RedBarediver

Well, it arrived and looks fine. However, one of the legs for the front bit by the gearshift has broken in transit  I've reached out to the manufacturer to see what they say. Hopefully they can just print an extra and send it out to me. If not I shall have to do some superglue and carpet to hide it.

13 hours ago, ½cwt said:

Did a 250 mile excursion today to visit @TROOPER88 to pick up US sourced back box.  Not in need of it currently but a the price it can sit as stock in my shed and if never used be sold, most likely for more than I paid today.  Paul also put my car up o the ramp and we went over it for about an hour.  I've come away with a job list, primarily steering rack hard lines, near side top mount bearing and replace corroded rear ARB.

Followed on by meeting @RedBarediver for lunch near Horsham where I collected some of the grey interior bits has has recently swap for black in his nice 2.5 (far tidier than mine!) and enjoyed an hour or so talking Boxsters. Pictured below:

 

 

We had a mini Boxster meet Great fun. And driving back home on the backroads with the roof down was also very enjoyable.

Just had a quick look at the advert. That looks like a lovely little car. I have a friend who is currently looking but his budget will not stretch that far - not even close. I am sure if you hang on a bit you'll get your price.

22 minutes ago, Daboy3000 said:

They showed me the prototype.  They also mentioned that they have done it in two piece to allow them to print it correctly.  At least they have good communication, although I am still waiting to pay the extra.  I'm guessing you just agreed to their changes?

Any idea on the pattern needed for the carpet?  I guess it needs to be done in two pieces.

I agreed to the charges and paid. And they started printing immediately. The finished product looks good to me.

No idea about the carpet yet but pretty sure that will have to be done in two pieces as well. No worries though. It can't be that hard to source and glue a bit of carpet.

The relay is in. I had to manually open the clamshell from inside the car again, and get the gears on the transmission again. Once that was done I replaced the relay and sort of lined up the arms so they look more or less the same. I was expecting to spend hours getting it all lined up and closing flush etc.

In the end it took a total of about 25 minutes from start to finish, including opening the clamshell and everything. Ran the roof a few times and to my delight it's all fine. The clamshell closes properly and doesn't sit high on one side or anything. All warning lights turn off and electrical motor stops as it should.

Very happy indeed. That relay seems to have been money well spent

Just heard back from the printers. Everything done and ready for pickup by the courier. looks good and hopefully I'll get it in the next week or so.

26 minutes ago, fizz said:

There is a lot of man maths due thats for sure and i need to consider all alternatives.  considering i've just spent over £2k on a full suspension refresh all this car needs is an engine to drop into it. I would need to find out how much someone would be prepared to give me for the car as it stands (very proudly on new suspension!) vs being able to source and drop a replacement engine into it. 

A replacement engine from a reputable breaker would be my suggestion. If you have room in the garage you could always take out the old engine and fix that at your leisure - IF it's viable.

I see engines on eBay all the time for not bad money.

28 minutes ago, Menoporsche said:

You going to be converting to 6v electrics next?  

No chance. 

And besides, my Beetle was a modern(ish) 12v...

Just got a call from my local Porsche dealer. The relay for my wayward roof has arrived. So, after work this afternoon I shall start fixing it again. Hopefully this time for good.

10 minutes ago, Norbert said:

Once you experienced the comfort, there is no turning back.  

I agree 100%. In fact I drive the car now without the centre console all the time. It looks a little weird and unfinished but it's way more comfortable. It also looks rather retro and reminds me not so much of older Porsches, but more of my 1975 VW Beetle interior

13 hours ago, Menoporsche said:

Couldn’t they just design a couple of tabs and slots into the edges so they naturally interlock? Assuming they’d be covered by carpet anyway. 

They could do I am sure, but I am paying them for printing not designing. If they did improve the design and it failed somehow later on they would have to reimburse me. No sense for them to undertake extra unpaid work and then be out of pocket.

I'm pretty sure the transition between the two elements look so visible because it hasn't been glued in yet, just put together to show me how it looks. Once I have glued the two bits together and sanded it down I'm sure it will look a lot better.

3 hours ago, RedBarediver said:

Just heard back from the guys printing mine. They weren't happy with how it was turning out and stopped printing at 50%. They suggested that they print it in two pieces and it would then require less support (I presume they mean material thickness). Told them I am fine with however they want to do it as long as it fits together well enough. I'll probably end up covering it with carpet in any event.

One thing I noticed is that we will still need the little piece in front of the gear shift to close it all up nicely. I thought this would cover that but it doesn't look like it.

They just sent me a picture of the completed console. They also suggested that I glue the two parts together and think of covering it with some carpet (which I planned to do in any event). The finished product looks good. I suppose I can even leave it as is and just spray it with a vinyl paint or something but I would prefer carpeting the whole thing to look more OEM.

I'll glue it together after installation and leave it a few days or so to cure before covering with carpet.
Oh, and the gap in front of the gearshift will be covered

2 hours ago, CRC said:

Have you checked the operation of the B pillar microswitch? It's pretty easy to get to and, from memory, just requires a small 8 mm spanner to undo one awkward nut, then the cover pulls off. The B pillar micro switch switches the control voltage from the double relay unit "to earth" (NPN system in the control world), so it's pretty easy to test.  The earth point is under the passenger's seat.

I had that whole thing off last week when I did the interior colour change and it all looked fine (the roof was messing me around already before I did the colour change so it's not something I did then).

2 hours ago, CRC said:

I hope the new double relay solves your problem.

So do I...

Just heard back from the guys printing mine. They weren't happy with how it was turning out and stopped printing at 50%. They suggested that they print it in two pieces and it would then require less support (I presume they mean material thickness). Told them I am fine with however they want to do it as long as it fits together well enough. I'll probably end up covering it with carpet in any event.

One thing I noticed is that we will still need the little piece in front of the gear shift to close it all up nicely. I thought this would cover that but it doesn't look like it.

42 minutes ago, Boxob said:

https://www.9apart.co.uk/product-page/porsche-boxster-986-97-99-hood-roof-control-relay

£184 inc VAT delivered. I was quoted £225 by OPC but when I told them I could get it new from 9Apart for much less they dropped their price to £182!  Would be worth challenging them if not too late.

Too late unfortunately as the money is already in their account. No matter though. It is what it is. As long as the blasted roof operates properly.

For what it's worth if anyone is looking for one Steve Strange came back to me and he dos have a second hand one. Unfortunately I can't return the one I ordered from Porsche or I would have grabbed his.

I took the car out with the roof down just now and about five minutes into the drive I noticed the roof warning light on the dashboard had turned off. I stop, put the roof back up, dash light remains on but maybe I didn't move it far enough. I go get milk and get back in the car. Put the roof down and once the roof stops moving the dashboard warning light turns off by itself. Happy days. I drive back home wondering if the warning light will turn off when I put the roof back up.

Alas, no. One of two things could be wrong now as far as I can see - 1) either the relay is fine (it's not) or 2) there is a bum microswitch. There is also a third option - namely that I just need to adjust the roof travel a bit more, but I doubt that's the case. If all it needed was to be adjusted a bit more so that the microswitch closes then the warning light would turn off when I latch the roof, and it doesn't.

I'm still going to replace the relay and I guess then we'll see.

Exciting times.

9 hours ago, phazed said:

Are you sure it’s the relay?

A couple of reasons I think it's the relay;

1) With the original relay installed the roof motor doesn't stop running and just continues until the rams go into free play,

2) there is corrosion on the relay from where it must have gotten in some water.

Even if it's not the relay I would want to change the relay in any case as I am sure it won't last much longer. Once they have corrosion started then it's pretty much game over. If not immediately, then imminently.

Most tellingly, the relay I received from Steve Strange turns off the warning light on the dashboard. Unfortunately, it doesn't do anything else. Won't run the motor. Then, when I plug in the old relay, it operates the roof but the dash warning light won't turn off.

It could be that one of the microswitches are messing around (if any then I bet it's the one behind the B-pillar) but I won't know until I get the new relay installed.

In fact, thinking about it I doubt the new relay would have turned off the warning light if one of the microswitches were bad. Just a hunch.

Did the oil change yesterday and cut the old filter open. No metal flakes in there. In total about 9 or 10 tiny bits of plastic, which are probably from the cam chain guides. The largest piece was probably about 1mm in diameter. 

All in all I reckon it's quite good for a car with over 108,000 miles on the clock.

Tomorrow I plan to install the OBD port properly. I would have done it today but I was busy cleaning the Alfa. I did manage to take the Boxster for a run with the roof down - in this weather it would be criminal not to - and the car ran absolutely beautifully.

Very pleased. As soon as the relay I ordered comes in on Tuesday I'll install that and then hopefully I can get the roof sorted this week and do a brake fluid flush next weekend.

5 hours ago, ½cwt said:

Have you asked Douglas Valley if they have one from an early car or did you just select from what they had listed on eBay?  I assume you'll send the wrong one back tot hem for refund as you are permitted to do.

I have asked but they don't have any advertised so I doubt they have one. And yes, I plan to send the other one back for a refund.

24 minutes ago, RedBarediver said:

Hi all,

On the off chance someone has one lying around in the shed...I am looking for a roof relay for an early 986 (mine's a 1997). The part number is 986.618.111.02

I got a relay from Douglas Valley Breakers but it is for the later cars so is a 986.618.199.00. It fits and I can see it works because it turns off the roof warning light on the dash that has been on since my roof issues began but that's all it does. The roof does not operate with it - at all.

Alternatively if you know of a workaround I'm happy to give that a go too. I have an iCarsoft for Porsche if I need to clear codes or something.

Failing that I guess I'll have to fork over another £200 for a new relay...

Screw it. I went ahead and ordered a replacement from my local OPC. They were the cheapest at £188 excl VAT. 

Hi all,

On the off chance someone has one lying around in the shed...I am looking for a roof relay for an early 986 (mine's a 1997). The part number is 986.618.111.02

I got a relay from Douglas Valley Breakers but it is for the later cars so is a 986.618.199.00. It fits and I can see it works because it turns off the roof warning light on the dash that has been on since my roof issues began but that's all it does. The roof does not operate with it - at all.

Alternatively if you know of a workaround I'm happy to give that a go too. I have an iCarsoft for Porsche if I need to clear codes or something.

Failing that I guess I'll have to fork over another £200 for a new relay...

5 hours ago, Daboy3000 said:

Depending on your cars age there are two gear/motor systems, they changed them for the facelift I believe, so you should have the old one. 

It's very simple to get to them to replace or align them if you are a little bit handy, you just undo a few bolts, disconnect the cables from the motor at the back, under a black cover.  Use a drill on the end of the cable to manual turn it until the gearboxes on each side are aligned (marks on each side to see alignment). The put it back together. 

You wouldn't try and fix one as its probably broken teeth or something, you just replace with a used one. It's going to cost you a fortune at a Porsche specialist.  I believe the banging is because the motor is slipping to prevent it from tearing things up.

 

Yes, banging sounds when the roof is operating are not good. I'm actually surprised they let it go out of the workshop like that. Surely, any self-respecting place would call you and explain the issue, and then explain what it needs to be fixed - and what it is going to cost. These guys charged you £1,700 and didn't do the job properly. If I was you I would reach out to them (cc in their directors - you can find their details on Company House) and complain until you're blue in the face.

As @Daboy3000 says these roofs aren't rocket science. I messed around with mine and even though I had never worked on it before I got it to operate smoothly and more or less equal on both sides. I believe (and hope!) that the relay I bought from Steve Strange will make the roof work properly again. At the moment unless I stop running the motor it will just continue and jump off the gears again. I won't lie, @TROOPER88 helped massively with tips and encouragement. You should reach out to him and at least get an independent opinion on what is wrong with it and what it needs to be fixed.

For a Porsche specialist to let the car out the door in that condition and a a shrug of the shoulders is extremely poor.

3 hours ago, Daboy3000 said:

I have had a message back from the printers saying that if they used ABS there could be some defects in the printing process and asked me to go for PET-G instead.  I declined as it was almost twice the price.  Once I get my refund I will try again and select a different company to print it.  @RedBarediver have you selected Imagination 3D Fashion SRL as you printers too?

Yes, same guys and said the same to me (they're an outfit in Romania) and charged me an extra £22 for PET-G. I figured I'm in this deep now an extra £22 isn't going to break the bank. If it is better than ABS and the item is good then I think I'll be pleased. At the price I paid it's still less than 10% of a Porsche console delete kit. I have gotten used to driving without that centre cubby and I must say I prefer it.