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Check behind those wheel arch liners

BoxsterLL11

BoxsterLL11

PCGB Member
Member
Have owned my 2012 981 for 6 months now and effectively only the second owner.
The car is entered into our local annual event concours competition so thought I would start giving the car a "spring" clean.
Today I started at the back, with the wheels off to give them a clean & wax so thought I would remove the wheel arch liner panels to remove all the tar spots from them on their wheel arch side.
I could not find a way to remove the rear panels but when I removed the front panels I was surprised to find so much accumulation of stone & mud debris.
I wouldn't want that much crap sitting in there for long so would suggest if anyone else removes their wheels for cleaning, remove these panels as well (they are only held in place by two 10mm plastic nuts and four torx bit screws.
 
Strangely, no.
The first picture was the nearside.
This is the front of the trailing arm nearside.
But then again, the OPC I bought the car from had the sill cover section off 6 months ago to cure the blocked roof rear drains.
 
I'm almost too scared to remove my 2007 liners. Good to see the protective coating/galvanising has held up well on yours.
 
Have now removed the offside front wheel arch liners and although not as bad as the rears, it is surprising the debris that collects behind them.
Behind the rear liner was just some leaf debris, behind the front liner (which cover the ac condenser & rads) there was a fair number of minute gravel stones some of which were causing the fan blade shroud to bind, even though I clear the ducts from the front every time I wash the car.
It appears the first owner of the car had a fine gravel driveway and I have removed about a quarter of a bucket of gravel from the suspension components, front & rear, in total.
 
At my 2 year service the OPC asked if I drive on roads with lots of loose stones, because the nearside radiator fan was showing a fault and on investigation they found the shroud was jammed with small stones. As I have Zunsport grilles in front and the ducts were clear, I was a bit mystified. The OPC cleared them out and all was well. At the 4-year service I discussed this with the service manager - he said on the 981, the tyres throw off loose stones through the fan outlet vents in the wheel arch liners, which can then jam the fan in its housing. Not a great design. Similarly, a few months ago I removed the big plastic panel below the windscreen and was surprised to find the battery tray about 5mm deep in small stones - the possible route I could see for those was through the offside wheel arch liner and then ricochetting around until they come to rest on the battery tray. Strange!
 
Interesting.
Am about to invest in some Zunsport front grilles.
And just as I was boxing up the offside front wheel arch liners, I was thinking that as the wheel rotates forward at top-dead-centre then any stones thrown off will travel forward into the vent outlet as you say.
So even if removing wheels & wheel arch liners for cleaning are not your thing, it is worth doing every so often.
 
THe most important hidden cleaning is the Front PU (Bumper) to get rid of debris behind the Air Conditioning Radiators (Condensers)
My 996 (2001) needed doing but no damage to Condensors
My 986 (2003) Boxter needed new Condensers due to ROT. Thanks goodness the Main Radiators where OK
Takes about an hour first time
4 clips under Bonnet, 2 Screws below
6 Screws under PU
THe removed repeater indicator 1 screw each side and 1 behind front wheel cover which you can see going into the clip under Indicator

Needs doing every year

Rear PU
Lift Spoiler manually in car (Ignition on - Button on Fuse Box)
Unclip the spoiler by pulling up and back from front of spoiler, Unclip back (Its just a push fit on the 2003) or take out clips on earlier models
Undo 2 Socket Bolts to release carrier
3 Screws under bonnet
1 torx screw top of PU behind Wheel each side
2 Torx screws under front of rear PU each side
1 Screw in lower section of opening on rear of bumper

Gently lift away - unclipping wiring for Reverse Light, Parking Sensor

REMOVE METAL BUMPER
To remove the rear cover
1 torx Screws at back of cover bnehined wheel
2 torx screws at front of cover
1 torx screw at back of Cover

Front (REAR WHEEL) cover two plastic nuts and unclip

REgards
 
Got round to doing the nearside front wheel arch liners yesterday.
On removing the front half I had a mini-avalanche of gravel stones from behind the inner & front sections.
And the attached pic emphasises the need to keep these clear as you can see the build up close to the fan blade shroud and at the base of the radiator (which then traps leaf debris, which then slows or prevents water drainage).
 
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