john981

I am becoming more and more familiar with my 981 boxster and really love my car. I have done couple of smaller jobs on the car and am about to do my first brake job soon, which I really look forward to. The brake job seem to be the right job to start the DIY adventure, challenging enough but not crazy difficult. Moving forward I would love to do more DIY projects on my car and was wondering which jobs are good DIY jobs and which one should be done by my Indy. E.g. I have heard from experienced people in the forum who recommend not to DIY your spark plugs, which can become a big pain in the A..

Thank you all in advance for your input and tips!

Dave in Chicago

Plugs and coil packs are firmly within the grasp of the shade tree mechanic. Mine is a 987, but I suspect 981 is pretty similar, would have to consult vids/books. Please see my post #54 in the following thread:

https://rennlist.com/forums/987-981-...acement-2.html

My advice is the same for just about any of these DIY tasks, including brakes:

• Study as many threads / YouTube vids / parts diagrams as needed to get comfortable with the gig
• Gather the right parts (I go geniune Porsche as this is a long term street car for me)
• Gather the right tools (for brakes I have a pad spreader, impact driver, etc.)
• Set it up safe and comfortable (jacking, stands, ramps, etc.)

If you can do all the above, go for it. If it looks like too much of a pain in the a$$ or investment tools / hardware or risk to personal safety... pay to get it done.

Good luck!

okie981

Plugs and coil packs on 981 are easily DIY. Remove the rear wheels, 6 in extension for 3/8" drive ratchet, small torx bit for coil packs.

CaymanCarver

Definitely DIY everything you think you can handle.

I agree it is doable.

Replacing plugs and coil packs the first time is a "learning experience". Next time around should be a lot easier.. just knowing what to expect makes a huge difference.
Documented my experience changing Plugs & Coil packs here: LINK

Replacing Air Filters is pretty simple.

Brakes shouldn't be too different than most other cars.

john981

Thank you all so far. The only thing what holds me back with the spark plugs is the following report from one of our fellows: https://www.planet-9.com/981-chat/14...ment-fail.html
Thoughts?

Code

So long as you have the right tools, pretty much anything can be done yourself. Pelican is a GREAT resource for DIY articles. https://www.pelicanparts.com/techart...n_987_Tech.htm

Good luck, and have fun!

Dave in Chicago

Nice write up. On my 987, I removed wheels, wheel liners, and any heat shields. Still required a different combination of extensions for each of the 3 plug positions on each side. Tools... gotta love 'em.

Back to original post... As I said, one needs to do enough research to become comfortable with going at it. Case in point... both my kid's cars needed repairs recently. I had the right tools, good on-line resources, and safe time / space to do it. All go. Had either been outside my comfort, off to the shop.

Good luck!

gman3280

Agree on the multiple extensions. Also just take your time. This isn't rocket science. I like the magnetic spark plug socket kit from gear wrench. I DIY everything I can as well. Its fun and you know the car.

okie981

With heads warm it would be more likely to be easier to get a stubborn plug out. The heat may loosen up gummy threads and due to higher coefficient of thermal expansion of aluminum versus steel, the aluminum head's spark plug hole will grow ever so slightly larger in diameter than the steel spark plug threaded body. Doesn't sound like much but any little bit can help. Downside, working on hot/warm engine parts is not as user friendly from a comfort factor. If you are using high quality sockets, extensions, and ratchets, I wouldn't worry about cranking away with high torque on the spark plug. The hole that the spark plug socket fits in will only allow a small amount of side-to-side movement and helps stabilize the socket as you torque away on it. I'd be more concerned about busted knuckles or cuts on the hands when it does break loose. Wear some good gloves. Torque spec is 24 lb-ft for new plugs first time installed, 19 lb-ft for reinstalling plugs after they have been previously torqued to 24 lb-ft. I don't use anti-sieze, some swear by it. I've changed mine twice, once at 27k miles, and again at 42k miles, shorter interval due to track day use.

catamount

I did this on my '11 CS this past Saturday. I took my time which meant it took me about 3 hours start to finish including setup and putting everything away. I suspect the next time it'll take me a good bit less time as I know the combination of extensions to use now. I did find that the more forward the plug the more difficult they were to get out, both in access and effort. It did take a lot more effort to break the forward plugs free compared to the rearward plugs. I am glad I had quality swivel extensions though because it took a good bit of effort on several plugs.

Suffice to say, this is a job that can be handled by anyone who has experience is limited to changing their oil and filter and nothing more extensive. It's definitely a cleaner job than changing the Cayman's oil!