mcmike27

Armed with the parts information and knowing the service mgr at our local Porsche dealer has opened up a good dialog between myself and the dealer. When it comes to these types or standard maint issues I always point out that I understand what the 'book' says when it comes to labor and for some jobs it makes sense. On these types of occasions I have had some success in 'asking' for the actual time the tech spends in doing the repair and much to my surprise they have come way off the 'dealer' Porche book price. Not always but it doesnt hurt to ask. Also I have had great success in having parts conversations with the parts mgr in getting reduced prices far less than dealer 'list' prices. They run a seperate P/L and he would rather sell me the parts at a 10% over his cost markup than lose the business to Suncoast or some other place. it also doesnt hurt that I throw in a case of good german beer every Jan when I take the car in for its yearly inspection. That $35.00 investment has saved me $$$$. :)

You might also try this company http://www.exoticcartransport.com/ based in Orlando

Factory Porsche Parts, Tequipment and Selection (Boutique) All at Dealer Cost Plus 15% Handling and Shipping Cost -- No Sales Tax! Porsche Parts at Dealer Cost Phone: 1-800-346-0182 Email: porscheatcost@sunsetimports.com

Also try LA Dismantlers...they strip wrecks everyday. I have used them for several 'used' like new parts and have been very satisfied.

The mosfet is mfgd by International Rectifier which has been purchased by Vishay the mfg's p/n is IRFZ24N or IRFZ24NPBF they are approx $1.30 each from any of the online elect distributors, Avnet, Arrow, Digi-Key. The resistors are easily found at the same places.

They look great...I did mine last summer and after I applied the PORSCHE decal I used 2 coats of clear high temp spray from PEP boys to seal the decals onto the calipers paint.

Dale, our car which is a 98 Boxster lived many of it's early years in sunny So Cal so my wife's Uncle had the top almost always down like you describe. The only thing he did differently was to about once or twice a month put the top in up position for 2 or 3 days mainly when it was hot so he could run the A/C (which is also a good idea to lub the seals). The heat also allowed the top to expand and breathe. Also for extended periods in the 'down' position he would put a thin cotton towel between the plastic top in the 'fold' to keep the scratching to a min since the top still flexes and moves even in the closed position. It allowed the top to keep looking clean and scratch free for quite a long time. We also use the 'Plastix' both inside and out and that has made a huge difference in the suppleness of the plastic. Good luck m2

Our 98 986 just did the EXACT same thing.....I was not paying attention during a fill up and the shut off didnt work quite right and I had a very slight overfill. I drove home from the gas station and all was fine until the next morning and there is was CEL light and the P0446 code. I did as Jeff and you did...reset and it hasnt happened again. This was the second time it has occurred both after slightly overfilling the tank. Glad your was as easily fixed as mine. :)

I believe the correct answer is BOTH.....without that thick layer of padding and even with the top of the engine bay closed it's LOUD and it get's HOT. I have driven the car in both configurations with and without and with and without the engine cover on. BOTH were not very pleasant. it was only for a short time to do some 'listenting' I was glad when then the whole thing was put back together. Unless it's for weight reduction for racing I'd leave it.

This is a common issue and can be fixed with some velcro. Go to a craft store, Michaels, or a sewing store and purchase some black velcro tape. Cut 2 small sections the same width as the bottom of the deflector about 1'' in length. Attach one piece to the bottom of deflector on each side of the center 'nub' 1/2 way between the head rest hoop and the 'nub'. Attach the other piece in the same location to the roll bar section that matches the piece on the wind deflector. Also our 98 986 had one of the plastic black mesh pieces that sit in the roll bar headrest FLY off at highway speed. I was luck y and was able to recover it from the side of the road. I then used a long black zip tie tucked away in each corner to make sure this never happened again and unless you look closely you cant see the zip tie..not elegant but effective. Good luck

I agree the cable stop ajustment is out of whack. Thats why the top isnt cycling all the way to the end of it's travel and making you have to yank the latch closed. You can adjust those cables on each side. Located next to each tensioner cable is a screw. Loosen each side the same. When your sitting in the car and closing the top watch as it comes overheard and then stop it and eyeball the distance each side is away from the front top. If there is a noticeable difference adjust accordingly. You'll see the top 'extend' to reach the end positon and the TOP LIGHT will go out when it reaches the end of it's travel. Maurice is a great 'top' expert here and can answer any specific top operating issues. Good luck m2

Jon, adding the new cap is a good idea as it will eliminate the boil over and condensation that the old caps were prone to produce. I'm betting the system has a air bubble in it and needs to be bled. It's not a good idea to run the M96 engine with this condition as it can create a 'HOT' spot whereever the bubble (lack of coolant) is and cause allot of potential stress and damage. Follow Pedros instructions and be carefull when it's at operating temps. Down the road a good inexpensive upgrade is to install a 160 deg t-stat from L&N Eng and get a used Boxster 'S' type oil cooler from a salvage yard Porsche Dismantlers in LA is where I got mine. Get a new set of o-rings and when your doing the t-stat, or water pump you can do the oil cooler. It's twice as large as the stock unit and it's a direct bolt on. M2

Jon, welcome...what you are describing is not uncommon. If a certified Porsche shop did not do your coolant tank swap they most likely didnt use or pressure check/purge your total system. It can easily be fixed if you do not have any more leaks. There are several articles here on the subject. You most likely have a air bubble still in the system. If yes it will need to be bled. Here is one of the easiest ways to bleed the system without having to back to the dealer. http://www.pedrosgarage.com/Site_3/Install_3rd_Radiator_%26_Coolant_System_Bleeding_Instructions.html Scroll down to the part about bleeding the system it's pretty straight forward. Good luck m2

PJQ, here is how we drive ours around town and on the hwy... 0-20 in the development 1st and 2nd gear 3k to 4k rpms 25-40 2nd and 3rd gear about the same rpm's perhaps a but higer in 3rd 45 to 65 3rd and 4th gear...on our local highways I very seldom get into 5th gear and the rpms hum around 4 to 4.5k Above 75 and up that for 5ht gear and it drops down to about 3kish... Autocross 2nd gear 4k and up to the red line We shift in the 4k and up range after it is WARM.....occasionally I take it to the 6k limit with no issues never above as ours has 97k on the ODM. Drive it agressively :)

I ues the Rhino Ramps from Pep Boys but as an added safety measure I put 2 concrete cinder blocks 1 behind each wheel to hold them in place ad it adds an extra 1.5 feet of length in case you overshoot backing up. :)

Guy's another area to 'listen' to and our dealer found my 'mystery' rattle by putting the car on the lift and running it with an automotive stethascope to his ear found our rattle. It was some loose debris in the muffler being blown around under accleration. The solution short of a new muffler (ours is original to the car vintage 98 986) was to drive it 'aggressively' around a few corners and then the 'rust' ball re lodged in a baffle and pfffttttt the rattle was gone.

'Normal' for stop and go traffic on a 'warm' day would be for the temp guage to be at the 12:00 high position or just a tick above that..not much more and you should hear the front fans kick on when you are sitting in traffic. When you resume driving and get airflow over the front rads the temp should tic down to it's 'normal' hot position at right about 12:00 high. At highways cruising speeds it should tick down a bit more. I have installed a 160 t-stat that does help a bit with 'hot' weather stop and go driving. The car does still register right at the 12:00 high setting when I'm sitting. All the 160 t stat does is open up the system a bit sooner and keep the coolant flowing eariler. Also upgrading to the 'S' oil cooler is a great upgrade. It's almost double in size and can be obtained for $100.00 used. All you will need is new o rings and a coolant top off and pressure check. It's good to do the 160 deg t-stat and the bigger oil cooler at the same time. You mentioned that you were going to clean the front rads...this is a MUST DO if it has not been done for a long period of time. I did ours recently and you'd be amazed at to what gets in there and lodges between the two parts (A/C condenser and the rads). From what you describe yours is running as it should...check your coolant level to be sure all is well with the fluid level. Good luck m2

B, depending on what might have or what wasnt done at the 60k interval here are the items they will look at and replace: 1. Spark Plugs and possibly spark plug tubes dependent on your model year Do them yourself...save allot on labor 2. Drive belt Do this yourself save allot on labor 3. Fuel filter Messy and is best done with a lift but doable with jack stands or good ramps....allot of labor as well here 4. Brake fluid Every 2 to 3 years is best another dealer service...if you have the bleeder you can do it at home 5. Coolant was it done recently? Best done at the dealer unless you have the tool to do the pressure check but can be done at home 6. Oil and filter Do this yourself.....ramp or jack stands save allot on labor 7. Air filter Do this yourself 8. Cabin Filter Do this yourself 9. The dealer will check your brakes all around...rotors, pads, and sensors...this one could get pricey if you cant do them yourself. 10. Check the cabin drains for debris VERY VERY important...do this yourself. 11. Check the battery do a load test...buy a good but not expensive tester and load test the battery 12. Clean out the front radiators for debris...you'd be surprised what gets clogged in there...the front nose has to come off to do this 13. Windsheild wipers Do this yourself 14. Manual trans fluid 90k Tiptronics now if you have one 15. All hoses...coolant...A/C etc 16. Have them inspect the water pump for 'weeping' 17. Have them look at the cam cover for drips around the bolt holes/flanges and also the oil sump pan. 18. Have the top gone over to see that it working properly...a good cleaning and top treatment goes along way to keeping it in tip top shape. And the normal 'stuff' light bulbs....they will go over the suspension....steering rack....horn.... Thats a long list but it's a big milestone at 60k...since you are at 76k now would be a good time to have it looked over Total for all of this stuff could set you back in excess of 3k if they do it all...do allot yourself....have the dealer give you a list and estimate before they do any work Ask questions here there are number of great members who can help Good luck m2

DRIVE....DRIVE and drive it some more.....be smart....have fun...it's very hard to 'upset' a Boxster...but in the right application (cold tires) and a heavy foot you can make it squirley. The AX suggestion is a great one we love taking ours to them about 6 a year....and I swear the car smiles at me when I look at it after having AX'd it all day. Our was my wife's Uncles daily driver it's in our care now it has 97k on the ODO and it likes to be outside more than sitting in the garage. It was born with a pedigree to DRIVE....even our stock 98 986 with the 2.5L still 'purrrrsss' and dances when I ask it to 'GO'. I hate seeing all the 'pretty' obvious garage queens at lour local PCA club events....why own it if you arent going to enjoy it...if it's a vintage 356 or an exotic 911 I can understand that but the 'rank and file' cars even though super nice and pricey were made to DRIVE....if they werent they would be scale models and you could look at them all day in a nice dispaly case. Learn to to do the general maint and they are just like other cars. I'm still a bit intimidated to wrench on mine but the knowledge base on this and other forums will keep you going in the right direction and everyone is very very helpfull here. Have fun.... DRIVE m2

No worries...trust me the worst words you can hear in a similar situtation I had when doing a adjustment of the parking break were after I made a 'simple' mistake were " How much is that going to cost us" aahhhh music to my DIY ears...NOT... I had to replace the gasket on our 986...it's easy but messy...be prepaired for at least 1/2 qrt more of oil to come cascading out when you crack the gasket and the pan comes down. It's a large area and my drip pan is large but not that big. I got a large thick yard leaf bag and then got some cheap 1X2 ferring strip (or old 2x4) and made a square 'catch' basin to hold the extra oil. When I was done I had the oil in the bottom of the bag and then cut the center out and discarded it properly. I let mine sit ovenight in the garage as the seat on the sump cover and the seat on the bottom of the engine MUST MUST be clean...I wiped it down with rubbing alcohol and then bought 4 M6 bolts at Home depot and cut the heads off with my dremel and used them as guide pins when I put the pan back on. Loren is correct once applied you only have 5 min to get the pan on evenly...the guide bolts help allot. Evenly press the pan and hand tighten the bolts on with a drop of blue loctite. When they are all on use as Loren suggests a small accurate torque wrench. GO SLOW and tighten them like you would a wheel (alternating pattern) I let mine sit for about 2 hours before I refilled it and checked for leaks. Patience and CLEAN and it's easy...a bit messy but easy. Good luck m2

We just put a set on my wifes daily driver...now that being said it's an Acura TSX and in no way am I comparing it to your ride. They work great in ALL conditions and for the price provide a great value for a daily driver. They are quiet and handle well. Also her car ATE the Michellen tires that were on the car and they rode like a brick and were AWFULL in anything but a light drizzle... I would say for the money saved they would be a good choice. When we were over at our local Porsche/Audi dealer recently and I was walking around they were mounted on quite a few of the new Audi upper end sedans as OEM equipment. m2

I just did mine on our 98 986 95k miles. You are correct 6 screws and swaped out 10mins and they look allot better. :)

Saraf, depending on what 'parking' light you are asking about see below: If it is the side marker light in front on the front tires you do not need any special tools. It simply pulls away with a spring loaded clip from back to front. Once pulled away from the body panel the lamp and lamp socket are easily seen and the replacement of the bulb is very easy. If you are talking about the front lens assembly and one of the bulbs in that assembly then you need to get out your tool kit and find the little wrench with the pivot handle and pull back the front carpet liner. You will see black gromets and the gromet that has a mushroom top on it. This one is the access port for the lever that cam locks the light assem. You insert your wrench and rotate it until you hear a small 'pop' you will see the assem seperate from the front 1/4 panel...rotate the wrench a bit more and it will disengage from the rear most connector and then the whole assembly will slide out. You will see all of the access panels for all of the bulbls on the back side of the module. Be careful and and dont force any of the tabs or panels as they are subject to heat and can be easily broken if you are careless. Once you have swaped out the bulb that is out you will have to 'slide' the assembly back in. BE CAUTIOUS here....take a good look at how the light pod slides back on the black channel rails. MAKE SURE it is aligined properly as you will have to reseat the connector that is on the back of the light pod to the mating connector at the rear most portion of the inside assembly. Be VERY carefull again here and make sure it is aligined correctly. Then you use your wrench and rotate it back (only a little bit) until you hear the cam lock bumb push against the underside of the light assebmly. You will hear the 'pop' again. Make SURE it is properly seated and locked. You dont want to be driving down the street and hit the brakes and see your light assembly fly off the front of the car. Put the mushroom topped grommet back on and reinstall your carpet liner and your done. Once you do this 2 or 3 times it takes seconds to get the assembly out and back in. Just use patience the 1st time and look carefully and see how the assembly comes apart and goes back together. Also only replace the bulbs that are called out for the car...dont be tempted to put in brighter bulbs as they will discolor the inside of the lens. Regards, m2