Engine Removal Question

So i took the dive, and began removing engine on 2008 Cayman S . Overall going OK so far. Two issues I can't solve so I though I would post here. 1. The plastic covering that goes around engine compartment on top. Specifically the silverish one. I need to disconnect the ground wire on the wiring harness, and its tucked up behind the styrafoam. How do i remove this plastic cover. I'm sure the answer is simple. 2. On the muffler / exhaust. Where it connects in the middle. Orange arrow in the pelican parts technical article. I cannot get it apart. I tried with a 13mm u-joint socket and it won't grab. Its trying to strip. Any points of wisdom on disconnecting this? Thanks in advance guys!

Use interior removal tool to pry up the silver panel. It is snapped in by 11 or 12 clips. Not quite sure about the exhaust bolt but if it is the bolts for the header to muffler then you probably need to counterhold the nut.

I think you might just need to use a deep socket for the exhaust . Also the clamps have small spot welds on them.

On the exhaust , go at it thru the wheel wells w/ the wheels off and a 6" to 12" extension. Perfect angle for that.

Yes, that worked best for me when I installed my cat back. Also, best to spray the nuts/studs w WD40 or PB blaster and let them soak it up overnight. I guess since you are dropping the engine anyway,a snappedstud or two wouldn't be so hard to fix - but soaking them will lessen the chance. I'd use new brass nuts when you reinstall.

Gentleman, Thank you for the tips. I am moving ahead so far. So removing tire made it much easier to get at (ofcourse). I soaked with wd-40 overnight (actually it ended up being a week before I got back to it) 1 stud came off 4 studs broke 1 stud stripped (will have to try and heat up and chisel off tomorrow)* *if anyone have a better recommended method for getting the stud off I am open to suggestions. I got the silver plastic cover off no problem. I just had to man up and pull hard enough. So I have two questions now, that hopefully someone can help me with. 1. The mass air flow sensor. What type of socket / head is required to get this screw / bolt off? Its got five sides. I could unplug but I want to get the thing actually off. 2. The bar underneath the rear axles. not sure proper term. Once unbolted along middle, it has two swivel points on each end. What is the proper method of detaching this?

Gents, So for my latest update. Here is a quick video of where I'm at. Next time I'll do it widescreen, sorry about the aspect. Removing Engine Porsche 2008 Cayman S - YouTube So thing so far; 1. Here is the carnage of exhaust bolts. Had to drill / chisel the last one out. 2. I figured out how to take that brace out. Read the Porsche manual and it says "internal torx screw" sure enough, i found it on the inside. Sneaky. 3. So a few things that I'm struggling with. The shifter cable on the left side. It popped off the end, but the bracket partway along doesn't want to move. I think its just a case of me pulling harder though. 4. The compressor for A/C. Is there any videos or anything on getting it out. I unbolted it, but its in their hard, and doesn't want to move. 5. So now I have to disconnect the clutch, but I can't seem to figure out where / how to do that. Reading through some how-to's. Do I actually disconnect parts in the front hood? 6. Also need to disconnect power steering line. Having trouble locating where to disconnect this. Thanks guys, Nick

Nick, No real reason to take out the MAF from the tube, you can just leave it in and disconnect the wire from the clip. Power steering is usually disconnected at the pump but I suppose could be disconnected at the other end of the hose, I think there is also a way just to disconnect the pump from the block and tie it up out of the way and leave the lines intact but I'm not 100% certain on that.

On the shift linkages, you can pry the rubber surrounded cables out of their respective "clips" w/ a flat bladed screw driver. no harm done. Note their orientation so you can put them back in correctly. You'll probably end up using a zip tie to lock them back in place when you put the car back together.

Disconnecting the power steering line: You'll have to remove the black underbody panel on the driver side. The disconnects for the lines are under there. A/C Compressor: Do NOT disconnect the lines to it. The manual says to leave it in the car. Get a plastic bag to wrap around it and lay it in the passenger compartment. You may have to remove the power steering pump in order to get the AC compressor out. I believe there are 3 bolts holding it in, make sure you have loosened all 3.

The clutch slave cylinder is on top of the transmission and is held in with one bolt. You may have to lower it down a little bit to get to it.

There's a lot of good information on engine removal here: Pelican Technical Article: Boxster Engine Drop / Removal - 986 / 987

Why are you removing the engine? Replacing with another? Do you have the Durametric software to fix the software once you get the engine back in?

The rear sway bar detaches with a pickle fork. It looks like a tuning fork that start out small at the two tips and gets thicker as they go back. The thin tips go between the sway bar and the ball joint. One then pounds on the Handel of the fork with a 3 pound sledge hammer. As the fork gets forced in, the wedge effect of thickening forks pops the joint apart.

Making progress. Slowly though. I have few free weekends. So I have everything removed. Except for the A/C compressor. Video of overall progress Removing engine on 08 Porsche Cayman - YouTube Video of A/C compressor AC Compressor 2008 Porsche Cayman - YouTube If someone can give me some help with the A/C compressor that would be awesome. I can't seem to get it out for the life of me. Obviously I am missing something. A comment earlier said 3 bolts, I only removed 2, missing one maybe? Didn't see it though. As for the slave cylinder, I didn't remove it. I also didn't see it. I removed a hydraulic line to the transmission though. To answer a few of the questions. Removing engine as it is burning lots of oil and tapping sound now. So maybe scored cylinders or lifters damaged. Most likely a result of me running it low on oil. Be more careful kids, this ain't no pickup truck that can take abuse. So i'm turning it into a project, hopefully learn something. Not sure where my end point will be though, may need to enlist the help of a professional at some point. And yes, I am aware that I will need software to reset some stuff, but were a ways from that. Thanks for the help as always guys!

My apologies, there are only two bolts holding the ACncompressor in. I do remember it being difficult. Make sure the lines going to it are free from any holders, allowing freer movement.

I beg to differ. There are three torx head bolts, two on the pulley end and on on the rear of the compressor. The rear bolt is hard to see and access without moving or removing some of the intake manifold. The factory service manual has a good procedure on the engine removal, I highly recommend taking a look at it. I have some hints and pictures on the process here: http://www.planet-9.com/987-cayman-boxster-modifications/60294-engine-drop-ttp-accusump-vos.html

I'm impressed! To not know what a swaybar is and jump into taking out a mid-engine...I admire your confidence! A steep learning curve, but hey it's only one bolt at a time right? Best of luck.

Do not use a pickle fork on the 987 swaybars, it will just break them. Use an combination wrench (15mm comes to mind) on the nut and a torx wrench on the inside of the threaded ball joint stud.

guglido, To get the AC compressor free when removing my PS pump I had to pull the driver's side intake manifold and runner. You can see some photos in my article about installing electric power steering here: Electric Power Steering Kit - Articles . Also from experience you'll want to separate the PS lines under the body rather than from the PS pump. Also why are you pulling the engine? Good Luck, Rob

See above.

so today was somewhat successful. I found the semi hidden 3rd bolt. And removed it! Pulled out with magnet. Didn't need a swivel, I did it with a long extension and just moved the cable that was in the way. Was relatively straight forward. But now! I have this stupid wire that runs to the AC compressor. I imagine its a control cable that tells the compressor when to engage / disengage. here is a short video of the cable that connects to AC compressor. I cant seem to disconnect it, and if I believe I need to disconnect cable before engine drop. Removing AC Compressor - part2 - YouTube Nick

There is one wire with a flat blade connector on it. It will be in a clear square thing that slides into a holder on the wiring harness. Long needlenose pliers will help.

OK. Yes, I saw that connector. And took a picture. I took the "clear square thing" out of its holding bracket. I couldn't determine how to pull it apart, as the "clear plastic thing" looked like one solid piece, not two. What two ends do I pull on. Sorry for my simple questions I work in the mines in northern canada, and I'm used to solving problems with either a torch, more explosives, or yelling. This technical mechanical stuff is all new to me Nick

The compressor end will pull out of the square plastic thing.

SUCCESS!!! I got the engine out! So happy, although we are only one step closer. I got that wire disconnected, it pulled out, no idea how I will get it reattached though. I took transmission out first. I removed the transmission mounts, as I couldn't do it with them in place. limited clearance. I also wanted to remove the axles, but couldn't figure out how to get them out, but I got transmission out with them still in place. One of the bolts on Trans - Engine I had to remove with vice grips. No idea how else you would do it. Had to remove part of exhaust. 22mm bolts where sensor attached stripped on me. This exhaust has been nothing but broken bolts for me. Disconnected sensor and got it out. When I was dropping it I missed disconnecting a cable, but caught it before any damage occurred. I did however break one plastic bracket. It connects to AC lines. I didn't notice it initially, even though I remember reading "disconnect this". But when I tried to disconnect AC lines, before it broke, I think I pulled on it a bit wrong, and snap. I'm ok with one broken clip. And the engine! Next step, get access to lifters on cylinders 3 and 5. Was getting misfires on both of them. That's what I'm thinking. And I'll get a usb borescope and see if cylinders are damaged. That's my plan at least. Nick

Congrats man! Glad I could be of help having recently done it myself.

Any updates on this? :burnout:

So a little bit of an update. I got a heated garage to work in. This is a huge step! I live fairly north in Canada (Saskatoon). And its cold. really cold. I got engine moved. Had to buy a shop crane. Assemble. Put engine in pickup. Disassemble. Move to garage. Assemble crane. Take engine out of truck. Went fairly smoothly. Now for the actual stuff. I took off the heads on cyliders 4-6. It was going well, but then I couldn't remember how to take tension off the chain. So I had to look through manual on how to do it, but haven't had a chance to get back at it. Then. The engine stand I bought wont match bolt holes with the engine. So I coughed up the $450 (yes, over priced) and bought the proper connection piece of Pelican Parts . Haven't put it on yet. And now, I didn't really want to post this video, as I was pretty sure I would be able to figure it out on my own after reading the manual. But it shows where I'm at. Chain Tension - cayman - YouTube (sorry, did camera sideways again) So ya, project moving way too slow! Oh an ya. So I realize I need some specialized tools and need to loosen off tension on sprocket with camshaft holding tool before I should be doing this, so I might have to back track a bit.

How's this going?