jonathan

Have the dealer look at the differentials and/or the mechanism that makes them lock. It sounds like the center differential is locking partially or fully when hot. That will show up on hard pavement as a pulsing or, when it gets really bad, a popping feel. When the diff is locked on a hard surface then in tight turns the wheel swill build up a torque difference between them which makes the steering wheel jerk a little or the tires pop as they equalize. If it goes on too long you can thrash the differential entirely...which is why you should be unlocked on hard surfaces. If you have the offroad package then you may have a locking rear diff but otherwise IIRC there is only the center diff that could be locking. Since it happens only when hot I would guess that it may need to be serviced but is probably not critical. One way to confirm it (close enough anyway) would be to find a nice smooth piece of concrete, the kind that makes your tires squeal when you turn on it, and drive in a slow tight circle. If you hear a regular chirp, chirp, chirp from the tires as you go round then either your front or center differential needs service. Try clockwise and counterclockwise. Happened on my Range Rover when the center diff, a viscous coupled unit, wore out. The fluid went bad so it began to progressively lock over about six months until I had to replace it. Same story for any 4wd/awd. IMHO, YMMV jonathan

Installed the top a few months back; very happy with it so far. The top is made by GAHH. R&R took six hours, evenly split, but I'm pretty slow and careful.

Actually I found it to be a very easy install. It takes a long time, about 3 hours off and three hours on for the new top, but it's straightforward and does not require any special tools. The one area to watch is first-closing tightness. I would advise loosening the tension cables all the way (hex head adjustment bolts in the top compartment, easy to see, right down where the cables snap onto the little balljoints), then closing the top, then tightening the cables until you have it where you want it. I bought my top through CabrioWorld online, but it is the GAHH top. I've been very happy with it so far.

I DIY installed the CabrioWorld (GAHH) top last weekend (14-15 May). I can second Porscheguy05's notes. Other than being time-consuming it was not difficult to do. The rear bow where the top and weather stripping come together was a little confusing. I had to stare at the directions and the bow for a while before it all clicked. Unlike Porscheguy05 I did remove the plastic side pieces on the top bow. These are the ones with the plastic plugs mentioned by the instructions. On mine the plastic plug holders snapped during disassembly, so proceed with caution. The plastic was just too old and inflexible. I reused the side pieces anyway. You may use #12 machine screws to replace the plastic plugs, just cut off any remaining plastic fingers that did not snap on disassembly, and thread the screws in. :) The top is tight and noise free. Actually quieter than the original plastic window top. My top was extremely tight and very difficult to close initially. To get it closed and tight I set the tension cables to their loosest setting. The setscrews for these are left and right of the engine top cover. They are large (17mm IIRC) hex head bolts. Clockwise tightens them and counter-clockwise loosens them; you can watch the ball head end of the tension cable move up and down to double check. Anyway...loosen them up completely and then close the top. Once the top is closed and locked you can retighten the top cables from inside the car, just flip the seat forward on the side you are adjusting, sit on the door sill and reach backward through the roll hoop. You'll be able to reach the tighteners easily. I would recommend a ratcheting tool though or you will go crazy; the tighteners take a lot of turning. The new top is a huge improvement. Thanks also to Porscheguy05 for posting his notes and experience, it was a big help.

I just received the CabrioWorld top as well. To confirm for the second time, it is the GAHH top. I ordered the German A5 canvas version in black. It looks very sharp in the box and the quality appears first-rate. I look forward to putting it onto the car. For those that order through CabrioWorld: they included a printout of the Porsche install .PDF with the order as well as a 'notes' page from a Boxster owner who did a DIY install. Very helpful. PorscheGuy, I don't have any specific questions yet but if you have any advice or can point out any trouble spots to look out for that would be great. Also, open question: does anyone know if, after installing a new top, if there is a liner that can be retrofit at a later date? The Porsche manual for glass top vs. plastic top is virtually identical and they only point out one mechanical difference. That mechanical difference looks like a modified piece for the top bow. Might be retrofittable.

0586slb, would you happen to know the part number for the ECT? Thanks!

BTW: there is a less expensive source for the glass-window top that fits earlier model Boxsters. I just bought one from CabrioWorld for ~700 shipped. I won't receive it until next week but I'll post then re: perceived quality etc.

I was just looking at that idea (the headliner). The install manuals at www.alldatadiy.com show both the with and without procedures. I haven't done a side-by-side comparison yet. One obvious difference is that there is a different middle bow piece for the with-headliner version. This piece has a channel in it that accepts some part of the headliner, not clear which. If, as Tool Pant's contact mentioned, that piece is the only difference, then it should be pretty easy to do. I have to take care of the top itself first but maybe I'll do the headliner later.

Self-answer. The lines are AN-5 sized and use 14mm and 16mm ball-seat fittings. The size of the fitting varies depending on your particular motor/car combination. The crossover lines from one fuel rail to the other are AN-6 on the 2.5L motor. On the 3.4L motor the pressure side crossover is AN-8 and the return is AN-6.

Doubtful. The whole housing is plastic-welded together.

It works just like fiberglass, no over required. Pick up a book from Amazon. I haven't worked with it yet but did the research. Apparently the major difference is that carbon is more expensive that fiberglass (about 2x) and doesn't "wet out" as easily...i.e. it takes more work to get a quality part. Vacuum bagging is the best way to go if you care to spend the time and buy the equipment but you can also just hand-lay it. If you need aerospace quality (reliable, repeatable, structural properties) then definitely vac bag. Heat is not required unless you are using exotic epoxy. Two-part epoxies all exo-thermo (heat on their own) anyway, just be at 70 or so (not outside on a cold day). You can use plaster as the mold material or build up a silicone or rubber mold if you prefer. This is a good site for materials... http://www.shopmaninc.com/products.html

I forget which code is which, but if your fuel consumption *increased* then it's probably running rich, not lean. Anyway; the AOS is easy to replace. Just the two vertically aligned 10mm-head bolts into the block and the two plastic connectors. Under the bottom of the AOS is the suction line into separator for the pass-side cylinder back. It's a little accordion-pleat rubber hose about 3" long (if that). It's held on by a spring-band clamp but it attaches to a smooth metal tube so it can be pulled straight off too. You can reach it from below or from above if you have small hands and a high pain threshold. I pulled it off and then used a screw-type clamp to replace it. Much easier. Anyhoo. The other thing to check is the PCV and the crossover line. The crossover line connects from the side of the AOS, runs across the motor, and snaps into an elbow piece on the cylinder bank... roughly diagonal from the AOS, just ahead of and below the fuel rail on the drivers side. That elbow has the PCV molded into it. I am tracking down a vacuum leak myself and replaced both the crossover line and the PCV/elbow. The elbow is ~$20 and the crossover line is ~$75. Interestingly, I had not planned to replace the crossover line at all. However when I bought the elbow piece from the dealer (they do NOT know that it is also a PCV) he was out of stock but he mentioned that they had several of the crossover line. That struck me as odd, so I asked, and he claimed that they went through the crossover lines frequently. As they age they become brittle and then mechanics crack them unintentionally when working on the motor (lean on them, unplug them with too much force, etc). He mentioned this as a 996 problem, not a 986 problem, but who knows. The elbow is easy to replace, the crossover is not, since it runs across the block UNDER every other %%$!$@#! line there is. I forget which term is which. There is both short-term fuel trim (produces no CE lights) which flips all over the map in response to of-the-moment conditions. Long-term fuel trim will trip the CE if it hits either the rich limit (car running too lean to compensate for) or the lean limit (car running too rich to compensate for). Those values are maintained for two RPM ranges IIRC. One for idle to some low range, and the other for higher RPM. Area 2 probably means that the high rpm LT fuel trim is off. Can't look it all up now (at work).

The carpeted panel is held on at the top by four wide flat plastic nuts. You can turn them off by hand or with a wide blade screw driver. To get to these nuts you will need to remove the carpet panel over the motor. Under that behind-the-seat carpet is the firewall and access panel. The access panel is sheet aluminum and held on by seven small bolts and two nuts. Use a 10mm socket for all of them. The nuts will require a deep well socket and I would also use a wobbly extension if you have one. The clearance between the rachet head and the leather top of the storage compartment is tight and you don't want to scratch it. The panel pops off easily once the bolts are removed. Watch the clearance over the storage compartment again, it;s easy to slip and scratch the leather with the sharp edge of the access panel. jonathan

You can also try pushing the mirrors with your finger a little bit to see if that loosens them up. If you only use the mirror adjustment rarely they can stiffen up enough that the little motors can't break the friction. Push the mirrors until they start to move and then try the switch again.

Re the dyno: No, that will not cause the trouble codes you are seeing although it would engage PSM temporarily.

Outside temp sensor is in the passemger side grill in the front bumper. You can see it standing in front of the car; it's a little pointy black plastic bit. It pops into a plastic ring holder; just push/wiggle to remove, then unplug.

Interesting. The function is clear but the benefit seems minimal. I would think the HP advantage from injecting cooler fuel would be the big reason for such a cooler. Maybe the advantage of cool fuel in the tank becomes significant over an endurance race. Thanks again,

That's the one! Thanks Loren. I'll include model and year next time; it slipped my mind. For entertainment's sake, it's a 1999 986, with a 2001 996 motor, last series of the 3.4L, e-gas. Fuel cooler was my guess but I wonder why it is on the return line?

This part is a small metal canister and attached metal lines. The canister is in-line between the left and right fuel rails on the smaller (return side I think) fuel line. The canister also connects to the AC compressor. The canister is marked: 996.573.045.01, Kuhner 020.0348.01 I can't figure out what this is, and when I called Suncoast they could not locate the part. I would guess that it is some kind of a cooling loop and the canister is a small heat exchanger, except that it seems like it should be on the pressure side rather than the return side. Thanks in advance, jonathan

Try the oil separator (breather tank). I'm having similar trouble, but also some missing (rough idle in addition to variable). Check for oil in your intake manifold just past the throttle body and/or at the breather tank vent line (just after the throttle body)

Here's what I know so far: 996 606 123 00 - 2.5 sensor - $372 (Bosch PN B3130-70627) 996 606 124 00 - 1st sensor for e-gas - $471 (Bosch PN B3130-128499) 986 606 125 00 - new style sensor - $492 (Bosch PN B3130-149265) 986 606 125 01 - new style sensor - (Bosch PN ?) Prices from Drivewire.

The e-gas engines are pretty much drop in for an e-gas car, so definitely go with either a 3.4 e-gas or 3.6. There are a lot of little things to sort out with the install though, and you will need a new brain or reprogrammed brain. You will NOT need a new wiring harness, the only addition to the Boxster harness will be a pair of wires for the resonance control valve and a single wire for oil pressure (if you want to hook up a meter). The plug for the control valve is the same as for the fuel injectors and for the emissions-control valves so if you can find one of those you can splice. The control valve itself is just an electrically operated vacuum switch, 996.605.123.01. Might come on the factory engine but I don't know. 5 speed and 6 speed transmissions are both more than strong enough for the 320 HP engines. I'd start worrying once you get above 400HP.

Cheapest thing is probably to check/replace the outside temp sensor in the front bumper air intake, passenger side. Also worth looking at the interior temp sensor in the passenger side air vent.

I will be starting a 2.5L to 3.4L engine swap this weekend. I understand that as part of that I will need to extend a fuel line a little bit. To do that I will need the right size fitting. I spoke with Trent, who just completed a conversion, and he indicated that the fitting is 16mm, but wasn't sure of the length or line size (his shop did the work). I will discover the details in good time I'm sure but if I can order the parts in advance that would help. Anyone have the details? Thanks, jonathan