mikefocke

But will it kill the engine to drive with the oil you have for a hundred miles or three days?  Probably not but, as JFP said, definitely change the oil, oil filter and crush ring as soon as you can.  And then look at new brake fluid.

But the net can only tell you "probably" because stuff happens.

Do you leave the car with the windows up and the top up?

Generally the immobilizer gives codes that point to the problem area.  The codes can be read by a Porsche specific diagnostic computer. Getting them read out and interpreted is the first place to start before throwing parts, $ and labor at the issue.

Might want to mention what the kit name, SKU, source was to prevent others from getting the same improper parts.

Thanks for the update.  Some more specifics on the OBD connector route you say worked. Never seen it mentioned.  Reference?

How about here in this Porsche Press Release.

Yes, your best resource is that great indie who sees hundreds of Boxsters a year and knows what works and what doesn't. Find him. Use local PCA members as a means of finding if you don't already have that relationship.

I wouldn't be going by the factory recommendations of every 30k miles for when to do a major service.

There are issues that accumulate with age (like your A/C is liable to be. Seals sitting unused for 11 months a year. I recall a warning to run the A/C even in the winter on occasion to keep the seals lubricated.) that you indie can pick up.

Pay particular attention to fluids as they are often in plastic containers that heat and age can turn brittle.

Oil change just before hibernation as there are bearings that sit in that oil and you want that oil to have as little acid as possible,

I wouldn't hesitate to replace the AOS and water pump at your car's age and miles if they were original.

And a 13 year old battery?  Tell us your secret.

Good Boxstering.

The TechnoTorque has gone through several iterations and some tuners have negative opinions of it.  Try removing it.

Wasn't Porsche's recommendation to change at 90k? So, if you follower the recommended service intervals to the letter, you would have one change already.

There is a thing called the PET which is a parts list with many diagrams including ones that show all the parts that make up the top mechanism. Found here. (The Porsche web site moves it around so if you look at this posting even weeks later, it may have moved.  Just search around the Porsche site.)  The 97-02 top mechanisms are different from the 03-04 ones.

There are many wrecked Boxsters in salvage yards from which used parts can be acquired. List of well known yards here.

Pictures help those trying to help you.

I haven't seen Maurice aka 1stchoir around in a while.

If I were curious, I'd look at the want ads both in the US and UK forums and see what pictures might be there.

The options if your engines are blown - none cheap. At the same site there is a list of Porsche specializing salvage yards that may have engines.

The CTEK needs a specific minimum voltage at the battery before it will function.

Some approaches to getting into the trunk to access the battery directly here.

ASG has had a good reputation. Good luck.

Assuming the worst, might want to consider your options in advance by reading this.  It suggests 11 options! But ASG will guide you right.

With proper snow tires all around. How do I know that is important?  RIP '99 Boxster.

Porsche sold a console delete kit.

Bells
Shady Grove MD
http://www.bellstrim.com/

Lim's
Tyson's Corner, VA and Chantilly, VA
http://www.limsautoupholstery.com/

Recommended as a place that can do plastic rear window replacements, top and seat upholstery. Recommended by IMA.

Bay Country Custom Van & Upholstery
1828 George Ave, Annapolis, MD 21401
Installed a glass window top on an earlier 986 and the owner was pleased per a March 2011 posting.

So what is the diagnostic approach?  Drop the oil pan and look upwards?  Inspect for debris?  Oil Filter inspection?  Would that eliminate the block and leave the heads as the suspect?  Inspect the spark plugs for differences in color?

Have you inspected the plugs to see if they are a uniform color?   Looked at the color of the oil to see if there is any contamination?  Noticed the oil level getting high?

Have you ever changed the motor mounts? Could the engine be shifting creating a gap in some line?

You have the alternator output checked too?  Ground strap?

The desnorkle itself should not cause any CELs because it is upstream of the air filter and MAF.  It just changes the sound.

But, in doing it, connections that could cause a CEL could have been disturbed.

Get the CEL diagnosed and report the Pnnnn values. Many car parts places can do it for free and the emissions control codes are readable with basic code readers.  The Porsche specific diagnostic tools such as JFP suggests may be needed after you see the basic reported code and post it here and someone reads the manual for your specific ECU revision and tells you the typical causes that cause that CEL and codes to be displayed.

Think of the diagnosis as moving down from CEL on the dashboard to codes via a code reader and then to more specific engine operating parameters via the specialized Porsche tools.

But I'd take the basic and cheap steps first.

Also, when you post, tell us what on the car, engine, exhaust is not perfectly stock. And what has been changed since the car ran without problems.

I might even put the old MAF in as I too suspect the new MAF and we'd get better diagnosis with the part in there whose operating characteristics match what the software in the ECU expects.

My approach would be to use a code reader capability that can analyze any transmission faults as well as engine codes. That means a Durametric, PST2 or PIWIS with the latter two probably better because of the year of your car.

My hunch is that a clutch in the trans is grabbing when you shift to reverse with your foot on the brake and stopping the engine.

As Loren said....

scoeyoz the airbag light can be triggered by a seat belt buckle and also by corrosion of the wire ends where they mate to the controller. In the states, there was this Tech Service Bulletin. http://sites.google.com/site/mikefocke2/airbagwarninglighttsb

My '01 was in 4 times before it was finally fixed. Once before I owned it under warranty for one of the belts, once after it was mine for the other belt and then twice for the wiring. These last two were free after my dealer had failed to cure the problem on his first attempt.

You want access to all the areas that yield diagnostic information, you buy from Durametric.

You want to try an older version of the same software with less capability (and more bugs and without support), buy the knock-off cables and download older versions. You'll get more than a generic code reader (if your cable works) but lots less than with the real Durametric and you'll not be encouraging Durametric in their efforts to bring even more capability.

Development of code to access areas where Porsche is not willing to divulge all its firmware secrets requires lots of time and effort and those cost money that they only get when you buy the real thing. This is real hard code that plays nice with hardware, not two hundred lines of HTML.

I say this as someone who used to manage a group that produced a software product that took millions a year to support let alone ten million to produce the first version.

I liked the aspheric well enough I had them on both my Boxsters on the driver's side. Original was flat. I had a genuine Porsche part on one and found a stick on cover for the other one. It allowed me to use the side mirror without worrying about a blind spot just off my rear quarter.

Can't say with a RHD car. 

There is an Aussie Boxster forum site http://porscheforum.com.au/ and a UK one http://www.boxa.net/forum/ that might help.