[joep]

After sitting for long periods (over night or workday) my boxster is getting progressively harder to start.

Here are the symptoms:
-turn key and nothing but dash lights. No "clicking" or starter noises.
-repeated key turns are ineffective.

After about 3-6 tries the starter finally cranks and has plenty of juice to start the engine. Once started it will start normally while it is warm after sitting idle for shorter periods of time. It starts easily even after running for so much as a one minute warm up. The battery is trusted as I replaced it this past spring.

Ideas?

[HateDCRoads]

Could be a bunch of things. Battery is the obvious one - even if it is relatively new doesn't mean it is necessarily good. Could be defective, or you could have a "short" that is draining the battery. Could also be the crank position sensor - to protect the engine, the ECU will not turn over the motor if the CPS isn't sending a proper signal. If the CPS is going bad, could be consistent with your hot/cold behavior.

Have you pulled the CEL codes? A CPS fault would be logged.

The other obvious guess is you need a new ignition switch. They have a tendency to go bad and cause all kinds of weird problems. I have a spare at home and can help you install if we can find time. Or we can borrow a CPS from Magistro and check it out.

[joep]

No, I haven't read any codes as I don't have the tool. If I can limp through this next week (the 986 is my DD this season) can we try that next weekend?

[Dandelion]

Another possibility - sticky solenoid RELAY in the starter circuit (would explain why there aren't any clicks when the key is turned).

[edit - meant to say relay, not solenoid]

ed

[joep]

Originally Posted by Varejao17

Another possibility - sticky solenoid in the starter circuit (would explain why there aren't any clicks when the key is turned).

ed

How can you tell if its that?

[Dandelion]

Originally Posted by joep

How can you tell if its that?

[BTW, see my correction -I meant to say "relay" - i.e. a sticky relay in the starter circuit.]

Assuming something like this throws no codes (and I don't know whether it would or not), the easiest way to track this down is to find the relay in question, remove it from the car (should be a plug-in module), clean it out/swap with an identical relay (depending on whether it's built to be cleaned), then reinstall and see what happens.

I don't have access to a 986 manual, but it's relay #S15 in the front relay box in the 987.

(BTW, I'm not suggesting that this has to be the problem; merely providing another option.)

ed

[Richard Curtis]

Aren't Boxsters OBD II? If so, almost any auto parts store will check codes for you. Free.

[joep]

Originally Posted by Richard Curtis

Aren't Boxsters OBD II? If so, almost any auto parts store will check codes for you. Free.

Really!?! I did not know that...

[Lucky]

My bet is on the ignition switch. Common problem. A little painful to replace with man-hands, but a cheap part if you get the Audi equivalent part #.

Here's a good how-to: http://industryfigure.com/berkeley/P...tionswitch.htm

[Lt. Dan]

Originally Posted by Lucky

My bet is on the ignition switch. Common problem. A little painful to replace with man-hands, but a cheap part if you get the Audi equivalent part #.

Here's a good how-to: http://industryfigure.com/berkeley/P...tionswitch.htm

Yup, we've done a few at the shop the past two months!!!