Boxster preoccupations!
09-14-2018, 04:36 PM
#1
Boxster preoccupations!
Hi, my Boxster had been behaving perfectly, until now!
Previously I've always let the 986 warm up before shutting her down. But during the past week whilst I've been doing a bit of maintenance on my other cars, I've been moving the Boxster around my garage. That is to say, I'd crank her up for like 30 seconds at a time whilst I moved her in/out of the garage. I noticed that occasionally upon starting she would emit a plume of smoke! I think the smoke was grey but I'm not sure. It also smelt pungent. Ambient temperature has been around 25*c
My air cooled 911 has never done anything similar in 15+ years of ownership, so I was quite worried with what I'd seen, I did a bit of research online and was beginning to suspect the air/oil seperator.
So today, I was doing a bit of investigation…..
Oil and water levels are good, the same as the last time I checked them.
I have what feels like good vacuum/suction at the oil cap.
And it now appears that I don't get the smoke if I let it reach operating temperature before shutting it down. So I think that's normal, right?
In my basic/humble understanding of the functioning of an internal combustion engine, when the engine is shut down cold the piston rings don't get a chance to expand and within a few hours the pressurized oil finds it's way into the combustion chamber, thus emitting the plume of smoke on the subsequent start.
Whereas, if the engine is shut down hot the rings are tight and the oil doesn't enter the combustion chamber because it flows away/down, correct?
So anyway, just as I was beginning to feel a bit more at ease with the Boxster, this evening I decided to go for another drive, just to be sure all was well.
After a while the car felt slugish at low rpms. A short while later she was missing and popping and then the check engine light came on. 100 meters later the car progressivly died!
I don't use this car as much as I'd like to and I wasn't sure how much fuel I had in it, or how accurate the fuel gauge is (in fact it had been reading empty all day!) so instinctively I put some petrol in it and got it running again.
It now runs very well, has good torque, as smooth as ever, but the CEL light is still on and if I remove the oil cap (I checked that it was actually closed because I'd touched it this morning) through the spout I can hear a sort of semi-rhythmic "clacking" (I can only describe it as a valve chain sort of sound).
So, my preoccupations are back and now I'm wondering if the CEL light will go out by itself or if it's needs to be professionally reset? In the meantime can I drive it? The owners manual doesn't advise against it unless the light is flashing, which it's not.
And is that sound I'm hearing normal? I'm not 100% sure but I certainly didn't notice it this morning when I was checking the vacuum. Do others hear this on their Boxsters?
As always, thanks in advance
Previously I've always let the 986 warm up before shutting her down. But during the past week whilst I've been doing a bit of maintenance on my other cars, I've been moving the Boxster around my garage. That is to say, I'd crank her up for like 30 seconds at a time whilst I moved her in/out of the garage. I noticed that occasionally upon starting she would emit a plume of smoke! I think the smoke was grey but I'm not sure. It also smelt pungent. Ambient temperature has been around 25*c
My air cooled 911 has never done anything similar in 15+ years of ownership, so I was quite worried with what I'd seen, I did a bit of research online and was beginning to suspect the air/oil seperator.
So today, I was doing a bit of investigation…..
Oil and water levels are good, the same as the last time I checked them.
I have what feels like good vacuum/suction at the oil cap.
And it now appears that I don't get the smoke if I let it reach operating temperature before shutting it down. So I think that's normal, right?
In my basic/humble understanding of the functioning of an internal combustion engine, when the engine is shut down cold the piston rings don't get a chance to expand and within a few hours the pressurized oil finds it's way into the combustion chamber, thus emitting the plume of smoke on the subsequent start.
Whereas, if the engine is shut down hot the rings are tight and the oil doesn't enter the combustion chamber because it flows away/down, correct?
So anyway, just as I was beginning to feel a bit more at ease with the Boxster, this evening I decided to go for another drive, just to be sure all was well.
After a while the car felt slugish at low rpms. A short while later she was missing and popping and then the check engine light came on. 100 meters later the car progressivly died!
I don't use this car as much as I'd like to and I wasn't sure how much fuel I had in it, or how accurate the fuel gauge is (in fact it had been reading empty all day!) so instinctively I put some petrol in it and got it running again.
It now runs very well, has good torque, as smooth as ever, but the CEL light is still on and if I remove the oil cap (I checked that it was actually closed because I'd touched it this morning) through the spout I can hear a sort of semi-rhythmic "clacking" (I can only describe it as a valve chain sort of sound).
So, my preoccupations are back and now I'm wondering if the CEL light will go out by itself or if it's needs to be professionally reset? In the meantime can I drive it? The owners manual doesn't advise against it unless the light is flashing, which it's not.
And is that sound I'm hearing normal? I'm not 100% sure but I certainly didn't notice it this morning when I was checking the vacuum. Do others hear this on their Boxsters?
As always, thanks in advance
09-14-2018, 07:18 PM
#2
I used to get a CEL due to a MAF that needed replacement. I would disconnect the battery for ~50 second, reconnect and the CEL would reset (turn off).
I noticed my Boxster does not like to be started and then shut down without getting up to temperature. The next time started, if not properly warmed, it stumbles and spits, acting pissed off that I'm not giving it the proper attention. I won't even start it now unless I plan on driving it, and If I have to start it to move it, I drive it, at least for 10 miles or so.
I noticed my Boxster does not like to be started and then shut down without getting up to temperature. The next time started, if not properly warmed, it stumbles and spits, acting pissed off that I'm not giving it the proper attention. I won't even start it now unless I plan on driving it, and If I have to start it to move it, I drive it, at least for 10 miles or so.
09-15-2018, 08:16 PM
#4
The smoke on startup,especially after not getting the car warm on the previous start is perfectly normal. The sluggishness and misfires are not!
09-21-2018, 03:42 PM
#5
I will however source a code reader for future use
09-23-2018, 04:23 AM
#7
Aldo, when you run out of gas - one after another, the cylinders will suffer fuel starvation causing a misfire code to be reordered. After dozens of mutable misfires, a check engine light will come on. (kinda like getting a red card from the referee in a soccer game). After you refilled the tank the car will keep the light on for a few driving cycles and if no more misfires are recorded the light will cycle off.
