Steve Lavigne

That's the way to do it, if you can get a good connection to the + terminal without interfering with the body (-). You could likely hook any 12v battery up (from a car, 8 AA batteries taped together in series, etc).

Dal Heger

The newer cars have a microswitch for the rear hatch, my 90 S2 only has that, no manual backup, so the power has to be flowing in order for the rear hatch to open. The early cars also had a mechanical connection, so you could pop the hatch on the early cars (like my 86 951).

Dal.

inactiveuser92616

if you really need into the car, and are willing to do a minor repair afterwards, you could force the sunroof open. If you pull the back up hard enough it will strip out the plastic gears that operate it, allowing you to remove the sunroof. The gears will run about $12 for the set, and takes about 30 minutes to replace them. This would only work on a car with the electric roof, and there is always the chance you could bend the roof or something, but it is an option.

IceShark

Ok, Robby, I'll pull things all together with your order and see what she comes in on weight. Shouldn't be too bad. And I want to make sure you get those extra relays & bases because I'm running low on the extra supply I bought for Rennlisters. Got to order 100 at a crack so it isn't a snap order deal and I am not in the auto supply biz so don't want to sit on expensive inventory.

You know, you can charge the battery up by hooking up the positive clamp up to the big starter terminal and the negative to the body or bellhousing. That should give you enough juice to pop the rear hatch. But you need to lift the car up a bit because you will never squeeze under it to the starter .... and I know you are a body builder so there is no way your chest will fit.

Jay W

One time when my battery was dead and the hood was stuck shut I was able to slip the positive cable of the charger onto the battery terminal by just sticking it between the hood and windshield. I used paint stirring sticks to keep the connector from grounding to the hood and metal windshield framework. Stuck the negative onto the lower control arm under the car. Worked great but I didnt leave the car alone too long in case it started shorting out on the hood or something.

Granite 944

Get the rear wheels OFF THE GROUND if your going to hook up to the starter area. If your ebrake is not set, or in great shape, and you make accidental contact with solenoid with car in gear.......well I wouldn't want to be under there! BE SAFE DOING IT!!! I'd try Jay W suggestion first.

icat

Robby,
On my '86 951 there is no electrical connection to the rear hatch. That's not to say yours is the same. Just confirming that mine does not have an electrical component. I just looked and the rear hatch mechanism is controlled by wire arms that move when you turn the key. The arms pull the sliding lock away from the rear hatch pins to release the hatch. For the forward cabin (drivers) release, there is a cable that runs to the front of the car. On mine, it's all mechanical.

pete944

Porsche engineers in their infinite wisdom changed that on the later cars. When you turn the key a small plastic cam on the lock cylinder trips a microswitch that engages the electric hatch release motor. Mine has a bad microswitch and the only way to open the hatch is with the inside release button. I'd rather have the old reliable mechanical linkage.
I know all '89 and later cars are like that, I'm not sure about '87 & '88.

Robby

Yes, evidently, the electrical hatch was available by '88, b/c when the guy who unlocked my car helped charge the battery, it would open- you can definately hear a motor in there- no doubt about it- I think I''d rather have a non-electrical one like the earlier ones- I wonder how much that motor weighs???

As for me being a "body builder" Dan....Yes, it's always a toss-up b/t me, Lou, & Arnold as to who's going to be the one to climb underneath the tight front spoiler to fix the Porsche...

But seriously- I'm about to give you a ring- we couldn't get the car started -there was NOTHING left on- I pretty much knew that anyway, but, the battery (`4 months old) was COMPLETELY DEAD! I'm going to take it to the mechanic- I just don't have time to mess w/it right now & I'm planning to get my new susp & several other things put on anyway...

Thanks for all the input guy's- I REALLY do appreciate it...

Scootin159

If you put the rear in the air you don't have to worry about it starting accidentally.

MHT

if you have a set of jumper cables and another car or battery you could connect the pos cable to a screwdriver and touch it to the battery terminal and ground the neg cable under the car and then release the rear hatch, use two people, one to hold the screwdriver and the other to open the hatch. Just be careful not to touch the hood with the screwdriver. The rear hatch motor doesnot pull very much juice and you should be able to get enough like this.

Good luck

icat

Robby,
Glad to hear you're back in. I seem to recall a post several months ago about a "ghost" eletrical problem that was draining the juice from the battery. If I recall it had something to do with the door switches that turn on the dome lights when you get into the car. Try a search and see if you can find it - might be your issue as well.

IceShark

I talked to Robby and the car service guy poped his car open in about 30 seconds. So much for being hard to steal a 951.

Robby's big problem is he had no acid in the battery which makes it sort of hard to get current flowing. Must have cracked the case open as the battery was only 4 months old.

Robby

Yeah, I bought it on September 18 2003- I also KNOW that I checked the fluid sometime after getting it- my parents had moved & I did it at their new place- they moved in October- so, I KNOW I had full fluid levels in the battery by November- I DO remember having to add a little bit back then, which, come to think of it, is a little soon, but.... something has to be wrong w/the battery....

AND, BTW- 30 seconds is a VERY realistic estimate of how long it took this guy- it was probably a little less though & I am NOT exxagerating... He used an "S" tool & he was putting it back in his tool box when I got to the car- I'm SERIOUS TOO- he called me BEFORE he even got to my building & I went straight downstairs... it was pretty impressive actually... kind of "SCARY" impressive, but, impressive nonetheless...

Thanks again everyone...