Eggbert

I have a leaky injector in my 2006 Cayman S. As the car has about 80K on it, and I have no history as to whether the injectors were previously changed, I decided to replace all of them. Didn't look too hard. I had downloaded a Service Manual and the details seemed to match up well with the 101 Project Book instructions. Well, not quite so easy. Lots of arguments about whether you need to remove the intake manifolds or not. Well you do, and I think I know why. The older Boxster (and maybe Cayman) seem to have the fuel rails that only mount with 2 bolts and don't have those long brackets that take an extra two bolts, so they are probably the ones people are changing without removing the manifolds.

So despite this guy's video I thought maybe I could do it without removing the manifolds https://rennlist.com/forums/987-foru...placement.html I was wrong. Even using the video as a guide, this has been the most frustrating car repair I've ever had the misfortune to undertake. Currently I have the driver's side (air filter side) intake out and the injectors removed. Next step is to install the new injectors and intake back on before tackling the (hopefully easier) passenger side. I've spent an average of 4 hours a day on this and for a total of 3 days so far. One needs to get away from a job like this to regain sanity. so that's why only 4 hours a day. It should be easier next time, but I really hope there isn't a next time.

I really like this car, but it's pure stubbornness on my part that's getting me through this. The worst effort was getting most forward manifold bolt out. The most annoying effort was removing the screw that holds a cable clamp carrying "stuff" that's screwed in on the "underside" of the manifold. I really think it would be easier to remove the engine, or maybe at least lower it enough that there was room to remove the fuel rails.

I also found someone had been in there before. A vacuum line was routed wrong and cause fuel rail removal issues. Also, one of the metal clips that secures the injector and wiring harness connectors together was missing. Looks like I might be able to get one from a site that deals with BMWs but time isn't kind about mail-ordering, however I did find a Youtube video on how to make one using a steel paper clip.

I'd like to know if the driver's side airbox is removable. It mounts differently than the old units which had a bolt underneath only accessible from under the car. This one is held by a bolt into the firewall at one end, a clamp around the intake tube at the other end and a locating pin in behind. Plus the snorkel. So maybe it will come out after all. Anybody know?

You know I've watched just about every repair video on this car available on Youtube, and every single one of them looks easier than replacing the fuel injectors. So for future repairs at ;least I can can say "sure glad it's this problem and not replacing the fuel injectors".

Eggbert

More done the last few days. Left side all back together. Next the right side. But first a tip. The left hand most forward manifold bolt is very difficult to remove. Even worse is getting it back in. First I used a little grabber to start the bolt in the manifold flange. Figured a magnet (as in the video) might fall off and the screw disappear for a while. The main problem is just no room to get a socket wrench extension down there. I switched to 1/4" extension but my E10 socket is for a 3/8" drive. So I used an 8mm socket and it worked! I used electrical tape to help hold the two extensions together as well as a little around the extension and the socket. Things falling off down out of site isn't fun. Easy as could be after that.

I will admit to wasting quite a bit of time taking things' apart as 1/ I hadn't done it before and 2/ I fiddled a long time trying to get the injectors out without taking out the manifold. Hoping the right side will be easier.

Eggbert

Well... the right side isn't any easier than the left other than the most forward manifold bolt is easy to get too. No room otherwise. The coolant reservoir tank has no give to it and is more a problem than the air filter on the other side. It also makes getting to the middle fuel injector connector difficult to remove and install. EDIT: Removal of the AOS helps a lot. Mine was difficult to get the bolts out. Difficult again to get them in. I thought they had been cross threaded previously, but it turned out someone had used Loctite on them Chasing the threads cured the issue.

The biggest headache was a surprise. Getting the two tubes back in between the manifolds. The rubber boots kept folding over underneath when I tried to install them. A little grease on the inside of the boots and the outside of the manifold helped them slip together without folding over.

Start up was interesting. Took a while as the fuel rails had to fill and pressurize. The it started with a it of clanking. Odd, to say the least. Shut it off and retried. Perfect. Gone was the odd rpm searching and rough idle for the first 3o seconds or so. Started fine, settled to a high idle for a short while, then dropped appropriately. Also, giving it a bit of throttle in neutral resulted in a surprising throaty and quick increase in rpm.

Also, sometimes when I turned on the ignition, but didn't start the engine, the fuel pump clicked in and out as the system couldn't maintain pressure. This happened when I first attempted to start it, but there was air in the system then. So far, that problem is gone.

I'll know tomorrow when I get the hatch covers back on and go for a drive.

Took me about 20 hours to change the injectors. I did waste a lot of time as I hadn't done it before. I should be able to at least halve than next time.... but hope there won't be a next time! Tis a terribly hateful job!

Zirconocene

That sounds terrible, but thanks for sharing; this stuff really helps folks looking to do this kind of work for themselves in the future.

Cheers

Eggbert

No problem. I do like it when I get a reply as it tells me people are reading what I post.

My next project will be much easier. Replacing sparkplugs and coils, but I may just check one or two first. The previous owner(s) seemed very good about maintenance (but not fuel injectors... LOL). The air filter looked like new and was manufactured in April 2001.

I did manage to get a Carfax report. The maintenance ones are free, and my car did have regular maintenance at various dealers on a regular basis. No details though other than a windshield replacement.

Oh... it ought to be noted that the extraordinary length of time for me to replace all these injects involved a lot of odd things happenings. For example, when I went to install the left intake manifold, I seemed to be one mounting bolt short. I looked everywhere, but no luck. I finally remembered that the forward "tricky" bolt was still in the manifold when I removed it, but not any longer. Finally I membered that I set the intake down on the woodpile (for the stove) for a short while prior to changing the gaskets. So I started dismantling the woodpile. Sure enough, there was the missing bolt!

Some of those squeeze-to-release hoses fought removal mercilessly!

Of course my AOS now uses regular hose clamps on both ends of the J-tube.

I should have kept a diary of all the incidents.

jmanbball

Sounds like my decision to drop the engine to change the injectors along with a bunch of other stuff was a good idea! Dropping the engine is pretty straight forward.

Eggbert

Yep. I didn't look into dropping the engine, but if it's as straight forward as you say, it would make life a lot easier. Are you thinking of just lowering it a bit and leaving things as much hooked up as possible, or dropping it as if you were to remove it? As in tranny first?

Your note prompted me to write a little update. First drive with new injectors did reveal a small increase in power, but it has gotten progressively better. It's really noticeable now. A good thump in the back when I accelerate hard. I can only speculate and assume the computer is re-mapping the mixture based on the one cylinder being back where it should. Some sort of learning mode.

Originally I had no misfires, but there was some sort of "roughness" measurement available on my scanner. I think it corresponds to the contribution of power from each cylinder and the lower number is better. Before I changed the injectors 5 cylinders were all under 1, but there was one that measured 10. Since the replacement, that one now measures 0.8.... more or less the same as the others.

The rough idle when started cold is gone.

Sometimes there was a puff of smoke for a few seconds on cold start-up. That no longer happens.

Bore scoping is next. The only symptom I have that might be from scoring is my oil level has dropped a bit, but with that dash gauge there's no way to really tell how much. I think I'll get to 1000 Km and then do an oil change, I know how much I put in before and I'll see now much less drains out then.

XuTVJet

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RJ80

I'm curious if the non-DFI 2.9-liter 9A1 engines in 987.2 cars pose a similar level of difficulty with injector changes. Does anyone know?

XuTVJet

It shouldn't be much different from the video linked in this thread. The intake manifold is slightly different, but comes out the same way. The guy in the video did the job in 7 hours with the help of a Honda mechanic friend. An arsenal of good tools is key with these cars.