation at about 3,500 revs and again at about 5,500. I cleaned the MAF (and the throttle, etc.) a few times using the correct cleaner but it never fixed the problem. Fitted a new MAF and it worked like magic. Easy job, using instructions on the forums somewhere. The only thing you have to do after installation, is to switch on for one minute without touching the accelerator, switch off again for 10 seconds before starting. After that it takes a bit of normal (not aggressive) driving, for a few minutes for the system to calibrate itself. Worth every cent.

Hasn't happened since the colder weather started.

Now where is some wood to touch ??

My 2000 manual Boxster S, 85000 km. just had the same problem - ironically the problem started the last time I collected the car from Porsche centre when they had to replace a defective ignition switch. (I assume the problems were totally unrelated.) I was in a hurry and was convinced that it was the drive belt, so I drove home and initially it only happened occasionally. The last few times it did it every time, hot or cold. I had a similar noise long ago with a BMW and that was the drive belt - by switching the A/C on and off the noise could be made to go away, but this didn't make any difference with the Boxster. In any case, the workshop manager says it is the starter and they will replace, so we'll see. Luckily still under driveplan. I must say, I have had the car since 80000 km and I am getting all the typical Boxster problems.... :cursing: Not a model of german reliability sofar... noisy cats (one replaced already and they have to do the other one now as well), ECU faulty (engine started and ran, but zero throttle response, so they had to replace the ECU box), ignition switch, starter.

Thanks again, Loren. Great information. That Clutch bell housing TSB is fairly old and my car should have the newer part (Built date 2/26/03). I'm undecided if I should let the dealer remove my tranny just for a squeak.

BTW, I have a 2003 C2 and will install the newer PSE. The TSB for the PSE regarding the vacuum lines appears straight forward; I realize the whole task of electronics/ vacuum lines and mufflers will be very time consuming.

Scouser,

I had my 2003 C2 clutch pedal assembly replaced because of a squeak in the clutch pedal/dash area. The dealer first tried to relube it but evetually replaced the whole assembly. I think there is a TSB on this procedure.

Eric

2000 Boxster S with 85000 km. Also creaking noise at the rear - Porsche Centre South Africa says that clutch is not covered under maintenance plan. Does this fall under clutch? Secondly, on startup most times, I get a loud squeel, similar to an aircon belt squeel (in other cars). This started after the last service, when I asked them to look at the clutch noise, although it could be coincidence. Is there a belt that could be too loose, hence the squeel and is it easy to correct?

Bernard

Boxster S '00 6-speed RHD South Africa - rear speaker installation.

I read the Pelican article on the PNA 986 KIT. This seems to be freely available in North America, but the local OPC in South Africa has no knowledge of the part number. Can you please provide the part numbers for the discrete components, i.e. speakers, grilles, cables/harnesses (between speakers and from there to the head unit) and connectors (for the rear shelf to the harness to the front and for the back of the head unit) plus anything else that I need to do the installation?