TNH 986

Happy Friday everyone.

I have a 99 boxster (2.5L non-s) with about 72K miles.

Dealer told me a few months ago that I will need change my brakes / front rotors soon and a little over a week ago my "Brake Wear" light came on.

Well I just had my coolant tank replaced and I was trying to wait as long as possible to deal with the brakes...but last Friday my "Check Engine Light" came on (steady light - NOT blinking)...well needless to say about a day later it just went away...and now a week later (today) it just came back on.

So I have a few questions that I could use some advice on please.

1) Could the CEL be linked to the brake wear/light?


2) I found this brake kit on ebay (F+R cross drilled slotted Power Stop rotors and Axxis Metal Masters Semi Metallic Brake Pads) for $390 anyone have a input on these and or do you think that is a good deal?

link: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Porsc...QQcmdZViewItem


3) I plan to take the car to Autozone to see if they can read the codes for the CEL, but is their anything I should be weary of. I searched and found some threads about the MAF being bad...anything else I should note? Also any other methods to help diagnose the problem?


Any advice would be great!

Thanks!

JP

cdodkin

CEL linked to brakes - don't believe so - just the brake warning lamp for that on the dash.

Codes will not tell you where the problem is, just what the syptoms are.

Autozone will lend you the ODBII tool for free to read the codes - post here and people will give you the code meaning

A dealer or good independant can use the codes and then the Porsche diagnostics computer to decide what's actually at fault.

Codes alone will not gurantee you find the correct component that's failed.

At your mileage, MAF is possible, O2 sensors possible, or more likely secondary air system fault, caused by sticking valves.

Could also be other stuff of course - get the codes and take it from there.

Chris.

TNH 986

Thanks for the heads up chris...off to the Zone to get the codes and will post them/search for them here went I get them.

Just curious any ideas on the price breakdown for some of the possible repairs?

MAF?

o2 sensors?

Secondary air system?


Thanks again, and appreciate the quick feedback!

ps. Sorry for any misspellings...spellcheck not working for me

TNH 986

Got the codes from Autozone.

Read: P1128, P1123

Can anyone help identify these.

Thanks!

cdodkin

P1128: Oxygen Sensing Adaptation Area 2 (Cylinders 1 . 3) - Rich Threshold

This means that oxygen sensing at rich threshold is stored in the memory, this means that the fuel/air mixture is too lean. The DME can not compensate for the lean mixture by making the mixture more rich - it is at it's max rich threshold and still the O2 sensor says it's too lean.

Since you do not seem to have a P1130 (cylinders 4-6) then that would imply that there is an air or exhaust leak on the 1-3 cylinder side. Could be as simple as the oil filler cap (o-ring) or as bad as the oil separator failing and cavitating air into the oil - a bad thing!

P1123: Oxygen sensing, area 1 Cylinders (1 - 3), P1123 - MIL is on, emission relevant fault

Possible trouble areas:
- Fuel pressure too high.
- Fuel injector leaking. (would explain why only 1 side is effected)
- EVAP canister purge valve open.
- Clogged air filter

Without further diagnostics, it's difficult to tell.

You could replace MAf or o2 sensors, only to find it comes back with different codes as secondary air system!

Chris.

TNH 986

Thanks Chris!

Also not sure if this helps but the car is a Tiptronic.

Found this when searching the old posts anyone have any thoughts on this being a possible problem?

Sorry to be a pest, but just dropped $950 replacing the coolant tank a few weeks ago, and praying this is not a costly repair job.

Also I have read on a few post about trying Techron cleaner to see if it resolves the CEL. Anyone have thoughts on it?

Thanks guys!

JP

deliriousga

A vacuum leak is always a possibility, but the codes you quoted are basically the same code for both sides of the engine. When it's one side like yours, it's more likely to be one of the things Chris mentioned.

cdodkin

It's definitely showing as a one sided problem - you have two error codes, both for the cylinder 1-3 side of the engine. Not sure if that Tip vacuum hose comes off just one side, but vacuum issues are high probability here.

May be that a vacuum issue is just pushing one side's sensor out of it's envelope, while the other is still in range (just!)

So it's either sensor problem on that side, giving you false error messages, or an actual problem generating the codes.

1128 is often a vacuum leak (likely the oil seperator bellows based on past experience).

Air leaks ahead of the oxygen sensors can lead to a fault in adaptation.

Also check exhaust system for leaks.

Check for any air leaks in intake air system, cracked hoses.

If nothing obvious check/clean your MAF - but I'd expect the MAF to effect both sides....... but maybe not.

Could also have the O2 sensor cleaned on that side - just in case.

These are some cheap or DIY options before we get into replacing O2, MAF, etc etc..

Chris.

TNH 986

Great Thanks for the input guys!

Will search the site for ways on checking possible air intake / exhaust leaks.

I hope this is not going to be a costly fix as that money really needs to go into my savings.

Appreciate all the help everyone!