Feeling foolish

[SlimChim]

Just bought a manual 57 plate Cayman and am struggling to figure out the key sequence to turn it on.
Sometimes turn the key and it fires up, other times it doesn't and some oil level timer counts down.
Tried reading the handbook, but being a man I lost interest and it didn't seem to make sense.
Can someone explain what's to do to a newbee

[Paul O]

It's been a few years but from memory:

Put key in ignition. Clunk.

Turn key once. Ignition on, oil countdown.

Wait for oil countdown, 5 secs usually from cold. Or if not, wait 2 seconds anyway.

Clutch in, turn key until it fires into life. Let go of key. Grab steering wheel, have fun.

[GT4P]

Key in, press clutch, turn key and off you go!
If the clutch is not pressed it won't start and you do not have to wait for oil count down before starting.

[SlimChim]

Hmmm maybe I depress the clutch too early. Something to try thx

[Timbo_Mint]

SlimChim said:

Hmmm maybe I depress the clutch too early. Something to try thx

My Copilot had an issue with starting. He wasn't depressing the clutch peddle enough (he also kept stalling. Apparently a Boxster drives differently to a diesel Landrover)

[beanoir]

Sounds like the old clutch switch failing to me...common problem, £25 part but bugger to change, alternative is to take connectors off and stick a blade fuse on to by-pass the switch and never worry about depressing clutch to start again

[anonymous-user]

beanoir said:

Sounds like the old clutch switch failing to me...common problem, £25 part but bugger to change, alternative is to take connectors off and stick a blade fuse on to by-pass the switch and never worry about depressing clutch to start again

+1 It won't let you start up until the switch activates telling the car the clutch is fully depressed. Common fault that causes your exact symptoms.

[KMF]

that switch failed on my on a 6000 mile spyder. had it replaced at OPC bolton

[beanoir]

Its failed on 3 of my cars, and twice on my Cayman R!

So now I bypass it, that's where the sensible money is.

[SlimChim]

beanoir said:

Sounds like the old clutch switch failing to me...common problem, £25 part but bugger to change, alternative is to take connectors off and stick a blade fuse on to by-pass the switch and never worry about depressing clutch to start again

Anyone got a photo of the fuse fix for me to copy?

[beanoir]

SlimChim said:

beanoir said:

Sounds like the old clutch switch failing to me...common problem, £25 part but bugger to change, alternative is to take connectors off and stick a blade fuse on to by-pass the switch and never worry about depressing clutch to start again

Anyone got a photo of the fuse fix for me to copy?

Its a bit tricky to get up under the dash with a camera, but it's really simple. The 2 wires that connect to the clutch switch both have a spade connector on them, so you pull them off the switch, and leaving the spade connectors on you attach one to each side of a blade 20AMP blade fuse. Wrap neatly in electrical tape and zip tie up out of the way where the switch sits.

It's one of those solutions that sounds a bit 'fudged' but it cures a problem that can be annoying and is easily reversed with no lasting effects. And it costs about 10 pence.

[SlimChim]

beanoir said:

Its a bit tricky to get up under the dash with a camera, but it's really simple. The 2 wires that connect to the clutch switch both have a spade connector on them, so you pull them off the switch, and leaving the spade connectors on you attach one to each side of a blade 20AMP blade fuse. Wrap neatly in electrical tape and zip tie up out of the way where the switch sits.

It's one of those solutions that sounds a bit 'fudged' but it cures a problem that can be annoying and is easily reversed with no lasting effects. And it costs about 10 pence.

ok thx

[Lux]

Also make sure that you really are depressing the clutch all the way. I had this a couple of times when I first got my Cayman, turns out I wasn't depressing the clutch as far as it could go even when I thought I was, now I'm used to it I never have the problem any more.

[SlimChim]

Lux said:

Also make sure that you really are depressing the clutch all the way. I had this a couple of times when I first got my Cayman, turns out I wasn't depressing the clutch as far as it could go even when I thought I was, now I'm used to it I never have the problem any more.

Thx I'll try that first as I'm too inflexible to get to the switch, I just checked