Lifting car

I am planning on installing a set of factory sport exhausts w/o all the extra wiring and hoses and can't figure out how to lift the car and get it on jack stands. The 4 reinforced lift points are too small to use a pneumatic jack and then slide the stands under. Is there a specific place under the engine that can be used to jack up the car? I did check the FAQ and the forum messages and couldn't find any pointers. Thanks in advance. Prabha

Very similar to a Boxster <a href="http://boxsters.addr.com/jacking.htm" target="_blank">Boxster Jacking Info</a> If you have an aerokit leave another message or email me as this is a little tricky.

[quote]Originally posted by Loren: <strong>Very similar to a Boxster <a href="http://boxsters.addr.com/jacking.htm" target="_blank">Boxster Jacking Info</a> If you have an aerokit leave another message or email me as this is a little tricky.</strong><hr></blockquote> I have an aerokit and would like to know. WOuld you mind posting? JM

I use a hockey puck on a floor jack for this. For Aerokit cars only - Long winded explanation follows: I measured the distance in the front and rear from the normal jacking points. In the front the jack point is about 2 inches (to the car center) from the normal jack point. On my car the rocker flares have a screw right at that point. Since we have the flared rockers there is no need to cut the hockey puck (the frame piece we will lift on is hidden by our flares). The flat rubber surface of the hockey puck will soften the lift point so no damage is done. I try to watch as I lift and make sure nothing looks like it is deforming too much... if it starts to deform then I lower and move the jack/puck over slightly. (I always have had a fear of cracking the rocker flares but so far I haven't). In the rear the jack point is about 3.5 inches towards the center of the car. In this case there is also a screw in the rocker flare right at that point. The rear has always looked like it deforms too much. So if I need to lift the car more than just a few inches (like high enough for muffler work) I actually lift the front first and put a jack stand there -- then I lift the rear high enough to get the jack stand under the rear.

For $50, you can get a pair of reinforced ramps that have more than enough capacity to hold your P-car. Bought my set from Pep Boys. Changed out mufflers on my C-2 and most recently, changed out the muffler on my new TT. Easy to use. <img src="graemlins/wave.gif" border="0" alt="[byebye]" />

Here's an alternative that I've used many times to get my car with aero kit onto jack stands. I start by jacking up one side of the car from the rear jack point. Raise it high enough to get a jack stand under the front jack point. I use a wood block on the jack stands to prevent damage and to provide a nice stable surface for the jack point to rest on. Once you have the jack stand positioned under the front jack point, lower the car onto the stand and repeat the process for the other side of the car. You now have the front well off the ground. This may seem unnecessary but as you will see in a minute, it needs to be done to get clearance for the front spoiler when you jack up the rear of the car. I then move the jack to the rear of the car under the engine. On the bottom backside of the engine, just behind the flat surface of the oil sump, you will see an L-shaped ridge of metal, about 1-2 inches at the base of the L and about 2-3 inches along the leg of the L. Again, using a block of wood, I jack the engine and the rear of the car from this point. Once I get the car high enough, I slide the two rear jack stands under the rear jack points and lower the car onto them. The reason for putting the front jack stands up first is now clear. If you just jack the rear of the car with the front wheels on the surface, the front aerokit chin spoiler will hit the ground and crack before you get the car high enough to put jack stands under the rear jack points. At least it does on my car which is lowered. I know, I know, Porsche says not to jack the car using the engine. So, please be aware that my method goes against what Porsche says. However, I've done it countless times wihtout a problem and was actually shown this method by an independent Porsche tech.

I just did this and it worked perfectly. I had a little more of a problem because I have the oil sump cover (car lowered VERY much) so I had to really understand the instructions but it worked well. Tomorrow I'm doing the baby's plugs, filters, oil, etc etc. I'll most likely take pictures and send them over the Robin JM

Are there no front and rear center jacking points on the 996? My E46 M3 had them, and it sure made getting the car up on jack stands very easy. Ken

There are 4 which is 1 short if you want the car on stands.... Hence lifting from the engine as a 5th point