I'm Interested to know if those of you with the FWM's need any guidance with the schematic conventions? I have spent some time figuring out the Porsche conventions for the S4-GTS wiring pages and I have to say as a trained electronics engineer its was not all that obvious what all the conventions are - even some that relate to basic connectivity.

In fact as I dug deeper it became obvious that the conventions are not industry standards or even followed very consistently. As some of you know I have made some major electrical mods and getting to the bottom of the wiring diagrams was critical in doing this.

So I'm wondering if there is interest in some guidelines on these or if you are all getting along with finding what you need perfectly well already?

Examples might be:

Primary circuit numbers (Bosch etc)
Terminal ID Conventions (Bosch etc)
Ground points & Connectimg Points
Plug/Socket connectors & Wiring Looms
Wire connection conventions (general/central)
Central Electric Internal Connectivity
Central Electric Plug Connectivity
Operation & conventions for relays, switches & fuses
X-Bus Operation
Wire Color codes & function conventions
Inter & Intra page tags & connectors
General Circuit Number Conventions
Bosch & Porsche standard component Symbols

All these mostly do apply to the earlier cars too, a few slight differences...

Let me know if this would be useful info for you - if there is enough interest I'll start putting it together in some format that can be linked to from the main FAQs.

Of course it may very well be that I'm one of only a very few who care about this level of detail.

Alan

If you are interested - would you also be willing to proof-read and provide FB?
Ahh yes... the Quid Pro Quo...

 

Yes, please!

I've thought about hiring a drafting student to redraw the wiring diagrams on a computer in a more user-friendly format.

 

I'm not an engineer and therefor thought it was me having problems understanding Porsche wiring diagrams. Can any of our 911 breathern provide consistant insight? Maybe there is none to be had.

 

I'd be interested. But that's because electricity is magic to me. So I'd probably be useless as a content proofer.

I love the idea of a computer friendly version. I have given thought to getting mine copied so that I can then color it in with the wire colors.

Speaking of wiring diagrams, Volume VIII of the new manuals I just got only goes to '94 Model GTS. I hope that means that the '95 looms are the same.

 

I have to agree! I am also an Electrical Eng. And the scematics are a nightmare! I don't understand why they don't use standard symbols and conventions used for (ever) by the electronic industry worl wide.

 

Hey Alan,

I for one can attest to how much help you can bring to a project.

You made my last project almost easy

I will surely look forward to more clarification in the future. Consider me in line, waiting for more

Paul

 

Will,
The 95 GTS wiring and everything else about the car is exactly the same as the 94 - you can now go ahead and buy one in complete confidence !

The only difference is that everything is a year newer!

Rcoble,
Yes The wiring diagrams are very interesting especially in that they mix conventions, they use some of something but not all, have wierd exceptions so you end up with lots of "most of the time" guidelines.

I'm sure this was partly evolutionary as different folks worked on the diagrams, but it wouldn't have been hard to enforce some basic standards. However overall once you figure out the wierd methods it does make some sense, and is at least comprehensive. I think its strangest of all that Porsche didn't adopt the Bosch standards completely given the long relationship. It helps a little if you speak German actually (though mostly I don't).

Sign you up for proof-reading? you have the credentials...

Oldtee - the 911 folks think 928's are horrendously complex electrically (the new 911's of course are a close match - but rather few of the newer owners work on their own cars..) not too much help there...

Alan

 

I felt like the proverbial chimpanzee staring at the first wheel, as I was trying to figure out the nuances of those wiring diagrams. It probably was me, but I'm glad to hear it wasn't only me. Any help deciphering them will be appreciated.

 

This is interesting to me, though I have an early car and the 78 diagrams are easy to follow. I will have a later car one day though and it sure would be cool to have better wiring diagrams. Just my .928 cents worth...

 

"I have spent some time figuring out the Porsche conventions for the S4-GTS wiring pages and I have to say as a trained electronics engineer its was not all that obvious what all the conventions are - even some that relate to basic connectivity."

Oh how I have puzzled over those diagrams. They are still Greek to me. My 79 is in a state of total electrical disarray at least partially because I cannot decipher what really goes where.

PLEASE do anything you can to help us without EE degrees deal with this monumental mystery.

 

OK before anyone gets too excited!!! - I'm not talking about re-entering the wiring diagrams - I don't have that kind of time on my hands (I'll applaud anyone who does - but it would be a monumental & difficult effort for a single person to do this and do it well...)

What I am offering is the benefit of my time already invested in figuring out how to use the existing diagrams. A lot is in understanding the cryptic encoding, somewhat illogical structuring and undefined nomenclatures.
There is also a wealth of electrical info elsewhere in the manuals too and this is highly valuable but its not cross referenced anywhere.

Anyway you get the idea its a guide to figuring out & using what is already there.

AND I still need some folks to step up and help with this - proof reading can be from a content knowledge persepective (I need some of this) but also as a user this needs to work for those of you without EE degrees too...

You must have a full set of Factory Workshop Manuals though...

So go ahead & volunteer! (even if you know nothing, you get to read the early version...)

Alan

 

Understood. I'd like to help proof read. I can provide the perpective of a user who has poured over the diagrams for hours and hours and is willing to test any kind of decoding assistance you can provide.

 

Bill, I'd still like to take a look at that 79.I'd be happy to show you the ropes on the early diagrams. Drop me an email, as I seem to have a sudden abundance of free time...

 

I'm in or at least try to find time for it. Have full nine part paper manuals, Jim's CD's and six years of EE education. Though haven't looked into S4 and later wiring so much as older 928's.

 

I like the idea; I'll be a proof-reader.