986volante

Here are the last two photos - had to attach them on a separate post due to size

I'll be doing the pushrod end caps tomorrow and don't anticipate any problems with that......... I've tried adjusting the eccentric screw on the clamshell slider rail and it does appear to move correctly - I can definitely see it moving the clamshell backwards and forwards slightly. Unfortunately that's not the issue or the answer though - as I need a sideways adjustment. I've attached two photos of the clamshell in the closed position against the small "fillit" panels and you can see quite clearly that one side is way out (not the one that's correctly aligned which is a different blue - I'm getting that repainted soon at the same time that I will be painting and fitting a rear aero spoiler that I just bought) - and I need to figure out how to alignment it somehow. I've also attached a couple of photos of the nuts and adjustment slots as you asked - it's hard to see even from the photos, but there definitely is a small amount of lateral movement to provide minor adjustment - not quite sure what sort of affect it will have though.

Maurice: As you say, 95% there, but I'm already enjoying this later model hood just for the better and updated look alone! And I'm putting the roof down manually until I fix the pushrods. It makes my '96 model appear like a much later model, and for the first time I can actually see peoples faces in the rear view mirror after I've overtaken them :drive: . The pushrod end caps arrived today and so I'll be installing them this weekend - I'll have to fiddle slightly with the adjustment to make sure it's "right" as I don't think that they were ever aligned properly since I've owned the car, so I won't be able to mark the old caps as a guide. I expect this will be a bit "trial and error" though, unless you have any useful tips about this? I understand that this adjustment affects the final closing of the lever by the windscreen and needs to be not too much of a gap and not too little - a bit like Goldilocks needing it just right! I also haven't been able to ascertain from your Clamshell Adjustment article quite how I can make the final adjustment that I require on the clamshell. It operates just fine but the left (US driver's side) doesn't line up - which you can see in the attached photo (and please ignore the bare metal above the fillit panel which I will be repainting). I am reasonably certain that the clamshell is not distorted and so the only two things that might help with the adjustment is the screw and locknut on the clamshell pushrod arm that slides along the runner/ channel. This turns 360 degrees and as far as I can tell only provides the "eccentric" movement that's mentioned in your article, but am not sure exactly what effect this has on the clamshell. The only other adjustment that I can determine which may affect this misalignment are the bolts which attach the clamshell arm to the rear of the clamshell - there does seem to be a slot that the bolts fit into that offers the potential to adjust it - but I haven't found any mention of this anywhere so I'm a bit loathe to mess around with this unless you think that this may be the possible solution? Having come this far, I'm really looking forward to getting this last 5% resolved once and for all :unsure: Tony

Hi Maurice, Just to let you know that I finally sourced a 2003 hood with the rear glass screen :cheers: - just in time for summer (our spring never happened!). You were so right about the electrics and the special spade needed, very important to get the locking tab kind! Thanks for the heads up on that as they're not that easy to source I found! I'm very close to finishing the job now, but am currently operating the hood manually at the moment because one of the push-rod endcaps was stretched and not able to press home in the ball socket, so it was no longer effective. I've managed to order just the plastic endcap (available as a pair - so I will have a spare which I hope will never need now!) - from a US eBay store which was still miles cheaper even after postage than buying anywhere here in the UK because you can only buy the whole pushrod!! So here's the link if anybody else needs it :- http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Porsche-Boxster-1997-2012-Convertible-Top-Pushrod-Repair-OEM-Ball-Joint-Pair-NEW-/200922214295?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item2ec7e5af97 Am just having a look at yours / Mike Fockes section dealing with other general hood issues as I need to make a clamshell adjustment, but hopefully that will resolve it - I've included the link below in case anybody else wants help/ information on that or any other hood issues that they incur! https://sites.google.com/site/mikefocke2/thetop-itsmaintaince%26replacement Thanks very much again :thumbup: Tony

Thank you RFM so much for confirming that. I had already taken the undertray off from under the car to see if they could be accessed that way, but unfortunately I couldn't see a route at all with the view that i had - just looked loads of unmovable stuff in the way. I only had the car up on a trolley jack of course and so couldn't get right underneath, so obviously I need to get the car up on a proper ramp. So if I can use one of those then I'll give that a go, but if not, then it sounds like I'll have to go to my local Porsche specialist - it doesn't sound like such a labour intensive job now. I'll report back here with some photos if I manage to do the job myself. Thanks again, much appreciated. :thumbup:

Okay, my mistake, when I had a look the wheel liners, they don't cover the access that I needed for the drain/ grommet area. That is actiuall part of the chassis and so you simply can't get access that way at all! So goodness knows how, or where, or even IF it's supposed to be possible to do that. Surely somebody out there knows the answer to this? I can't be the only one who's lost the grommets down gthe front drain holes? :help: :help: :help: :help: :help: :help: :help: :help: :help: :help: :help: :help: :help: :help: :help: :help: :help: :help: :help: :help: :help:

Solved how to remove the accelerator (gas) pedal - dead easy in the end - just one screw at the top undoes it from the floor and bulkhead and then you can manoevre the pedal through the carpet, you don't even need to disconnect the cable. Since there have been no suggestions or comments about removing the inner wheel arch, I guess nobody has had this lost grommet problem before? So once the weather improves I'll find a way to remove the linings and hope I can see a way to reinstate the grommets and drain tube without too much difficulty. I'll come back with my findings in due course.

I am in the process of fixing leaks into my cabin and starting with the front drain holes - when I was trying to clean out the blocked drain holes on both sides, I clumsily pushed both of the grommets into the hole underneath into the bulkhead itself.. I've bought replacement grommets but need to find a way into the never-never land bulkhead areas on each side. Am I right in assuming that these areas are accessed by removing the inner wheel arch lining? Can anyone confirm that or have any other ways of doing this please? Also, I need to dry out the sodden carpets (ECU/ alarm is okay by the way - under left side of passenger seat on my UK car). I've managed to get the left seat and carpet out but am having trouble getting the driver's carpet out because the accelerator (gas) pedal will also need removing. Is there any special/ easy method needed to remove the pedal please? My car is a '96 2.5 manual which being an early car means that it is a cable operated pedal rather than the later fly-by-wire type on later cars. :help:

Just a quick update on fitting the new switch and a advisory word of caution to help you do it. It would have been very easy to do this in a matter of 20-30 minutes if I hadn't experienced (through my own fault) a real problem with the grub screws that hold the switch in. They are quite difficult to access, so a word of warning to anyone doing this - make sure you have or get a suitable screwdriver - you need either a jewellers screwdriver or a right angled ratchet screwdriver/ set, otherwise you will find it a pig to do (as I did, because I didn't have the right kind!) or totally impossible. In my opinion, I think the right angled type would be best - in fact I've just ordered one for future use! Only £3 too!) I would also strongly recommend using the method described on this site and mentioned above. I would never had managed to do it by trying to crawl under the dashboard and straining to reach something which you can't even see from underneath! So accessing it through the air vent method is by far and away the easiest and quickest way to do this job. Why make life difficult? Well, on to my next job of fiixing the leak now, which is of course what I wrongly thought had caused this issue in the first place - but luckily it has now cost less than £20, so a lot better than ten times that for the ECU!!!! Oh happy days! :clapping:

Would be glad to, I'll PM my mobile number :cheers:

Yippee!!! (I'm not normally prone to such silly outbursts but this made me very happy!!!!) Followed the instructions that I found after searching this site :- http://www.renntech.org/forums/tutorials/article/24-996-ignition-switch-replace-just-the-switch-with-pictures/ - top notch and even I found it easy to do and in a short time. I decided to test out whether the switch was definitely faulty before buying the replacement, so I proceeded as far as unplugging it to make sure I could actually do it, then plugged it back in, jump started the car and took it for a run to recharge the battery. Got back and unplugged the switch, closed the door and used the remote key fob to successfully activate the central locking again, and the dash lights also went out as they should. !!!!! So fault now proven and all I have to now is buy the unmodifed original ignition switch which I've seen for £12 +vat and fit it which I know won't take me more than about 15 minutes. This forum is brilliant so thanks for all the help that I've received and also for offering it so swiftly! Haven't seen my exact symptoms on this or any other website, so I also hope that the advice I've received here proves invaluable to others too! Cheers Guys!!!

Thank you so much for opening my eyes to another possibility - it sounds really promising, and logical too. So now I'm hoping that I've prematurely jumped to the wrong conclusion about the ECU. It makes absolute sense because you'd have thought the dash lights would have gone out once the ECU was removed and they didn't! So this may also mean a much easier and less costly fix..... fingers crossed. I'll get the battery recharged and then disconnect the plug at the back of the ignition and if the dash lights go out then problem identified and I just need to replace the switch! I'll report back once I've tried that. Thanks again!

Thanks for that although I only have the drinkable kind :) - but it turned out that i was right and it wasn't wet at all inside - no obvious signs of moisture, rust or shorting - like new in fact! Nonetheless I left it on top of the CH boiler all night where it was nice and warm and not too hot. I was very optimistic that just a small amount of moisture from condensation had caused the problem as it looks in such great condition and thought all would be well once reinstalled. Unfortunately having just returned from a long run to ensure that the battery was fully charged, the problem hasn't gone away and symptoms still remain - still not central locking or activating alarm and the battery will be draining away again now. I forgot to mention previously that the dash lights for the odometer and mileometer were permanently on and is clearly the cause of the battery draining of power. I'm surprised that they would be affected by the ECU though, not that I know diddly squat about electrics :wacko: . Unless anybody has any other possible explanations for this happening, then I must now assume that I need to replace the ECU/alarm module. I have seen one on eBay from a reputable source for £225 but I need to know that I have explored all the alternatives before committing to buying, not to mention that I will somehow need to get it programmed for my car. Will I have to go to a Porsche stealership to get this done, or are there any other ways of doing this please? Meanwhile I'll be getting the grommet/ water seepage problem sorted to make sure it doesn't happen again!

This is a common problem with cars the get water under the seats. Under the seat is the electronic control module for the central locking system, which shorts out when it gets wet. Fortunately, it can be removed, opened up and dried out, sometimes requiring a new fuse that is in the module itself. Once dry and reinstalled, they typically go back to working fine. Do a search on this topic, it has been covered extensively with pictures more than once. Thanks, I've just removed the ECU / Alarm module and it was a little wet on the underside but the fuse was okay, so I've put in on top of my CH boiler to dry out overnight and I'm hoping that tomorrow it will be "working fine" as you suggested might happen. If it is I owe you a pint at least! :) If not :angry: I'll need a new ECU then and some advice about getting it coded. I did a search on this site as you said and did find some answers to the other stuff but not about replacing the ECU