Chris_in_NH

there's really no trick to it. you just pry it off. you're not going to break anything, and if you do, anything that you break will be cheap to replace. i can tell you with 99% certainty that your problem is the same as just about everyone else's on this forum - the cables. as far as the top starting to move in the opposite direction while you were pushing the conv top button, that is not supposed to happen. when the conv top dash light goes off, the motor is supposed to be disabled. this could be a problem with the top relay, but i would worry about that later.

1. i would replace both conv top push rods. you don't *have to*, but i think it's a good idea. if i remember correctly, they are about $40 each. 2. Sunset Imports http://www.sunsetimports.com and Suncoast Porsche http://www.suncoastporsche.com and AutoHaus AZ http://www.autohausaz.com seem to have the best prices. call around to see who has the lowest price. your local dealer will probably charge much more than these three sources. 3. yes, the driver's side should be sync'ed correctly. your plan sounds good. there is a post around here where someone used a carpenter's level to accurately determine the positions of the V-levers. the V-lever was turned (via the cable/cable motor/conv top button) so that the level could be rested upon it. when comparing the left and right sides, the level's reading provided confirmation that both V-levers were in the same relative positions on both sides and thus 'in-sync' with each other.

yeah, Sunset rocks!! i can't believe the high prices that some of the dealers charge.

i also have a 97 Boxster and have been thru all of this before. 1. don't buy the metal ball socket. the new Porsche push-rods (one piece that is the metal arm with the plastic connector on the end) have reinforced plastic that will not break. the reason i recommend against the metal ones is because they do not 'flex' around the ball the way that plastic will. in other words, you will get a better fit with the new plastic ones. 2. if you take my advice and buy the new push-rods with the white plastic connectors, you need to remove your existing push rod from the V-lever using an allen wrench. if you look at the connection, you can see it has a hex screw that screws the push rod into the V-lever. you just need to swap the old one for the new one, and then connect the plastic connector to the ball on the conv top where the previous one broke. 3. your transmissions may be out-of-sync with each other, but probably not by much. it depends when you stopped pushing the conv top button when the red connector broke. if you stopped immediately, then the transmissions are probably still timed correctly. you can look at the positions of the V-levers on both sides. are they in the same relative positions on both sides? if they are, then the transmissions are sync'ed with each other and you won't need to re-time them. if the V-lever positions are NOT the same on both sides, then you need to re-time them. here's how. (other people do it differently, but i found this way is fool-proof). ;) - disconnect the clamshell (cover) push-rods (the black canister-looking arms that raise and lower the clamshell). it sounds like you've already done this. if you've disconnected them on both sides, then you should be able to raise/lower the clamshell manually. - disconnect the red connector on the driver's side of the car, too. you will need to pry it off the ball. you can use a screwdriver or any other tool you can pry with. (be careful, you don't want to scratch the car). - lift the clamshell so that you have access to the V-levers. i am assuming that your conv top is 'up' or closed. - if you need more room to work, put the top in 'service position' (unclip the two cables that hold down the rear of the conv top and swing the back of the conv top 'up' towards the front of the car). - take both cables out of the conv top motor by the 3rd brake light. plug in passenger side cable (DO NOT PLUG IN THE DRIVER'S SIDE CABLE YET - we want to move the passenger side xmission independently of the driver's side xmission). - push the conv top button in the 'close top' direction until the motor stops and the conv top dash light goes out. by doing this, you are moving the transmission all the way to its farthest forward position. - (just to make sure) now unplug the passenger's side cable from the motor, and plug in the driver's side cable. do the same thing. press the conv top button until the conv top dash light goes off. now both transmissions are in the position (full forward) that they should be if your top is closed. - after that is done, connect the (previously red) connector sockets to the conv top balls. - then lower the clamshell by hand and then from inside the car, reach into the back and pop the clamshell push rods (black canisters) back on to the V-lever balls. your top should now work perfectly. when you are testing it after this is all done, push the conv top button in short bursts so that you can watch/listen for problems. once you are sure that the top raises/lowers correctly, you can push (hold) the button the way you normally would.

i did the same thing. moved my c/c unit down to the bottom slot. i can't remember the part number, but if you call or email Sunset Imports or another dealer, they will know the part number, just tell them what you need. i think the trim piece was ~$7 from Sunset.

i know that someone recently replaced their entire carpet. i can't remember who it was or how much it cost, but it has been done and there are manufacturers that make replacement Boxster carpet kits. i'm sure you could get one from a dealer, although it would probably be super-expensive. give Sunset Imports a call/email. see what they charge. their prices are usually very low compared to the other dealers. also, look at the companies that make replacement floor mats for the Boxster. (Lloyd's, etc.) as far as the carpet dye, you might try it on a hidden piece of carpet to see if you like it. the concern that i'd have with a dye is possible color variation/splotchy-ness, etc. since dye is cheaper than a whole new carpet, try that first and if you like it, then problem solved! ;)

http://www.sunsetimports.com and http://www.suncoastporsche.com usually have the lowest prices. (about $40 for each push rod). i wouldn't buy them from the local dealer, they will probably charge an arm and a leg.

you should start a new thread for this. also, i sent you a PM with answers to your questions.

that will be $10. :lol: i think http://www.autohausaz.com has the best prices on MAFs these days.

to remove the V-lever, you just need to remove that big bolt right in the middle of the V-lever. i can't remember what size socket to use, but if you have a set just try some until you find one that fits. you said that one of the balls on one of the V-levers doesn't pop out, so look at the back of that ball/V-lever to see how the ball is held on, and then compare that to the one that's popping out. you might need to order a new ball for that V-lever, or a new V-lever if the ball's threads are stripped. as for the red connector popping off (i understand you have replaced with the metal ones), the only thing i can think of is that because of the bent push-rods, it is somehow working that connector off of the ball when it moves. i would buy new push-rods and try those. the other possibility is that the metal connector is not 'snapped' on to the ball enough. it is possible that because of the metal construction, there is no 'flex' in the material to allow it to envelope the ball the way the plastic connectors do. first thing i would do is buy new push-rods. i wouldn't want to take a chance with the old ones. the potential for costly damage is too high.

did all of these lights stop working at the same time? is it possible that the license plate light has been out for a while but you just noticed it? it could be that the bulbs just need to be replaced. they do fail eventually.

Cables came a day early from Porsche Reading, so I reassembled everything tonight - Success! The motor also sounds a lot quieter and less labored when I close the hood now. Thanks for the help & advice from Chris and trygve. Russ. congrats! :)

i believe that the ball joint on the V-lever is supposed to have a brass clip (on the rear side of the V-lever) that holds it onto the V-lever. if there is no clip holding it to the V-lever, that might explain why your conv top push rods keep popping off. when they pop off, are they coming off from the V-lever side (ball joint side) or the conv top side (red connector side)? are you re-using your old and severely bent push rods as pictured above? that could also be the reason. if they are bent like that, you absolutely need new ones. also, the conv top push-rods are a two-piece rod, held together by a screw in the middle. in your picture you can see that the V-lever side piece is still connected to the V-lever and that piece has a hole in it for a screw to link the two pieces together. do you have the screw(s)? as far as the position of the ball on the V-lever in relation to the ball on the conv top, you are correct. the conv top push rods 'pull' the top down, and 'push' the top up via rotation by the V-lever. the easiest way to get the correct position is probably to put the top all the way up and latch it, then connect the conv top side of the push rods to the balls on the conv top (from inside the car. it might be a little tight, but you should be able to do it.) alternately, you could do it with the top completely down (from outside the car. you just need to snap that red connector on to the conv top ball.) although i think you will have to remove the large clip-on plastic side pieces that hide the clamshell arms when you are cycling the top. you can put them back on after you've re-attached all the top internals and have made sure the top works correctly. (or you can leave them off - they are purely cosmetic.)

i told you all this in the post above. but here it is again. to test your MAF you need to unclip the MAF's wiring harness, then disconnect the battery for a minute, 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. if it runs the same with the MAF connected and disconnected, then the problem probably lies elsewhere - like your aftermarket intake. you may get a couple codes (P0102, P0112) while the MAF is unplugged but that is expected.

most people that order new MAFs quickly find out (expensively) that the MAF was not the problem to begin with. if you are going to unplug the MAF, you need to reset the DME/ECU by disconnecting the neg battery cable for at least a minute (have your radio code if your radio needs one) and then reconnect the neg cable and start the car. same process if you re-install the MAF. that might explain why it's running worse... in my experience most 1128/1130 codes turn out to be a vacuum leak somewhere. usual suspects are the oil filler tube, A/OS bellows tube, and any loose caps (oil/coolant/gas). but since you have an aftermarket intake installed, i suppose that it might have something to do with your codes. if you can go back to stock easily, give it a try, erase your codes, and see if they show up again.

here's a 3-step system that i use. it works really well and it's cheap! and you can use it on much more than headlight lenses (CD's, DVD's, sunglasses, etc.) Novus 1-2-3 kit you can also find it on eBay.

if your cables have not been replaced previously then you have the old style cables. it doesn't really matter anyway since they are broken and need to be replaced. i think the cables are something like $40 each, maybe less. the cable drive motor can't be that much money. i'm guessing less than $100, but i don't really know. check out those sites i listed above. all three of them are the lowest-cost parts suppliers. if you buy them from your local dealer, you will probably pay much too much. i have seen some dealers charge 300 or 400% of list price for some parts, and that's just wrong! you can also check the dismantlers to see what kind of price you can get on a used cable motor. they hardly ever fail, so you don't need to worry about it being defective or breaking on you. you might be able to get a really good price on one. just keep in mind, just because they are 'dismantlers' doesn't mean that any price they give you is going to be less than a new part. see what the new part costs (from the 3 sources above) so that you are an 'informed consumer'. here's a list of dismantlers: http://mike.focke.googlepages.com/listsofsources the cable motor should be extremely easy to swap out. the cables will be a little harder. but i still think you can do this for less than $200 and a couple hours of your time. let us know how you make out!

hi Mike, sorry to hear about your top problem. what you need to realize is that 99% of top problems are exactly the same. so if you read ANY of the posts in this forum, you will know what is wrong with your top. i can tell you right now that it's the conv top cables. you may have also broken the conv top push rods as a result. there is a thread called Conv Top R&R in this forum. it explains how to repair or replace your cables as well as how to disconnect the top so that you can open/close it manually. you should have a look.

ok, i see now. your cable lengths look fine, but if it's unraveling like Trygve's is, then you need new cables. since your car is a '99 it currently has the old-style cables and transmissions. the new cables have a braided cladding that is different from the flat black cladding that your cables have. as far as your 'microswitch', that is actually the cable motor. the latch that goes on top looks like it has broken off. it seems coincidental that your cables are chewed up and that your cable motor latch is broken/missing. looks like you need a new cable motor and new cables. www.sunsetimports.com probably has the lowest price on both. you can get the part numbers for the new cables from the link that i posted in the message above. or you could just call/email Sunset Imports (or SuncoastPorsche.com or AutohausAZ.com) and let them know what you need. they'll find the part numbers. i think the cable motor will be the easier part to replace. the cables are a bit more work. that is also covered in the link above.

wow! that's the first time i've ever seen that happen. i'm sure that that could cause the uneven lifting problem you're having. that is not supposed to happen. ;) yeah, i'd just replace the cables. check out the Cable R&R link that i posted in the message above. it shows how to replace the cables, etc.

a slightly longer cable should not be a problem (unless it prevents the brass clip from holding the cable in). a shorter cable on the other hand will be a problem. the recommended length of the drive cable sticking out past the end of the silver ferrule (collar) is ~3/4". are you saying that you have 7/8" on one side, and 3/4" on the other side? or are you saying that one side is flush with the end of the silver ferrule and the other side has 1/8" sticking out past the end of the ferrule. if it is the latter, you need to repair or replace the cables (and you do NOT want to be pushing the conv top button at all until they are repaired/replaced) - and that is 100% the cause of your problems. on earlier Boxster models, the black cladding/cable sheath that covers the inner drive cable (the part that sticks out past the silver ferrules) stretches/expands due to heat and effectively 'pushes' the cable out of the motor. when the drive cable is not connected (or poorly connected) to the motor, one side is driven while the other is not driven (or intermittently driven) which leads to disastrous and expensive results. Porsche recognized this problem (after many costly warranty repairs, i imagine) and now uses reinforced cables that do not stretch. you can either repair your cables (quickest/cheapest/easiest) or replace them with the new cables (not as easy, transmissions must be removed, worm gear pried out, etc.). repairing the cables consists of cutting around (not through the inner drive cable) the black cable cladding so that you can remove the silver ferrule. then you will measure how much more black cladding you need to remove so that when you re-fit the silver ferrule on the end, you have 3/4" of drive cable sticking out past the end of the ferrule. this thread explains it all (part numbers, how-to, etc.) http://www.renntech.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=68 this is what your cables should look like:

CONGRATS! that is awesome! i'm curious to know how they got that rod into the car. ? the lock cylinder is mechanical, but i'm sure it connects in some way to electrical components. i was quoted around $250 for a new lock cylinder from Sunset Imports. if you want a cylinder that is ready-to-go (will fit your key) you need to give them your VIN and then they 'key' the lock to your key. this is what i was told by Sunset, anyway.

here's a picture of the water pump, etc. the link below will take you to the page with the pic and part numbers. i'm guessing that the part number you listed is a cover for the water pump, but i'm not sure. the part # has probably been superseded as well. Pelican Parts Water Pump Page and here's the link to the start of the Boxster Parts Picture Catalog: (bookmark it!) Pelican Boxster Parts Picture Catalog

Suncoast is in FL and they can overnight it to you for around $30 (if you want it quickly). that's good news about the 'no change' situation. your MAF is probably OK and it's just the A/OS (and the A/OS costs half of what a MAF costs.) good luck. let us know how it turns out. here's an A/OS DIY: A/OS DIY

he tried that. his door lock is broken.