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jmj996

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Everything posted by jmj996

  1. With heavy scoring, reusing the current pads will create a difference in the amount of stopping power on each side during the break-in period. Under heavy braking, your car could even pull to one side depending on how significant the scoring is/was from side-to-side. You can do it, but there is some risk involved.
  2. Unless this is a really incredible deal, it's really not worth the trouble because there are more than enough good used 996's out there. Besides, a previously supercharged 996 is going to have experienced more strain than a comparable non-supercharged 996, so if the end product is a non-supercharged engine, it would usually be safer to find a 996 that never had one.
  3. I'm going to be attaching the OEM aerokit sideskirts within about a month or so, whenever I get the time. As a result of your post, I will take a look at sealing them flush and possibly using alternate/custom brackets underneath. Does anyone have a recommendation for an adhesive that should perform well in this application as both an adhesive and a sealant?
  4. I would say that it's not worth trying to glue it, you'd be chasing a moving target, and you don't want to have to keep dealing with this and wondering if it's going to come apart again the next time you put your top up. You will need to have a new window sewn in or replace the whole thing. For the cheaper alternative, an upholstery shop can sew in the new window, and you can get any of various types of tinted material to replace the clear plastic, if you'd like. That option will cost at least $500, probably a little more, but in my experience it was a reliable solution. 3+ yrs and still looks great.
  5. Congratulations!! :jump: A widebody 4s is really much more appealing than a narrow-body, I wish they were all built that way. On the warranty, it sounds like you'll be in good shape (you say dealer - do you mean a Porsche dealer?). With any warranty, the Porsche service manager should take care of everything for you and just present you with a bill for the deductible at the end. I used Warranty Direct, and a few things I learned to watch out for in extended warranties were (1) if something goes bad and you can put off the work without risking damage or seriously inconveniencing yourself, wait it out, because something else could (will) eventually need to be done and if you can combine it all at once, you will only pay the deductible that one time. Another related lesson here is that if you do take it in for warranty work, ask the dealer to go over it with a fine tooth comb and get anything else fixed that would be covered. (2) Warranty Direct did not cover the full Porsche hourly labor rate, and the dealer wouldn't accept the rate they tried to negotiate, so I ended up having to pay the difference (and I was in a location where there just weren't any alternatives). If you are in a location that does have a good independent shop with a lower labor rate, it could be worth checking them out and asking them in advance if they have worked with this warranty company. Non-smoker's kit - our 986 already had it as a factory option and it did have a factory plastic plug with an image of a ghostbuster-looking crossed-out circle over a burning cigarette. It wasn't worth having, and in our case wasn't even used most of the time since we had a phone charger plugged into it. I have a 996 that I added the non-smoker tray to, but the 'kit' did not come with this OEM plastic plug and I just leave the original cigarette lighter in there because it doesn't stick out any more than the plastic plug did. You wouldn't want any other type of more permanent plug because that's your only interior 12V power source. Even if you don't need it to charge a phone or other device, you need to have it available in the event of a dead battery, in order to easily connect a power source to your car to unlock the front trunk to get at the battery. Battery - you may actually have the original battery. My OEM battery lasted seven years. Since Porsche batteries are not in the engine compartment, they last longer than batteries in other cars where the battery must endure heat cycles. You should see 13-14 volts, that's good, especially at idle. If you really think it's on its last leg, replace it before it becomes a problem, or it could be a big hassle (since as I mentioned above, if it goes completely dead, your trunk will be inaccessible until you can connect a power source to unlock it). If you don't need a lot of cold cranking amps, consider a smaller battery. There are three different size mounting points for the battery. My original battery was a monster - the replacement Interstate battery was 2/3 the size so it was much lighter, bolted right in using a different hole, and I believe it claims to have the same cranking amps (seven years of technology changes in batteries may actually make that possible in a smaller battery). If you want to take advantage of a weight-saving opportunity, take a look at the modern ultra-light batteries, but consider that there are some tradeoffs with these batteries (i.e. don't hold a charge quite as long).
  6. I'm not familiar with the mods people are doing to the original mufflers - what's the advantage? I'm not far from the bay area and will be in next weekend. I've been watching out for muffler replacements that could provide a high-performance sound at high rpm's, ideally approaching an F1 type of sound (or more precisely the glorious high-pitched sound of a PSE exhaust on a standard Boxster 2.5L).
  7. I did the same thing on my 996 coupe several years ago. Note that I have the base stereo with no door speakers, so I just replaced my front and rear 4" speakers. There are no adapters. The problem is that the Porsche speakers' mounting screw holes are not at standard locations for speakers. What you have to do is to remove your original speakers and cut the plastic frames and use them as mounting frames. Leave the speaker connector plug in place (that way, your new speakers will just plug right into to the original wires). Solder wires from your new speakers onto the connector plug (make sure polarity is consistent). Then glue the new speakers into the "frames." Support the "frames" from the sides with something and let the weight of the speaker dangle down, allowing the glue to dry overnight (silicone will work well). Finally, screw your new speakers (which have been glued onto the frames) onto the inside of the speaker grills. Plug your original speaker wires back together and re-mount the speakers/grills into the openings. Your original speaker grills will remain completely stock, so should something go wrong with your speakers, you can just re-do this whole operation. BTW, Crutchfield has some Kenwood 4" speakers that have excellent specs. I have older versions of these and they sound great and have high efficiency, which is important since the base stereo doesn't have too much power. Good luck. I did this little project a few years ago - did exactly what Oggie described, right down to moving and resoldering the original speaker wire connection onto the new speakers, using mostly just a Dremel (for cutting), wire cutter/stripper and a soldering iron. Still works and sounds great (using MBQuart Reference series).
  8. Yes, this seems normal (as long as it is really just water). I experienced this in both the Boxster we previously had, and our 911, but only where we used to live where it was much more humid. Here in central/northern California, we don't have near as much now.
  9. I'm not aware of an adjustment, but I can tell you that if it feels heavy, it is likely well worn. A new/newer clutch is easier to operate than an older one because there is less spring travel due to more material present on the disc. When I had our Boxster clutch replaced it went from fairly difficult (although my 5'4" wife still had no big problem with it) to very easy. The only way to get a good idea of where you stand is to get inside a 986 or 996 that has a new/recent clutch and compare the feeling. If you can't trust the mechanics you see, their input is of no value anyway, but if you have one you can trust, they are the best source of input because they feel numerous clutches on a regular basis and have a pretty good feel for ones that don't have much left in them. If you really want to try to confirm this on your own, get to a local PCA event ASAP and see if you can try out some 986 and 996 clutches, and have some other owners try yours. Additionally, you have the hydraulics between your pedal and the clutch, so there's always the possibility of something related to the hydraulics... but I know nothing about that system.
  10. I had that sound with the PSE on a 2.5L 986. Like the other post said, I think a larger bore is part of the problem with reproducing that sound in a 996. I haven't found it for my 996 yet, but I'll buy it in a heartbeat if I do.
  11. I had the vinyl window replacement (with tinted material) done on my 99 due to separation of the original at one corner. It was sewn in about three years ago. Cost me just over $500. Still looks great, approximately 18k miles later.
  12. The 996 is already a great driver for most - yes, you can do more to improve performance, but it is really weakest in its appearance and interior appointments, so I recommend those items first. The only really critical piece to do with the suspension is to get or keep using the best tires you can afford. Tires make a big difference. In completely original form, a C2's appearance is a little bit of a disappointment. The front bumper has virtually no aggressive appearance at all, though I'm pretty happy with the rest of it. Its interior was an improvement over the 993, but that's not saying much because even the newest 993 interior was already > 5 years outdated before it was replaced by the 996 - which got its interior from a 1997 986, so it too was already a few years old before being introduced into the 911. In my opinion, most 996's (unless heavily optioned in the interior) are so below average that you need to upgrade the interior just to bring it up to par with the rest of the car, therefore, it IS actually the best place to start for people that appreciate those kinds of details. You can do a lot of cosmetic things to the car relatively inexpensively (as long as you're not going for a wood or carbon-trimmed interior) that will surprisingly add a lot to the car - my fav's on the changes to our 986 and 996 are: - tint (including the replacement of the Boxster or 996 cab rear vinyl window with a dark sheet of vinyl) - white or aluminum speedo gauge face, with aluminum trim rings - BIG difference - non-smoker kit: for daily drivers, I think it's a must have. Had it in the 986, it didn't come with my 996, finally ended up having to buy it for the 996 - aluminum pedal covers (really - and I was most skeptical about this one at first, but I love the feel, now I always drive with no shoes on) - clear corner lights - aftermarket cup holder-one that attaches to the side of the console - speaker replacements (if you have the basic factory speaker system) - shifter upgrade (manual trans only) - this can be an expensive one. I swapped mine out for the leather/silver 6-spd shifter with the Porsche Crest on the front and a silver trim ring around the base. Look at the pics - WOW. This upgrade has been my most favorite change in the interior. - e-brake handle - another expensive one, but it is a relatively easy DIY. Even just having the stitched leather and silver button make a nice difference - OBC enable - even if you don't have the OBC stick, you can enable the OBC and set it to display the outside temperature. I refer to this more than I ever thought I would. - iPod input for the CDR220 - I obtained the plug from Becker North America and connected a cable with RCA's to the plug and a headphone jack for the iPod. Not as fancy as other factory connections that also provide a power source to the iPod, but it gets the job done for as long as your iPod battery will last, and will work for any mp3 player, not just an iPod. - addition of a painted crest to the center of the steering wheel - a very nice, inexpensive improvement to the otherwise dull 4-spoke wheel. Some of the more expensive mods: - a rear wing. I got a Strosek 996 rear wing (just the first stage that looks like a more modernized version of the old whale tail) - subwoofer: I did not have door speakers and I have a cabriolet, so my only practical option for improving the bass was to put a sub in the front trunk. I got an all-inclusive Infinity Basslink, so that I would not need a separate amp, and I'm using the line-out jacks on the CDR-220 via a plug from Becker NA. Other mods I'm hoping to do soon: - upgrade to 18" BBS Sport Classic II wheels. I currently have the 17" twists, which are okay, but not great. - mufflers - if I can find an exhaust for the 996 that sounds EXACTLY like the PSE we had on the 986, I would do it. The PSE on the stock 986 we used to have just about screamed like an F1, and I really miss that with our 996. Other Best mods I've seen but don't have on my list: - NAV system install - these look slick and are DIY with a perfect factory look, based on what I've seen in this forum from other installs. If my car was going to be a road warrior, I'd do it, because I can't live without it in our SUV, but I wouldn't use it enough in the 996 to justify the cost. - front bumper - there are a few 996 bumpers I'd love to have, but this is a daily driver (my wife just as much as me) and unfortunately I really need a urethane bumper. A typical fiberglass replacement on my car would be destroyed within months. - hard-wired Valentine One - maybe eventually, but for now I don't drive the highway too much (I work from home) As far as the source for parts - I bought most of it on eBay, even the Strosek wing. The tint and the speakers were locally sourced. The other source was Becker of North America. Update: I've had one question about the rear plastic window tint for the cabriolet with a vinyl window, here's the details: I had an automotive upholstery shop remove the original clear plastic piece (which was separating in one corner anyway) and sew in a new one. The piece of vinyl comes pre-made in this color. I don't know if there are any real fade problems because it doesn't sit outside too much, but the material is designed specifically for this and is supposed to resist fading. The Boxster plastic window was always sewn in so I didn't see any problems doing it on the 996, and the upholstery shop did that kind of thing regularly to other cars. They even had the clear window material in stock, but it was the shop that recommended I get the colored material after seeing my tinted side windows. The whole thing cost me just over $500. Here is an FAQ entry from a shop in Tuscon that does the same thing (http://www.tucsontops.com/), so you can probably get this done at most convertible top replacement shops: Q. I have a Mazda Miata and it's time to replace the clear vinyl window in the back. Can I have a tinted or darker window sewn in? A. Yes, for sure, provided your convertible top is in good enough shape for the repair. The vinyl windows are available in a light green, smoke, charcoal and limo tint. This answer applies to all convertibles that have a flexible window in the back: BMW Z3, 3 series, Mercedes Benz, Porsche Boxster, Honda S2000
  13. John, It is possible for the source of a problem to evade even the best at times, but I still don't see a connection between the slight crank cradle flaking and the problems you experienced at the time. I wonder if the high mileage was a main factor in everyone's conclusion to disassemble it before really figuring out the problem. I wish you luck, please keep us updated. Thanks, John
  14. Before you dig too deep and start removing door panels, try the easy stuff first, it could always be a bad switch. It's very easy to remove the console plate that has your window switches in it. Since the driver's side window works fine, disconnect your driver's side window switch, then move the passenger side wiring connection from the passenger window switch to the driver's window switch. Now use the driver's window switch, and see if you have any luck.
  15. In case they don't budge with special consideration for the extra value of the new engine & clutch, negotiate for book value in excellent condition, plus, you keep the car and part it out. Parting it out will be a lot of work, but you will rake in a lot of cash. I am kind of worried about the car hopping onto that island. I'm wondering if the engine took a tough hit on the underside.
  16. P1126 appears to be a response from the DME that is directly related to P1128 & P1130. These two codes are specific to the left & right cylinder banks, and P1126 means that the engine is running lean and the DME cannot compensate to make the engine run richer. Sounds like the exact opposite problem I had (running rich), so I'm probably not much help. Looks like you are on the right track. The PCA forums for P1126 suggest a MAF problem (and be sure to check that the air filter is not clogged). Please reply with the final solution!
  17. No, I just quoted the PCA site on that one. The only personal insight I have on this is the symptoms I experienced with my own 986 and the explanation from the service manager. Keith George was my service manager in Hawaii (and a gearhead in his own right), and the guys in the shop (mainly Aaron) would personally show me what they were doing with the car, and they were all great, I wish I didn't have to leave Hawaii. Someday when we're not moving all the time (wife is in the service) I'll get a lift and computer interface and get more hands-on with these cars like I was with my American sports cars. I love your Boxster. Its appearance is identical to the '99 Boxster we had, it is a gorgeous package. We never would have sold it if we didn't have the kids, but they're definitely worth it. It actually took us two years to finally part with it if after we picked up the 996, but we ended up selling it to another couple that was looking for their first Porsche, so it was fitting.
  18. John, This has been a fascinating thread. I am really sorry to hear about your problems and I hope that I never have to go through the same thing. First, I'll get straight to the point, then I'll explain. Based on the information we have (and I'm kind of making a big assumption that I have all of the key, relevant information that the shop had when they decided to disassemble it) I believe you have a stronger case against the shop that performed the initial diagnosis than you do against Porsche. I believe that the engine disassembly was premature and was not the appropriate course of action given the evidence. I don't think they did enough to determine that the disassembly was necessary before diving in. I think that they only did it because they couldn't find the source of the problem and had nothing else to follow up on besides a small piece of metal. It was the right decision to eventually replace it *after* it was already disassembled and *potential* trouble parts were identified, but it never needed to get that far in the first place. That probably wouldn't have been necessary for at least another 10k-30k miles. To try to briefly summarize all that has already been reported with respect to the sequence of events that led to the engine replacement: 1) Engine is running rough. Problem comes and goes, and shifts from one side to another. Several attempts to troubleshoot it don't lead to a solution, but a small piece of metal is found in the case. 2) Engine is disassembled as a result of finding the metal to see if that is the source of the problem. There are definitely a few areas of concern with regard to structural integrity, but catastrophic mechanical failure has not occurred as a result of those issues, and there were no huge metal particle problems (the contents of the oil filter is the biggest factor to me). 3) Ultimately, the source of the misfiring is never determined, but because of the concerns with the structural integrity and its high mileage, the engine is deemed not worth all the trouble to reassemble and restart the troubleshooting process, so the engine is replaced. Here is the predicament: 1) The engine did not actually experience catastrophic failure. It had a fairly uncommon problem, but it was not self-destructing. 2) The structural issues that were identified do not lend to an explanation of the engine woes. I can't even justify a very loose correlation. 3) The source of the problem that contributed to the engine woes was never identified. 4) The engine was replaced without having experienced a catastrophic failure or identifying the source of the problem that put it in the shop in the first place. Given all of this, it will not be possible to prove that the structural problem that is the focus of the metallurgical examination would have been the source of the engine's ultimate demise. Who's to say that something else wouldn't have eventually given way first - a crank bearing, a piston, valve springs - all parts that are more likely to fail and not as likely to suggest that Porsche should be responsible for replacing the engine (or at least a partial offer). I'll bet that Porsche has performed numerous FMEA's (Failure Mode and Effect Analysis) on the failed engines that they've taken back. Since Porsche does not release statistics or other detailed information about engine failures, we will never know if any of those FMEA's pointed to the same part that is the focus of your investigation (though I would like to hear from any mechanics of Porsche's water-cooled engines that have identified this as the source of failure in an engine they removed). If by some chance they had seen that in another engine, the best conclusion they can draw is that this part has some probability of being the ultimate cause of failure, but that it hasn't failed yet and there's no way to prove that something else wouldn't have gone first. You have many valid points in your case. The piece in question probably never should have been used. I've read about another process Porsche implemented to retrofit new sleeves into new blocks that were deemed unfit upon receipt, which seem to have ultimately led to piston wall failure in some engines, so I would not put it beyond Porsche to take an imperfect engine component and try to make it acceptable for use. Personally, I think their gamble with that part in your engine paid off. The engine went 118,000 miles and the part still hadn't failed, and nobody can prove that it ever would have prematurely failed. I know you have several strong supporters here and I'm probably going to get railed for this conclusion, but I can only conclude that the diagnosis of the initial problem you were experiencing went way off track due to a small, but relatively insignificant piece of metal, simply because the real source of the problem was not yet identified. Retrospectively, it seems that the first thing they should have done after finding that metal is remove and cut the oil filter and determine if there were really significant metal shavings. Had they found nothing in the oil filter prior to disassembly, do you think your shop still would have disassembled the engine? Probably not. After all, the little metal they did find is not really cause for great alarm yet (at least I don't think so, but maybe there will be other very knowledgeable people that disagree). Once you got to the point of disassembling the engine, and given the high mileage, I agree that it was wise to replace it rather than try to reassemble it with some new components, figure out the real problem, and put it back in service; but you were in that situation in the first place because of a fumbled diagnosis that was not performed by an OPC. The shop kind of derailed any case against Porsche for compensating a required engine replacement. The fact that the part probably shouldn't have been used by Porsche in the first place appears to be a valid complaint with legal justification that Porsche had definitely compromised the engine's original build quality in some way and should be obligated to do *something* about it even though it hadn't yet failed, but it is not directly related to the costs you incurred so it's impossible to determine damages owed to you. Because there is no strong, direct correlation of a major engine part failure (and more specifically the component that was the source of your investigation) to the need to replace that engine, I don't think Porsche will ever conclude they have a direct responsibility for an offer of partial compensation. They might still do it out of goodwill if you persist and eventually reach the right person, and I wish you luck on that. IMHO, Porsche makes more than enough money on these cars to take care of uncommon situations like this. I would be interested in hearing from other forum members that believe the shop did have sufficient justification to disassemble the engine (excluding that at the point they did it, they couldn't find any other problems yet - that is clearly not sufficient). I don't think that the small piece of metal was significant enough on its own to initiate a tear-down, and if the real problem was fixed the engine may very well have gone on for many thousands more miles. I personally believe that these engines should go at least 130k miles before needing any major rebuild or replacement. However, given what I read about the limit of Porsche's goodwill, I only have enough confidence in keeping my 996 until it has almost 80k miles, and should I need that, I will quickly change my avatar in this forum and edit previous posts about my one on-track experience in this car. :rolleyes: I think we all have a couple of really good lessons learned from John's experience: 1) If the diagnosis is being performed somewhere other than a Porsche service center and it gets to the point where they believe they have to tear down the engine, stop there, and take it to a really good Porsche service department. It may be more costly, but one way or another, you're in for a big one anyway (or you might save a lot of money from a misdiagnosis). If the independent shop never found the problem (or if they think they found the problem but they're not convincing), the dealer will need to reinforce the shop's findings (or lack thereof) before you really owe the shop much of anything anyway. 2) If you keep your Porsche over 80k miles, you do so at your own risk of not having Porsche support/goodwill, and can take that into account when determining the value in buying a high-mileage Porsche or keeping your high-mileage Porsche.
  19. Do not wait until it slips. My clutch never slipped before it needed to be replaced. I got to see exactly what they pulled out. Clutch worn down to an immeasurably small thickness above the rivets. Literally, it would have been any day before the rivets started grinding the flywheel, then it would have been another $1k-$2k for a new flywheel (which you can't really take your time to order at lowest cost on the Internet AFTER your car is apart and you find out you need it). The Porsche service techs knew it was time to replace it based on where the clutch engaged/disengaged through the pedal's travel, and correspondingly how much pressure had to be used. Let me explain the pedal pressure/effort aspect, because there seems to be some confusion on how that could actually be true: The more material that is worn off of the clutch disc, the further the springs travel/compress, so the less material you have left on the clutch, the more spring pressure you have to counter before the clutch is actually engaged. After my clutch was replaced in my Boxster, the clutch was FAR easier to use, it was like driving a new car. This is one of the best (albeit most costly, especially when you add the RMS and IMS seals) maintenance events you go through because you feel like you get a new car back. The Porsche service techs feel lots of clutches on a regular basis and know pretty quickly when they use a clutch that is getting close. It's very possible to have a low-mileage clutch that needs to be replaced. Mileage is no indicator at all considering the varying driving circumstances and driving personalities that people have. One really bad, extreme example I have from my former service manager is of a customer that burned up a brand new clutch within 45 miles, after taking delivery of a new car on Maui (the dealer is on Oahu). It was their first manual trans. Car had to be shipped right back to Oahu.
  20. I'm formerly a long-time C4 owner. I switched in 2002, first to the Boxster (which was a huge HP drop) and then to the 911. I really loved the fact that I could personally do any work to the car that I wanted to, but I would never go back. The rear-engine difference is huge - the front-end is super-light and goes wherever you point it, then the weight in the rear makes it stick solid on the gas. I can't count how many times I spun the rear out on the vette when I was aggressive with it. Give yourself time to adjust - you'll probably miss the low-end torque the most, and you'll never completely get that back in the 911 with a 3.6L, but even with less horsepower, you will really appreciate the refinement of the stock package. Maybe where you drive you could take advantage of a lot of extra horsepower, but for me, the only time I'm able to give the car a workout at all is when I take it to the track, which I've only done once.
  21. I had an identical problem with our 1999 986, I also began to see billowing smoke at every startup. If you're as lucky as me, the smoke is just unburned fuel, but as I read the 2000 Boxster system is a little different than the 1999 system. The dealer fixed the problem on my 1999 relatively inexpensively. There is an air injection valve whose purpose (as I understand it) is to lean out the mixture on startup. When it stops functioning, your mixture will be way too rich on startup. As far as the CEL, it may finally be indicating the failed valve. Here is some possible useful info from the PCA site on a forum question regarding secondary air injection faults: QUESTION: I appreciate your previous assistance and finally found a operation in Bozeman that could read code for me. Here is the data derived: 1. PO410 Secodary Air Injection Problem 2. P1411 Undocumented Code They also cleared the code which may or may not last. Where to I start? Thanks ANSWER: Both of the faults that you have listed are for the Secondary air injection. P0410 is for cylinders 1-3 and P1411 is for cylinders 4-6. To cause a fault in both banks would have to be from a common user. The most common problem with all the Secondary air injection systems is the cut off valve or the check valve up to 1999. The cut off valve is vacuum actuated by a solenoid. When actuated it allows the air to flow to the exhaust ports in the cylinder heads. To keep the exhaust gasses from going back into the air pump and damaging it the check valve blocks it off. This valve is what they call a one way valve. Both of these valves are actually the same as what was used in the 993's. Having said that we can find a direct correlation between both of these cars having the same problems. Generally the 993 will require the check valve while the Boxster will use the cut off valve. From 2000 on the Boxster uses an improved version that combines both of these valves into one unit. In the Boxster the air pump is located on the passengers side under the engine cover. The hose that comes off of the air pump goes to the cut off valve unit up to 1999 or the combo cut off valve from 2000 on. On the 1999 and before years there is another hose from the cut off valve that goes to the check valve. Step 1) To test the cut off valve it will have to be removed and checked. Since the fail rate in the Boxster is so high for this part I would suggest you have a new one to reinstall. Once removed you can hook up a vacuum source to the valve and blow into the valve. Blow in the direction of the arrow and you should be able to do this with no resistance. This should block off all the way when the vacuum source is removed. This test can also be done on the car with a Porsche tester and checked. Should this check out OK then go to the next step below and fallow. This will not usually be necessary. Step 2) Check the air pump next. This is generally done with a Porsche tester, however you can supply voltage and ground to its wiring to make it run. Pin 1 on the air pump is positive and pin 2 is the negative or ground. Step 3) Check the vacuum to and from the solenoid valve when actuated. This valve is electrically operated and switches the vacuum on and off to the cut off valve. These have gone bad, but are not as common. This would conclude the testing for a 2000 or newer Boxster. Should all of the above be correct on a 1999 and previous Boxster, replace the check valve. This is not Porsche's testing order. I have found this testing order to be more direct for the most common failed parts and for ease of testing. I have listed the part numbers below for the valves. 1999 and pre Cut off valve 993 113 245 00 1999 and pre Check valve 993 113 250 03 2000 and newer Cut off Valve 996 113 249 01 Change-over valve (Vacuum Solenoid) 996 605 123 01 Scott Slauson - PCA WebSite - 6/25/2004
  22. I used MB Quart (I was somewhat partial to keeping the parts in the car German, though there are numerous other great lines out there like JL Audio). I did it myself, but it wasn't a quick job. Two main things to watch out for: 1) Speaker DEPTH. You have a very limited depth in the back seats (at least for a cabriolet, not sure about a hardtop), and just a little more on the dash. The majority of aftermarket speakers will not fit, so be sure to check the dimensions or confirm fitment for the 996. I wish I could tell you off the top of my head what it was, but it's been about three years since I did this. Just remove one of the speakers from the back seat and measure the depth on that speaker. 2) Speaker Mounting - you want to use the factory grills/mounts because of the unique fit in the car, but aftermarket speakers will not be a direct fit to this grill. I had to use a dremel tool to modify the back side of the grill, chop off part of the original speaker, glue part of the original speaker to the replacement speaker and then screw it to the grill. If you are not comfortable with fabricating changes to the grill, you'll want to have a professional installer. A professional installer will probably even have more convenient ways to get the speaker mounted to the grill without as much fabrication and labor. 3) If you still have your Becker radio (I kept mine for a factory look and because it is very flexible with inputs and outputs) and you're connecting the speakers to the original factory wiring WITHOUT an aftermarket amp, you'll want to experiment with modifying the sound settings. The stereo comes pre-configured with a nonlinear eq configuration that is optimal for the factory speakers, but not optimal for aftermarket speakers. You can change the factory stereo to a linear eq output (see the Becker manuals found in this forum under Quick Menu at the top), then after going linear, modify the bass and treble to suit. An aftermarket linear equalizer such as a JL Audio Cleansweep is not necessary because the Becker Stereo provides the linear eq output option - I confirmed this in several email discussions with JL Audio. Alternatively, if you use an aftermarket amplifier, you'll want to get the line out connector from Becker North America and use the RCA plugs to feed the amp, in which case the output will already be linear and you won't need to mess with the settings on the Becker. I personally still use the speaker connections from the Becker CDR-220 to drive my MB Quarts, and I also use the line out plug to drive an Infinity Basslink that I have in the front trunk. Good luck!
  23. I have a 99 c2 cabriolet and would really like to add the horizontal reflector on the trunk that that C4s has. However, it doesn't look like it's possible to do this right on a narrow-body. I don't have a C4s at my disposal to do a side-by-side comparison, but the things that concern me are: 1) Trunk design - the C4s appears to have an indented lip on the bottom of the trunk lid for the red reflector, whereas my C2 trunk does not. This means that I would have to replace the whole trunk frame to make the reflector look right. Is the trunk frame on a narrow-body C2 the same dimension as the trunk on a wide-body C4s? 2) The rear tail lights on the C4s are different - rather than being smooth from top to bottom like the C2, there is an edge separating the upper and lower area. I assume that these tail lights do not fit a narrow-body C2. Therefore, even if I were able to install a C4s trunk lid, it would not match up well with the C2 taillights, right? I'd really appreciate any clarification on the items above that anyone can offer. If it is in fact not possible to do this, is there an aftermarket alternative to accomplish the same thing? Thanks! John
  24. I had the standard 17" twist wheels on my 1999 986 (they were 17x7 or 17x7.5) and changed the fronts from the stock 205/50 to 225/45. They fit the wheels very nicely, looked right and had no clearance issues. We drove it aggressively but never tracked it, so I can't attest to any impacts on the car under more significant stress.
  25. There were at least 5 different versions of PSE mufflers (maybe more) - all will work on your car. Just look for the PSE diverter valve like the image below. Thanks again, this is very educational and helpful!
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