superloaf

So Boxsters are beginning to show up in the pick a part yards now but it's difficult to get at them with no battery. Is it possible to put the car in service mode with no power? Also, any way to open the trunks?

Thanks.

elgy

The owner's manual shows how to disengage the mechanism for the roof to make it manual. There are cables behind the bumper covers to open the trunks.

Dllrd23

Opening and Closing Boxster top by jumping relay.

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superloaf

All good to know but it doesn't answer my question of how to do this without a battery.

Dllrd23

You don’t need a giant grp94 battery but a small 4in (12v) power wheels battery would do it or a jump box that puts out 12v. Even 2 6v camping batteries wired in series (positive of one wired to negative of the other) would do the trick. Getting over this hurdle would definitely open up opportunities to access parts that others could not. Good luck if you decide to try it. I wish I could find a self pull near me that had anything like that.

elgy

Attached are the owner's manual pages for operating the top manually in an emergency. The top is disconnected from the mechanism that raises and lowers both the top and the clamshell so that they can be opened or closed. It would be advisable to bring your own prying tool along since the tool or tool kit might be missing from the car. A very long and sturdy screwdriver or small pry bar should do. I haven't tried this, hope this helps.

RennPart

To answer your question from someone who has actually had to do this with the TOP UP.

climb in car facing backwards. Easier to do if you remove a seat.

Remove the carpeted storage bin if there.

Pull down the rear vinyl drip tray thing in the back.

Pry off the soft top plastic cover things on the left and right side.

Find the metal arms with plastic ball joints, pop off 2 per side to disengage the top and the convertible top metal cover piece.

You can then release the latch on the top.

From outside the car pull up on the bottom of the top.

Then you can slide the metal top cover back and outta the way

you can then pull top back a little to get into service position.

superloaf

Great, thanks guys, now any Boxster is accessible. I wasn't sure it was even possible as my Boxster is 2000 miles away and can't reference it.

Off to the junkyard I go, wish me luck!

Oh, and with these cars appearing more often in pick a parts, do you guys have suggestions for parts to grab? Either just to have as spares or to sell and make some money.

I was looking on eBay saw these items which look valuable and sell often:

-3 spoke steering wheel although shipping of airbags is very difficult & restrictive
-Vario Cam actuator
-convertible top relay
-immobilizer
-brake calipers
-radiators?

Obviously, smaller and easily grabbed items are best. Also, I was thinking about grabbing the engine in a 2003 but the prices have really gone up. They now want over $500 for an engine which I know is dirt cheap for a flat 6 but I'd have to rent a truck and lift and then store it so it's a bit more difficult. Still a great money maker if you have the space and time. It used to be half that amount not very long ago.

Anyway, thanks again.

superloaf

Too late, car was picked clean of all the good stuff. Engine was mostly intact but I met a Russian guy who said he was going back for it. It cranked freely but had some weird things going on. AC hose was not connected at engine, and front engine mount had some bolts that were barely installed. Mass air flow sensor was missing and there was a clean white towel in the intake tube like you do to keep things from falling in.

Oh, I could not for the life of me get the black ball joints for the roof detached. The white ones were easy but the blacks wouldn't budge. If you're going to a junkyard to do this, bring a crow bar. A large screw driver won't work. And neither will a long 1/4" socket extension or a breaker bar. I didn't have anything else to use and couldn't find anything. Porsche says to use the lug wrench arm which is the correct size so maybe just bring your's if you go to the junkyard. (I've actually bent mine trying to get the lug nuts off when I got my car. Someone had put them on crazy tight a while using Porsche's aluminum arm, I ended up bending it quite a bit. I think I was standing on it. I then had to get my 944 turbo OEM tool kit and use the good ole solid German steel from days gone by and was able to get them off.)
Anyway, next time I'll bring one of those pickle fork crow bars or pry bar, whatever they call them.

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