Installation Instructions: Porsche 996.2 SpoilerMotor & Drive Sleeve Rebuild

Installation Instructions: Porsche 996 Spoiler Motor & Drive Sleeve Rebuild

CRITICAL WARNING: YOUR GEARS STRIPPED BECAUSE YOUR CABLE
GUIDES, MECHANISM, OR HINGES ARE FROZEN. DO NOT install these new gears without thoroughly servicing the entire system. YOU WILL STRIP THE NEW GEARS IMMEDIATELY! You MUST remove, clean, and lubricate the entire spoiler mechanism and hinge linkage!

Prerequisites & Work Area Setup

  • It is highly recommended to remove the entire deck lid and lay it on a padded workbench or
    blanket. While this job can technically be completed with the deck lid on the vehicle, access is
    significantly limited.
  • If performing this on the car, raise the spoiler to its fully extended position first (if possible).
  • Cover the Engine Bay: Lay a thick sheet or blanket over the open engine bay. Dropped screws,
    washers, or clips will easily fall into the lower engine compartment.

Step 1: Motor Assembly Removal

  1. Unbolt the Assembly: Remove the mounting bolts holding the motor plate to the deck lid and
    carefully lower the assembly down.
  2. Disconnect Wiring: Unplug the deck lid lamp and motor harness connectors. Note or photograph
    the wire positions/orientations for reassembly.
  3. Open the Motor Housing: Remove the three (3) bolts/nuts securing the plastic motor assembly
    housing together.
  4. Remove Micro-Switches Carefully:
    • Gently open the front of the housing.
    • Slide the micro-switches straight toward you one by one to free them from their retaining
      posts.
    • DO NOT pry hard on the plastic retaining rods—they can snap easily.
    • Take clear photos of the wire routing before removal.
    • PRO-TIP: Test your micro-switches with a multimeter for continuity now! If a switch is corroded or faulty, the motor will not cut power at the end of its stroke and will strip the new gears or crack the housing.

Step 2: Cable & Piston Disassembly

  1. Disconnect Piston Ends:
    • Follow the metal cable guide tubes up to the lift piston assemblies on both sides.
    • Remove the screws holding the black outer piston covers.
    • Remove the remaining housing screws to separate the black molded covers into two halves.
    • Note the position of the internal round plastic guide as it drops free.
  2. Unhook Cables: Unhook the drive cable ends from the lift pistons. Leave the pistons resting in place.
  3. Extract Cables: Move the motor assembly to your workbench. Open the gear box, pull the metal cable guide tubes free, and slide the inner drive cables completely out.

Step 3: Cleaning & Cable Refurbishment

  1. Strip Old Degradation: Cut off and remove all remaining pieces of the old, cracked yellowing factory nylon sleeve from the braided steel cables.
  2. Deep Clean: Clean all components (gear box, housing, metal guide tubes, and cable ends) using isopropyl alcohol and a small stiff brush to remove all dried, contaminated grease. Use fine steel wool or a wire pipe brush to remove any corrosion inside the ends of the metal guide tubes.
  3. Install Replacement Sleeves:
    • Slide the new split Teflon (PTFE) sleeves straight over the ends of the braided cables. (Do not attempt to pry the split open from the side; feeding them on from the cable tip is much easier). Trim the Teflon sleeves to match the exact length of the original factory coverage. (Sleeves are intentionally supplied slightly long).

Step 4: Lubrication & Gear Assembly

  1. Lube Cable Assembly: Apply a generous layer of the included synthetic grease along the entire length of the flexible drive cables and inside the metal guide tubes. Apply lube to the metal ferrules/ends as well.
  2. Install Drive Gears: Apply synthetic grease liberally to the teeth, internal channels, and drive surfaces of the new printed gears. Drop them into the housing channels.
    • Alignment: The gears should be positioned at their outermost travel position, with only the first few teeth engaging the worm drive.
    • Re-seat Cables: Reinstall the return springs onto the cable ends and drop the cable leads into their respective gear tracks. Ensure the flared collars of the metal guide tubes seat fully into their molded housing channels.
    • Close Gearbox: Reinstall the gearbox cover plate and tighten the three retaining screws to secure
      the housing.

Step 5: Bench Testing
Before reinstalling the assembly in the car, perform a bench test:

  1. Connect a 12V power source (or a standard 9V–12V battery with clip leads) to the two motor leads.
  2. Verify that the motor runs smoothly and drives the cables out approximately 1 to 2 inches without binding.
  3. Reverse the wire leads to test the opposite direction, pulling the cables cleanly back into the
    housing.

Step 6: Final Reassembly & Initialization

  1. Reinstall Motor Assembly: Mount the motor assembly back into the deck lid in reverse order of removal.
  2. Reconnect Pistons: Slide the cables into the piston housings, attach the cable ends to the pistons, and snap the two-piece black guide covers back together.
    • Note: You may need to manually pull or prop the spoiler wing up slightly to align the cable tips with the piston attachment points.
  3. Reconnect Electronics: Reinstall the micro-switches in their exact factory locations and plug in the main motor wiring harness.
  4. Vehicle Test:
    • Turn the ignition key to the ON position.
    • Press and hold the dash/footwell spoiler switch DOWN to ensure the mechanism initializes and closes smoothly.
    • Press and hold the switch UP to verify full extension and automatic limit-switch stop.