What long trips have you taken and how did your Porsche perform?
06-05-2014, 02:57 PM
#46
Poseur
Rennlist Member
Rennlist Member
I recently completed an international drive from Southern California (Santa Barbara) to our place along Route 1 in Northern California, and then onto Eugene, Oregon, and north to Seattle and into Victoria, British Columbia.
While in Eugene I had my brother in law's shop install all new Bridgestones, flush the brake fluid, install new spark plugs and coils, and just do a general look-see on it.
Within a few hundred miles in Portland, Oregon, I felt a minor but different feel to my clutch pedal. The next day all was well as we got on the Washington State ferry and proceeded to Sidney, BC. As I negan to start to roll off the ferry into British Columbia the clutch pedal felt all wrong. I believed that the pressure plate had failed--at about 86,000 miles. I knew it wasn't the clutch surfaces themselves as I routinely go well into 100,000 miles without needing a clutch. The helpful Porsche dealer in Victoria, BC attempted to trouble shoot (while we're trying to be on vacation) and concluded that the clutch return assist spring was failing--it's located above the clutch pedal in the pedal cluster area. Being outside the usual USA network it was a bit slow getting up to the NW so after a couple of days the part arrived, was installed, and then--still a problem. (The part did nothing to solve the problem, obviously). A second mechanic decided the clutch was bad. He wasn't specific as to which component was failing. I had felt all along that it was the pressure plate. He reported clutch slippage. I felt that it was okay to drive, but I would be careful with it and keep the RPMs up so as to not create a higher torque situation than needed and thus potentially slip the clutch further. I nursed it down to Eugene, Oregon and let my brother in law feel the pedal. He concluded that my guess was right--a bad pressure plate. I decided o continue to nurse it to Santa Barbara (800 more miles to go!) and was on my way to doing that when the engine started to act up. I'm so used to a perfectly smooth idle and nary an engine problem with this car, but it was starting to throw check engine codes left and right. In Victoria they reported that it was showing issues with plugs 1, 3, and 4. After just having the plugs and coils replaced less than a thousand miles earlier I was suspicious of the new parts--first thinking the coils could be bad. In no time the car was running extremely bad, with it very rough, coupled with the clutch issue. I decided to RTB (return to base) using the dealership near Sacramento (Rocklin) for their capabilities. I had driven by them many times so I was very aware of where they are plus the navigation system has it in the POI-Service-Porsche Repair option settings. I limped it into the dealership in Rocklin (Niello Porsche) and they got me a rental car and told me they would get right on it.
As they attempted to trouble-shoot the engine they were unable to proceed without dealing with the tranny issue first so I told them to remove the tranny and fix the clutch first. When they opened it up they found what I had suspected--several of the leaf springs on the pressure plate had apparently failed, and the p. plate was not exerting pressure evenly upon the clutch plate, and then against the dual-mass flywheel. Upln further investigation they determined that the clutch slave within the tranny bell housing (only seen when you separate the tranny from the engine) was leaking. Since my extended warranty guys interpreted that as a covered item they covered the slave and some of the hours involved in accessing it. I was not happy to hear that they would not warrantee the pressure plate--they link the pressure plate and the clutch plate together as a single part--but they are not, as anyone mechanical knows. (Today's 911s must have the clutch plate replaced with the pressure plate--they sell them as a kit). The dual-mass flywheel was also scored so that got to be replaced, as well.
I have to say that I'm extremely easy on clutches--once I learned to drive a manual Porsche 40 years ago. I routinely get over 100,000 miles on a clutch, so I knew this failure was not by my doing. It was a premature part failure. Once the tranny side of things was resolved they tackled the engine.
After a half day of testing and swapping coils and even plugs, they came to the conclusion that my #2 spark plug was bad. Although it was a brand new Porsche part, it failed--probably within 500 miles. The flat 6 engine runs extremely well when everything is exploding correctly--1-6-2-4-3-5, but when one of those isn't--all bets are off! I had no idea that a single bad spark plug could cause an engine to run that bad. (I haven't seen or heard of a bad spark plug since the 60s.) Once that was redone, the engine was back to running smoothly, and strongly. It was nice to get a proper pedal feel back.
The guys at Niello Porsche were very service oriented, working steadily to get us back on the road. (We were lucky to have a place nearby to stay in). With my extended warranty we even had $100 a day for up to 3 days of trip insurance.
I wrestled with replacing the spark plugs when I did, as I had 86,000 miles, and 8 years on the factory plugs and coils--without a single check engine code thrown. But I felt it was time to do it. Unfortunately for me, a bad spark plug screwed up things considerably. Fortunately, the clutch slave was caught and replaced when it would be quite conceivable that it would never be discovered until much later.
I am a bit shy of 88,000 miles now, returning to Southern California. The car runs great, but it was a bunch of headaches to go thorough, when you're thinking it will be a nice leisurely vacation drive.
One bonus--the Niello general manger, Todd, had special ordered a PTS 991 Carrera coupe and it was there to see next to my cab. His was called "Voodoo Blue" copied from Chrysler/Dodge--in an attempt to find something really close to the Speedster True Blue (which Porsche would not do for him).
These cars are truly built to be driven, and not babied around and left to rot in a home garage. But when something breaks you need to be able to pull out the credit card and be ready for some heady bills. After all, these are $100,000-$150,000 automobiles so while they perform extremely well when something breaks, even if you didn't cause it, be prepared for sticker shock.
While in Eugene I had my brother in law's shop install all new Bridgestones, flush the brake fluid, install new spark plugs and coils, and just do a general look-see on it.
Within a few hundred miles in Portland, Oregon, I felt a minor but different feel to my clutch pedal. The next day all was well as we got on the Washington State ferry and proceeded to Sidney, BC. As I negan to start to roll off the ferry into British Columbia the clutch pedal felt all wrong. I believed that the pressure plate had failed--at about 86,000 miles. I knew it wasn't the clutch surfaces themselves as I routinely go well into 100,000 miles without needing a clutch. The helpful Porsche dealer in Victoria, BC attempted to trouble shoot (while we're trying to be on vacation) and concluded that the clutch return assist spring was failing--it's located above the clutch pedal in the pedal cluster area. Being outside the usual USA network it was a bit slow getting up to the NW so after a couple of days the part arrived, was installed, and then--still a problem. (The part did nothing to solve the problem, obviously). A second mechanic decided the clutch was bad. He wasn't specific as to which component was failing. I had felt all along that it was the pressure plate. He reported clutch slippage. I felt that it was okay to drive, but I would be careful with it and keep the RPMs up so as to not create a higher torque situation than needed and thus potentially slip the clutch further. I nursed it down to Eugene, Oregon and let my brother in law feel the pedal. He concluded that my guess was right--a bad pressure plate. I decided o continue to nurse it to Santa Barbara (800 more miles to go!) and was on my way to doing that when the engine started to act up. I'm so used to a perfectly smooth idle and nary an engine problem with this car, but it was starting to throw check engine codes left and right. In Victoria they reported that it was showing issues with plugs 1, 3, and 4. After just having the plugs and coils replaced less than a thousand miles earlier I was suspicious of the new parts--first thinking the coils could be bad. In no time the car was running extremely bad, with it very rough, coupled with the clutch issue. I decided to RTB (return to base) using the dealership near Sacramento (Rocklin) for their capabilities. I had driven by them many times so I was very aware of where they are plus the navigation system has it in the POI-Service-Porsche Repair option settings. I limped it into the dealership in Rocklin (Niello Porsche) and they got me a rental car and told me they would get right on it.
As they attempted to trouble-shoot the engine they were unable to proceed without dealing with the tranny issue first so I told them to remove the tranny and fix the clutch first. When they opened it up they found what I had suspected--several of the leaf springs on the pressure plate had apparently failed, and the p. plate was not exerting pressure evenly upon the clutch plate, and then against the dual-mass flywheel. Upln further investigation they determined that the clutch slave within the tranny bell housing (only seen when you separate the tranny from the engine) was leaking. Since my extended warranty guys interpreted that as a covered item they covered the slave and some of the hours involved in accessing it. I was not happy to hear that they would not warrantee the pressure plate--they link the pressure plate and the clutch plate together as a single part--but they are not, as anyone mechanical knows. (Today's 911s must have the clutch plate replaced with the pressure plate--they sell them as a kit). The dual-mass flywheel was also scored so that got to be replaced, as well.
I have to say that I'm extremely easy on clutches--once I learned to drive a manual Porsche 40 years ago. I routinely get over 100,000 miles on a clutch, so I knew this failure was not by my doing. It was a premature part failure. Once the tranny side of things was resolved they tackled the engine.
After a half day of testing and swapping coils and even plugs, they came to the conclusion that my #2 spark plug was bad. Although it was a brand new Porsche part, it failed--probably within 500 miles. The flat 6 engine runs extremely well when everything is exploding correctly--1-6-2-4-3-5, but when one of those isn't--all bets are off! I had no idea that a single bad spark plug could cause an engine to run that bad. (I haven't seen or heard of a bad spark plug since the 60s.) Once that was redone, the engine was back to running smoothly, and strongly. It was nice to get a proper pedal feel back.
The guys at Niello Porsche were very service oriented, working steadily to get us back on the road. (We were lucky to have a place nearby to stay in). With my extended warranty we even had $100 a day for up to 3 days of trip insurance.
I wrestled with replacing the spark plugs when I did, as I had 86,000 miles, and 8 years on the factory plugs and coils--without a single check engine code thrown. But I felt it was time to do it. Unfortunately for me, a bad spark plug screwed up things considerably. Fortunately, the clutch slave was caught and replaced when it would be quite conceivable that it would never be discovered until much later.
I am a bit shy of 88,000 miles now, returning to Southern California. The car runs great, but it was a bunch of headaches to go thorough, when you're thinking it will be a nice leisurely vacation drive.
One bonus--the Niello general manger, Todd, had special ordered a PTS 991 Carrera coupe and it was there to see next to my cab. His was called "Voodoo Blue" copied from Chrysler/Dodge--in an attempt to find something really close to the Speedster True Blue (which Porsche would not do for him).
These cars are truly built to be driven, and not babied around and left to rot in a home garage. But when something breaks you need to be able to pull out the credit card and be ready for some heady bills. After all, these are $100,000-$150,000 automobiles so while they perform extremely well when something breaks, even if you didn't cause it, be prepared for sticker shock.
06-06-2014, 02:03 PM
#48
The longest trip I've taken in the 997 was about 200mi each way. Now don't get me wrong, it's my DD and I love the car, but I hope not to ever have to do that long of a drive in it again. The wind/road/tire noise, plus the bumpy ride over anything but glass-smooth road, plus the tendency for it to be twitchy while cruising, all tired me out so much that I arrived at my destination exhausted and irritable. Maybe when I was in college I would've relished a long trip in such a car, but nowadays I'll take our E-Class if I need to go anywhere more than about a half hour away.
06-06-2014, 02:54 PM
#49
Instructor
I drive at least one of mine from Colorado to Montana every summer (1,000 mjiles each way), and Colorado to Arizona (800 miles each way) every winter. No interstates except when unavoidable. I live near I-25 in Colorado but make every effort to find the most vertical and the best twisties in each route. 39k miles on the '06 and 35k on the '08. They aren't daily drivers either; most of the miles come from these trips.
A couple of nails in tires on various trips and the air compressor always got me to a repair shop. A rock impact on Beartooth Pass cracked the bottom of the oil pan, poked a hole in the frunk and ripped off the underbody plastic. That one required a tow truck ride to the nearest Porsche dealer, which was all the way back to Ft Collins, CO.
No mechanical failures other than that one, which was my fault. Have no fear!
A couple of nails in tires on various trips and the air compressor always got me to a repair shop. A rock impact on Beartooth Pass cracked the bottom of the oil pan, poked a hole in the frunk and ripped off the underbody plastic. That one required a tow truck ride to the nearest Porsche dealer, which was all the way back to Ft Collins, CO.
No mechanical failures other than that one, which was my fault. Have no fear!
06-06-2014, 03:48 PM
#50
I drove from London, through France, Germany and into Denmark which is about 800 miles. I really enjoyed the journey, stayed in some nice places, hit 176mph on the autobahn and you get treated like a hero in Scandinavia when you drive a fast car (tax is high, so nice cars are rare). I even got let off speeding by a Danish cop... 
Should have gone for more scenic photos, but my girlfriend thinks i'm a douche for loving cars too much!
Yet to do anything in major in the C4S, because i have a Cayenne Diesel for the big journeys now.
Should have gone for more scenic photos, but my girlfriend thinks i'm a douche for loving cars too much!
Yet to do anything in major in the C4S, because i have a Cayenne Diesel for the big journeys now.
06-06-2014, 04:00 PM
#51
Drifting
Drove a round trip 'round the Olympic Peninsula - Sammamish, down to Olympia, over to Aberdeen, up to Lake Chenault, into the Hoh rainforest, Forks up to Port Angeles & Hurricane Ridge, then down, over on the ferry back to Seattle via Kingston, and back to Sammamish. 2 days in the summer and it was a blast. The only issue I had was getting pulled over and warned by the local speed trap for going 70 up a stretch of US-101. 2 days, 470+ miles and a great drive.
Google Maps Route
Google Maps Route
06-06-2014, 04:13 PM
#52
Drifting
For a single day trip the route around Mt Rainier is a blast, stopping at the 2 visitor centers. 260 mile, 6 1/2 hr day trip ( Google Maps ) is also great roads and scenic up the mountain.
06-07-2014, 10:25 PM
#53
Rennlist Member
Can hardly wait to take roadtrip in my Cayman. Until then, threads and posts like these will have to do.
06-08-2014, 08:45 AM
#54
Milan to Gmünd, lunch, sightseeing, and shopping in Gmünd, then a short rum up to the Katschberg Pass and back to Milan, all in one day. Great trip, great memories. No problems with the car.
Also, Dallas to Palm Desert, CA when we bought my wife's Boxster. Two days, great way to get to know a brand-new car.
Also, Dallas to Palm Desert, CA when we bought my wife's Boxster. Two days, great way to get to know a brand-new car.
