Boxster's still in the shop...and I have a new car...

The Boxster's back in the shop to get that P1128 error code sorted. It came back after a bit of time after the tech cleaned the leaves out of the air box and cleaned the throttle body. A bit different this time. Before the code indicated the DME was having to *remove* fuel the engine was running too rich. Now the code indicates the DME is havinig to *add* fuel the engine is running too lean. This suggests an intake leak. But the leak is only significant at idle which makes pinpointing the source of the leak, or the error code I should say, more difficult.

Took the Boxster to a different dealer not that I was unhappy with my usual dealer just thought a new pair of eyes, a fresh pair of eyes ones not tired of seeing the car come back with the "same problem" might find something. The problem is proving to be a real, well, problem.

The new dealer's service department called the other day and said the problem can be fixed and quoted a price: $990; which includes all parts and labor. I think the intake will be removed and all the vacuum hoses/lines/ and maybe the plastic connectors replaced and the intake manifold then installed with new o-rings.

Service "guaranteed" the P1128 error would be fixed. For $990 it had better...

Oh, new car...

Well, I was interested in another Porsche -- I won't bore you with the details of how I thought I'd end up with a low miles (<5K) 2017 Carrera S in Miami Blue but didn't.

The Carrera S didn't happen but it got me back to looking at cars and I ended up buying a 2018 Dodge Challenger R/T Scat Pack. 392CI (6.4l) V8 with 485hp and 475 torque, 8-speed TorqueFlite transmission, sports suspension, LSD, 20" forged alum. wheels, dual zone auto climate control, Alcantara heated/vented seats, performance pages, bi-xenon headlights, remote engine start (I really like this!) and some other options.

Here'a pic:



And yeah, the thing's a beast. Even with just short of 500 miles on it I can feel the 485 horses under my right foot. Have the car booked into the dealer Tuesday for its first oil/filter service (this is free BTW since I just bought the car).

I don't have room for 3 cars and believe it or not the Turbo drew the short straw.

The Turbo is for sale and could be sold (privately) by the middle of next week.

Hopefull by then I'll have the Boxster back and can resume driving a Porsche.

If the Boxster can't be resurrected and I have to I guess sell the car as a roller then I have my eyes on another Porsche...

For the $, these cars have performance in spades, as well as being comfortable.

When you mention "another Porsche", which one are you thinking about?

A new (718) Cayman/Cayman S with a 6-speed.

... that its so very different. And variety is the spice of life (as the old song says " that's what the judge is gonna tell my wife...").

You get to experience something new - and fairly brutal. It will be a rush, at least for a while. And probably quite cheap to keep.

As to the boxster and the fuel metering; this sounds like a real puzzle, and not the kind i enjoy. For $a grand, if someone basically takes the problem away, either fixes it or refunds, you are well ahead.

I think you got rid of the right car. You dont need two muscle cars - you need a broadsword and a scalpel, and those you have. The Cayman S 6-sp is a wonder ful car too though, but I simply cant see the value in new over old, - i like mine too much ( and they own me little).

Have a great holiday.

G

Grant

gee-lenahan-at-gee-mail-dot-com

Had a similar P1128 code, lean at idle. Replaced the MAF sensor. Problem gone 2000 Boxster S with 45000 miles.

Ed B

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Ed B
Had a similar P1128 code, lean at idle. Replaced the MAF sensor. Problem gone 2000 Boxster S with 45000 miles.

Ed B

Even though based on my info a bad MAF is not on the list of possible faults for a P1128 error code early on in an attempt to eliminate the persistent P1128 error I did replace the MAF. That the MAF was the original MAF and while it hasn't been in service the entire 15+ years and 320K+ miles I felt it was reasonable to replace it.

The engine ran a bit better after I installed the new MAF and I had high hopes the MAF would prove to be the solution.

'course, it was not the solution as the error code came back albeit not right away.

Mark,
I was aware that the MAF isn't listed as a cause of the P1128 code, but several had success changing it, I had replaced the IMS bearing and thought that an exhaust gasket might be leaking, so I replaced them. Didn't fix the problem. I did a smoke test, too, with no intake leaks found.
Hope your shop finds the cause.

Ed B

Miami Blue is a great color. My local dealer also had an S Cab in it, as well as a 4S Targa (black wheels). Both very eye catching. Porsche must have "forced" these spec cars on dealers as I've seen them in other show rooms. I'm pretty sure they did similar in '09 when I brought my Aqua Blue S Cab. There were many in inventory up and down the eastern seaboard. I finally purchased from a CT dealer who was in the mood to move a Cab in November during the depths of the auto downturn

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db997S
Miami Blue is a great color. My local dealer also had an S Cab in it, as well as a 4S Targa (black wheels). Both very eye catching. Porsche must have "forced" these spec cars on dealers as I've seen them in other show rooms. I'm pretty sure they did similar in '09 when I brought my Aqua Blue S Cab. There were many in inventory up and down the eastern seaboard. I finally purchased from a CT dealer who was in the mood to move a Cab in November during the depths of the auto downturn

The Carrera S I had in mind was spec'd not by PCNA or even the dealer but by a guy I know. He's an employee of a Porsche dealer in fact. We talked about the car while he was putting together the order and he wanted the car loaded. Some options I agreed with: for instance the exterior/interior colors (who wouldn't like Miami Blue?), PCCBs, PDK, rear wheel steering, Sports Chrono and other similar options. The electronic options not so much. Even though some options I felt were of no value other than just making the option list longer (and the price higher!) I didn't voice any objection as it was his car, his decision as to what he wanted.

After the car arrived and I fi (I suggested therapy instead) I did some research and thought I had the price nailed. But the asking price the car was given was considerably above my estimate as to what the car would go for, should go for, and I realized I was probably not going to end up with this car. I decided to just sit back and watch what happened. It happened quick. The car sold in just a day or two after being placed for sale and at the asking price to the 2nd person who looked at car. My price research papers went into the shredder.

Important to purchase with the brain and not the heart. Enjoy the new ride. Is the visibility any good in those cars? I get them confused with the Dodges (Charger/Challenger), but it seems like riding in a bucket with little green house to see out of while driving. Yours definitely looks like a wolf in sheep's clothing. Nothing to suggest the monster under the hood (shaker-type hood scoop, vents, decals, stripes, extra tailpipes, etc.).

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db997S
Important to purchase with the brain and not the heart. Enjoy the new ride. Is the visibility any good in those cars? I get them confused with the Dodges (Charger/Challenger), but it seems like riding in a bucket with little green house to see out of while driving. Yours definitely looks like a wolf in sheep's clothing. Nothing to suggest the monster under the hood (shaker-type hood scoop, vents, decals, stripes, extra tailpipes, etc.).

Oh, I think in the case of the Challenger (as with my Porsches) both organs were in agreement....

Visibility is pretty darn good. My sister was over the other day for Christmas and I took her out for lunch and used the Challenger -- earler she got to drive the Turbo -- and she even commented favorably on the visibility out of the car and she has two large SUVs (Infiniti and a Lexus) that are practically glass houses on wheels.

Nothing to indicate what's under the hood other than the little front fender emblems of a bumble bee on some kind of cartoonish vehicle with "6.4L" on it.

[newchallengerstore.com]

Well, that symbol and when the engine is running that exhaust sound.

IMO, Dodge has done such a great job of maintaining the retro look of the original Challenger... every time I see one I'm reminded of the 70's movie Vanishing Point. Yours being White... Classic. Challenger, Cuda's, Chargers... MoPar's finest. HP now is redic. That much jump and my rear bumper would be passing me on the right.
Admiration from a Ford guy who moved over from straight line to curves...
Big smile Marc :^)

Drove to the dealer today. Spotted the car in the 1st bay with the top in the service position. I walked up and peered over into the engine bay expecting to see the engine exposed but the metal cover was in place. I said something like "The cover's not even off yet." The tech who I found out is working on the car heard this and said "You'd be surprised how many times that cover's been off and back on again while looking for the leak."

Service manager came out and we talked and he said he'd have an update for me tomorrow.

Service advisor finally got in touch with me today. The tech is having to block off every vacuum line to the engine one at a time and then run the engine and test to try to pinpoint what's leaking.

I don't know if I mentioned this before but I did tell the service advisor if he wanted to draw the curtain closed on this I'd pay the $198 diagnostic charge but of course *not* the $990 fee he said he'd also charge to fix the engine, since the engine is not fixed. Assured him I would hold it against the dealer. I've had work done there before and the work was always top notch. Bought my 2008 Cayman S there and the process was about as pleasurable an experience as it could have been. Told him I'm recommended his shop to others who live in that area and would continue to do so. He thanked me but said "not" to drawing the curtain on this said the tech would continue to work on the problem and the service advisor would have another report next week.

I'm lost. You wrote 'I will hold it against the dealer'.

Is your exposure limited to $198, and the dealer is going to eat the cost of fixing the problem?

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Roger987
I'm lost. You wrote 'I will hold it against the dealer'.

Is your exposure limited to $198, and the dealer is going to eat the cost of fixing the problem?

Oh, God. That's what I get for staying up late. And failing to proof read before I posted. And this site not supporting editing after a message has been posted.

Anyhow, thanks for catching the mistake.

What I meant to write was: "Assured him I would *NOT* hold it against the dealer."

The agreement between the dealer service department and myself is I am to pay $198 for the basic diagnosis of the problem. Among other things this is the tech reading the error code and other data from the car's DME. A bit pricy for this I think given the service advisor told me yesterday with the older cars there's not much extra info to be had. 'course, I knew that already but I didn't want to interfere with what I hoped to be a successful diagnosis and repair of this problem.

Then because the error probably (but this isn't 100%) an intake air leak which could be a leaking intake manifold (o-rings, or even a hairline crack), vacuum hose, hose fitting, AOS, oil filler tube cap, oil filler tube, dipstick or dipstick tube. Regardless even though the diagnosis had not been made -- and still hasn't been made -- I was told the cost to fix this was $990. When I asked for details the SA said the price included labor to identify the leak and to fix it and included any parts, hose, fitting, intake o-ring. At the time I got the impression the thinking was this was just another run of the mill leak that would be found and fixed in 5 minutes with a few dollars' worth of vacuum hose.

As an aside, while "air leak" is at the top of the list of possible faults the problem can be due to insufficient fuel pressure or supply or bad injectors. Based on what I know about what the tech's doing it appears he is focused on this being an intake leak. Now maybe he has eliminated fuel supply and pressure from the list? He's a top notch tech and I would have to believe he's done this and thus is moving forward knowing the problem is an intake leak and not a fuel pressure regulator problem. The injectors are original and I don't think are dirty, contaminated or bad (weak or ?). The engine runs just fine even up to red line. Never misfires. I think the injectors are ok. I think this kind of takes the fuel pressure regulator off the suspected fault cause list along with the fuel supply.

To my question to the SA if this included the $198 "diagnostic" charge the SA said "no". That was not lumped in with the $990 charge but added to it. So the total cost would $1188 not including tax. The SA assured me the problem would be fixed for this sum of money.

So if the dealer calls me next week and says the car is not fixed come pick up the car all I'm out is the $198. If the dealer says the car is fixed I drive up in my car -- not the loaner -- and drive the Boxster home. If the light stays off then I park the Boxster at home and return to the dealer in the loaner.

If the light comes on I return to the dealer with the Boxster. Either the dealer takes the car back in for another round or the dealer "gives up" and I get my money back. Then I drive home in the Boxster and pick up the loaner and take it back then grab my car and go home. The Boxster is gone regardless if it gets fixed or not. Frankly though with the high miles even though the car is still in good condition albeit with some cosmetic issues -- mostly the clear coat is peeling in places, like on the front bumper cover and outside mirror tops, but OTOH the soft top is just a year or so old, has good tires, good brakes, and all services up to date -- the car is worth the same with the CEL off or on.

In hindsight I should not have taken the car in for another (3rd) round of trying to get to the bottom of the P1128 error. I should have come to the conclusion it was time to move on and saved the $198 and possibly $1188. (I am kind of hoping the dealer is unsuccessful in fixing this and gives up so I at least save the $990.)