Bradders59 Posted October 22, 2020 Share Posted October 22, 2020 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hairnet Posted October 22, 2020 Share Posted October 22, 2020 @Kiltox Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiltox Posted October 22, 2020 Share Posted October 22, 2020 Nope. No idea what’s wrong with it but I’d steer well clear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiC Posted October 22, 2020 Share Posted October 22, 2020 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 Bradders59 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiC Posted October 22, 2020 Share Posted October 22, 2020 You might get lucky and find out that it's a bent pin on the ECU connector or something Bradders59 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bradders59 Posted October 22, 2020 Author Share Posted October 22, 2020 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. Kringle 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiC Posted October 22, 2020 Share Posted October 22, 2020 I've sent a PM that you might find interesting Bradders59 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bradders59 Posted October 22, 2020 Author Share Posted October 22, 2020 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. MJK 24, Dan_ZTT, HarmonicCheeseburger and 3 others 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bradders59 Posted October 22, 2020 Author Share Posted October 22, 2020 On the other hand, it looks like a lovely car.......🙄 NorthernMonkey, Kringle and HarmonicCheeseburger 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bradders59 Posted October 22, 2020 Author Share Posted October 22, 2020 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
overrun Posted October 23, 2020 Share Posted October 23, 2020 Can't fix this one with an auto box service, Mike! CaptainBoom 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cavcraft Posted October 23, 2020 Share Posted October 23, 2020 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. timolloyd and scdan4 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
horriblemercedes Posted October 23, 2020 Share Posted October 23, 2020 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 Cavcraft 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave j Posted October 23, 2020 Share Posted October 23, 2020 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. warren t claim 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bradders59 Posted October 23, 2020 Author Share Posted October 23, 2020 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. stonedagain, somewhatfoolish and Cavcraft 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiC Posted October 23, 2020 Share Posted October 23, 2020 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! somewhatfoolish, Peter C, scdan4 and 1 other 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bradders59 Posted October 23, 2020 Author Share Posted October 23, 2020 Decision made. Im out. A shame because it looks like areally nice example. warren t claim 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiC Posted October 23, 2020 Share Posted October 23, 2020 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. KitKat 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motorpunk Posted October 23, 2020 Share Posted October 23, 2020 I gave up looking for a good Boxster. They’re cheap for a reason. Cavcraft 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bren Posted October 23, 2020 Share Posted October 23, 2020 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5speedracer Posted October 23, 2020 Share Posted October 23, 2020 Mate had a Boxster written off as a mouse got in and chewed wiring somewhere!Sent from my R19 using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bradders59 Posted October 23, 2020 Author Share Posted October 23, 2020 Its at £1850 with almost two days left to go ffs. If I was brave enough it would have been £1500 tops. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bradders59 Posted October 25, 2020 Author Share Posted October 25, 2020 It sold for £2800 ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warren t claim Posted October 26, 2020 Share Posted October 26, 2020 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... lesapandre, pilninggas, Kiltox and 1 other 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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