[J]

The airbag light on the early Boxters is generally due to poor electrical connections at the seat belt receptacles. You’ll need to the code scanned by someone with a PST2 (factory scan tool), PIWIS (another factory scan tool) or a Durametric. There’s a repair kit available from Porsche that involves some splicing and soldering as well as replacing the offending receptacle. It’s not a difficult job, but again you need a factory scan tool or Durametric to reset the light.

However, combined with your radio code issue, it sounds like you need a new battery. Low voltage will set the airbag lights off on Boxsters as well, and if you’re not holding enough of a charge to keep your radio alive, you’re probably throwing a low voltage code to the airbag system as well.

Those are the two most common reasons I’ve encountered while working on Boxsters (and Caymans). Either way, you’re going to need to have the code scanned, but if you test your battery first, and find that it needs to be replaced, you might get lucky and will be able to take the car to an indy shop or dealer and have the light reset without any further work needed after replacing the battery.

[J]

The airbag light on the early Boxters is generally due to poor electrical connections at the seat belt receptacles. You’ll need to the code scanned by someone with a PST2 (factory scan tool), PIWIS (another factory scan tool) or a Durametric. There’s a repair kit available from Porsche that involves some splicing and soldering as well as replacing the offending receptacle. It’s not a difficult job, but again you need a factory scan tool or Durametric to reset the light.

However, combined with your radio code issue, it sounds like you need a new battery. Low voltage will set the airbag lights off on Boxsters as well, and if you’re not holding enough of a charge to keep your radio alive, you’re probably throwing a low voltage code to the airbag system as well.

Those are the two most common reasons I’ve encountered while working on Boxsters (and Caymans). Either way, you’re going to need to have the code scanned, but if you test your battery first, and find that it needs to be replaced, you might get lucky and will be able to take the car to an indy shop or dealer and have the light reset without any further work needed after replacing the battery.

[J]

The three in the back are the tough ones. I was able to sneak a long-handled flex head ratchet and some extensions back there the last time I changed plugs on one, but I’m not sure it wouldn’t have been easier to remove the intake plenum and throttle body. There isn’t a while lot of room to move the socket and extensions back there, but it can be done.

[J]

The three in the back are the tough ones. I was able to sneak a long-handled flex head ratchet and some extensions back there the last time I changed plugs on one, but I’m not sure it wouldn’t have been easier to remove the intake plenum and throttle body. There isn’t a while lot of room to move the socket and extensions back there, but it can be done.

[J]

I have that kit- it works great. It’s the same one they were selling on the Mac truck for a while (and still might be).

[J]

+1 on Trcustoms post, there’s plenty of them (along with Audi A4’s – lots of identical parts on that car) in the boneyards to pick parts off of.

Hopefully there are maintenance records you can look over, especially for oil changes. There were oil slud

[J]

That code and symptoms often point to a bad crankshaft position sensor. I’d check there.

[J]

Proportioning valve maybe?

[J]

+1 on dreamer’s post. Also I generally prefer not to use any type of gasket sealant unless it’s called for in the shop manual. I’ll sometimes use a light coat of Permatex high tack just to get a gasket “sticky” enough to stay in plac

[J]

Not to mention spreading that stuff anywhere other than a truck bed could land you up like this guy:

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/sho … hp?t=18595

[J]

I’ve also been taught to never solder them. I’ve never really done the research as to why not to, but I was told that the sensor needs to draw fresh air from inbetween the wire strands to work properly, and the solder keeps it from drawing air. This was back in the day when one wire sensors were all you really encountered though, for what it’s worth.

It would be interesting to see if it makes a difference though.

[J]

NGK ZFR5F-11 would suit your car well. The Denso equivalent part numner is W0133-1667704.

Stick with what the manufacturer tells you, don’t worry about getting Platinum +4 or iridium plugs unless your vehicle calls for them. I buy Bosch plugs when I’m working on a european import, but usually stick with the copper core “Bosch Super” which is the cheapest one and have never had an issue. I’ve had some issues running Bosch Platinums, but never the Supers. Some european imoports prefer NGK plugs too (namely the older generation Saabs), so NGK must be doing someting right.

[J]

I was a little skeptical at the time too, but the same person who told me never to solder O2 sensor wires was the same guy signing the paycheck, and he’d never steered me wrong any other time. I read a little bit more and there’s tons of various forum posts debating the matter, and I think the only universally agreed upon item is that oxygen sensor manufacturers tell you to crimp the connections rather than solder them. There is a lot of debate out there as to whether or not it’s possible for air to travel through the strands, why don’t they just put a vent somewhere if that’s the case, etc. Some claim that the vents become clogged with debris, grease, and other contaminants so they engineered the reference sample to travel through the wire. Again, that’s all other people’s internet research, so your mileage may vary. There’s lots of reading out there on it supporting both camps though.

The only document I could find that supports the claim that reference air is carried through the cable is here: http://apps.bosch.com.au/motorsport/dow … nlsm11.pdf Seeing as it comes from a manufacturer, I’ll lend my credence to them and continue to crimp the connections so long as it’s one of theirs. I don’t know if Denso or NTK sensors are manufactured the same, but I suspect they probably are. NTK instructions say to crimp the connections, but don’t say not to solder them like Bosch does.

Anyhow, the document contains the following 2 points:

[J]

You might also want to check the fuel pump relay. I think the fuel pump can also be powered through the oil pressure sender on that car. If you can’t hear the fuel pump prime for a couple of seconds when you turn the key to on, or the car starts right back up when it’s warm, your relay might be bad.

[J]

johnzcarz is 100% correct on the Bentley manuals- they are well worth the money. Amazon.com is a good place to find them used, as they are pretty expensive new.

[Author]

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