[JonNelson]

Hey all ... a blanket reply (sorry) since I'm just doing a "quick" reply.



I've been in PCA since I bought the 968 back in August of 2006. I haven't posted pics 'cos I don't have many. I'll try to rectify that ... all I can say is that I drive and work and drive and work ... I do perhaps 70 hours a week in four-five days, and am mostly doing chores and odds-n-ends on the weekends. So I guess I'm a busy bee with too little time for photo ops.



Right now she's a dirty car (we've had weather off and on - more on than off today in New Mexico) and with hideous (IMHO) 16" Dogdish wheels with snow tires on. <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/blink.gif" class="smilie" alt="" /> So I'll take pics when she's back to her pretty self in the next weeks or so.



By the way, although I was surprised that rotor/cap/filter/plugs would get her running again so well, I'd already planned on doing those items regardless. I was originally thinking it would not solve my problem at all, so I was as surprised as everyone else. It takes me a while to get parts and fix things ... like I said, I'm always running around playing catch-up, it seems. But I do plan on taking the advice on the timing belt soon. I've visually inspected it, and I think it's in very good shape. Still...



Bob Blackwell and I have met just once, but I agree - a good guy. He was the local PCA guy that welcomed me to the fold when I first joined. I fixed my car at a friend's fledgling shop while I slowly manage to get my garage where I need it to be able to do most maintenance myself. A fellow PCA guy (whom I've yet to meet but have heard loads about) named Russ Kelso also has a "real" Porsche shop ... he was kinda enough to point out to me some of the points of reading the computer vs. just doing the maintenance myself. Nice guy, Russ.



Look forward to posting some pics of her going through corners. In the meantime, thanks again to all who contributed.



- Nelson

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[bob blackwell]

Happy to hear that everything worked out well with your car. Hope to see you at some of the local PCA events soon, good luck, Bob Blackwell.

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[NeedPorscheSpeed]

[quote name='968gene' post='45241' date='Jan 3 2008, 05:38 PM']<img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/rolleyes.gif" class="smilie" alt="" />[/quote]



You nailed it, buddy! <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/biggrin.gif" class="smilie" alt="" />

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[madridcab]

Makes me wonder if changing my original cap, rotor, wires might make a difference?? Car is running very sweet though, although not quite as free revving as I would have liked at low revs when cold..

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[Cloud9...68]

I know what you mean - I've been thinking about replacing my cap and rotor (have already replaced the wires), but the car is running very well, and I can't really tell if the cap and rotor are really worn. They're fairly expensive, so I'm not sure if it's worth it, so I keep procrastinating on this one...

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[flash]

i can't get 10k out of a cap before it has visible signs of wear - take a look at the rotor - if it has pitting on the edge, it needs replacing - same thing with the cap - you can use an emery cloth and get away with them for a little while, but it won't take long to go bad again - same thing goes for plugs



i have been amazed and annoyed at how quickly these go bad, and what a difference it makes in how the car runs

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[Cloud9...68]

[quote name='flash' post='55133' date='Jun 21 2008, 09:30 AM']i can't get 10k out of a cap before it has visible signs of wear - take a look at the rotor - if it has pitting on the edge, it needs replacing - same thing with the cap - you can use an emery cloth and get away with them for a little while, but it won't take long to go bad again - same thing goes for plugs



i have been amazed and annoyed at how quickly these go bad, and what a difference it makes in how the car runs[/quote]



Is there anything you can point to in terms of the way the car runs before and after replacing the rotor and cap? On modern cars, replacing these items typically isn't even on the maintenance schedule in the owners manual (implying a 100,000+ mile expected life). My car idles smoothly (when it's running, that is - still reassembling the front of the engine to get it ready for the latest round of overheating troubleshooting...), pulls strongly, doesn't miss or hesitate, etc. Just looknig for something specific to tell when it's time to replace the fairly pricey cap and rotor... Thanks.

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[flash]

this one is sort of basic electric principle - if there are visual signs of pitting on the contacts, they are not transferring all of the juice, so they need to be replaced - this generally needs to be done long before any symptoms "show up" - it's a gradual degree of failure

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[JonNelson]

It's been my experience (at least with German cars - my VW and my friends' two VWs before and my Porsche now) that the cap and rotor wear out rather quickly (as in every ~50,000 miles or less). I wonder if it is because we live in a very dusty area (New Mexico) ... ?



Oh, and for many people I realize that 50,000 miles can take several years ... I do it in one. :-\



- Jon

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[flash]

hmmm - i don't think i've ever had a car go 50k on a cap and rotor before, german, japanese, or other - we'll see as the denali is just about at that point - it has a misfire though, and i suspect it may be in the cap



the 325 went the longest at 48k - no symptoms, but they changed it

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[banditsc]

The Denali isn't a distributorless coil on plug system?

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[flash]

lol - frankly, i don't know - never bothered to look - i let the dealer handle that one - it's under warranty - i'm going to have them put better plugs in it though



i'm not even sure what the bmw had - they "said" they changed it when we had it in, but i have no idea - it was under warranty and didn't care

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[banditsc]

You need more personal time under the hood of your other cars then. I know my truck is a coil on system. I run copper Autolites in it since they perform well, they don't last as long, but they are cheap and makes for more one on one time with the engine. <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/smile.gif" class="smilie" alt="" />

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[flash]

lol- yeah, that's what i need - more time on cars - lol - i'm doing a clutch on my 968 right now, still need to get the denali in to diagnose the misfire, and at least 6 parts projects going



i think i'll let them change my plugs

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[ds968]

[quote name='flash' post='56144' date='Jul 10 2008, 01:32 PM']i think i'll let them change my plugs[/quote]



wonder if the denali has one or two plugs per cyl. <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/huh.gif" class="smilie" alt="" /> i was amazed to learn that most 6 cyl mercedes'

( post '98 ? ) have two plugs/cyl



heck, all that does is double the opportunity to misfire !



cynic at large <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/dry.gif" class="smilie" alt="" /> <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/tongue.gif" class="smilie" alt="" />

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