JFP in PA

2.7L is the correct fill level, you should be fine.

In the order asked: Absolutely not. It is actually illegal in many places to vent any AC system, regardless of the gas type used (R12, R22, 134A, etc.). The residual gas needs to be captured and recycled by someone with the correct tooling. Never use hose clamps on any AC lines, they should use crimped on specific fittings, often with O-ring seals. If the hoses are bad, replace them. It is always a good idea to replace the system dryer when doing any service that requires opening the system up, and you will need to thoroughly evacuate the system to a high level of vacuum prior to recharging it. Again, often a process best left to a pro with the correct tooling.

Often, the tie rod end's treaded section is subject to corrosion build up from water and particularly road salt, which can make them a pain to get off. Try backing off the lock nut and giving the end a liberal dose of a good penetrating oil, then let them sit for a bit before trying to unscrew them. If that does not work, next step is to apply some heat to try to force the end to expand and break loose. When you do get them off, apply a liberal coating of anti seize compound to the threaded rod section before installing the new units, that will make the next time a breeze.

Unless there is an issue with the case bolts, I would strongly suggest leaving them alone. The flywheel bolts are single use, get new ones. Same for the pressure plate bolts. You will need the cam plugs, tensioner crush washers, and a new RMS seal as well. leaking or not. Throw out and pilot bearings are relatively cheap, but costly to go back a second time to repair. Get new ones. The later engines have a slightly different cam locking arrangement than the early cars; LN usually supplies everything you need, but you can always fab up extras if you are so inclined.

If you are just replacing the hydraulic tensioners, the tool(s) is not necssary; start by first running your cam deviation values with the Durametric system for refference, then just lock the engine at TDC, lock the cams, and you are set to swap out the tensioners. When done, recheck the cam deviation values to be sure nothing moved. If you are going deeper (e,g,: removing the chains, etc.) you need some addtional tooling to hold the cams in place while the cam covers are off. Once the parts swap out was done, you would then need the 9599 during the process of retiming the cams to properly tension the paddles and chains while setting the timing. You should also be aware that if you are just changing out the hydraulic chain tensioner units, you do not need to drop the engine. At the moment my cam deviation values are about 0.35 and -9.35. I would like to start by changing the chain rails (pads). If I can do this without dropping the engine, then I could easily check to see if this fixes the problem. I just figured that this would be a real birch to do with the engine still stuffed up in there. Shouldn't I necessarily replace the chains though? That -9.35 is troublesome. As your original post only mentioned the tensioners, I did not know how deep you were planning to go. You can do all four tensioners with the engine in the car, but if you intend to do the chain paddles it would be quicker with the engine out, and there is no way to do the chains without pulling the engine as you are now into splitting the cases. I was only thinking about the cam chains though. So I'd have to remove the cam cover but no further. Don't know whether this is more trouble to do it in the car or to drop the engine. Again, if it is doable in the car it simplifies some aspects of the job, but if it doesn't fix the problem then I'll have been working in cramped quarters for nothing. Dilemma! :eek: Old Porsche shop adage: "When in doubt, pull it out..........." Engines are always easier to work on when bolted to an engine stand, you can put them in any position that is convenient to what you are doing; can't say that when it is sitting in the car.

The coolant pipes on the 986 S cars are larger in diameter than the base cars, creating a problem getting a leak tight fit with the special hoses for the center radiator kits. While some have resorted to a concoction of soldered copper fittings to make this work, there is a more elegant and leak proof alternative available from a firm named Precision Chassis Works ( http://www.precisionchassisworks.com/boxster-cooling-line-modification.html ): They will sell you the special end fittings to weld into your pipes, will weld them into your pipes for you, or even sell you a set already done. Craftsmanship is very good, and they fit perfectly without raiding the plumbing section of your local home center, and everything else in the cooling system remains stock.

If you are just replacing the hydraulic tensioners, the tool(s) is not necssary; start by first running your cam deviation values with the Durametric system for refference, then just lock the engine at TDC, lock the cams, and you are set to swap out the tensioners. When done, recheck the cam deviation values to be sure nothing moved. If you are going deeper (e,g,: removing the chains, etc.) you need some addtional tooling to hold the cams in place while the cam covers are off. Once the parts swap out was done, you would then need the 9599 during the process of retiming the cams to properly tension the paddles and chains while setting the timing. You should also be aware that if you are just changing out the hydraulic chain tensioner units, you do not need to drop the engine. At the moment my cam deviation values are about 0.35 and -9.35. I would like to start by changing the chain rails (pads). If I can do this without dropping the engine, then I could easily check to see if this fixes the problem. I just figured that this would be a real birch to do with the engine still stuffed up in there. Shouldn't I necessarily replace the chains though? That -9.35 is troublesome. As your original post only mentioned the tensioners, I did not know how deep you were planning to go. You can do all four tensioners with the engine in the car, but if you intend to do the chain paddles it would be quicker with the engine out, and there is no way to do the chains without pulling the engine as you are now into splitting the cases.

If you are just replacing the hydraulic tensioners, the tool(s) is not necssary; start by first running your cam deviation values with the Durametric system for refference, then just lock the engine at TDC, lock the cams, and you are set to swap out the tensioners. When done, recheck the cam deviation values to be sure nothing moved. If you are going deeper (e,g,: removing the chains, etc.) you need some addtional tooling to hold the cams in place while the cam covers are off. Once the parts swap out was done, you would then need the 9599 during the process of retiming the cams to properly tension the paddles and chains while setting the timing. You should also be aware that if you are just changing out the hydraulic chain tensioner units, you do not need to drop the engine.

That was exactly what I was thinking..........

Thoroughly clean both surfaces, then Loctite 5900, used sparingly (very small bead):

6.3.2.5 is the most current version, but as all the newer versions embody all of the features of the earlier ones plus the latest bug fixes and new technical updates, I'm not sure what the benefit of going "retrograde" would be, other than for those that have the older cables which cannot communicate with the newer software (anything later than 5.1.3).

You could be having an intermittent TB servo fault which goes away, along with its code. I have full faith in the Durametric system software reading the correct codes, but it also cannot read what is not there when it is plugged in. That said, I would also ask the Porsche "master mechanic" what codes he saw with the PIWIS that led him to replace the throttle body.

Only if you want five reverse gears and one foward. Boxster and 996 engines are reversed, the Boxster is ahead of the gear box, the 996 is behind it, so they are rotating in oposite directions.

One comment: On any transmission or axle oil change, you should always remove the fill plug before the drain plug. That way, if you cannot get the fill plug out, you are not faced with an empty trans or drive unit and no way to re-fill them.

Before going any further, your original code (P0160) if for an electrical connection fault, not necessarily meaning the sensor itself was bad. Both the sensor and sensor heater wiring should be checked for the correct voltages (0.4-0.5V) and shorts (heater should read >20K Ohm). This could be a wiring issue as much as a sensor problem. P0154 is for a similar issue on the other sensor. Before swapping any more parts, I'd start looking at the wire harness and connectors, and test the sensor and heater circuits for correct readings. Getting the same "connection fault" codes on both sensors is probably not a coincidence.

Don't bet on it; repeated attempts at using the engine coding for IMS type identification have been proven wrong more often than not. This is one of the main reasons LN started charging people for returned bearing kits, too many "guessed" wrong.

You may have to wait until you pull the car apart on this one. 2000-2001 was a transitional period for Porsche, during which they used both components (dual and single row), and unfortunately the use of engine numbers has proven useless in determining which style bearing is in the engine, you simply have to look. From the LN website: "MY00-01 vehicles may need either a dual row or single row Retrofit™ kit, so you must inspect the flange and compare to the photos of the dual row and single row IMS shown above to determine which kit is needed." And for future reference, please do not double post, it is against forum rules.

You may have to wait until you pull the car apart on this one. 2000-2001 was a transitional period for Porsche, during which they used both components (dual and single row), and unfortunately the use of engine numbers has proven useless in determining which style bearing is in the engine, you simply have to look. From the LN website: "MY00-01 vehicles may need either a dual row or single row Retrofit™ kit, so you must inspect the flange and compare to the photos of the dual row and single row IMS shown above to determine which kit is needed." And for future reference, please do not double post, it is against forum rules.

They do that and more; it is not uncommon for the bearing to quietly start to tear itself apart by first pitting the balls and then galling the races, cage, and even the flange without any noticeable change in the engine until the unit totally fails without any warning, causing piston/valve contact and worse. Often, it is only when the worst happens that the owner even notices something is wrong, and when that happens there is often little left usable in the engine:

You are reading too much into this. Yes, the 2002 and later cars require a special hose (9057/1), but when you see one of these up close, you realize it is nothing more than an AC charging hose that depresses the Schrader valve in the fill port, allowing the fluid to flow in. We simply took an old AC hose and put a Motive Power sourced quick disconnect on it so that we could use it instead of the curved fill tube for the earlier cars; A brand new set of three AC hoses cost about $15-20, the Motive fill tool is available from multiple sources, as it the quick disconnect. So, for a few bucks, you have a tool that will fill either early or late Tips. As for temperature control, you really do not need a PIWIS to do this; the trans needs to be below 105F when it is filled, so if it is cool, you just fill it until it comes out the overfill port while the engine is idling. when it does, move the gear selector through the gears, and check level again. Then it is Miller time................. JFP can I double check thiswith you. Your post intrigued me and so I took the cap off the transmission and took my AC hose from my gauges. It doesn't screw on as it is slightly too small. Also do you happen to know what colour the transmission fluid was shipped with a brand new 722.6? I believe the hose we used is for the 134A AC systems, which use a larger fitting. You should also be able to get adaptors to change sizes, like the ones that are commonly used on the fuel test port on the fuel rail; which also uses a similar a Schrader valve system: By the time we usually see the factory fill, it is pretty dark, but it looks to have been a reddish pink color as well.

Low coolant will not cause the car to blow smoke; usually it is a small amount of oil that accumulated in one or more cylinder while the car was sitting, and is not uncommon in these cars. If the smoke persists, that would be something to be concerned about as it could be a an AOS failure on the way or possilbe coolant leak into a combustion chamber.

Don't be hard on yourself, sometimes small spits or cracks are difficult to find on these connectors, even the pros miss them.

Again, the "Pelican Option" is a single row only steel bearing, basically the weakest known design of any used. If you have a dual row car, you would actually be replacing the strongest of the factory designs with one the weakest. You would be better off leaving the factory bearing in there and just removing the rear seal so it can get some oil. If you had a single row car, you would be replacing a questionable design with another questionable design, all to save a few bucks.

The problem remains that the bearings with "nothing wrong" can suddenly change and wipe out an otherwise fine engine, and do so with absolutely no warning. Every M96/97 owner needs to make decision based upon what is known about these bearings, and in realtion to their risk tollerance levels. Some will follow Excellence Magazine's recommendation and change the bearing out as soon as possible, others may wait and do it when it is time to do the clutch, and some may choose to not do the upgrade at all. The choice is always yours to make, but it needs to be an informed decision.

Take the car somewhere else to someone that knows what they are talking about. There have been very few problems with the LN replacement bearings, most of which were traced to poor installation techniques. The number of installations done and still running number in the thousands; the ceramic bearing has proven itself. When LN first introduced the replacement bearing, they did recommend replacing the bearing at each clutch change, but have backed off that somewhat as the ceramic bearing has continued to show its long term strength. As for using cheaper replacements, in this application you really do get exactly what you pay for. One domestic supplier mentioned above uses all steel single row bearings with spacers to replace double row bearings; so you end up replacing one of the strongest design bearings with one that is known to be the weakest. But you saved a few bucks. Swell. If you have a dual row bearing car, the LN dual row replacement is the way to go. If you have a single row, going with the solid bearing "IMS Solution" would be optimal, but you could also consider the LN single row if you are on a tighter budget. In either case, go with an approved installer.