Need help with an odd problem
12-12-2011, 06:47 PM
#1
Racer
Thread Starter
Need help with an odd problem
Guys, I have an odd problem with my Boxster and I could really use some input. Here is the story:
2003 Base Boxster; headers, EVO intake; Fabspeed exhaust, 30k service was just done maybe two months ago. Oil changed religiously every 5k miles with Royal Purple 0W-40. Car was never driven in cold weather prior to this year. Car is heated garage kept.
Saturday I washed it. I sprayed around inside the wheel wells good and brushed and sprayed the under-pans real well to make sure no salt or calcium was allowed to stay around. I started the car afterward and moved it out of the way to do the wife'c car. It seemed to run fine. Then I moved it again to put it away in my basement garage. Again, seemed to run fine.
This morning I went to start the car for work. It turned over but would not offer to fire. This has NEVER happened before. Not having time to play with it, I took my wife's car to work and left it with the battery charge on it in case it was the battery, but it didn't sound like it. Came home from work and tried to start it again. It turned over freely and tried to fire but didn't quite. I smelled fuel slightly, so I floored the accelerator and tried to start it again. It fired. At first it ran rough and stumbled and I noticed it sounded deeper than normal. Then it smoothed out, so I let it idle for a while. It seemed fine. Then I took it for a ride around the block a couple of times. It ran fine, even when I got on it hard briefly. I brought it back to park it in the garage. As soon as I started pulling it in the garage it started running a little rough and missing a little bit again. I held my foot on the throttle and it evened out. I also noticed again that it sounded deeper than normal. I do not hear any engine noises of any kind, no exhaust leaks, and there is no CEL or codes showing on the reader. But the engine pitch just does not sound right at low rpm. The tone seems too deep and the stumbling or missing at low rpm when I pull it into the garage has never been there before Saturday. Because of what I have read about IM failures, I am a little scared to drive it until I figure out why the engine might be sounding different than normal. My son-in-law is a mechanic and he agrees that the low rpm pitch of the engine does not sound like it normally does. It sounds deeper.
It is also the first time the car has been run in the winter, and probably the first time it has seen oxygenated fuel (I live in NJ) - if Shell oxygenates VPower because I only use that or Sunoco Ultra in the car.
Maybe the EVO filter got wet ? (never has happened in 3 years....) or something else get wet from spraying underneath ? Any ideas ?
2003 Base Boxster; headers, EVO intake; Fabspeed exhaust, 30k service was just done maybe two months ago. Oil changed religiously every 5k miles with Royal Purple 0W-40. Car was never driven in cold weather prior to this year. Car is heated garage kept.
Saturday I washed it. I sprayed around inside the wheel wells good and brushed and sprayed the under-pans real well to make sure no salt or calcium was allowed to stay around. I started the car afterward and moved it out of the way to do the wife'c car. It seemed to run fine. Then I moved it again to put it away in my basement garage. Again, seemed to run fine.
This morning I went to start the car for work. It turned over but would not offer to fire. This has NEVER happened before. Not having time to play with it, I took my wife's car to work and left it with the battery charge on it in case it was the battery, but it didn't sound like it. Came home from work and tried to start it again. It turned over freely and tried to fire but didn't quite. I smelled fuel slightly, so I floored the accelerator and tried to start it again. It fired. At first it ran rough and stumbled and I noticed it sounded deeper than normal. Then it smoothed out, so I let it idle for a while. It seemed fine. Then I took it for a ride around the block a couple of times. It ran fine, even when I got on it hard briefly. I brought it back to park it in the garage. As soon as I started pulling it in the garage it started running a little rough and missing a little bit again. I held my foot on the throttle and it evened out. I also noticed again that it sounded deeper than normal. I do not hear any engine noises of any kind, no exhaust leaks, and there is no CEL or codes showing on the reader. But the engine pitch just does not sound right at low rpm. The tone seems too deep and the stumbling or missing at low rpm when I pull it into the garage has never been there before Saturday. Because of what I have read about IM failures, I am a little scared to drive it until I figure out why the engine might be sounding different than normal. My son-in-law is a mechanic and he agrees that the low rpm pitch of the engine does not sound like it normally does. It sounds deeper.
It is also the first time the car has been run in the winter, and probably the first time it has seen oxygenated fuel (I live in NJ) - if Shell oxygenates VPower because I only use that or Sunoco Ultra in the car.
Maybe the EVO filter got wet ? (never has happened in 3 years....) or something else get wet from spraying underneath ? Any ideas ?
12-12-2011, 07:51 PM
#2
Racer
I wouldn't be surprised if you have a coil pack that is cracked and letting in water from your hosing down. The engine is possibly running on 5 cylinders.
The coil packs age and the insulation cracks open, letting in mosture which shorts out the voltage.
Jack up the car, remove and inspect the coil packs. The packs are held in place by 2 x allen bolts which have to be removed, then unclip the electrical connector and pull out the (long) coil pack from over the spark plug.
If one coil pack has cracked, there is a good chance the others are on the way out too.....
The coil packs age and the insulation cracks open, letting in mosture which shorts out the voltage.
Jack up the car, remove and inspect the coil packs. The packs are held in place by 2 x allen bolts which have to be removed, then unclip the electrical connector and pull out the (long) coil pack from over the spark plug.
If one coil pack has cracked, there is a good chance the others are on the way out too.....
12-13-2011, 08:13 AM
#4
Racer
Thread Starter
Thanks guys. That makes sense. I will check that out and post what I find. 
Update: Guys, Suncoast only sells these in a full set. Pellican Parts and Autohaus sell the Beru coils individually. Does Porsche say you have to replace in a set only? Is there an issue with replacing individual coils ?
Update: Guys, Suncoast only sells these in a full set. Pellican Parts and Autohaus sell the Beru coils individually. Does Porsche say you have to replace in a set only? Is there an issue with replacing individual coils ?
Last edited by First986NJ; 12-13-2011 at 10:44 AM.
12-13-2011, 10:54 AM
#5
Race Director
Probably not the coils or the check engine light would be on and misfire codes logged.
I'd check to make sure no water got into the intake system. Aftermarket intake systems, mod'd intake systems always come under suspicion when it comes to their ability keeping water (and dirt) out of the engine's intake.
Another possibility, or maybe a contributory factor, is the gas may be stale or the wrong seasonal blend. If you put the car up/away with summer gas and then brought the car out in cold weather...
I do not know about Shell V-Power gas in NJ but in my experience buying Shell V-Power at home and often on the road in the west, west of the Mississippi anyhow, it is pretty darn good gas, some precentage of ethanol notwithstanding.
Sincerely,
Macster.
I'd check to make sure no water got into the intake system. Aftermarket intake systems, mod'd intake systems always come under suspicion when it comes to their ability keeping water (and dirt) out of the engine's intake.
Another possibility, or maybe a contributory factor, is the gas may be stale or the wrong seasonal blend. If you put the car up/away with summer gas and then brought the car out in cold weather...
I do not know about Shell V-Power gas in NJ but in my experience buying Shell V-Power at home and often on the road in the west, west of the Mississippi anyhow, it is pretty darn good gas, some precentage of ethanol notwithstanding.
Sincerely,
Macster.
12-13-2011, 12:55 PM
#6
Three Wheelin'
I would check for intake leaks. Takes a smoke machine to do it right, but if you go over everything make sure there is nothing obvious.
Also check the condition of your throttle body, if it has not been cleaned that could also contribute.
Also check the condition of your throttle body, if it has not been cleaned that could also contribute.
12-14-2011, 08:55 AM
#7
Racer
Thread Starter
Opened up the "hood" and checked intake thoroughly for signs of wetness or leaks. Everything is dry, tight, and in good shape. No cracks, cuts, dry rot, or broken clamps.
Car is running better though...like whatever was wet is drying out over time. Ran normal last night. I still think it sounds deeper, but maybe that's just the affect of the colder air. I will start driving the car locally today to test. At this point it is fairly obvious that there is nothing seriously wrong with it.
Gotta check into how you clean this engine though...starting to get a little dirty at this point. Can't complain, only took 8 years.
Car is running better though...like whatever was wet is drying out over time. Ran normal last night. I still think it sounds deeper, but maybe that's just the affect of the colder air. I will start driving the car locally today to test. At this point it is fairly obvious that there is nothing seriously wrong with it.
Gotta check into how you clean this engine though...starting to get a little dirty at this point. Can't complain, only took 8 years.
