Ubermensch

The best sway bars to use are GT3 (with modified or aftermarket end links) or H&R's.

What is your comment based on?

I say paranoia. As the coolant gets hot and cold its losing small amounts in the form of vapor.

Under NO circumstances should you lose ANY coolant if the system is functioning properly. It is a sealed system and short of a leak or substantial overheating, no coolant will ever be lossed. Evaporation cannot occur in a vacuum.

The first part of your statement is correct, but please don't tell people that evaporation cannot occur in a vacuum. That's just plain wrong. Lower pressure (vacuum) actually helps fluids vaporize. Of course I'm not sure what that has to do with this conversation since the coolant system isn't under vacuum, it's either at atmospheric pressure or it's pressurized.

My guess is that you either have a small leak in your system as described by others, or you're seeing the natural expansion and contraction of the fluid due to temperature variations. That's the whole point of the expansion tank (to coolant excess fluid the system can't handle when it warms up).

Shawn

In order to have a static vacuum, you must have a completely leak free environment. You cannot leak, or otherwise loose substance in a system that is air tight. This has absolutely nothing to do with vaporization which does not result in an unrecoverable loss of coolant in a closed system.

Sounds like we agree.

S.

I say paranoia. As the coolant gets hot and cold its losing small amounts in the form of vapor.

Under NO circumstances should you lose ANY coolant if the system is functioning properly. It is a sealed system and short of a leak or substantial overheating, no coolant will ever be lossed. Evaporation cannot occur in a vacuum.

The first part of your statement is correct, but please don't tell people that evaporation cannot occur in a vacuum. That's just plain wrong. Lower pressure (vacuum) actually helps fluids vaporize. Of course I'm not sure what that has to do with this conversation since the coolant system isn't under vacuum, it's either at atmospheric pressure or it's pressurized.

My guess is that you either have a small leak in your system as described by others, or you're seeing the natural expansion and contraction of the fluid due to temperature variations. That's the whole point of the expansion tank (to coolant excess fluid the system can't handle when it warms up).

Shawn

I believe that this is coming from a leaking battery. I will pull the battery and replace it, but am hoping that someone can give me a pointer on neutralizing the acid (something better than baking soda) and cleaning up the mess that is in there.

I'd also like to know if anyone else has or had a similar issue.

Thanks,

Andy

p.s. I should mention that this is a 2000 996 Cabrio. 6 speed tranny and US.

If it really is leaking battery acid then baking soda is pretty much the best/safest thing to use. Stronger alkaline materials are probably over kill and can be dangerous to handle.

Yeah, if the old cap wasn't leaking then it might be worth a try. I guess you might have a bad new cap?

Should the "00" caps be replaced even if there's no problem with coolant leakage. Does the new cap prevent damage to the reservoir?

Shawn

The closest thing I'm aware of is:

http://www.renntech.org/forums/index.php?a...mp;code=carrera

I'm going to take the plunge and change my brake fluid for the first time. I've read the instructions posted here and have a couple of questions.

1. Do I just loosen the bleeding screws with a metric socket wrench?

2. How long a bleed tube do I need, and what diameter (1/4", etc.)?

3. If I want to get someone to bleed the brakes using the brake pedal, at what stage do I do that? Any other tips?

Also, do I really need to even do this? My car is 5 years old, but with only 4,800 miles. The brake pressure feels very solid, and the brake fluid, visible through the brake reservoir look perfectly clear and amber.

1. A flare nut wrench is preferred to avoid rounding, but a standard wrench will work fine. You can't use a socket.

2. I'm not certain on the diameter, but the length is just a convenience issue. You want it long enough to reach into your drain container conveniently and not flip out and splash corrosive fluid on your or your paint.

3. This question makes me think you don't understand the process very well....if you're using a pressurized system (recommended by Porsche, e.g. motive) then you don't need to touch the brake pedal. If you're using the braking system itself to generate the pressure then your assistant will need to operate the pedal during the entire operation (press pedal, open bleed screw, close bleed screw, release pedal, repeat).

Brake fluid is hygroscopic and absorbs moisture as a function of time. The moisture deteriotes the performance and possibly the hardware of the braking system. The recommendend replacement interval is 2 years, so yes, you need to do it.

Shawn

Pro: Inexpensive, reasonable traction, decent wear

Con: You can get better traction if you're willing to pay more.

I've run them on previous cars making more power than my Porsche and liked them quite a bit. A few years a go I switched to Yokohama EVS100's and have preferred those to the Sumi's for only a couple of dollars more.

Motorcycles use exaust wrap tape to increase performance and control heat. I've not used it on any of my Porsches.

But, like the above post, I'm interest in whether anyone has tried exhaust wrap tape, and what their take on it was. Did it increase performance? How much cooler was the engine compartment? Was it worth it?

I'm not sure you'll gain much power if any from this, but if you do decide to go with thermal insulation I'd suggest you look into coatings rather than wraps. Wraps tend to trap moisture and result in rust issues in the wrapped areas. There are plenty of well respected coating companies that specialize in this sort of thing. I would imagine the biggest benefit would be to protect the surrounding components (especially plastic parts like the ignition coils) from the heat and subsequent failures.

Shawn

Took it to the dealer on Saturday. Leaking camshaft housing seal. Supposed to be ready by end of day today, but still unsure if the extended warranty will cover totally (they need to remove some seized exhaust header bolts and apparently warranties tend not to cover that)

If the repair is covered then removal of bolts to make the repair should be covered. That's the craziest things I've heard in while.

You need to identify the cause of the problem (most likely bent suspension component or frame damage) and rectify the problem. If you have a bent component no amount of fiddling with the alignment is going to solve the problem.

Shawn

O.K. Just got some new Falken Azenis RT-615 tires on the car. Had it re aligned (numbers were WAY off spec) and all is within the ROW M030 alignment spec chart I have (see attached) EXCEPT for the front camber. On the left side, the minimum I could get was -1 degree and on the right it was -0.46 degrees. Would this difference cause the car to switch from one lane to the next in 5 seconds at 60 mph? Should I match the front cambers on either side even if its off factory spec? Reason why I could not get more positive camber is that I learned the car was in an accident (I learned this AFTER I got the car :cursing: :cursing: :censored: :censored: ) So, would matching the front negative cambers solve my pulling to the right issue? For those interested, here are my final alignment specs:

FRONT LEFT: Caster 7, Camber -1, Toe .03

FRONT RIGHT: Caster 6.54, Camber -.46, Toe .03

REAR LEFT: Camber -1.24, Toe .06

REAR RIGHT: Camber -1.18, Toe .06

On research that I have done, apparently the caster is non adjustable on these cars (particularly in the front). <_<

Mine does have factory M030 ROW suspension on it. Even though it pulls to the right, I can tell that these new tires are awesome :jump: :jump:

1998 Carrera 2 RoW, Coupe, 6 Speed

Although I have no data on a 996, in the past I tested a K&N against a Amsoil performance filter on the dyno. Car was a 1994 Toyota Supra making ~330 at the wheels. The K&N showed a 10 hp increase over the Amsoil in back to back testing. I also performed oil analysis to confirm that adequate filtration was occuring. The the contaminant levels were fine, and at 206,000 miles when the car was total it still ran like it was new and had great compression.

I never had issues with the MAF on that vehicle, but I understand the Denso MAFs are more tolerant of contamination than the Bosch units.

Mobil 1 15W50 EP exceeds the API classification required in the Porsche owners manual - you are good to go.

Used it in our 911 for 2 years - all is well.

Did you modify your drain interval length, or keep it the same when you moved to EP?

One suggestion that had me spooked involved drilling a hole in the head and mesuring the hydrocarbons. That doesn't sound so great....

Hopefully you misunderstood and they want to drill and tap a hole in your exhaust to measure the A/F ratio on a wideband sensor to understand the mix ratio. I've never heard of drilling a hole in the head of an engine to measure fuel or exhaust gas ratios....

I'm not a huge fan of compression tests, when leak-down tests are much more informative. I'd suggest you have the shop perform the leakdown and this will help identify and defects in the block, rings, or valves.

Also, compare the plugs in the cylinder that reports a misfire and see if it's running lean or rich relative to the other cylinders.

Shawn

Okay, after reading the manual more closely it answered my question. The additional work of driving the booster pump while bleeding is only necessary when removing air from the system. Simply flushing the fluid does not require this step.

If I do not have access to the PST and therefore cannot flush the lines to the traction control system, should I bother flushing the brakes. I'm trying to understand the relative volume of and importance of these lines. If their 1% of the system volume I'm not too concerned and would go ahead and flush the system. If they're 25% I'd take it to the dealer or and indy to take care of things. I'm about to do a DE and want to make sure my system is up to par.

The factory service manual (for the 986) only seems to recommend using the PST2 when something major (like the master cylinder) has been replaced. Otherwise, they just describe a normal procedure using a pressure bleeder. I can't tell you how much volume you're missing, but I know I wouldn't worry about it. The fluid you really need to worry about is the stuff that's in the calipers which has been abused by heat.

Thanks I guess this is then for the coupe with 6 speed and will not fit my CAB with 6 speed, that stinks!

Thanks

Derek

I happen to have an 01 C4 Coupe 6speed...mind passing the deal on? Will shipping eat up any savings?

Well, I learned that the creaking noise in the rear of my car required the replacement of both control arms. I lost the debate as to whether it should be covered on my extended warranty and to add to that, they found a nail in my new rear tire. The control arms on my 2000 C4 with 70,000 kms have now all been replaced due to wear. The fronts under warranty last fall, just after I bought it.

I go to pick up the car today and they can't find my key.....anywhere. While I'm standing there with my dealer, I notice the license plate in the front is a little crooked. I notice the car is a little dirty around the wheel wells too. I go home, get my spare bring the car home.

I discover someone bumped the front, pierced the bumper, bent the housing clip that holds the license and the car has been splattered with what looks to be cement. I was none too pleased. Took it back, pointed it out, was asked to come back Monday. Not wanting to let the cement cure further, I took it home and 7 hours later got it clean. The car was driven when the street around the dealer was being washed. The cement dust from the new sidewalk, combined with the water made....cement... that got on the car. For those of you who get this on your car, act fast. Use warm soapy water, some very good wax/polish - I used Meguiars ScratchX - and get scrubbing. It's the toughest thing I've ever had to get off.

Sorry to hear about your troubles. I don't want to digress too much but do you mind sharing what part was defective on the control arm? I'm having similar issues on an identical car (model and miles). Was it the bushing or the boot that went bad?

If I do not have access to the PST and therefore cannot flush the lines to the traction control system, should I bother flushing the brakes. I'm trying to understand the relative volume of and importance of these lines. If their 1% of the system volume I'm not too concerned and would go ahead and flush the system. If they're 25% I'd take it to the dealer or and indy to take care of things. I'm about to do a DE and want to make sure my system is up to par.

Thanks, Shawn.

PS--I started looking that PSM connector pin assignments but I don't have the time to fool around with trying to trick the system into operating at the moment. I heard one suggestion of running the car while on jack stands so the PSM system see's slippage and operates. Thoughts on that?

I've got a good amount of wind noise at highway speeds around the driver side A-pillar. There doesn't appear to be any damage to the door/window seal, and applying a small amount of vaseline in the area didn't resolve the noise. Is there something else I should consider before ordering a new door seal?

Thanks,

Shawn

I have a 2002 c4s coupe with the same noise you are talking about. It has to be the seal. For when the noise starts (and it is annoying) I can push against the window to break the seal even more and this changes the sound. Is there a way for the window to be tighter against the seal when the door is closed. It comes and goes depending on speed and which way the crosswind is blowing.

soutahc4s

I recieved a PM from a member a few days ago describing having the same problem. It was resolved by his mechanic adding some shims at the A-pillar to get a tighter seal between the window and the weather strip. I'm going to look into this, but i haven't had time yet.

PS-Folding the mirror had no effect.

If ebay has taught me anything it's that people will buy anything. You just have to price it appropriately. Take a look at past sales for the items you're interested in selling to understand the market and price appropriately. They'll sell.

Blaupunkt stereos have the correct pin configuration from the factory. You can just plug them right in (at least my recent purchase was). I actually wanted to use something else but I couldn't find the harness or pins to create my own harness so I went Blaupunkt. The only thing I needed was an adapter for the antenna and Best Buy had that in stock.

Shawn

Hello,

I am replacing the becker CDR-220 (the CD section has stopped working) with a blaupunkt long beach 35 dvd-radio.

I have upgraded a becker unit before in my boxster, but I have seen (read) people talking about wiring harnesses that plug into the car's wiring harness so you don't have to chop up the in-car harness when replacing the unit. (I will keep the CDR-220 so that the next owner can repair and retrofit if they wish).

I thought that Crutchfield audio was mentioned, but I e-mailed them and they didn't know what I was talking about.

Can anyone point me to a source of either an upgrade harness or a source of the connectors so I can fabricate my own harness? (I know all the pin assignments and what they do).

I understand that the connectors are a standard type, but I haven't had much luck finding them and the Australian becker distributor doesn't carry them.

(BTW I chose the Blaupunkt cause it's the neatest looking unit I could find, plus it has 4 pre-outs at 4V. My car is a 99 996 cabrio with the M460 amp and speakers and I wanted to retain as much of the OEM system as possible.)

Thanks for any assistance.

Darrin

there was a posting recently somewhere about this & the guy said he put tape around the mirror & it cured it. something to do with a seal behind the mirror,

ill try a bit of tape..it is difinately coming directly from the mirror area

thanks

I'll check out the mirror area, I've been questioning whether it might be the culprit but it looks fine. I'll try folding it and applying some tape. I have noticed the tone of the noise changes when I open the roof or change the airflow in the car so I assumed it was a seal issue.

How well does the windor seal against the a pillar? Is any of the door seal misplaced? Does the window rattle?

No rattle from the window, it seems very solid. The window appears (visually) to seal well against the pillar. How do I judge if the seal is misplaced? By the way this is a C4 couple in case it matters (just so nobody thinks I'm talking about a cab).

I've got a good amount of wind noise at highway speeds around the driver side A-pillar. There doesn't appear to be any damage to the door/window seal, and applying a small amount of vaseline in the area didn't resolve the noise. Is there something else I should consider before ordering a new door seal?

Thanks,

Shawn