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Broken Accelerator Pedal

If you track your 996, you want to think about replacing the hinge on the accelerator pedal before it breaks (unlike me who drove home from the track without an accelerator pedal).  Although the hinge can be removed from the pedal assembly, it isn’t designed as a distinct part so it can’t be purchased from Porsche without buying the whole pedal assembly.  Fortunately, you have a couple of options.

First lets start with the pedal assembly. Porsche switched to e-gas (electronic throttle) in 2000.  The pedal assembly has a hinge at the base and a metal rod under the pedal that activates a lever.   The lever pulls a cable which used to be connected to the throttle body.  Beginning in 2000, the cable connects to a sensor (#10) that communicates with the throttle body through the data bus.  This is fortunate for a couple of reasons, not the least of which is that it means that throttle response is tunable.

Later model 911s came with the option to control throttle response with a button.  You can add that feature to a 996 with the use of Sprint Booster.  The Sprint Booster plugs in between the throttle position sensor and the bus, giving you  the option of stock, sport, or sport plus throttle response, controlled with a button you locate somewhere within reach of the shifter.  (It really does work as advertised.) The new version has even more settings than my older one does.

To remove the pedal assembly, remove the one bolt (#14) and slide the whole assembly up to release from the catches.  Unless you plan to remove everything shown in the top half of the diagram, you have to open the assembly and release the cable to remove the assembly from the car.  Fortunately it is just held together by three screws on the side and two at the hinge.

Besides trying to find a quality used part (which is just borrowed time) you basically have three options: Get a Porsche or aftermarket pedal assembly ($300-$400); buy an aftermarket hinge from Rennline ($65); or make one yourself ($2).  Since we’re all about DIY, we decided to make one first then try the Rennline part if needed later.

Using the Rennline option as inspiration, we headed off to the local hardware store. Found a hinge of about the right size, scrounged some pop-rivets, and a few minutes later, had a viable hinge again.  It doesn’t look bad and seems to do the job. I suppose we could find a way to screen “Porsche” on it and sell them for $50 each….

In the end, I bought the Rennline part. I couldn’t stand those pop-rivet eyes staring at me.  You couldn’t see them while driving, but I knew they were there. Watching. Judging….

 

Porsche Front Bumper Mesh DIY

As we’ve shown on this site before, the front mounted radiators of the 996 collect all kinds of debris over time. We bought this kit from Rennline many months ago, but never got around to putting it on. Since we had the bumper cover off this weekend for some other work, we thought we’d try it out (and clean out the debris again).
Remove the bumper cover
The install process is fairly easy. The hardest part is getting to all of the appropriate screws to remove the bumper cover. Put your car on jack stands and remove the front wheels. Start by removing the screws under the cover-plate for the trunk release. Pop out the side-markers and remove the two screws there. Pop the two closest quick-releases to the side markers, and remove the screw that mounts up into the side-marker. Shift to the bottom of the bumper cover. Remove the five torx screws. The cover should slide forward and off of the bumper.
Inside of bumper cover
We’ll be working from the back side of the bumper cover to install the grilles. We don’t have a third radiator in the middle of our bumper. There’s a blanking plate that covers this space. You could remove the plate to add a grille, but we just skipped that step. The grill is included in the kit.
Fit the grilles
Fit the grilles and bend them to conform to the shape of the openings. Use the screws included to the kit to attach the grilles, taking care not to screw anywhere that would be visible from the front. Because the grilles fit between the black housing and the rubber radiator ducts, it takes some finesse to get the bumper cover back in place when finished, just be patient and work both sides evenly.
finished grille
When finished, it’s a very clean look. But would I still buy the kit today if I had a choice? Probably not.Finished Grilles
These grilles are pricey for what you get. If I were doing it again, I would just buy some Gutter Guard at home depot and some short, sell tapping screws. When you buy this kit, you’re really just buying time. How much time would it take you to figure out the right shape, bend and cut the raw material, then figure out where best to attach it. The shape isn’t that complex and the grilles are sandwiched between the bumper cover and radiator housings anyway so they don’t need to be that secure. Save your money and try it the Home Depot way first. If you fail, you’re only out $5. If you succeed, you just saved $270.