TrentonC

PS, just checked out your store, and I'll repay your time with some business as I find more things for sure.
I've already ordered quite a bit, but I think I'll go with your Kuehl AC changeover when the time comes.
Nothing like a black car with hot leather in 30deg C. heat......

WallyP

Thanks - You will enjoy talking to Jeannie...

Check the wires on the oil pressure sending unit - it contains both the sender for the oil pressure gauge and a switch for the oil pressure warning light (little red light in the oil pressure gauge). The wires sometimes get switched. The blue/white wire goes on Terminal G, the blue/black wire goes on Terminal Wk.

Randy V

Seeing as your 928 is a non-interference engine, the timing belt condition is not as critical as on newer models.

Welcome to the shark tank.

Hilton

pictures!

TrentonC

Thanks for the advice, the ! light no longer flickers......
Here is what I did:

Checked and tightened the timing belt (shouldn't have a sensor in '81, but had to be done. Was a bit on the loose side)

Switched the wires on the oil sender around. Now when hot, it runs at around 4bar. Is that still high? While I was mucking around in there, I came across something else. I'll post it in a new thread about master cylinder sending units.

Also, while under the car I removed and cleaned 2 ground straps that I could reach while I was there.

Anyways, after those 2 tweaks, I took it for a spin and no flicker at all.

LT Texan

Good news on the charging side

At speed, like to see more on the "5" side, but I'm sure 4 is fine.

WallyP

You might want to use a good multimeter or voltmeter to see what the charging voltage is. You should see 13.6 to 14.2 VDC with the egnine at 1500RPM or more. You can check at the jump start terminal or the battery terminals.

Podguy

Dump the Porsche alternator and put on a Delco. You will solve a lot of problems. There is a thread here on the model and the installation. None of the early alternators are any good.

No one else mentioned the front brakes, aluminum ball joints and lack of front shock spring adjustors. They are early service points.

TrentonC

Thanks for all the info.
I saw the threads about the Delco, I just put on a reman Bosch because it was the quickest option. I had one week to get her up and running in time to take my daughter to her wedding in style. (It worked out perfectly. Pictures to come when we get them back from the photographer.) As the Bosch stands now, it puts out approx. 14.2 @ high idle, 13.9 at low idle, so within range.
I have already purchased a new D-Side outer ball joint that was ID'd in the safety inspection, and I intend to replace it when I do the wheel brgs.
The brakes are new (allegedly), at least they have lots of meat on them.
Don't know about the front spring-thing though.......

WallyP

I would strongly suggest that you do some searches on "aluminum balljoints" ASAP.

TrentonC

Will check it out ASAP. I was planning on getting an alignment after I changed the outer tie-rod, but the pre-purchase safety inspection didn't show any slack in the ball joints. It was performed by AM-German Auto in Edmonton, purportedly a specialist in Porsche, BMW, etc. Hopefully he had a clue......

WallyP

The early car had aluminum carriers for the lower balljoints - the actual load-carrying part was a steel ball stud retained in an aluminum socket. There will be no visible looseness in the joint even just before failure, unless you jack the lower control arm under the ball joint so as to remove the spring load on the joint.

But - when the joint does eventually develop a bit of play, it will start hammering the aluminum retainer with the full weight of that corner. Failure can be very rapid, and results in the front wheel folding up into the fender. Fortunately, the failure usually happens at low speed, often during a sharp turn. A high speed failure would be really ugly...

A magnet applied to the ball joint carrier is a clear tell-tale. They are also visually different - the aluminum carriers are much more bulky. Replacement requires alignment.

A "Porsche specialist" is almost always actually a "Porsche 911 and derivative model specialist". Many, if not most, 911 specialists don't know much about the 928, and often don't really want to know anything about them.

Paying someone to learn how to work on your car can get really expensive.

Podguy

The front brakes are two small for the weight of the car. The S brakes from 84-early 86 cars make a great up grade. If you can find a car someone is dismantiling you can end up with the steel ball joints, the brakes, rotors, spindles, springs and shocks. The later springs are shorter and have front adjusters so you can accrately set right height. Acurate ride height is critical to getting the car to handle properly. You should be able to find the complete set up for $100-200 - less than you can buy new ball joints for.

TrentonC

Thanks for the insight. Having said that, is there anyone up in Western Canada parting out a car? I have found only 1 at a boneyard located in Edmonton, and it's a 1980. Likely still has original, but I haven't been able to go look at it yet.