04Sep2009
Boxster/996 window issues?
I have seen a lot of window issues in boxsters and 996’s lately. The general operation of the door glass is simple in the 2 cars. Basically, when you pull the the door handle (inner or outer), the window glass will drop about a 1/2″ to allow for smooth opening of the door. When the door shuts, the window will raise back into place. The same goes for the convertible tops. When the front release handle is triggered, the windows …
24Aug2009
Sticky Boxster/996 A/C control unit?
Here is a easy little fix for you guys out there with A/C and heater control units that have sticky buttons on the control panel. Why do they stick? Well, driving around with coffee, pop, etc in the car, eventually something is bound to get spilled…….. First start by removing the side trim on each side: There are clips on the forward most side, just get your fingers behind the trim piece and lightly pull out. Next, remove the trim …
04Aug2009
Boxster Clutch
Had a boxster come in today that was making a heck of a squealing from the clutch area. My assumption is that the dual mass flywheel is starting to get too much play in it, which is a known issue on the dual mass flywheels. With over 80k miles on the car and still on it’s first clutch, it is probably about time to get in there and replace it anyway. Up on stands, pulling stuff apart. For those that …
01Aug2009
More 968 Cam Maintenance
Another 968 came through today. 158k miles on the clock, with an unknown history of cam maintenance. Pulled the valve cover to see what we were dealing with. The top pad, while worn, was not in horrible shape. Typically I see more wear on the bottom pad, but you can’t inspect it without pulling the cams and tensioner. Cams out of the car……To pull the cams, you need to remove the timing belt. On the 968, that more or less …
16Jul2009
993 Suspensions
A quick round up of different suspension options on the 993: Stock configuration: Lowered with Bilstein HD’s and H&R lowering springs: Lowered with PSS9’s. Height is infinitely adjustable…. Porsche ROW suspension on the left, PSS9’s on the right…..
15Jul2009
993: Get it low…….
Just got done installing new shocks/struts/lowering springs on a freind’s 1995 993. One of the major downfalls of the 993, was Porsche’s decision to use a cheap Monroe shock assembly in the suspension. After 20-30k miles, they are usually completely shot….i don’t recall the last time I saw a 993 with a set of good stock shocks still on it. There are a couple of options you can look at for replacement. 1. Bilstein PSS9/10 coilover suspension. You can go …
29Jun2009
930 Turn Singal Switch
After 20 years, sometimes nagging electrical issues start to rear their head. Even though this was a sub 40k mile 930, the turn signals were having problems. In a fairly common failure, when the headlights were on and you used the turn signal, the brights would turn on. This is due to bent armatures in the switch. Now there are two ways to repair this. One, is to go in and to attempt to rebend the arms so the high …
27Jun2009
Saturday Maintenance
Knocked out a few cars today in the 95 degree heat 🙂 Thankfully, between the cooler morning hours and the garage, I stayed fairly cool. Tomorrows project….plumbing an ac vent into the garage….muhahaha. Should be a nice short term fix until I install a separate AC unit for the garage. Forgot the camera, but this morning knocked out an ignition switch on a boxster along with an oil change. Down the road it went….. Then I had an oil change …
19Jun2009
996TT K16g Turbo Upgrade
Have a car in today for a turbo and ecu upgrade. 2002 996TT with 70k+ miles on it. The old turbos are starting to show signs of leakage, so time to upgrade to a little more power. Turbos and programming came from Tony at EPL. First thing to do is to raise up the rear of the car and get it supported on jackstands safely. I always block the front wheels as well, since your drivewheels and parking brake wheels …