Pete (986 Boxster) the Porsche

[Hawkeyethenoo]

Just putting this here in shrediness for Saturday correction nonsense for tomorrow. Expect M6 motorway madness and or tedium, Gregs, pez shots a plenty and hopefully some A Road action on the way hame from Kendal on Sunday. Total mileage plotted to collection, overnight stop in Crewe (Hillbilly Inn) and err hame with luck. 568 miles. Insurance and AA cover in place, just about to pack toothbrush N spare pants. We depart at the crack of 1pm tomorroz. ?

[Hawkeyethenoo]

That's us on the road South of Glasgow M74 joy. So what's the shite in question? No a Safrane or a Jag sadly but never owned one before so quite excited. ?

[Supernaut]

Chodspeed, sir!

[Skizzer]

Croeso i Gymru. Pob lwc.

[Hawkeyethenoo]

Right sorry for lack of updates but collection has occured. Now at hotel for the night...

[NorthernMonkey]

Bloody hell. Talk about raising the bar....

[keith777]

Stunning !!

[Ghosty]

Wow.

[Roobarb]

Oh my word!

Thats pretty fantastic, that is!

[Hawkeyethenoo]

Opps posted the wrong image, shit. It's not the Ford V8 sadly but a flat 6. Now making our way north stopped at Penrith for ice cream ?

2000 Boxster 2.7. mega money history IMS RMS done Inc clutch etc 147k drives superbly so far. ABS light showing so not perfect etc.

The V8 was a beauty. Bonnie and Clyde what... Cheers all.

 

[Hawkeyethenoo]

Home 290 miles door to door. M6 to Kendal and then A6 A7 up to Edinburgh and hame. Added a bottle of Redex after stopping at Crewe to pick up new wiper blades. Refuelled at Carlisle with Super UNL and it had returned 29mpg which was good considering our high average speed. It's been loved over the years, one lady had it 7 years and spent thousands on it. Receipt there for RMS, IMS Vario whatyahmaycallits and replacement clutch from Porsche main dealer for £4200 from 2012 at 123k and that's just one of many! God bless her. Last few miles of local roads were an utter joy with the flat six wailing away behind my ears and the Goodyear F1s providing endless grip on the warm tarmac. A good bit of business me thinks and the clean up and fettling begins. ?

[Hawkeyethenoo]

As soon as I heard this, I was smitten and just had to buy it.

Clean up has begun.  I used Polytrol colour restorer on the once black, now faded to grey plastics and the results are amazing! If you haven't already tried it do so. 100ml tester is only a fiver freepost!

https://www.owatroldirect.co.uk/product/polytrol/

Cheers.

[Hawkeyethenoo]

Oil change completed, was last done in May 2018. Easy enough job even using the jack and axle stands which I'm equipped with. 10L yes that's 10L of Shell Helix Ultra 5W 40 and a Hengst oil filter from ECP was £55.00. So much oil came out it nearly filled my drain pan which is a first. So far I've added very nearly 9L and have left it now to sit overnight before I do a final level check tomorrow. Electronic oil reader is showing one below max and it's German so deadly accurate.

Issues spotted underneath. Very little actually. Modded exhaust has a very slight blow and will need a tickle with the electric stick. OSR brake disc is looking a bit tired on the inside and they're lipped so on the list for replacement. The handbrake is also poor so either it's out of adjustment or the shoes are tired and or both!

Amazing how much of the underneath is aluminium in terms of suspension at the rear and there's almost no corrosion, which on a car of this age is commendable. Even the brake pipes look sweet. Roof has had plastic window replaced with same, but is letting the car down as it's stained and in need of a bottle of Renovo or twa, that's another job on the list. Hell of a lot of driver's car for the money and head N shoulders a much better car than the 1998 SLK230 which I sold back in May.  Christ knows why anyone bought one of them new, when the Boxster was about the same money.

Lastly the ABS light showing. I can't get any DTC codes to flag up on any of the three readers I have, weird, so it's going to the friendly local garage to see what their super-computer can find oot? Hope it's just a sensor or more likely a sensor wiring fault. Wish me luck.

[Hawkeyethenoo]

Revelation to John 1-1. And on the first day Porsche created the mid-engined layout and by God it's good!

I keep waiting for the front to weight up as the corner speed increases and it to begin to push wide into, mild understeer, like every other car I've ever driven. It just doesn't happen. It just darts round the bend and out. In the dry at least, it's nothing short of EPIC! 

300 miles. 50L of 98RON = 26mpg including the blast up the A7, A6 last weekend. #Econowagen.

 

ABS fault located. Either the speed sensor or the speed sensor wiring? More on this story, later.....

[Schaefft]

Very cool, check the resistance of the sensor wiring to find out if theres a break in the cable. Can't imagine replacing the sensor will cost much either. Do you have before/after picture for that plastic color restoration?

[Cavcraft]

By all accounts that 2.7 (or the earlier 2.5) engine is the one to have. Will watch this thread with interest, hope it's a good car for you.  

[Hawkeyethenoo]

17 hours ago, Schaefft said:

Very cool, check the resistance of the sensor wiring to find out if theres a break in the cable. Can't imagine replacing the sensor will cost much either. Do you have before/after picture for that plastic color restoration?

Wiring checks out okay so ordered a Bosch sensor from Mister Auto on eBay for £34. Weirdly, when I checked the live data via OBD it was providing wheel speed but was slow to update the speed compared to the other 3. Will update the other thread later. Roof now been given it's first coat of Renovo blue reviver and it's looking a hell of a lot better already. Second coat going on shortly. 

[Hawkeyethenoo]

With a modicum of brutality, the ABS sensor was removed. The securing bolt snapped off, broke right at the get go.... Much hammering drilling and screwdrivering and the magnets and inner plastic case finally came free. Checked the reluctor ring and it seemed fine, so with a little grease added, the new sensor was gently knocked into place and seated nicely. Move it shant. 

Fired Billy (the Boxster) up and the ABS light went out straight away and stayed out. ? Cleared the stored DTC code and it was high fives alround and a beer to celebrate another cheap job, £34, being completed. ?

I've also swapped out the rear light lenses for smoked versions. Yes I am a #tart. Check condition of the inner wing! #Mint!

[Hawkeyethenoo]

Update: battery recharged and Pete's running pretty good. Carried out a pre-mot and everything works as it should, although the drivers leccy window glass seems to have become disconnected from the regulator? Will need to have a look? Decided against taking for MOT test tomorrow, will review later in the month and get it tested then? SORN remains in place for now.

Proper update next time.

 

 

[Hawkeyethenoo]

Issue with drivers door window is...... The window regulator is fubar. It all came apart easily enough. Door card off, air bag out after disconnecting battery, door membrane peeled off, window glass removed, motor and regulator released and removed. Motor is working perfect. Regulator cable had snapped where it exits the motor. Looking around now for a new regulator. 

[cort1977]

Can you get just the cable? I had similar on a w210 Mercedes and was able to get just the cable at a very reasonable price. Bit of a faff winding it around but it did work and better than paying Mercedes prices.

[SRi05]

Quote

 

Opps posted the wrong image, shit. It's not the Ford V8 sadly but a flat 6. Now making our way north stopped at Penrith for ice cream ?

2000 Boxster 2.7. mega money history IMS RMS done Inc clutch etc 147k drives superbly so far. ABS light showing so not perfect etc.

The V8 was a beauty. Bonnie and Clyde what... Cheers all.

 

 

[SRi05]

Nice Porsche though ?

[Hawkeyethenoo]

2 hours ago, cort1977 said:

Can you get just the cable? I had similar on a w210 Mercedes and was able to get just the cable at a very reasonable price. Bit of a faff winding it around but it did work and better than paying Mercedes prices.

Maybe aye. Can get a kit from Germany for £40, which will take a while to get here, I'd imagine. Entire new regulator is £72 from the UK, would be here within a week.

I'd hate to wait for the kit and then it was shit, or a ballache to fit and then it break the third time I used the window and have to go through the entire process again.... 

Decisions, decisions.

[Noel Tidybeard]

me likey smokey lights ??

[SiC]

I've never heard anyone say good things about replacing cables on a window regulator, except cost. 

[Hawkeyethenoo]

19 hours ago, Noel Tidybeard said:

me likey smokey lights ??

They're smart. Lucked out on them as second handers on the 'Bay. 

New regulator ordered this morning and it should be here tomorrow, thanks to DPD.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/131725379609

 

 

[Hawkeyethenoo]

Pete Update.  Leccy window fixed with the new regulator. Not without issues though as it was dropping too low in the door, which was causing the top of the window to drop out of the guide/top of the door which would prevent it going back up again, bugger. The regulator lacked any adjustment, double bugger, so ended up creating a bodge with an old 10mm socket wedged into the bottom of the regulator runner which prevents the glass dropping too low in the frame. The window goes all the way down and back up again smoothly and like it should, the clearance with the door frame/roof is just enough. It doesn't leak water and no excessive wind noise.  I should have paid more attention when ordering the regulator...

Couple of very slight, pin hole exhaust leaks were sealed with chemical metal and seem to be holding so far. N/S double clamp is where it was leaking the worst. I can get a new stainless clamp for under a tenner so will order a couple of those with a view to replacing them at some point. Sometimes these things are best left well alone....

ABS light has been the biggest issue with this car, I bought(ed) it like that. Today with a full recharged battery the DTC, front left wheel speed sensor, cleared and stayed clear on a sneaky wee back road run and both front sensors were showing equal live data, so let's hope that gremlin stays away on MOT day which is well overdue! I have rear discs N pads to fit first and will be giving that a go tomorrow night. WCPGW?

Fecking love the car. It's all about the glorius noise from that flat six mota and the epic handling. Always bring on a smile. ?

[Hawkeyethenoo]

Spent an enjoyable few hours today replacing the rear discs N pads and properly adjusting the handbrake. First proper spannering, other than an oil change I've done on Pete and it was 'mostly' a pleasure. It's nothing short of a revaltion just how grot free this car is especially compared to Ronnie the red Range Rover. Bolts all come free like they should and the backing plates for the handbrake shoes looks like it is under 3 years old not 20. Pete has been well maintained, the huge file of Porsche main dealer receipts back that up and it would seem the handbrake shoes and N/S rear spring have been replaced fairly recently, good news.

The discs we're not too bad, worn with the usual scoring that seems to be the trait of rear discs as they wear. The Pagid pads had plenty life in them but they were binned as I had replacement Brembo discs and pads in stock.

Shown here with just the caliper cleaned before removal of that and the pads and disc. First time I've seen 4 pot calipers on the rear of a car.

The brakes were always okay, but they felt a bit wooden and lacking feel. I think much like the rest of the car, the brakes are set up to be under assisted not overly assisted and need a bit of a shove to really feel them bite, but they didn't inspire confidence so something had to give.

The handbrake was poor with the lever coming up seven or eight clicks before it held, with a groan on a steep hill.  N/S shoes were adjusted correctly as I had to back that off a few clicks before the disc was free to remove.

Shoes cleaned up well and just look at that 20 year old shoe back plate, grot free!

Rebuild went really well with important stuff being cleaned and lubed with a tiny dab of silicone grease where needed, also pleased that the brakes are a Copaslip free zone and remain that way, another sign that they've been worked on by someone who kens/knows.

Shiny!

 

Scrap pile....

Brake pistons wouldn't push back in by hand, well not my hands, but when do they ever? My old 75mm beaten to hell G clamp had clamped its last so I nipped up to the local hardware shop and was £7.45 lighter of wallet for a new wan. It was worth it though as it made easy work of pushing the pistons back into their bores ready for the calipers to be reinstalled, just finger tight as I would save the final torque, nipping up to 63flb torque while my apprentice/son was holding his foot on the err, foot brake, to ensure that everything was properly centered and seated.

But before that, about that handbrake. The O/S shoes were well out of adjustment. When I went to remove the disc before even trying to back off the shoes it came right off. Which means that it was only working on one side. No wonder the handbrake was so poor and the travel was so high. On refitting the new disc and adjusting , the adjuster would go so far, still not far enough and then jam up, eh? Disc back off again and it was clear the adjuster was catching on the shoe spring with links the two shoes at the top. Hmmmm, bit of a design flaw there Ferdinand my old pet....

So what to do? If in doubt, silicone grease it. With a wee bit of that added the adjuster was free to turn enough to reach the correct adjustment which returns an untterly awesome handbrake! Four clicks and it's rock solid, with the option of click 5 available, for parking at the top of Everest. ?

With that issue resolved it was reconnecting the wear sensors, which unlike BMW, aren't made of synthetic cheese and slotted right back in where they will continue to do their job. Safety third...

So that was pretty much that. An easy straight forward and yes enjoyable bit of car maintenance. The money I saved doing it myself, I spent on higher quality parts and still saved a few quid while knowing it was done right and not rushed.

It's not all sweetness and light though and I'm not quite as ready for the MOT as I thought, as......

When I was fecking about getting Pete down safely off the axle stands, a pool of oily black liquid appeared under his rear end. WTF ! STOP EVERYTHING! ?

Turns out both inner and outer O/S CV joint boots are fubar and the oily puddle was the watery contents draining themselves onto the garage floor. Fecking feckty feck! Instant MOT failure and something I'd very nearly completely missed.

So there you go, the entire lot will only need to come off again pretty soon so the new boots can go on. They could be orginal for all I know, I doubt it but the N/S looks pretty persihed too so both sides inner and outer is now on the cards. Shyte, but there you go. I've priced them up and they're coming in about twenty quid per side so not too bad and a whole world cheaper than new CV joints. I just wish I'd spotted it sooner as I'd have done them at the same time as the discs.

C'est la vie.... ?

Hawkeye.

[Hawkeyethenoo]

Busy doing research on the cv boots. It seems it may be possible to remove the inner CV and slide both boots down the shaft, fnar fnar, from that end? It may require the exhaust being disconnected at the cats for access, however, that's something I'd rather avoid as old exhausts don't like to be fecked with and it seems Porsche used a press fit stud rather than plain old bolts, which rust in like billy-oh. 
Had the engine cover off today as I wanted to check the PS level. Needed a tiny wee bit adding to bring it up to the correct level, while I was there I cleaned the top of the motor, easier to monitor any leaks that way and removed the air filter for checking. Why do folk buy an expensive washable K&N air filter and then never wash it/maintain it? Perhaps they see 100,000 mile filter on the box and think it will go that long without cleaning? 

It's the mankiest, pure filthy air filter I've ever seen. I didn't know whether to clean it or plant some tatties in it. 

Now cleaned and soaking in cleaner for a second time... The clean side is really clean though so it shows the filter has done its job pretty well.  Clean/intake side below