Father Son Build

The Beginning My son and I have been on a journey with our 1999 996 since late 2019. Have been meaning to document that journey here as I’ve enjoyed reading others’ journals immensely. Long overdue and working a bit backwards, but here it is. Like most here, I’ve always loved sports cars. The last decade was the first time I didn’t have one - but education, training, finances, family all took priority. Now my eldest was learning how to drive and we wanted to teach him how to drive a stick shift. Perfect opportunity to buy a sports car again! My last sports car was a 1983 Porsche 944. Sapphire Blue. Tan interior. Drove it up and down California many times over. I bought it with 100k miles and sold it with nearly 100k more! Doing my own maintenance where I could. Lucky to find a great local shop for things I didn’t feel comfortable doing (Frank’s Auto in Sacramento). Loved that car. Made me really appreciate Porsche engineering. Kids get upset that I sold it whenever they see pictures of it. Who knew pop up headlights would be cool again?! Terrible picture, but I only have a few. Just didn't take as many photos back then (this was motorola startac era!) Started searching for something fun to drive, good looking, easy to work on and not too pricey. Drawn to Porsches because of styling, performance and build quality. Always wanted a 911 - seemed like it would fit the bill. Shocked at prices for air cooled models. Even a 911sc was $$$! Those used to be cheap! Not being a 911 aficionado, I wasn’t against water cooled models. The 996 was perfect for us - classic 911 silhouette, but modernized. I loved the interior - the layout is fantastic. A few local test drives sealed it - a 996 it would be. Searched for a few months and found one in LA. Seller was an enthusiast. Made the deal online. Flew down with my son and drove it back. Best road trip ever! Photo from CL ad: Seller had it washed for us and texted me photos on our flight down to LA. He even had an oil change done the week before because he knew we were driving it back to the SF Bay Area. Great guy. Wonderful scenery driving through central California (and weather in January!) Smiles all around! Back at home with my son dreaming about driving! I've found that the 996 balances these various aspects so well (classic looks, modern comforts, power, handling, affordability, etc). It regularly pulls me to go for a drive to nowhere - just for the drive. Puts a smile on my face every time. My son gets to learn how to drive a manual on a Porsche. That’s pretty special!

Special indeed! Welcome to the club.

Nice car! What are your plans with it?

Looks like a pretty good starting point. Whats the plan?

In addition to learning how to drive a manual - wanted this to be an opportunity for my son to learn about maintaining and fixing cars. I’m a long time cyclist and have always done my own bike builds and maintenance. Still have to learn wheel building though! Oil and Filter Change Ridiculously easy on this car. But it’s a lot of oil! Be sure you have a big drain pan. We'll see if the FCP Euro lifetime guarantee is worth shipping across the country. Updated the Oil Pressure Relief Valve. Window Adjustment Passenger window catching on the rear quarter window when opening. Took door panel off and readjusted. Know better now that I’ve found the workshop manual - don’t need to take the vapor barrier off. Just undo the 2 rubber plugs at the top and adjust from there. Great engineering. Rear Console Painted rear console was missing the back piece - likely was from a boxster or cab. Found used pieces on ebay. AutoAtlanta’s online catalog is fantastic for looking up part #s. Missing Trim Pieces Replace small missing trim pieces. Amazed that Porsche numbers everything! Cleaning Remove seats for a thorough cleaning. Lots of fun doing these basic repairs with my son. Can't help but bond with people and things that you spend time with. What more can you ask for.

A great oem+ seat upgrade is the 997 seat. Bolts right in and its a really easy wiring job to get them to work Keep up the good work!

Very cool! I tried to remove my seat once and it had way more wiring going on, so it wasn't a simple disconnect. Not sure why. Are you planning on getting a LN spin-on filter and magnetic drain plug?

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Those are really good seats - but I'm partial to the 996 sports seats. Finding a set with heating proved to be a challenge though. I did get the LN magnetic drain plug. But I'll stick with the canister oil filter and element for now - though I got a new one from FCPEuro.

Cool Dad!!! I learned stick from mom on a Ford Grenada ('3 on the tree'). NOT soooo fun, lol

Enjoy the process and time with your son! Nice car.

Transmission 2nd gear pop out. Shifts into 2nd gear easily, but occassionally pops out of gear when applying throttle. Only happens in 2nd gear. Oh boy, this could be a big one. Luckily, we are in a different point in our lives where this is our fun car, have more disposable $ and time/space to fix it. Lots of great shops in our area for work I’m not comfortable doing. Feel lucky to have found Bauer Werks (ABP) not too far. Bryan is a no nonsense, honest guy. It’s not a fancy garage, which suits me just fine. By now I’m an expert on searching Rennlist and RennTech. Such great resources. Youtube videos. Digital workshop manual. We live in such a great time - so easy to learn nearly anything as long as you are willing to try. The 996 community is really amazing - likely because this is the entry level 911, so people are willing to tinker. But people forget that the repair/parts costs are proportional to its original list price, not what you bought it for now. Most of the angst comes from this discrepancy. If the 996 cost $100k, no one would think twice about a $30k engine rebuild. That’s whats happened with air cooled cars. Well, lets try all the simple things. Realign shifter with the green shift aligner thingy. No change. Engine mounts. Read about stiffer mounts causing knock sensor issues, etc - so stuck with OEM. Old on left, new on right. No change. Ball bearing install. I was worried I was going to make it worse, but hopeful at the same time. No change - that was disappointing. I think it’s time to take it to a real mechanic. Bryan drove it and said it’s the transmission. Can get rebuilt or used. Researched on Rennlist, called a few shops. Gbox was very responsive and seemed to give honest advise so I went with a rebuilt unit from them. Shipped to Bauer Werks within a few days. WYIT - AOS (didn’t know about the UAOS at the time), IMS retrofit (aged out, maybe I should’ve done the solution but wanted to keep costs down where I could), clutch/bearings/fork/etc (flywheel was ok), RMS. Had to replace shift cables because original transmission had different connection than rebuilt one (I didn’t know to specify that when ordering) - went with new OEM cables. Problem fixed. It was a good amount, but totally worth it!

Learning Stick Son�s getting better and better. Slowly let off the clutch. Feel the catch point. Give it a little more gas. It's all about practice. He's getting there. So glad he's eager to learn - lots of kids his age aren't even getting drivers licenses, let alone learning how to drive a manual. For people in the East Bay - the warehouse area in Alameda is a great place to learn. Big empty parking lots. Flat. Not much traffic on the streets. Great backdrop for photos too! Since transmission and cables were refreshed - figured we�d replace the shifter mechanism and shift **** as well. Went with OEM 997 GT3 shifter. Always loved the Carrera GT shifter and saw this link to Manuel Campuzano�s custom wood shift *****. https://rennlist.com/forums/991-gt3-...ob-fitted.html Manual�s easy to work with. Responds to emails quickly, gives plenty of options and very reasonable priced for a custom item. Especially when compared to OEM replacements. Ended up ordering one. Love how the curved shaft meets the wood. Really nicely done. Got the shift boot from JF Customs off eBay. Based in the UK so takes some time to make/ship/arrive, but wanted real leather and also an excellent product. The standard boot was too short, so ended up asking for one 2 inches longer. They were great in accommodating. Looks much better when folded over and can adjust to length desired under ****. Bought a shift boot retaining frame so I didn't have to take apart the original shifter. Final product: Was a bummer with the 2nd gear pop out, but with the refreshed transmission, shifter, ****, etc - really a joy to shift through the gears!

Love the shift ****!

How funny, my son is also learning how to drive. Getting good at automatic, but hesitant to teach him manual in the 996. Looking at getting a beater Honda to teach him in then moving up to 996. He has this crazy motion he will be driving the GT3 RS around.

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Don't be too hesitant to teach him in the Porsche! I was in the same boat last year with my son... as soon as he had his learner's permit we started going out in the 996 and he didn't grind the gears once. Just start off slow and easy. You only get one chance to learn stick for the first time, and it sure is a rare opportunity to do it in this great car. Besides, why even bother have a 996 if not to make great memories like this! Priceless.

Stereo What does a teenager want in addition to a cool car? Loud music! I never even turn on the radio when driving the 996. PO had done the Fister mod - sounds glorious! But this is a joint project - so we plan out what he wants. Carplay is a must. I'd like a backup camera. Will start with head unit - double din Alpine looks good (in retrospect should've gone with something that had a **** or physical buttons for ease of use while driving). Crutchfield makes it so easy. Head unit, pre-wired harness, Metra trim. Backup camera from CAI. Crutchfield order. Starting point. Remove everything to relocate HVAC to bottom position. Backup Camera. Installed. I have to say, Carplay is fantastic. Backup camera - really nice to have (if the Porsche unit had this, I'd have gone that route). But the Metra cubby and trim feels cheap, ordered an OEM cubby and trim. OEM cubby and trim. This sufficed for some time. But he wanted more oomph. Bass. Reached out to CAI - they deserve all the good reviews. @Rod Birch is very helpful, easily available - just great to work with. He recommended changing speakers, amp for more power/cleaner sound and sub box for back shelf. ebay adapters for dash and rear speakers. I had already bought these, otherwise I'd just buy speakers and adapters from CAI. JL Audio speakers from Crutchfield. Sub box from CAI. Houses a pair of JL Audio 6W3s. Amplifier kit from CAI. Starting point. Wiring. Rod was always a phone call away. Super helpful! Install looks pretty OEM. Wrapped wiring in Tesa tape. Sub box blends in well. OMG - this thing is so loud. Son loves it. I never turn it on…

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Heck - I'd love to be driving around in a 3RS! Can't blame him for dreaming! It is really special. Glad you got to share that experience with your son.

Vigilance You have to learn to be prepared for the unexpected with older cars. My son’s learning to report any strange noises, etc. Fills up gas at the local station and hears a strange whining sound on restart. Runs fine, but decides to drive home to check it out. Glad he did. That belt looks a little thinner than normal ... How in the world did that happen? 996 community to the rescue! Broken alternator bracket. https://rennlist.com/forums/996-foru...ispreloading=1 Collateral damage. Oil filler tube eaten through. Parts arrived. Great project to do together. Take your time. Step away if something isn't working (I'm looking at you alternator bushing!) Lots of learning - especially the need to use a torque wrench! (and don’t use at either end of it’s range) Great to see him feeling that satisfaction of doing it yourself.

Good work as always!

The Little Things There are always nagging little problems in an old car. We set off to fix as many as we could. Alarm Issues Car locks and unlocks from keyfob - but double beep on lock Wow - this is quite the wormhole So many possibilities https://rennlist.com/forums/996-foru...ispreloading=1 We both learn to use a systematic approach to diagnosis Do both windows drop and raise with door handle Check w both inner and outer handle Center armrest storage Front hood Check activations with Durametric - I need to learn this software better Eventually found when locking the car with the interior button, could still open the Drivers door from outside handle - gotta be the drivers door latch This video mirrored my issue You Tube I know people have replaced individual switches, used VW part, etc Great to have so many choices I chose to replace w OEM @sweet victory 's write up on this is the ultimate guide - c an�t thank you enough https://rennlist.com/forums/996-foru...-detailed.html This guy was really handy out with the old, in with the new Problem solved Clean front radiators Surprising amount of gunk between condensers and radiators Unsure about the aftermarket front bumper cover Looks good, kind of like a 40AE car But the fit is just off enough that it bothers me Search for 996.1 aerokit parts begins... Torn rear bellows Careful of those little parts falling into the engine bay! Reverse Light Switch Rear view camera stopped working - easy diagnosis and fix. Front Windshield outer trim/seal Asked tech at local dealership parts counter - he gave me # for windshield tech the dealership uses He just used a couple daps of sealant to secure it. Headlights Lights are fine - but foggy/yellowing Tried polishing, but appears to be a film on top Struggle to remove - any tips? Drop Links, Front Torn boots Check Cam Deviations Still in spec, but near limits Plan to replace cam pads in near future. New vs Old Picking up parts at local dealership

Love stories like this. My son and I overhauled our 71 MGB GT over the winter. Makes for unforgettable moments. Car was owned by my wife�s father since new which makes it even more special.

Did you check to see if the headlights have a PPF film on them?

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I think so - but no luck getting it off I don't have a steamer so tried hot water, hot towels, plastic razor blade, etc w/o any luck any suggestions?

Owner search Porsche owners are often passionate about their cars and want to share their ownership story. The immediate prior owner was wonderful to talk to. Had the car for a couple of years before moving on to something else. He had some prior records, so we started to piece together prior ownership history. Got a Carfax which helped with number of owners (we are #6), locations and some service history. We had receipts spanning the last 3-4 owners. This gave us some names, phone #s and emails. Reached out and not surprisingly, a couple of the prior owners responded - happy to fill in their own ownership histories. Really reinforces that we are stewards of these items for a period of their existence. It had even been on Rennlist before: https://rennlist.com/forums/vehicle-...s-upgrade.html Build specifics: 1999 911 (996) Build date: 02/98 Paint No L92U Interior AS Options C02 - Car made for US 139 - Seat heating, L 220 - LSD Limited Slip Differential 222 - Traction control ASR AntriebscSchlupfRegulung 224 - Traction control ACD Automatic Braking Differential 288 - Headlamp washer 340 - Seat heating, R 425 - Rear window wiper 490 - Basic Sound System 659 - Board computer 692 - 6-disc CD changer Becker Porsche CDC-3 Sometimes an item has a mark, a dent, some sort of imperfection - that makes it uniquely recognizable. See those two indentations from screws long since removed on the right lower center console pad? Still there. I don�t know the story behind why those are there - but it�s a unique birthmark of our car. This led to creating a digital spreadsheet of owners, maintenance history, etc. Have seen some examples here that I used for inspiration - but would love to see more templates. What do you use? What is your car's ownership story? Have you met/spoken/emailed prior owners?

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Congrats! Great work -- nothing better on father and son projects like this. You seem to have "spun up" on the 996 in record time! There is a small "Porsche" decal for the radio that is available separately for the Continental radios -- I wonder if that would work to cover the "Alpine" logo on the radio. Is that CAI sub enclosure totally hidden or is it an add-on (can't quite tell from the photos)? If the latter, would love to see before & after photos, and maybe a photo with rear seats up. There is a "996 Stereo Upgrades in Here" thread ( https://rennlist.com/forums/996-foru...s-in-here.html ) -- it might be beneficial to post your solution in that thread (or maybe post a link to your stereo post in that thread).

As we continue our refresh - thought best to start with brakes. A little cleaning always helps! Rotors measured within spec. Pads are looking pretty thin! Plan to replace pads, associated hardware and flush brake fluid. Repeat at each corner. Motive bleeder, used the dry method (less chance for mess, just watch the reservoir level) Couldn't find this grommet separately - only saw it with the wire repair kit. Good substitute Can't find the part # for this clip - anyone know if available separately? Intact one on other side. Having the right tools (pad spreader, motive bleeder) really made this job easy. Good job to continue to build son's DIY confidence.

Major Service Spark plugs Coil Packs Spark plug tubes Water Pump Thermostat Thx @FCP Euro for the awesome 996 DIY video series! Got most of the parts through them as well. Disassembly - I like lots of room! Oily. Just used brake cleaner and rags - what's your favorite cleaner/method? FCP Euro kit. Tubes & seals from dealer. Had gotten both long bolts and transom plug just in case. Bolt method Transom plug method Various extensions were helpful. New vs old. Fidly - why not a single appropriately sized spacer. idk. I like others ideas about using studs, etc - but the washers came with the kit, so used this time. Buttoned up. Old parts - everything looked fine. Wow - someone liked sealant! Reinstalled with just gaskets. Really glad to see all the water pump fins were intact. Another great project to do together. The 996 has proven surprisingly easy to work on. If anyone is hesitant to do maintenance items like this yourself, don't be. If we can do it - you can too!

Great stuff in here friend, love these build threads... Subscribed!

Aerokit Love the look of the mk1 GT3. Heck, all the GT3s! Son loves the taco spoiler. I�m on the fence. These bits are hard to find, especially the taco spoiler. And just obscene $$$ if new. PO had already put on OEM side skirts. Rennlist has taught me about 996.1 vs 996.2 side skirts - never noticed the difference before. Looks like we have the correct ones installed. (pic from RPMTechnic) Started looking for OEM front bumpers. Lots of confusing/overlapping part #s 996-505-980-00-G2X 996-505-980-02-G2X 996-505-980-03-G2X Gave up trying to find a used (undamaged) one. Best price I found for a new OEM front bumper was from RosePassion in France. Good price, shockingly fast delivery. Took longer for the local UPS to deliver (they only do large boxes once/week) than for it to get to the US! Local paint shop did a great job. Now looking like a 996 GT3 Touring. I quite like it like this. But my son really loves that taco spoiler. I'm on the fence. New is just too much money. Looked at aftermarket, but want to keep things OEM. Finding one used is hard - just not many come up, still $$$ and many have damage Took a while, but eventually found one for a good price Super lucky as came complete with wiring harness, hinges, even that little gurney flap! Test fit. Badging is all wrong, but will remove for paint anyway. Off to paint Rear looks good naked! Painted Completed OEM Aerokit It's a useful table. Evolution

What did you end up doing with the old front bumper? Looks great now!

Thx - I've grown to really like the whole aerokit look. The 996 allows a lot of customization - from the smooth lightweight c2 original to the muscular/wide c4s and everything in between. The ducktail on yours looks fantastic! Sold the front bumper on local Craigslist. Kept the OEM rear decklid/spoiler just in case. But doubt I'd go back to it now.

Car looks great . Just my opinion consider painting the rear bumperettes body color . Will make the rear of the car look cleaner .

I know there�s a lot of love for the 996 GT3 buckets - but I never cared for the alien eye look. That�s good, because they are $$$! I do love the look of the Sports Seats. But I don�t see many heated ones. Since our car came with heated seats, finding heated sports seats became an obsession! Constantly scouring all the usual places - eBay, RL, 6speed, etc. Often whether heated or not isn�t mentioned - but I�ve now become an expert on spotting the underside connections to tell if heated or not. See that pair of connectors on the left, that�s a heated seat. Finally found a pair here on RL. Fair condition. Good price. Unfortunate shipping injury - bent adjustment lever. Will switch out from original seats. Cleaning and conditioning the leather. They aren�t perfect. But I like seeing the marks of use. Matches the rest of the car as well. Would love to get backs painted - maybe in the future. Love the look. Comfy too. And heated!

Coolant Hoses Have noticed a slight coolant smell from the front right. Mild but definitely that sweet coolant smell. No obvious leaks. Coolant level in reservoir stable. Original radiators, maybe a small leak? Slowly start getting parts together. CSF radiators seem like a nice upgrade - since wasn't urgent, was able to wait for year end sales. CSF radiators sure are pretty! Sometimes reading Rennlist can be detrimental (to your pocketbook!). Had planned to check and replace just the coolant hoses that didn't look good. But all those threads about 20 year old hoses - built a case for "replace all the hoses"! There are sooo many hoses. AutoAtalanta's online PET is a lifesaver, but even with that it's confusing. Get under the car to try to create a mental map of the hoses. Break it up into areas: Radiator, Wheel well to hardline, Engine compartment. Made a spreadsheet . Slowly gathered all the parts. Interestingly - the new hose clamps from Porsche are worm gear style, not spring clamps. Picked a weekend and got to it! Used Ahsai's method to empty coolant. Worked great. https://rennlist.com/forums/996-foru...ispreloading=1 at least some got in the bucket! Disassembly and reassembly. Everything's pretty straightforward. The 101 Projects, Pelican Parts and FCPEuro videos are great guides. Just some of the hoses. Didn't get a group shot of everything. Airlift to refill. First time using - great tool. So much coolant. Made refilling easy. Run up to temperature and found some clamps that needed to be tightened. After a drive found some more leakage underneath right front radiator. Surprised to find the new CSF radiator leaking! @FCP Euro great to work with - sent a new part right away. Had to drain/refill - but airflift made it not too bad. Probably overkill replacing so many hoses, but great project to do together. And peace of mind.

This is great, thank you for taking the time to do these writeups. Good time to check your low speed radiator fans with the Durametric, before you bolt it all back together. Easy access to the ballast resistor if you need to replace.

Thx for that - I did check them and they seem to be fine. Part of me thought - might as well replace them. But you have to draw the line somewhere!

Wow, that�s really disappointing to learn that the CSF radiator was leaking upon installation. I�m glad you received a replacement, but I think it�s a situation that shouldn�t have happened.

Problems can be frustrating, but often there�s a silver lining if you want to see it. Noticed a drip on the floor. Engine compartment, right side. Oil? Coolant? Looks/smells like power steering fluid. Feel around - seems to be coming from the lines/connection at the top of the engine bay. Rennlist search finds similar problem https://rennlist.com/forums/996-foru...999-996-a.html Got flare crow feet wrenches, extensions On there nice and tight, but just can't loosen this for the life of me Not wanting to make it worse (seen all those pics of rounded off brass fittings) - better leave it to the professionals Bryan (BauerWerks) recommend towing it in as the drip is right over the exhaust (fire hazard) nice to have AAA Mechanic able to get fittings apart no problem (what's the secret?!) Replaces O-rings like in the thread above, but doesn't stop the leak He recommends replacing the line ...but needs to drop the engine to do it... gulp... After contemplating selling the car (a moment of weakness!) Realize this is just a part of ownership and a chance to refresh things I know need to be done at some point anyway Coolant tank is relatively new and looks to be from a .2 (longer than the .1 tank) Oil cooler seals Fuel Injectors UAOS (w coolant bypass and track drain) Cam Pads/chains Holy cow! Those cam pads look way worse than the cam deviation #s indicated (-6/-3) So glad had this done now before something worse happened! All buttoned up and feeling much more confident in the condition of the engine silver lining...

The Trick to getting those brass fittings apart is to use "flare-nut" style Crow-Foot metric wrenches with appropriate extensions/ratchet I've seen too many of them get buggered up by not using the correct tools..

This car is so engaging good power wonderful sound (fister mod is a must!) feels like the car is just a wrapper for the engine we are constantly going on drives to nowhere... so much fun what are your favorite drives?

I didn�t know much about the 996�s weakness other than the IMS bearing issue when we were looking at 911s. We just liked the way it looked, drove and it fit in our budget. As we�ve owned it and learned more, I�m amazed by the aftermarket support for the 996. Likely because there were so many sold. 996 owners also seem more willing to modify, experiment, etc. Lots of people working on ways to improve the platform. Just look at this forum - the 996/997 sections are likely the most active on RL. RL has so much information - read all about cam deviations/pads/chains, cooling, fuel injectors and the AOS. Easy to get overwhelmed. Appreciate the voices of reason - lots of people that have been tracking these cars and seen what can go wrong and ways to fix them. Which led me to the oil starvation threads. Oiling apparently was also something to be concerned about, especially if planning to track the car. Never been on a track - but the opportunity arose and needed to get the car ready. Wanted to do what I could to strengthen the engine - oiling was the one thing left. Much thanks for @zbomb 's oil pressure instability thread: https://rennlist.com/forums/996-foru...stability.html @Porschetech3 's UIDS l ooked really promising and loved seeing the development in his thread: https://rennlist.com/forums/996-foru...ds-v2-2-a.html He was able to get me a unit before my track day. Installation was really easy - especially with the 0-ring instead of needing sealant. Skip was always available if I had any questions. Oil change with XP9 and ready to hit the track! Such a great day. Learned a lot. (spun the car once - check tire pressures after hot laps!) Exhausted, but so much fun! What are the things you've done to strengthen your 996?

Starting noticing that the radio would take a second to turn off after removing the key. Started getting progressively longer Hmmm…. Maybe it’s the ignition switch - I see that mentioned frequently on RL for all sorts of electrical gremlins. Ordered a new switch. Then the steering/ignition lock felt more finicky. Often having to jiggle the wheel a bit before it unlocked and could take the key out. Maybe it’s the ignition lock? Well the new switch arrived, so might as well start there. Cramped and awkward I took the seat out to give myself some room but pretty straightforward to swap the switch. Unfortunately, no change... Now the key is getting harder and harder to remove at times. Steering lock more finicky. Jiggling the wheel doesn't always release the key. One episode where my son couldn't remove the key at all! Ordered new ignition lock assembly. Who knew it comes with a new ignition switch?! May as well swap out the turn signal assembly The auto-cancelling had stopped long ago on one side Lots of disassembly Take your time Workshop manual helpful New Ignition lock fixed the problem! Not hard to do, just takes time. ps - what is this connector for? behind the drivers side vent and headlight switch

Holy smokes! What a headache! Glad it got sorted

Great thread. Really cool to see you enjoying the experience with your son.

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It is the connector for manual headlight adjustment. Only in case of halogen headlights as the xenon/litronics have automatic headlight adjustment/levelling.

Amazing build! Hoping to someday get into something like this with my son. Keep up the good work!

Have a lingering coolant smell from passenger front wheel well. Had this prior to coolant system refresh and has never really gone away. Coolant level and temps are stable. Took covers off to investigate Ran the car up to temp, fans came on, turned off Let the fans cycle multiple times No obvious leaks Checked radiator, hoses, felt for leaks (hot!) but definitely has that coolant smell - seems to be coming from this area (the white residue is from before, cleaned it now so can check in the future) Not sure how to diagnose - appreciate any suggestions.

Just retighten the clamps again. As things heat up and cool down they loosen and soften. After doing my hoses i had the do this a couple times.

Grrrrrrrind! Didn’t realize a window could make so much noise going up and down. Sounds like somethings going to break in there! Quick RL search - window regulator! Remove door panel Remove window glass, 2 clamps on each corner Mark position with tape before removing Remove motor 3 nuts holding it to the door 3 bolts holding it to the regulator Remove window regulator 4 nuts (2 near top, 2 via bottom of door under rubber plugs) Mark position of nuts before removing - used a sharpie Line up replacement window regulator to ensure orientation correct Attach motor Install in door Be sure to remove the extra stop (for boxsters), otherwise won’t lower all the way Reinstall glass and door panel Re-learn auto-close/open function Enjoy the quiet!

I’m impressed with your progression and skill with your ability you can enjoy the 996 for a very long time I love my 996 more then my 997.2 Turbo S the 996 just feels special

I just did my passenger window reg a few weeks ago for the second time. Curious which one picked up and from where, I can't remember where I got the 1st window reg but it was a HBT brand which lasted me I'd say about a year. The one I just put in now is a Dorman which seems to a bit better quality except for the plastic grooved pulleys the cable slides on. From what I gathered the plastic on the HBT unit was not strong enough and caused the cable to slide off the track, I just hope this has better plastic bc it looks the same as the HBT unit. I guess time will tell

I got a Uro unit off Amazon, so idk about longevity. If it breaks, I'd probably send to get rebuilt - seen some posts here on RL for a company in AZ? Reports that they use much better materials, etc.

I've used both a Lemforder and a URO(one passenger side and one drivers side) but I got them through FCP Euro so when they fail I can replace them under their lifetime replacement warranty.

These guys provide quick service and use metal pulleys, units have lifetime warranty. I have rebuilt my own and pulleys are PIA, use these guys twice now. Power Window Repair | Power Window Repair in Phoenix, AZ

Just been driving and enjoying. Change the oil/filter every 6 months. With the work done so far, car feels really sorted and ready for anything. (all I can see is that ding now! is this something PDR can fix?) It's a small car, but next to some things it's absolutely tiny! hit 130,000 miles!

>>(all I can see is that ding now! is this something PDR can fix?)<< Definitely.

anyone w recommendation for PDR in the sf bay area?

Kids have gotten older & bigger. Now in College and High School - how time flies! Those rear seats served their purpose, but no one in the house fits back there now Wonder what it looks like without them. So easy to remove Packed everything up in case want to reinstall Looks pretty clean without the seats - I like it! Will have to see if the sub box shifts without the seat backs Left the seat back pins in place for that reason Kids have such great memories in this car - they always protest when I consider letting it go Time for the younger ones to start learning how to drive a manual on the 996!

Congrats! Been alot of fun following your projects. You won't miss the rear seats. As soon as the kids were too big for the rear seats, I took them out, put in Heigo half cage, GT3 seats and Sabelt harnesses. Never looked back. That was 17 years ago. The good news is all that space will give you alot more room to store things on a road trip.

Can't believe it's been so long since I posted an update. It's such a great car. Initially a lot of projects when we got it Deferred maintenance or just "maintenance" given age/mileage Others for personalization But for the past few years, haven't had to do much outside of fluid changes Just get in and drive! Reminds me of Nathan Merz's video You Tube It's just a great fun car to drive and with the aerokit - looks so good imho It's my go anywhere fun car Costco run: Road trip: Now it's teaching the next set of kids how to drive a manual: