Alfieboy

Hello all: I have tried searching the forum posts on identifying symptoms for the IMS issue, unsuccessfully, as I have a new intermittent condition that showed its ugly head while driving today. Loren, the search feature of the site seems hit and miss, sometimes returns 0 results, but resend seems to get them. I tried search IMS issues, IMS bearing, Death Rattle, etc. but I am not getting anything significant in the search results. I have an issue that started this morning (cold start) and re-occured in my evening commute (cold start). When the car gets to around 3,000 RPMs, it begins to shake and vibrate like it has a steering or dented alloy wheel issue, easing off the accelerator cures the problem and pushing the accelerator down hard again sees the problem return intermittently. Was unable to reproduce the problem after stopping briefly in town, though I could not go as fast as I could when I felt the more exaggerated vibrations and shaking on the highway. Steering wheels also squeaks when I turn it, though could be unrelated. Can anyone help me understand the tell-tale symptoms of IMS issues, or provide any insight into what this might be? Car has a platinum warranty through Carfax. Thanks, Alf

For what's it's worth, here's my two cents on what should be a lifelong memory for your son (wish my folks would have had the means and the foresight), 1) Fear of total engine failure (too much reading about IMS/RMS issues?) - MY FEARS HAVE YET TO BE REALIZED IN THIS REGARD, THERE SEEMS TO BE NO WAY OF KNOWING IF THE CAR YOU BUY WILL BE AFFECTED THOUGH THERE ARE PRECAUTIONARY 2) Should we focus more on lower miles or later year...e.g. is a 2003 with 65,000 miles better than a 1999 with 30,000 miles or vice versa? - BETTER TO KNOW THE HISTORY OF THE CAR THAN THE MILEAGE, IN MY OPINION. 65,000 HIGHWAY MILES IS BETTER THAN 30,000 WHERE 5,000 ARE TRACK MILES. 3) What about Cabriolet versus Coupe (remember...never going to be garaged...also, is one safer than the other)? - I DON'T HAVE A GARAGE EITHER, BUT I DID INVEST IN A HARDTOP OFF OF EBAY AND I DO PUT A COVER ON FOR STORMS AND SNOWFALL. THE CABRIOLET BRINGS WITH IT ADDITIONAL COOL FACTOR FOR THE SUMMER MONTHS, BUT WITH IT A MAINTENANCE OVERHEAD. 4) Interior color...does it matter...my son likes black? - GREY OR BLACK STAND THE TEST OF TIME, SOME OF THE REDS AND BROWNS LOOK CRAPPY ON THE OLDER CARS 5) What am I missing...what should we be considering? 3 THINGS: - ADVANCED DRIVING COURSE FOR THE YOUNG MAN, THERE'S ONLY SO MUCH THE ENGINEERING ON THE PORSCHE THAT CAN GET HIS *** OUT OF PUSHING HIS DRIVING CAPABILITIES! - REGULAR REMINDERS IN THE FIRST 6 MONTHS HIM HOW EXCEPTIONALLY LUCKY HE IS AND WITH THAT COMES RESPONSIBILITY. - A BETTER STEREO SYSTEM, OR MODIFICATION TO UTILIZE iPod

If you have to consistently add fluid, I'd say you def have a case of losing fluid somehow and somewhere. My C4 cab has had one fluid top up in several years. It's not supposed to eat through fluid that easily. Do you see any fluid sitting under the hydraulic fluid chamber, or maybe even on your driveway or garage floor?

Just be sure to put some kitchen towel under the hydraluic fluid intake in case you spill a little and try not to lean on the insulation under the cab's metal housing, as it is very easy to disturb it and cause a tear. It's tricky, but I did it easily enough and I am in no way handy.

It's a personal thing, so it's hard for anyone here to offer advice against what are two very nice cars in their own right. I ultimately chose the C4 Cab (it didn't have a hardtop, so I bought one off of eBay and had it resprayed to match), as I wanted a daily driver and it allows me to have all-wheel drive in the winter months and top-down driving in the late Spring, Summer & Fall. I'd say get in one of them, before you miss out on any more driving ;-)

Why do you care if it's obvious you have a radar detector? Is TX one of the states like Virginia, where they are illegal? I sport mine proudly in NJ.

I didn't, I had Becker Autsound do it for me as they are very close to where I live in work in New Jersey, USA. I would recommend you pinging them an email or giving them a call, as they remarked to me that it is unusual for them to see a customer directly as most of their clients are handled by mail order and they ship instructions with the cabling and connectors.

I've seen on here folks claiming they left an impression on the rear body that supports the weight of the hardtop. I turn it as hard as possible and have never had an issue, just passing on the comments I saw from others. Probably has more to do with the rubber lining condition in my opinion. As regards connecting the rear heater, I read this on another thread by member JeTexas that you can find by searching on 'rear heated hard top'.: There's a plastic ring on the driver's side mount with two wires that lead to a metal contact patch on the ring. There's also two wires on the top. You have to have contact on that ring for the electrical signal to the rear window defroster to work. Unfortunately, those rings get brittle and tend to snap into pieces. I lost mine last year. The ring isn't sold separately, so to fix it you have to buy an entirely new driver's side mount -- or clip the wires at both the top and the mount and splice them into a butt connecter, so that you can just put the top on and then plug in the wires. Hope this helps. -Alf

My conv top operates while driving. Note to oneself, when driving at speeds in excess of 50mph, do not operate the convertible top as it acts like a scoop for the on rushing air and renders the vehicle unstable ;-)

Dharn55 is the tops for tops. The fact you got a threaded hardtop is a bonus, as the annual fitting of the hardtop is something to behold as you tweak and adjust, tweak and adjust so the windows track up and down properly, minimize squeaks, etc. Dont forget three really important things. 1. Connect the heated rear window before you drop it, or you have to lift it off again. 2. don't tighten it down so hard that you leave a mark on the back of the car. and finally, 3. always put the hardtop on lifting it over the rear of the car and moving it in place going forwards from there. You may need the kit, as previously suggested, but it's worth it. Just try not to do what I did (and do) and scratch the hard top each time it comes on and off and goes to and from its storage - it's big, it's heavy and it's easily marked if you rest it down, catch a doorframe, etc. Oh, and if you're thinking the hard top looks odd when you first put it on, drive past a store with dark windows and seen how nice it looks, instantly forget the difference between the hard and soft top.

In the DIY Section immediatly below this there is a definitive guide for removing the dash.

If I had a dollar for every time I got paranoid and sniffed around the back of my 996, I'd be driving a twin turbo. I've sniffed others too, which got me some questions from another 996 owner, who laughed it off as he's always experienced the smell too. Bottom line, it seems to be normal.

The very excellent folks at Becker Autosound in Saddle Brook, New Jersey, have devised a relatively low-cost work around for the CDR23 Factory CD & Radio to be able to accept input from the iPod or other similar MP3 device. Essentially, they make use of FM port on the rear of the stereo when the iPod or other device is used, cutting out the FM when you plug into the Aux jack and cutting back to the FM when you take the Aux out. You need a jack to jack cable, Becker supplied this, as the input works through the headphone output jack of the iPod and into the Aux jack. With the guys at Becker Autosound's help, I was able to get a really tight implementation with no loose hanging wires, through making use of one of my dummy switches on the dashboard. I have a CDR23 in my 2003 Carrera4 Cabriolet, but I understand that they can also facilitate this via the CDR220 and 4602 models, albeit a slightly different method of connecting to the unit as the CDR23 uses fiber optics. I bought the stereo removal keys from Becker also, cheap as chips but useful for the future. To get the console cover off was easy, put your fingers at the top and pull it gently towards you and it will come off fairly easily (don't force it, it'll come). You have to disconnect the PSM connector and the connector for the wiper control, to get sufficient access to the dummy switches The dummy switches come out easier than they go in, where to put them back in place you need to snap the top in first or it'll never sit straight (we played with this several times before we got it right). It was easy to thread the new cable Becker Autosound attached to the back of my CDR23 stereo unit, but I wanted a really nice-looking implementation, so we removed one of the dummy switches and drilled a hole in it to accomomdate the Aux jack input. We chose to do it on the right side of the swtich, so that it mimicked the placement of the lights on such switches and therefore would be least disruptive aesthetically. The switch is curved, both front and back, so a little shaving had to be done to the back of the switch to get the Aux jack to be level in its new housing, but it really wasn't a big deal. As the switches fit from under the cover, you can do the fiddly part of attaching the Aux Jack input and screwing it in place before putting the switch back and replacing the console cover - remember the switch is sanpped back in place top first, so it sits straight. We think we got a really tight integration that has enabled me to keep the authentic factory stereo in the car. Attached are the pics of the finished result. Fortunately, I live and work close to the Becker Autosound facility, but you should feel free to reach out to the guys at Becker Autosound too, very knowledgeable and extremely helpful - http://www.beckerautosound.com/ Hope this helps someone. Let me know if you have any questions or want to see more pics. Cheers, Alf

It certainly doesn't do any harm, which is why I'm gonna do it every 6 months going forward (Spring and Fall (Autumn)) and if you do happen to have some carbon build up in the throttle body you'll definitely notice the difference. Idle's MUCH better, as well as the noticeable difference in pick up.

What's the technique for getting the rubber nut in place in the first place? I've dropped it through 4-5 times now. Tricky little fella, at least for someone 6'2" 220lbs with fat fingers.

I just followed the great throttle body cleaning guide in the DIY forum. I should have done this a few weeks back, when I replaced the MAF and had the throttle body easily at hand - but I didn't see the DIY for this until yesterday. Went to autozone and bought some carb cleaner, hauled out the MAF again (there's only one bolt, the MAF sensor, a couple of cable holders for the MAF sensor, and the oil filler tube to negotiate - it's 3 mins for a novice going carefully). Got to the throttle body and boy it was dirty once I got a look by opening the butterfly with my fingers. Squirted in a good load of carb cleaner, wiped it out, squirted in some more and gave the inner body and the rim of the butterfly a good cleaning. A ton of dark carbon build up was in there. Went for a trip down the road and VOILA!....a noticeable difference already. You have got to do this!

Thanks, I also meant Mass - not sure why I wrote Master.Too many acronyms, not enough brain power.

Yes, and that answers my question - I have manual transmission. Thank you!

Just followed the very excellent DIY guide on how to replace the MAF. If you follow the tutorial: http://www.renntech.org/forums/index.php?/tutorials/article/52-air-filter-change-instructions/ It mentions a suck jet pump connection, which is not present on earlier cars. My question is this a DIY for air filters on all recent 911s (996 & 997)? As I own a 2003 C4 Cab and I have no such connection. As I am a late 996 model, I wondered if this is something I might have overlooked (but can't see how, I don't have suck jet pump connector like that which is shown in the diagram). Thanks in advance!

Thank you, much appreciated.

Thank you, this is very, very, helpful. When you say grease, any specific products? With so much cab top material exposed to the inner workings, I'd hate to apply something that stains the cab top fabric.

Excellent news! You're in the same s*!t as me :P There's always something with the hardtop, the **** window is a pain and intermittment at best. Like I said, it's all down to the hardtop adjustment. Beginning to understand why people don't bother with them, but I live in the NorthEast and so prefer to live with a little idiosynchrocy and have the cab top stored for the winter.

Thanks Loren, I went with Flagman's mod - seemed the path to least amount of headaches in the future.

.........retracted my dealer bashing, re reply above. I became a pragmatist when I passed 40 :-)

Thank you, Loren - much appreciated! Just getting the hang of this DIY stuff - also found that the internal front drainage holes were blocked, god knows how long it had been since they were cleaned out, full of muck and leaf parts.