Boxster knowledge needed................potential purchase.

[Bradders59]

Im tempted by this one, but it could be a whole heap of trouble. Seller seems extremely genuine and has answered my questions very quickly.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Porsche-Boxster-1997-2-5-Ocean-Blue-Manual/324344800085?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649

The fault code it keeps throwing up that he cant get rid of could, according to the interweb, be a hard to trace fault in the wiring loom.

The thing that really worries me is that when a compression test was done by a garage, one bank was lower than the other. Ive asked for details and he has told me the paperwork shows one bank at 180psi and the other at 120psi.

He thinks this might be connected to the cam sensor fault code, causing the ecu receive the wrong info from the cam sensor and alter the cam timing for that bank, and a leak down test didnt show any problems.

I wouldnt have thought the ECU would be able to adjust the cam timing as the cams are driven mechanically via the cam chains ?

Whatever the cause, what would cause all cylinders on one bank to be reading 120psi ?

Thanks in advance for any info / advice.

[hairnet]

@Kiltox

[Kiltox]

Nope. 

No idea what’s wrong with it but I’d steer well clear. 

[SiC]

Reposting this here:

Possibly faulty ECU I reckon or a wiring fault that was missed. Not that I think these are prone to ECU failures but if this giving a short to 12v error even after changing the sensor, it doesn't point to a mechanical fault.

"Checked the wiring" - Does that mean probe each end with a multimeter or physically pull the wire out along the entire length and inspect it? Probably just a quick check on the DMM I reckon. 

That's on the basis that the code reappears with the engine not running. If it reappears with it running, I'd be worried about stretched chain. Says timing checked, but what does that actually mean? 

He also doesn't elaborate on what the hot start issue is either

[SiC]

You might get lucky and find out that it's a bent pin on the ECU connector or something

 

[Bradders59]

Ive just been having a look online at the Boxsta forum, and the seller has a long thread about the car on there, so Ive joined up and am just about to read through it.

Will report back.

[SiC]

I've sent a PM that you might find interesting

[Bradders59]

Well, Ive read through the thread and the forum experts couldnt solve it. He took it to a trusted indy garage who advised him to get rid as it may need the engine removed and stripped to get to the bottom of it.

Previous owner had a hot starting problem, but when running it ran fine. Took it to garage who charged him £1600 and gave it back running rough with a fault code that wont go away.

It might be something simple that no-one has found yet, or it might be something really major.

He finally decided to put it on an ebay  3 day auction and cut his losses.

Im brave, but Im not that brave.

[Bradders59]

On the other hand, it looks like a lovely car.......🙄

[Bradders59]

36 minutes ago, SiC said:

I've sent a PM that you might find interesting

It was very interesting indeed. Many thanks.

Having read your post again I will ask him if the code reappears with the engine running or not running.

That could be the decider.

[overrun]

Can't fix this one with an auto box service, Mike!

[Cavcraft]

Slightly o/t but 'Please take a minute to read my feedback at the bottom of the listing' usually means they don't want you to read ALL of their feedback and have been selective. As in this case. Also, there's a fair amount of 1 or 2 rated buyers who've left glowing praise and are no longer registered.

 

 

[horriblemercedes]

A couple of issues there. 

 

The guy seems to know Boxsters inside out but can't diagnose this. 

 

I'm sure I read years ago that there's a structural reason a 2.5 litre 986 Boxster shouldn't have 18" wheels. At least those that are on it are worth a decent amount though 

[dave j]

Looks nice, but if a garage couldn't sort it, and he has failed to fix it too then I would give it a miss.  

[Bradders59]

Having read his thread on the Boxster forums he doesnt know them inside out. I think he knows a bit about them, particularly how to make them really shiny.

The garage it went to to have the hot start issue fixed by the previous owner, have more than likely fucked something up for the princely sum of £1600 !

He then had an auto electrician take a look at it who didnt have a clue what he was doing.

He then took it to a garage he sometimes uses. They didnt want to get involved, so told him to get shot of it.

Funnily enough, I posted up about it on another forum and got an answer from one of the mods. He is pretty close to  an automotive genius, and is a designer for Jaguar, among other things.

He says the problem is in the loom, and with that fault code  changing the cam sensor,   wont make any difference.

"its had to many people pissing around with it, who dont know what they are doing". was his conclusion.

I might still have a bid on it, bit it depends how high it goes. Ebay can be ridiculous when people get auction fever.

Theres a pretty decent looking one on there at the moment for £2595,  on a classified.

[SiC]

Just read the thread. He bought it broken and presumably thought it would be a cheap/easy fix. However the person before him took it to several specialists and didn't find the root cause. He took it to a different specialist and an auto electrician. Both stumped. No wonder his specialist told him to get rid. 

I reckon either it's the engine ECU (DME) or there is something mechanically wrong in the engine. ECUs are pretty damn robust and I'd be very surprised if it was that though. I would put my money on something fucked in the engine. Low compression, misfiring, plugs sooted up and rough running that's hard to warm start are all signs of mechanical issues. 

That engine needs to be dropped and further + closer inspection needs to be done on it. The 2.5 engines are pretty rare as they had a short lifecycle. Hence replacements seem to be going for £2k+.

That car is really only fit for breaking on parts unfortunately. 

Neeeeext!

[Bradders59]

Decision made. Im out. A shame because it looks like areally nice example.

[SiC]

18 minutes ago, Bradders59 said:

Decision made. Im out. A shame because it looks like areally nice example.

Which is why it'll make a good breaker! Hence it may go for a decent amount as people know they can get a lot of money for the panels and other parts on it. 

[motorpunk]

I gave up looking for a good Boxster. They’re cheap for a reason.

[Bren]

Its a spares car. You may find the cause of the fault - but how much will it cost?

Sadly if the problem is in the engine somebody is going to be very irate - especially once it is  in another car.

If it is wiring related then it is a visual inspection of the loom - with a mirror.

 

[5speedracer]

Mate had a Boxster written off as a mouse got in and chewed wiring somewhere!

Sent from my R19 using Tapatalk

[Bradders59]

Its at £1850 with almost two days left to go ffs. If I was brave enough it would have been £1500 tops.

[Bradders59]

It sold for £2800 !

[warren t claim]

It could be worse. I looked after a Boxter for a "mate" while he was away for two weeks on holiday. 13 days and maybe 250 miles later I threw it in for a valet at my usual taxi valeting establishment. Fortunately the Kurdistan car wash valued me as a customer and didn't phone the plod when they found a loaded firearm hidden behind the passenger seat...