Stefan

Ok, so that picture didn't come out. The top row is the narrowest, then the second is wider, and the bottom is the widest.

Ok, so mysteries of the universe. I have the P0453 code and I went to use the procedure posted by Loren above and I found that my DME connector has no pin at position 72. It has pins in the positions just before and just after that one. The connector looks like this. I start on the right of the top row and count down: "88, 87, 86, etc." until I reach 72. 56________________________________________88 _| |_ _| |_ |_______________________________________________| What am I missing?

Yes, those two part numbers are heater hoses.

How would headers affect the state inspection requirements? The headers should have no significant effect on emissions.

Also see here for someone who sells just the rear window with a kit that allows you to install the rear window yourself without removing the soft top. http://www.emiata.com/BoxsterWindow.htm I ordered and received this kit but have not installed it. It was shipped very promptly and the installation procedure document looks like a xerox from a BMW shop manual.

The plot thickens. I checked the values while it is running and discovered that not only is the MAF showing a value of 0.1 lb/min regardless of engine speed, here are some other values that are off (warmed up & at idle): Timing Advance (Cyl. #1): 7.5 deg Short Term Fuel Trim (Bank 1): +25.0% Short Term Fuel Trim (Bank 2): +25.0% Intake Air Temperature: 113 deg F (note that the ambient temperature was about 75 degrees F) I checked for intake leaks and could not find any. That EVO intake just has to come out. With the stock Boxster engine and the EVO intake, it fried my MAF in the same way. So I replaced the MAF and put back in the stock airbox and had no problems for a year. I put in the 3.4L engine w/EVO intake and within a week my MAF is toast. I unplugged the MAF and the car runs about as well as can be expected given that it is running without the fine-tuning benefits of the MAF input and (probably) with a Boxster ignition mapping.

I have had the e-brake requirement removed for about 6 years with no problems. When you're putting the top down, manual unlatching of the top is required so there is no issue. When you are putting the top up, there is a good 6 or more seconds after you press the button (with the top operation warning light being on) before there could be a problem even at high speeds. And unless you have one of the one touch operation hacks also, this is time during which someone has to be holding the top button. In other words, I don't think that removing the e-brake requirement is unsafe at all. In fact, I would argue that a procedure that requires you to pull up the parking brake while driving is much more dangerous. YMMV

Ok, so after an extremely frustrating week of not getting the reprogramming to work, I have finally figured out what the problem was so I figured I would post it here to benefit others. I followed the procedure for programming my DME with the program data from the 996 DME. I was always able to read the program out of the 996 DME every time with no problem. But when I tried to write the data to my DME I always got an error "[3] Test step aborted". For a while I thought that the problem was with the PST2 I was using. So I tried a different PST2 and got the same result. So I tried an official PIWIS tester and got the same result! I finally decided to recheck the programming codes the dealer had given me. And it turns out that the programming codes were wrong. So when the PST2 (or PIWIS) fails because of incorrect programming codes, the error is nonsensical at best. I decided that I wanted to preserve my original DME if possible. So I retrieved the programming codes for the 996 DME and programmed it to recognize my immobilizer. The car then started. I drove the car on the highway, not sensing a major increase of power (which I would expect when switching to a 996 map). It drove fine, but not perfectly smooth. When I got off the highway, the car stalled. And now it runs terribly and barely runs. If I rev it up, it limps by but it is very unhappy. Fortunately, I can still plug my 986 DME in and if the problem is related to the programming the car should run ok again. The funny thing is that even with the car running terribly for about 5 minutes, there is no CEL. I will probably try disconnecting the battery to reset the learning and see if that helps. Advice is welcome.

Mike's website is generally excellent. But there is a bunch of important information in the PPBB thread that is not on his page. I recommend you read both.

That is almost certainly because of the polarity, which can be reversed by switching the wires that connect to the bulb socket.

On the Boxster, it is not strictly necessary to remove the top to stitch in a new window. I doubt it is different for a 996.

There is no wire cutting involved in the hack. The only thing that is cheap about it is the cost (free). True, the hack I am referring to allows you to put the top up or down while driving, nothing else.

You have to poke the grill off from the back. Find something thin to poke through the holes in the back of the frame.

See here for details on Pedro's exhaust mod (with pictures): http://www.ppbb.com/boards/ppbbphp/showfla...rue#Post1067764

You're posting in the wrong forum. The 987 cars come with this feature so there is no need to hack it. This post should be moved to the 986 forum. See here for discussion on the topic (and the solutions from me and from Pedro): http://www.ppbb.com/boards/ppbbphp/showfla...rue#Post1209738 Here is a picture of what Pedro did:

The modifications to allow the top to be operated while driving are well known, easy, not dangerous, and totally reversible. And best of all, they are free.

I have the Lloyds mats and they are pretty sturdy (don't bunch up) and work well to trap dirt and water. However, there are a few things I don't like about them: - They have a weird smell that hasn't gone away even after a year of use - They are obviously just cut from a big sheet because the edges are unfinished - They only have generic colors so unless you're getting black, chances are the color match won't be very good YMMV.

And if I would learn how to read I would know that your bypass pipes are 2.25" so you are golden. Yikes, tough Monday.

Scratch that. This place has 2" ones. Still too big for me though. http://www.badlanzhpe.com/page2.html

I have been researching this kind of mod myself and one big problem I have found is that these flaps are typically used to bypass an early part of the exahust that has a bigger pipe. On my Boxster the pipes leading into the muffler are a measly 1.75" which is much smaller than any of the bypass valves I have seen. The smallest I have seen is 2.25". It might be bigger on the Carrera. One thing you can Google is "exhaust cutout".

I would be very skeptical of a chart like this. It is essential to list the exact configuration that was tested as well as the ambient conditions in both tests. Additionally, a proper test is to take the median of a series of tests not to list the best looking single result obtained under optimal conditions. Without this information these numbers are meaningless at best and misleading at worst. The muffler is not the limiting factor on the stock 2.5L Boxster so replacing it will not increase horsepower or torque.

A couple of things to look out for with LED bulbs: The viewable angle is typically much narrower than incandescent bulbs. I would make sure to get them from a place than claims wide angles. The second link (superbrightleds) claims that but not the first. The polarity is important. I tried installing some cheapo LED bulbs in my Boxster only to find that the bulbs were backward from the car. I could have reversed the wires to fix it which is not a huge deal but it means that the bulbs you buy may not be a simple drop-in replacement. If you do try them, please post pics.

Do you need to lower it temporarily or permanently? Sergio's response is absolutely correct if you're just trying to lower it a bit to get something in or out. Otherwise it is a bit more complicated.

To connect the Boxster to a computer what you need is more complicated than just a cable. I have this unit http://www.skpang.co.uk/catalog/product_in...products_id=129 which works with all of the many OBD-II software packages I have tried. It also supports several different protocols, which is overkill but which makes it more versatile for use in other cars.

It's probably a lower control arm bushing. Push up and down on the corner of the car and see if you can reproduce it. If so, verify it is the bushing by spraying it with some lubricant and seeing if the problem (temporarily) goes away.