ericinboca

When you say everything is good with the alignment, do you know the camber and toe numbers for the rear? Excessive inner wear is most likely an alignment or tire pressure problem. A strut brace front or rear ties the strut towers together, purportedly reducing flex and fatigue in the towers. Having a track car, I've not felt or found a geometric improvement via tire temps as a result of using braces, and it would be on the track under load with significant weight transfer where a strut brace would make a difference. (The front and rear on the 986 are pretty stiff - the middle part, not so much ;) ) You also say it is lowered. It is unlikely, but are you sure the tire is not rubbing on something?

Can you tell where the leak is? Can you tell if it is engine oil or gear oil? Hypoid gear oil has a very unpleasant odor; engine oil smells like, well, engine oil ;)

2004 special anniversary edition did indeed get a 987 air box and filter. Porsche says the anniversary edition delivers 6 more horsepower than the standard S of the same year. Porsche guy in Stuggart that we talked to earlier this year to get help in programming a new DME for my '04 anniversary edition, told us it is actually 8 hp more coming from a slightly different DME program combined with the airbox. Other difference I found - it also has an X51 oil pan baffle....I dropped the pan to put one in, and it was already there. Bought car new....can't find anything from Porsche that says this is factory installed, but there it was. Are you sure it was an X51 baffle - did it have flaps? The stock baffle looks similar stock on left -- X51 on right. (sorry can't remember where I got these images) That's it. I remember clearly 'cause I was rushing to get it done before a track event, and spilled my drained oil all over the garage. :angry: Then found it was already installed!! From suncoast... http://www.e-partssales.com/miva/merchant....y_Code=986maint

2004 special anniversary edition did indeed get a 987 air box and filter. Porsche says the anniversary edition delivers 6 more horsepower than the standard S of the same year. Porsche guy in Stuggart that we talked to earlier this year to get help in programming a new DME for my '04 anniversary edition, told us it is actually 8 hp more coming from a slightly different DME program combined with the airbox. Other difference I found - it also has an X51 oil pan baffle....I dropped the pan to put one in, and it was already there. Bought car new....can't find anything from Porsche that says this is factory installed, but there it was.

Nothing special needed. I use arc pliers, setting them in between the "ears" of the pads and then opening the pliers. Normal pad spreader will do the trick too.

If the local guy is right in identifying the bushings are worn out, then just changing the bushings is likely to make dramatic improvement. The aftermarket bushings tend to be stiffer than the rubber used by the factory, though. The stiffer bushings improve the feel you will have under load, but also deteriorate ride. (My track car has solid aluminium bushings and spherical bearings, transferring a ton of road noise, harshening the ride, but giving me amazing response and feel.) New control arms come with bushings already in them. He may be saying he wants to replace the whole arms because of labor costs involved in changing the bushings - it might be a wash between changing bushings on old arms and replacing arms; or he might not think you want the stiffer aftermarket bushings. Either way, he has to take the arms off. Replacing the arms, he takes the old ones off, and installs new ones. To change the bushings, he takes the old arms off, presses out the old bushings, presses in new, and then reinstalls the arms. Extra labor. See what I mean? Also changing the whole arm reduces the number of come backs he has - same reason a lot of shops change the rotors at the same time they change pads.

Might be a dying fuel pump. When they start to die, they fail first when they are hot; once cooled, they work again till hot, and then die again.

No humps or lumps in my '04 S.

not sure what that is either, but maybe it is one of these? Some people call the bump stop a strut bushing - 996-343-301-02-M58 The upper strut mount has a bushing fused in it - I don't think the bushing is replaceable, rather you would replace the whole upper strut mount - 997-343-018-01-M100 and then while I call it a bearing, I have seen people call it a bushing - the steering bearing that sits at the top of the strut against the strut mount allowing the strut to rotate - 996-343-515-05-M100 not sure it does, but I hope that helps my money is on the strut mount, BTW; and I would replace on both sides at same time if the car has a lot of miles - you need an alignment after replacing that part anyway

When you turn the steering wheel, you: * rotate the joint on the tie rod end that connects to the wheel carrier * the wheel carrier rotates around the joint in the lower control arm * the top of the strut rotates on the steering bearing that sits up there smashed against the strut mount Are the boots on the tie rod end and on the lower control arm still in good shape? I wonder if the ball end of one of those is sqeaking as it rotates. When they are made, they are packed with grease. thanks for replying so quickly I need to get the front end up on stands to check it thoroughly, didn't have time for that last night, with it on a jack and having the wheel off I didn't see anything obvious but of course with it just on a jack I wasn't about to start shaking things, I'm hoping to do more investigation this weekend edit: tonight after the drive home I played some more and now it's squeaking upon suspension compression, (I didn't try last night when it was warm because I had dress pants on) so now I'm thinking it's in part of the strut assembly take a look at the droplinks and the sway bar too disconnect the drop links from the sway bar on both sides, and see if it still makes the noise (you can set the car on the ground without the sway bars connected to the drop link (the drop link attaches at one end to the sway bar and then the other end passes through a flange/tab on the strut and the wheel carrier - just disconnect from the sway bar end; leave the top of the drop link where it goes through the wheel carrier alone) if it doesn't make the noise, then see if you can make the noise by rotating the disconnected sway bar and.or the drop link joints- you might get lucky and isolate the noise to one of these two components unfortunately it is not so clear cut now if it is making noise when compressed you need to add the following to things to look at: * ball joints where they connect to the wheel carrier on the tie rod and the control arm as mentioned earlier * the sway bars and drop links * also look at the thrust arm.transverse control arm - this is the one that connects to the lower control arm just inside the ball joint and then connects to the chassis forward up behind the fender well cover * the damper/strut/spring * the strut mount and the steering bearing * the lower control arm where it mounts to the chassis * check to be sure all the nuts are tight how many miles on this car?

When you turn the steering wheel, you: * rotate the joint on the tie rod end that connects to the wheel carrier * the wheel carrier rotates around the joint in the lower control arm * the top of the strut rotates on the steering bearing that sits up there smashed against the strut mount Are the boots on the tie rod end and on the lower control arm still in good shape? I wonder if the ball end of one of those is sqeaking as it rotates. When they are made, they are packed with grease.

ok, thank you. now, i do not know whether there is a problem with one of the joints then. it tapped off the axle with no problem. but as i has 'digging' out the grease, the inner 'claw' piece was able to turn to the point that i could easily have removed the large ball bearings. i can try and get a picture of this later today. so, now i am wondering if this indicates a problem and calls for replacement? I have a new one in hand - ungreased, granted - but it is really, really tight. I can "pop" the inner piece to the edge, but no way the balls and other two pieces would come apart.

I hate these boot clamps!!! I've given up on trying to get them tight enough, and use ones like this from the local auto parts store:

I doubt you would feel PSM in the front end on a C2. I think it is really noticeable when it comes on and the yellow light illuminates when it is doing its thing. It is usually taking throttle away. What's more, unless you have a way wrong suspension set up, or something is really broken, your tires are unlikely to leave the road. (Not to keep bringing track cars into this, but I have yet to see a Porsche with a factory suspension loose contact with the road in turn 17 at Sebring, which is notorious for making poorly set up cars lose contact in the back because of its high speed and insane bumpiness.) l lean toward alignment, tire pressure, tires.

Here is my 2 cents... The pressures you mention - 36/44 - seem high to me for street tires, but maybe that is what your set calls for. On the track, we adjust the front toe to either 0 toe, or slight toe out, while most street cars are tuned to slight toe in. The toe out makes the car turn in better, but it does make the front end move around some on straightaways. I wouldn't say it feels skittish, but it does wander some.

I would not plug a track tire - to many forces working on the tire, and a hole creates a weak point. I'm OK with it on a street tire, and don't think a hard street compound would be an issue even at higher speeds - it just does not offer enough grip to be a problem. MO

I saw a flat back Ferra....uh....one of those prancing horse Italian cars painted flat back...I thought it was the best looking of the reds and shiny blacks.

Got two options for you to go with the black tape - 1. I find the black tape to be unsightly - so you can remove the bulb ;) 2. Or, you can wire in a 2.9 Ohm 1/4 watt resistor. I did the resistor for a while on my track car after putting in a MOMO wheel but before gutting it for a cage. It worked fine - no problems at all. I learned it from 944 racers. You can find a 2.9 Ohm resistor through special order, but I just made one, albeit with the help of the electrical engineer that lives next door. I will look around - it is a long shot, I might still have the set up I used.

The thick carpet thing behind the seats comes off - it has 5 or soe of those flat plastic nuts along the top that need to be removed, and then it tucks in tightly on teh sides - you just pull it out. Once that is off, you will see the panel that removes. there are 10 or so screws around the perimeter, and then two nuts right in the middle where the transmission cables pass through. all 10mm if i remember correctly Move boths seats as far forward as possible and then lean them forward to get access to the panel.

Boxsterfahrer, Can you ID the part that you replaced, ive heard "control arm" used interchangeably with a few different parts of the rear suspension... In the attached picture is it the one circled in blue (labeled 1) or the one circled in red (labeled 2)?? I think you are referring to the blue circled part, thats actually the piece that I originally thought was the culprit. It seems like its a fairly straightforward part to replace, did you change this out yourself or have the dealership do it? -Ben Picture you have is of the front suspension. Here is the rear. I believe Boxsterfahrer is referring to number 8. It is the one where you have to remove the plastic fender cover to see where it attaches. Tight squeeze up in there. ericinboca, Thats the item I originally thought was the trouble maker. Like you mentioned ill look a little closer into the swaybar and double check all the bushings for cracks/splits. If none of that works then thats the first part ill replace! Thanks again gentlemen! -Ben Yes, it is item #8 and I can almost guaranty that replacing these will get rid of your noise. I fixed mine temporarily by peening the bushing ( described in a previous thread ) but it lasted for only 6 month and then reared it's ugly head again. I did read that thread, I considered trying that myself but I really don't want to have take that sucker off more times than I actually need to! I have found a few local junkyards that are selling the rear control arm for around $150... But i'm a little wary of buying this piece used... Check out vertex automotive (google them) - they often have new and rebuilt parts - would be a littl e more than salvage, but rebuilt will be better than salvage and cheaper than new. I have no affiliation with vertex - probably others that can provide too, but I know of this one.

Wet vac will get a lot of the water out of the carpet - if you don't have one, go to one of those coin operated car washes and work at it. Get a friend to run a hose around that side of the top with you sitting in the passenger side - let the water cascade off - not directed pressure - see if you can figure out where it is coming in.

I think you need to consder that the suspension noise you've been hearing might actually be these 19" tires hitting something on bumps.

I was looking at KBB and Edmunds - they are saying the same thing. I found another with less than 50K miles on it. So am I nuts to even consider a 996 with 50,000ish miles? I have a 986S that I convereted to a race car...want a C2 as a daily beater :D

Looking at an artic silver 1999 996 hardtop. 68000 miles; one owner; clean history. In today's market, I wondering what this is worth?

Boxsterfahrer, Can you ID the part that you replaced, ive heard "control arm" used interchangeably with a few different parts of the rear suspension... In the attached picture is it the one circled in blue (labeled 1) or the one circled in red (labeled 2)?? I think you are referring to the blue circled part, thats actually the piece that I originally thought was the culprit. It seems like its a fairly straightforward part to replace, did you change this out yourself or have the dealership do it? -Ben Picture you have is of the front suspension. Here is the rear. I believe Boxsterfahrer is referring to number 8. It is the one where you have to remove the plastic fender cover to see where it attaches. Tight squeeze up in there.