Hello Folks. I wonder if you could help me with this one!
My Temp Sensor is faulty. A new one costs around GBP£12. To replace it at an independent porsche dealer will cost GBP£120. I would like to have a go myself, but I hear it involves draining the coolant. Has anybody done a sensor replacement before - and if so please tell!
Many thanks in advance
Well - no response as of yet. Do I take it that nobody has tried this?
The temp sensor fault has been reported on the forum before - dealer suggests it is an easy fit, but you need to do it when the car is cold. Running to the dealer and then allowing cooling time would expend the best part of a day to get this done.
Would seem to be just the ticket for a diy job???
SJO, I have done it several times on other cars but not on the Cayman but I don't think why should be much different..
This is how I would do it:
With the car completely cold, loose the old sensor and have the new one ready (w/Teflon tape on the threads), then as soon as you remove the damaged sensor you quickly (key word) plug the hole with your left thumb while you grab the new sensor with your right hand, lastly (again, quickly) swap your thumb with the new sensor...
The amount of lost coolant should be minimum, after torquening the sensor to specs just refill the coolant that you dropped.
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Gilles - thank you that is most encouraging.
Can you tell me where the temp sensor is located - a pic would be ideal.
Thanks in advance
Sensor is in the engine block. Requires to remove some of the panels under the engine. Sensor is attached to the block with a clip, sealed with on o ring. So it is pull out and a push in operation. if you pm me I will send you the diagram.
Thank you very much.
I just picked up the new sensor and the O ring from my local dealer (GBP£15). The mechanic was kind enough to show me where the sensor fitted on a boxter which was ramped up in the workshop. It is indeed on the underside - probably in the most awkward place. The mechanic suggested clamping the two hoses (to and from the radiators) so that the coolant loss would be minimal. He also suggested that the O ring be replaced - but it doesnt fit onto the sensor - rather it should be placed around the hole using a bit of vaseline to keep it in place before the new sensor is re-fitted. Doing this operation without draining the coolant is going to be a challenge!
I have just put the car away in my garage - up on the ramps - left to cool overnight. I will attempt the operation tomorrow and report my findings!
good luck. Let us know how it went.
You might get a bit frustrated doing this but the extra GPB£100 will be worth the effort. :cheers:
Well - Having jacked up the car as high
And safely as I dare, it was obvious to
me that this job was not going to be easy.
Under the car, my nose was touching the
engine block and trying to do this replacement
in this position was nigh impossible.
So, another hunt on the net and I found a
garage in Nottingham - series 9 - who could do it for £55+tax. Great!! They dud exactly that and I now have a perfect Cayman again!!!
Sounds like a deal to me.
Yes indeed it was a great deal - compared to Porsche main dealer prices.
The faulty temp sensor was at the heart of some really baffling problems, like misbehaving oil sensor readings, erroneous fuel management on the fly, and great difficulty on restarting. The latter I now understand - When the engine was warm, the temp sensor would often read the engine as cold - and therefore would supply a "choke" quantity of fuel to the cylinders on restart. The result was flooding, difficulty getting ignition (in danger of running the battery out trying) and then enormous plumes of black smoke and an engine warning message - saying go to the main dealer immediately and spend large amounts of money...!
I am really a fan of not paying the dealer if at all possible - because they are ludicrously expensive - but on this occasion I have to give credit to Porsche Nottingham who when they heard I was going to attempt the re-fit of the sensor myself, kindly took me into the workshop and showed me how to do it on a Boxter they had up on the ramps.
The key to doing this job - and probably a whole host more requiring access to the underside of the Cayman - is to be able to lift the car to an acceptable height, safely. Not a trivial ask! If anyone has any good ideas about suitable ramps / lifting kit - I am all ears!
Thanks for all your contributions - much appreciated!
I had a Rotary scissor lift and sold it after I got rid of the track car. I really wish I had kept it. The Rotary is a well made lift and something I had no issues with getting under. Some of the lifts out there are a bit questionable. But like everything you get what you pay for.
