Artic Silver '99 Carrera Coupe

Lets start with the basics, it's a 1999 3.4l Carrera (C2), manual, coupe, sunroof delete, M030 sports suspension, cargraphic silencers with "gundo" hack, 997 Carrera iii wheels (and 997 tyre sizes). The only options are heated and electric (with driver memory) seats with a very comprehensive service history. I have fancied a 911 for years, not helped by PPBBthread on PH, and reinforced when I realised my next fun car would be my usual car, we have a Passat for family duties as well. My previous 205GTi and MR2 roadster as 3rd cars didn't get used much or the attention they needed. This one came up relatively locally to me, advertised on PH. I wasn't in a position to proceed until we had confirmation of costs for some work on the house, but I messaged the seller to ask about his experience with local specialists. I had ideally been looking for a car with black leather, and the 3 spoke wheel but kept coming back to this car as many of the common 996 issues done, and preventative maintenance and the consumables are all in good shape. A week or so later the house costs were confirmed, so I went back to the seller. A look around the car and the test drive was all very positive, until going back down the lane to where the car was stored which revealed a knock from the front of the car, and restarting it once back it was slightly slow to turn over. There was a ramp to hand so I had a good look underneath which revealed 2 slight oil leaks, a slightly crushed aircon pipe (only replaced a year or so prior) and leak from the adjacent joint, and an unidentified leak from between 2 of the undertrays around the front firewall, which I later found to be where the aircon drain is. Oil leak 1 - this is the left hand (bank 1) cam chain tensioner) Oil leak 2 (circled) - what I assumed (correctly) was the AOS (air oil separator), effectively the crank case breather. Crushed and leaking aircon pipe A price was agreed subject to an inspection, which I had done at Project Nine who were the nearest Porsche specialist, I'm still waiting on the report from that but have a screenshot of their job card, it highlighted: - aftermarket gearbox mount causing vibration through car - rear track control arms have excessive play - front inner track rods have slight play - front tuning forks - coolant rad splitting and leaking - oil air separator bellows [misting oil] - bank 1 cam tensioner seal [weaping] - bank 2 blank off plate sweating coolant - bank 1 core plug needs further investigation (below AOS bellows) - oil cooler seals sweating coolant - bank 2 - 1no manifold bolt broken [not leaking] - front to rear AC pipe crushed and leaking at join - O/S headlight aim too high - passenger vanity mirror cover missing I was eager to complete things quickly as Project Nine charge a storage fee once work is complete, which I thought was my first encountered with a Porsche tax, but doesn't seem to be standard among marque specialists. I negotiated £750 off the agreed price, which covers the parts for the gearbox mount, radiators, front tuning forks and inner track rods, rear track rod arms, AOS bellows, and seals for the oil cooler and cam tensioner. This was a mistake, as in my rush I had forgotten the coolant and distilled water (it takes 22L), various clips and seals for the AOS, and wasn't aware the cam tensioners require the oil to be dropped. Additionally I've bought a complete AOS, front top mounts, complete oil cooler (not just seals), and standard paper air filter to go back to standard. So all told I'm at £1400, plus the alignment, which puts me slightly over my original budget. I'm 6 weeks and 1100miles in now, it's not using any oil or coolant, and has averaged about 26mpg. I was worried the "gundo" hack on the exhaust, which effectively is a small diameter link which shortcuts the silencer on each side was going to be too loud for everyday use, but it isn't boomy on the motorway so that's fine. The kids love it and my wife will drive it reluctantly, she's coming round to it as she was initially pretty unhappy that it "isn't a proper 4 seater". . Perhaps due to greater use the aircon leak has dried up and is still blowing cold, which is a relief as a fair bit of the front of the car has to come apart to replace that long front-rear pipe. The slow hot starting has improved so suspect the battery is healthier now it's being used more. Until a week or so ago all I'd done was re-sync the 2nd remote key, fit a TR7412UB-OR head unit with bluetooth, refit the standard air filter and pipework, and confirm which of the rear arms the PPI noted (rear lower, and only any play on the nearside). Helmholtz resonator delete kit, now removed. It's great to look forward to the more mundane journey again, and the steering and in particular the turn in are fabulous. I'm taking it over to Classics at Prescott next month, and am looking forward to the journey across the Cotswolds and taking it up the hill. No particular plans for it other than to enjoy it, and when these tyres are worn out to replace with 996 tyre sizes. I may change the wheels for 996 5 spokes as I have discovered the 997 runs slightly different offsets (7mm further in up front, and 7mm further out at the rear), or use a 15mm hub-centric spacer on the front so it is +7mm all round. I will remove the centre lower console to increase space for my left leg at some stage, but the part in the C50 Graphite Grey colour I need isn't currently available, Tonbridge Porsche and PCGB have confirmed that a new manufacturer is currently undergoing testing and more information will be available at the beginning of September. Another photo from a run out for the sake of it one evening a couple of days after I got it. Number plate screw caps have been sorted!

I started the work underneath earlier in the week, and almost immediately realised I've overcommitted to what I'm going to be able to do in the time I've got until it goes to Parr UK for the alignment on Monday. Lots of threads online say that with the inlet off you can get to the AOS and oil cooler without removing the engine, helped if you drop the engine onto the cross member. Now that I have the undertray off I can see that dropping the engine to the cross member will only gain about 10mm. So for now, as I can see the weep on the oil cooler is pretty minor, I'm just going to change the AOS bellows and leave the oil cooler alone. The AOS bellows are leaking pretty badly, and it has run down the side of the block to where the cam tensioner is. When I checked which rear arms needed changing I cleaned up around the cam tensioner bolt/seal, and it doesn't look to have leaked in the 200miles or so done since. So I am not sure that the cam tension seal is leaking. As there's a possibility it's ok I will leave well alone for the time being until it's clear one way or the other. The old AOS bellows don't seem to be split at all, but it wasn't sat right so it may have been badly fitted. I forgot to get a pic with it still on the car, but here's it once removed. and new one installed: Onto the radiators, I got the bumper and rads are off on Wednesday evening, and fans fitted to the new ones ready to go on. I'm not convinced they needed replacing mind, these are the old ones. Previous rads: I need to replace 2 of the spring clips that hold the fans onto the rads are they are rotten, so if doing this yourself I would recommend at least 2 of those (there are 4 on each rad, but only 2 total rotten on mine), part number is 99916607702. Then last night got the new radiators on and filled with coolant and started bleeding. I got 8-9L out when I removed the old rads, and so far have put about 6 back in. I started the bleeding proceedure, but by the time it was warm and I needed to consistently rev it to 5k rpm it was ~9oclock, so I will have another go this evening (earlier!).

Hi Very nice car and good work! Im going to fiddle with my 986 in a moment . Berni

Nice write up. I have a 3.4 cab and have also just changed the coolant but to make sure i had no air locks, and not wishing to rev it to 5k, i bought a vacuum purge kit from ebay for £32.95. The job took 20 minutes done and dusted. However it does need an air compressor to make it work. A great tool. I will watch out for more of your write ups.

I have a compressor, but after having all sorts of issues with an Eezi-bleed kit a few years ago and sceptical about similar things. I presume with the vacuum purger you need the system completely empty of coolant to start?

Bit more progress this evening. Having cooled down the coolant level had dropped and took another 800ml to get back to bottom of filler neck. I will bleed again in the morning. On the front I got the tuning forks and top mounts done, both of which were pretty easy except the strut top nuts being a pig to get undone. I noticed the offside bump stop has disintegrated, so I'll call to Porsche Tonbridge tomorrow to see if they have any in stock. I failed on the inner track rods, I can't get the track rod ends out without damaging them, so I'll see if they have any of those in stock too. If not I'll speak to Parr and see if they can do that when it's in next week.

You do not need to fully drain the system. Obviously the expansion tank needs to be empty then just connect up and purge away. You can hear the gurgling as the air is sucked out. When i re filled the system i gave it a 2nd purge as a slug of air is drawn in when you connect the fluid pipe https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Professi...314695&hash=item2f48affde1:g:wtAAAOSwulFfPpY7 This is the one i bought as it has the correct size adapters for the 996. As a matter of interest how did you remove the belows from the AOS? I thought this was and engineout/drop/remove everything in its way sort of job.

Thanks Martin, if I don't get it bled satisfactorily I'll get one of those. Replacing the AOS itself is ideally an engine out job. The bellows are the connection into the block below it, just the rubber section circled yellow in one of my earlier posts. It is accessible from below. I got bump stops from Porsche Tonbridge this morning, and got them fitted. Definitely needed doing! Got the front back together and enjoyed the rest of the day with the family, thinking I'd do the rear track control arms this evening. The near side went fine, but on the off side the eccentric bolt is stuck to the bush. I have soaked it in penetrating oil and will have a go in the morning, but failing that I'll leave it for Parr to sort out next week.

Can you do the bump stops by just undoing the tops of the struts and turning them out of the wheel well? Mine need doing as well, they look similar to your old ones despite only having about 50000km on them. I think I will do the top mounts and strut bearings while I'm there as well.

With the M030 yes, its tight for space so standard may not work. Sequence is remove the tuning fork from the coffin arm, and the drop link from the ARB. Jack under the ballpoint and undo the strut top but. Lower the jack to release the top of the strut. Remove the top mount. Lift the spring as far as possible then lean over sideways so the top 2ish coils clear the top of the shock, then unscrew the spring. If bump stops have disintegrated then be very careful not to scratch the ram of the shock with the spring, ideally keeping it close to the top threaded section.

Still no luck with the o/s eccentric bolt for the toe arm, so I've put it back together as is. Finished bleeding the coolant the level in the bottle has dropped well down, it is currently cooling down, but I reckon it'll take 1.5l now, which is within 0.5l of what I took out so is ok for now and I'll keep an eye on the level. Finally I gave it a wash in readiness for going over to Parr tomorrow, the final list for them is bigger than I wanted really: * front inner track rods, and ends if needed. * o/s rear track control/toe arm * full geo * gearbox mount if they can do it with the gearbox in the car. * coding for passenger airbag delete box.

The car is back and driving very nicely, though I haven't had a change to push it at all yet. They can't do the gearbox mount in situ, so that remains incomplete, perhaps a good thing as the bill was pretty eye watering. £300 to fit supplied inner track rods seems very steep to me. Lessons learnt, in future I'll make sure I also order surrounding parts as a precaution, and they can be sent back if not needed.

Parr's are very expensive. You could try 9excellence just up the road in Horley. They did my gearbox mount in situ. The mechanics are very good. They set up my geo as well, after listening carefully to what I wanted and took the time to explain why they put the settings on they did. Much more realistic prices as well. No affiliation by the way, just a recipient of good service. Good luck with the other stuff.

£300 for just inner track rods (supply and fit I presume) is outrageous. They're no harder than any other car.

Excellent thread Hugh_ :thumb: Also worth checking out Precision Porsche if within range :thumbs: