JFP in PA

And don't forget the distilled water.....................

Silver TT, these transmissions are not bad they are just not as good as the G50 made by Getrag. I have just finished a 1 and 1/2 year experiment using 5 different transmission oils in my car through all the weather conditions we have up here in New England and I will be posting a DIY on transmission oil changing including all of the results of this experiment. It took so long because I had to use all the oils in winter conditions and it took two winters to get them all in. In most circumstances but not all, Millers is the best and my personal favorite. But, you are welcome to chug along with PTX. That is why Howard Johnson's made 28 flavors. A34735, when someone tells you something that is wrong they are full of it. I myself have been full of it on occasion. I am with you on the voltmeter but the water temp gauge is important. As you have noticed there is a lag between oil temp and water temp. This is because the oil is down in the sump where the water is hopefully not. Going the other way, if your car starts to over heat, under some circumstances you will see it sooner in the water temp Wouldn't ever think of putting anything but the OEM PTX in the gearbox. I have first-hand experience with the damage this will cause. $6K for a gearbox rebuild, or you can buy a reman from Porsche for $10K (before labor). The OEM PTX is an oil which is unique in that it literally has properties that no other oil has. Using the non-OEM will cause wear inside the gearbox over time (some people notice right away, in other cases this can take many thousands of miles). A lot of things people do with their cars I think are obsessing more than anything else, but with this topic I know first hand that if you use anything but the OEM gear fluid, you're asking for trouble. Silver TT, these transmissions are not bad they are just not as good as the G50 made by Getrag. I have just finished a 1 and 1/2 year experiment using 5 different transmission oils in my car through all the weather conditions we have up here in New England and I will be posting a DIY on transmission oil changing including all of the results of this experiment. It took so long because I had to use all the oils in winter conditions and it took two winters to get them all in. In most circumstances but not all, Millers is the best and my personal favorite. But, you are welcome to chug along with PTX. That is why Howard Johnson's made 28 flavors. A34735, when someone tells you something that is wrong they are full of it. I myself have been full of it on occasion. I am with you on the voltmeter but the water temp gauge is important. As you have noticed there is a lag between oil temp and water temp. This is because the oil is down in the sump where the water is hopefully not. Going the other way, if your car starts to over heat, under some circumstances you will see it sooner in the water temp Wouldn't ever think of putting anything but the OEM PTX in the gearbox. I have first-hand experience with the damage this will cause. $6K for a gearbox rebuild, or you can buy a reman from Porsche for $10K (before labor). The OEM PTX is an oil which is unique in that it literally has properties that no other oil has. Using the non-OEM will cause wear inside the gearbox over time (some people notice right away, in other cases this can take many thousands of miles). A lot of things people do with their cars I think are obsessing more than anything else, but with this topic I know first hand that if you use anything but the OEM gear fluid, you're asking for trouble. +1 I have to agree with Silver_TT on this one. While some have gotten away with using aftermarket gear oils in these gearboxes, most have not. Problems have ranged from pronounced noise, to poor shifting, and actual mechanical failure problems. Considering the cost of either rebuilding or replacing these gear boxes, and the simple fact that the OEM lube is a full synthetic made to Porsche specs and not an API "GL" catagory, it seems counter intuitive to start playing around. The OEM product is readily availiable, not all that expensive, and works very well. Take a deep breath. OK. What makes these transmissions special is they are transaxles. The transmission and the hypoid final drive are in the same case. The transmission itself is the rather standard constant mesh synchronized transmission which Porsche was the very first to introduce in the 1952 356!! I'm sure JFP knows the deal well. For those of you who do not check this out http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vOo3TLgL0kM . The problem with the transaxle designs is that hypoid final drives generate a lot of friction and require heavier lubes. Syncromesh transmissions do not like their oil to thick or the baulk rings do not clutch correctly, they float. Revs don't match up and you can't get the car in gear. So, what Porsche did was spec a gear lube that is at the very thinnest of the SAE 75W90 range with a very high Viscosity index. The higher the viscosity index the less the oil's weight changes with temperature. The oils had to have a cSt less than 600 at 0 C. The first to meet that spec was Shell with what was then called Shell Transaxle. It is now called Spirax S5 ATE which you can get in 20 liter drums. Ferrari uses it in their transaxle cars. Porsche use to use it but then Mobil made a marketing deal with Porsche. Thus Mobilube PTX (Porsche TransaXle) was born. These two are the only 75W 90 gear oils that meet Porsche's entire spec. The problem with them is that they are very thin when warm. Why a problem you ask?? All of these transaxles have a degree of drive train lash. Individual cars better or worse depending on luck and the weather. My car is a bit worse in this department. Don't believe me?? Next time you have your car up, put it in gear with the e-brake off. Grab a rear wheel and rotate it back and forth. You will have between 5 and 10 degrees of free play. That is the lash. You can feel it when you drive. Rapid large transitions on an off the gas produce a "thunk" which you feel in seat of your pants. Drive with the window down. You will also notice a lot of transmission noise as say compared with an Audi manual. This stuff is what got me started. Science and specs tell us what to do. An SAE 90 oil can have a viscosity of any where between 13.8 and 18.8 cSt at 100 C. PTX is 14.5 cSt with a viscosity index of 194 (perfect is 200) Spirax is pretty much the same. All the other oils except Millers are around 15.5 cSt at 100 C with a viscosity index ranging from terrible like Delvac at 140 up to Redline at 176. Millers is special because their EE Nano oil has a viscosity of 17.8 at 100 C with a viscosity index of 183. These oils perform exactly as you would expect. With the exception of Millers none of the oils do much to soften the lash and quiet the transmission. Delvac is just plain stupid below 10 C. If you try to jam the car into gear you might score the dog teeth on your syncro rings. Until the transmission reaches full temp, which can take a while, shifting with Delvac ranges from poor to worse. The other oils are OK if you live and drive in environments that are always over 15 C. But if you live and drive anywhere where the Temp drops below 0 C Stick to the PTX or Spirax with ONE exception. Millers is an interesting British company that has been around for a while making lubricants for industrial machines. In the last decade they started getting into motorsports and recently started formulating synthetic oils with nano particles. These particles have been absolutely proven to lower friction by up to 25%. All the science is available on-line. The stuff is very expensive. The gear oil got me to try the motor oil which I now use. Anyway, The Millers most definitely quiets the transmission enough so that even my wife notices it. It takes about 50% of the sting out of the lash. It most definitely shifts better when warm than PTX. At 10 C shifting into 1st and second get a bit stiff but then something strange happens. The other oils including PTX get stiffer as they get colder. Millers starts to get stiff at 10 C but then gets no stiffer all the way down to -8 F. Which is as cold as the car has gone so far. I have used Millers EE exclusively for almost 10,000 miles and everything is just peachy keen. The only things special about PTX other than its viscosity is that it is overloaded with very expensive viscosity modifiers which dilute the oil's friction reducing capability and Mobil has a marketing deal with Porsche. If you don't like marketing deals and you are paranoid about using other oils by all means go with the Spirax. Glad you like it, but we have had customer's that had zero luck with it.

No, I regularly caution against pressurizing the cooling system with compressed air; too great a chance for someone to over pressure the system and do some damage.. Pull the small drain plug and then disconnect the hoses at the engine that go forward to the radiators. Best case, you are going to only get about 80-85% of the old coolant out because of the way the system is set up; it simply won't all drain out. Some like to flush the system with clear water, but that only ends up trapping some of the water in the system instead of coolant mix, and unless you use distilled water for the flush, that works against you as tap water degrades the coolant over time. If you open the system up before you replace the pump and thermostat, you will have gotten about all you can out of the system.

Unless the coolant in the car is fresh, drain it all and renew it. While Porsche describes their coolant as "lifetime", 4-5 years is more like it. Mix the fresh coolant with distilled water only.

<----- FRONT 1 - Ignition module, cylinder 1, bank 1 2 - Ignition module, cylinder 2, bank 1 3 - Ignition module, cylinder 3, bank 1 4 - Ignition module, cylinder 4, bank 1 5 - Ignition module, cylinder 5, bank 2 6 - Ignition module, cylinder 6, bank 2 7 - Ignition module, cylinder 7, bank 2 8 - Ignition module, cylinder 8, bank 2 I have not seen the Durametric call the wrong cylinders, but that does not make it impossible either. That said, did you rescan it when the problem returned?

The controller and triggering unit are the same thing. Yes, that controller will work with your car. The controller is underneath the forward section of your center console, ahead of the shifter and under the dash.

The point of this forum is to provide a venue for the exchange as accurate Porsche technical information as possible, while also maintaining a very high level of decorum. That said, not all problems are common ones, and in some cases many not be encountered frequently, if at all. I fix these cars for a living, and I would be the last person to claim I have seen or repaired everything possible. "Some new problem" is a fairly common occurrence in the world of Porsches, and as such, you sometimes have to be patient waiting for a response to your question. If someone has experienced your specific issue, you will find an in-depth response here; that is what the exchange of information is all about. Unfortunately, it is not always possible to provide either a quick or correct answer when insufficient information is available, as it is in your case. We have not physically seen the car, your mechanic has; and is therefore in a superior position in terms of having a better idea what is needed when it comes to the gaskets. As for the mount, that would depend upon the condition of the one in the car; if it looks like it needs help, it would be a good time to replace it. The number you posted is supposed to be the superseded part.

While some have had success swapping out the MAF when they got these codes, normally they are related to either an intake/exhaust air leak or fuel starvation (low fuel pressure or delivery volume). I would very carefully examine intake system and all its hose connections (including the EVAP system) for possible leak points, and I would also look at the exhaust system ahead of the O2 sensors for leaks as well (air intrusion into the exhaust looks just like an intake air leak to the sensors). I would also run a fuel system pressure and delivery test to make sure the fuel pump is working correctly.

Replace the pump. These pumps use a composite impeller that erode over time and fill the small cooling system passages with small plastic bits that cause hot spots and no end of problems. And do not use a metal impeller after market pump; along with not living very long, they develop shaft wobble (as all water pumps do) and start boring a hole in your alloy engine case. Use an OEM pump.

I do not think the fan motor assembly is rebuildable, plus you would not want to repair it only to have it crap out 5 min. after the car is back togeather.

Silver TT, these transmissions are not bad they are just not as good as the G50 made by Getrag. I have just finished a 1 and 1/2 year experiment using 5 different transmission oils in my car through all the weather conditions we have up here in New England and I will be posting a DIY on transmission oil changing including all of the results of this experiment. It took so long because I had to use all the oils in winter conditions and it took two winters to get them all in. In most circumstances but not all, Millers is the best and my personal favorite. But, you are welcome to chug along with PTX. That is why Howard Johnson's made 28 flavors. A34735, when someone tells you something that is wrong they are full of it. I myself have been full of it on occasion. I am with you on the voltmeter but the water temp gauge is important. As you have noticed there is a lag between oil temp and water temp. This is because the oil is down in the sump where the water is hopefully not. Going the other way, if your car starts to over heat, under some circumstances you will see it sooner in the water temp Wouldn't ever think of putting anything but the OEM PTX in the gearbox. I have first-hand experience with the damage this will cause. $6K for a gearbox rebuild, or you can buy a reman from Porsche for $10K (before labor). The OEM PTX is an oil which is unique in that it literally has properties that no other oil has. Using the non-OEM will cause wear inside the gearbox over time (some people notice right away, in other cases this can take many thousands of miles). A lot of things people do with their cars I think are obsessing more than anything else, but with this topic I know first hand that if you use anything but the OEM gear fluid, you're asking for trouble. +1 I have to agree with Silver_TT on this one. While some have gotten away with using aftermarket gear oils in these gearboxes, most have not. Problems have ranged from pronounced noise, to poor shifting, and actual mechanical failure problems. Considering the cost of either rebuilding or replacing these gear boxes, and the simple fact that the OEM lube is a full synthetic made to Porsche specs and not an API "GL" catagory, it seems counter intuitive to start playing around. The OEM product is readily availiable, not all that expensive, and works very well.

OK, found something similar on Amazon, higher range, but still workable: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B002E81ZC8/ref=biss_dp_t_asn So they do still exist.........

A quick look seems to confirm what you are finding. We bought ours several years ago from a local lab supply house that was later acquired by a larger firm, and a search seem to show they have gone now to all digital inches of water measurement equipment, starting at around $100. Someone out there must still make the old style mechanical gauge...........

Porsche describes the consumption of a liter per 1K miles as "normal behavior"; but smoke at every start up is not. Get your AOS checked.

Make sure they are all clear, particularly #4:

I don't think it's the DME. I bought the car last Nov, 1 owner from South Fla, the 1st owner had Champion Motorsport install the 700 Werks One kit along with led driving lights, .2 rear facia and led lights, GT2 wing and 20 in Champion wheels when the car was fairly new, this included the GIAC flash for the mods. I have the full maintenance history, 5600 miles when I bought it and it has had 4 to 5 oil changes, clutch slave replaced, battery replaced Aug 13 and a few 'campaigns" done at the dealer. I received the car early Nov 13, the first 3 times I drove it there were no issues, it did give me the "depress clutch" once when trying to start but nothing else and started when I recycled the key. Drove it one day to a part time job i have and it sat outside in 20 to 30 F degree weather, went to start it at lunch time and got- key on then "PSM" and "ABS" fail along with "oil temp inop", key to start and got "depress clutch". Let it sit until I got off and the same thing so I got up in the drivers foot well and manipulated the pedals and clutch switch along with some wires, got it started. Next day I replaced the clutch micro, not the cruise disconnect, seemed to work fine. Drove to my friends house for Thanksgiving and it sat outside for a few hours again in 20 to 30 F. Went to go home and same as above. Next morning I went back and changed the battery, not knowing it was new in Aug, installed the Interstate 94R, started fine and off to home. Next outing same thing, this time I repeatedly manipulated clutch and brake switches and disconnected the neg cable on the battery, key on then off numerous times, after about 30 min I got it to start. Next day started in the garage and let it run for 30 min, at this time it was starting fine first thing every day, noticed that the right rear tail light only had half of the leds working and that the brake lights were not working. Tested the battery while running and it was showing about 14.5v with 12.7 with engine off. Thought I noticed the instrument back lighting not working also. Took to Dave Strong Porsche here in Salt Lake. As soon as I got there I went to restart and same issue and was able to get the tech to come out and see the same. Later they told me the brake lights were working fine and it started the next morning but not in the pm. Tech hooked up the PIWIS when it wouldn't start and was showing "no comm" with the DME and no "15 power" (15sv code) like the DME wasn't even there. he thought it was the PAS module as he had disconnected it a few time and got the car to start, so he replaced the PAS (immobilizer) module and thought he had it fixed but it failed again. Tech was thinking it was the DME, talked to the guru at GIAC he he said it could be. I sent the DME to Champion Motorsport and they, working with GIAC, ran a bunch of tests on it including opening it up and looking at it under a microscope, it all worked fine, they also re flashed with new software to rule out a bug. DME reinstalled by the local tech and still fails randomly. Always key on "PSM" and "ABS" fail, key to start and "depress clutch" no start. Tech then unhooked and cleaned all the grounds, checked the relays, replaced the clutch "cruise disconnect" switch (he said he was getting weird resistance reading on it), swapped out the brake switch and ignition switch and still is able to get it to fail every 6 to 9 key cycles. He said he had disconnected some buss bar/mulit wire mount up under the drivers side and while manipulating it was able to get the car to fail or pass. He is thinking there is possibly a bad wire up there somewhere and is waiting for PCNA to get back with him so he can talk to one of their experts. My thoughts as of now. Something is telling the PAS that the clutch is not depressed and something seems to be telling the PAS there is no "15 power", ignition power, not sure where the PSM and ABS come into play. But this only happens randomly so sounds like a bad connection somewhere. I just wish I and the tech new what talks to what at key on and key to start. That is what he is hoping to get from PCNA. I hate to come into this discussion so late, but one thing I would consider is to re-flash the DME back to stock. I am not a big fan of anyone's aftermarket flashes for exactly the reason you are suffering through: They all seem to have differing levels and types of problems. We have seen re-flashed cars that would not communicate with state inspections systems, we have seem them throw weird codes and MIL's; all of which disappeared when they were returned to the stock OEM programs. The 997TT is a pretty wicked car in it own right as it comes from the factory. So I would take it back to stock and see if the problems disappear.

I think you need to access the fan itself; it may either have something stuck in it or possible thrown a single blade, which makes them shake like Hell. If you have access to a Durametric system (or PIWIS/PST II) you can test activate the fans to see if they are operating correctly as well.

The flat battery should not be a factory if it has been replaced the electrical system is now functioning correctly. There are several sources here in the US (https://sites.google.com/site/mikefocke2/listsofsources ), but I would be looking for something closer to you, perhaps in Germany, otherwise the freight and import cost might exceed the savings.

Interesting. Here, we often buy used cats from front end wrecked cars to keep expense down. While a single new three way cat can cost upwards of $1700 (US) or more, we can often find used ones in good shape for as little as $500-600 (US) total for both sides. There is even a market here for totally useless three way cats, we sometimes get $50-75 (US) each when we sell them to recyclers.

It can be a problem with the cats themselves, but I rather doubt it is because of low back pressure. Why did you install the aftermarket cats in the first place?

It could be triggered by the misfire as the P0430 indicates that the cat is no longer doing its job. Couple of points: The CEL turns on when a code error becomes "active", but it could have already been there as a "pending" code while the DME decided if it had reoccurred often enough to be a real issue. A second comment is that cats usually do not cause a misfire; but rather misfires cause cat codes to trigger. Thirdly, P0430 codes are sometimes triggered by O2 sensor problems or the EVAP system, and in particular the canister purge valve on the EVAP system, which can cause a vacuum leak, and thereby a misfire. Lastly, you need to have this vehicle scanned with a Porsche specific scanner (Durametric, PIWIS, PST II); many times codes generated by other systems turn out to be different when scanned by one of these systems.

There is no clutch reservoir on a Tip equipped car.

Before I would go to that trouble, I would check some of the Porsche specialists wrecking yards for the correct match. Mike Focke has a good list of sources on his website: https://sites.google.com/site/mikefocke2/listsofsources

You can get inches of water vacuum gauges from lab supply houses, the ones we have are from Cole Palmer:

As the bearing cannot easily be upgraded, removing the rear seal will allow continuous splash lubrication by the sump oil, eliminating the "trapped oil breakdown" pathway to bearing failure. We have several customers running this way with no problems. Hi JFP in PA, I believe my engine has the IMS version that requires splitting the case to access it. Can you say if just prising off the cover (to allow splash lube) is a realistic option for me? As always, with thanks in advance, Nigel Yes, but it requires doing nearly all the work required to do an IMS bearing swap on an earlier car. While the bearing cannot be removed without a total engine tear down, once the flywheel is removed you can easily access the IMS flange cover (you still need to lock the engine at TDC and lock the cams as though you were doing an IMS upgrade before removing the IMS flange cover), and then using a tool like a dental pick just pry out the IMS bearings rear seal (it is flexible, so you can get it out without problems). Then button everything back up.