csman

Thanks Walt

Thee is never a problem under boost or load so suspect it is not a big issue, but I've decided to get it checked by a specialist next month. If I don't get a big bill I might invest in an ECU remap to celebrate, man maths at its best!

Thanks for the feedback both. I will try longer idling time and see if that helps. Generally I always drive gently for the last few miles of a drive to let everything cool down before turning off but will haven't then let it idle in addition.

Thanks guys

It seems that Porsche folk have moved elsewhere. There seems to be weeks as opposed to hours between new posts which is never a good sign...

Hi there,

My 2008 turbo is suffering from producing a smoke screen on cold start, and occasionally on a warm start up. Having had quite a few flat sixes over the years I know some say that white smoke on startup is normal, but this smoke I think is more oil burn off smelling and is thick and embarrassing. I spoke to the dealer I originally got the car from and their view is "they all do that from time to time" but my previous 997 turbo never did.

There doesn't seem to be any other smoke after the first few seconds after start up whatever driving conditions are after that. Also it seems to be the left hand pipe that smokes more than the left.

The car drives perfectly otherwise and I have always used mobil1 oil.

Any ideas on the fix as I don't think I want to just live with it on a car of this value

Had similar problem with '05 997 C2S particularly when hot. Tried cleaning up the cable connection under the car but this didn't cure it. Porsche sent me down the alternator route (£££ or $$$$ depending which side of the Atlantic you are on), still no fix. Turned out to be new starter motor which gave me 100% cure for over a year before I sold the car. Horrible not to be 100% sure that you car is going to start.

I recently 'upgraded' from my '01 996 Cabrio to an '06 Carrera S (woo hoo!). I had noticed right after I took it that when it started, it cranked slowly - at times seeming like it may not start...very similar, if not the same, as when you have a battery that's about to die, or a starter about to go. For the first few days I put my battery on a tender to see if it made a difference...it did not. I took the car to Dutch Treat, a great local independent shop who's been taking care of my 996 for the past 3 years. He tested the battery, which tested just fine, and said it was the starter. As the car is still under warranty, I took it to Porsche. Long story short - they said that the car tested within spec and, while they admitted it cranked slow and unusual, I was told that, basically, the warranty issue is a pass/fail issue and since it passed, they would not do anything. So, I have no choice but to keep driving it, waiting for the day (that I believe will come) where it doesn't turn over.

I was wondering if anyone else has this problem and what, if anything, was done?

Thanks!

The problem needs to be properly diagnosed using the voltage drop test method. Its true that the starter alternator cable does go bad, but it can also be a voltage drop somewhere else in the B+ circuit up to the battery. I suggest taking it to Callas Rennsport, they got the factory scanner and all the right tools. The warranty policy with porsche regarding batteries is that if you dont put 6K in mileage per year the battery will not be covered. Regarding the starter, this is 100% not the problem, this is from my experience with these issues.

vizcarra44

Had the same problem, tried everything including cable connection etc. New starter was the only answer and 100% cured. In the end I had spent a lot of time, money and stress avoiding changing the starter. Sometimes the obvious answer is the right one!

Here it is on your GT-3 model.

Paul

Hi Paul, thanks for the pics. These helped me to find the connection quite easily. The big difference is that, as you mentioned my UK supplied car seems to have many more under-body panels than your car (wet UK climate perhaps). Looking at the picture I had to remove the whole triangular rear section plus some of the panel further forward to get access to the cable under another flap! Also the cable is in the right hand side of the car for both left hand drive and right hand drive cars.

Anyway, good news is that I have done it, there was some corrosion on the connection which has now been removed, treated with some moisture repellent spray (WD40) and reassembled. :rolleyes:

The great news is that initial impression is that the issue is fixed for £0 ($0)! :D Repeated hot starts have all been successfully with no sign of the starter slowing down. I withhold final judgment for a week or so of normal driving / use but initial impressions are excellent. Thanks again for you help on this as it may well have saved me a small fortune in workshop fees as well as an embarrassing breakdown.

Thanks

CSM

:renntech:

Not sure exactly what butterfly valve they were referring too. When I hit my sport button it gets much louder, something is def changing in the exhaust. I was told by the dealer it only has sport chrono and not the PSE, but they may have been wrong.

This is my first Porsche and I am disappointed I waited this long :-)

What is an 'exhaust butterfly valve'? If your car doesn't have a PSE then the exhaust system is 100% passive (ie no valves). I think there is a valve of sorts in the intake system that makes the motor 'rattle' a bit when it's fired up. It closes when the fuel or air is purged.

The recall you might be referring to could be the 'exhaust tips' one. Porsche recalled early VIN's due to a poor weld on the exhaust tip assembly. They were afraid it might cause the tip or tips to fall off and cause a problem to trailing cars. Have your dealer do a search in their computer system by your VIN to see what recalls have been done or should be done.

Congratulations on your purchase. I own a 2005 997S as well and love it.

If the exhaust sound increases when you're in 'sport mode' than I have to assume you have a PSE.

There are many ways to tell if you have a PSE. The most visible is if the exhaust tips (chrome plated) are different sizes (diameter) and offset. The standard (non PSE 997S) stainless tips that are equal in size. It's easy to spot the solenoid that activates the PSE 'valves' and if look underneath you'll be able to see the actual vacuum operated valves that attach to each muffler. Do a search on this forum or others. There are plenty of pictures that will help you. This forum has the install procedures in their technical archives that will certainly help spot things. I am surprised that you got little help for your Porsche dealership.

Loren's suggestion of loose or broken parts may also be a factor but I think when you said the exhaust level increases when you push the 'Sport Mode' button it sort of points to PSE. If you do have a factory installed PSE then it will cut out if you fall beneath a certain speed. Germany has some noise regulations that Porsche had to abide with and so they simply made the PSE DME (main computer) controllable.

It now makes some sense that the service action was to lubricate the 'butterfly valve'. Maybe it was sticky or not working correctly. Of course if that didn't fix the problem you might have a faulty muffler/valve. In any event it should be covered under your warranty (assuming it's still active). If you have no warranty left possible the exhaust system is covered under the emissions warranty which I believe is longer than the 4 yr period. I could be wrong.

Good luck and keep us posted.

I have the same problem on my 05 C2S coupe with sports Chrono and PSE (which it seems you must have). Visited a reputable independent specialist yesterday who checked the exhaust but said before and afterwards that it was the valve actuator/butterfly that seems to cause this on some cars. After checking he thought that his initial diagnosis was still correct. There is no easy fix but equally it causes no damage so unless it is under warranty or really annoying you it's best to live with it (as I have decided to do). Call it character!

Cheers

csm

Keep us posted. I will have the dealer check this spot....if they don't diagnose it first! I am really interested in their diagnosis. I am also taking the car to an independent shop on Friday, so I will ask them for an opinion as well. I will keep you posted.

Nick

Hi Nick, awaiting feedback from Paul above but did your independent offer any advice on the possible cause?

thanks

csman

Here is a simple fix. There is a wire that runs from the alternator to a low

spot next to the transmission on the passenger side.

1. You disconnect the battery.

2. You jack up the passenger side and add jack stands.

3. Next, you crawl under the car and you will seee the wire running down

from the top of the transmission to a little plastic door.

4. You open the door and remove the nut holding the wire.

5. You then sand the plate and the end of the wire and bolt

it back together.

It sems like this connection picks up alot of road stuff and

cleaning this spot should help alot.

Paul

Hi Paul, I am having difficulty locating both the wire and therfore flap. Could you indicate where the cable / flap is on the attached picture of a model 997 GT3 (which is remarkably accurate and similar to my c2s underside!). I can only find one flap which I have shown on the photo and there is no cable behind it. should I be looking more in toward the rear of the car in the open section with no undertray?

many thanks

csman

Here is a simple fix. There is a wire that runs from the alternator to a low

spot next to the transmission on the passenger side.

1. You disconnect the battery.

2. You jack up the passenger side and add jack stands.

3. Next, you crawl under the car and you will seee the wire running down

from the top of the transmission to a little plastic door.

4. You open the door and remove the nut holding the wire.

5. You then sand the plate and the end of the wire and bolt

it back together.

It sems like this connection picks up alot of road stuff and

cleaning this spot should help alot.

Paul

Thanks Paul,

Thats the kind of stuff I was looking for. I will have some time to do this in 2 weeks and will let you know whether it is successful.

Many thanks

csman

I would check the starter motor head cable also, if the rubber protective cap on the rear of the starter solenoid, is melted on the cable by heat, replace the cable. 997 is well known for bad starter cables, too much resistance in power supply to the starter and battery.

Thanks RFM, still cant find the DIY section mentioned earlier that would point me in the right direction to diagnose/swap out the starter and or cables?

Hi csman. I just bought my first 997 yesterday, and I had similar problems. I flew across the states to pick it up at the dealer, and then I had a 9 hour drive ahead of me. The car started fine at the dealer, but started cranking much slower at the rest stops. By the time I got home, it wouldn't start at all! I just Googled this link, and it looks like the long explanation may have some merit. What do you think? Mine is still under warranty for a month, so I am heading straight to the dealer. Let me know what you come up with.

http://www.911uk.com/viewtopic.php?p=436230

Nick

Hi Nick, thanks for this. it sound like a good explanation. The thread has a slightly different sypmtom to mine (and I think yours) because with mine the starter always turns but very slowly (i.e not just a click). In saying that the fix could be the same (i.e. corroded cable). My car had a tough early life being used year round on wet salty British motorwarys/highways so corrosion could be high on the list of causes. The symptoms that you descibe seem very similary to mine assuming you battery and charging circuit are working well.

I could do with some pictures/diagrams of what cable to inspect and how to replace the starter, but haven't found any yet. The car is out of warranty hence trying to investigate the diy route before getting stung by the dealer again!

I will let you know if I make progress and would be interested in the diagnosis from your dealer.

Cheers

csman

I would check the starter motor head cable also, if the rubber protective cap on the rear of the starter solenoid, is melted on the cable by heat, replace the cable. 997 is well known for bad starter cables, too much resistance in power supply to the starter and battery.

Thanks RFM, still cant find the DIY section mentioned earlier that would point me in the right direction to diagnose/swap out the starter and or cables?

Running the exhaust in bypass or normal position has no affect on the engine performance (it is only noise).

Thanks Loren, permanent loud mode it is then :D

sounds like you need a new starter motor. I had similar hard to crank/weak crank on hot starts when i first bought my car and replaced the starter motor which solved all my issues. Of course i verified the bat was good by testing it first. There is a starter motor diy here you can work through, just be patient and watch out for brittle plastic and hoses! lol

Thanks for all of the replies. as I mentioned in the first post, the battery and alternater are brand new from Porsche Centre and tested/charging sucessfully. Where do I find the starter motor DIY?

many thanks

I have a 997 2005CS manual with PSE and sports chrono.

I have read a lot about the exhaust mod of disconnecting the connector that switches the exhaust between bypass mode and normal in order to stop the exhaust going through a quiet phase at certain RPM and speed when in sport mode.

My question is, does this mod have any downsides (other than removing the ability to switch modes from the cockpit). I am worried about loss of perform ace or similar as a result of changing exhaust back pressure at certain RPM or any other issues that could be caused?

many thanks

CSMAN

I have a problem and need some help before I am relieved of any more cash :(

I have a 2005 Carrera S (coupe, manual) with near 40k miles on the clock. Since I have had the car (18 months) i have had a problem with hot starting. Basically after a run or sitting in traffic when I stop the engine and restart after a short time, (fuel stop, brief stop to put it in the garage), the starter turns over very slowly almost to the point when you think it will stop.

Most times it picks up again and the engine fires cleanly but it has let me down once and failed to start. After an hour or so when I returned with jump leads assuming a flat battery it fired (just) without me using them. Porsche center advised that I needed new battery then a new alternator, both of which had little or no effect after lots of cash. The car is kept in the garage with a Porsche battery conditioner plugged in so the battery is in top nick. Also, if left for 2 weeks without the battery conditioner plugged in it still fire quickly and cleanly indicating charging and battery are fine.

Any ideas what I should do before it leaves me stranded somewhere?

Cheers

CS man

Hi,

Getting to the washer, you would need to take off the front bumper. That

is reason evough to get the work done under warrenty,

Paul

Thanks gents,

As the bumper will need to be removed I will have a go at getting this doen under warrenty but don't hod out much hope with my UK dealer!

cheers

csman

I have problem with a leaking headlight washer on my 2005 C2S. As soon as you fill the windscreen/headlight washer bottle the left hand side headlight washer starts to seep from the nozzle and doesn't stop until the low fluid warning comes on in the car.

both the headlight jets seem to work correctly when I wash the headlights, but the left hand side one will not stop seeping afterwards.

Any ideas of easy fixes or is this a book it into the garage job?

cheers

Csman

No problem, glad you're up and running again. :cheers:

Maybe a small donation to the site if it's all the same to keep the community alive.

Happy motoring!

Pop

With pleasure

Hi Pop

Many Thanks, I owe you a very large beer as it is now working. Something must had crashed and needed a reboot. FYI I had to leave the fuse out for an extended period as the first time I tried it didn't do the job.

Thanks again

Csman

Antenna.

It's screwed down under the exterior lower windscreen scuttle cover by a single screw with a cable protruding out from it. It's a thin plate that attaches flat side up. Trouble is, whereas it sounds like a reception problem, i can't imagine how it would have come loose. Maybe they forced water behind the plastic cowling?

Probably best to try pulling the fuse to the PCM and reinserting allowing it to reset. Apart from these two, there is the DVD player which houses the gyro and the relevant wires (copper and optical) that run to the PCM rear.

Regards

Pop

Thanks Pop, I will have a go this morning and see what happens

HELP!

I had an extensive valet on my car today (including carpets being washed etc.) but on the way home noticed that the map view was locked to the location of the valet people and not updating as i drove along. I entered a new destination but the navi simply starts trying to calculate a route but never finds one. When I checked the status on the Navi screen it was showing that no satelites were visble all the way home (13 miles). I have tried switching it on and off but it is still showing the old location and no satalites found in the status menu. I am wondering if the guys have dislodged a cable or damaged something while cleaning the interior/exterior/engine of the car.

Has anyone got any ideas as I don't know where to start?

The car is a 2005 Carrera S with PCM with telehone etc.