13 captured repliesDiscussion pagination complete · Source accounts, not a confirmed diagnosis
THIS DISCUSSION / SOURCE-DERIVED OVERVIEW
Discussion summary
YOUR RESEARCHWhat is wrong with it? - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners
Reported or suspected cause
idler control
Reported cause
No successful repair reported for this finding.
1
Identified cause
0
Suspected cause
0
Reported fixes
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Explicit resolution reports before identified causes, performed actions and suggestions. Within each level, matching component labels precede direct query mentions and inherited thread context; successful versus unsuccessful discussion counts, owner confirmations and independent discussion support determine order. This is not a probability of success.
Discussions that report identifying a cause
1
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Reported cause
Yes my 2002 had the same problem that you are describing, it turned out to be the idler control.
What is wrong with it? - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners
Read full discussion summary
Leading evidence: 'idler control' (1 discussions report identifying this cause; no attributable repair resolution). Across 1 matching discussions, the most frequently mentioned possible cause is 'idler control' (1 discussions; 1 report identifying it and 0 suggest it). The most frequently discussed action is 'Check hidden codes by plugging it in scanner' (1 discussions). For that action, 0 discussions report a resolution and 0 report an unsuccessful attempt. No action has an explicit, attributable resolution report under the current rules. These are forum reports and suggestions, not a confirmed diagnosis.
Source reports, not a diagnosis or a success probability. Counts refer to discussions and can overlap.
Explicit resolution reports before identified causes, performed actions and suggestions. Within each level, matching component labels precede direct query mentions and inherited thread context; successful versus unsuccessful discussion counts, owner confirmations and independent discussion support determine order. This is not a probability of success.
Discussions that performed work without a confirmed outcome
1
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Performed · outcome unconfirmed · Original poster
I double checked for hidden codes by plugging it in scanner.
What is wrong with it? - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners
Clean idle control valve and throttle body
Performed · outcome unconfirmed
No successful repair reported for this finding.
0
Reported fixes
0
Unsuccessful attempts
1
Discussions
Read evidence and context
Explicit resolution reports before identified causes, performed actions and suggestions. Within each level, matching component labels precede direct query mentions and inherited thread context; successful versus unsuccessful discussion counts, owner confirmations and independent discussion support determine order. This is not a probability of success.
Discussions that performed work without a confirmed outcome
1
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Performed · outcome unconfirmed · Original poster
I cleaned the Idle Control Valve and Throttle Body.
What is wrong with it? - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners
Clean throttle body and icv seems
Performed · outcome unconfirmed
No successful repair reported for this finding.
0
Reported fixes
0
Unsuccessful attempts
1
Discussions
Read evidence and context
Explicit resolution reports before identified causes, performed actions and suggestions. Within each level, matching component labels precede direct query mentions and inherited thread context; successful versus unsuccessful discussion counts, owner confirmations and independent discussion support determine order. This is not a probability of success.
Discussions that performed work without a confirmed outcome
1
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Performed · outcome unconfirmed · Original poster
Cleaning the throttle body and ICV seems to have fixed the problem.
What is wrong with it? - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners
Outcome qualification: Negation, uncertainty or missing explicit repair resolution overrides the raw extraction signal.
Replace maf first and nothing
Performed · outcome unconfirmed
No successful repair reported for this finding.
0
Reported fixes
0
Unsuccessful attempts
1
Discussions
Read evidence and context
Explicit resolution reports before identified causes, performed actions and suggestions. Within each level, matching component labels precede direct query mentions and inherited thread context; successful versus unsuccessful discussion counts, owner confirmations and independent discussion support determine order. This is not a probability of success.
Discussions that performed work without a confirmed outcome
1
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Performed · outcome unconfirmed
No MAF or O2 codes, but I replaced MAF first and nothing changed.
What is wrong with it? - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners
Coverage and how to read this overview
Counts describe captured discussions, not unique people or a diagnosis. Author identities are not reliably stored. Exact duplicate evidence is counted once across matching discussions; one discussion counts at most once per action/state. Multiple repairs reported together remain a combination. Suggestions and failed attempts do not establish a fix. Matches cover whole discussions and can include related faults, model variants and incomplete threads.
13 eligible posts · 0 unverified posts · 1 discussions match the subject in their title or opening post.
986Forum: 1 discussions
0 evidence records excluded for query context · 0 excluded by outcome qualification · 1 adjusted by outcome qualification.
1 acknowledgements have no verified action link; they do not establish a repair result.
Outcome without a verified action link
But once I started driving it, the problem went away.
No CEL.
For the past year, I have been driving with idle jumping up and down.
I hear the sound of vacuum leak. I hear a blow or air every time the idle jumps every 1.5 seconds.
Mechanic insisted that it is not a vacuum leak. He told me it feels and sounds like it was running rich and that the MAF sensor was not being accurate. He just did the WD40 spray test all around the engine and hoses to make sure.
He recommended replacing the MAF sensor. Does everyone here agree? Remember, no CEL. I double checked for hidden codes by plugging it in scanner.
Also, there are two different part numbers for MAF sensor for the 2000 986 2.7L. I asked this question before, but got no responses. It is a 2000 model, but was manufactured in late 99. What is the right part number? The Price is $50 + difference between the two.
Just remove the existing one and check for sure...the last 2 numbers may be lower then the most recent revision. I also just call my parts guy at Porsche and give him a vin...usually they can tell you what you'll need.
This is just my own experience. Had the same hunting idle problem. Even after the complete 90K service at the independent, it still did it. Two years later the MAF kept giving me CEL's, so I replaced it. Now, no more hunting idle.
The easiest way to tell what MAF you have is to pull the old one and read the part # off of it like WhipE350 says.
O Reilly sells a "security" bit set that includes the one you need plus a bunch more and it only costs about $5. I had to replace the MAF in my car too and it made a difference but if you hear a vacuum leak (hissing) then you probably do have a leak despite what your mechanic says. Wiggle the oil fill tube back near the rear bulkhead. If you hear a change you might need a new fill tube. They're famous for leaking when they get old.
You could also find somebody to give your car a smoke test to search for vacuum leaks. I found a guy who works generically on foreign cars and they didn't know much about Boxsters but he knew how to hook up the smoke machine and he found 2 leaks.
Ughkjsavu. The cheapest smoke test I found so far is $110 at Midas. Other independent shops say that don't have a smoke machine that works on exotics or they say that they don't know how to work on mid-engines. They are just being lazy.
I didn't think a Boxster is considered an exotic, but some mechanics do.
Porsche dealership in my area charges $145 for the test.
I do hear the hissing sound loud and clear. I guess when I get my next paycheck, I will do the smoke test and get a new MAF and plugs at the same time.
FYI, I managed to lose the bit I needed for the MAF. I found that my local Carquest sold indiviual bit (T15) for a couple bucks as opposed to buying a whole set.
Do yourself a favor and remove those torx screws by whatever means necessary and replace them with a proper phillips head screw so you always have the right tool within arms reach.
Update on rough idle problem: I still have it. I cleaned the Idle Control Valve and Throttle Body. Before reinstalling them, I checked again for vacuum leaks since I had better access to the hoses. All hoses are in good condition seem to be aging well.
I know it is not the coils or spark plugs. I know it is not the ICV/Throttle Body. I know it is not a head gasket. Mechanic says it is not a vacuum leak and I could not find a vacuum leak using various methods.
Last possible thing I can think of that causes a rough idle is the MAF sensor, but it still does not make sense because a MAF sensor is supposed to cause a CEL and I do not have a CEL light On. Plus, my scanner says no codes found. Anyways, I will try to clean it and reinstall it when I buy MAF cleaner.
Can you guys think of anything else that causes rough idle?
No more idle problems.
For now.
I guess the car needed to be driven. Cleaning the throttle body and ICV seems to have fixed the problem. I still had the problem when I started the car directly after the cleaning was finished. But once I started driving it, the problem went away.
If the rough idle returns, you might consider the O2 sensors. I had a similar problem. No MAF or O2 codes, but I replaced MAF first and nothing changed. Then I replaced the O2 sensors car had 90K+ miles and they were getting tired. After driving for a few miles, the idle steadied right up and has been that way ever since.
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