new to me 02 S...few questions - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

I just recently purchased an 02 Boxster 2 and had a few questions. 1 it came with 2 keys. Both keys light up the red light when you press the button, but neither of them actually do anything. One is red and one is yellow, what is the difference? 2 im pretty mechanically inclined and want to change the oil and trans fluid (6 speed) and curious if you guys prefer a certain oil and transaxle oil over certain brands? Where is a good place to get the filter, filter wrench, various sockets etc? 3 when you guys do your own oil changes and trns oil change, does it matter if you use ramps or jack stands? And does the car have to be level or will everything drain out ok with just the rear of the car up in the air? the only real issues I have with it is until the car is driven about a mile and warmed up, it tries to grind just a bit going into 2nd. Once its warmed up that goes away. Was told some quality transaxle lube might help with that. The next thing is no heat from the heater. Havent had a chance to look, but ive done a search on here and a lot of people have a problem with that flap under the dash. And my last issue is the humming that comes from the gas cap area. Ive read multiple things online of what it could be. Also, can you guys suggest the best repair manual I can get to tackle these things and anything else that may come up? Thank you

1 Keys need to be programmed. $$ 2 Be wary of asking a «****which oil****» question here. Do a search first. Amazon has a good variety of tools and the like. 3. Level is best. Consider a spin-on adapter for the filter. Bentley’s is the go-to manual.

Motor oil and filter are about the only thing I can buy at local auto parts. I use the NAPA gold filter, plastic ends. Pretty much everything else has to be bought online I use Bentley’s, it's so so, hard to get the details from it. For trans fluid, there is pretty high consensus on this forum to use Porsche brand. 3 liters @ $30+/liter. You are experiencing what many of us experience, hard to shift into 2nd when cold. New fluid helps some. Search here for tips to do this job I like to level car out to drain. I use ramps on the back and jack up the front Key, no clue. I only have one and I guard it with my life And Welcome

There are two more manuals you should get: The Boxster parts listing, with invaluable diagrams, that you can download directly from Porsche and the Boxster repair manual that you can find on eBay. Not essential, but also useful is the 101 Projects for your Porsche Boxster that you can buy on eBay.

Ok thanks for the input guys. I'll start gathering things up and try to tackle the fluid changes next week weather permitting

do search on trans fluid change, metal plate covering has to be removed and can be a problem to replace... holes dont line up without ratchet straps pulling in axel some drill hole instead of removal . disclaimer....I am Not a mechanic and could be wrong maybe the experts will chime in. also I have read to use only the Porsche fluid in the trans

I just replaced the transmission fluid on my 2004 S. Yes, when I got to replacing the center brace plate I needed to use a ratchet strap and put considerable force on it to pull the rear wheel suspension supports back into place. I am going to drill a hole in the plate under the drain plug so I won't have to replace the braces in the future. I don't understand why Porsche didn't do this to begin with.

As Anker says. Very common situation. And yes, consensus is, use the unicorn rainbow piss in the trans!

Cut a hole in the plate it has been discussed on here . And make sure you remove the FILL plug BEFORE you drain the transmission . You do not want to create a situation where you have drained the fluid and no way to replace . Oil......... do a search on this website and get ready for a full day of reading !!!

[QUOTE=Anker;557836]I just replaced the transmission fluid on my 2004 S. Yes, when I got to replacing the center brace plate I needed to use a ratchet strap and put considerable force on it to pull the rear wheel suspension supports back into place. This is why the chassis needs to be as level as possible to avoid suspension shifting. Now the alignment has been altered.

The chassis is 100% level. Car is sitting on 4 jack stands on my garage floor. Shifted anyway.

If you can do it on a full lift, do it. Check around and see if you have a local "rent a shop" around. It is 100% worth it. You get a lift, tools, fluid disposal etc., etc. I removed my lower plate and it went back on with minor maneuvering. Keep in mind, it is unlikely you will have to replace the tranny fluid again for a long time. Taking that bottom plate off sitting a foot or two off the ground is not something I would want to do, those brace bolts have some significant torque on them. Porsche trans oil only... not cheap... The second gear issue is common, and is a sign of the 2nd gear syncros going bye-bye. There is a "fix", I've done it, it's not easy, but it is simple. Many opinions on whether or not it is the best choice. So far, mine has been flawless... time will tell. A couple of other things can contribute to the shifting issue. Your motor mount is most likely toast, unless it has been replaced. Your shifter might also be very worn, and may need to be replaced. The 997 or gt3 shifter is the way to go here IMO. Both good things to do anyway, relatively inexpensive, and not terribly hard to DIY. The shifter is actually very easy, but getting the center console out is kind of a pain.

Geof.... I don't really have access to a lift. I do have a really nice floor jack and 4 jack stands and a nice concrete slab, so I guess that's the route I'll go. I'm hoping to do this in a few days when the weather is nice. I plan on drilling the hole in the bottom plate, but just not sure where to pin point where it needs to be. I have read there is already a hole under there, it'd be nice to know which direction to go and how far to drill the hole. I did s search on filling the hole but only found one post, and it really didn't say.

I have done plenty of work on mine with a floor jack and 4 good stands. Removed my lower plate and it went back on without too much trouble or any straps, etc. a few times, but yours could be more difficult. Use the manuals and a good torque wrench. I switched my tranny fluid with the official Porsche special sauce and it was definitely slicker...especially after it warmed up. (Did this when I first got the car and picked up the Porsche fluid and had an Indy do it.) You can get it from Pelican or swing by the dealer since its often expensive to ship fluids unless there is a free shipping deal. Since that Indy visit I have done all the work on the car myself. Dave in TX 2001S

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Haha! Yeah, it can certainly be done on floor jacks, but as I've gotten older I am less enthused about being on my back on the concrete... however, I did swap my motor mount on jack stands. THAT I can tell you, was FUN... Not sure about the hole, if you have access to a good metal hole saw, if you drill a 2" hole close, you would be good to go I would think. The pan sits pretty close to the transaxle.

I changed the trans grease in mine just a few weeks ago. There was a small 6mm hole fairly close to where the drain plug is. I put a probe through the hole and looked at where in hit on the engine using a flashlight from the side. I used a 1/8" drill bit in a cordless drill and drilled a small pilot hole in the area where I thought was right below the drain plug. It look a couple of tries. Once I found the right spot I drilled the pilot hole to 1/4" and hole sawed a 2 1/2" hole in the skidplate. I de-burred the hole when I was done. Now it will be there for future maintenance.

Ready for first oil change with LN spin on adapter. I want to switch from the K&N that came with the kit a year ago but can't find anyone here listing the actual part number for a NAPA Gold filter . Is it 1042? If not please reveal the big secret number! Thanks to all

Napa Gold 1042 or Platinum 1042 https://lnengineering.com/products/featured/oil-change-bundle-configurable.html

I have a remote oil filter setup, but these 3 are used: Napa Gold 1042 Mobil 1 M1107 K&N Gold HP-107 Nothing wrong with that K&N that came with your spin-on base. I use the 1042 just because it is a little cheaper and more available.