What have YOU done to your 986 today ?

[phazed]

hi Graham.  I have had it apart for so long. I can’t remember exactly but from memory, remove the triangular, strengthening plate and rear underfloor panel, and I think you can access all three. There are two water hoses that slightly interfere with the front engine mount but the mount can be wiggled past. If you want to do yours at some stage when I have finished then let me know. 

[phazed]

Fitted the new powerflex front engine mount bush into the existing ally mount and then back into the car. An easy job.
Also removed the sump and cleaned it thoroughly inside and out ready to fit the Design911 extended sump kit with the ancillaries supplied.

[ATM]

6 hours ago, TV8 said:

Hi Peter, is that front mount and the two gearbox mounts fairly accessible if the car was not apart like yours currently is? 

I've just done the 2 gearbox mounts on mine. Well I removed them, inspected them and refitted. Still questioning the logic there. I was removing the drive shafts anyway for new rubber gaitors. So that means removing quite a few suspension joints to get the drive shafts off. Then accessing the gearbox mounts is much easier. Not sure if you can access them without doing all of that first.

I've just done them on my 996 too and it's only a 30 minute job on the 996. My 996 took longer because I used none standard stiffer solid rubber mounts. Makes you realise how they really just raided the 996 parts bin when they made the 986. Well they actually have a 993 part number on so they raided the 993 parts bin to make the 996.

Now that I've done the stiffer solid rubber mounts on the 996 I understand the differences better. Still yet to drive the 996 with them fitted because I've had problems with the one man clutch easy bleed kit I have. I was also charging the clutch slave cylinder on the 996.

The mounts which came off the 996 look totally shot compared to the ones from my 986 which is good. But I'm still not happy about my logic in refitting the original mounts to the 986. And its still in pieces missing its drive shafts so I can revisit this easily. 

[edc]

Given the feedback over he years I'd expect most if not all 986 engine mounts to be gone. Mine was pretty much split all the way round and you could feel the drive line clonk. Gearbox mount less so but still worn after miles and years and a noticeable improvement especially with some mildly uprated ones. 

[TV8]

Thanks @ATM  I changed my 996 mounts to the solid rubber ones and noticed a good improvement in the drive of the car and also, the gear change. On my TVrs, engine mounts were like service parts and it sounds like the front one does more of the work on the 986 than these units. My garage is very narrow and it’s the only job I have been able to do on the car without moving it out!

[TV8]

14 hours ago, phazed said:

hi Graham.  I have had it apart for so long. I can’t remember exactly but from memory, remove the triangular, strengthening plate and rear underfloor panel, and I think you can access all three. There are two water hoses that slightly interfere with the front engine mount but the mount can be wiggled past. If you want to do yours at some stage when I have finished then let me know. 

Thanks Peter. Sounds doable and I would love to pop over and put the car on the ramp if that’s what you mean? 

[phazed]

4 minutes ago, TV8 said:

Thanks Peter. Sounds doable and I would love to pop over and put the car on the ramp if that’s what you mean? 

👍

[TV8]

In terms of what I have done with my 986, we had a rare out break of clear sky and took it out for a good drive and thoroughly enjoyed winter roof down motoring. I do wonder why some people SORN them for the winter? 
 

it was fun driving the Boxster after running around a lot in my sons MX5. If people have never driven one, they are brilliant. The Boxster feels heavy in comparison. Not as fast but that makes you to drive it harder all the time!
 

[TV8]

14 hours ago, phazed said:

powerflex front engine mount bush

Hi Peter, Is this the part you used? https://www.powerflex.co.uk/product-details/Front+Engine+Mount+Bush+Insert+/13169.html

[ATM]

1 hour ago, TV8 said:

It was fun driving the Boxster after running around a lot in my sons MX5. If people have never driven one, they are brilliant. The Boxster feels heavy in comparison. 
 

Which mx5?

 

Have you got 18 inch wheels on your 986?

[ATM]

1 hour ago, TV8 said:

Thanks @ATM  I changed my 996 mounts to the solid rubber ones and noticed a good improvement in the drive of the car and also, the gear change. On my TVrs, engine mounts were like service parts and it sounds like the front one does more of the work on the 986 than these units. My garage is very narrow and it’s the only job I have been able to do on the car without moving it out!

Yes these are the exact mounts I used on my 996. I initially bought them for the 986. But when I removed them I was anxious about the orientation of the 2 tabs with mounting holes. Because the solid mounts don't have that square bit to help locate the mount in exactly the right orientation. 

In the 996 you bolt it into position and the access makes this easy. In the 986 you need to bolt the mount to the bracket and tighten it all up. Then you offer up the bracket and mount combo to the car and the accessibility is tight. So if you don't have the orientation exactly right you will need to fiddle and resubmit. Could get annoying very very quick.

[½cwt]

From what people post the front engine mounts seem to last 15 to 18 years at best or up to 80k miles before notable deterioration or clear failure is seen.  The PO changed the one on mine at about 16 years, 70k miles.

[edc]

27 minutes ago, ½cwt said:

From what people post the front engine mounts seem to last 15 to 18 years at best or up to 80k miles before notable deterioration or clear failure is seen.  The PO changed the one on mine at about 16 years, 70k miles.

Mine was long gone before 9 years and 105k. 

[phazed]

4 hours ago, TV8 said:

Hi Peter, Is this the part you used? https://www.powerflex.co.uk/product-details/Front+Engine+Mount+Bush+Insert+/13169.html

Nope. I was going to use that, (still have it and will return it next week). On removal I found that the front bush was split so ordered and fitted this yesterday.

https://www.powerflex.co.uk/product-details/Front+Engine+Mount+Bush+/13171.html

[phazed]

Removed water pump in preparation to fitting new pump as a precaution. Old pump, "looked" like the original and showed signs of leakage around that area.

Modified the sump baffle, fitted the different oil return pipes and fitted the Rohler Deep sump kit.

[TV8]

6 hours ago, ATM said:

Which mx5?

 

Have you got 18 inch wheels on your 986?

1.8 Mk2.5 from 2005.  I have 17 inch wheels and very pleased with the handling etc. 

[TV8]

4 hours ago, phazed said:

Nope. I was going to use that, (still have it and will return it next week). On removal I found that the front bush was split so ordered and fitted this yesterday.

https://www.powerflex.co.uk/product-details/Front+Engine+Mount+Bush+/13171.html

Looks like that is the better option to buy then. Change it all, not some of it?

[TV8]

3 hours ago, phazed said:

Removed water pump in preparation to fitting new pump as a precaution. Old pump, "looked" like the original and showed signs of leakage around that area.

 

Is the engine out? It was a bit of a faff changing the alternator on my 987 and from memory, the water pump is probably similar?

[edc]

I have a good friend who used the Poweflex insert in his 996 and fairly quickly removed it. Too much nvh for his daily road car purpose. Now the 986 uses the bush/mounts in a different orientation but I would hazard a guess that the voids in the engine mount are doing a good amount of absorbing, hence when they are removed when you notice the feeling of wear they are at least half in not wholly torn. 

[phazed]

9 hours ago, TV8 said:

Is the engine out? It was a bit of a faff changing the alternator on my 987 and from memory, the water pump is probably similar?

Engine is in. Not a bad job renewing the water pump from below.

Will be removing the inlet manifold to remove the A/C pump.

[edc]

If you are removing the inlet manifolds that is the best time to put in the 987 airbox if you are looking for a small gain in power. 

[phazed]

1 hour ago, edc said:

If you are removing the inlet manifolds that is the best time to put in the 987 airbox if you are looking for a small gain in power. 

Interesting. Will look in to that.

Got a link?

[Daboy3000]

Replaced the "other" drip tray underneath the clamshell. Fingers crossed this was the final leak!

I dream of leaving the cover off during wet weather, am I being unrealistic?

[edc]

9 minutes ago, Daboy3000 said:

Replaced the "other" drip tray underneath the clamshell. Fingers crossed this was the final leak!

I dream of leaving the cover off during wet weather, am I being unrealistic?

No. Never owned a cover myself, albeit last few years in a garage, and many on here park there's out in all weathers. 

[½cwt]

55 minutes ago, Daboy3000 said:

Replaced the "other" drip tray underneath the clamshell. Fingers crossed this was the final leak!

I dream of leaving the cover off during wet weather, am I being unrealistic?

Mine lives uncovered most of the time, rain or shine.  I do have a half cover I fit for really bad weather or if I know I'm leaving it for a while.