deimos

After 5 months of fighting one problem after another, the '84 928 lives! The past 3 months have been figuring out every last weird electrical issue. In my triumph, I took the 928, family, and I out for dinner. Promptly as we pulled into the driveway at home, all of the dash and console lights go out. I didn't blow a fuse, and the idiot lights in the gauge pod work fine; the gauges work fine, just no dimmer lights.

I promptly dropped the family off and flogged the car for being bad. After some spirited driving in the dark, I notice that now any decent bump will set off the warning lights and "stop lamps" light. gah.

However, an hour later, there is ZERO fluid on the newspaper I put under the car to test for leaks.

I'll post the list of what I replaced/repaired some day. It's long, very, very long.

Two steps forward, one step back.

rixter

I saw a similar problem a while back, turned out to be the ignition switch
make sure the two screws on the back are tight,
if they are recreate the problem (go over a bump) then see if jiggleing the key makes it go away
I'd tell you where to check the voltage but I'm electrically challenged (but learning)

WICruiser

Sorry about the latest issue but congrats on the leak free initial family outing.

Mark

I concur with the rixter...this is a fairly common and EASY TO FIX issue! The 'key jiggle'....not enough to engage the starter or turn it off....is usually a good diagnostic tool.

FlyingDog

Mine is not key related but some other connection. I just have to close the door once or twice sometimes to get the tach and pod lights to work. Even the speedo craps out sometimes (who needs it anyway?). A bump will sometimes effect the connections, but usually once they're on they're on. I'm guessing it's a ground in the pod.

Ron V

I recently had a bunch of weird electrical problems. I checked fuses replaced relays to no avial.Then my 928 guru Bill Swift came over and found that the bolt that holds all of the ground cables just above the fuse, and relay pannel was about to fall out. So we tightened that up and most of the problems went away. Then I had problem with the head lights and Rixter suggested the ignition switch. I replaced it and all of my electrical problems are no more. Good luck, I know what a pain it can be.

deimos

Well, the problem isn't the ground above the relay board, nor the ignition switch. Both are tight. And now, the speedo/odo stopped working.

I called a local Porsche shop today about having them debug it, and they said I probably knew more than they did about 928s.

Tomorrow will be more debugging....however, it still drives nice, even though I'm driving a black car with a black interior and black controls at night.

FlyingDog

Check out the wiring in the pod. It's probably loose/oxidized connections. All you'll need is some contact cleaner and maybe a soldering iron.

deimos

Thanks for all of the pointers. It's not the gauges themselves. I've had North Hollywood Speedo go through the gauges and connectors. All ok.

Just to give you the past 3 months of history. I've completely gutted the interior and replaced anything that was worn. Every electrical connection has been cleaned, repaired, replaced where needed. I've traced out and toned out every wire I could find.

I'm working on the theory now that I missed something when putting back together the interior. Or, cut a wire or did something bad when putting the dash back together.

My next tact is to take apart the central warning system under the drivers footrest to see if I cross-wired something or missed something.

if this doesn't work, I'll just find a garage and pay them to figure it out.

rixter

deimos,
just because the ignition switch is tight doesn't mean it isn't the problem
did you do the key jiggle?
is it possible there is a wire you didn't reconnect and it's grounding on something?

mulik51

Sorry, can't help you on your problem, but I am very glad to hear that the car works well after all the work. I am going through almost the same process now, and have an ambigious feeling about the "START" day, becouse on one hand, I want it BADLY, on the other, I am scared...

So, congrats,

KLim