Any ideas ?

Oggy · Mar 19, 2012

Still loving it....but it still reminds me it's getting on a bit sometimes [&:]

Anyone experienced either of these ??

1) Insert ingition key and turn to position one...all normal....turn again to start engine...click and nothing happens. Back to position one....try again...click and nothing happens ! Remove ignition key...re-insert and try again....fires up first time ?? This is an intermittant fault....which seems only to happen when parked in a public place and people admiring my car [

]

2) Front end oscillating (side to side) at high(er) speed. Car is totally planted at normal road speed, tyres quite new / pressures all regular and ok...but at high(er) speed...now feels very unstable (was fine previously) ??

Have already booked it into OPC for above but always like to go in with some kind of idea just in case they have none (or fail to replicate the problems) [

] Re the 2nd point, would love to take the car to CoG but it's a long way from where I live and time is short right now due to work commitments. Hence, hoping OPC check of suspension / bushes / GEO will find it but if anyone else has had this "side to side" thing and knows what can cause it...pls do let me know

P.s. was doing a 3 point turn on an incline a couple of weeks ago and when turning up the incline, heard a kind of "bang" from rear left wheel.....physical inspection with a torch does not reveal anything obvious (to me)...but perhaps this could be somehow related ??

Thanks again,

Ekona · Mar 19, 2012

1 is probably clutch switch on the way out.
2 needs a good geo, not sure where you are but I drove 2.5 hrs to get to CoG and the same back again, and will do so again next year.
3 is perfectly normal, always happens on sports cars with wide tyres due to the way the contact patch changes on full lock. That said, if there's anything wrong Chris at CoG will find it easily.

Lancerlot · Mar 19, 2012

Doug,

Clutch switch or immobiliser are the first ports of call.

Is this tramlining you are experiencing? 911's are quite prone to this when they get caught up in grooves made by HGV's. This is due to the track, wide tyres and sensitive suspension/steering set-up. Does it happen everywhere or just on certain roads?

You probably pinged a pebble or something - often sounds like a gunshot. Otherwise, it might be the LSD plates slipping when manoeuvring, although this is usually a crunch rather than a bang. It's a noisy piece of engineering, but that means its working OK. [

]

Regards,

Clive.

mmylonas · Mar 19, 2012

Re the ignition issue - check the terminals are screwed on tightly. Mine had similar fault on return from service when new battery installed but terminals not properly secured.

unclewinks · Mar 19, 2012

I never relised they came with lim slips

Oggy · Mar 19, 2012

Thanks guys, so clutch switch seems likely culprit for the first one. Is this a warranty item ??

Re tramlining, was my first thought also as managed to exceed 70mph briefly on inside lane of a deserted stretch of motorway after midnight [

] But (accidentally) done this before on same stretch and was absolutely fine then ?? Perhaps because it was a touch damp also ?? Anyway, will get OPC to make sure all is ok while it's in with them as it was quite unnerving [&:]

Cheers,

Lancerlot · Mar 19, 2012

ORIGINAL: unclewinks

I never relised they came with lim slips

Standard on GT2, optional on 997TT.

RJKflyer · Mar 20, 2012

[/quote]

2) Front end oscillating (side to side) at high(er) speed. Car is totally planted at normal road speed, tyres quite new / pressures all regular and ok...but at high(er) speed...now feels very unstable (was fine previously) ??

See my posts re 'light front end' and 'Odd but good'.

I had this phenomenon EXACTLY. Also 'new' to 911 and so was subject to the understandable "they are like this" - however, your 'was fine previously' undoes that.

What happened for me was that a week or two back, I heard a 'twang' under the front and since then the car is TRANSFORMED.

You seem to have had the reverse effect, but I wonder if related.

Consensus suggests might have been a road spring reseating on mine - and curiously I have had my concerns re handling since winter tyres/wheels fitted - so it could indeed have been due to this having had the car right off of the ground.

I cannot convey how different the car is - I had only had it for a month from new before I had winters fitted so had not had chance to cane it, but my early forays into doing so (on winters) were pretty uncomfortable: felt VERY unstable at speed, darting this way and that; bobbing furiously under acceleration; slightest bump steering it. So disconcerting that my old RS4 would have left it for dust cross-country due to its secure handling - which wasn't what either I or anyone here wanted to hear!

All is good now, but still off to CG in a month as may as well get it done properly and as i understand it, the heavier TT prone to 'settling' anyway.

So, long winded way of saying - have you had it off of the ground - and maybe worth checking all the springs.

unclewinks · Mar 20, 2012

If Doug's car had wings he would fly[

]

Oggy · Mar 20, 2012

ORIGINAL: RJKflyer
So, long winded way of saying - have you had it off of the ground - and maybe worth checking all the springs.

No more than usual [

]

Yes thanks again, I read your posts and "Twang" is a much better word to describe the sound but it was definately from the left rear.

I will get them to check all the suspension / GEO when it's in and refrain from areobatics or high(er) speeds until then (actualy, won't be driving it at all as I like life too much). If it's same thing, not surprised you initially couldn't gell with it !!

garyw · Mar 20, 2012

Behind the front wheels should be a plastic flaps, if they are damaged they can cause a high speed wobble and make it feels a bit lively...

garyw

BrianJ · Mar 20, 2012

My Cayman is on its 3rd clutch switch in 3 years. My experience is that when starting to fail they exhibit the symptoms you describe (sometimes you need to press the clutch down several times for the contact to work) but don't show anything on the diagnostics and don't display the "Depress clutch" message on the dashboard which should happen if you try to start the car with the clutch not depressed. This led to the PC replacing part of the ignition switch first time before I eventually convinced them that wasn't the problem. Lots of dealers probably won't find the solution unless they know about the switch issue, which is not just a Porsche problem (also on BMW, Honda, etc). I suspect the Cayman part is shared with yours but have not checked.

Are they covered on warranty? - my first one expired when the car was 18 months old, so yes. The second one expired about 6 months later when the car was out of warranty but after a bit of persuasion the PC kindly replaced it without charge. Extended warranty - I don't have it but would not be surprised to find "wear and tear" comes into the answer!

keithpms · Mar 20, 2012

1) Insert ingition key and turn to position one...all normal....turn again to start engine...click and nothing happens. Back to position one....try again...click and nothing happens ! Remove ignition key...re-insert and try again....fires up first time ?? This is an intermittant fault....which seems only to happen when parked in a public place and people admiring my car

I had a similar problem. The OPC diagnosed it as a faulty starter which they replaced under (extended) warranty.

Oggy · Apr 19, 2012

Right, finally got my car back from the OPC today.

1) Failure to start : faulty starter motor - replaced under warranty.

2) High speed stability : both rear tyres replaced (after only 6k miles), were very well worn but drivers side was really bad with blistering on inside edge. This probably caused by geometry issue. Full alignment done to return to original spec, camber adjusted, rear toe, correct thrust angle and steer ahead settings (whatever all that means !). Anyway, apparently, it was well out and once rear right tyre started to wear uneven to left, no wonder it wasn't stable at higher speeds ! Feels solid as a rock again now [

] but for this part I had to pay [&:]

3) O/S track rod end replaced under warranty due to squeaking.

4) Another radiator (N/S/F) gone to the big 997 radiator scrap heap in the sky....warranty this time though...yippeee [

]

So, good news is...it's all back to tip-top shape again and warranty saved me approx 2K according to service dept.

But the real bad news is.....

Whilst I was collecting my car, they were setting up for the 981 launch tonight. Showroom was more or less deserted so was able to have a really close look at the demonstration models on my own...

Oh dear....it's completely gorgeous !!

It doesn't help that I've always had a thing for Boxsters (having owned 2 from new in the past) and that OPC had given me a 987 PDK S for a week whilst mine was in with them. There is something about this car that just makes me smile ! Is not the fastest thing in the world when compared to a 911 but with the roof down, the fantastic exhaust note and ability to really push it (where doing same in Turbo would result in an instant fiery death)..just makes it somehow more fun ! This coupled with really high running costs on the Turbo (in order to keep it A1).....means my test drive is booked for early May [

] Perhaps I will come to my senses by then....or perhaps not ! H E L P [

][

]

Alex L · Apr 19, 2012

I wouldn't ever trade a 911 Turbo in for a Boxster, but the new mini-CGT would certainly make a great addition to the stable!! [8D]

Me and the Mrs are going to the Reading launch on Monday - and she's had her eye on a new Boxster for a while now...

garyw · Apr 19, 2012

Doug, can you let me know the mileage of your car so I can add it to the survey..
All those things have been changed on mine too, so the comparisons does seem to be working..

Swap a Turbo for the new Boxster!!! - I've said the same from just the photos but that grey looks even more amazing [

]
I'm at the OPC launch next week..

garyw

Lancerlot · Apr 19, 2012

I went to the launch last Tuesday.

It's a lovely car .........................for a Boxster[8|]

........and that grey ................. well it would go so well with the suit. [

]

Regards,

Clive.

Oggy · Apr 19, 2012

I always thought the same....but this week, with the roof down, exhaust snarling way a 997 Turbo just doesn't...and not a bad turn of speed on my favourite roads....I ask myself...which is more fun as a 3rd "Toy" car in the real world ??

As per previous post, I do still love my car and regularly drive it very much in the way it was intended...hence all the repair bills !! Just having a bit of a dilema as I realised I could perhaps have just as much fun (if not more) for less £££ in one of these new hairdressers cars [

][

]

Perhaps I will come to my senses...will see after driving the 981 next month !

I think in a perfect world, I would have both (or mine + a Caterham R400 or something). But funds and garage space sadly don't allow this for me. IMO, sometimes it's just nice to drive something open-top and which doesn't get to the horizon in an instant (you have to "push it" more)...and which makes a truly fantastic noise !.... Ok enough now, before I get black-listed from the 997 forum [

]

Oggy · Apr 19, 2012

Hi Gary,

27,114 miles.

As our driving styles seem to be quite similar [

], was wondering how many miles you get from your rears ?? I had Pirelli P-Zeros fitted last time as no Michelins were available. Have only lasted 6K miles (actually more like 5.5k) [&:]

Cheers,