Dodgster1 Posted December 9, 2022 Report Share Posted December 9, 2022 I’m sure someone has had this before however I’m perplexed. I have a 2001 Boxster S I’ll start at the beginning. A few weeks ago I had the misfortune to drive through a body of water for approximately 50 or so metres (it came half wheel high with nothing entering into the cabin. As soon as I cleared the water the car started to drive, then lurch, practically kangaroo hopping…then driving fine for a while, then more of the same. I have checked the car over and can’t see no sign of any residual water. prior to this I had recently swapped out the mass airflow sensor, changed all spark plugs and changed the one coil pack that seemed bad (bendy in the middle) and also engine mounts (sports version as the regular ones were sold out)(which altered the gear change somewhat as according to my mechanic they secured the engine from moving). has anyone had this before? And if so how can it be resolved? it’s been a few weeks now and I’ve also carried out an oil change and decided to use E5 petrol as E10 with its increased ethanol cannot be too clever for a 21 year old engine that’s done 110,500 miles. Im at my wits end now so help me obi forum help me, so are my only hope… Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edc Posted December 9, 2022 Report Share Posted December 9, 2022 Do you have a CEL? It sounds very much like cracked coilpacks with water in them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul P Posted December 9, 2022 Report Share Posted December 9, 2022 I would also be suspicious of the remaining coil packs. You won’t always get a cel for a misfire. If the coil is firing but the spark isn’t going through the plug (arcing to the head for example ) then the car doesn’t know the spark was in the wrong place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dodgster1 Posted December 9, 2022 Author Report Share Posted December 9, 2022 Sorry guys excuse my ignorance …what is a CEL? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boxob Posted December 9, 2022 Report Share Posted December 9, 2022 Check Engine Light Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dodgster1 Posted December 9, 2022 Author Report Share Posted December 9, 2022 Check Engine Light…yes since my car got butchered by a local garage I’ve repeatedly had two…I’ve taken the car to a variety of garages and no one seems to either find any fault with it. Last week I changed out the fuel filter (apparently it was still the one factory fitted 21 years ago) and took my back box back to stock and the garage said they couldn’t find any problems…indeed the car drove beautifully home however when I started it up and drove 2 days later same kangaroo hopping… would you suggest changing out all coil packs and/or the new spark plugs? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
½cwt Posted December 9, 2022 Report Share Posted December 9, 2022 Beru (who are the OE supplier to Porsche) ZS177 or ZS178 will do the job for the coil packs, about £20 each, so £120 for the full set from somewhere like Autodoc if you can wait a week for them to ship in from Europe to the UK. The new items come with new rubber sleeves and the longer or shorter fixing bolts included. Where are you located? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dodgster1 Posted December 10, 2022 Author Report Share Posted December 10, 2022 South Wales…do you think this will resolve the issue? In fairness I’m certain that the water must have hit them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
½cwt Posted December 10, 2022 Report Share Posted December 10, 2022 7 hours ago, Dodgster1 said: South Wales…do you think this will resolve the issue? In fairness I’m certain that the water must have hit them Location is helpful in your profile if someone local might be able to assist or recommend something local. Coil packs start to deteriorate with hairline crack that can allow water in by capillary action that then degrades them faster, and they you see the cracks when they have opened up which also allow more water or moisture in. If they are dry they are fine, but at my last service earlier this month they noted two cracked and two with hairline cracks, although it is running fine currently. It is worth doing them in sets to keep them of the same age. Not a bad DIY job as long as the bolts come out OK. The bolts require an E10 female Torx socket or 5mm Allen key depending on their age. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulo66 Posted December 10, 2022 Report Share Posted December 10, 2022 9 hours ago, ½cwt said: Beru (who are the OE supplier to Porsche) ZS177 or ZS178 will do the job for the coil packs, about £20 each, so £120 for the full set from somewhere like Autodoc if you can wait a week for them to ship in from Europe to the UK. The new items come with new rubber sleeves and the longer or shorter fixing bolts included. Where are you located? if you can get coil packs for £20 each ill buy them all, its at least double that each, autodoc or anywhere Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freddie Posted December 10, 2022 Report Share Posted December 10, 2022 5 minutes ago, paulo66 said: if you can get coil packs for £20 each ill buy them all, its at least double that each, autodoc or anywhere These may be OK? https://www.autodoc.co.uk/beru/7891642?gshp=1&gclid=Cj0KCQiA1sucBhDgARIsAFoytUtamhe6VSVjw5y8w6ypW1n0mGWAA9XAhlcmWWotheEPel3jIIq6Y6AaAmmiEALw_wcB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulo66 Posted December 10, 2022 Report Share Posted December 10, 2022 43 minutes ago, Freddie said: These may be OK? https://www.autodoc.co.uk/beru/7891642?gshp=1&gclid=Cj0KCQiA1sucBhDgARIsAFoytUtamhe6VSVjw5y8w6ypW1n0mGWAA9XAhlcmWWotheEPel3jIIq6Y6AaAmmiEALw_wcB that looks good, weird when i just checked it was £63 for same part? well found 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dodgster1 Posted December 10, 2022 Author Report Share Posted December 10, 2022 1 hour ago, ½cwt said: Location is helpful in your profile if someone local might be able to assist or recommend something local. Coil packs start to deteriorate with hairline crack that can allow water in by capillary action that then degrades them faster, and they you see the cracks when they have opened up which also allow more water or moisture in. If they are dry they are fine, but at my last service earlier this month they noted two cracked and two with hairline cracks, although it is running fine currently. It is worth doing them in sets to keep them of the same age. Not a bad DIY job as long as the bolts come out OK. The bolts require an E10 female Torx socket or 5mm Allen key depending on their age. I recently changed the spark plugs, inspected the coil packs (5 were fine, one wasn’t so was changed) this of course was before the possibility of water damage. Would you suggest changing out the 2 month old spark plugs as well just to be on the safe side of things? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
½cwt Posted December 10, 2022 Report Share Posted December 10, 2022 (edited) 1 hour ago, paulo66 said: if you can get coil packs for £20 each ill buy them all, its at least double that each, autodoc or anywhere @Freddie beat me to the link 😉 The discount on Autodoc is low today, so check for a few days it gets up to 27% or even 30% at times. Edited December 10, 2022 by ½cwt 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
½cwt Posted December 10, 2022 Report Share Posted December 10, 2022 40 minutes ago, Dodgster1 said: I recently changed the spark plugs, inspected the coil packs (5 were fine, one wasn’t so was changed) this of course was before the possibility of water damage. Would you suggest changing out the 2 month old spark plugs as well just to be on the safe side of things? Assuming you fitted something like Bosch, Beru or NGK plugs they should be absolutely fine as they are protected by the coil pack and a buried in the plug tubes.. It is water on the outside of the coil packs that causes the problems. Try to get 5 of the same that you've fitted, just to avoid any doubts, or 6 of the ones suggested if it makes economic sense. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edc Posted December 10, 2022 Report Share Posted December 10, 2022 If you've recently had the coilpacks off and are happy with your inspection i wouldn't be in a rush to replace them. Perhaps get them off stick overnight in airing cupboard and try again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dodgster1 Posted December 10, 2022 Author Report Share Posted December 10, 2022 10 minutes ago, ½cwt said: Assuming you fitted something like Bosch, Beru or NGK plugs they should be absolutely fine as they are protected by the coil pack and a buried in the plug tubes.. It is water on the outside of the coil packs that causes the problems. Try to get 5 of the same that you've fitted, just to avoid any doubts, or 6 of the ones suggested if it makes economic sense. I’ve ordered 6 new coil packs and 6 new spark plug, all Beru from AUTODOC. Seemed like false economy to change the coil packs and not the plugs. I’ve ordered from Autodoc before and it generally takes a week. Thank you all for your sage advice. I’m hopeful that this will solve the problem as the one intervening factor was the water. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boxob Posted December 10, 2022 Report Share Posted December 10, 2022 (edited) Have you tried liberally spraying the coil packs with WD40? If it lives up to its name it'll displace any water affecting the coil packs. Will also help with any seized coil pack bolts when you replace them. Edited December 10, 2022 by Boxob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dodgster1 Posted December 10, 2022 Author Report Share Posted December 10, 2022 32 minutes ago, Boxob said: Have you tried liberally spraying the coil packs with WD40? If it lives up to its name it'll displace any water affecting the coil packs. Will also help with any seized coil pack bolts when you replace them. Not tried WD40…the bolts are not seized as I changed all spark plugs & 1 coil pack approximately 6-7 weeks ago…I will give them a spray however I’ve already ordered new coil packs & spark plugs!😂 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul P Posted December 10, 2022 Report Share Posted December 10, 2022 7 hours ago, Dodgster1 said: Not tried WD40…the bolts are not seized as I changed all spark plugs & 1 coil pack approximately 6-7 weeks ago…I will give them a spray however I’ve already ordered new coil packs & spark plugs!😂 Wd40 primary usage is water dispersal (wd). It happens to be an “average” penetrating / release fluid and an ever age lubricant but it was originally designed to chase water out of stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dodgster1 Posted December 11, 2022 Author Report Share Posted December 11, 2022 20 hours ago, Paul P said: Wd40 primary usage is water dispersal (wd). It happens to be an “average” penetrating / release fluid and an ever age lubricant but it was originally designed to chase water out of stuff. Tried WD40… liberally covered all 6 coil packs and the surrounding area left it for half an hour free buttering up the car then took it for a drive… less kangaroo hopping but still there unfortunately… Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boxob Posted December 11, 2022 Report Share Posted December 11, 2022 50 minutes ago, Dodgster1 said: Tried WD40… liberally covered all 6 coil packs and the surrounding area left it for half an hour free buttering up the car then took it for a drive… less kangaroo hopping but still there unfortunately… The fact that there's less hopping (fewer misfires) suggests that it is the coil packs that are the issue. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milner Posted December 11, 2022 Report Share Posted December 11, 2022 I'd be interested to see what codes were logged before changing anything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dodgster1 Posted December 13, 2022 Author Report Share Posted December 13, 2022 On 12/11/2022 at 10:37 PM, milner said: I'd be interested to see what codes were logged before changing anything. I can’t recall the exact codes (of the ones that keep occurring) however they related to the O2 sensors if memory serves…speaking to the garage today after getting my MOT done I’ve been advised that the O2 sensors are ridiculously temperamental and even new ones can play up…when I recently had the cats and O2’s changed (approximately 3.5-3months or so ago) the garage found that the receptor plug for one of the O2’s (left one-furthest back) was ridiculously damp to the point that it was wet….I blame the garage that has my car for 2 months last year leaving it in bits, (see my post about power steering issues) often outside and no matter of complaining made these swines admit their errors and resolve the many issues that they created… Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
½cwt Posted December 13, 2022 Report Share Posted December 13, 2022 1 hour ago, Dodgster1 said: I can’t recall the exact codes (of the ones that keep occurring) however they related to the O2 sensors if memory serves…speaking to the garage today after getting my MOT done I’ve been advised that the O2 sensors are ridiculously temperamental and even new ones can play up…when I recently had the cats and O2’s changed (approximately 3.5-3months or so ago) the garage found that the receptor plug for one of the O2’s (left one-furthest back) was ridiculously damp to the point that it was wet….I blame the garage that has my car for 2 months last year leaving it in bits, (see my post about power steering issues) often outside and no matter of complaining made these swines admit their errors and resolve the many issues that they created… Trading Standards???? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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