JFP in PA

Most likely a wheel bearing on its way out,

His problem is probably worse; he needs to replace more than just the AOS, he probably needs new hoses as well, including the dreaded one that runs over the top of the engine beneath the intake manifold, always a treat to replace

ECS tuning is one of the last places to go; board sponsor Sunset Porsche has the best online prices for factory parts.

Some simple rules on the AOS: Only use factory parts; the aftermarket units are terrible, often failing right out of the box. The AOS is a consumable, it needs to be monitored and replaced when necessary. Porsche shops typically use a digital manometer (around $40 online) connected to an old oil fill cap to test the AOS; when the vacuum on a fully warmed up engine exceeds 5 inches of vacuum, it is time to replace it.

On your vehicle, there are two hoses on the AOS, one running to the PCV valve on the engine, the other back into the engine case, plus the arm that allows the oil to drain back into the engine, plus a third vacuum line:

Welcome to RennTech This is a very common problem with an easy fix; do a search as the DIY fix has been covered multiple times.

Welcome to RennTech The reason you are getting oil leaks is the missing AOS. You could literally blown out every seal in the engine running it this way. Bad idea. Why wasn't this caught during the pre purchase inspection?

As the code sequence for a 2002 Boxster does not go that high, I have to ask what scan tool are you using to see the codes?

That does not look factory.

Welcome to RennTech Suggest you check what oil is in the engine and consider moving to one with a higher film strength like Joe Gibbs DT40.

If the AOS is working properly, removing the oil fill cap creates a vacuum leak which upsets the idle.

Could be, you need to see if the code returns.

Some AOS units, particularly aftermarket units, are prone to early failures. Some are actually bad right out of the box.

One of the advantages to the Sunset website is that you can enter the car’s VIN and get a run down on the actual parts on the car plus any updated items.

OK, your data got me wondering why your car used the Pentosin FFL fluid in the gear box, so I just did some research on the ZF PDK variants, and found that your car has an unusual version of the PDK. From ZF engineering literature: "In fact, two separate DCT ranges or 'platforms' have been developed by ZF, both fitted with wet clutches, for use in Porsche's various longitudinal applications. The first is for use in the mid- and rear-engine sports cars (the 911, the Cayman and the Boxster), while a completely different platform has been developed for use in the larger Panamera. For each platform, two different torque options are available, with the 500N.m versions using an 'ND2015' clutch pack, and the 780N.m versions using an 'ND2216' clutch pack, both supplied by ZF Sachs...… .....In terms of the oil circuit itself, two completely different approaches have been employed for the two platforms. The 7DT45 and 7DT70 have two oil circuits, and hence two different oils; the first is Pentosin FFL-3 for the clutch and hydraulics, and the second is ExxonMobil Mobilube PTX 75W-90 for the gear-set and bevel gear. The oil levels have been kept as low as possible, to reduce churning losses for those moving parts that are immersed in oil. Conversely, the 7DT75 has a single oil circuit and a dry sump (to minimize churning losses), with an 'active lubrication system' to feed oil to each gear-set and clutch. This version uses only the Pentosin FFL-3 lubricant, which was developed exclusively for the ZF DCTs. One of the main reasons for using a single oil circuit is that clutch cooling is required at both ends of the transmission, for the main dual-clutch module and for the hang-on clutch used in the four-wheel-drive variant. This would have presented significant sealing complications had multiple circuits been chosen." So your model year uses a wet clutch setup that is different from all other PDK's in that it shares the gearbox oil with the clutch, and there is no separate clutch oil circuit in the system, which eliminates the need for the PIWIS during service.

The later cars have an easily removable trim panel that holds the lighter, making the upgrade a 15 min. job.

Just be aware that the rear S brakes will not work on the base car without changing out the rear hub carriers. The reason for this is that the ebrakes on the base car are a different diameter than the S, so the ebrake will not work unless your change over the carriers.

That manual is for the 911/boxster variant, but the transmissionism very similar, with a wet clutch. The total oil volume is different on your vehicle, but it still has a wet clutch that needs to be serviced more often than the gearbox.

Your lighter is still mounted in a removable trim panel that comes out of the dash, making it accessible. Do you have a photo of your lighter layout? If it is above the radio, then you may be correct:

Actually, if you just pop off the horseshoe surround, you don't need to remove the radio.

The PDK requires two different lubricants, one for the wet clutches, the other for the gearbox itself. Both should be changed. As very limited information is available for the PDK, the OEM lubes would be the best choice. From the manual: PDK transmission oil - approx. 3.12 quarts / 2.95 liters ATF transmission oil Mobilube PTX Formula A (SAE 75W-90) GL 4.5 - change at 120K miles or 12 years PDK clutch oil - approx. 5.49 quarts / 5.2 liters Pentosin Gear Oil FFL 3 - change at 60 K miles or 6 years The following procedure is from the 2009 Technik Service information book:Oil filling The correct hydraulic oil level is important for operating the transmission without running into problems. The following preconditions must be met in order to check or correct the oil level:• Engine must be idling• Vehicle must be horizontal in both longitudinal and transverse axis• Hydraulic oil temperature between 86° F. and 104° F. (30° C and 40° C)• Selector-lever position “P”• Clutch cooling volume flow must be switched off (using PIWIS Tester in Oil fill mode)• Retain the described states for approx. 1 minute to allow the oil to settle• Open screw plug on oil overflow bore and collect emerging oil until only drops of oil are emerging• Once there is no more oil emerging, top up the clutch fluid until oil emerges at the oil overflow bore• To avoid damaging the clutches, the procedure must be completed within 5 minutes(PIWIS Tester exits Oil fill mode automatically after 5 minutes)The correct oil level is also important to avoid damaging the gear wheels in the transmission. There is also an overflow bore for this, which is located on the opposite side. The oil level can be checked in the usual way here.

What about the clutch fluid? It is supposed to be changed twice for every time the gear box is changed once.

You need to understand how a shop works. The labor rate is split between the shop and the tech, but with the shop having the largest sunk costs in the facility, they need to make it up on the parts via markup on parts that Porsche already overcharges for, or they could not keep their doors open (it is not unusual for a shop to have a monthly electric bill in the hundreds of dollars, even before they switch the AC on; and that is just the start of monthly shop overhead costs. If they have a PIWIS, that is setting them back $1500 a month just to have it sitting there). While a 50% may be slightly high for parts markup, it is not completely out of line for a well equipped and staffed shop.

It is a VW adaptor.