Loose, floppy interior door opener

[masterbm]

Friends,

Put some new headlight bulbs in my '99 986 with 140K, and as I was getting out after a test-fire, my driver side interior door handle went loose. A quick search of this board makes it sound like the "tensioner spring" may be bad: door opens and closes just fine, opener just wont return on its own accord to fully closed position. When I shut the door the force of the close flips the floppy interior handle out, and the window comes down a bit, since the car thinks I'm about to open the door. A bump on the highway does the same thing.

Irritating, but probably not a big deal. Unfortunately, the commonly-referenced "how to remove the door panel" website at "http://www.ecoutez.net/boxster/door-panel-removal/" appears not to be in service at this time. . .

I'm going to keep searching, and if I can, I'll post pics etc for this board.

Quick question: is the tensioner spring something I can get in the community? Anybody got a part #?

Any other hints for this project?

B

[1schoir]

Friends,

Put some new headlight bulbs in my '99 986 with 140K, and as I was getting out after a test-fire, my driver side interior door handle went loose. A quick search of this board makes it sound like the "tensioner spring" may be bad: door opens and closes just fine, opener just wont return on its own accord to fully closed position. When I shut the door the force of the close flips the floppy interior handle out, and the window comes down a bit, since the car thinks I'm about to open the door. A bump on the highway does the same thing.

Irritating, but probably not a big deal. Unfortunately, the commonly-referenced "how to remove the door panel" website at "http://www.ecoutez.net/boxster/door-panel-removal/" appears not to be in service at this time. . .

I'm going to keep searching, and if I can, I'll post pics etc for this board.

Quick question: is the tensioner spring something I can get in the community? Anybody got a part #?

Any other hints for this project?

B

B:

Do another search for the door removal DIY. The instructions have been moved and IIRC someone posted the new site here a couple of weeks ago.

The part number for that little spring (Porsche calls it "tension spring") is 99952201500.

Regards, Maurice.

Edited December 16, 2009 by 1schoir

[masterbm]

Friends,

Put some new headlight bulbs in my '99 986 with 140K, and as I was getting out after a test-fire, my driver side interior door handle went loose. A quick search of this board makes it sound like the "tensioner spring" may be bad: door opens and closes just fine, opener just wont return on its own accord to fully closed position. When I shut the door the force of the close flips the floppy interior handle out, and the window comes down a bit, since the car thinks I'm about to open the door. A bump on the highway does the same thing.

Irritating, but probably not a big deal. Unfortunately, the commonly-referenced "how to remove the door panel" website at "http://www.ecoutez.net/boxster/door-panel-removal/" appears not to be in service at this time. . .

I'm going to keep searching, and if I can, I'll post pics etc for this board.

Quick question: is the tensioner spring something I can get in the community? Anybody got a part #?

Any other hints for this project?

B

B:

Do another search for the door removal DIY. The instructions have been moved and IIRC someone posted the new site here a couple of weeks ago.

The part number for that little spring (Porsche calls it "tension spring") is 99952201500.

Regards, Maurice.

Thank you sir. Unfortunately, despite my re-search in DIY for "door panel removal," still not getting anything other than links to Jason's removed address. No worries, I've got the relevant pages from the service manual. . .part is on the way. If administration agrees, I'll post how I fix it. Unless I totally screw everything up, in which case I'll keep it to myself.

B

[1schoir]

Thank you sir. Unfortunately, despite my re-search in DIY for "door panel removal," still not getting anything other than links to Jason's removed address. No worries, I've got the relevant pages from the service manual. . .part is on the way. If administration agrees, I'll post how I fix it. Unless I totally screw everything up, in which case I'll keep it to myself.

B

B:

Looking forward to the write-up as everyone has been having a difficult time with getting those door panel removal instructions lately.

Regards, Maurice.

[1schoir]

B:

Here is post #7 from a thread two years ago which dealt with the "tricky" part of door panel removal and how to avoid breaking clips:

efahl:

I concur with Chris in that the interior door latch covers is the only tricky part.

I have had some repeated success in avoiding the breaking off of that little tab as follows: It helps if you press down HARD on that part near its top rear and then, after sticking the small screwdriver in from underneath to pull the bottom away at the front slightly, rotate that part up (while maintaining the hard downward pressure near its rear) by its rearmost section and it will come off without damage.

If you can visualize it, that little tab near the rear that is prone to breaking is a small right angle hook that faces up and, by pressing down hard, you are clearing the horizontal slot that it hooks onto before the upward rotation starts to rotate it away from the small horizontal slot.

Good Luck. Let us know how you make out.

Regards, Maurice.

The rest of the thread dealt with replacing a window regulator and has some additional information that you may find useful (in comparison to the cryptic instructions in the factory manual), here: http://www.renntech.org/forums/index.php?s...ic=16269&hl

Regards, Maurice.

[masterbm]

Friends,

OK, tension spring replacement project went very well. I was able to complete the whole project in about an hour, using Isaacson's "door panel removal instructions at http://www.bombaydigital.com/boxster/projects/window/. Replacement part was like 5 bucks.

I made a Word document with pics detailing every step for those who have the same issue who want to fix it themselves. If an administrator here approves, I'm happy to send/upload it.

B

[1schoir]

Friends,

OK, tension spring replacement project went very well. I was able to complete the whole project in about an hour, using Isaacson's "door panel removal instructions at http://www.bombaydigital.com/boxster/projects/window/. Replacement part was like 5 bucks.

I made a Word document with pics detailing every step for those who have the same issue who want to fix it themselves. If an administrator here approves, I'm happy to send/upload it.

B

masterbm:

Excellent work! :clapping:

I'm sure your instructions and pics will come in very handy in the future for posters experiencing a similar problem.

I think that if you post your document in the DIY section, it gets approved after an administrator looks it over.

Regards, Maurice.

[leonpce]

hi, Maurice

I have a 2006 987 which has the exact same problem. Does it share the same tension spring as 986? If not, could you please tell me the part number? By the way, where can I get it? From local dealer or online?

thanks a lot.

[1schoir]

hi, Maurice

I have a 2006 987 which has the exact same problem. Does it share the same tension spring as 986? If not, could you please tell me the part number? By the way, where can I get it? From local dealer or online?

thanks a lot.

Leon:

Your 987 definitely does not share that same tension spring as found in the 986. I'm not positive, but the spring may possibly have been incorporated into the Bowden Cable that runs from the back of the inside door handle to the lock mechanism. That "bowden cable" on a 987 is par # 997 537 319 01 and lists for about $10.

You can buy that part from one of the online Porsche dealers, usually for a lot less than a local dealer's parts counter. You can try Sunset by clicking on "Porsche Parts at Dealer Cost" near the top right of any RennTech page. You can ask Sunset if the spring is now part of the bowden cable assembly.

Also, be aware that removing a 987 door panel is a little different from a 986 panel, including removal of an inner metal door panel for a 987. That inner metal panel is still only a matter of a few bolts though. If you remove your door panel, the reason for the "floppy" door opener may be obvious and possibly just a matter of something having come loose or a piece of the plastic door handle having broken off.

Once you have removed a door panel once, you can do it in your sleep.

Regards, Maurice.