Missfire!

[MKS]

Hi everyone, I've had my Boxter S (3.2 987(1)) for two and a half years and absolutely love it. For the first time today I had a problem and from what I have read it might be a coil pack. I was on a 60 mile round trip. Stopped at 30 miles for lunch, and about 5 miles into the return journey the engine management light came on and a cylinder dropped out. Message said 'check engine drive to workshop'. So the remaining 25 mile drive home was decidedly lumpy. Everything else seems fine. Has anyone replaced their coil packs, is it an easy job? Is there a good make to go for for the coils packs and plugs, or should I get a garage to do it, if so, i'm in Norfolk, is there a good specialist in Norfolk as I don't want to drive it all the way to Cambridge or Colchester of 5 Cylinders? Any advice would be great, many thanks. Melvyn.

 

[CLIFFWILKINS]

Probably a cracked or corroded coil pack makes tend to be Beru or Bosch
There's a Porsche specialist in Norwich called STR

 

[Briggy]

I changed my coilpacks myself on my Cayman (obviously same as Boxster), using this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RqxhTqATL1A as a guide. Was very straight forward. Cheapest place for parts was OPC.

Cheers,
Bryan

 

[irb26]

Hi
One of the German brands is probably better to go for (Beru/Bosch etc).
You can change them your self as long as you don't mind laying on the floor in the winter!
Access is easier if you remove the rear wheel.
They are held on by a couple of bolts either a hex head or torx head type usually although they often get changed out by previous maintainers.

If you just want to do the one coil pack then you will need to either isolate the dodgy coil pack, or use a diagnostic reader to find your problematic cylinder.

If it were me I would get the codes read first to see if it is a misfire and where from (anything from P0300 - P0306 should be present for a simple misfire, p0301 - cyl 1, 302 cyl -2 etc).

And then either change the offending article, as many as you feel you need or all 6 if you are feeling flush...When you see how close the the road wheels they are you work out why they fail !!

Thanks

 

[Chappelle]

Change one and leave the rest until the car needs a big service. Indy charged me nothing to change all coil packs at the time of service and was very happy that I supplied them.

Design911 was £139 + VAT and £10 postage for 6 for BERU coil packs. Doubt OPC would be anywhere near this price

 

[MKS]

Thank you everyone, that was very helpful, I've ordered new coil packs and plugs and will fit this weekend, looks easy enough. However, I bought a OBD II code scanner and there are 4 fault codes, P0300 multiple/random cylinder misfire, P0301 misfire, P0302 misfire and P0303 misfire. So that's the whole off-side bank. It seems very coincidental that all 3 coils should go at once so i'm thinking this is probably more likely to be a lambda sensor, pre or post the Cat or the MAF. Given that the car is a 2006 3.2 and has only done 33,000 miles, the lack of use may be a factor. Melvyn

 

[MKS]

[FONT=helvetica"]Update..... this misfire happened about 25 miles away from home on one cylinder which by the time I got home was all of bank 1. That was last sunday and today I changed the coil packs, started it, it ran for about 10 seconds making lots of horrible noise and misfiring them jamed solid. I love the car and want to take it somewhere where they know what they are doing and will look after it. Does anyone have ant experience of independent specialists in Norwich or Norfolk. STR has been mentioned and I've seen Autowerke's website. Any thoughts or experience would be appreciated.

 

[glynna8]

Hi
my 2001 986 Boxter had exactly the same issues a year ago and I had two coil packs changes as the car was on four cylinders
and yellow engine warning light . Now on a Porsche Centre free check the remaining four show cracking wide enough to insert a 50 pence piece. So bought all four and 6 Bosch plugs at £4 each. The coils are 413330081 at Euro Car parts and £12.90 each plus vat, so why not do the set? Use you local garage -- its just a car [] my old plugs were in quite good nick after 21, 000 miles but all were loose! Car running the smoothest ever now and not the same smell of petrol when on choke

 

[MKS]

Lucky you, my problem has turned into a significant issue. Having thought the issue was coil pack related I ordered new ones. So, two weeks after the issue I started the car to move it to be able to fit the coil packs......the car started, ran On 3 cylinders for 10 seconds then jammed solid. i think the timing chain for bank 1 is broken......any thoughts?

 

[Motorhead]

Sorry to hear that Melvyn. If the engine's actually seized for whatever reason, unless you're really handy with a spanner, etc., I don't think that you've much option than to get it checked out by a competent garage. You could try contacing someone like Porsche specialist PIE Performance in Suffolk ( http://www.pieperformance.co.uk/ ).

I wouldn't try cranking the engine again otherwise you could cause more damage.

Good luck..!

Jeff

 

[glynna8]

yes get a local mechanic to come to the car.
What codes are shown by your meter device? You are close to needing the whole engine to be pulled out. Were the timing chains noisy as a prelude to all this? sometimes the advance position on the camshaft can be signalled on the correct meter, the best being the Durametric I think

 

[MKS]

Thanks both, I’ve sent it to Hartech in Bolton, the Engine sounded perfect On the day, and always, leading up to this, I’ll see what transpires and let you know.

 

[Motorhead]

A very sensible course of action Melvyn. Hartech are a well-respected Gen1 engine repairer.

Hope it all works out well for you and keep us posted.

Jeff

 

[MKS]

Well, well, well this has been most interesting. Harteck now have the engine stripped and the view is that a valve spring broke on cylinder 1, the valve eventually found its way into the piston chamber. Harteck believe this to be highly unusual and is a metal fatigue issue. I think that given the age of the car and it's low mileage it may have actually shown itself during the initial 3 year warranty period, certainly not something Harteck have seen in this model. Anyway, my point is, if you get a misfire stop immediately and don't assume it's a coil pack or plug although in all likelihood that is probably all it will be. The good news is that, so far, Harteck have been every bit as good as everything I've read about them, its winter and I should have a great engine when it's done....I'll let you know!

 

[Wheelnuts]

thanks for the update, and great advice so thanks for sharing. Hope you get your car back and its as good as new. keep us all posted on progress.

 

[MKS]

I just thought I would give you an update on the misfire. The cabuse was a broken valve spring which shot the valve into cylinder one. Ouch! That said, Harteck have rebuilt the engine. I picked the car up a week ago. I can't speak highly enough about the care and thorough engineering expertise Grant and his team have for customers cars. The engine feels crisp and solid and although I'm restricting my driving whilst the mechanics bed in, I've got fuel enconomy that I've never seen before, 32mpg, even around town. I spent a good hour going round Hartech's workshop and talking through do's and don'ts which was very informative, bottom line is use the car and don't start the car from cold and let it idle to warm up (I've done this in previous winters). Anyway, 500 miles in all is well. i'll update in 1500 miles time.

 

[alanw13]

Hi just thought I would let you know that I had this problem arise in September 2017 with my 57 Plate Cayman S, which had the exhaust valve spring break on number 3 cylinder, engine was rebuilt by Hartech and having now done just over 2900 miles everything is good. My car had done just over 58000 miles when it happened so a lot more mileage than yours.