Advice needed MOT failure/ front shock absorber

[Clarky2]

Hi All

Advice required as my 986 failed its MOT today.

I picked up the car cheaply and it has been surprisingly reliable over the last couple of years and flew through the MOT with no problems last year. Like many on here I am trying to enjoy the Porsche experience on a tight budget. I checked the car over at the weekend and fixed up some number plate bulbs and a small hole in the exhaust, everything else seemed to be working fine.

I have been having some issues for some time with the ignition switch which does need to be replaced, but with a bit of jiggling everything is still operational. I was a bit shocked to pick the car up and be told that at the time of the MOT the headlights and the windscreen washer/wiper would not work. I checked these at the weekend and when I went back to the car after the MOT they were working again. Could this be linked to the ignition issue or some other loose connection? I was told they definitely weren't working when the car was tested! The car does appear to have some weird LED headlight bulbs which occasionally flicker and perhaps are part of this issue (but they have worked for the last two years. There was also a rear foglight apparently out, but I am assuming this is probably just the bulb.

The big ticket item was the nearside front shock absorber which is apparently leaking badly. They seem to be suggesting just replacing one, but I'm assuming it is better to replace them as a pair? Where is the best place to get 986 shock absorbers on a budget? What make/supplier would you recommend or is it a viable option to pick up some from a breakers such as Steve Strange? Bearing in mind the rest of the suspension is probably 20 years old, although I did pick up a couple of new front springs a year or so back which were on offer and I guess this is an opportunity for them to be fitted at the same time. Ominously when asked about labour costs the garage said it would depend on how easy it was to get them off!

The final item was the emissions test where the car failed on the second fast idle test. Advice from the garage was to add some Redex to the tank and take it out for a bit of a thrash as it hasn't been used much in anger recently. Again last year it flew through on emissions.

I've just had to shell out a lot of money to get another car through it's MOT so any advice on how to address these items and get the old girl through her MOT for another year would be gratefully received.

Many thanks

Jonathan

 

 

[Boxob]

Ignition switch does affect lights  wipers etc. Back off the key slightly after starting the engine and they will work. A replacement ignition switch is cheap (£20ish) but fiendishly fiddly to swap over. 

[Boxob]

Garages advice on emissions is spot on. Thoroughly warm up the cats before the retest. Also check for and fix any exhaust leaks.

[½cwt]

52 minutes ago, Boxob said:

Ignition switch does affect lights  wipers etc. Back off the key slightly after starting the engine and they will work. A replacement ignition switch is cheap (£20ish) but fiendishly fiddly to swap over. 

It isn't that tricky to swap an ignition switch.  Beware most videos online are for LHD cars.  The barrel/lock/switch assembly is inverted for RHD cars so the process is a bit different, however small hands and good 'working by feel' skills are useful:

Definitely change the shocks in pairs particularly on anything that even pretends to be a sports car unless you can get a matched one of similar age/mileage from a breaker as you suggest.  (IIRC Steve Strange usually sells the shock and spring as one)  Bear in mind that the older one will be significantly softer than any new one and, unless you pay a King's ransom to Porsche for a genuine replacement, even a Bilstein B4 OE equivalent replacement may be a slightly different rating.  (I did all 4 on mine at the same time as well as most of the arms and the top mounts and opted for Koni Special Active OE equivalent spec shocks.)  Be prepared from some seized bolts, particularly the drop link/shock pinch bolt and it is a good time to replace the drop links and bump stops as a minimum, as these are usually as shot as the duff shock.  And once you've gone this far new top mounts, tuning forks and coffin arms also make sense.  It sounds a lot, but you have to take pretty much all of these off to do the shock anyway so why do and pay for it twice unless you are a DIYer who just wants the experience.

An Italian tune up before an MOT is a must, not just gratuitous fun.

[RedBarediver]

I still have a rear left hand side shock and spring which I got from Steve Strange last year. I bought a set from him and replaced the right hand side which was leaking badly. That got it through the MOT but I shortly thereafter took it to Paul (Torque Boxster) and he did the front last year and the rear this year. Worth every penny.

If you want the shock and spring that is still in the garage you are welcome to it. But I would suggest you start budgeting for getting the whole thing properly done and renewed.

[½cwt]

13 minutes ago, RedBarediver said:

I still have a rear left hand side shock and spring which I got from Steve Strange last year. I bought a set from him and replaced the right hand side which was leaking badly. That got it through the MOT but I shortly thereafter took it to Paul (Torque Boxster) and he did the front last year and the rear this year. Worth every penny.

If you want the shock and spring that is still in the garage you are welcome to it. But I would suggest you start budgeting for getting the whole thing properly done and renewed.

OP needs a front shock.... They are not the same.

[Menoporsche]

Getting the engine/cat really hot before emissions test is a well-known thing. Do that, you should be OK.

[TROOPER88]

@Clarky2, I throw out shocks every week. 
 

Used shocks are no use to me whatsoever ever.

I think I have a set you can have but collection from Lower Sunbury, Surrey 👍🏻

[½cwt]

3 minutes ago, TROOPER88 said:

@Clarky2, I throw out shocks every week. 
 

Used shocks are no use to me whatsoever ever.

I think I have a set you can have but collection from Lower Sunbury, Surrey 👍🏻

Nice one Paul, if it gets him out of a hole for the time being.

@Clarky2 you must have a medium term plan to replace both and it is a lot of work to repeat in doing it twice particularly if you are paying for labour...

[Clarky2]

55 minutes ago, TROOPER88 said:

@Clarky2, I throw out shocks every week. 
 

Used shocks are no use to me whatsoever ever.

I think I have a set you can have but collection from Lower Sunbury, Surrey 👍🏻

That's a very kind offer. It looks like a four hour round trip from Cambridge, but it could get me out of a hole and through an MOT.

As 1/2 CWT says it could easily become a false economy and I have started pricing up new front suspension, but I would rather take my time collecting the parts and making the right choices rather than being forced into potentially expensive mistakes just to get through a new ticket.     

[½cwt]

11 minutes ago, Clarky2 said:

That's a very kind offer. It looks like a four hour round trip from Cambridge, but it could get me out of a hole and through an MOT.

As 1/2 CWT says it could easily become a false economy and I have started pricing up new front suspension, but I would rather take my time collecting the parts and making the right choices rather than being forced into potentially expensive mistakes just to get through a new ticket.     

Message me and I'll drop you all the makers of the Porsche parts or good aftermarket options to help avoid those mistakes. A lot of us have done the suspension on these 986s.

[Menoporsche]

1 hour ago, TROOPER88 said:

@Clarky2, I throw out shocks every week. 
 

Used shocks are no use to me whatsoever ever.

[TROOPER88]

25 minutes ago, Clarky2 said:

That's a very kind offer. It looks like a four hour round trip from Cambridge, but it could get me out of a hole and through an MOT.

As 1/2 CWT says it could easily become a false economy and I have started pricing up new front suspension, but I would rather take my time collecting the parts and making the right choices rather than being forced into potentially expensive mistakes just to get through a new ticket.     

No worries, shout f I can help.

I do complete front end refreshes on a 986 for £1500 and that is new everything. 

I do though understand your predicament but as Chris explains, to change the shock, a lot has to be taken apart. You will at an absolute minimum be changing the shock, top-mount, bearing, bump stop and the drop link and of course, you should do both sides. 

[Clarky2]

1 hour ago, TROOPER88 said:

No worries, shout f I can help.

I do complete front end refreshes on a 986 for £1500 and that is new everything. 

I do though understand your predicament but as Chris explains, to change the shock, a lot has to be taken apart. You will at an absolute minimum be changing the shock, top-mount, bearing, bump stop and the drop link and of course, you should do both sides. 

Unfortunately £1500 is a bit rich for me at the moment given some other expenses I've had recently and I hoped that a suspension refresh was something I could work up to.

The garage seem to be saying that if I could find a n/s shock they would fit it. Will they start calling out various other parts as soon as they start dismantling? All I am after at this stage is a cost effective route to an MOT to avoid laying up the car while I plan next steps. 

[½cwt]

44 minutes ago, Clarky2 said:

Unfortunately £1500 is a bit rich for me at the moment given some other expenses I've had recently and I hoped that a suspension refresh was something I could work up to.

The garage seem to be saying that if I could find a n/s shock they would fit it. Will they start calling out various other parts as soon as they start dismantling? All I am after at this stage is a cost effective route to an MOT to avoid laying up the car while I plan next steps. 

I'd allow for a drop link minimum and possibly an inboard bolt.  Plus the bump stop will likely be perished if original.  Also they may not split the bottom ball joint on the coffin arm without nicking the rubber dust cap....

[Bbooxxsstteerr]

5 hours ago, TROOPER88 said:

No worries, shout f I can help.

I do complete front end refreshes on a 986 for £1500 and that is new everything. 

I do though understand your predicament but as Chris explains, to change the shock, a lot has to be taken apart. You will at an absolute minimum be changing the shock, top-mount, bearing, bump stop and the drop link and of course, you should do both sides. 

I change my own on my mx 5 as I faff about with spring rates (it’s a popular mx5 pass time) but I check my will and tell my family I love them before digging out the spring compressors…….

[TROOPER88]

5 minutes ago, Bbooxxsstteerr said:

I change my own on my mx 5 as I faff about with spring rates (it’s a popular mx5 pass time) but I check my will and tell my family I love them before digging out the spring compressors…….

Very true.

A tool that has to be treated with respect at all times. 

[Bbooxxsstteerr]

33 minutes ago, TROOPER88 said:

Very true.

A tool that has to be treated with respect at all times. 

Indeed, the prospect of being found with a spring or top mount embedded in my head isn't appealing. I should take the compressors to the tip and find someone with a proper caged compressor.

[Clarky2]

Checked in with the garage today.

They agreed it would be a false economy to use a second hand shock just to get my car through the MOT. Also admitting it was highly likely other parts would then be required as the suspension was dismantled. The suggestion is that I source all of the new parts required for a font end suspension rebuild and they will fit them allowing 1.5 hours labour for each side.

This looks like the most sensible option and I've already received some good advice from forum members on what parts are needed and best places to source them.

Cheers

Jonathan   

[½cwt]

Best of luck.  They might add a bit of time if the drop link/pinch bolts and the damper tubes are corroded into the hub but with the correct gear on hand in a full workshop it should go OK.  @TROOPER88 timings look OK to you?

[TROOPER88]

1 hour ago, ½cwt said:

Best of luck.  They might add a bit of time if the drop link/pinch bolts and the damper tubes are corroded into the hub but with the correct gear on hand in a full workshop it should go OK.  @TROOPER88 timings look OK to you?

A Porsche specialist with all the correct tools (recip saw etc) to hand can do it in this.

Top mounts can be seized in place, drop link will need cutting out etc.

False economy as has been discussed not to change the whole lot in one hit. I have a 986 coming back in the next few weeks for a knock at the front. I replaced the shocks and top mounts last year but the owner did not want anything else changed even though I had it off the car and I forewarned him that it is a lot cheaper to change now.

[RedBarediver]

I did the same with mine when it failed the MOT due to a broken front spring (awful bloody potholes around here in winter/ early spring) and a leaky rear suspension. Got it through the MOT with used bits and then took it to @TROOPER88 to get the whole lot done in two goes. The new suspension is a a game changer. Never realised how good these little cars really can be. It was a ton of work but getting it all done by Paul was probably the most cost-effective way of getting the car back to a good place mechanically.

Now just the clutch left to do. The clutch isn't actually all that bad but having felt what it SHOULD feel like and then comparing the feel to that of mine, it is clear that mine is very much on the way out.

Edited April 5 by RedBarediver

[Clarky2]

1 hour ago, RedBarediver said:

I did the same with mine when it failed the MOT due to a broken front spring (awful bloody potholes around here in winter/ early spring) and a leaky rear suspension. Got it through the MOT with used bits and then took it to @TROOPER88 to get the whole lot done in two goes. The new suspension is a a game changer. Never realised how good these little cars really can be. It was a ton of work but getting it all done by Paul was probably the most cost-effective way of getting the car back to a good place mechanically.

Now just the clutch left to do. The clutch isn't actually all that bad but having felt what it SHOULD feel like and then comparing the feel to that of mine, it is clear that mine is very much on the way out.

My Boxster purchase was a spur of the moment decision.

It was cheap and is far from perfect. I spoke to @TROOPER88 via this forum at the time as the previous owner had asked him for an opinion on it and then immediately sold it! There was a huge list of apparent issues and if I could have my time over I would pay a couple of grand more and get a good one that had already had the main jobs done. However, I really have really bonded with the thing over the last 18 months. Despite all its faults every drive is an event and I feel a genuine responsibility to keep it on the road. So I guess I'm just going to have to find the cash.   

[TROOPER88]

11 minutes ago, Clarky2 said:

My Boxster purchase was a spur of the moment decision.

It was cheap and is far from perfect. I spoke to @TROOPER88 via this forum at the time as the previous owner had asked him for an opinion on it and then immediately sold it! There was a huge list of apparent issues and if I could have my time over I would pay a couple of grand more and get a good one that had already had the main jobs done. However, I really have really bonded with the thing over the last 18 months. Despite all its faults every drive is an event and I feel a genuine responsibility to keep it on the road. So I guess I'm just going to have to find the cash.   

I was not aware that I knew the car?

[Clarky2]

@TROOPER88  I'll have to look back at posts to check, but I spoke to someone on here at the time having published some pics of the car. Basically, the previous owner who was Hertfordshire based had taken the car down to Surrey where a forum member (I thought it was you) had done an inspection which identified a whole load of issues. I turned up a day or two later just to look at the car, having had no intention of buying another car beforehand, and bought it on the spur of the moment. Obviously he hadn't told me about the inspection, but I found out subsequently through this forum.