Re: Only one time have I had to replace fasteners on my Boxster. A few nuts ...

Found the problem to a rattle I've had for a while. All 3 fasteners for the heat shield over the catalytic converter on the driver's side are gone. The clips that the screw/bolts go into are still there but quite rusted. Do others here just buy the replacement items from Porsche or just go to the local hardware store for some nuts, bolts and washers? The stock items from Porsche are a little outrageous for what they are. $11 for the bolt, washer and clip combo (times 3 to get the job done).

Just curious as to other's experience.

Greg
1999 Boxster

that hold the stiffener panel in place under/behind the engine came loose and fell away. I just ordered the correct nuts from the dealer.

In the case of your car and its heat shield fastener hardware, you might scrounge around and find some comparable hardware (metric?) at a hardware store but it doesn't take much running around with gas as high as it is to burn through any savings from what you save buying the hardware at a hardware store vs. at the dealer.

Plus if you buy genuine hardware you know when you get the hardware home and are under the car ready to install it, the hardware will fit and do the job.

Sincerely,

MarcW.

Thanks, Marc. In this case, the fasteners pass through larger holes in the head shield and a bracket on the catalytic converter and do not screw into them. The nut/bolt combo just has to match each other.

as vanilla as it might first appear.

For this particular application it may not be a place where you can use regular lock washers, etc. The factory hardware, nuts, may have a plug of nylon in the thread or some kind of already applied thread locking compound, or the nut may be of the self-locking type.

But you have the other side's hardware so you can use this to when you visit the hardware store or fastener store so you can select comparable fastener hardware. If you find something suitable consider buying an extra set to have on hand just in case.

My preference is to avoid the leg work, the running around, the guessing and risk if I guess wrong trying to get comparable hardware and instead just visit the dealer and buy or order and then pick up (a dealer is on the way to work so this is not a big out of the way trip to pick up the hardware when it comes in) the right hardware and be done with it. I'm past the point of trying to duplicate the time/energy that went into the selection of fastener hardware on my cars by trying to use hardware store fasteners as replacements when original/factory hardware/fasteners turn up missing or needing replacement.

Sincerely,

MarcW.

Thanks, Marc. I will keep that in mind. If I find something suitable, I'll post and let others know.

... are 1/4-turn fasteners which I highly doubt you'll find at a hardware store.
I have had to replace many of them throughout the years and I've always done so with the OEM parts (Fastener and clip).
You may be able to find it at a VW or Audi dealer, but I don't think the price is going to be that different.
Happy Boxstering,
Pedro

Pedro Bonilla
1998 Boxster 986 - 311,000+ miles: [www.PedrosGarage.com]
PCA National Club Racing Scrutineer - PCA National HPDE Instructor - PCA Technical Committee (Boxster/Cayman)

---

Racecar spelled backwards is Racecar

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having replaced these myself, I too agree that despite the cost, the original porsche pieces are worth getting. while i was under there i just went ahead and replaced all of them so that they would last another six or seven years. one problem with trying to use generic nuts and bolts is that with the continuous heating and cooling cylcles, i would be pretty sure that they'll break in a couple of years and they won't stay tight. the quarter turn design is meant to keep tension on them even when hot, and thus expanded. nuts that were installed cold will loosen as they heat. if you tighten them when they're hot, they'll probably break when they cool and contract.
these things are expensive because they're designed to perform.

--
MY 2000 S, Ocean Blue, Metropol Blue, Savanah Beige.
Bought June 2000 - Sold May 2010

Never thought of that, Frogster. That is a good point.

when you see the original pieces, it will be clear how they work and why they're better.

one more note in case you do it yourself; i found it nearly impossible to do it with the car one the ground. much more simple on a lift.

--
MY 2000 S, Ocean Blue, Metropol Blue, Savanah Beige.
Bought June 2000 - Sold May 2010

If I am not mistaken the material that the bolt passes though is steel.
So the steel would have the same coefficient of expansion as the fasteners (bolts)
Therefore these would expand and contract at the same rate, with a given increase or decrease in temperature.
I had the same problem, used 10.9 grade bolts, penny washers to cover the hole and aero nuts to secure the fasteners.
My Profession - Mechanical Engineer
Hope this helps.

The stock parts are garbage. They corrode really badly and inevitably end up breaking. I went to Home Depot and got u-clips (they might call them j-clips) and short bolts that matched. They are much more substantial and they hold in a much more reassuring way. The factory clips are not threaded but the HD ones are so there is much more bite. I expect the HD ones will last forever or thereabouts.

Driving my 2000 S (189K on the chassis) all year on salty roads etc here in Philadelphia, my rattles were legend. The dealer would re-fasten them but in a year or so they would return. About 5(?) years ago, my indy, the ex-shop foreman at the Porsche dealer showed me one of the shields after I asked him to re-fasten them/it.... The shield was so shot, there was nothing to fasten anything to. In fact he said it was just "laying in there". I said, "well replace it". He said, "save your money, you don't need it". Well, I was skeptical of this thinking why were they on there in the first place if they are not needed?

Well, 5 years later (or so), I am happy to report no car fires or melted parts.

Seriously, what's up with this? Sorry, I don't know which shield it was or where it came from, but I held it, it was shot, and I tossed it into the trash barrel.

You do realize that you lost 10 hp by removing those heat shields!

Well, I found u-clips and bolts. Had washers already. Cost was $2.10. Fastened on tight. We'll see how they last.