plima

New Year's Eve update: my '04 GT3 (daily driver with 29K miles) has for the last week shown all signs of a dying battery. Since the car starts so easily the big drop in terminal voltage didn't prevent starting. While 30 months battery life sucks, there isn't much to do but replace the battery. Costco (Santa Clara/Coleman Ave) had 4 of the size 47 batteries (yes, Johnson Controls), 3 of which had the red positive terminal cover and the vent hose. Price is up a bit, to $53.99 but it is a perfect fit in the smallest of the 3 mounting holes, and is a perfect match for the original GT3 battery. Thanks to all for the great info here; I would never have tried a "standard" American sized battery without all the prior info. After having made numerous mods to early 911s to accommodate American batteries, this is a true pleasure to find Porsche thinking ahead for us. Happy New Year all!

Yes, Bilstein makes the shocks, and H&R makes the springs

check out http://forums.rennlist.com/rennforums/show...nkcase+breather

I drive an '04 GT3 (currently with 25K miles); when fully warmed up and above 2500 RPM I usually see between 4 and 5 for oil pressure

BodyStyle in San Jose (524 Brokaw Rd; 1.408.436.1616) Absolutely 1st class work and a first class Porshce guy runs it.

I believe that in an '04 996 that the white wire in question powers either (1) the diversity amplifier as Loren points out, or (2) a single antenna amplifier in cars without the upgraded audio system (such as my GT3). The factory wiring diagram shows both options. It may be possible that the CDR23 antenna power is on for a "long time" after key removal to support power antennae; I'll look at that option. I did measure the load current drawn in this wire (it is about 50 mA continuous) which syncs with an antenna LNA, and it could be on all the time at this low draw (but I doubt it).

As many of you have no doubt been frustrated with the lack of a decent solution for using your iPod with your CDR23 equipped Porsche, you may be interested in this approach. I'm doing this in my '04 GT3, where ultimate audio quality is not necessary or usable (it already makes great music) but I do want better than the wireless FM modulator provides (very poor in FM Station rich Bay Area). I purchased a "wired FM Modulator" (mine is Clarion, $19.95 from the local after market installer). I've mounted it in front of the radio (on the firewall, accessible when you remove the radio and the climate control module. Power and ground currently come from the Becker A connector pins A4 and A8, which thus require an external power switch (a PITA I intend to fix). When you turn off the power to the FM modulator an internal relay connects the regular antenna and the radio works about as before. When the FM modulator is on and the radio is tuned to its output, you get (nearly) interference free FM quality on that channel. The challenge is eliminating the external power switch for the Modulator. I tried the "switched battery" connection (terminal D9 on the climate control module, blue-black wire); this, unfortunately only has power while the ignition switch is on. I want the modulator to work exactly like the radio (ie remain on when the ignition is turned off but key is in ignition sw). Thus I turned to the "antenna power" connection on the Becker. As best I could guess, this provides power to the antenna preamp (duh-"antenna power"!). BUT, that doesn't seem to be true. I cut this wire, and the radio continues fine (could be due to strong FM station bypassing preamp) but, and this is the killer: this lead has power on it after the radio shuts off and the key is out of the ignition. Doesn't make sense. Any ideas? Btw, the Becker plug wiring is attached.

The "street version" for the mk-II is a bit smaller in the front area and much smaller as it curves around to the sides. I think the part number is 996.505.986.92 The motorsport/cup splitter is much wider on the sides and I think the part number ends in 91 instead of 92

I've owned my '04 GT3 since July 04 and drive it every day (21K miles now). I, too, get that grin every day when driving to and from work, and on the several long trips I've made. Tires do wear out quickly (why? remember that grin??) but seem a small price to pay for the fun. I've replaced the chin spoiler/splitter once after the original finally hit too many driveways and parking curbs. As for PCCBs, volumes have been written here and on rennlist.com. My opinion is that for street and autocross usage they are fine, and when they do wear out it is straightforward to replace with stee.

The DME adjusts ignition advance based on a map that expects 94 Octane. When fuel doesn't meet this, the knock sensors detect and the DME retards individual cylinders as required to stop the knock. The adjustment is effectively instantaneous; when you fill with the higher octane fuel, as the fuel reaching the injectors gets better, so does the advance and resulting power.

check out Porsche UK's official introduction: http://www.porsche.com/all/originmotorsport/uk.aspx

For Mk-2 GT3, the cup rotors work well ( try http://www.carnewal-europe.com/main.htm ) as replacements for the street rotors. I don't know about Mk-1, as I think the rotors are smaller diameter

Good morning all. I filled my '04 GT3 this (Monday 12 Dec) morning at the Woodside, CA Union station with 5 gal of Sunoco 100 octane and 9.8 gal of Union 91 octane (my regular mix; always from this station). When I started my car everything seemed normal, except there is very little power. Nearly full throttle is required to get the car moving. Engine is running smoothly, just not making much power. I'm able to get up to freeway speed but must downshift for the "hills". My first thought is I got some bad/low octane gas, but it seems to me it was instantaneoulsy bad after starting the car. I'd love some suggestions before calling the Porsche dealer (Carleson in Redwood City is closest). Update at 13:00, 12 Dec: Final update. I just returned from Carlson Porsche with excellent news. The problem was not gas, just an incredible coincidence. The fault was the potentiometer at the accelerator pedal (the e-gas sending unit). The main potentiometer failed (according to Carlson, the first failure they have ever seen). There is a backup potentiometer in the unit that gives you workable power to get home. Carlson diagnosed and fixed the problem while I waited. Awesome service!

very nice job! I connected my power exactly where the passenger side bulb got power. Thus the escort is powered on-continuous/on-car running/off always based on the switch position for the passenger side light.

I have installed an Escort in my GT3 in, what I think, is a much cleaner way. I've used the power to the passenger side dome light and wired in a short cord (I used a black telephone cord which looks much cleaner). The car's lighting control powers it down when you exit the car and lock it via the remote. Thus it is always on when you are in the car and always off if/when you lock it on exit.

Confirmation and some more detail: http://forums.rennlist.com/rennforums/show...ad.php?t=227898

A 285/30-18 Michelin PS rolls 832 per mile; identical to the 295/30-18 PS2 according to Michelin's website data. Seems like its not a problem (for a while). In my opinion, if you like to drive "quickly" you will want the same type and size on the car at your earliest convenience.

FYI, I just completed the 15K service on my GT3. I did the oil change+filter ($60 with Mobil-1), air filter and particle filters (another $50). I then took the car to the local Porsche dealer (Carlson in Redwood City), and asked them to do the inspections required at 15K (they charged $103 and were very courteous and helpful). Total (not including the work I did which I do for pleasure) was $213. Very reasonable in my opinion.

White smoke is almost certainly excess fuel and not oil. I've seen this happen if the car is started from cold, shut off shortly thereafter, and then restarted. I think this results in an excess amount of fuel (cold start enrichment) and the white smoke when starting.

Thanks!

Not certain, but this is probably an open circuit; I thnk the gauge reports max pressure when it is disconnected from the sending unit.

My experience with Bridgestone RE7** on a BMW 540i is that they are very noisy, and don't offer much positive benefit to compensate. On that car a set of Michelin Pilot Sport A/S were the trick: quiet, and much stickier. On my GT3, having gone through one set of PS2s and just starting set #2 I think they are quiet enough (hard to tell for sure on a GT3...) and are nice and sticky, They are a great (and expensive) street tire.

Theoretically yes. I don't think Mobil-1 or the EP version come in this very wide viscosity range. Also, some of the oil chemistry needed to get wide viscosity range comes by adding various additives to the oil. It isn't necessarily better at doing its lubrication job just because it has a wider viscosity range. Again, I don't think you can go wrong with the 10w50 EP, but for my $0.02, I'd stick with Porshce's recommendation (in my case Mobil-1 0w-40)

My '04 GT3 is coming up on 15K miles. I've changed the oil at 5K miles and again at 10K. I expect to do it again at 15K (rather than pay the dealer for that simple service). The balance of the 15K service is mostly inspection, but I'd really like to have an authorized dealer do it (primarily wrt warrantee). In the south bay area, there are 3 possibilities: Carlson in Redwood City, Claridge in Fremont, and Stevens Creek/Anderson in San Jose. Any recommendations or comments?

I'm sure the the Mobil 1 EP family will work just fine. I do want to repeat what a few very knowledgeable Porsche and BMW technical folks have said: the 0w rating is very helpful in keeping the initial cold start wear down; in particular the hydraulic lifters and variocam mechanisms work best when cold with the 0w oils. Except for race-only cars, the vast majority of wear occurs in the first minute or so from cold start. For my last car, BMW M5, BMW recommends synthetic 0w-30 and for my current car, GT3, Porsche recommends synthetic 0w-40.