1998 996 C2

[ATM]

I just took the car to the garage. Started it up and no ticking noise. Car has not moved since Sunday. Fluid was bang on min and a pleasing blue colour. Got my friend to follow and he saw no smoke or anything untoward.

[ATM]

edc said:

ATM said:

I just took the car to the garage. Started it up and no ticking noise. Car has not moved since Sunday. Fluid was bang on min and a pleasing blue colour. Got my friend to follow and he saw no smoke or anything untoward.

Check the coolant cap. Latest part ends 04. They do fail over time and can vent out some coolant so it looks like a 'big' failure. Might also be worth bleeding the system quickly. Just raise the rear of the car and open the bleed valve, run up to temp and raise revs, wait for fans to kick in. That should expel any residual air if any.

Too late. Car now with mechanic.

[ATM]

Ok so my Porsche guy believes the car is sound. There is a small leak from the exhaust joint near the cat. So as water collects in the cat it can leak out of this joint. My guy said this is nothing to worry about.

Collecting the car tomorrow.

[ATM]

edc said:

ATM said:

Ok so my Porsche guy believes the car is sound. There is a small leak from the exhaust joint near the cat. So as water collects in the cat it can leak out of this joint. My guy said this is nothing to worry about.

Collecting the car tomorrow.

Good news but it seems an awfully long-time to diagnose that?

Yes

This was my fault. When I left it with him I knew he was busy and he didnt really say he had time to fit me in. I said just take a look at it when you can as I dont need the car, I have 3 others. Anyway I've not heard from him and not called him to nag him. But today I thought I'd like the car back for the weekend. So I called him. He then explained he had mislaid my number and had been hoping I would call him because he couldn't call me.

[ATM]

Just picked her up in my lunch hour. She feels good or the same but being reunited feels good.

[ATM]

Just been hooning round in my lunch hour. Starting to lean on the car more now. Still impresses me every time I go round a bend. I cant imagine ever getting bored of it.

[ATM]

LordHaveMurci said:

It's a shame 18's looks so 'right' on a 996 or I'd be tempted to swap to 17's.

Saying that, CLR has 17" Fuch style on his & they look amazing, very light too. I suspect they may not be cheap though!

I'd like to disagree with you. My 996 is ridiculously low. You can't even see the top of the front tyre. In this guise the 18 inches look too big. Also my wheel size parameters involve looking at the discs and if see too much room between disc and the inside of the alloy I'm immediately thinking too much gap.

I've just been for my early Sunday morning blast. Out before 7 which is now light but no one else around. Sweeping twisty country lanes. It's wet here today with a bit of intermittent rain. The car still has loads of grip. I had 2 moments where the car got out of shape. Once was due to mud on the road I think where the back slide round on me and I had to catch it by turning into it. I was probably going a bit too quick because it was a left hander. I like trying more speed in left handers as I have extra room on the exit should I need it. I've been trying to go as fast as I dare and then once basically round the business end of the corner turning more to see what the car will do. Well it basically hugs the left verge tightly with plenty to spare. Proving it could have gone a lot quicker if I could not. I'm really starting to struggle with the standard seats now. I'm definitely sliding around in the seat.

Does anyone know if the 996 sport seat offers any more support and puts my bum lower down?

I want more lateral grip from the seat and I want to be lower. If this means fixed buckets then I guess the back seats will have to go. I don't need the back seats really. There are a nice to have but I could manage without.

Edited to add the second moment. This was a sort of tank slapper where I was going straight at high speed and the outside wheels touched a while line which was solid and quite proud. The car wanted to go left then right and then left again with more momentum each time. I was probably the problem turning back towards the line wandering what the F was going on. This was a bit scary because I felt out of control. I'm now avoiding white lines.

Edited by ATM on Sunday 12th March 08:42

[ATM]

edc said:

986 seats are same as 996 as far as I know. So you have the regular seats and the hardback sports seats. Had the latter in both my Boxster and when really on it they don't hold you in enough. Particularly noticeable on fast reasonably tight corners and also hairpins. You can make the best of it by changing your seating position. Slide in a click or 2 closer and have the back rest up straighter a fraction.

OK thanks. Are the sports seats lower?

[ATM]

I have a pair of fixed buckets sat in my storage doing nothing which I could try in the 911. What are my options for mounting them? I see a lot of people talking about sliders. What about simple fixed mounts?

[ATM]

LordHaveMurci said:

ATM said:

I'd like to disagree with you. My 996 is ridiculously low. You can't even see the top of the front tyre. In this guise the 18 inches look too big. Also my wheel size parameters involve looking at the discs and if see too much room between disc and the inside of the alloy I'm immediately thinking too much gap.

Edited by ATM on Sunday 12th March 08:42

I suspect that has more to do with your suspension set up than the wheel size?

Possibly.

My car is almost 20 years old which means I think there is some retro'ness going on. Again I think smaller wheels would help that.

But hey dont listen to me. Its your car do what you want to it. That's the point right?

[ATM]

LordHaveMurci said:

ATM said:

Possibly.

My car is almost 20 years old which means I think there is some retro'ness going on. Again I think smaller wheels would help that.

But hey dont listen to me. Its your car do what you want to it. That's the point right?

Yours is on coilovers isn't it, so probably lower than standard?

I'm talking about a standard car (like mine), where 18's hit the sweet spot aesthetically.

Mine is low. Really low.

[ATM]

LordHaveMurci said:

ATM said:

Mine is low. Really low.

16" Fuchs for yours then !

Would love to. But I think I'd need smaller front discs.

[ATM]

Edited by ATM on Friday 27th April 09:57

[ATM]

So today I'm mostly thinking about seats. I've never had fixed buckets. I guess they hold you in nicely but what are they like for a daily driver. I don't use this car most days but when I do I'm not sure I want to be too scrunched up. So maybe a better recliner might work for me.

[ATM]

Edited by ATM on Friday 27th April 09:57

[ATM]

LordHaveMurci said:

ATM said:

The very rare double booted version!

New fangled Air Brake.

[ATM]

Edited by ATM on Friday 27th April 09:57

[ATM]

Edited by ATM on Friday 27th April 09:57

[ATM]

So yesterday I checked the tyre pressures. Fronts were 27 and rear 33. I put the fronts on 29 and the rears on 37. The result is now a much harder back end with some quite hard bangs going over slight undulations. I might drop them down a bit in a few days if the new harder setup annoys. I understand that if the pressure is too low then the tyre will not sit flat against the road but how can I know if I've gone too low?

[ATM]

Chris Stott said:

27/33 is pretty low - I haven't been that low with mine.

I'm on stock suspension (265 rears), and run c.32f, c.36r (I think book is 36/42), and the ride is decent. At factory pressures, the car really isn't very nice - bounces and crashes over potholes/bumps.

I think the standard pressures are madness. I cant understand why anyone would use those unless maybe if they were planning some high speed autobahn runs.