c928jon

Thanks for that. I'm trying to enjoy it as best I can:-) It's strange how a car that is so similar can feel so different, I guess it's like you old jeans, they fit great because you've worn them in:-)

Hi all, I've just said goodbye to my 1998 c2, a sad day considering quite a lot of me went with it (fingernails, knuckles and hair) after fixing and changing many things. The sad day was made better by picking up my new (to me) 2004 c4s! It's quite funny, within a day I'm writing a post about newbie questions :) The exhaust tips are large and oval with a central pipe, same as std turbo I think. The center section is black, I was wondering if this black coating was a carbon build up or if the tips were painted that way as new? If it's carbon etc. then i'll polish them, if it's black then i'll paint them. Thanks

Hi The MAF will deteriorate as it ages, it can remain within parameters but still not be quite right. The signs are the rough idle and a feeling of low power at higher revs. In these cases cleaning works well, but not always! My experience was to clean the MAF and it felt like I had a new car. I then fitted a new one just to be on the safe side. John

Hi all, I'm nearing the end of a long handling saga! My 99c2 with m030 as standard was superb when I got it two years ago. I've put 60000miles on it since and the handling deteriorated to nearly unusable levels. I had hit a few holes in the road that were very harsh but nothing that you would think was out of the ordinary. I've had the car aligned on numerous occasions, it felt better for a few miles then all floaty again. The car felt loose in a straight line and when cornering would feel like a weight was shifting at the rear. Any bump or change in road surface would be awfull, the car would dive and bounce. The first thing was new dampers, then trackrod ends, then sway bar mounts and strut tops. All were a little worn and the car was stiffer afterwards, but the problems carried on. The car had been to three seperate mechanics, none could find anything wrong or loose. I was being told that it was me, even on the test drives no one could feel anything. I worry that many cars have simple problems that are thought of as being "normal" that are in fact worn components that lead to odd handling. The major problem I found was the rear link in the suspension, the one with the rear toe in adjustment. This component was moving in it's mounting, the bolt felt tight. This movement could only be felt with the damper and spring removed. Each time an alignment check was done the driving of the car onto the ramp settled the rear wheels and led the guages to show the rear tow in as being correct. Under driving conditions it was moving, changing the rear toe settings mid corner. Although not major movement, it led to increased understeer when the wheel was unloaded and very loose feelings on bumpy roads. With this major problem sorted that car handles very well in corners now, but still loose at speed. I'd taken apart each corner and checked each component in turn, everything was perfect. The only item unchecked was the steering rack, no play could be felt by the usual methods. wobbling wheels etc. I did manage to make a definate clunking noise by getting my unable assistant to turn the steering wheel, left and right, whilst pushing the rear edge of the wheel inboard. This in effect loaded the rack and showed something was wrong. I'm confident it's the mounts for the rack, i'm fitting them this week and hope that's the end of it all. My biggest concern is that cars that "don't feel right" are being dismisseed once the usual checks are done. If your car's handling has become worse with time don't put it down to "wear" Chances are something is loose somewhere, it's just very hard to find! I'm getting pretty well versed at finding things now, feel free to get a second opinion.

I've finished at last! I have had a persistent wandering problem for months now, new dampers, track rods and sway bar tie rods. It still wandered, it just didn't feel right, any slight change in road surface would make it feel awful. It felt like a large weight shifting around at the rear. I gave up after changing things and decided to strip the suspension off each corner until I found something, I just knew something was loose but I couldn't find anything and neither could three seperate dealers who I used for checking alignment after each part replacement. Tonight I have just done the last corner (why is it always the last one!) you couldn't feel any movement anywhere, i'd levered and pulled but it felt rock solid. Istripped the coil and damper out and felt some movement as soon as this was out. I tracked this to the rear link where it joined the body, at the rear camber adjuster. The bolts were tight but it still shifted, I removed the bolt and cleaned it, put it back together and it was fine! All this effort for a loose bolt, that said you'd never be able to find it without pulling the suspension apart! I guess this post is a cautionary one, don't overlook the simple things!

Hi, My alarm did just the same thing, when the system was checked it needed a new sounder according to the dealer. It's adjacent to the battery and only takes minutes to change. Simple John

Thanks for the TSB heads up. I'd pretty much followed your thought process and just changed the sway bar drop links and strut top today. I have found something a bit odd though. If you jack the right hand corner up the wheel is solid, you can't move it an inch upwards against the resistance of the suspension. You can on the left side. I originally thought this was a failed strut top bearing but it does the same with the new one fitted. I called my local specialist who had a boxster and 996 on his ramps and he checked both of them. You couldn't move anything. All I can think of now is the spring. The damper, top bearing and sway bar link are all new. I've got to wait for the spring to come from Germany, my car has green and white marked springs which aren't in stock in the UK. So next week i'll be under the wheel arch again. The car has 18inch Turbo look wheels, all OE fitment, 245 on the front from memory.

Hi All and Happy New Year. I'm just fishing for some help, i've had some problems with the car feeling very loose at the front end. I've had the car up in the air and done the usuall, hauling around with a big bar but the set up is so hard on these things I can't find anything. I changed the dampers as it looked like the left side was soft. This helped but didn't cure the problem totally then the shock failed again after 4000 miles.I'm just doing strut top mounts today but I couldn't feel any play in them before. Does anyone know of any common problems? My best description of the problem is that it feels like the left wheel is folding under when taking right hand bends, and then loose when driving straight. Any help would be much appreciated....I'm getting a bit lost. The car has been aligned properly, four times now, as well as my local specialist having a look over and not having a clue what the problem is, but driving the car and finding the same issues. The car is a 99 c2 manual with sports pack (MO30?) Thanks in advance

Mine did something very similar, not a tt though so may not be applicable, cam cover bolts leak and dripple drops of oil onto the exhaust. This may be the problem, have someone sit behind you at a junction and check if the smoke is coming from the tail pipe or the surrounding area! The oil seperator bellows fail as well and this leads to oil being drawn into the throttle body, same results! Good luck.

I found using a plumbing fitting, 3/4" BSP taper, I think, screwed gently into the plug tube gave a nice grip to remove it.

To be certain everything was clean i'd whip off the bumper cover, if it was pretty bad where you could reach it's likely that the worst of it is still there. The bumper cover comes off very easilly, I was amazed quite how easilly! I'm sure someone with the shop manuals can post the destructions

Hi all, I have heard reports of oiled type air filters causing contamination of the MAF, I know that once upon a time MAF sensors went through a heating cycle to "burn off" any contamination. I have no idea if they still do this? If this was the case then you could easily end up with a burnt on film from an oiled filter. Now here's where I'm guessing.... If you have a significant oil leak in the engine bay, RMS or such like, drips onto the exhaust (common from valve covers) this contaminated air would be drawn into the engine and could affect the MAF in the same way as an oiled filter. So to my question..How many of you have suffered a MAF faliure soon after an oil leak? I certainly did, mu RMS was pretty bad, I regularly had oil spots all over my rear bumper! John

I wonder if there is such a thing as a hypo car driac? The condensors sit in front of the radiators, I think you can get your hand through the openings in the front PU, although it may need a small child or trained monkey if you've got big hands.

My aircon has been making odd noises from the expansion valve lately which I assumed was a loss of refrigerant. When it was checked it was indeed low, I'd hoped it was just that a top up was required however over the next 8 weeks it lost most of it's charge. By using die and UV lamp I did eventually track the leak down, in my case the drivers side condenser. When I was looking for the leak I spoke to my local Porsche dealer, they pretty much assured me it would be a condenser that had rotted through due to the build up of leaves etc. I keep my car immaculate and thought that this was impossible. When I got in there I was amazed at the amount of damp leaves that had become a compressed mulch against the end of the condenser. This had caused the condenser to rust and fail. I'll certainly be adding cleaning of this area to my maintenance schedule and I suggest everyone does to avoid premature failure of expensive bits! Sorry if it sounds preachy :-)

Hi Just a quick though, has anyone in the Uk got an old bumper cover (front) for a 99 C2, possibly leftover after an upgrade? I was driving to the Goodwood festival of speed yesterday following one of our Max Power hooded bretheren that had decided to lower his unknown jellymold spaceship (going boom diddy boom) so far that when loaded up with a detention center day trip full, it scrapped on the ground. Not normally a problem however it ripped off the heatshield from his cat and sent it like a missile through the front nose of my car.... then clattering over the bonnet etc. F%^$ing Little Pr*&k !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Sorry for the rant! John