Mike Frye

Idf,

I can see your point exactly and only you know how much or how little you want to deal with this car. Your description is perfectly stated above. The specific experience you want and the expectations you have are personal and your own, right wrong or indifferent.

The guys on this board have been fair and honest (like it or not, you'll get LOTS of honesty here ). You've gotten some great advice that will need to be filtered through your initial expectations. A few in your area have offered to go through the car with you, and again I point you to JHowell37 as an asset. He's restored an '85 5-speed and if I'm not mistaken has pretty much dealt with every major system in the car. Granted it's not the same as an '82 but he'll be able to give you the scoop.

You've found that with a fully charged battery the car runs stronger, that is a good sign and is typical of these cars. The electrical systems can be a nightmare to sort out and a 928 with a weak battery is not a happy 928. So many little things can affect a strong running car that it seems you'll never get them sorted out, but in fact it's probably just one or two, you only have to find them.

Based on your most recent post above, I think you should try the following low cost (and relatively easy) steps:

Step 1: Get in touch with JHowell37 and see if you and he can get together and have a PPI (post purchase inspection) party. If I can make it I'll swing by too. I work for beer, I don't know about JHowell . Go through and clean up all electrical grounds. Drain and fill the trans/diff with some fresh Redline. Check for metal filings on the magnetic plugs.

Step 2: Plan on doing a full fluid flush. You'll be into it for less than $100 for everything and it's one of those things that can't possibly be a bad thing but could potentially be very good.

Step 3: Get the clutch adjusted and find out what kind of shape all of your shift linkage bushings are in. There are several that are wear items and if one is bad they're probably all bad.

>>> Steps 1-2- and 3 may be able to be done concurrently during one day with a few people involved.

Step 4: Reassess your position based on all of these things. At this point you'll be into the car for under $200 (after purchase price of course) and maybe 6-8 hours.

At this point you'll know if you need an alternator (probably) and whether your synchros are toast and/or the trans needs work.

Since this is the 928 TECH forum our answers to your questions will always lean toward the DIY solution but if you're not prepared to do things that way we still might be able to help you if you choose to stay in the pool.

Good luck with the car

blown 87

You need to sell that car ASAP.

Avar928

I'm going through my electrical on my '86 right now and would be more than willing to drop by and help out. Albeit my limited (but growing) knowledge, I've got a half bottle of Stabilant 22 I'm willing to share

Best to chase down electrical monsters that slowly drain the battery and cause many to waste away prematurely. I've been lucky with a battery going 10+ years strong despite numerous drains due to an overactive alarm system (which I managed to trace down to a faulty connection in the rear hatch and fix). She still holds a charge! But I plan on changing it out when I get a bunch of other stuff in place.

17prospective buyer

Don't get stressed about it. Just roll with it. On these cars i've learned the best approach when sorting them out yourself is one thing at a time. This is a golden rule for me. When i get overwhelmed i just ask myself to calm down and just focus on the job i'm doing at that point in time. I think i do have a bit of ADHD though...

I sort of just wouldn't let my own 928 intimidate me. Taking the motor out has been a huge part of mastering the beast.

Some people as you will see on this forum have loads of cash and therefore spend the least amount of time wrenching on their own car, and the most amount of time enjoying it. However, if you get a taste for working on 928's, i think it's more rewarding to do everything yourself. It's also your car, it forces you to do a good job on it. Hell i think even if i had the cash to get someone else to do all my work, i'd still do most of the work myself! Except i'd get a professional (Greg with his teflon hoses and -AN fittings) to do all my hoses just for ****s and giggles and cosmetic appearance.

Avar928

True, you get addicted to working on the car. I got hooked on my second wrench just doing a tune up that took me 10 hours to do. When I started her up and she ran better than before I couldn't stop thinking about the next job.

The 928 is a beast of a machine. Even in beat up form, it still gets people's attention...

brutus

The reason why old 928s are cheap to buy is the reputation and the reality that they are expensive to repair. Many on this list started fixing their own cars BECAUSE paying $125 per hour was too much, and some have learned to love fixing as as much or more than DRIVING. (which is good because some cars are "projects" for years)
Pretty much boils down to do you want to do auto repair as a hobby or is spending a few thousand dollars fixing this 928 O K knowing that it will need a couple thousand more on average each year you own it. The repairs NEVER stop, 928s were $100,000 plus cars and they are known for needing repairs.
If you start spending money on this car just realize that each dollar you spend adds nothing to the resale value and you will just get deeper underwater.

All 928s are now old cars and very rarely is one ever really sorted out so do not think that paying more gets you a trouble free car. James our GTS collector paid a lot of money for a very low miles GTS in Califonia which on the trip to Texas it had water pump failure near Phoenix that repair was over $2,500 and he was very lucky that the timing belt did not jump or it would have been multiples of that number.

Charley B

It's OK to be a soccer mom type guy and own a 928, as long as you're a rich soccer mom type guy................

I hate to be rude, but I havent heard this much whinning since my torque tube went South.

Kalspeed

Soccer mom dude?

Don't fret man, you may have gotten in over your head on this one, other than the few mechanical ailments you complain about (and which a lot of guys here already gave you suggestions on what to check), what's the interior look like? Is it intact and decent? Is it a basket-case? I don't think you posted interior pics, the interior will be EXPENSIVE once you sort the important stuff out.

Good luck

ilikebig928butts

Y'all:

I very much doubt that ANY one of us 928 rennlisters are buying/chasing 928's for their resale value. It's a hobby at best and an addiction under normal circumstances. My '84 WILL be part of son's inheritance. I think we can stop harping the value bits and help the guy rolling without Cap'n Crunch stuffed in the gear box.

idf

Ya, sorry guys, I might be taking it too far... I have some progress below.


Interior is shot. That was supposed to be my 'project' on this car.

Will post some pics.

I'm definitely not trying to make a profit or anything, this is my first classic car and wanted to ease into it. Something affordable I can have a bit of fun with.


................................................


Ok, so I have worn out my whining welcome... I did start work testing thru the electrics.

The seller reported a battery drain. I hooked up a multimeter to it. With the neg contact off and the meter in between connected to the terminal to complete the circuit I see a constant 265 ma on the meter which seems high. I was expecting in the 50 - 60 milliamp range from research on the forum.

I narrowed it down to fuse 23 which by researching here appears to be interior lighting and the clock.

Should I see that much drain on that one circuit?

I question what I see because I wonder if the seller confused a drain with the alternator but if that is indeed high there must be a wiring issue there somewhere.

Going to get a complete set of new fuses in the mean time.

bronto

For batter drains, the first thing to consider is 3rd party add ons IMHO. Don't be surprised if a stereo or alarm is wired into #23.

idf

Stereo was pulled before I got it, no evidence of an alarm

j.kenzie@sbcglobal.net

There are some lights that can stay on due to ground short. Examples include door edge markers, interior lights not very visible like trunk light, glove box light, etc. It's good you narrowed down the circuit, now you can work through it.
Good luck,
Dave

Mrmerlin

the lights stay on till all of the doors and the hach are closed then wait 30 seconds

idf

You mean even with the key out of the ignition? I had the car off with doors and trunk lid open but there were no lights on.