ScottArizona

Hey guys, I have a 99 c2, and my dad has an 02 c2. We have always noticed that my dad's brake pedal is much softer, and has much more travel before the car really starts to slow, than my car has. His pads have about another 10k miles from my estimate (still much thicker than the backing plate). So, we pulled out the motive bleeder and replaced the fluid with ATE super blue, but it had no effect on the mushy pedal (the fluid that came out didn't even look that bad). What could be causing this? Might there be air in the system that we haven't gotten out? I've heard it is pretty hard and involved to get air out (even with a power bleeder) once air is introduced. Any suggestions? What else could be causing this? The car stops fine, its just disconcerting to have the pedal travel so far before it does stop. THanks, Scott.

99 c2 tip: 68,500. Only real problem was a busted tranny...HOWEVER...I believe it busted due to a mechanic failing to use the recommended fill procedure when I had the tranny service, which resulted in my driving the car for several months with a low fluid condition...toasted the transmission. Other than that, my car has been pretty trouble free (I have much of the service history for the car, and from what I can tell it has only been o2 and maf sensors (2 MAF's...one as a result of my K & N air intake experiment), and a busted coolant tank (very common in Arizona...$200.00 diy). Other stuff is just wear and tear...just replaced the rotors last week...I believe they were original.

They are mintex pads (red box I think, the ones with the large weights at the corners). Actually, I don't need to post a photo...the lip is freaking huge...I was just trying to cheap out. worn pads are back on and I'll pick up some rotors on monday.

Hi guys. I'm in the middle of a brake pad swap and I ran into what may be a little problem. My rotors have a pretty good lip, and when I tried to fit the new pads, the outer lip prevents the pad from sitting flush against the rotor. It is very close, but I can't force it in with just hand pressure, and don't want to step on the brake without first checking with the experts. So, should I try to bed in the brakes anyway, even though the pad is sitting against the lip instead of sitting against the rotor? Should I just spring for new rotors now as opposed to a few more months when I planned to do so? Also, should I be concerned that the inside pad was much less worn than the outer pad? Thanks, Scott.

No catch at all...they bolt right up and the tips fit fine too. Just make sure the welder follows the photos pretty closely or you COULD have a clearance problem. Good luck.

I've done the 3.6 mod and it was WELL worth it in my opinion. I've always wanted a nice sounding exahust but never wanted to shell out the cash, so this was really a perfect solution. I really enjoy the sound, not too loud, and very, very quiet at idle and low rpm's. Its perfect in my opinion. Only problem is that its getting harder to find the 3.6 liter cans as people are starting to realize there is a market for them thanks to the rennlist threads. I bought mine off craigslist for 175 and the seller had no clue about the mod. I had midas do the welding and they charged my 100.00. I used 2-inch pipe, and the hole was 1.5 inches. This mod has got to be on eof the best for the money.

Hey guys, I need to take off the underpanel covers at the front of my dad's 02 C2 tip, but there are some "band" type clips holding it on and I'm not sure how to best remove them without damaging them (if possible). Any hints or tricks? Thanks.

Done! needle nose pliers inserted into the slack portion of the clamp, coupled with spreading the pliers out inside, did the trick. I was able to spread it out enough to slip it off and replace with a screw-type clamp. Thanks.

Hello all, I have removed many of the spring-type clamps, but now find myself needing to remove a different type of coolant hose clamp. It is a gold band that forms a triangle shape at one end. Anyone have any idea concerning how best to remove these? Thanks. Scott.

Hey guys, My dad and I were just wrapping up a caliper paint job on his car, (02 C2 Cab Tip) and were in the process of lowering it off the jacks, when we both noticed a small, hard rubber block fall from underneath the car near the front-driver's side wheel. The block is about 1 inch wide, 1 inch thick, and about 2.5 inches long, and has two half-inch half circle indentions at both ends that look like small pipes are suppossed to sit in them. It almost looks like one of those spring spacers they sell to make a truck sit a bit higher. It could also be a spacer that keeps two AC or other steel lines from clanking into one another. Any ideas? We can't seem to locate where it came from, although we have not yet taken off the front underpanels. Also, when we do so, anyone have any hints for removing the metal "band type" clips that hold the front panels to the chasis? Thanks, Scott.

PAULSPEED, I too have heard that the audi tiptronics are very similar. I don't doubt your tech's ability to do the fill correctly (i.e., get the tranny to the proper temperature, put it through every gear, etc....). I would just be very cautious about putting anything other than the factory spec in the car (by the way, I was quoted 12k for a new tranny, not including install...so you definately don't want to mess the thing up, which I'm told is hard to do, unless the wrong fluid or not enough is used!). My tech went so far to visit the shop where I had my last ATF change just to ensure they were using the factory fill and not something that was "pretty close." Good luck!

I would excercise extreme caution here. I have a 996 tip, and had my tranny ruined as a result of a low fill. In troubleshooting the problem I was told by a premier porsche tech that Porsche tiptronic transmissions are very sensitive to fluid variances and that it is crucial that the spec'd fluid be used or shifting will suffer (and then eventual failure). I can't imagine it would be different on a 997.

Hi all, I have a 99 C2 and some of you may recall I tried the K & N CAI a few months back. I thought I had escaped the dreaded mass air flow problems that so often accompany these aftermarket intakes, but I was mistaken as mine eventually crapped out after a few months. I returned the unit, bought a new MAF (after repeated attempts at cleaning didn't help), and all is now well. HOWEVER, I miss the sound and slightly improved (real or percieved) throttle response and power that the CAI unit provided. I thought hard about trying the evo unit, which I've heard from others is less likely to kill a MAF, but I've decided against it for the following reason: There seem to be two theories concerning why the aftermarket intakes cause MAF problems: oil residue fouling the maf, and "non-laminar" flow over the resistor in the MAF sensor (i.e., flow that is turbulent instead of flow that is flat and orderly, which supposedly is the type of flow provided from the stock and other flat panel filters). My bet is that the real culprit is not oil, but rather the turbulent flow. This would explain, for example, why the later cars with the updated MAF sensor design (which features a couple of turns in the air ducting that could serve to "straighten" the flow of air before its hits the wire) seem to fair better than the earlier cars (although it could just be that the earlier cars have older MAF's that are closer to failure anyway, and that the CAI just hastens its already imminent failure). THis would also explain why the evo units, which feature a bit more distance between the MAF and the filter (that could theoretically result in less turbulent flow) seem to provide less problems than the K & N unit (the K & N unit positions the MAF sensor pretty close to the filter). If it was an oiling issue, it seems that both CAI brands would cause problems at similar rates, although this seems, at least anectdotally, not to be the case. So, I think my solution is to add a schnell/fabspeed/home depot intake kit which blocks off the resonator, which would, at the minimum, give me a little more sound. This seems like a pretty benign mod as it does not appear to affect pre-MAF sensor air flow. However, I am thinking about also adding a BMC or K & N replacement filter for a bit more flow, which leads me to my question, which I hope will help me test my theory that the oil on a properly (i.e., minimally) oiled filter is not the real culprit: For those who have installed JUST a K & N, BMC, or other flat-panel replacement filter that requires oiling and made no other intake mods, what has been your experience? Dead MAF sensor or is it still alive? I'd also be interested in the year of the car and the length of time the filter has been in use. If there are folks that have had problems with just the change to an oiled filter, I think I'll stay away and just settle for blocking of the resonator. Thanks!

I bought the tranny from silverstar recycling, located in the sacramento area I believe. I highly recommend them. I shot straight with them with the prices I was quoted from other yards, and the mileages on the other units I was considering, and they decided to beat the other guys' prices. Another important factor was that they didn't require a core exchange, which saved me nearly $200 in shipping. With regard to the coffee table suggestion for the old unit, I'm not sure putting a daily reminder for me wife of this fiasco in my living room would be a wise choice if I want to keep feeding my porsche habit in the future.

O.k. THE CAR IS FIXED. I'm so glad to be back on the road again I can't hardly stand it! Didn't realize how much I love this car. My mechanic put in a good used unit and every single problem and symptom has disappeared. The tranny shifts much smoother and quicker than before, with no groaning, moaning, slipping, surging, or jerking. There was definately something amiss in the old unit. My only regret is that we weren't able to determine what exactly it was given that there were no transmission codes and everything the shop checked was healthy. My personal belief is that the other shop that did my atf change 5k miles ago underfilled it by about a liter and that overtime the thing just got cooked, and by the time I noticed an appreciable decline in performance it was too late. All in all I paid 2800 for the tranny and 1600 in labor and extra parts (updated rms, etc...), which included over $300 in atf alone (a couple total fluid flushes and refills can really add up, but I didn't want to change the transmission without at least verifying that it wasn't a fluid problem). I am very happy with the service I recieved and would not hesitate to recommend Robert at Redline Motorsports in Tempe, Arizona (how many times have you been asked if you believed a labor charge was "fair" before making the payment...that is the kind of shop Robert runs!). My only question now is what I should do with my old tranny? Sell it to someone who needs a core? part it out? Take it apart and see if anything jumps out as obviously wrong? Maybe gut the internals and make a nice flower pot out of the bell housing? I'm open to suggestions! Thanks again for everyone's help.

My mechanic initially thought they were separate too, until he checked the PET. Then when we swapped in the new dme we realized there was not a separate controller. interesting. I'll broach this topic again with him to see if we are not missing something, but I'm pretty sure there is only one unit. I'll keep you all posted. Scott.

Well, I promised an update so it here it. My mechanic, who I trust a great deal (ex factory premier tech now owner of independent shop with pst2, etc...) has basically ruled out everything he can think of, and has really gone the extra mile checking with various experts around the country to try to pinpoint the problem. Still no codes of any kind but the problem has been getting worse as the pulsing at low rpm is becoming more pronounced and the car has begun shuddering pretty badly at times when I try to accelerate. All the feedback points to some sort of a mechanical problem in the transmission. The problem, however, is that cracking open the tranny to trouble shoot would be pretty expensive and might not ever reveal the problem. So, the suggestion was to throw in a new transmission. From contacting fellow rennlisters that had tiptronic problems that were similar to mine, a new tranny fixed the issues. Of course, getting a new unit is ridiculously expensive (one dealer actually quoted me 12k just for the transmission!). So, I located a used unit from Silver Star Recylcling in Cal. The thing has 49k and they offer a six month warranty (which was the best I found). They gave me what I consider to be a fair price too: 2700, no core exchange needed. I don't like the idea of a used unit, but it beats taking out a home equity line of credit to fix my car. The tranny should be here by the end of the week. Keep your fingers crossed for me. Thanks to all who have given their feedback. Scott.

Some of you may have seen my posts about my tiptronic acting up. I've got the car back from the mechanic for a few days before I return it and I want to trouble shoot a few things before it goes back for more diagnostics. In researching this problem I've found some people have experienced bad shifting when a wheel sensor was sending bad data (i.e., it was not broken, and did not therefore throw a code...it just sent wrong information that was enough to "confuse" the tiptronic transmission). The suggestion was to clean the sensor of brake dust and see if that helps. Can someone tell me where I can locate the sensor (a picture would be great) and the procedure I should use to clean it? Should I hose it down? Use electrical contact cleaner? disconnect it first? Also, I want to verify that I don't have a bad wheel bearing that could be exerting drag on a wheel, as this MIGHT also contribute to bad shifting. How do I check to if the bearing is bad? I do hear a groan coming from the rear fo the car at times, but it is definately not consistent and only seems to happen at low speeds in fourth gear (especially when cold), and on hard right turns, but it always goes away quickly and is by no means constant or cyclical. Last question: where is the abs control unit. I have noticed my abs kicking in early and abruptly as of late, and I am wondering if all of my problems might be related. If the unit is near the battery, it could have been damaged by water as I noticed about a month ago that I had a plugged drain hole that permitted water to pool after rains and washing. Thanks so much for your input. Scott.

Hey Izzy, my tech informs me (and I confirmed this with Porsche) that in my car the dme and tip control module are intergrated. That is why it is so expensive in my car (apparently later cars got a separate tiptronic control unit that is much less expensive). I've got the car back now because I wanted to trouble shoot a few things myself (and because my mechanic won't be able to give it any more attention until tuesday given that he is doing race support/prep for some cars that will be running at Phoenix International Raceway this weekend). One thing I am going to look at are wheel bearings and wheel speed sensors. If a sensor is giving a wrong reading, it might not throw a code, but could be off enough to confuse the tiptronic (its at least worth a shot). I am also going to switch rear tires with my dad's tires to see if I might have an issue with an out of round rim or uneven tire wear (I noticed the insides of my sport contacts are wearing more on the insides) that could be causing the havoc. wish me luck.

O.k. here is an update, and it's not that good. New DME was installed...no change. All ATF was flushed with a couple of separate drains, replaced with new fluid and filter...still no help. Tech verified the shift mechanism in the center console was in the correct position (it is). Still no codes or faults of any kind. He is basically stumped, as are a few info sources he has consulted. We are not sure where to go from here. The rpm surge is still present at low speed and low rpm in 4th and 5th upon very slight acceleration. Also present is the clunky and shuddering shifting, which seems to be getting worse. I'm not sure what I'm going to do as at this point as future diagnosis attempts will amount to little more than guesses (that will of course be expensive). The next step according to the tech is to verify all the dme wiring is working properly, that nothing has been chewed through or is not grounding somewhere, etc...but that is 3-4 hours labor with no real indication other than a hunch as to whether this is the problem. Izzy, you've been great, but I assume you are out of ideas. Loren, what do you think? Thanks again for your help guys! Scott.

Thanks Izzy, that is good advice, and I'll run it by the tech (he has the car right now). The funny thing about all this is that I'm not even that concerned about the cost right now (provided I don't need to shell out for a new transmission or anything). I just want my car back to normal! I'll let you know what happens!.

I think I can help you as I went from a 98 boxster to a 2001 boxster s, to a 99 c2 coupe tip. Let me begin by saying that I loved both of my boxsters, and REALLY loved the S. It was a very fun, very tossable car. I never felt wanting for power although 250 does not seem like a lot by today's standards. Now, if given the choice, I would have gone with the 996 manual but my wife was absolutely stoked about the prospect of an automatic, and she would have been bummed if I had passed on a tip for a manual. My wife is great and seeing her excitement about a car she could drive and feel comfortable in did it for me. The plus side is that she's becoming a bit of a porsche afficianado herself, which is definately a good thing as it ensures we will have porsches in our lives for many years. At first the 99 tip did not FEEL as fast as the boxster, but I now believe it actually is. I had the cars at the same time for a while and in a race with a friend behind the wheel of the 911 the race was not even close (although the boxster's poor performance could have certainly been due to driver ineptitude). Using a g-tech meter I can get consistent 0-60 readings in the 5.6-5.8 range, so the cars are really pretty close if you have a good driver behind the 6-speed boxster s. There are a couple of areas where the 996 tip is much better than the S. First, high speed power and torqe is much better in the 911. Romp on the gas at 75 mph and watch the car downshift to 3rd and pull like crazy to over 100. This car may not be the quickest but it definately has some legs at high speed. The 911 is also far superior in my opinion with regard to practicality and room. having back seats is great because I can put my two little kids back there, or if its just my wife and I, you can fit a surprising amount of stuff in the rear with te seats folded down. And, the best part of the 911...the iconic shape. That shape is what hooked my on porsches at age 7, and the prospect of owning one was just too much. I honestly believe the 993/996/997 coupes are among the best looking cars ever (excluding, of course, the super exotics that I will never have enough money to own...the gallardo is probably my all-time favorite int he looks department). Areas where my boxster was better? Pretty easy actually, my 996 does not have full leather, and the later interiors are far superior in my opinion. You can fix this in an early car, however, as in my car (which has a black interior), I have added silver trim rings, a silver console, silver ignition surround, silver airbag dash strips, silver airbag insignias on the door air bags, and a few other painted upgrades. I've also updated my car with the later cupholders. I would like to add a nice three-spoke wheel too if I can find a good enough deal. In the end, both cars are great, and I sometimes miss the boxster S. Definately drive both, however, as the tip is definately not for everyone. Below is a pic of my car (and my happy wife!) shortly after I got it. Good luck in you decision. Scott.

Here is an update. I took the care to a very well respected independent (former factory premier tech with pst2 tester), and he too suspected low fluid. He found the tranny was just under a quart low. he topped it off and sent me on my way to see if the problem was gone. Well, the topping off seemed to help at first but quickly the problems came back. In fact, the poor shifting seems to have gotten worse, and now I am noticing a pronounced rpm surge at low speeds and low rpm in fifth gear upon very slight acceleration. So, I took the car back, and we opened up the DME that he had ordered just in case. The first thing he noticed were scuff marks and some indented metal where the DME mounts to the car, leading him to believe the DME we recieved was not new and had been mounted before. So, we just popped it in, and wouldn't you know it...no difference. We drove around together for a while and the tech agreed that something was definately not right. He now thinks there are two possibilities: (1) the DME they sent was a core exchange and we should try a new DME; or (2) the other independent shop I had used to do my tranny service in September might have used the wrong fluid. So, we are going to do a new service with fluid change to see if that helps things. Keep you fingers crossed for me, and I'll be sure to give an update once this is resolved. THanks for all your help, Scott.

RandalJ, That is a great looking car! I too have a 99 Zenith Blue coupe...and I live in Gilbert! Small world, I've yet to see another zb 996 in the flesh (I've seen a few boxsters). I'll post a picture of mine later today. A zenith blue-only fun drive would be a hoot (although my dad, who is the proud owner of a polar silver 02 c2, and my mom, with her titanium cayenne turbo might want in on the fun too). I'm always messing with my car, that is really a large part of the fun for me, and it really surpises my wife as I was not really too interested in "wrenching" before I started buying Porsches (I have previously owned a 98 boxster and 01 Boxster S--both awesome cars, but the 911 is great because I can put my two little ones in the back and they love it!). On mine I have done the following: oil and oil filter changes, replaced serpentine belt, replaced cracked coolant tank, replaced fuel filter, installed painted center console, installed painted dash strips (not nearly as tough as everyone says) and ignition surround, installed guage trim rings (from bumperplugs.com), swapped out the black carrerra emblem for silver (stunning change in my opinion). I also had the K & N air intake "expiriment for a while before my mass air flow sensor crapped out. I've also cleaned out my radiators (with bumper removal to be thorough). My most recent mod, and one that is a must in my opinion, is the later-style dual in-dash cup holders that install in the spot of the HVAC controls (you move that to the bottom bin, just like the 01's. My future mod's will likely include some H&R springs and some aluminium pedals, maybe I'll try the EVO intake kit as they seem to be a little easier on the mass air flow sensors. I've also been contemplating an exhuast as I installed a GHL unit on my dad's car it it really sounds mean. Feel free to p.m me if you have any questions. I just love these cars, and by the way, Renntech has literally saved me thousands of dollars and many, many trips to a dealer, it is an awesome resource. For example, the dealer wanted something like $600+ to swap in a new coolant take and I got the instructions here, and the part for cheap from sunset motorsports (board sponsor) and did it myself in a few hours.

I think LSU1981 is right. I did the opposite of this mod to my 99--moved the HVAC controls down and installed the dual cupholders into the old HVAC location. My recollection is that to install the HVAC unit to the upper bin you need two brackets, more or less triangular in shape, that go on the right and left sides of the HVAC unit. These two brackets have two screw clips each that the screws that secure the HVAC unit go into. I did not use these brackets when moving the unit to the lower position just above the batwing because from my inspection there was no way they were going to fit (it was snug, even without the brackets). Call board sponsor sunset. I got my retrofit kit from them and they'll know each part you will need.