Chris_in_NH

realistically, you could probably use any oil you want - approved or not, synthetic or not. (flame suit on!) but as you have wisely realized, Porsche has been doing this for a while, so it's probably best to take their advice on a product as critical as oil. ;) it would be nice to know why Amsoil is NOT on their list, though.

how many miles are on the car? do you have previous service records (if purchased used)? how long have you owned the car? is the car modified in any way? for 98's the oil/oil filter/engine air filter change interval is 15K miles, spark plugs at 30K miles. many people change their oil and plugs much more frequently that that, and it certainly wouldn't hurt you car to do it early. it could be a failing MAF (Mass Air Flow meter). but it could be many things... is your Check Engine Light (CEL) on? could you describe 'sluggish' in more detail? does the car seem like it's hesitating when you hit the gas, does it make any noise when this is happening, does the car shake, etc.?

LOL... push the blue metal tabs on the sides of the radio and REMOVE THE RADIO KEYS. then the radio will slide in. ;)

i like a few kit cars, too. if i did get/build a kit car, i'd do a Gallardo or Murcielago replica. i always wanted a Lambo... ;)

i can't even believe this! people are such A-holes! :censored: how the hell could they even get the light out without releasing the lock? how could someone not have seen this happening? it can't be very easy to steal a headlight pod. it must take a few minutes at least. i don't understand how ripping the headlight out would not damage the pod in some way, preventing the sale to someone else. if you somehow find the person, you should beat him unconscious with the headlight pod! this just makes me so mad! i can't even imagine how you feel, especially after just having your car painted. what the hell is wrong with people?!!! <_<

that's what the 'parking' lights are for (if you pull out the headlight switch and turn to the left you can light up one side of the car). ;) the reason for one fog light is so that people don't confuse fog light(s) for brake lights.

i've never heard of it before. but the Porsche-approved fuel system cleaner is Chevron Techron fuel system cleaner. run a bottle through a full tank of gas just before an oil change. the reason it is done before an oil change is in case any Techron contaminates the oil. might be overkill to do it this way, but it certainly won't hurt. ;)

i believe the Porsche OBDII codes are listed somewhere on this site, but i'm not sure where. you can always Google 'Porsche OBD codes P0447' and there will be tons of info. ;) i don't think your problem is necessarily 'fuel level-dependent'. probably just a coincidence that the CEL came on when you were at 3/4s of a tank. the fix for this problem is probably an inexpensive one.

Thought about doing the AOS, but wanting to wait until a few months down the road. Just changed the oil and don't really feel like dropping the oil pan just yet. Is this something that definately will go bad and is just a matter of time? Or have some folks never had a problem? you do not need to drop the oil pan to replace the A/OS that Mike is talking about. while there are two air-oil separators in the oil pan, the one Mike is referring to is located on top of the engine (passenger side). you also do not need to change the oil to replace this part. there is a great how-to on Mike's site that details everything. http://mike.focke.googlepages.com/mikespor...boxsterwebpages - scroll down to 'AOS Replacement'. and BOOKMARK THIS PAGE - you will need it! trust me. ;) i have a 97 as well. the AOSes go bad at around 60K miles. so you're probably fine for quite a while. eventually you will need to do this, but i don't think that it should be a concern at this point. one thing that you really want to replace on a 97 is the conv top cables. the older models' cables are notorious for stretching, effectively pushing the conv top drive cable out of the conv top cable motor (located by the 3rd brake light, underneath the clamshell). you will want to do this as soon as possible if the cables have not been changed already (sounds like they haven't). but for this trip, i don't see it as a necessity. just make sure you do get it taken care of - SOON. this problem can cause a lot of (expensive) damage to the conv top parts, and for around $60 in parts you can prevent this from happening. just remember if you hear god-awful popping/snapping/breaking noises when you are operating the conv top, LET GO OF THE CONV TOP BUTTON. ;)

cool. although i kinda like the amber on Speed Yellow. but, it looks good either way. ;) you should get a silver hood crest now, too. i noticed that your 3rd radiator surround is silver. did you do that? i like your wheels as well. are they Sport Classic IIs? they look good painted like that. do you have a clear 3rd brake light (uses red LEDs) as well? you can get one at Bumperplugs.com (along with a QUALITY silver hood crest - i had to return 3 defective ones to another company before i ordered a good one from Bumperplugs). Bumperplugs has 2 styles of 'clear' 3rd brake lights: one is fully clear where the lights are and silver on the sides (this is the one that i have and prefer), and the other one is what i would call 'smoked', although i think they call it 'clear'. i think i paid $60-$70 for it and it looks great. you might also try a 987 clear 3rd brake light. the shape looks similar to the 986 brake light, so i have wondered if it would fit and if it would work. i think the 987 clear brake light looks the best of all the 'clear' 3rd brake lights. you could always return it if it didn't work. want to be the guinea pig for the the entire 986 community? :lol:

i have been using DRT rotors for a couple years now and they are great. i paid $300 for all 4. DRT buys Zimmerman (OEM) rotors and drills holes in them/powder coats them/paints them, etc. i painted my rotor hats with hi-temp spray paint. supposedly my hats were not supposed to rust, but since i painted them before i put them on the car, i have no idea if they would have. so +1 for me. their prices and products are great. as for the pads/sensors, eBay has plenty. i think i paid $100 total for both F+R pads (Mintex Red Box) and sensors, and that was a good price.

it's the MAF. i had the exact same thing happen to me. cleaning the MAF worked for a while, but the hesitation came back after a while. eventually the MAF starting sending crazy information to the DME and it was time for a new MAF. to test your MAF, you can disconnect the MAF's wiring harness, then reset the DME by disconnecting the neg battery cable for at least a minute (have your radio code handy), then re-connect the neg battery cable. this will reset the DME (ECU) back to default values without any input from the MAF (this will not hurt your car/engine by running MAF-less). see if your hesitation goes away. i'll bet you $1 it will. if you want to be sure, plug the MAF back in (and reset the DME again by disco'ing/reconnecting the neg battery cable) and then drive the car. see if the hesitation comes back. if it does, you know for sure that it's the MAF. i think www.AutohausAZ.com has the cheapest prices on MAFs these days.

if it *is* the ignition switch, wiggling the key probably won't do anything. also FYI, www.AutohausAZ.com sells the ignition switch for $10.

how has he 'contaminated' his new fuel filter?

sounds like it could be a bad/failing MAF (Mass Air Flow meter) to me. you can test it very easily. to test your MAF you need to unclip the MAF's wiring harness (but leave the MAF installed), then disconnect the negative battery cable for at least a minute (to reset the DME/ECU), then reconnect the battery, then start the car. if it runs better with the MAF disconnected, then the MAF is probably bad. if you want to make sure the MAF is bad, plug the MAF's wiring harness back into the MAF, disconnect the battery for a minute, reconnect the battery and start the car. if it runs worse, then your MAF is most certainly bad. running the car without the MAF plugged in will not damage the car/engine at all. when you reconnect the battery, you'll need a radio code for a '97-'02 radio to get it to work again. 03+ radios don't need a code. if it runs the same with the MAF connected and disconnected, then the problem probably lies elsewhere. but this sounds very much like a bad MAF sending bad info to the DME. the results are instant and the test is free. give it a try.

Chris, got any tips on avoiding breaking stuff? What parts break, the little clip pins? really, the only pieces that you need to worry about (and you don't *really* need to worry about them) are the interior door latch covers (the piece above the door handle). they have these little tabs that break very easily. the good news is that if you break them, they still fit securely - and it just makes it easier to remove them next time! ;) i broke both of my door handle pieces, so i can't really give advice on how to be successful in removing them. :lol:

does which 'power' need to be on? the radio - yes. the iPod, yes. so... YES. ;) are you asking if the car needs to be running? the answer is no. if your radio is hooked up the way most other Porsche radios are, then you can use the radio even when the key is not in the ignition. same thing for the cigarette lighter. they are both 'live' at all times. you can double-check this on your car. if for some reason you can't use the radio/lighter when they key is not in the ignition, put the key in the ignition and turn it to the ACC position (1 click to the right).

this is what happens: ;) if your window goes up and down, then the motor is obviously working. a new regulator will fix your problem. and don't worry, the pieces that you break removing the door panel the first time will make it easier to remove the second time. :lol: you can get a brand new regulator for $150 from Sunset Imports. the install is very easy. the hardest part is removing the door panel (without breaking anything!).

before you spend money, read my responses in this thread. http://www.renntech.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=14960 your Check Engine Light could be many things. it may not be the MAF. did AutoZone actually use their OBDII scanner to pull fault codes from your car, or did they just tell you that you need a new MAF? if they pulled codes, do you know what the codes were? whenever you get codes pulled, always get the codes! ;) if your car is running normally, but you are getting a Check Engine Light (CEL) it could be a number of things. check all your caps (gas, oil, coolant) to make sure they are on tightly. even if one of them was loose and you tighten it, the CEL will stay on for a number of start/stop cycles (~20 i have heard) before the CEL goes off, so 'fixing' the reason for the CEL does not necessarily turn off the CEL immediately. to shut off the CEL (to see if the problem returns) disconnect your negative battery cable for a minute. you will need your radio code to get the radio to work again, so make sure you have it before doing this. after the CEL is shut off, if the problem returns, the CEL will light again and you will have fresh codes to read with a scanner. also, it is OK to drive the car if the CEL is on steady. if the CEL is flashing, turn off the car and have it towed.

if it is just the radio (not the NAV system), you need 'radio keys' to remove the radio. they are two small aluminum 'keys' that you insert into little slots at the bottom corners of the radio. you can get them for $5 from http://www.beckerautosound.com and sometimes i see them on eBay for $10 or $15. when the keys are inserted, they disengage the locking tabs on the sides of the radio, allowing you to slide it out. you will probably need to wiggle/rock the radio a bit to get it to slide out. protect your fingers with towels when you are using the keys. the metal is so thin that it will slice your fingers as you are rocking the radio out. i know this from experience... when you have the radio most of the way out, you will need to unclip the wires in the back to remove it completely. when you replace the radio, you need to remove the keys FIRST. press the little blue metal locking tabs on the sides of the radio and pull the keys out of the radio. then re-connect all the wires and slide the radio back into the slot. it will click when the locking tabs lock the radio in.

you may be misunderstanding the manual's instructions regarding the conv top dash light. if the light is lit, the conv top is open or cycling. if it is off, the conv top motor should not be running, and you should not have to release the button to stop the top from moving (it should be at the end points of the up or down cycle). the way it works in my '97 is the conv top light goes on while the top is cycling (in between full forward (up) and full rearward (down) positions) and you know the cycle is completed when the light goes OFF (and the motor should stop automatically). does your motor stop automatically on the down cycle (top open) but not on the up cycle (top closed)? or does it just not stop at all? the reason that the light is on during the cycle is to alert you that the top is not fully closed. when the light goes off, you know that the top is fully closed (up) or open (down). driving with the top not fully open or closed could lead to top damage, as well as aerodynamic changes, so i think the way the light works is well thought-out. it sounds like your top is not timed correctly. if it was, then the motor would stop automatically when you got to the full-up or full-down positions in the cycle. either that or one of the microswitches is not functioning correctly. you can always stop the top's movement by releasing the button at any time (unless you have one of those one-touch boxes that saves you from having to hold the button down - but i would hope that the mfr thought of this and if you push the button again during the auto cycle, it will stop the top, but i'm not sure if they do this). Jerry, it sounds like something is wrong with that transmission. as you stated, it's already destroyed 2 pushrods, and just might destroy a third. it could be a timing issue, or the transmission could be mechanically faulty. the dealer probably wants to replace both transmissions so there are no potential sync issues between different xmissions. at this point, i would tend to agree that you should replace both xmissions or at least find a (single) used old-style transmission that isn't faulty. i don't think it's a timing issue since your other side works correctly. you don't have to pay $1500 for them, either. i've seen (used) sets going for $500 and sometimes less. they are very easy to replace, and just a little bit harder to re-time. have you checked and/or replaced the cable(s) as it could also be a cable problem. a cable problem *may* be visible at the drive motor end, but the problem could also be *inside* the cable or even where the cable meets the xmission, and of course, it could also be the xmission itself or even the cable drive motor. what year is your car? the order of operations that i would suggest would be: - check cable ends at drive motor ($0) - check xmission timing/re-time if necessary ($0) - if you still have problems, replace cables ($) - problems still? replace xmission(s). ($$) Maurice, do you know what this microswitch does? we know what the handbrake and top latch microswitches do. is this the one that senses the transmission cycle and activates/shuts off the conv top dash light?

cool, congrats! i think you'll eventually want the 17" or 18" wheels. IMHO, the Boxster looks much better with larger wheels. i would keep the 16" wheels for winter (you'll need to put winter wheels on them) and look for a used set of 17"s (or 18"s). Porsche recommended against 18" wheels on the '97 models because supposedly the suspension wasn't strong enough, but '98s and later years can run 18"s without risk. however, many people with '97s run 18"s (even 19"s) without problems. i think the only real risk is if you are racing a 97 with 18"s. you can read a little about it here. http://www.renntech.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=11627 since you'll be buying a Boxster, you'll want to take a look at this site. a gentleman by the name of Mike Focke has put together an EXCELLENT Boxster buying guide. it will help you as far as knowing what to look for during the PPI, as well as a ton of other useful information. his site also has tips for mods, hacks and maintenance. BOOKMARK IT - you will need it! ;) http://mike.focke.googlepages.com/mikespor...boxsterwebpages as far as the 'two options', I think those are standard options, and your car certainly has more. look under the front trunk hood for a square white sticker with lots of (option) codes on it. here is an option decoder for at least 97/98 models. http://www.986faq.com/4-0/options.asp the Boxster FAQ site is also a great resource, especially for new Boxster owners. http://www.986faq.com/default.asp http://www.ppbb.com is another Boxster enthusiast site that you might like, and is great for help, questions, etc. the format is very different compared to most other BBSes. i have a '97 as well, so if you have any questions feel free to PM me anytime... enjoy!

i'm curious to know how much the dealership is going to charge him to replace the MAF. i'm going to guess $600. for anyone else that has this problem, it is very easy to diagnose MAF problems if your car is running like crap (like the OP's was). you can simply disconnect the MAF's wiring harness (requires removing the engine cover) but leave the MAF installed. then remove the negative battery cable for at least 1 minute (have your radio code if you have a 97-02 Boxster) and then re-connect the neg battery cable. this will reset your DME/ECU and wipe out the settings that a faulty MAF has created. it will not damage the car/engine to run it without the MAF plugged in. if the MAF is bad, when you disconnect the wiring harness and reset the DME, your car should run MUCH better. if you want to be absolutely sure the MAF was causing the problems, re-connect the MAF wiring harness the reset the DME again (via the neg battery cable) and if your car runs like crap again, you can be sure the MAF is bad. also, a MAF is about the easiest part you can replace on the Boxster. it seriously takes about 30 minutes to do it, and 25 minutes of that is putting the car in 'service position' and removing the engine cover and then putting everything back. it is so easy, i had my 10-year old change mine. :lol: dealers usually charge an arm and a leg to replace a MAF, so i thought i would let people know that you don't have to pay dealer prices for diagnosis and MAF replacement. the cheapest places to buy a MAF are Suncoast Porsche, Sunset Imports and AutohausAZ (www.autohausaz.com) with all 3 sources being under $300 for a new MAF. that being said, if your car is running OK and maybe you have a couple codes that point to the MAF, it may be more difficult to pin down the MAF as the cause. but if your car is running terrible, it is much easier to test the MAF by disconnecting the wiring harness/resetting the DME.

i don't think there are really any *common* problems with the hardtops. if there is a problem (which is rare) it is due to fitment as the hardtop sometimes 'adapts' (shapes itself) to the previous car on which it was installed. there may be a slight variation in your car vs the previous car, in which you may have a small gap at first. i believe that eventually the used hardtop will conform to fit your car (if you even have a problem, which you probably won't). the other issue is adjusting the hardtop gap around the sides/back of the hardtop. i can't remember what the 'factory' gap should be, but it is pretty easy to adjust the gap using the adjustment screws in the hardtop. if you are buying spinlocks, get them from Sunset Imports on Suncoast Porsche. when i was looking for spinlocks i called a few local dealers and some of them wanted ~$150 for them. Sunset/Suncoast sells them for ~$50 for the pair.