Toby

I am looking to remove the side airbags for my track car. (The front airbags will remain in place and functional.)

Is there a way I can avoid the airbag lights from coming on, be it through PST2/PWSIS, or by tricking the airbag control unit?

I have a 2001 Boxster S.

Thanks!

Thanks for the write-ups!

How long did it take you for each bearing? (esp. the part from rotor off to rotor back on.)

Thanks again!

Toby

Most likely causes:

- Fouled, faulty or incorrect

- Contact resistance

- Loose contacts

Have you changed the spark plugs recently?

Correct spark plugs?

You should check the continuity of the flywheel sensor.

Check for cracked ignition coils.

Search function worked perfectly!

My CEL was blinking and the engine shut itself off within 10 seconds. It started back up with no CEL.

My dealer read codes for misfire from 2 cylinders, and they found frayed wires in my ignition coils. I am going to change them myself and save $$$.

Thanks for setting this site up. Great resource.

Cheers,

Toby

Hi-My 97 boxster (40K miles) has a random "won't start problem. The key turns ,isn't sticky or hard to remove, the dash lights come on and after turning the key once or twice will crank and start.

This is what I have done so far:

Jumpered out the clutch switch-

Changed out the ignition switch (Audi Part).

Things went well for a few weeks and it is happening again?

I have another new switch but looking for ideas before doing it again.

Thanks Chuck

If the engine won't even turn, I would still suspect ignition switch.

Good luck!

Toby

Cleaned the pistons and changed out all inner and outer seals last week. Time consuming, but not difficult.

Thanks for your help.

I use MT-90 and have no problem.

02 boxster S 19x8.5 front 235/35/19 19x10 rear 275/30/19

hi all, im getting uneven wear ( cupping) on all 4 tires (inner) , was told the alignment was off by tire shops. however my mechanic says its the suspension. any thoughts???

also i was asked to rotate the tires around so inner becomes outer before doing alignment to prevent/ correct the problem. now why would that matter if the alignment is good that should take care of the uneven wear isn't it?

i heard the best for porsche is the laser type alignment, called some shops they all use infrared, does it make any difference?

thanks for ur help

anyone know good alignment place in vegas??

Sounds like the tires to me. If the cupping is on the edges inside or out then the tire side walls are not holding up under harsh driving and may need more pressure or just slow down on corners. If you run your hands over the cupping and you can feel it in one direction but not in the opposite direction then this is call feathering.

If it was suspension or wheel alignment then how are all the wheel affected the same

But poor quality tires do the same

My car does the same thing. It "recurred" (never really went away) through multiple sets of tires, two set of rims, multiple alignments (by different shops), and even a full racing spring/shock/sway/toe link change. Now I just ignore it.

My left rear caliper seems to be binding.

I noticed (heard :eek: ) the inside pad is worn to the backing plate when the outside pad still has 1/3 left. This has happened for the last two sets of pads. At the Glen I also felt the car pulled hard to the right when I brake for the bus stop. (I imagine the stuck piston is preventing the ABS pump from releasing that caliper?)

Are these newer Brembos are rebuildable like the older ones? (I searched the internet and can't find any articles) Would a rebuild help with the problem? (e.g. are the pistons just out of round?)

If so how difficult and how time consuming? (Relative to the ~$300 I think for a brand new one, or less if rebuilt ones are available.)

Thanks for your help!

Toby

I use the Willwood hitch to tow my tire trailer. (~500lbs loaded.) It works great.

You can definitely drive RA-1's on the street. They are not sensitive to # of heat cycles at all, and even at half tread they are decent in the rain.

Even after I got my track rims and trailer, I still use RA-1's on the street. I trailer the "slick" set for dry track use, and the full-tread ones for street driving and rainy track days.

I have no experience about how durable Victoracers are, (track use or street driving) but I know people who drive them to AX's, so they must be fine with light street use. (Edit: why don't you ask the guy who sold you the wheels ;))

Watch out for their asymmetric tread design, though. With stock suspension, the outside edge of the fronts tend to wear very quickly. Symmetric tread (such as RA-1's) allows tires to be remounted inside-out, (aka "flipped on the rim) which make them much more economical.

I am new to forum. Really need your help. I just bought a 99 Boxster S (00 Model, with 41,000KM on it) from trader in Hong Kong. We are still working on the paper and the boxster hasn't delievered to me yet.

The boxster is 100% accident-free. However, I found two drops of engine oil on the floor ( I think the boxster has parked there for one to two days). Then, I requested to jack up the car and have an inspection by myself.

I found the engine compartment is leaking (not serious, just two drops about to drop). But I can't find where is the exact leaking point. The drops are located at right hand side (very close to the middle). Any idea? I have a test drive of this boxster for 45 minutes including highway and city with traffic jam. No overheat was noted. The Temperature Gauge is around 85 to 90 even during traffic jam.

My mechanic told me that a lot of Porsches are leaking. Is that truth for 986? Is it a MUST for repairing if it has two drops a day? How much for the repair?

I am so worry the boxster has serious engine problem. If it is leaking frim o-ring, head gasket, is it serious? or most of the boxster does?

Thanks for your help.

Sounds like the Rear Main Seal (RMS) is leaking. It's quite common for Boxsters (and 996's). If you see the oil droplets between the engine and the transmission, that would be the likely cause.

Repair costs ~USD$1000 here. (Don't know whether there is heavier markup in HK) Many (including me) would wait to repair if it's only a couple drops once in a while, until you are replacing the clutch.

I wouldn't go in to buy a car knowing it leaks. Given the heavy clutch use in HK (I grew up there many years ago), I would probably ask the seller to pitch in for 50% of the cost for a new clutch and RMS. (But that's just me, and I am cheap :D)

Cheers,

Toby

i have found a used 17" set from a standard boxster (7" wide fronts and 8.5" wide rears). i know that a wider front wheel will give me better tire selection but I think is a good deal.

Since you are getting a set of track wheel you will want R-Compounds. 235/40 and 255/40 Toyo RA-1's are the tires of choice for Boxster stock 17". My brother and I have used these for the last 80 or so DE days and many AXs. (Almost everyone else in our region use the same.)

Just to preempt your next question. Yes 235s will fit 17"x7" rims. The extra rubber helps dial out understeer esp. at corner exit.

The remote receiver will turn itself off after a few days of inactivity (4 or 5?) so it won't drain the battery.

Once you have unlocked your car with the keys, it will switch itself back on.

Mike,

While I am totally in agreement with what you say...." fix the nut behind the steering wheel first" ... and yes people spend way too much dough fiddling with their cars before learning how to really drive them the way Ferry intended. You do need a good set of tires for AutoX/track days. The stock 16" Porsche wheels are too narrow (6/7") with too few choices of good tires to really even get in the game. So if you want good tires you need 17 or 18 inch wheels. Someone could do what I did and find average wt. wheels with a lightly used set of good tires on the cheap ($400) knowing that a wheel upgrade may still be in your future, or hold out for a nicer lightweight set for more $$ and never have to upgrade.

Simply upgrading my tires shaved about 8sec. off my runtime from one weekend to the next. I'd like to claim it was all talent... it wasn't. It was tires. How much horsepower would I need to add to get the same improvement in performance?? About 200hp I figure. Good tires are still the best bang for the buck by a longshot.

Yes tires are best bang for the buck upgrade, but don't sell your own improvement short. On an average ~1:30 lap, RA-1s or MPSCs driven at the limit is no more than 2-3 seconds faster than standard street tires.

It's not unusual to improve by many seconds in the first few events. Congrats!

Going forward it would be most useful to compare against the really fast drivers in similar car/tires (e.g. Boxsters, 964s, 993s and even 996s in instructor groups). It provides a good gauge of how much is still left in the car.

Thanks, does having a 6spd make a great difference in acceleration/performance over the 5spd?

Not necessarily. It really depends on the gearing required for each track/AX.

In the DC area, you can certainly get a 2003 Boxster S with ~30k miles for <$35k. If you live in MN, you should definitely get a 2003+. You won't have to worry about opening the top when it's <60F.

Don't worry about an older car + turbo. Porsche aftermarket parts are notoriously expensive. (and it will render the car unsalable)

Good luck!

http://www.944racing.de/reload.php?urltogo...engewichte.html

Thanks Paul for posting.

Luis: It looks like the stock 17" Boxster S wheel is as good as other Porsche wheel. (And also quite light by absolute standard.)

I have an extra set of these for my track days. If you are lucky you can get them for ~$500, or you can get them directly from a dismantler for a couple hundred more.

Don't know 1st hand, but by inference from the specboxster, well, spec

Wheels

Any factory cast aluminum rim intended for use on the Boxster matching the original offset is allowed.

Wheel weight must be equal to or greater than stock.

Front 17x7 inch - 18.5lbs minimum - 55mm offset

Rear 17x 8.5 inch- 20 lbs minimum - 48-50mm offset

5thtonbench,

You should check out the local PCA region (pcapotomac.org). I think we are the 2nd largest PCA region, and IMO run the best track day program by far. There are also many other non-track day activities. (Autocross, Rally, Concour, etc.).

In additional, there is another local message board (www.dorkiphus.net). Most who frequent there are members of PCA Potomac.

Hope to see you at a future event!

Cheers,

Toby

No they are not trying to fight road crown. Most shops will only get you back within spec, which is a lot less work, and hopefull they charge "less" (by Porsche standard).

A detailed alignment costs around $250 at most (independent) shops in the DC area. Overpriced? Possibly... (They do provide a few things for free, like pre-track day tech inspections)

Thanks for the write-up.

I installed a red top over the winter using similar method. (my old battery was venting to the wrong side...) Drilled two holes to the factory battery tray, and screw down the front of the battery. Also needed a shoehorn to get the new battery + tray back to the car.

I went to my first AutoX yesterday and boy.. did I have fun!!! I have the OEM 18" wheels and I was considering getting a set of R rated tires and maybe a used set of wheels so that I don't damage the originals.

I have seen many different Boxsters on track with 17 and 18 inch wheels. i know that by changing to 17" wheels the tire profile will increase, so is this better for track/AutoX??? What are your thoughts??

Thanks

LRR

All else equal, many people (rightfully) claim that 18" wheels are slightly more responsive, as the tires are less "squishy" due to their lower sidewalls/profile). 18" rims also tend to go with wider tires (225 vs. 205 in stock spec?), which contribute to slightly more grip.

I use 17" for track days since the tires are significantly cheaper, and the rims take less abuse due to taller tire sidewall. I fit 235 wide Toyo RA-1's to my front rims, which negate the grip benefit of the 18".

Lastly, you may want to do your first couple track events with street tires, since they offer more feedback and will accelerate your learning. That said, the more "tame" R-comp like Toyo RA-1's or Michelin Pilot Sport Cups still offer decent feedback.

Cheers,

Toby

The difference is probably that you had your front toe'd out before and now it's toe'd in. You were running a pretty huge amount of rear toe before. Did your tires last very long? ;)

As far as whether your alignment is good or bad, everybody's got a different opinion on how they like the car to feel, so I won't comment. Before, the front was probably more responsive (some would call darty), and with that much rear toe, you could probably attack any corner without fear. You were probably just shredding those rear tires, though. Now, your rear will rotate more and your tires will wear better. Everything's a trade-off...

P.S. The statistical variation of before and after is kinda interesting because I can almost guarantee the shop didn't touch anything to affect caster or camber. Also, if they did not drive the car around (like over any speed bumps), I would be cautious to make sure that rear toe holds.

Agreed with the turn (pun intended) for the better re: tire wear and better rotation in the rear.

Although the front toe really hasn't changed. Previously the front tires were (pretty much) parallel to each other, except both tires are pointing to the right. (so CJ you might notice you were steering slightly left to track a straight line) There was minimal toe out (total toe).

I have found the car to hold its alignment reasonably well. I had my car realigned after 25 track days (each with 2 drivers!) last year, and the old alignment setting was pretty much still there.

Cheers,

Toby

CJ,

You new alignment spec looks good.

It may only be placebo effect (or lack thereof?) that you feel your old alignment was more responsive. According to the printout you had too much rear toe in before for the car to turn in well. Your new alignment setting should be much better. (esp. given the almost zero toe.)

If you would like a more responsive setting for a dual use car (daily driver + autocross/track), you should target more camber for your next alignment:

- max negative camber in front (should be around -0.8 to -1.0 for stock suspension)

- about the same camber in the rear (or just slightly more, say -1.7 to -2.0, if you can get to the front camber above)

- same toe as what you have now: zero toe up front, slight toe in in the rear (~1/8 to 1/16 of an inch)

The car will rotate better without being too nervous when you get on the power.

But as I mentioned up top, you specs look fine. There is NO need for you to spend extra $$$ to realign the car now.

Cheers,

Toby

I understand that PST2 is needed to flush fluids in the ABS valves.

Can the same be achieved (more or less) just by engaging the ABS, as the old fluid will get circulated into the normal circuit, and get "diluted by" the fresh fluid?

Since I change my brake fluid every 3 months, my old fluid can't be that old. In addition, as I track my car often, (3 events already this year!) and the ABS is engaged regularly :P Should I still need the dealer the bleed the ABS system?

I have a 2001 S.

Thanks for your help!

Toby