KevinC

JB Brackenrig has a nice web page which explains it all: http://www.brackenrig.net/OBC_Hack.htm . I did the one switch hack which is explained in detail on Yoseif Whiteson's page: http://www.whiteson.org/boxster/mods/obc/ . It works great and the cost is minimal. The only function which you don't get when using the single switch is the ability to set the speed gong - something I would never want to do.

If the nail is near the center of the tread, I wouldn't hesitate to repair the tire and continue to run it on the track. However, I would make sure that it is done the "right" way. The tire should be removed from the wheel, the inside should be inspected for damage and a "stem patch" should be used which both plugs the hole and reseals the inside of the tire. I did this after I picked up a screw in a track tire and then ran the tire to the cords without a problem.

I would like to get some advise from the experts. I have a GT3 that now has a nail in the drivers' side rear tire. A local, experienced, PCA shop said that they could plug the tire and I would be good for DEs. While I am in the lower groups I was still a little concerned about taking a "plugged" tire on the track. Any thoughts?

Thanks,

That's not at all unusual. It's really just an annoyance, not a problem. Here's a few things to try to get rid of the noise: 1. Thoroughly was out the calipers. 2. Re-bed the pads with some hard stops on an empty highway. Try 6-10 progressively harder stops from high speed (70? 80? higher? ;) ) to low speed (40?). The final stops should be close to ABS braking. 3. Try some anti-squeal liners from Automotion: http://www.automotion.com/productpage.aspx...i-Squeal+Liners

Kevin

I have a 2001 TT with 21,000 miles. It's completely stock and runs great. The only issue I have is that the front brakes make this high pitched intermittent squeal that varies with my speed. When I put some pressure on the brakes it goes away and then returns when my foot comes off the brakes.

I took it to the dealer for it's annual checkup and they said ithere was 80% remaining on the pads and rotors and what I was hearing was just brake dust. They wouldn't discuss it any further. The thing is the noise usually starts after I've been driving for a while and completely goes away when the brakes are applied. When I let up on the brakes the squealing comes back.

Has anyone else had this problem? How do I go about fixing it? It's very annoying and any help would be greatly appericated.

Thanks!

The Power steering pump is a bit in front and to the right of the left rear tire. I have certainly had leaks from there. :( I would check the power steering fluid level.

Kevin

Hi...newbie here....just found these forums tonight, looks like lots of good info.

Last summer I bought a 99 Porsche Boxster 2.5, 5 spd. Has about 17K miles on it now.

Here's my question...

I drove my Boxster today for the first time in about 3 weeks. When I came home, I noticed a spot (5" in diameter) on the floor, right near the rear tire (driver's side US model). It almost looks like the fluid was sprayed...possibly discharged upon startup. I can't tell for sure what it was. It seemed a little oily, but it's hard to tell as the garage floor is old and even water can feel oily after sitting on it. I don't think it was coolant. It's not leaking with the car just sitting, and starting the car up a few hours later did not reproduce the same symptoms.

Any thoughts? All engine fluid levels look fine, I don't notice any smoke or odd smells. I don't have any signs of coolant in the trunk.

Anybody seen something like this or should I just shut up and not worry about it until I see it again?

THX...

-Craig

Here's a link to a recent discussion on the Boxster Racing Board. A lot of us love the Kumho VictoRacers for both autocross and track events. They are not available in 18" sizes, so that's one strong reason to choose 17's. The VictoRacers have very stiff sidewalls so I wouldn't worry about any loss of steering response due to the sidewalls of the 17" tires being about 12% taller. The steering response of a softer 18" tire (like the Michelin Pilot Sport Cup) probably won't be as crisp.

Can anyone tell me where the ECU is located in a 987S and how to remove it? Need to check if a car has a DMS chip or not.

Thanks,

Waz

Try behind the carpet on the firewall in the rear trunk. That's where it is in a 986.

Yes. You need to remove the bolts which attach the hangers and loosen the bolts on the clamps for the "U pipe" so it can be removed. To remove the muffler, you don't need to do anything with the cylinders in your rectangular boxes. However, you may need to transfer those and the cross-bar to your new muffler after you remove the old one.

Your picture raises an interesting question about the muffler R&R. I think most people leave the aluminum piece (shown in the middle of your picture) attached to the car and unbolt the muffler from it. However, you have to remove the top two bolts blindly and that part is challenging. If that aluminum piece can be easily removed, it would make the muffler removal easier.

I left the bumper cover on when I removed the muffler on my 2000 S to install a PSE. That worked OK. However, I was having a hard time re-installing the "U pipes" so I ended up removing the bumper cover for better visibility and access to the clamps. If I had a little more confidence in what I was doing, it would not have been necessary to remove the bumper cover. That said, it IS easy to remove the bumper cover. The only trick is figuring out the reusable "rivets" used to attach the spoiler.

Kevin,

How easy or hard was it to remove the regular seats and place the racing seat in the car? I was wondering if it was something that could be done before the track day or is it hours of work to do. Thank you

Izzy

Depending on how you you install the race seat, swapping can be a simple 4-bolt operation which can be done in about 15 minutes. To do this, you can't share the sliders between the race seat and the stock seat. You need another set of sliders for the race seat. I mounted my EVO-2 with BK side mounts, Sparco sliders and BK floor pan adapters. I also bought a 2nd seat belt buckle. To swap in the race seat, I just remove the 4 seat bolts, unplug the wiring harness under the seat, remove the stock seat, bolt in the race seat and plug the cable from the race seat's buckle into the car's wiring harness. This must all be done with the key *out* of the ignition to avoid the dreaded airbag light on the dash.

Does anyone know if traction control on a 1999 C2 works at all speeds? For instance, if you mash the throttle at the apex of a sharp corner, will TC prevent the tail end from breaking loose? How does TC compare to the PSM system?

TC is more primitive than PSM. TC does two things: 1. The ASR function detects both rear wheels spinning and cuts the throttle. 2. The ABD function detects one rear wheel spinning and applies the brake on that wheel to allow more torque to to be applied to the wheel with better traction. ABD only functions below 60 MPH. However, it remains active when you hit the switch to turn off TC. (This is helpful on the track.) PSM performs the same functions as well as detecting understeer and oversteer and attempting to correct by pulsing the brake on individual wheels.

My car has TC and I can tell you from experience that it does not prevent the rear end from coming around. Once I applied a bit too much throttle while exiting a turn on a wet road and I experienced a major tank slapper as I worked to regain control.

You might consider getting a real race seat (Sparco Evo, GT3 seat, etc.) and staying with the stock belts. I find that the race seat does much more to keep me planted than the harnesses. I personally think that once you install harnesses, you should really take the next step and get a HANS device as well.

i'm still trying to analyze what is causing my 99 C4 to exhibit inadequate braking at speeds above 60mph. i have flushed the system twice with a powerbleeder, the pads and rotors are fine. the tires are good. is there a component in the braking system that i have to check? at speed the brake pedal firms up but does not stop the car proportionately to the pressure i apply. im hesitant to replace the seals of the calipers as they look intact. suggestions pls on what to do next. TIA

A little more context would probably help us to advise you. Have you been driving Porsches for years or is the '99 C4 new to you? My experience is that Porsche brakes are not heavily boosted and do require a lot more pedal pressure than many other cars. I think this is a good thing. It allows you to modulate the braking more precisely and makes heel-toe down shifting easier than a car with a lot of brake boost. If the pedal feels stiff and you can activate ABS with a firm application of the pedal, I would say everything is fine. If it is almost impossible to activate ABS and feel the pulsing of the brake pedal, then you may have a problem with the brake booster or other components.

You need an E12 Torx socket to remove the seat bolts (but, in a pinch, it can be done with the proper size hex socket). The tightening torque is about 60 lb-ft. Before the seat can be removed, you must unplug the wiring harness. The plug has a latch which pulls out to one side to allow the harness to be removed. DO NOT remove the wiring harness with the key in the ignition. This will set the air-bag light on the dash and it will require a trip to the dealer to turn it off again.

I have noticed that my 2002 Carrera's ABS kicks in a lot more often that other cars I've owned. This is during braking, straight line or in corners. This has been driving with the PSM on. Will turing off the PSM change the sensitivity of the ABS system?

Thanks!

Andy

If things are working properly, PSM shouldn't affect ABS sensitivity. But why don't you just do a little brake testing with and without PSM switched off and see if it changes your braking performance? It's possible that there is a problem with either your ABS or PSM system. Or perhaps it's just due to the cold weather we've had recently. Summer tires definitely have less a lot less traction in cold temperatures and you will experience that directly with early ABS engagement as the tires start to slide sooner under braking.

Replacing the exhaust is not very difficult. It should be a couple of hour job. The "U" pipes which connect the muffler to the cats can be difficult to remove. WD40 and a rubber mallet are a big help. The other challenging aspect is the nuts which secure the muffler to the transmission bracket. These must be installed by feel.

There are 9", 9.5" and 10" rear wheels available for the 987 Boxster S but the offsets for those wheels per the TSB are in the mid 40's while my 10" Carrera wheels are 65mm. I'll try 'em when I get the car but I'm no longer optomistic. If they don't work, I guess there's always ebay.....

Both the AC and Power Steering high pressure hose are over there (I can't tell which one from the pic).

Follow the leaking hose back to either the compressor or power steering pump to find out.

It's the hose on the right that's leaking. I also noticed the hydraulic reservoir (marked Pentosin) is low.

The leak seems to be where the "hard" line connects to the rubber line. Is this a common problem? What are my options?

Thanks!

Sounds like a power steering leak. Hopefully, an easy fix if it's just the junction of the two lines. You might want to get a can of Pentosin CHF 202 (recently superseded the older CHF 11S) to top up the reservoir until you get the leak fixed.

Ok, before I pull the trigger, let me state the question in no uncertain terms.

On my 02 Boxster base with factory 17" wheels, can I just upsize the fronts to 225/45-17 and leave the rears at 255/40-17 without any ill effects? If not, what sizes other than stock would be acceptable.

Please elaborate on any sited ill effects.

TIA

Yes. No problem at all. The 225/45/17 tires have the same outer diameter as the stock 205/50/17 tires. Many people switch to the 225's to get more grip up front and reduce understeer.

You can buy a complete SmarTTire system for $250.

http://www.vulcantire.com/smartire_pass_int_sys.htm

I haven't checked out the Porsche TPMS but the SmarTTire system looks pretty nice and you can move it to a 2nd car by purchasing new wheel sensors.

If the pedal was firm while the incident was occurring, it does not sound like a problem with the brake fluid. Boiled fluid would have given you a very soft pedal. It could be pad fade, as C74 suggested. Green fade would be recognizable by a strong brake smell. Which pads were you using? Maybe you exceeded the temperature range for the pads and they lost a lot of friction.

It may be time to replace the front rotors, but I doubt the rears need it. Rear rotors typically last twice as long as the fronts. It's easy to measure them yourself with an inexpensive measuring caliper or micrometer.

FYI - the front rotors start out 28mm thick and should be replaced at 26mm. The rear rotors start at 24mm and should be replaced at 22mm.

If you drive your car hard (e.g. at the track) I would recommend that you stick with the standard rotors. I am very unhappy with the effect of the holes in my Boxster S rotors. They act like cheese graters and cause grooving of the pads and rotors. They also act as stress concentration points and promote cracking. I replace my rotors when the cracks from the outer holes reach the edge of the rotor. This occurs long before the rotor reaches it's wear limit.

If you aren't driving very hard, the drilled rotors probably won't crack but they will probably still form grooves.

Other than appearance, the only advantage of the holes is slightly better initial brake performance in the rain. However, in wet weather, tire traction is going to be a much bigger limitation than brake performance. Slotted rotors would provide the same benefits as "drilled" rotors without the cracking and grooving problems.

Cheers,

Kevin

Looking for some feedback on these types of rotors for my03 non-S...

I like the look of the drilled rotors and understand the additional benifits the holes provide, but would like to hear opinions on them all.

My plan would be to replace the pads (Mintex Red Box with sensors) and rotors at the same time.

Thanks, Al

You should focus on your hot pressures. I think something like 2.7 BAR (rear) and 2.5 BAR (front) would be a good goal when you come in from a session on the track. Figure that your pressure will increase on the track by 0.3 to 0.4 BAR to set your starting pressure at the beginning of the day. After that, just use the hot pressure to make adjustments and ignore the cold/warm pressure before you start a session. At the end of the day, let the car cool down, then set the pressures a little above your normal cold street pressures.

It sounds like you started out too high.

Cheers,

Kevin

Hi Jim,

What would constitute a "once over" on a Boxster engine which had been raced for a few years?

Thanks,

Kevin

The "switches and harnesses" are only required if you want to do the fancy (and very laborious) install which allows the valves on the bypass pipes to be controlled by the ECU. If this install is done, the ECU will close the bypass valves between 27 MPH and 42 MPH to make the exhaust quieter. This seems silly and is probably related to some quirk in how sound testing is done in certain countries. If the vacuum controls on the bypass valves are left unconnected, the valves stay open. This is one of the quieter "sport exhausts" so I doubt you will feel the need to operate it in the "quiet mode".

The simple install can be done as a DIY in a few hours.

...

This may be a really stupid question but..... Do you know if I can use a standard disc with the S rear calipers?

Thanks again for your help.

Duncan

The standard rotors are 4mm thinner than the S rotors, so it *might* be possible to "hyper-extend" the pistons of the S calipers with the standard rotor. (Probably only a problem if you foolishly manage to extend the pistons all the way to the rotor with no pad in place. I got away with this using S calipers and rotors. I wouldn't want to try it with thinner rotors.) The standard rotors are also smaller in diameter so the pads in S calipers would overhang the rotor. All this said, I know that folks have gotten away with simply moving standard Boxster front calipers to the rear, which is a pretty similar situation to putting rear Boxster S calipers on the rear of a standard Boxster.

The rear brakes are not prone to overheating, so the only reason to upgrade them would be to maintain similar front/rear bias. Brake torque is determined primarily by three factors: the "bite" of the pads, the size of the caliper pistons and the diameter of the rotor. I'm pretty sure Boxster S front pistons are the same size as those in the standard Boxster calipers. That means that the only factor giving you more bias to the front is the slightly larger diameter of the Boxster S rotor. I would probably just leave the rear brakes as they are and let your nice new big front brakes take a little higher percentage of the load.