blue2000s

At this juncture, he has little to lose, but is considering spending a lot money to replace an IMS bearing that may not be bad or the source of the knock. The cam deviation values at idle only take a couple of seconds to acquire, and could totally eliminate the IMS as the source of the issue. If the deviation values are steady, it is time to shut it off and pull the engine...........

How about pulling off the transmission and checking out the IMS support and maybe bearing before turning the engine back on. An hour or two of labor, right?

If you have significant ferrous metal in your oil filter, either from the IMS or another source, just swapping out the IMS bearing is not a good idea as you need to get all of the debris out of the engine before it starts tearing up other things. Unfortunately, that means pulling the engine and disassembling it for a total clean out and rebuild, which should include the IMS update along with several other updated components. Just one piece of iron circulating with the oil can start a process leading to some serious heartache in these engines.

Some people have gotten away with pulling the sump cover and cleaning out all the crap when an IMS goes bad, but they tend to be the exception; the IMS retrofit was designed to be done before the bearing is toast, not after. I am also concerned about what you describe as a “knock”; typically an IMS makes a metallic rattling sound more akin to a coffee can full of bolts being shaken rather than a knocking sound; I think you may be facing a more serious issue like a rod bearing on the way out. If it is, and you updated the IMS, the rod would still fail anyway, and probably ruin the new IMS bearing as well in the process, even if it did not destroy the block, which is very common.

If your car was in my shop, I would check the camshaft deviation values at idle to see if they are stable an within spec; if they were, indicating the IMS was still good, I would recommend pulling the engine before the failing component turns the assembly into a boat anchor………

At this point, though, would you actually start up the engine for further diagnosis? Seems risky.

In Washington state, most gas stations have the vapor recovery hood over the nozzle. I found a Shell that doesn't have the hood, just a "naked" nozzle (horror of horrors) and I can fill the tank fully. The last two times I tried filling the tank with hooded nozzles, it wouldn't fill all the way. Is this an indication that the "vent valve" is on it's way out? Something else?

Where did you get your gas? It wasn't "racing" gas was it?

I get the click, it's very clear, so I don't think it's the fuse. Is it true that MY2000 no longer has the tank hose/flapper interference issue?

I'll poke around behind the fender liner.

I've got a 2000S. I'm having the fuel filling issue where the nozzle shuts off quickly after starting to fill the tank. I can start it again, but it keeps popping off like the tank is full. I've checked the flapper at the fender and I get the "click" when I open it with my finger.

My question is, could a MY2000 car have the fuel line interference with the internal flapper? I thought that was fixed with a redesign for the 2000 model year. If it could be the lines, how empty does the fuel tank need to be to remove the pump assembly without submerging my hands in gasoline?

If it's not the internal lines, then the next culprit is the charcoal canister?

Seems pretty expensive for a speaker from the junk yard. Check out Crutchfield.com for your options.

Could you explain the Imagine system and what it does and where it is available?

It was a supercharger system sold either as a kit or installed at the office by imagine auto. They have since gone out of business.

Thanks to the folks that responded to the post about my coolant leak. I now have a couple more questions for anyone that has had a cap failure versus a coolant tank failure.

1. If the cap failed, wouldn't the area around the cap be wet? I have the blue cap, and I don't see a part number on it.

2. If the coolant tank is the culprit (this is what I think anyway...) is there a way to tell without starting the car and physically looking for a leak? I don't want any head-gasket failures just to make a diagnosis. I want to have the option of ordering Porsche OEM parts online to save some cash over what the dealer will charge... it looks like at least 20-30% savings.

3. What color is the Porsche approved coolant? The coolant that has appeared around the tank is orange-ish (similar to the stuff Mercedes uses) but the fluid on the garage floor has a slight greenish tinge. The 15K and 30K service intervals do not indicate that you need to change this fluid. Odd.

Thanks.

If the cap vents, there will be moisture on the trunk lid and possibly drops around the cap. This isn't necessarily a failure, the cap is meant to let off pressure.

You can take a pressure tester on loan from most auto parts stores. This allows you to pressurize the system without running the car to try to find the leak.

They've changed to coolant color a couple of times, I think it's been pink and yellow.

Just trying to get confirmation if the latest Porsche OEM cap (996.106.447.04) is black plastic instead of blue.... Not sure when they went from 03 to 04.

No Porsche dealers within a 2hr round trip of me, so I'm likely going to order it online.....

I noticed a light hissing sound a couple nights ago when getting some groceries outta trunk... Going to try the cap 1st. I have the .00 version still on my '01 BoxS

Thx,

Peter

I ordered one for my wife's '99 Boxster last year as a preventative measure. Not sure what the part number was, I'd have to dig out the receipt. The replacement was blue, and it was quite a few revisions removed from the old cap, which was blue too.

This cap design has been around on VAG and Porsche products for a few decades now. The one in your picture says "West Germany" on it, so the pic itself is probably some old stock photo. If you click the "Porsche Parts at Dealer Cost" link above and give them a call, you're guaranteed to get the right cap, whatever the color.

Mark

The switch to rev 04 must have been within the last year, I bought the rev03 at the end of June last year and it's blue, but the rubber seal looks very similar to the one in your picture (my 00 didn't look the same). However, online pictures of the 04 appear to be blue. The one you show appears to match what the rev01 looked like.

Okay guys I hate to do this but I am going to ask the question.....

As the owner of a new to me 2002 Boxster S I have been reading as much as I can about the car, learning where everything is located and getting an idea of what maintenance it will need for the next year. I seem to come across many comments on Boxster RMS failures but more concerning are all the posts on Intermediate shaft failures. I am an ex-Fiat/Ferrari mechanic so I bought the car figuring that if I can keep 70-80s era Fiats on the road my Boxster S should be a breeze. I am obsessive about maintenance on my vehicles but do use them as intended.

My 944 Turbo provided years of spirited and reliable driving and had 150K on the clock when I sold her. The maintenance was certainly more expensive than a Honda but nothing outrageous especially since most of it was performed in my garage. I read somewhere that an estimated 10% of all IMS bearings fail by 90K miles usually causing catastrophic engine failure. That seems like an alarming failure rate.

So you sage Boxster owners, steer me straight. What are the opinions of you long term owners?

Tony

There's no scientifically collected data on the failure rate of the IMS in the Boxster/Carrera engine. The forums are definitely not the right place to collect it. It definitely does happen and is expensive when it does, but no one but maybe Porsche knows the IMS failure rate.

Hi guys, Im running a 2004 "S" manual UK car with 22000 miles on the clock. I have had trouble free motoring for the past 2 years. My problems started a few months ago when i started my car after a week sat in the rain. As i was pulling away in first gear the airbag light and interior light and passenger door light came on. After restarting the car the lights went away. This happened 2 or 3 more times early November and has not reoccurred since. I am now however experiencing difficulty starting the car every time i go to use it. On the inital turn of the key the starter wont even engage. If I turn off the ignition and try to restart it starts straight away. Sorry for the long post guys but im new to all this and would appreciate any light you may be able to throw on the problem.

Thanks in advance...

Check on this forum for ignition switch replacement. That's definitely your problem.

Lots of cars use the little deflectors in front of the front wheels. They probably help with evacuating the radiators and improve drag from the front tires a little. You most likely won't see a difference without them. I'd bet that alot of people are driving around with them broken off or missing and would never notice.

I couldn't wait, so I took an educated guess. The tab won't rotate with respect to the chassis mounted bracket, so I put the lighter duty foam facing the outside.

I'm installing the 987 engine mount on my S. The old one comes off fairly easily. 43,000 miles on my '00S and the old one is shot, cracked all the way around. What a confidence killer.

Question:

I'm also installing the 987 "tabs" that sit between the mount and yoke. The 987 parts have a soft foam side and a rubber side, where the 986 parts are just rubber. I can't find the instructions on which side of the 987 tab faces the center of the car and which part faces out. Anybody know?

Hi

Bleeding my brakes and clutch and have two questions -

How do i access/find the clutch bleed nipple ?

Do i need to empty the brake fluid resevoir of existing fluid when using Eezibleed sysytem ??

Cheers

Pedro's got a decent picture of it here:

http://www.pedrosgarage.com/Site%203/Bleed...6%20Clutch.html

It's a pain to get a wrench on it, but do-able.

psi=pounds per square inch

I too have been very impressed with Zaino. I can't discern the difference in clarity between Zaino and other products that I've used, like Mother's and Mirror Glaze, but it certainly lasts much longer. The water continues to bead on my car that sits outside all year after 6-7 months. The Carnuba products stop beading after a couple of months.

When my CV joint boot opened, it spewed grease all over the exhaust manifold. The car had a pretty funky smell until I cleaned off the grease.

It could be any number of things, PS fluid, oil, antifreeze, tranny fluid.

Most of the controls in the Boxster are not meant to be light or overly easy. The effort to move the lever into gear or press the clutch pedal or turn the steering wheel are meant to enhance the feedback from the car back to the driver. These are features of a sports car that you won't normally find in more general purpose vehicles.

Having said that, as the clutch wears, the pedal force has been said to increase. And a worn engine mount can effect the precision of the shifter.

Hi Guys

Well, the worst case happened- I stalled, and when I re-started the car (2001 Boxster S) my engine sounded like there were loose rocks tumbling around in it. At that very moment a flatbed tow truck pulled up next to me, so I hired him to take my baby to Don Rosen here in eastern PA. The verdict- intermediate shaft failure. I was informed that there was oil present in the engine box, and that the oil was infused with metal particles. The remedy- a new engine!

The quote I got from the dealer works out to be around 17k with tax. My plan is to park the car for about a year while I sell enough blood to pay for the replacement. I'm already sure that I want to go with a Porsche re-built and crated motor, as they come with the 2 year warranty. Since I have some time to plan the repair, I want to make sure I do this right. My question for you fine Porsche enthusiasts is this- is getting the new engine through, and installed by, a dealer the best way to go? Can I get the same quality and warranty with a less expensive install? Don't get me wrong- I have no desire to sacrifice quality or reliability just to save a few bucks, but I know there must be other options out there. Anyone care to weigh-in?

Thanks,

Fudgie

That must have been pretty heart breaking. You have my sympathy. It seems that IMS failures occur under low speed, low stress conditions, like driving in traffic or starting off from a stop light. Do you mind sharing what you were doing when the engine failed?

My family lived on a farm outside of St Boni for 45 years, they're now mostly in and around Excelsior. We've spent alot of time in Waconia. I'm glad I'm not enjoying the frozen lakes where I am. Enjoy the car, it looks great.

I've been experiencing a SLIGHTLY bumpy idle, like +/-50RPM. Cleaned the throttle body, no change. I disconnected the hose here and found a little coating of nice, fresh smelling Royal Purple. RP has a really distinctive smell.

Is this a sign of impending AOS failure?

It depends on what you mean by "a little coating".

Was there any pooling of oil in the throttle body?

Run the engine at idle and unscrew the oil fill cap. If there is a very strong vacuum that makes it difficult or almost impossible to pull the cap off, that is another sign that the AOS is failing. A slight vacuum is normal.

Regards, Maurice.

The cap comes off, there's the normal vacuum when it's removed, but it's not very strong.

I've been experiencing a SLIGHTLY bumpy idle, like +/-50RPM. Cleaned the throttle body, no change. I disconnected the hose here and found a little coating of nice, fresh smelling Royal Purple. RP has a really distinctive smell.

Is this a sign of impending AOS failure?