The tubes and in the older cars the o-rings are not scheduled service items. IIRC the rule is ...

I was just getting my parts list together to do my 60k miles service on my ’03 S and I am a little confused about one thing… spark plug tubes.

Do the spark plug tubes and/or O rings need to be replaced? At first I was going to do it but then I read on Pedro’s DIY site about how the 2003 and newer engines have metal tubes that do not need to be serviced. This is the only reference to metal tubes that I can find. The parts stores I have looked at online only show a plastic tube that is used through MY 2004.

I haven’t noticed a leak but I was going to change them out while I was under there. But it looks like I might not even be able to change them out if I wanted to. What is the story with ‘03-‘04 spark plug tubes? Hands off?

if they're not leaking leave them alone.

Sincerely,

MarcW.

Sorry, but I can't help you with the tubes for an '03. I did the tubes and o-rings for my 2000S last summer and the replacement parts I recevied from Suncoast Porsche were plastic.

The job is not hard and I decided to to the R/R as I was doing my plugs as part of the 90K service. FWIW, my old tubes and o-rings looked fine and there was no sign of leaking from any of the cylinders.

Only tip I can endorse is to make sure you consider using the boat transom plug to pull the tubes...don't know how you'd get them out without it!

dghii
2000 Boxster S 6speed 112k miles

This seems to be another one of those cases where the '03 and '04 are slightly different and there is limited info out there.
I will probably just change the plugs and forget about the tubes.

... my website:

Note: For model year 2003 and newer, the plastic spark plug tubes were replaced with the metal tubes that only get serviced during engine disassembly.
From the 2003 Boxster Service Information Book - under engine changes:
"The oil protection tubes are now a component part of the valve lifter housing and sealed to the cylinder head cover with formed oil seal rings."

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)

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Racecar spelled backwards is Racecar

"Racing is life. Anything before or after is just waiting" ... Steve McQueen as Michael Delaney in "LeMans"

"If you wait, all that happens is that you get older"... Mario Andretti

"Being second is to be the first of the ones who lose" ... Ayrton Senna

I found that two of mine were leaking and at ~$12 for the tube and O-ring assembly, I just bought 6 and did an "extended" spark plug job. I followed Pedro's instructions and stopped by the local boat/marine store and picked up a transom plug, it couldn't have been easier!