Discussion
So I have the car back now with a shiny new front bumper. Forgot to upload some pics so thought I'd add them here. Driven the car 2 or 3 times only. One of my neighbours alerted me to the drops of oil on the road which are apparently coming from the car. If you look at the last pic you can see them. Or on the pic below.
I had a sniff and it definitely has a tangy smell like gearbox fluid. Last time I drove the car I got a warning about limp mode and the car would only give me 1st and reverse. I turned the car off and on again and it got me home. So I think its definitely loosing gearbox fluid. It didn't leak while I had the car stationary for months so it must only happen when the oil gets warm or starts sloshing around. I've not got under the car to have a look round yet. I'm hoping - really hoping - its just a simple seal where the half shaft goes into the box but it could be anything. Even if it is this simple seal then its still a bit of pain taking the drive shaft and half shaft all back off the car to access it. I'll order some gearbox oil today. I believe you can just top up with 75w90 gearbox oil. So I'll probably buy some Motul 300 and then speak to Porsche about seals and see whats available from parts.
I had a sniff and it definitely has a tangy smell like gearbox fluid. Last time I drove the car I got a warning about limp mode and the car would only give me 1st and reverse. I turned the car off and on again and it got me home. So I think its definitely loosing gearbox fluid. It didn't leak while I had the car stationary for months so it must only happen when the oil gets warm or starts sloshing around. I've not got under the car to have a look round yet. I'm hoping - really hoping - its just a simple seal where the half shaft goes into the box but it could be anything. Even if it is this simple seal then its still a bit of pain taking the drive shaft and half shaft all back off the car to access it. I'll order some gearbox oil today. I believe you can just top up with 75w90 gearbox oil. So I'll probably buy some Motul 300 and then speak to Porsche about seals and see whats available from parts.
Fnumber1user said:
Kudos for your patience - did the bodyshop give you costs to complete repairs/are scheduling a trip in now that mechanically she's at least virtually sound.
NoThey said their body shop is booked up for a year doing full on bare shell restos of air cooled cars.
Maybe they just didn't want the work - which is fine. I'd rather they tell me that than half ass it.
So the car is still playing up. It refuses to find gears and therefore cant really be driven. Sometimes it refuses to go into reverse altogether. I have seen it find 1st occasionally but generally it tries to pull off in 2nd with a lurch and stall or even 3rd if it cant find 1st and 2nd.
So today I finally got to read the fault codes using a Durametric which someone kindly lent to me. I had quote a few fault codes at first which I'll paste here. I cleared all these. I'm not sure if some of these were caused by a low battery. I took the battery off to charge it and found one of the clamps just pushed on and not clamped up.
Before
So today I finally got to read the fault codes using a Durametric which someone kindly lent to me. I had quote a few fault codes at first which I'll paste here. I cleared all these. I'm not sure if some of these were caused by a low battery. I took the battery off to charge it and found one of the clamps just pushed on and not clamped up.
Before
How about ECU? I know they are miles away different models, but when my old 986 had an engine rebuilt, it was off the road about 2-3 months..When they completed the whole engine work, it started to give all kinds of errors, (and it was manuel!).. Strange cooling system errors, stalling, o2 sensors bla bla (with new CATs)
Finally, the garage decided to get a new ECU, and all sorted.
Finally, the garage decided to get a new ECU, and all sorted.
When I collected the car with it's new front bumper and MOT it worked fine. Then the gremlins started. It only worked ok for a couple of weeks. The gremlins got progressively worse. I did put some gear fluid into the box because I noticeda leak and thought that made sense. Then decided the gremlins were due to me adding the wrong fluid so I drained it and added a different fluid. Now I believe the complicated hydraulic gubbins is in the other side of the box which I've not meddled with. All the hydraulics for the clutch and changing gears.
I'm wandering now if the gremlins were all due to a loose battery cable giving poor voltage or intermittent voltage. I'll never know. Now I clearly have a pdk fault but not sure if it's in the box or something else. I've seen various errors on the dash before I found the loose battery cable and I had a lot of faults which I've cleared. I'm not sure if clearing the faults has changed anything or they will return. The car doesn't want to go into gears now. That is obvious.
I'm wandering now if the gremlins were all due to a loose battery cable giving poor voltage or intermittent voltage. I'll never know. Now I clearly have a pdk fault but not sure if it's in the box or something else. I've seen various errors on the dash before I found the loose battery cable and I had a lot of faults which I've cleared. I'm not sure if clearing the faults has changed anything or they will return. The car doesn't want to go into gears now. That is obvious.
ATM said:
When I collected the car with it's new front bumper and MOT it worked fine. Then the gremlins started. It only worked ok for a couple of weeks. The gremlins got progressively worse. I did put some gear fluid into the box because I noticeda leak and thought that made sense. Then decided the gremlins were due to me adding the wrong fluid so I drained it and added a different fluid. Now I believe the complicated hydraulic gubbins is in the other side of the box which I've not meddled with. All the hydraulics for the clutch and changing gears.
I'm wandering now if the gremlins were all due to a loose battery cable giving poor voltage or intermittent voltage. I'll never know. Now I clearly have a pdk fault but not sure if it's in the box or something else. I've seen various errors on the dash before I found the loose battery cable and I had a lot of faults which I've cleared. I'm not sure if clearing the faults has changed anything or they will return. The car doesn't want to go into gears now. That is obvious.
Might have been something in the collision episode that caused a dodgy connection in the ECU.I'm wandering now if the gremlins were all due to a loose battery cable giving poor voltage or intermittent voltage. I'll never know. Now I clearly have a pdk fault but not sure if it's in the box or something else. I've seen various errors on the dash before I found the loose battery cable and I had a lot of faults which I've cleared. I'm not sure if clearing the faults has changed anything or they will return. The car doesn't want to go into gears now. That is obvious.
Google that first code suggests swap out ECU
Turns out it just needed some fluid. Swallowed the whole litre. I took it for a drive and it all works. Ok the gear change is a little jerky but it works. Plugged in the fault code reader and nothing. All clear. I managed about 45 minutes and was just getting near to home when I had a stutter changing gear and the yellow message so I nursed it back. Parked fine so still got 1st and reverse.
Now I guess I need to figure out what to do about the leak. Clearly its clutch side fluid and I'm wandering if perhaps its coming out from the cooler or the pipes going to it.
Now I guess I need to figure out what to do about the leak. Clearly its clutch side fluid and I'm wandering if perhaps its coming out from the cooler or the pipes going to it.
I'm moving house at the moment. The car has been sat stationary and untouched since I last drove it in march. I put 2 litres of clutch side fluid into the gearbox which it swallowed before just starting to spill out. Fired up perfectly as the battery was fully charged. Drove perfectly too. Much better than last time when I only put 1 litre of clutch fluid in. Last time it was a bit jerky changing in the lower gears. I might go for another little drive now once I've out some air in the tyres....
Just finished an oil change on this. Also put in another litre or so of PDK clutch fluid. If anyone is interested the plastic filter casing thing is a bit problematic. I ended up leaving my removal tool attached to it. My new MANN filter didn't have a crush ring in the box even though my 2 over MANN filters for different cars both did. I couldn't see one on the sump plug when I removed it so I put it back on without. Then when you're finished there is no way to check the oil level. The car will only tell you the level once its warned up which isn't really helpful.
Gassing Station | Boxster/Cayman | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff