Identify this engine part!
03-10-2012, 12:14 AM
#31
Drifting
I think your instructions are complete, but I’d wait for confirmation from someone who has already done this DIY.
One item that I can see being a potential problem with this project is the removal of the mufflers. I have never removed the mufflers on my 996 but I have removed mufflers from several different cars in the past and they have always been a real PITA. The muffler bolts were usually at the point of being welded on from the heat/corrosion inherent with this part of the vehicle. In fact, a couple of times I needed to cut them off and replace them with new bolts. This is especially true for cars that are driven in the winter and subjected to corrosive salt. If you are going to do this project yourself, soak the muffler bolts with PB Blaster, or some other type of penetrating oil, the night before the project. Doing so should make the muffler bolts far easier to remove. Also, make sure that the bolts aren’t corroded, to the point of being impossible to remove, before starting the project.
One item that I can see being a potential problem with this project is the removal of the mufflers. I have never removed the mufflers on my 996 but I have removed mufflers from several different cars in the past and they have always been a real PITA. The muffler bolts were usually at the point of being welded on from the heat/corrosion inherent with this part of the vehicle. In fact, a couple of times I needed to cut them off and replace them with new bolts. This is especially true for cars that are driven in the winter and subjected to corrosive salt. If you are going to do this project yourself, soak the muffler bolts with PB Blaster, or some other type of penetrating oil, the night before the project. Doing so should make the muffler bolts far easier to remove. Also, make sure that the bolts aren’t corroded, to the point of being impossible to remove, before starting the project.
03-10-2012, 12:30 AM
#32
Drifting
I fix stuff like this for a living in my line of work. What I would recommend first is go to a self service car wash and use some engine degreaser or if that's not available, wheel cleaner and spray the area close up and thoroughly with the wand. Next use a high pressure blast of soap and thoroughly wash it down followed by a rinse. Watch it over the next few days or even weeks to access how bad the leak/seep is. If it's not bad, leave well enough alone. If it's bad, you will know exactly the path and source of the leak.
Wife's Boxster has been mainly sitting in the garage this winter and I found a couple of small drips underneath on the garage floor. I took the car out about 6 weeks ago and washed it down where there was some oily residue in the RMS area. It's still clean and dry, no drips on the floor either. Often seepages will either get worse or sometimes go away. GL!
Wife's Boxster has been mainly sitting in the garage this winter and I found a couple of small drips underneath on the garage floor. I took the car out about 6 weeks ago and washed it down where there was some oily residue in the RMS area. It's still clean and dry, no drips on the floor either. Often seepages will either get worse or sometimes go away. GL!
03-10-2012, 01:14 AM
#33
Instructor
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I think your instructions are complete, but I’d wait for confirmation from someone who has already done this DIY.
One item that I can see being a potential problem with this project is the removal of the mufflers. I have never removed the mufflers on my 996 but I have removed mufflers from several different cars in the past and they have always been a real PITA. The muffler bolts were usually at the point of being welded on from the heat/corrosion inherent with this part of the vehicle. In fact, a couple of times I needed to cut them off and replace them with new bolts. This is especially true for cars that are driven in the winter and subjected to corrosive salt. If you are going to do this project yourself, soak the muffler bolts with PB Blaster, or some other type of penetrating oil, the night before the project. Doing so should make the muffler bolts far easier to remove. Also, make sure that the bolts aren’t corroded, to the point of being impossible to remove, before starting the project.
One item that I can see being a potential problem with this project is the removal of the mufflers. I have never removed the mufflers on my 996 but I have removed mufflers from several different cars in the past and they have always been a real PITA. The muffler bolts were usually at the point of being welded on from the heat/corrosion inherent with this part of the vehicle. In fact, a couple of times I needed to cut them off and replace them with new bolts. This is especially true for cars that are driven in the winter and subjected to corrosive salt. If you are going to do this project yourself, soak the muffler bolts with PB Blaster, or some other type of penetrating oil, the night before the project. Doing so should make the muffler bolts far easier to remove. Also, make sure that the bolts aren’t corroded, to the point of being impossible to remove, before starting the project.
I've taken the mufflers off my (LA & Seattle) car multiple times now. It's a 5 minute project (assuming you let some PB Blaster sit on them the night before). Very easy.
03-10-2012, 01:18 AM
#34
Rennlist Member
To be honest, it didn't look easy, but the more I read you might be right. I'm sure I'm missing something and that I don't have the right tools, but it doesn't seem to bad.
Here's the takeaway of what I've read:
1) jack up the car
2) remove the rear wheel
3) remove the muffler
4) remove the heat shield
5) Disconnect the coil packs (two screws and a connector)
6) Remove the tubes with a rubber tube connector, which appears to be available from Walmart
7) Snap the new tubes in place
8) put everything back in place.
Is it really this simple, or am I missing something? I'll be honest in that as usual, the "instructions" that I've read here always make assumptions and don't detail every step, so it's hard to tell if I'll get into the job and find that I'm screwed, or I'm up against a step that is not explicitly detailed in the forum post.
It took a while for me to realize that the spark plugs are recessed down into the plug tubes, but don't need to be removed... I read what you were saying, but without seeing it that was a little confusing at first.
If it really is this easy, then I may try doing it myself.
Here's the takeaway of what I've read:
1) jack up the car
2) remove the rear wheel
3) remove the muffler
4) remove the heat shield
5) Disconnect the coil packs (two screws and a connector)
6) Remove the tubes with a rubber tube connector, which appears to be available from Walmart
7) Snap the new tubes in place
8) put everything back in place.
Is it really this simple, or am I missing something? I'll be honest in that as usual, the "instructions" that I've read here always make assumptions and don't detail every step, so it's hard to tell if I'll get into the job and find that I'm screwed, or I'm up against a step that is not explicitly detailed in the forum post.
It took a while for me to realize that the spark plugs are recessed down into the plug tubes, but don't need to be removed... I read what you were saying, but without seeing it that was a little confusing at first.
If it really is this easy, then I may try doing it myself.
1) jack up the car--Correct
2) remove the rear wheel--Yes
3) remove the muffler--Yes both sides
4) remove the heat shield—Yes both sides
5) Disconnect the coil packs (two screws and a connector)-- Yes
6) Remove the tubes with a rubber tube connector, which appears to be available from Walmart—Yes. This is a boat transom plug. I could not find it at Walmart but I did in a boat shop for five dollars. I used a one inch plug and if you need to make it a little bigger just wrap some tape around it. My spark plug tubes came right out without a problem. Also you can order it on Amazon http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=transom+plug&x=12&y=20[/url]
7) Snap the new tubes in place—They push in place. I actually ordered the Porsche recommended grease that you need to coat the new O rings with the new tubes. That cost approximately $38.00 I think. There are other cheaper greases that you can use.
8) put everything back in place—Yes.
It took me 2.5 hours total to complete this job and most of the time was spent taken off the muffers.
03-10-2012, 04:36 AM
#36
Yah thats the same looking leak I had for a couple years before the engine went a dumped oil into the water then started sucking oil into the water when cooling off. Not to scare you. Just sitting here sucking on cough drops and drinking cold medication.
Dharn55 they ought to make your weather illegal or at least the salts that oxidized the aluminum. Makes an oil leak a good thing to have on your car. Maybe get a can of the spray on cozmolin.
Dharn55 they ought to make your weather illegal or at least the salts that oxidized the aluminum. Makes an oil leak a good thing to have on your car. Maybe get a can of the spray on cozmolin.
03-10-2012, 09:20 AM
#37
Nordschleife Master
Thread Starter
Thanks guys. Yes, it's the unwritten stuff on getting off the mufflers that causes the issues, so I'm glad that this is being discussed - it's important to know and is an important factor in whether a job is worth doing (believe me, my family hate to hear me cursing when I'm working on the car). 
I do worry about the hassles of pulling off the mufflers and I have read that some say to take off the rear bumper and others do not. Although, I have not routinely used it in winter, the car was first registered in NJ, I then bought it and registered it in PA. I moved here to NC 18 months ago. To my knowledge it hasn't been used in winter much, but I have no knowledge of how the first owner used it in winter.
I'm tempted to at least have a go in removing the mufflers, just to see if I can teach myself how to do it, but I will also check out the prices at the repair shops.
I do worry about the hassles of pulling off the mufflers and I have read that some say to take off the rear bumper and others do not. Although, I have not routinely used it in winter, the car was first registered in NJ, I then bought it and registered it in PA. I moved here to NC 18 months ago. To my knowledge it hasn't been used in winter much, but I have no knowledge of how the first owner used it in winter.
I'm tempted to at least have a go in removing the mufflers, just to see if I can teach myself how to do it, but I will also check out the prices at the repair shops.
03-10-2012, 09:39 AM
#38
Nordschleife Master
Thread Starter
Yah thats the same looking leak I had for a couple years before the engine went a dumped oil into the water then started sucking oil into the water when cooling off. Not to scare you. Just sitting here sucking on cough drops and drinking cold medication.
Dharn55 they ought to make your weather illegal or at least the salts that oxidized the aluminum. Makes an oil leak a good thing to have on your car. Maybe get a can of the spray on cozmolin.
Dharn55 they ought to make your weather illegal or at least the salts that oxidized the aluminum. Makes an oil leak a good thing to have on your car. Maybe get a can of the spray on cozmolin.
03-10-2012, 11:55 AM
#39
Three Wheelin'
Removing the mufflers really sounds more difficult than it is.
The clamp for the cat converter tube is just two bolts.
Then the muffler has either two long bolts <or> three short nuts to remove. I recommend going after the three short nuts, that way you can see and work through the muffler bracket easier.
Thats it! It just falls right out. You don't have to remove the bumper or muffler shield, although it does make it even easier.
As for the boat plug method, someone over on 6speed IIRC came up with using a threaded pipe nipple (can't remember the size), but he commented it worked even better than the transom plug.
Dielectric grease at a few dollars from autozone, etc. works well.
The clamp for the cat converter tube is just two bolts.
Then the muffler has either two long bolts <or> three short nuts to remove. I recommend going after the three short nuts, that way you can see and work through the muffler bracket easier.
Thats it! It just falls right out. You don't have to remove the bumper or muffler shield, although it does make it even easier.
As for the boat plug method, someone over on 6speed IIRC came up with using a threaded pipe nipple (can't remember the size), but he commented it worked even better than the transom plug.
Dielectric grease at a few dollars from autozone, etc. works well.
03-10-2012, 12:29 PM
#40
Three Wheelin'
03-10-2012, 12:40 PM
#41
Nordschleife Master
Thread Starter
03-11-2012, 04:48 PM
#42
I'm a sucker for busted knuckles and I hate removing rusted exhaust bolts, so I left the mufflers and bumper in place. You can get them without removing either item. Yes, it's more annoying...but so is spending a few hours fixing a sheared bolt...
The manual calls for using tire mounting grease. If you're friendly with your tire shop they'll just give you some in a cup (at least mine did). The point of this grease is that it's slippery initially and then becomes tacky when it dries. Easy to slide in, but difficult to pull back out.
Good luck,
S.
The manual calls for using tire mounting grease. If you're friendly with your tire shop they'll just give you some in a cup (at least mine did). The point of this grease is that it's slippery initially and then becomes tacky when it dries. Easy to slide in, but difficult to pull back out.
Good luck,
S.
03-11-2012, 05:19 PM
#43
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I do worry about the hassles of pulling off the mufflers and I have read that some say to take off the rear bumper and others do not. Although, I have not routinely used it in winter, the car was first registered in NJ, I then bought it and registered it in PA. I moved here to NC 18 months ago. To my knowledge it hasn't been used in winter much, but I have no knowledge of how the first owner used it in winter.
So there are really only 2 contact points for the mufflers. The 2 bolt flange connector on the pipe and the 3 nuts connecting the muffler to the supporting bracket. I think you really only have to worry about the flange. Luckily enough, you can go take a picture of that easily and see how much rust there is on there. Posting that might make it easy to determine if this job is doable.
03-11-2012, 05:31 PM
#44
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Removing the mufflers are fairly easy. First time it took me an hour and a half. I have had them on and off at least 5 times since I have had the car. I have it down to 1/2 hour. Like Logan has said it 2 bolts under the bumper and 3 nuts on the side of the motor for each can. Taking the wheels off make it very easy and the bumper stays on. You can do it! 
05-01-2012, 10:23 PM
#45
Nordschleife Master
Thread Starter
Well guys, with the recent talk of oil leaks, the timing was right for me to close the loop on this thread.
My travel schedule has been crazy recently, so I paid one of my local indie shops to fix the problem for me. He confirmed that I had a slight leak on one of the spark plug tubes and a slight leak on the PCV valve breather. Nothing major - all fixed for $280 no biggie. My baby is now dry as a bone and nice and clean underneath.
I know it was minor and I could have just tolerated the single spot of oil in the pan each time I drove the car, but it was nice not to see the single spot of oil appear in the pan when I got home this evening.
My travel schedule has been crazy recently, so I paid one of my local indie shops to fix the problem for me. He confirmed that I had a slight leak on one of the spark plug tubes and a slight leak on the PCV valve breather. Nothing major - all fixed for $280 no biggie. My baby is now dry as a bone and nice and clean underneath.
I know it was minor and I could have just tolerated the single spot of oil in the pan each time I drove the car, but it was nice not to see the single spot of oil appear in the pan when I got home this evening.