bgrabner

OK - having just worked with several electrical components in my 87, I have to say I wish I could have a schoolyard fight with whoever designed the electrical connectors in the 928. I mean, seriously - what kind of logic did Porsche have in designing a connector that was so prone to breakage and loose connections? Did they purposely design those with low stress tolerance so unsuspecting 928 owners would be forced to pay inflated prices for new flimsy plastic connectors that were likely to break upon installation anyway? Good god - 1987 wasn't that long ago - there were certainly industry standard plug types invented by then! Filth flarn flarn filth *(^%(&^&(^%&*(^%*(&o

Whew - ok...I feel better now - thanks for letting me get that off my chest! Back to work on the shark!

Normy

You are dealing with a car that has probably seen 18 Virginia summers...and winters!

Seriously, heat destroys nearly any connector after a while. I don't want to seem negative...but that's what you inherited when you chose to purchase your car. I'm in the same boat- my plastic connectors are all kind of tired too, and I have to be way carefull when I pull one apart. I actually had one crumble in my hand one day- the connector for the timing and reference sensor- and wound up splicing/soldering the wires together. No other choice.

I had a Nissan Maxima at one point- it used the same connectors...as does the Ford Aerostar minivan that I have in addition to my 928. Buy a bunch of crimp connectors at Wal-Mart....and a couple of beers...

N!

autochicago

replace them the correct way with correct connector shells, terminals, and boots ... your 928 will be much happier. Search forum for recent post on topic.

Mark

I feel your pain...I think you could shorten the Post Topic to:

RANT: 928 Electrical

Steve J.

I would bet that many connectors that seem prone to breakage were broken by people who didn't have the tool or know-how to pull the Bosch connectors with the spring clip apart. BTW - just how does that tool work? How are the connectors generally seperated without the tool?

mspiegle

Considering what those connectors go through, I don't think they're that bad at all. The only PITA is finding replacements for a good price.

And it isn't a Porsche thing, alot of cars use that style of connectors. I've found plenty of replacements for totally shot connectors out of SAABs, BMWs, Fords, etc.

autochicago

Word up, mspiegle.

Known as the AMP (or Bosch) "Junior Timer" series, these connectors were meant to stay on -- no intermittent connections. Although years of underhood heat, chemical exposure, and yanking by careless mechanics will invariably take their toll. It is no coincidence that this connector proliferated to almost every other MPI car in the world after the German/Swedish/Italian cars.

Although I'm too lazy in general to go out to u-wrench-it boneyards and pick parts it is a good option and often good entertainment as well as long as you don't **** off the owner's cousins' sister's brother Jethro.

Take a dental pick and gently lift on the metal spring to release some tension, rock one side loose first, then the other.

I'm told the big three can get you parts, but if you search the past 10 days of posts, there is a vendor mentioned with a nice online shopping cart that sells those items in a very convenient manner.

If you really want to get Wild-On (on a side note wild-on E! [you know, the show for several years hosted by Brooke Burke, seriously probably the world's hottest brunette] was filming in San Diego Saturday night in Pacific Beach ... it was pretty off-the-hook as they say ) you can replace earlier style with the later style (VW/Audi-like) with quick-release spring -- very nice, reliable, and not prone to breaking on attempts to remove like earlier style.

Do yourself a favor and get a proper compound crimp tool. I'm putting together a connector ID, terminal crimping, and connector replacement guide that will shed light on the oft-neglected topic of proper electrical system repair. Goal: to try to improve the frequency of proper electrical repairs, e.g., as few SCOTCH-LOCK (e.g., the type of connector repair kit that most of us own with the assortment of multicolored terminals) quick-crimp connectors as possible, especially in such a worthy ride as the 928! We Americuns will learn how to properly repair wiring in an international automoibile some day.

Not to offend anyone here at all ... seriously, it takes sometimes years before even the best mechanics and restorers learn how to use the OEM-style terminals and connectors. But, once you learn, you will never go back to the darkside of shadetree electrical connections.

GoRideSno

Are you commenting on the butt to butt spliced MAF harness you saw on my car?
Well mspeiegle took care of that for me with a donor Saab MAF harness. Now those 6 pin connectors are the hard ones to find.

The site autochicago mentioned is www.eagleday.com.


Andy K

Marc Schwager

Autochicago - please post the connector guide when it is ready! I am guilty of using a few scotchlocks and am just waiting for them to loosen up and cause problems. I'd love to see how to do it correctly.

autochicago

As in Andy's case, improvisation can be sometimes justified, especially when you're anxious to get 400 HP connected to the road.

Yes, definitely will post the guide. I need to get permission from the source of some of the photos, but my perception is, if it helps sell parts, it will probably fly.

jserio

I share all your pain. mess with the seat connectors. That's sure to put a smile on your face

SharkSkin

I can definitely appreciate the desirability of avoiding those generic connectors. When I modified my fuse panel I used original crimped wires from a donor panel since I don't have the proper connectors or tools. I do use scotch-lok connectors sometimes, as when I added an extender harness for my horns. But first I cut off the plastic, crimp them with a special tool that swages them from 4 directions simultaneously, then I solder them and follow up with heat shrink. No, I don't trust those connectors.

When I need to re-use a factory connector, I disassemble the connector, pry open the crimp, crimp to the new wire as best I can, then solder. I'm still not entirely satisfied with the results, but eagleday doesn't seem to have the right stuff and I don't want to cannibalize a good 928 harness for one connector. I'm talking about the connector that goes to our VDO fluid level sensors, coolant and washer fluid, which so I guess I'll look on some other euro cars.

autochicago

Are those seat connectors the 911 bullet-style? 8 terminals large rectangular plug? (Looks like it should handle house line power, IMO)

Yes, these are also very servicable if you are methodical. Although, the difference is, they are soldered from the backside. BUT bulletproof reliable, generally. That is not to say that the parts they connect up to are as equally as bulletproof reliable But if you do need to correctly service such connectors, post here and there should be at least someone who knows the proper methodology.

As I have always suspected we have an open hole in the market. Wurth & Winzer sell to shops, and you can get Scotchlock connectors at the chain stores, so there's not a lot for somebody that wants to do it correctly. Actually, I suspect that some of our vendors stock the right items, it's just a matter of identifying the terminal or connector correctly. And with all the variations, it might be impossible to do without physically matching it up. If we had a kit... hmmm. I have to warn that knowing the wholesale costs of these items, it might cost in excess of $100 to put something decent together. BUT, the payoff in terms of being able to properly identify terminals and make the repair properly could be great. I'm not volunteering, yet ;-) An open suggestion to the vendors of the community. If you build it, will they come?

jaymz

being as i work in plastics i was going to rant on with my vast knowlegde,,but you guys pretty much coverd everything so i wont even reply,,...........again..............a second time..........after this one..........ok im done

John Speake

I can supply quite a few of the pins, sockets, housings, rubber sleeves, for these Bosch connectors.