Q – I plan to store my car again this winter. I just bought my third battery in four years. It is not even the cost of the battery that bugs me, it is just a pain to get it out and then back in.

A – I store a number of cars every winter and face the same issues. On my Porsche, I have two really slick items that you may want. The first is a battery cut-off switch. The ones I use are made by Hella. They are marine quality rated at 1,000 amps which is a lot stronger than you need, but then again more is better, right?

The other thing I use is a battery maintainer, not to be confused with a trickle charger. The difference is that a trickle charger often just keeps on charging even when it shouldn’t. This will ruin an otherwise good battery if you forget to unplug it. The battery maintainer on the other hand, charges, stops for a while, discharges a little, then charges again. This keeps the battery “excercised” so to speak and prevents overcharge. MC

Q – Someone told me that I had “boiled” my battery dry.

A – The electrolyte on a battery generally needs to be checked if it can be. Many people think they have a “maintenance free” battery and experience has shown that this is usually NOT the case. Over time, the electrolyte gets depleted and the battery may need to be topped up with distilled water. MCA – The electrolyte on a battery generally needs to be checked if it can be. Many people think they have a “maintenance free” battery and experience has shown that this is usually NOT the case. Over time, the electrolyte gets depleted and the battery may need to be topped up with distilled water. MC

Q – My seat won’t go all the way back anymore. Any idea why?

Brian

A – If you look under and next to the seat, you might find some spare change. A quarter makes an effective wedge that jams the seat track. Sometimes you can dig the coin(s) out with a pair of long nose pliers, occasionally you have to remove the seat. Don’t force it! MC

Q – The front wheel bearings on my car seem loose to me. Can I just tighten them or should I take them apart to get a better look at them.

A – If you can tell that they are loose, they probably are. On Porsche, the bearings generally run tighter than other cars since Porsche hubs are made of aluminum (which tends to expand when hot). If they are loose, it is possible that they are worn but to simply adjust them never hurts. The bearings are quite heavy duty for the size of the car and last a long time. I recommend inspection of the bearings during a complete front brake service while the calipers and rotors are off the car. Usually bearings give you plenty of advance warning (growling) before they fail. MC

Q – I read your piece about the convertible top flying over the car in the P4 and I wanted you to know about a letter I got from Porsche. It turns out there is a recall on the convertible top lock motors that even provides reimbursement if the problem has already been fixed. How about that?

A – Thanks for the update. I am sure that anyone who has not yet been notified will call the dealer to get it handled. When I asked some of my buddies, if they had received the notice, they had NOT.

For those who never get anything from Porsche, let me clue you in. If you have not registered your ownership with Porsche (that little card in the owners manual that NO ONE fills out) you will not get notified of recalls or service campaigns. Only the original owner gets notified unless you send in the card.

Do the right thing, tell the manufacturer that you own one of their products. You will not be bombarded with junk mail. You WILL receive important info about your vehicle if they need to contact you. As a sidebar to this, if you are in doubt, any dealer will cheerfully check for open recalls or campaigns if you simply present yourself or your VIN number to them and ask. Try it, it’s free! (They get paid by the factory.) MC

Q – My radio reception is terrible. It was so bad that I replaced the stereo but it didn’t help. Every time I take it in for service, it works fine but whenever I get out of the city I can’t pick anything up. The antenna is built into the windshield and it was cracked so I replaced it. I hoped that this would help but still nothing. The shop even tried another stereo but it made no difference. The antenna cable looks fine.

A – You must live in the boonies. But seriously, check the antenna cable resistance and I bet you will find the problem. My guess is that the center lead has broken by tugging on the cable rather than the plug. Besides, it’s the only thing left! MC

Q – I just went out to start my car and the battery is dead. If I can start it with a jump, is it OK to let the car run for a while and charge up? – Justin

A – It is a widely held belief that the car’s charging system is for charging the battery. Oddly, the folks who designed, built and supplied your alternator do not think so. I know it doesn’t make sense but Bosch warns against trying to charge a dead battery with the car’s charging system.

The alternator’s mission is to replenish the electricity lost during starting and maintain the charge of the battery by powering all the vehicle accessories. A dead battery can send the alternator into thermal overload by delivering too much electricity. Bosch clearly states this on the installation instructions provided with every alternator. It certainly doesn’t seem intuitive does it?

Alternators are designed to produce their rated load for relatively short periods and then taper off. Alternators that produce maximum output continuously are used on commercial vehicles such as police cars, ambulances, etc.

If you have the time to wait, your best bet is to charge the battery at a low rate to charge it up fully. I use a 2 amp manual charger for the first 24 hours then an automatic charger at the 10 to15 amp setting for another 24 hours. To fully charge a stone dead battery may take a couple days and it is best not to rush the process. If you are going to try this however, please note the following paragraph.

If you notice the odor of rotten eggs or see liquid bubbling out of the battery, unplug the charger at the wall socket and sprinkle a little baking soda on that bubbling liquid (which is probably acid). Leaking battery acid will damage the trunk of your Porsche and that nasty odor indicates the presence of an explosive gas (hydrogen). A spark can ignite the hydrogen which is why it is wise not to simply unclip the battery clamps.

If you are in a hurry and you can’t wait to drive your car, connect the jumper cables and let the running car send power to the dead battery for about 15 minutes before you even try to start your Porsche. Once your car is running, rather than letting it idle, drive the car to charge it up. At higher rpm’s, the alternator runs cooler as it charges.

When you park the car that night, put the battery charger on at the 10 to 15 amp automatic setting. Usually one overnight charge will bring it back up to snuff if the battery is healthy. Please note: If you have a charger with both manual and automatic modes, I suggest that you only use the automatic setting. Keeping the battery in a proper state of charge will save your alternator and your battery tray. – MC

Q – The leather in my car is very hard from many years in the Florida heat. The seams are pulling apart. I tried some leather creams and treatments but the leather is still hard and the little perforated holes in the seat cushions got clogged with the treatment. I paid my son and his friend $10.00 just to clean all those little holes with toothpicks. Got any ideas? Bill

A – For this cure, you will need to practice patience. Remember it took years to dry out so don’t expect it to soften up overnight. I have had old leather come back to life with repetitive coats of “Neatsfoot oil”. You can buy it at the hardware store but I get mine at the local saddlery. (Horse people definitely know leather.)

It takes a while to soak in so plan to do it when you know that you won’t be using the car for a day or so. Paint it on with a natural bristle paint brush. You will notice how it soaks into the leather at different rates. Expect to recoat the neediest areas and wipe the excess off the places where it does not soak in. In some cases, you might discover that it does not soak in at. It is possible that your leather seats may actually be part vinyl. Don’t worry, it won’t hurt vinyl.

After a few applications you will begin to notice the difference and in a few months, your hard seats will soften up again. Incidentally, if you want to apply a more intensive heavier coat, you can cover the seats with plastic for a day or so. This also allows you to drive the car if you can’t wait for it to soak in. MC

Q – I own one of the “entry level Porsches”; a late 80’s Carrera. Generally the carpet is in pretty good shape but some of it is a little tattered (near the clutch pedal), it is getting a bit droopy (under the pedals), the backing has gotten a little rotted (on the floor), and it’s a little faded (map pockets and package shelf). Of course I could buy a new carpet kit, but I would like to keep it as original as possible and besides, I like playing with it. Do you know any alternative that is good AND cheap?

A – Charlie, that “good and cheap” is a favorite oxymoron of mine. I prefer “above average” and “resourceful”. Good and cheap usually doesn’t work out too well, but I will give this a try. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

The fading is easy. At the local auto parts store, there is a product called “Carpet and Vinyl dye made by Duplicolor. I have used it to restore rear hatch carpet on 924 and 944, the package shelf carpet on 911 and it works fantastic. I don’t sell it but I could. It works that well. I did my door pockets with it and it took longer to mask off the doors than it did to apply the product. In two hours, I was “back to black”.

Since this is the Motor City, there are many sources that sell automotive carpet. I found a source that one would never suspect could match the black 80’s Porsche carpet; Seat Cover King in Pontiac. When I got a sample the comment was made “it’s not an exact match, I’m not sure you will like it”. Fact is, it is NOT an exact match, it is actually better! The pile is thicker and it has no backing (just like the original). For the compound curves inside a Carrera, it is excellent and inexpensive. Far better than “good and cheap”

For the backing, I have seen rubber glued to the back of the carpet to help keep it flat. It looks pretty tacky and makes the carpet sit higher too. What I tried was poly urethane glue (A.K.A. Gorilla glue) from the local hardware store. I cleaned the carpet very well and dried it with cement blocks on top to flatten it.

Once it was mostly dry, I created a waffle pattern on the back with Gorilla glue. I covered it with wax paper and again used cement blocks to squish it thoroughly into the carpet. When it was dry, the piece was nice and stiff and sits proudly where it belongs, looking fresh and beautiful.

Of course, there are those who might say: “why bother, just buy the doggone kit”. Well I might someday, but this time I can proudly say “I did it”. MC

Q – I own one of the “entry level Porsches”; a late 80’s Carrera. Generally the carpet is in pretty good shape but some of it is a little tattered (near the clutch pedal), it is getting a bit droopy (under the pedals), the backing has gotten a little rotted (on the floor), and it’s a little faded (map pockets and package shelf). Of course I could buy a new carpet kit, but I would like to keep it as original as possible and besides, I like playing with it. Do you know any alternative that is good AND cheap?

A – Charlie, that “good and cheap” is a favorite oxymoron of mine. I prefer “above average” and “resourceful”. Good and cheap usually doesn’t work out too well, but I will give this a try. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

The fading is easy. At the local auto parts store, there is a product called “Carpet and Vinyl dye made by Duplicolor. I have used it to restore rear hatch carpet on 924 and 944, the package shelf carpet on 911 and it works fantastic. I don’t sell it but I could. It works that well. I did my door pockets with it and it took longer to mask off the doors than it did to apply the product. In two hours, I was “back to black”.

Since this is the Motor City, there are many sources that sell automotive carpet. I found a source that one would never suspect could match the black 80’s Porsche carpet; Seat Cover King in Pontiac. When I got a sample the comment was made “it’s not an exact match, I’m not sure you will like it”. Fact is, it is NOT an exact match, it is actually better! The pile is thicker and it has no backing (just like the original). For the compound curves inside a Carrera, it is excellent and inexpensive. Far better than “good and cheap”

For the backing, I have seen rubber glued to the back of the carpet to help keep it flat. It looks pretty tacky and makes the carpet sit higher too. What I tried was poly urethane glue (A.K.A. Gorilla glue) from the local hardware store. I cleaned the carpet very well and dried it with cement blocks on top to flatten it.

Once it was mostly dry, I created a waffle pattern on the back with Gorilla glue. I covered it with wax paper and again used cement blocks to squish it thoroughly into the carpet. When it was dry, the piece was nice and stiff and sits proudly where it belongs, looking fresh and beautiful.

Of course, there are those who might say: “why bother, just buy the doggone kit”. Well I might someday, but this time I can proudly say “I did it”.  MC

Q – You could say that I am vertically challenged but I can’t grow longer legs so I need your help. When I am at driver’s education, my left leg barely reaches the dead pedal and as a result, I get a cramp in it. Have you heard of a good solution short of lifts?

A – Joe this may absolutely disgust you but I suggest a 2 X 4. Yes, I said a 2 X 4 but not JUST a 2 X 4, but a well concealed, elegant spacer that resembles a 2 X 4 (which no one will recognize as a 2 X 4).

Since you just need space and carving up your interior is not an option, you can fashion a well fabricated spacer out of wood that works just fine. The trick is locating the mounting bolts correctly and securing it well. Caution: The penalty for doing a half baked job is VERY severe! So if you lack woodworking and fabrication skills, don’t try it. However, once the mock up of your new dead pedal is complete, and utter integrity is assured, your local trim shop can provide a type of carpet called “trunk mat” that is very thin and can be glued securely to the 2 X 4. Performance Products does not sell these but if you are creative, it can be done quite effectively for about $20.00 or less. MC

Q – My 2003 Boxster S just dumped a few gallons of oil as it was driving it and the dealer tells me that the engine is ruined. It is under warranty but naturally, my summer of fun is over. Down the road, is this likely to happen again?

Q – My 2005 Carrera just lost all its oil and the shop tells me that the engine needs to be replaced. Prior to this, two main engine seals were replaced and even though the dealer is replacing the engine under warranty, I want to know if there is anything I could have done to cause or prevent this.

Q – My 2001 Boxster died on the freeway and I had it towed to the dealer where I was told that the engine needs to be replaced. I have about 90,000 miles on it and it is not under warranty. They estimated about $16,000 to replace the engine. I have always had the oil changed and I use synthetic oil. What the heck! I am really upset.

A – These engines have a defect that Porsche is aware of and they are very gracious to clients with vehicles under warranty. When the warranty is up however, you can expect a hassle. You need to keep meticulous records of oil changes and services performed. If you lose them or miss an interval, heaven help you because Porsche won’t. What the future holds for those who were shown no love by the company no one knows but certainly a quality oriented company like Porsche is well aware of the problem and very sensitive to the negative feedback that comes from it.

Don’t beat yourselves up it’s not your fault. My ex brother-in-law had a total failure at 11,000 miles and although it could have been HIS fault, Porsche still bought him a new engine. As far as the replacement engines go, you can rest assured that the problem has been remedied. After all, rumor has it that the warranty department pitched a tent in the hallway outside engineering and has refused to leave until they can get some rest. And for all those dealer techs who got tired of fixing squeaks and rattles, they now have job security that other folks can only envy.  MC

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Q – I just spent a lot of money restoring my car and I was wondering about my insurance coverage since I have now spent three times what any other car like mine is selling for. What do you suggest?

A – Many of your fellow hobbyists are in the same boat (or tub, if that’s your flavor). The first thing I recommend is forwarding copies of your receipts to your insurance agent to put him on notice of your expenses. I prefer to fax them or email since this stamps them with a time and date for reference. Next you need to ask if your present carrier offers coverage for your project. Many don’t offer the coverage that I prefer which is “agreed value”. Your receipts, an appraisal, and pictures of the car bolster your valuation if you experience a loss. Even if your car is not done, it should still carry agreed value insurance.

Many companies offer “stated value” coverage. I have found this useful to at least let the adjuster know that my car was not just a (in my case) garden variety Rabbit. When my car was “totaled” (their opinion) I was paid in full for the needed repairs and allowed to keep the car. I fixed it and it still wins “best of show” awards 25 years later. Beauty is in the eyes of the motorhead. I don’t recommend stated value coverage since the adjuster will want the value proven to him/her. If you suffer the trauma of a loss, the last thing you want to do is debate the wisdom how you spent your money to a bean counter.

“Actual cash value” coverage is what the majority of policies contain. For a collectible car, this is worthless unless you like arguing with an adjuster about why your car is special. For your daily driver, it’s no big deal unless you have tricked it out.

These topics are expanded on in an excellent article about insurance written by Dennis Denyer a few years ago. Dennis kindly agreed to freshen it up for a future P4 so stay tuned for more. MC

Q – I decided to flush my brakes so I bought one of those vacuum bleeders. When I hook it up to the bleeder valves and begin to suck the fluid out of the calipers, I get air bubbles continuously. I know that the goal is to get all the air out of the system so I am a bit frustrated. What am I missing?

A – I take a unique approach to flushing the brakes so I will let you in on some of my “trade secrets”. To keep air bubbles from the fluid stream, remove the bleeder valves altogether, “chase” the threads to remove corrosion, and wrap Teflon tape around the threads then reinstall them. Not only does this keep bubbles at bay, it also prevents the possibility of corrosion seizure of the valves.

The other processes that I employ are pressure bleeding and foot bleeding. When I flush the brakes, I combine pressure bleeding, vacuum bleeding and foot bleeding in an approach the gets as much of the old fluid out of the system as possible. First I suck the fluid out of the reservoir with the vacuum bleeder and see what is in the bottom of the reservoir. If it is full of black gook, remove it and clean it first with a strong detergent then with CLR (calcium, lime, rust remover). If you can’t get it clean, replace it. Once it is clean, I fill it with fresh fluid and connect a pressure bleeder that keeps about 15 pounds of pressurized brake fluid in the system.

At this point, a few cautions are in order. Brake fluid is corrosive and removes paint. If you plan doing a brake flush, protect your fenders and trunk against spillage and if you do spill any fluid, clean it up with soapy water immediately. Wear eye protection! And finally, if you have a tiny little hose connected to the top of the brake fluid reservoir, clamp it shut. It is the vent hose and if you leave it open, all the fresh fluid that you are pumping into the reservoir will end up on the floor!

Let’s say that you have the bleeders clean, taped and ready. You have the pressure bleeder hooked up and you are ready to begin. Connect the vacuum bleeder up to the valve, open the valve then have your assistant slowly push the brake pedal down then gradually release it. This flushes the master cylinder much more effectively than simply pressure or vacuum bleeding. You will be surprised at the color of the fluid that is expelled from the master cylinder. You will also be surprised at how quickly the flush itself is accomplished once you get through all the prep work.

Final cautions: Relieve the air pressure on the pressure bleeder and shut the valve before you disconnect it from the master cylinder or you will make a big mess. Anticipate spillage when disconnecting the bleeder and don’t forget to install the bleeder caps. Clean the mess off the calipers, tires and wheels and if you have any questions contact me. MC

Q – I just replaced my hood emblem and one of my ham-fisted buddies pushed on it to shut the hood and squashed it…just like the one I took off! The emblem swap started badly when I dropped one of the nuts inside the trunk and could not get it out. Then getting the rubber gasket in place was tough and as I tried to secure the emblem, it kept slipping under the emblem. It looked so easy.

A – Frustrated, I had the same experience with my own car except the person who squashed it was no friend of mine. The emblem seems to be such a logical place to push the hood shut. After all, who wants a hand print on the paint!

A few tricks I have learned are to first make sure the pins on the emblem are straight enough that they will fit into the holes in the hood. If they are not (and they often aren’t) you can gingerly straighten them while applying pressure to the face of the emblem (so you don’t distort it and break the cloisonné)

Next I mix up a little epoxy to fill the void on back of the emblem so when it gets pushed on (and it will) it will not squash. After the epoxy dries, I warm the gasket up in the micro wave in a cup of water until it is very soft and pliable then stretch it over the emblem. As far as those pesky nuts, I use a nut driver with a small glob of butyl tape (bubble gum would work) to stick the nut to the driver while I am fishing it up into the hole. It works like a charm. MC

Q – My late 70’s 914 windshield is scratched and I wonder who you recommend for a replacement. I would rather have it repaired rather than replaced but I don’t know where to have that done either. Mark

A – You are in luck. On April 24th, John R Auto Glass will be demonstrating the repair process at Devils in the Details at Autometric Collision in Troy. I was recently talking to a 944 owner who had a problem with the rear hatch on his car. Somehow the glass “moves” in the frame and creates a leak at the top edge. According to our intrepid (and picky) safety chairman, John R was also able to correct this problem as well. It was not cheap but well worth the price compared to a replacement hatch. I am also told that they can repair scratched rear windows which (to the best of my knowledge) are made of tempered glass. I am looking forward to the demo since the rear window on my Hudson Hornet could use a little TLC. – MC

Q – I have a 1989 Carrera and the leather seats are faded. The leather looks nice otherwise and I have been told that dying them is not something that I should try on my own. I priced out a set of hides for simply recovering them and wow are they expensive! I would not mind having them replaced if that is the best plan but I would like to keep it original. – Ted

A – I understand your dilemma Ted. You have the patina of the original seats and if they were well cared for, the leather is thick and well formed to the driver. The only place that I know of in South East Michigan is Paul’s Interiors located in Pontiac on Cesar Chavez Avenue. Paul and his sons have been working on interiors for some of the finest restorations in the area for years and they too will be demonstrating their skills at Devils in the Details. I am told that they will be doing some sewing and dying. If you have questions about any cosmetic aspect of your car, no where else will you find a wider array of experts in one place on one day. Hope to see you there. MC

Q – I just had new tires installed on my 86 Carrera and when I took the car to the tire store, after they balanced the tires, they left the old adhesive on the wheel. What do you use to get that off? David

A – Try “Goo Gone” to remove the old adhesive.

It may take some elbow grease but be patient and do not use an abrasive to save time. As an aside to that adhesive problem, if you have clods of tar on the wheels, you can use an ice cube to chill them and then they pop right off the finish when you nudge them with a Popsicle stick or a Teflon spatula. Don’t use anything hard or sharp. – MC

Q – I had a problem with my night vision so I picked up a pair of higher output bulbs and installed them in my 89 Carrera. Last night and I smelled an odd odor of burning rubber and no, it wasn’t my tires. It caused me some concern but then on the way home, the odor went away. I did notice that everyone was flashing their lights at me and when I tried to dim the lights, the switch felt like it was working but the lights are on bright all the time. – Paul

A – On these early cars the power for high and low beams flows through the dimmer switch rather than through a relay. (Remember that the car was designed in the sixties.) And if that isn’t enough, when you put bigger bulbs in the headlights, the switch melts even faster. It is not easy or cheap to fix the switch and it involves getting under that dash in ways that aren’t kind to those wearing bifocals or who have vertigo.

To avoid this problem in the future, have relays retrofitted under the hood. Essentially the load that originally passed through the switch will now pass through the relay. I guarantee that you will never fry a switch again no matter how strong your bulbs are. The added benefit of relays is that the headlights will be brighter since power is relayed directly from the battery to the lights. – MC

Q – I just bought a 1986 944 and although it has low mileage, the former owner was not an enthusiast and mildly neglected it. I have attended two of the club detailing clinics and I really appreciate the demos and info from the vendors. I took one of my cars to the Motor City Auto Spa and I was very pleased. This winter, I would like to preserve and even restore some of the surfaces on my car particularly the rear spoiler and the leather seats. I am interested in finding out what products you use and recommend and where to find them. My wife asked me for a Christmas list. – Ted

A – Well Ted, I am not a concours guy, just a motorhead who details cars for therapy so here goes. Since I don’t sell detailing products, these are the ones I buy for myself.

For leather (dark shades only) I use Fiebing’s 100% pure Neatsfoot Oil that I buy from Arizona Saddlery. I paint it on with a natural bristle brush and let it soak in for a day or two. On older leather it may take a few applications to get it to penetrate. You can put plastic on the seat if you need to drive the car while it is soaking in.

For the spoiler and bumper rub strips, just like the leather, these plastic surfaces need to be fed regularly. I use Black Magic Pro Shine Protectant. This product is not watered down like most protectants. I have tried every brands that I could find locally and this is my current favorite. I get it at Murrays.

For chin spoilers, tires, and lower side skirts, I used No Touch Wet & Protect premium. This product is not glossy and it evens out the plastic surfaces that seem to get stained or mottled from road debris or scuffing. I also use this product for under hood plastic and rubber hoses to spruce them up. I also get this from Murrays.

For paint, I like the Magna Sponge instead of the traditional clay bar. It works just like clay but the dirt washes off instead of contaminating the clay. I got mine on the web. As a lubricant for the sponge, I use Griot’s Speed Shine or Meguiars Quik Detailer. Both work well.

I like Rejex as a protective finish for paint and wheels. I get it on the web. I have also tried a dozen other waxes. I like the clear product by Turtle Wax called Ice. They claim that you can use it on everything except glass but I have only used it on paint. Clear polish…what a concept! They also make colored car polish and again…why not? Some of them even come with a little lipstick style applicator for scratches.

I have faith is in the chemistry of synthetic polymer products. I think they are all good and I believe that for most folks, they are far better than traditional waxes. If you would have seen my car in 04 when Mike and I first drove it back from Florida, compared to now, you would agree I have learned a lot. I am happy to share it with you, Ted. – MC

Q – Dear MC, After washing my 08 Cayman and letting it sit overnight, next morning, the brakes seem to be seized. I can break them loose by tapping the accelerator pedal but applying the brake pedal doesn’t help. Is this normal? Do the pads oxidize and bond to the rotors? My car has the manual shifter. This happens only when the car sits after washing. – Mark H.

A – You are correct, the pads are corroding to the rotors overnight. After washing the car, I suggest that you drive the Cayman at a speed of about 50 to 70 miles per hour then apply the brakes to evaporate the water. Problem solved. MC

Q – My 2003 Turbo has a problem at 80 miles per hour and the shop I have taken it to can not figure it out. They installed new tires and balanced them twice but still it shakes. I only have about 23,000 miles on it. I hope the suspension isn’t bent – David

A – I am happy to help, I see this all the time. First of all, to really experience this problem, the shop would have to DRIVE your car at 80 mph. That’s pretty tough around here but how else can you experience the problem. I’m sure that the tire store or the shop did not drive your car that fast. It is a very intimidating car.

I suspect a bent wheel since thousands of otherwise earnest and qualified techs have balanced a bent wheel to Zero imbalance only to have the car still shake on the road. Slightly less likely, but still possible, is a bad tire. It is possible to have a totally new tire with a “slipped belt” make it past the quality-control robots and make its way onto your car, which will also cause a shake no matter how well the tire/wheel combo is balanced. Unless you have hit something hard enough to bend a wheel, AND the suspension, a harmonic shake won’t originate with the chassis. MC

Q – I want my 08 Cayman to corner like it is on rails but when I really push it, it plows and under steers. I would also like it to be easy on tires in between track sessions. I already had the camber adjusted to maximum on the front. What alignment do you recommend that will do both. – Art

A – There is no single correct answer to this question. Your car is engineered to under steer since it is a safer condition than over steer. That is the way the lawyers like it, but not the engineers. Who doesn’t like to hang the tail out occasionally? For the track, my suggestion is to increase the front camber and decrease the front toe-in measurements. These settings will chew the tires faster than a 2 stroke blender can stir a margarita but it will stick like Velcro. An excellent resource of information on the topic is the Michelin web site, (Kudos to Jim Long, the club’s Michelin man.)

What you really want is two alignments that you can toggle back and forth between track and street settings and this can be done. To get the front camber that you need on this model, you will need camber plates. There is simply not enough adjustment available from the factory. You will also discover that, just like the older Carreras, both sides are different when the alignment is optimal. How odd.

Start with an alignment measured on a level alignment rack and get a printout. Most shops can show you how the car measured at the start and how the finished alignment came out at end. Since repeatable alignment results are critical, the car cannot be jacked up during this process. Unloading the suspension changes the alignment angles!

Have the alignment adjusted first to the street settings and make witness marks on the adjuster components. With your street alignment printout in hand, then have the car adjusted to the track settings and print out the results. Make your witness marks on the adjusters for this setting and in theory, when you put the car back to the original witness marks (street setting), the car should be back in alignment. To prove it, have it re-measured and print out the results.

When you get ready for the track, install your track pads, adjust camber and toe to your track settings and have a ball. Now I assume that if you are contemplating this, you have access to a lift, a helper and torque wrenches. If you fail to tighten any components you can lose parts (and control!). It is critical to check torques on wheels and components both before and after stressing the car on the track. – MC

Q – My convertible top boot won’t stay snapped anymore. The little “Tenax” fasteners have no grip and when I look inside them, I noticed that the three little “petals” seem crushed and pulling the knob/release does nothing. Ted

A – Sorry, but you have probably made the same mistake that I and many Cabrio owners have. When you go to snap the boot down, you have to pull that knob and hold it as you place (not push) the fastener onto the ball screw on the body. Then you RELEASE the knob. If you simply push it on, which I agree is the intuitive thing to do, you crush the three little petals inside the fastener and at 20 bucks a pop, that hurts. They are incredibly wimpy. The dealer does not stock them but some top shops do. And I am told by my friends at Paul’s, that Mazda Miata boots or tops use the same fasteners at a lower price. Changing the fasteners is easy if you have access to snap ring pliers to unscrew the spanner nut that secures it to the fabric. – MC

Q – I hate to do it but I have to sell my Porsche. I don’t use it enough and I don’t have a spot in my garage for it. As disappointed as I am to do it, I need to find out what I should do to get the best price for it. What do you suggest? – Ted

A – Ted. I am sorry that you’re in this situation. I would much rather offer you some driving suggestions, sell you a storage lift for you garage but if you mind is made up, here goes.

Wash the car well and walk around it looking for flaws. The prospective buyer will do this and you should be prepared to have your Porsche picked apart. If you have any door dings, have them removed by one of the fine paintless dent removers. The price is low and the quality is good. Buyers do not want to see any flaws in the finish that look neglected.

I suggest that you have the paint touched up. When done well, this is not inexpensive but if you want your car to be the stand out, it’s got to look sharp. If you can’t afford a professional job, pass on it. Don’t try it yourself unless you have a basic solid color or the cure may be worse than the disease.

Have the car professionally high speed buffed to bring out the best that the paint has to offer. I do not suggest that you try this at home since high speed buffing requires finesse that only years of practice and experience can teach. You may not need this if your paint is already spectacular. If the though of a buffing wheel scares you, take the car to one of the reputable detail shops that advertise in the club newsletter. Ask for their advice.

Clean your wheels including the inside of the wheel, behind the spokes. This is just one more area that will be scrutinized by the buyer and don’t forget the brake calipers and rotors. If you have rusty, aftermarket rotors, consider painting them if you can clearly see them through the spokes. When it looks like you haven’t scrimped on maintenance, the buyer will be impressed.

Clean the wheel wells, the front bumper lower spoiler and any of the black plastic cladding on the lower part of the car then apply a heavy duty protectant like “back to black” etc. The contrast will amaze you. For other black plastic surfaces, a protectant will bring back the color.

Clean the interior like you would before the picnic when Fred will be giving it the evil eye. Remove the floor mats and unless they are in great shape, don’t put them back in. Put them aside and if you sell it, give them to the owner as an after thought. If the carpet in the car is stained, have it professionally steam cleaned. If the leather seats are dirty, use a good leather cleaner and if you have a darker leather, use neatsfoot oil to soften it up and even out the finish. It will smell like leather too.

The engine compartment needs to look sharp too. If you had oil leaks (and who didn’t), wash oily residue of road grime off the bottom of the engine with Gunk Engine Brite and your local power wash. This is a good time to clean that scum off the inside of the wheel

wells too. Once you get the bottom of the engine clean, open the lid that see what looks ugly. A quick and easy engine coating that I use is “No Touch Tire Cleaner”. It makes the rubber, fabric and plated surface look spiffy and it is easy to do. Once you coat it, wipe off the excess and you will be amazed at the major difference for minimal effort.

Get every service invoice that you have for the car and put them in order. Consider an excel spread sheet that you can email to the buyer. I want the car that was owned by a well organized, anal retentive, neat freak. MC

Q – I left the key in the ignition of my Porsche and my battery went dead. So I put it on charge and waited. Now three days later, it is still dead. Should I buy a new battery or a new battery charger? And why would leaving the key in the ignition make the battery go dead? Nothing was left on. – Todd

A – My hunch is that you used an “automatic battery charger”. Oddly, in another of those Madison Avenue oxymoronic terms, an automatic battery charger may not actually charge a stone dead battery. Surprise! I am not knocking automatic chargers or trickle chargers. In fact, they are one of the best inventions for batteries ever created, but they just don’t work well on dead batteries.

The automatic “brain” of the charger regulates the amount of power that the battery will receive. To know how much power it needs, it has to have some voltage before it can even decide to charge the battery. The brain in the charger may not know that there is a dead battery in the circuit that needs a charge. So it just goes to sleep and does nothing…while you wait.

If your battery is totally dead, you can connect it to another car with jumper cables or to another charged battery. After a short time, usually fifteen minutes to an hour, the dead battery will have absorbed enough energy from the good battery to wake up the automatic battery charger. You can then disconnect the jumper cables, connect your automatic charger to the (mostly) dead battery and after that it should work fine.

Don’t rush the process though. Porsche’s have large batteries and it may take two or three days to fully charge the battery. A safe charging rate on an automatic charger is about 15 amps. Quick charging a battery at a higher rate can damage the battery or your car. And, I have warned about this before, don’t charge the battery by running the car or you can damage the car.

Another method, but a potentially dangerous one, is the tried and true “manual battery charger”, designed at the turn of the century. There is nothing automatic about it. If you put a manual charger on a dead battery it will charge till the cows come home. The problem is that it doesn’t know when to stop and the cows may never come home.

In the old days, charging batteries wasn’t so simple. You had to determine how low on charge the battery was by testing voltage and the “specific gravity” of the electrolyte. Then depending on the size of the battery, your had to figure out how many amps that to apply, and for how long. Last but not least, you had to remember to turn it off! A miscalculation could lead to a boiling battery, acid all over the floor (or in your trunk) and in extreme cases, a fire! Now aren’t you glad that YOU don’t have a manual charger?

Now that you have heard the warnings, with a manual charger, an overnight 2 amp charge will bring a dead battery to life enough to top it off with an automatic battery charger. And last but not least, if you leave the key in the ignition, on many cars, circuits will be powered up, you won’t even know it, and your battery will go dead.

MC