Rapewta

I had to replace the water pump last year. I didn't do this at the time. I just drained a couple gals from the drain plug. Nice DIY. Will use this tutorial next time around. Thanks.

You are correct in that Rennlist isn't much for the DIY home mechanics. It is a greatsite for P-car owners but this site is the best place for learning how to fix your car.I have saved lots of time and money by being a contributing member, which reminds me...it is time to donate again. Thanks Loren.

Mine started acting up at around 75K.

I replaced it with a NAPA water pump that was not suggested. I have 86K now and the pump is hanging in there.

Someone on some forum said they took it out through the top. Wrong. Don't try it. Waste of time.

You have to remove a couple hoses underneath and drop it down.

For a first timer... it is not easy. One 15mm bolt (I think it is 15 mm, maybe smaller) is hard to get to and if you use a torque wrench, which I used, it gets tough.

The OEM gasket is not just for the pump alone. Don't get frustrated. Just put the new gasket over the razor thin

original gasket and all will be well.

Don't forget to use the proper coolant and your coolant light will come on for a while until you burp out all the air and keep adding coolant. Good Luck.

I have a Fluke 87 VOM that will read "series" DC current.

I also have an Ideal 61-702 that doesn't.

Shop technicians and avid home mechanics more than likely have meters that read DC amps.

You are right in that the cheap meters might not have that function.

That's all I was saying. If someone is going to go out and buy a meter, check that it will read DC ma's.

Just a friendly word of caution...

Most Volt-Ohm meters only provide an AC current reading function.

Not DC, which is what you will be monitoring.

I just replaced the battery in my 996. The cronic problem I had was that it would

take at least three or four tries to crank the engine over.

The battery just refused to charge past 52%. Everything worked fine but when the battery was required

to turn the engine over (the heaviest current draw by far), it barely succeeded.

The alternator was providing good charging voltage, so I just replaced the battery and it has been about a month now and it starts up on the first try every time. Good luck.

Well...

I replaced the hinge on the center console today.

After reading all that was available, I went with doing it without removing a lot of stuff like the TSB.

All done sitting in the back.

Not hard to do. You will have to take a hack saw blade and cut off the unbroken hinge collar, then file both spots till they are flat.

The U shaped rivet supports take a needle nose plier to put in place.

Knock the shaft out from right to left. Vacuum the aluminum curlies out after you do the drilling.

I changed my plugs at 70,000 miles (that is when I did the 60K maintenance).

I put in BERU Z129's and they are great plugs.

The spark plug has no moving parts so I don't understand the logic behind changing them every four years.

It is how many times the plugs have "fired".

If your car is in a good state of tune, time means nothing for plugs. It is the amount of miles you put

on the car. Of course, that is my unscientific logic. If Porsche says every four years... you can't do no harm replacing them. Mine will get replaced again at 140K.

I can't second guess Porsche engineering. They say Mobil 1 0W-40 and that is all I have used.

Changed the oil and filter yesterday. Purolator L25316 filter and I buy the 5.1 quart containers @ 2.

They are $40.00 each, so you save a little from buying quarts.

Take the old filter and cut in half. Check for any small metal debris. So far, so good. 85,000 miles.

I just ordered the repair kit today. Thank goodness for the DIY tutorials.

I guess I will look into replacing it. Funny tho... the molding acts like it is shrinking. It is pulling out at the corners.

I got bigger fish-to-fry now. The drivers' side window regulator went on the fritz yesterday.

Sshhhh....what's next?

I have a great 996 C2 coupe. It is getting old and I drive it every day. My problem is that the

rubber weather stripping going around the rear window has started to lift on the passernger side.

I really don't want any water getting underneath it.

I would like to figure out a way to put some form of adheasive in there and apply some weight on it so it will go back flat. I don't know... it looks like some kind of needle syringe with some glue would do the trick. The stripping is in great shape.

Any suggestions from past experiences? Thanks in advance.

Like I stated... I didn't have the funds to get a $300.00 OEM so I put in the NAPA one.

Now I have the money, so at the first sign of the rebuilt going out, I will install an OEM.

However... the rebuilt pump (plastic) is still running smooth and I will just wait until it goes south on me.

I kept the original OEM water pump because they offered me $4.00 for the exchange. To bad I couldn't rebuild it

myself. Can I?

I am curious to know what the line (graduation) between 180 and 250 is in degrees.

My 996 has never gotten to the middle line. I don't think anything to the left of that line would be

considered "over heating." Water boils at 212 deg f and under pressure even higher.

My pump started making some noise at 75K. I didn't know where the noise was coming from but

new I had a problem. After around one week, I took it to an independant Porsche mechanic

and it was dianosed.

I replaced the pump myself and it was not an easy job for a first timer.

I suggest you go ahead and replace it with the milage you have. Don't wait like I did.

If you are so inclined... You can buy a refurbished one at NAPA for one half the price of an

OEM pump. I did that after it was suggested that I don't because they don't last.

It was about economics. 4K later.... it is still working fine.

Don't attempt to remove the pump through the top.

It comes out through the bottom.

A great video is here on the site for the DIY.

I think if you look at the 60K schedule you might see that spark plugs should be changed. I did mine at 70K and they needed it. If your 996 is running fine with all the required work done as scheduled...

then 60,000 miles or more is fine.

Remove the exhaust system and have the wheels off. Very easy at that point.

Check out the DIY on this web site and it is not a difficult task.

When I replaced the original plugs at 70K miles, I put in BERU Z129's. I did not gap them. I just replaced the tubes and and plugs and after 8k miles the car still performs great. If I go another 50K on this motor, I will replace them with the same.

Good news!

Thanks for the information.

BTW... the Carrera has now become my daily driver. We gave my daughter the Volvo 850 T5 last month after she

destroyed her VW.

Probably in March I will pick up another used 850. The dog loves the Volvos and all my band equipment and all the softball equipment.

The wife has a nice SUV and I hate using it for hauling all my cruddy stuff, scratching up the interior, etc.

I have no smoke at all, ever coming out of the exhaust. I have no drips on the floor. No oil in the

coolant. No oil smell but between 3k and 4k I am adding oil. I dont get it because I don't understand

how the engine is dirfferent than all the other cars (V8's) I have owned. I have had many cars that

went 5,000 miles between oil changes and never had to add. I know it is normal from the owner's

manual but what's going on?

I just went and got another quart of oil today because the dipstick went from full to 1/2 in three K.

The car is super and I am thinking that it might not be a good thing to keep the oil full on the dipstick.

Where is it going? Thanks in advance. Don

My 996 uses around 1 quart per 3,500 miles. The digital dash graph always shows less oil than what is on the dipstick. I use the dipstick for accuracy. Two independant Porsche repair shops in Sacramento that can help are Shatz & Crumb and Frank's Automotive.

I just had a similiar condition and really thought it was an internal knock. It turned out to be a water pump going bad.

I drove it for a few days after first noticing the sound. No CEL. Took it to a independant Porsche repair shop for

a diagnosis. The mechanic called, told me it was the pump. I drove it home and replaced the pump. The marbles in the dryer and knocking sound went away. I hope your problem is this easy. Good luck.

Loren... thank you for your help. I really needed it. I get confused eaisly. You make repairs not so hard.

Thank you. Don Steiner

I am so glad I found this thread. My symptoms would not be solved by just replacing the ignition switch. I have the

switch, part # 100 905 0000. Ref. No. 4A0 905 849 B. I am going to purchase the whole cylinder lock assembly and use

this DIY tutorial. Great write-up!

Logray...

I have the switch. I just can't get the rotary light switch to release. (that tab at six o'clock.)

I can replace the $15.00 ignition switch, which I have when I get the left vent removed. I can't do it without removing the vent so I have access. Like I said, Hokey, but for now I know why the wipers, etc.

quit working. A weak spring in the assembly I assume.

I really need the technicians' shop manual. Are the ones advertised on-line in CD format complete relacements for the manuals? The car is showing it's age and I would like to try to do as much repairs

as possible.

Check this out all of you that can't figure out why the fan control, wipers and low beams quit working. Yes, it is a worn out ignition switch but you are still in the running mode. Why? Because the ignition switch has three positions... 0, 1 and 2.

OK.... You start the car by going to position 2 and then the spring loaded switch springs back to 1. Well... what was happening

with my old ignition switch was that it would spring back to 1 only 3/4 of the way. My fan, wipers and low beams would not work.

The fix (temporary) is that once you start the car and release the ignition switch that should spring back to position 1 well it doesn't quite get there. Grab the key and move it about 1/16 of and inch counter clockwise and bingo... the fan starts running, the wipers work and the head lights work. I don't have the shop manual but try it and it will until you replace the switch.... you are up and running. Hokey but effective.

I finally got around to attempting the ignition switch replacement. I was having intermittent low beams, wipers and ac/heat fan control. I threw in the towel. First, I couldn't release the tab at 6 o'clock on the rotorary light switch. I was planning on removing the

side vent panel.

So then after becoming Gumby, contorted on my back with the ignition switch in my face after I removed the plastic vent tube, I realized I wasn't going to break through the red paint on the set screws. I am an old man with bad eyes and sore joints so off to the

independant repairman it goes. It sucks getting old but I love the car.