A couple of 987.1 S issues

[clockworks]

I've got a couple of problems with my recently aquired Boxster S 987.1.

There is a slight hesitation when pulling away or changing gears at low revs, which makes the car a bit jerky. At higher revs when pressing on a bit, it smooths out.
It is the first manual car I've owned for a while, so I thought it as just me, struggling with the clutch. The fact that it's OK at higher revs/road speeds would seem to rule out clutch or clutch control problems.
Driving slowly in traffic, it jerks a bit as I go on or off the throttle.

The second problem started yesterday. There is a creaking noise when I turn the steering wheel at low speed or when stationary. The noise is still there with the engine switched off - a series of loud clicks (like plastic gripping then slipping) as I turn the wheel, one click for every inch or so of steering wheel rim movement.

[corvettedave]

clockworks said:

I've got a couple of problems with my recently aquired Boxster S 987.1.

There is a slight hesitation when pulling away or changing gears at low revs, which makes the car a bit jerky. At higher revs when pressing on a bit, it smooths out.
It is the first manual car I've owned for a while, so I thought it as just me, struggling with the clutch. The fact that it's OK at higher revs/road speeds would seem to rule out clutch or clutch control problems.
Driving slowly in traffic, it jerks a bit as I go on or off the throttle.

The second problem started yesterday. There is a creaking noise when I turn the steering wheel at low speed or when stationary. The noise is still there with the engine switched off - a series of loud clicks (like plastic gripping then slipping) as I turn the wheel, one click for every inch or so of steering wheel rim movement.

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=1501411 - copy and paste into google

take a look at my thread on here, the little stty plastic bearing race thing at the top of the spring in the wheel arch will be fooked, your spring will break in time, so get it fixed asap

[Rockster]

clockworks said:

I've got a couple of problems with my recently aquired Boxster S 987.1.

There is a slight hesitation when pulling away or changing gears at low revs, which makes the car a bit jerky. At higher revs when pressing on a bit, it smooths out.
It is the first manual car I've owned for a while, so I thought it as just me, struggling with the clutch. The fact that it's OK at higher revs/road speeds would seem to rule out clutch or clutch control problems.
Driving slowly in traffic, it jerks a bit as I go on or off the throttle.

The second problem started yesterday. There is a creaking noise when I turn the steering wheel at low speed or when stationary. The noise is still there with the engine switched off - a series of loud clicks (like plastic gripping then slipping) as I turn the wheel, one click for every inch or so of steering wheel rim movement.

For the hesitation you can consider a couple of things. First, though, I have to mention that the first time I encountered any hesitation with my Boxster the problem proved to be with the AOS.

But assuming that is ok, you can try an E-Gas calibration. The steps to do this should be in the owners manual.

For my 2002 Boxster (and 2003 Turbo) the steps are with the key off and one's foot off the gas pedal, turn the key to the #1 position and leave on for 60 seconds. Over is ok, but not under.

After 60 seconds shut off the ignition. Wait 10 seconds. That's it. The next time you start the engine the calibration will be done.

Be sure you are using the right gasoline, err petrol. I hope you are using a name brand fuel and of the right octane grade and buying from a busy station.

If you are you might try switching brands while keeping everything else the same. The engine may be sensitive to the fuel you are using.

On this related subject you can consider trying a fuel system cleaner. I use one seldom but when I use one I use Techron. I mix it according to the instructions on the bottle. I always arrange to have the oil/filter changed after the tank of fuel with the Techron added is down to a quarter of a tank or less.

If you have not had it done in 2 years you should have the brake fluid and clutch fluid flushed and bled. This is more important than you might think.

Not too many months back my Boxster got difficult to move away from a stop smoothly. This was at odds with its prior behavior. No matter how much I concentrated, how hard I tried, I was not able to get the car to move off smoothly. Also, smooth shifting was gone. It was like I was not pushing in the clutch all the way when shifting.

In talking this over with the SM at my local dealer the question of when I had the brake/clutch fluid last flushed/bled came up. Turns out it was 2.5 years earlier. I booked the car in and when I got it back the clutch action, the shifting action was transformed.

I might note I could detect no improvement in braking action the braking system was just fine before the bleed and was just fine after with no discernible change one way or the other.

To be thorough I'll just ask you when were the plugs last changed? Also, if you drive in bad weather the coils could be due to be replaced as well. Sometimes when they start to go bad they do not generate misfires but the engine's performance drops off a bit. Nothing drastic but a touch of hesitation is possible.

Last but not least, if the hesitation persists in spite of what you do you must consider the AOS.

[clockworks]

Thanks for the reply.
Plugs were changed 15k miles ago.
Brake fluid changed last month.
Can't find much info on throttle adaptation, nothing in owner's handbook?
I'm running the car on 97, from a busy petrol station.

I'm taking the car back to the supplying specialist in a couple of days, as it is under warranty.

[clockworks]

The car has been back to the dealer. Creaky steering was a dry bush at the base of the steering column, fixed by lubrication.
No faults found by the diagnostics computer, so they "cleaned a sensor".

The car still feels a bit jerky at low speeds. It's the sort of driveline shunt / hesitation that you used to get with carburettor cars. I told the service chap that the 2.7 and 3.2 that I drove didn't do this, and he said that the 3.4 is always a bit rougher?

[edc]

How old and how many miles on the car? Driveline shunt I found to be a knackered engine mount on my 986, now updated with the 987 part.

[clockworks]

Bad engine mount had crossed my mind, but car is an '07, and has only done 38k miles

[edc]

For throttle body adaptation turn on ignition and leae for circa 1 min. When you hear the whir and click behind you that is the throttle body doing it's thing. Turn off ignition then fire it up.