Chris_in_NH

least expensive - go do a DE (Driver's Education) to learn to drive your car. i'm not kidding at all. you will be faster as a result. also, removing excess weight (removing non-necessary parts - spare tire, etc.) and/or replacing some parts with carbon fiber (front trunk/hood and rear trunk cover.) middle of the road - lighter, hi-flow exhaust may get you a few more HP. almost most expensive - supercharger. while a little cheaper than the engine swap, these engines already run at high compression and can't handle much more. many owners have experienced engine failure as a result. most expensive - 3.4L or 3.6L engine swap. this would include new headers, cats, exhaust, clutch, etc. for a complete job, you're looking at $12-15K. and for that price, you should just sell your boxster and get a 996. my advice is to do a DE, then decide if you want to add *more*. :drive:

i think it might be obvious. ;)

i swapped my window regulator and didn't have to make any adjustments at all. on the bottom of the door where you remove the bolts that hold the cable rails in place, there should be the 'ghost image' of the where the bolt/nut was previously located. you can also trace around the bolt with a removable ink pen/grease pencil/crayon or whatever will work, before you remove them so you can put them back in the same place when you install the new regulator. also, you may want to trace around the window clamps at the bottom of the window so that it is also lined up with its previous position when you put it back in the clamps. FYI, if you hear 'motor noises' your window motor is probably OK, and you just need the 'regulator' which is actually just the rails and cable spool system. i got mine from Sunset Imports for $150 brand new. i wouldn't take a chance with a used assembly as the cables rust, and you just may be living on borrowed time until they finally snap. buy a new one and be worry-free. ;)

well, i'm glad to hear that your car is running better. but i've NEVER heard of 4 O2 sensors needing to be replaced at the same time. did you clean the MAF to see if that worked, and check the throttle body for oil? i'm almost positive that 2 of these 3 procedures weren't necessary (although it *is* possible, but unlikely). plus your car is not even that old, although you do have some mileage. but the good news is that all of these parts were replaced and should last a good long time. :)

congrats! feels good, doesn't it? i have stories very similar to yours. one of the funniest (saddest) is the time i went for my 30K service. it was $950 for the 30K, and keep in mind it's referred to as a 'glorified oil change'. there's really not much more to it than an oil change and 'visual' inspections. when i brought the car in, i asked them specifically to top up my coolant, as the red temp light was flashing. 'sure, no problem.' i also asked them while they have it, if they could take a look at the passenger side rear fog light, which did not work. 'sure, no problem'. i go to pick up my car later in the day and the bill is $1100. the other $150 came from the time they spent checking out the passenger rear fog light. they decided it wasn't working. (boy, these guys are geniuses!) their recommendation? to replace the entire passenger side light assembly at $300! WHAAAAA???!!! first - the passenger side 'fog light' is NOT SUPPOSED TO WORK!!! shouldn't they KNOW this before they charge me $150 to tell me what i already told them? second - their 'solution' would not solve the problem, because the light is NOT SUPPOSED TO WORK!!! third - why would they suggest replacing the ENTIRE assembly? the plastic lens was perfect. it was the bulb holder circuit board if it was anything! fourth - the price for the replacement light assembly was MORE than the price of a PAIR of assemblies. fifth - they never even topped up the coolant. think about it. the coolant cap is right next to the oil cap. assuming that they changed the oil (i honestly don't KNOW if they did), how much trouble would it be to put a few ounces of water in the coolant? and i have other similar stories. the last time i went to the dealership, i needed to have my codes read as my CEL was flashing. the service manager (who told me that he just came over from a Pontiac dealership and referred to the PST2 as a 'PS2' - LOL) told me that i needed a new Variocam, it would be $1200 and he could get me in next Monday. i told him i'd look into it and get back to him. he handed me the bill. $120. $100 for an 'hour' of shop time (15 minutes) and $20 for 'Misc.' i asked what 'Misc.' meant. he said it was for 'gloves and other things that the techs use'. since when do you need GLOVES to use a PST2??!!! are the gloves made of faberge eggs and bald eagle heads?!! i'm sure they are the standard latex gloves that you can buy 100 pair for $2.99. i looked at him, told him OK, and that's the last time i ever stepped foot in a stealership. these guys have EARNED their reputation. by the way, i did NOT need a new Variocam. my new favorite line is 'i drive a Boxster, not a bank!' :clapping: keep at it, it just gets easier and easier the more work you do. and you can buy something for your Boxster with all the money you save! congrats again!

hmm, not sure. go check your master cylinder (where the brake fluid is). see if it's low (or gone.) when i lost my hydraulic fluid, the pedal just stayed on the floor. (not the box, another car.) are you able to change gears? does the clutch pedal spring back at all? who told you to replace the clutch? (just curious.)

oops, typed a whole post then realized that you already said your dash light was on. sorry! :(

these are the instructions that i found a while ago... i might have even found them here. i can't remember. i will be receiving my replacement aftermarket conv top fabric this week, so i am very interested in what you're doing. i'll send you a PM as well... here's what i gots: Remove all three rear windscreens for easier access to back area. Lower the top to about 75% open to better expose the tensioning cable screws, whch are attached on each side to the top frame. Remove the screws (1 each side/T25 CAREFUL-it's a long way to the bottom of the fender well!) Close the top until it's mostly closed, with 12-18" gap between leading header edge and windshield. Remove header gasket retaining strip from leading edge of top (6/T20) From each edge, remove the door gaskets (pull out of retaining track), to expose the remaining header gasket screws (4 each side/T10 AND 1 each side on the leading edge/T20) This will expose 4 sheet metal screws on each side, that attach a tension plate to each side. This tension plate has the top, the frame and the tensioning cable attached to it (4 each side/phillips. CAREFUL- the rear-most sheetmetal screw is covered by a rubber gasket) From inside the car, remove the rubber gasket/shim that is holding the bottom weather curtain in place and detach. At the trailing edge of the top (outside), remove the weather-stripping gasket that is wedged in to place. From the leading edge, start "peeling back" the top. The top is fastened with double-edged adhesive to the leading edge (there's actually a leather-like strip that is seated in a channel with this adhesive). You'll find the tension plates attached in the same fashion. Once you get the top flipped back to the leading middle stay, you'll be able to unattach the tensioning cable from each tension plates (which may or may not be still stuck to the top fabric.) The leading middle stay is a plastic strip which snaps out of place. The top is fastened to it via a tongue and groove-like tab. Slide the piece off the tab. Remove two plastic snap-ins (one on each side) that hold the guide straps to the middle stay (the main vertical member of the top) On the trailing stay, remove the two screws on each side that hold the guy straps to the stay/frame (2 each side/T20[?]) The sides are held in place with the same type of tabs in step #11- the vertical ones are mounted on a pivoting fixture, and the horizontal one is held in place with a small rubber shim that must be pulled out of the groove (note: for re-assembly, my new top did not require the use of these). You may or may not have to switch tasks 14/15/16/17, depending on the tautness of the top. Remove the rear (outside) gasket that holds the trailing edge to the rear stay (the "hoop"). Peel back the trailing edge (more tape!), to expose the trailing tab that is held in place by tongue and groove, and gasket/shim. From inside, remove the two screws on each side that hold the hoop to the frame assembly. Unattach the ball and socket power arms attached on each side of the hoop. You should now be able to remove the hoop. At this point, the top is still attached to the trailing middle stay by a tongue and groove-type tab. Slide the top off to remove. This needs to be the last task to remove the top from the frame, and the first for reassembly. To re-assemble, reverse process. Install notes: I guess you can get this automotive double-side adhesive from a body shop/supply store. I was lucky that I work for one of the world's largest makers of sticky paper (Avery Dennison), and got a couple samples from the lab guys. If you examine the tension plates, they have grooves that the tension cable slips through. My top (from TopsOnline) didn't have matching slots in the fabric to accommodate the pass-through. Once you're at that assembly stage, and have everything lined up, you need to cut a tab on each side (I let my steady-handed friend do the honors), to let the cable pass through. The top will be extremely(!) taut. It took both of us to close the top the last 4 inches. I suggest leaving it closed and exposed to some sun (and rain?) for at least a week. I hope this helps. I needed to wait 'til a sunny day (mid-50's F), to make the top nice and pliable. We could have done this in about 3 hours, without the extra crap, and a little instruction.

the dash speakers are side-by-side. underneath the larger circle on the speaker cover there is a mid, underneath the smaller circle on the speaker cover there is a tweeter. however, since my new speakers had the tweeter as part of the mid speaker, i just disconnected the factory tweeter but it is still in there. i modified my 'tuned-port' enclosure in the doors with a dremel tool to fit a 6.5" speaker. it's not pretty, but it works well. i'm not sure about the connector for the amp. i only have a 4-channel amp. but many people just connect the rear speakers to the back of the radio head unit, and in that case it is a connector similar to the iPod cable/AUX-in, etc. you can buy it from Becker.

are you sure the clutch pedal was fully depressed? did you hear the clutch switch 'click'? every once in a while this happens to me, and either i don't push the clutch pedal all the way down or the carpet is in the way. i think the general consensus here is not to get the rotors turned. have the rotors measured to see if you are at minimum thickness (rotors are done when they have 2mm wear). also check your pads to see if they need to be replaced. it could be that there is a small rock wedged between the pad and rotor (although this usually produces a terrible noise similar to the screams of the Nazgul in Lord of the Rings!) :lol: try getting up to speed, then slamming on your brakes. do it in reverse too. then see if you still get the noise.

this is quite common. i found that cleaning the MAF (Mass Air Flow meter) completely cured this... until it happened again. ;) ultimately the MAF had to be replaced. you can test this by removing the MAF, then disconnecting the battery for a minute (have radio code handy if your radio needs one), the reconnect the battery (this will reset the DME/ECU) and see if you get the same hesitation with the MAF removed. the hesitation is usually right around the 5K RPM mark. for me, it was like the engine just completely cut out for a second once i approached 5K RPMs. give it a shot of MAF cleaner/electrical contact cleaner. see if it clears up.

i did it *dry* as well. then i put a couple coats of clear on top to make sure it wasn't coming off.

how old is the battery? you might just need a new one.

the sandpaper doesn't need to 'sand' the steel per se, you just want to rough-up the surface a little to make sure you get all the grease/dirt off, etc. you can use a wire brush as well, or even one of those scrubby sponges (throw it away after!) use the brush/sandpaper/scrub sponge with some brake cleaner/prep solvent, etc. then spray the caliper down with the cleaner/solvent to remove any remaining dirt. it will evaporate quickly. it reminds me of when i was going to do my calipers and i needed a wire brush. took a shower and got dressed to be semi-presentable at Home Depot, got in the car and got down to the end of my street (500 feet, maybe.) there was a wire brush lying in the middle of the street. picked it up. went home. :lol: as for the masking, you might want to try my garbage bag approach. i took a regular garbage bag (50 gallon) and split it at one side and at the bottom to make one large sheet of plastic. i started at the caliper and worked my way out to the door/bumpers. you can get an idea from the pic above. this way takes about 5 minutes for each caliper. i also covered the rest of the car with a blanket. good luck!

did you sand the caliper first, then clean with brake cleaner? when i did mine, i didn't use any primer. just paint (3 or 4 light coats) and clear coat (same). it has held up well for years now. no cracking/chipping/peeling, etc. you also don't want to be TOUCHING the paint until it's fully dry, which would be ~24 hours. not that you can't add additional coats in that time, but you don't want to *touch* it. and if you screw up, just paint over it! ;)

that happens to me too. you just need to move the steering wheel a little. i think that's common among all boxsters, and not due to a failing tumbler.

is the 'red paint' loctite or is it 'paint'? if it is 'paint', what is the purpose? to allow you to find the screws more easily? hmmm...

do you have a pic/link for these clear needles? sounds cool!

why would you rev to redline when the engine was COLD? i don't get it.

i bought a unit from eBay and it works perfectly, no costly 'calibration' needed. my car is a 97, i don't know if that has anything to do with it.

PICS!! i am replacing my convertible top canvas with an aftermarket top from Rich and Famous Auto Tops. i have the option of adding a tinted plastic rear window, so i'm anxious to see what the side windows look like tinted, as that would be a next step after the top is installed.

i had the same problem. use this... http://www.pelicanparts.com/catalog/shopca...einszt_pg10.htm if you can find 'real' BMW Gummi Pflege (Rubber Care) it is supposedly a 'better' product than the 1Z. the BMW is more gel-like and again, 'supposedly' penetrates better than the water-based 1Z product. i have heard that BMW has discontinued production of the product, but i still see it advertised for sale at many online retailers. Sonax also makes a Gummi Pflege product.

i'm guessing you mean MAF... Mass Air Flow meter. :) you'll need a T-20 'security' Torx bit to remove the MAF. the security Torx bit will have an indentation (hole) in the middle of the bit that matches up with a 'nub' on the actual screw. i'm pretty sure you can get security Torx (also called Star-pattern) bits at Sears, Home Depot, etc. you're better off getting a set of the security Torx bits as they can be used with security Torx and regular Torx screws too.

well that's good to hear. but if you're noticing smoke when before there was no smoke, i would keep an eye on it. it could be the beginning of a failed A/OS. better to 'nip it in the bud' than wait. you can easily diagnose a bad A/OS by taking a look inside your throttle body (pretty easy to do except for one very-hard-to-get-to bolt). if there is more than a misting of oil in there, chances are the A/OS is on its way out. even if the A/OS is not bad, you could still have a hole in the A/OS bellows, which is fairly common. and if you're going to replace the bellows, you'd need to remove the A/OS anyway, so you might as well replace the A/OS while you're in there. like i said, keep an eye on the smoke and take a look inside the throttle body if you want to be sure. good luck!

'smokes like hell' sounds like a bad air/oil separator to me. i'm guessing that there is a hole in the air/oil separator bellows which is causing the 1128/1130 vacuum leak, and that the A/OS is bad causing the smoke. when you say 'smokes like hell' do you mean a continuous cloud of smoke that engulfs your neighborhood? you want to be very careful if the air/oil separator is bad. your engine could ingest enough oil that permanent and catastrophic damage could occur. i wouldn't start the car again until you rule out the A/OS. have it flatbedded to your shop of choice. the air/oil separator is a cheap part (about $90) but it's tough to get to, so labor will be expensive (maybe $400-500).