jakfrost

Is not going as planned. What was supposed to be a simple straight forward, maybe 30 minute job has turned into a big question mark.

The question mark is how the @#%&#@ are you supposed to get the spoiler wall top channel to go on, and stay on the spoiler.

After raising the spoiler 3/4 of the way up, the removal of the old broken wall was simple, 2 minutes. Slid the rubber off the old wall, slid it onto the new wall, installed the lower portion...then tried to 'snap' the upper part of the new wall onto the spoiler. No way in hell was that going to 'snap' into place. Got the silicone jar and proceeded to lube up the channel and the spoiler both. 15 minutes of grunting and sweet talking/swearing at the new wall all I had to show for it was a badly bruised thumb and silicone covered hands.

I could get the wall to sit in place, but as soon as you touched the top portion, it literally fell away from the spoiler.

I've looked at it calmly, studied it carefully, and walked away 3 times only to return and tried pushing harder...no luck.

Any ideas?

Jim

Blue TTop

Based on my own recent experience: I believe there is a bad batch of new spoiler walls that do not meet spec on the top channel. As a result, they just slip off and don't "grab".

jakfrost

That is the exact conclusion that I have come to...just came back in from the shop and after 're-examining' the new spoiler wall it definitely has a slightly larger 'channel' for the top fitment. Which would explain why it 'falls' off. I kept trying to push it on a little further to get the 'snap' everyone talks about...never going to happen.

So two things:

First, After removing the old wall I drove 3 hours, 125 miles of 4 lane followed by at least 1+30 of absolutely horrible Montreal traffic in todays summer heat and the temp indicator never moved from its normal position. That is a little below the fat 8 o'clock line on the highway, and slightly above, not quite 9 o'clock in the crawling stop and go traffic. Also I didn't notice any 'stability issues', hahaha. All with NO spoiler wall. So we know its possible to drive without it and bad things probably won't happen.

Second, I repaired the old spoiler using commercial grade black duct tape...and re-installed it. I'll see how long the repair lasts, but the spoiler works fine with the repaired old wall in place, duct tape and all.

Blue TTop, did you by any chance buy your spoiler wall from Sunset?

So I guess I'll call Sunset tomorrow and see if they will be able to do anything for me.

Jim

helmet993

Why don't you take some pictures of the old vs new top piece to see if it is different...and post here to document what a 'bad' one looks like.

Please!?

Blue TTop

Jim: I purchased it from the local Porsche dealer. I had to return the replacement too. Third time finally worked. I should have taken pictures.

Tony

Kika

I used Gorilla tape. A few dollars. Done. I don't consider it a critical component. I know purists won't agree with it, but it works for me.

Just isn't one of those items that I felt needed o be OEM.

jakfrost

Well I could take a picture of the new wall, the old wall is back in the car...using 'Kika' 's suggestion, 'gorilla tape'. And I agree with his conclusion that it "Just isn't one of those items that I felt needed o be OEM".

My old 'Gorilla taped' wall is OEM but now 'modified' hahaha. As I mentioned in a previous post, I can not see any obvious effect on the engine systems driving without the 'wall' installed.

Perhaps in extended high speed driving of the kind available on certain highways in certain parts of Europe, ( becoming fewer all the time by the way...), there might be a measurable difference in temperature readings and/or 'stability'.

Anyway back to the photo question, the difference is not apparent to the naked eye and I doubt it would show up in a photograph. I had examined the two of them side by side a couple of times before realizing there was a very slight difference. There is maybe 1/16th to 1/32nd of an inch between the gap in the upper channel slot on the correct sized (old) wall and the incorrect (new) one. A thin bead of contact cement would insure it stayed in place...but then it would be 'in place' forever, hahaha.

I'll contact Sunset in Oregon later this morning when they open and see what they can do for me...living here in Canada make returning items a little more complicated

Jim

bw-porsche

I had the exact same problem when I needed a new spoiler wall for my 964. Both of these models now use the 993 part and after getting a new one through the post, and trying to fit it onto the car in situ, found, like here, that it just would not click on to the spoiler itself. I resorted to taking off the spoiler (there were only 4 allen headed bolts with captive nuts holding it on anyway) to see what was up, and found that the new part was wider than the edge of the spoiler where it was supposed to click on to. I even checked it with a digital caliper to make sure of things, but anyway on taking off the old top strip, I could SEE the difference. I sent the part back for a full refund (except of course any postage paid both ways) and actually got the part from the nearest Official Porsche Centre, and could see as soon as I looked at it that it WOULD click on. In the meantime I had used some wide black duct type tape to repair the old one which is still on the car. As mentioned there must be a bad batch out there which is only now coming to light. Regards, Brian

jakfrost

Well said Brian, exactly my situation, black Gorilla Duct Tape now holds my old unit together until the replacement arrives.

Spoke to Sunset this morning and the CSR (Phil) listened to my story, and offered to go and measure the 5 that they have in stock and call me back. I told him that the one I had received was showing almost exactly 1/8th of an inch at the opening through out the length of the unit.

He called back and said that he had 4 that measured 1/8th (or greater) and 1 that was noticeably smaller. Bingo.

He is shipping me the 'smaller' one this morning. Good luck to find 1 of the 5 that sounds like it has the correct sizing, and great customer support!

Jim

plymouthcolt

Just did this job a few weeks ago. I used a thick towl as a cushion and hit it with my hand. It snaps on but it's a tight fit.

jakfrost

The problem isn't getting it on....is getting it to stay on.

The channel is too wide, it slips easily on over the spoiler tab, and slips off just as easily.

I initially though that since it was falling off immediately after I got it on that I wasn't getting it on far enough...but the problem is a bad production run of spoiler walls from Germany. The opening is too wide and there is not enough tension to hold it in place.

Took me 2 days to figure it out, with a little help from one of the Rennlist members who had the exact same problem.

Jim

jakfrost

Follow up on my DIY spoiler air dam repair/replacement...

After my phone conversation with Phil at Sunset, explaining that it seemed the problem I was having with my air dam wasn't an isolated one...he said he would personally examine all 5 units he had in stock to see if there was any difference in the 'gap' where the dam would 'snap' onto the tab in the spoiler top.

He called me back shortly and said that of the 5 units in stock, 4 had the same gap, with one having a significantly smaller opening. He shipped this one to me and I installed it today with absolutely no effort. Simply raised the spoiler 2/3rds of the way up and did it in 10 minutes. No tools, and the top portion of the air dam 'snapped' into place perfectly.

I sent the first one back for a full credit. Good guys, and gals, at Sunset!

Oh, the gorilla tape came apart after a week of 90+ temps so that repair definitely comes under the heading of 'temporary'!

Next: sunroof felt front and back

Jim

Dan V

Thanks for this great info!

As far as how 'critical' the air deflector is: you might not see a difference in the oil temp, but what about the CHT? I know we don't have a CHT gauge like aircraft, but knowing of all the ducting Porsche have made to keep plenty of air flowing, makes me wonder. Actually I think about it every time I drive around town in warm weather.

cabrio993

+993

Porsche engineers didn't put it there just it because it looks pretty. It serves a function. It's an air cooled engine after all. It can use all the air you can throw at it.

I've replaced mine twice in 6 years. The constant up/down motion of the tail, and all the engine heat, sure takes a tow on that thin plastic hinge and ends up breaking after a while.

I raise the tail manually and check on it every so often. I spray it with 303 protectant as well to keep it pliable in the hope that will last a bit longer.

SkiDan

"...He called me back shortly and said that of the 5 units in stock, 4 had the same gap, with one having a significantly smaller opening. He shipped this one to me and I installed it today with absolutely no effort. Simply raised the spoiler 2/3rds of the way up and did it in 10 minutes. No tools, and the top portion of the air dam 'snapped' into place perfectly."

Jakfrost - do you know if there is any way of detecting the wrong fitting spoiler wall from the stock number, date of manufacture, etc?