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1. I plan on replacing my Polyrib belt this weekend (part of my 60k service) and I have looked at the DIY. It does not appear all that difficult. Are looks deceiving? For those of you have done it are there any tips/tricks/gotchas I should know about. I have not looked too closely at the tensioner does it have stop point so I know when I have retensioned it properly after properly routing the new belt? 2. I am also replacing my coolant tank (yeah I have a leak). I have looked at the DIY for this and read many post on the topic here and on Rennlist. I saw mention of removing the “tabs” to help with reinstallation….which tabs and does this compromise the integrity of the tank (like it needs anymore weaknesses). Any tips/tricks or words of wisom would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

You are correct there are many people who do opt for the spring only switch and don't report any problems. However this does not mean it is necessarily an optimized set up. I had the spring only set up on my former 993 (H&R springs done by the prior owner). It looked great and the ride seemed fine when I bought the car. Since purchasing that car I had the opportunity to drive some other 993’s with varying suspension setups. It became clear that the spring only switch utilizing the factory dampers was not the best set up. The lowering of the car improved some handling characteristics and the gave the car a very “sporty” feel; however, the unmatched springs and dampers resulted in a rather “bouncy” and "uncontrolled" ride when compared to other set ups. I admit I didn’t notice the bounce until I drove cars with different suspension set ups. These cars had a much better controlled ride with much less “bounce” especially over uneven pavement (on the streets not the track). When I had a rear shock failure I elected to replace the entire suspension instead of just the shocks. I have never been happy with the ride height of my 996. However I learned my lesson on the 993 and have investigated alternatives by driving and riding in cars with various set ups. IMO the spring only (H&R springs with US standard shocks) set up on the 996 is similar to my experience in the 993. Yes it lowers the car and it looks much better (IMO) and the lower ride height does offer some handling advantages; however, I have also found that something is just not quite right with ride when compared to the ROW M030, X74 or some of the coilover set ups. These set ups usually offered a more controlled ride (although I thought some of the coilover set ups were just too harsh for daily driving duties on roads were I live). Many of the people that ask about suspension set ups do not realize what the alternatives and why there are such alternatives. Since the original poster was asking about a 2004 and he is concerned about the ROW M030 not lowering the car enough, he should also consider the X74 suspension offered by Porsche. It is lower than the ROW M030 set up; however, it is harsher than the M030. The factory does a lot of testing and suspension tuning, it is hard to go wrong with the factory setups for street use.

If spring only changes are fine, then why does the ROW M030 suspension come with different springs and dampers? Given the idea that the factory dampers are fine for aftermarket springs that lower the car and have different rates then why does Porsche have separate dampers for its springs that have different rates and only slightly lower the car from the "stock" US ride?

Another thought on this. Many times the aftermarket springs lower the car too much for the stock dampers, which can cause the dampers to wear very quickly and/or fail quickly. This happened on my former 993. Additionally I found the H&R springs on the 993 to match well with the factory dampers which resulted in "choppy" ride. The ride was compliant but not controlled well because the progressive nature of the springs were not matched properly with the factory dampers. From my past experience I would not change the springs only. The labor cost for the springs only vs. new dampers and springs is the same. Shell out a little additional cash up front and set up the ride properly not to mention you will have new dampers which you can look to as "preventive maintenance."

My 996 has tripped the CEL a couple of times in the last couple of weeks. I went to an independent shop today to get the codes read. They inform me that the Porsche System Tester should be used because it gives more information with regard to Porsche than a regular OBDII reader. They claim OBDII reader just gives generic codes while the PST2 gives more specific and detailed information regarding the codes. Of course there is a substantial increase in cost to use the PST2 (only one guy uses it) vs. an OBDII reader. Is true or am I being upsold something that is really no benefit? There was no one at the local stealership to confirm or deny this information (Porsche guy was on vacation). Any experiences? Thanks, Brian

So was cleaning out my front radiators these weekend when I discovered that some of the plastic pieces on the underside of my front bumper are broken. I need some help with part numbers to order some new pieces. The parts are located on each corner and consist of air ducting. I have part numbers on a couple of the pieces they are: 996.504.604.00 (passenger) 996.504.603.00 (driver) There is also a little flap that hangs down but I didn’t see any part number on them. Does anyone know the numbers and/or have a exploded drawing of the under side of the front bumper? Is this a big assembly or are there individual pieces that must be ordered separately? Last request. The part number for the black piece of plastic that attaches to the rocker panel and hangs down right in front of the drivers side rear wheel. Thanks, Brian

Zaino is excellent. The Z2-Pro is a great product along with Z8. Zaino provides a very durable finish. The look is very reflective. The one drawback is that paint flaws are not covered up. The use of a good polish (that does not contain fillers and/or oils) is important. Zaino has a such a polish now but I have not had a chance to try it yet. I can highly recommend the Z2-Pro and Z8. The Z7 car wash is also a very good product. I used Menzerna polishes to prep before the Z application (before Zaino had its polish out). As for clay...the mothers clay or bluemagic clay that can be bought at Autozone or Pepboys is basically the same as Zaino (and less expensive).

In my experience your A/C is not normal and you should have it serviced. The A/C on my 996 blows out ice cold air. So cold that the vents have to be positioned to not blow directly on me once the cabin cools down. The same was true of my former boxster.

My car is making me a liar. Right after I posted I went out to look at it as it has been about 2.5 hours since I last drove it. The relief valve is no longer stuck in the open position and is instead working the way I thought it was suppose to. The coolant has come back into the tank and is between the Min and Max marks. Seems like a silly question but can the coolant appear correct in the expansion tank but in fact be low. Maybe from “air” in the system or am I thinking incorrectly? Is the remedy to attempt to add coolant like described in the third radiator DIY?

Car 2001 C2. My temperature light started flashing today while driving in town with the A/C on. The temp gauge had the needle basically between the 8 and 0 on the 180 mark (normal). The ambient temperature was around 89 degrees Fahrenheit with very high humidity. I know the flashing light can mean basically two things...low coolant levels or a fault in engine compartment fan. I have a couple of questions. 1. Does the flashing light throw a code to what is wrong that is stored (i.e. low coolant or fan fault)? If so how long is the code stored? 2. On the coolant expansion tank there is a bleeder valve at the top. It was my understanding that pulling up the clip opened the valve. Is the correct? I was messing around with this when I realized that the black plastic slide (for lack of a better word) that moves up and down on the bleeder assembly (most like the valve) the and is that is attached to the metal clip feels like it has a spring on it. It would seem that pulling the metal clip up would cause this “slide” to go up. However, mine appears to be in the “up” position already. I actually can push down on this and have it move and return to the “up” position. Is this normal operation or has the mechanism failed in the open position. 3. How long does the engine have to cool before you can read the expansion tank? I suspect the problem is a low coolant matter for a couple of reasons. 1st the engine compartment fan was working yesterday and 2nd I had this flashing light problem when running the A/C after the dealership drained all the coolant out while doing some work last fall (don’t ask). Unfortunately I don’t run the A/C as much as most and this has really been the first time I have run the A/C for an extended period of time in traffic.

Zymol is a fine carnauba wax, if somewhat expensive, however, the durability of it is limited (like most carnauba based products). You will need to reapply often if your car is subject to the elements on a regular basis. If the car is garage queen and only driven occasionally then the protection issue is not as important (and the carnaubas last much longer). If the car is a daily driver you may want to consider something with more durability and protection like a synthetic wax or a sealant. These products are much more durable, especially if you live an climate where the car will be subject to heat. Carnauba do not hold up well in very hot climates.

MarkC, What is too harsh for every day driving is all subjective. That said IMHO, there is a huge difference, between the ride of 17" and 18" wheels. Of course tire construction also has an effect. My Blizzak LM-25's on 17" rims rides so much more smoothly and is less harsh than the Conti's on 18" rims. Personally the 18" don't bother me but I will admit that the 17" offered a very nice ride.

There is definitely a market. The question is will it support the amount you want out of them. For a price comparison, you can get the factory sport designs used in good condition from Wheel enhancement for about $1900 and new with new rubber for about $2800. Now the question is what does the powdercoating do to the price, if anything, and by how much.

JoeA, I am a former 96 993 owner. In general the cars are very reliable. Be aware of the potential problems with the CEL (check engine light) caused by blockage of the secondary air injection system (used for emission on cold start up. It is becoming a rather common headache for the 993. It does not effect performance but can cause you to fail emissions test in some states. I never had the problem with my car. The cost to fix varies on how you decide to go about it, from unbelievable to reasonable. Do a search on the 993 board at Rennlist for more information than you want to know about this. Another potential issue to investigate in your PPI is valve guide wear. The 993 is showing some signs of having premature valve guide wear problems (sometimes this can be the cause of the CEL problem). A thorough PPI by an experienced p-car mechanic can diagnose this potential problem with leak down and compression tests. The factory suspension does not last long. If the 993 you are looking at has the factory suspension (dampers/springs) and is high mileage then budget to have the dampers replaced. It may seem to drive fine but with new dampers you will see just how bad the old was. The factory stuff starts to show its age as early as 20k miles. Aftermarket coilover replacements are a better choice than replacing with factory stuff. Other potential weaknesses include power steering rack leaks, door check strap malfunctioning (makes clicking sound from coming loose inside the frame, leaks around window frame (my car had none of these things). With high mileage look closely at deferred maintenance items that can be somewhat costly to perform such as spark plug changes (royal PITA), distributor belt (there are two distributors) replacement. Other simple maintenance like fuel filter, distributor caps and rotors, air and pollen filters, and failure of the struts on the hood and deck lid. They are absolutely great cars. But for my need for a car to drive year around and to take on long trips (wife did not like riding in the 993…to raw….which I loved) I would still have mine.

If the wheel bearing checks out fine, then the whine could be from the tires as they wear. Certain tires produce much more noise than other. Just a thought.

Don't the DRLS, corner lamps and tail lights all click on with the first turn of the light switch and the Litronics only on the second turn? If this is the case then the fact the the other lights turn on faultlessly shouldn't necessarily rule out the switch as the problem is most likely confined to the second turn. It would also seem to make sense that since both litronic exhibit the same behavior that the probem is up stream of the ballast themselves and the switch would seem to be the first and easiest thing to replace. Although as I just typed that I think some type of fuse or relay would be easier and probably the first place to look.

What is the wattage of the replacement bulb for the parking lights on the Litronics for a MY 01 996? When I say parking light I am talking about the clear light that comes on below the Litronic bulb when you turn the lights on 1 click. I am having a horrible time finding one.

According to the technical section of the PCA web site the front lip of the front bumper should be slightly higher than the front edge of the hood (NOT even) and that failure to have this set up can cause some wind noise.

rjmdad996 How are the wheels holding up? Any problems?

I think when wwest said "eating" he was referring to the fact that some high performance pads are more "abrasive" than stock factory pads and they "wear" the rotor surface more quickly. The same could be said about slotted rotors...they wear out the pads more quickly than smooth surface rotors.

God your situation sounds familiar (not the problem but the dealer experience). I would suggest contacting the district rep for PCNA in your area. I would ask nicely at the dealership to speak with him first. If they are not receptive to the problem then call PCNA. Also asking your local PCA who the rep is for the area. The region reps are more likely to get something done. Good luck with your quest (been there done that with a Boxster).

When I went out to the garage today I was greeted with a large puddle of washer fluid under the passenger front area of the 996. A very slow drip was coming from the underside of the front bumper cover. I have factory Litronics with the headlight washer system. I am assuming there is a leak in this system somewhere. Does anyone have an exploded diagram of the plumbing of the headlight washer system? I am going to take off the bumper cover and investigate but I was hoping to have an idea what it is suppose to look like before taking things apart.

I think this is very uncommon and there is no "known" weakness or problem with the brakes on the 993. I owned a 993 for 3 years and researched and it for about a year prior to purchase (just sold it this year) I can honestly say I have never heard of a incident like this on a street driven 993. I do remember hearing about a failure at a track event where someone's aftermarket steel brake lines came loose and the car had a catastrophic failure as the brake fluid just evacuated the system. Your friend should have the car thoroughly checked about by a mechanic that is familiar with the 993. Also you may want to check out the 993 web board on Rennlist. A very heavy traffic board with some extremely knowledgeable (and some not so knowledgeable 993 guys). Hopefully some of the old guard will step out of the noise and help you with this situation.

I just had mine replaced for $435 installed. I got some interesting info with regard to the glass during this process. The local dealership charged the glass company about $550 for the Porsche windshield. The price listed by the aftermarket US suppliers (PPG, Signa, etc.) for US manufactured glass it priced out about $150 cheaper installed than just the price of the Porshce windshield alone. I decided to go this route. The glass shop calls me and says that they could not find an aftermarket manufacturer of the glass. All the companies (PPG, Signa, etc.) sell the same glass that is sold by the dealership. The only difference is that the the little logo of the OEM manufacturer (looks sort of like the Porsche crest - but its not) is blurred out. So essentially it same glass for a significantly reduced price. The manufacturer printing that is located in the lower driver's side corner is exactly like the factory original printing except you can see where the logo was blurred.

Thanks. That is the info I needed.