I posted incorrect info. I double-checked today and the tech told me if one of the long...

and both the solenoid and actuator are bad.

I'll not be charged the cost of tearing down the engine again to the point the solenoid is accessible, but to replace the actuator requires the camshafts be removed along with the bad actuator. Then the new actuator is installed and the cams timed then everything buttoned up.

To get to the remove the cams, R&R the actuator, install and retime the carms requires about 5 hours of labor over and beyond the number of hours to get to the solenoid.

The actuator costs $850. I get a 10% discount, I believe.

So, another 5 hours of labor ($750) and around $750 in parts adds up to another $150 on top of the $1500 I just spent for the solenoid.

Ouch!

Turbo goes into tomorrow afternoon for a new clutch accumulator. About an hour and half job and this covered under the CPO warranty. The shop's going to do it while I wait. The Boxster will be down probably all this week as parts come in.

Sincerely,

MarcW.

3 grand isn't chump change. Hope it gets sorted and rewards you with many more miles of permagrin.

(you don't suppose the Boxster's upset about sharing the bedroom with your mistress, do you?)

I flinch but I can't replace the Boxster with anything near its quality or condition for anywhere near that $3K. With the solenoid/actuator bad the car's not really a runner so I'm looking at maybe $3k to $3.5K (tops) for the car as salvage.

Toss in another $3K and I'm at maybe $6.5K and that won't buy any Boxster I'd want to own. At $3K to get mine back on the road is cheaper.

Can't buy anything I'd want to drive without tossing in a lot more money. I'd like to have a Mini Cooper S or even a VW Golf GTi and these go for $25K or $20K IIRC. New. Used I'm not sure I'd want a used one...

So it hurts, but $3K to keep an otherwise good running Boxster on the road is cheaper than any other option. And I like having two cars.

But oh the pain...

Sincerely,

MarcW.

Your logic is solid.

Have you driven a Cooper S? From what I've read, they handle well, however on anything but smooth pavement, the ride is unduly harsh. More practical than a Boxster perhaps, but I wouldn't be surprised if ultimately you found you enjoy your Boxster more. You're in a good place. Marc

get a new car itch that I'd have to scratch.

When I'm testing cars at various locales I pass by the exciting cars and stick with the more mundane, like 2001 Nissans. Check that: I did have the need to test a short time a 2011 Caddy Escalade Hybrid and a 2010 Subraru Forrester PSEV. But I don't really live with these cars just maybe drive them a few miles at most.

Sincerely,

MarcW.

When you think about it, Marc, you've got a LOT of use out of your Boxster. I know even you have said it's the most reliable car that you've owned. 200+K miles is a lot of ground to cover with a car.

I hope that $3K gets you a lot more smiles out of your Boxster.

my CRX, for which I paid $13,500, has probably cost me at least that in maintenance and repair. But it still goes as well as new.

Minus 40 degrees... Is that Fahrenheit or Celsius?

That hurts.

Is this the first "big ticket" repair on this car? If it is, you certainly have done well with it to this point.

Has this repair started you thinking about the limits of $'s you'd spend to fix the car?

Quote
MikenOH
That hurts.

Is this the first "big ticket" repair on this car? If it is, you certainly have done well with it to this point.

Has this repair started you thinking about the limits of $'s you'd spend to fix the car?

How many $? What frequency of incidents?

I've over-maintained so darn many cars that I should have junked or sold for what I could get for them but then that is wisdom based on hindsight. When I was spending the $ it was always "just this one last thing and it will be perfect" that was in my mind.

Now tell me again why I'm putting PS2s and an Optima battery in a 10 year old car. Some of us never learn.

Good point, Mike

We haven't approached the 200K mark on anything that we've owned, but I suspect the 987 will be around for a long time, even if the motor goes bang. With all the track time we've done, this car has provided more grins than the entire bunch of cars we've owned over 25 years combined.

My guess would be it has a more to do with the total driving/ownership experience. Had a '96' LT4 Corvette that was also a blast to drive, but the wife said adios when GM declined to cover a rear differential bearing that was making the usual noises before they give up the ghost--while under warranty. That might change your view of what a keeper is.

Minus 40 degrees... Is that Fahrenheit or Celsius?

Quote
MikenOH
That hurts.

Is this the first "big ticket" repair on this car? If it is, you certainly have done well with it to this point.

Has this repair started you thinking about the limits of $'s you'd spend to fix the car?

At least I can't think of any more expensive single sole repair. Wait. The repairs necessary to fix the car after I hit that tire carcass on 50 highway in KS ran me $1500 and then there was the tow bill, motel room, and incidentals, so that was until now the biggest repair bill.

When I include the cost of the extra labor/parts to replace the actuator... This certainly becomes the largest repair bill ever.

I always think about what my limits are regarding what I'd spend to fix the car. I'm not sure what they are. My feelings I think make this number go up or down. It helps that the rest of the car is in good shape.

If the top was tatty or if the interior was tatty (ignoring the worn out driver's side floor mat) or if the A/C didn't work right or the shifting was bad (and a new clutch wouldn't put it right -- original clutch you know), if the engine had a coolant leak, and so on...then the limit of what I'd spend drops and it could drop low enough that I could see me calling a halt and disposing of the car.

Sincerely,

MarcW.

So if I read this right they are going to pull the camshaft with the engine still in the car???

the bad solenoid and camshaft actuator is in the head that does not require the transmission be removed. To get to the solenoid/actuator on the other cylinder requires the tranmission be removed to get a one bolt that is covered by the tranmission.

As I have mentioned I have some pics. (Just took pics of a good but used camshaft actuator assembly today.) As soon as this is all done -- cause I plan on taking more pics when the cams are out of the engine -- I'll upload them somewhere and post links to them.

Sincerely,

MarcW.

camshaft chain drive chain guides needs to be replaced, to do the ones for one head (I don't know which one off the top of my head but it is the head with its camshaft chain drive at the rear of the head and thus at the rear of the engine) only then does the transmission have to come out.

One or more cam chain guide cover bolts or cam chain guide bolts is covered by the transmission.

To replace either head's VarioCam actuator solenoid or actual actuator -- even though in order to do this requires the cams be removed -- this is doable not only with the engine still in the car but with the transmission still in the car as well.

Sincerely,

MarcW.

Must be tough to have to drive that backup car.

all is ok. Didn't want to post the 'good news got the Boxster back' prematurely.

But so far the car's running just fine.

Now it is the backup car that's sick. Nothing serious: Clutch accumulator, clutch slave cylinder.

Attended a tech session/service department open house Saturday at Livermore Porsche and my backup car was on one of the lifts, for all to see.



(3rd car over, the arctic silver car is the backup car.)

Provided the clutch slave cylinder arrives when expected (before noon Monday) the backup car should be fixed late Monday or no later than early Tuesday. The clutch accumulator was ordered the other day but in the few weeks the Boxster's been out of commission the backup car's slave cylinder has developed a leak and needs to be replaced.

Sincerely,

MarcW.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/23/2011 08:04PM by MarcW. (view changes)