So I just re-assembled the console as part of vacuum diafragm procedure per Dwayne's write-up, and after hooking up the battery with a charger she cranks and then clicks with no start. I left the charger on for over an hour and same result.

I double checked all the wires I reconnected and only the cigarette and clock could possibly be wrongly connected because they are not keyed but nothing looks melted or smells bad. Every time I reconnect the battery I go deaf from the damn alarm siren.

So my fear is that I somehow tweaked the aftermarket alarm or the original Porsche alarm. The aftermarket alarm gizmo blinks 3 times in all key positions now which it didn't do previously. This has been something I've avoided effing with for the past 2 1/2 years.

When I first turn the key the display say Type-No. 04, 19.05, 1988. Then the mileage display works as normal. Battery appears to be dead almost immediately after I disconnect battery jumper box. I'm think I should charge the battery fully disconnected from car and try again.

Any ideas are welcome.

 

Charge battery tonight and go cycle all of your keyed locks in the morning. Then try and start it.

 

Thanks Sean. I charged the battery out of the car all night and hooked it up this morning. I think my charger is on its way out because I only got a few seconds of cranking and the battery was dead again. The Alarm still had the 3 blink pattern after I reset each lock so something is still hosed.

I'm traveling the rest of this week and will get the battery tested and buy a charger. More to follow over the weekend.

 

Or the batt has a bad cell. Need a load test. It can show 12.5 V and have a weak cell, from extended "tending" and going low on fluid in a cell. Chargers do wear out though.

 

Problem resolved. My fear that I effed something up when replacing diaphragms proved to be just my paranoia. The relatively new Duralast battery went deep dead after 3 weeks sitting connected while I was making the repairs. My jumpstart battery kit didn't charge the battery overnight. It did charge just enough to make the aftermarket alarm system to go mental which turned out to be a red herring.

I bought a legit Schumaker charger, charged the battery for 2 hours at 10A, popped in the battery and car started as if I hadn't worked on it.

Venting controls now are working but A/C still not blowing cold. Will be checking fuses and Sensor under driver side headlight tomorrow.

 

Engine on, AC on:
- Does the compressor clutch engage? The center of the pulley on the compressor must turn.
- If the compressor clutch engages, feel the AC lines. The line into the condenser in front of the radiator should be hot (140-150 deg F), the line out of the condenser should be pretty warm, the large line on the firewall should be cold.

If all of that is OK, the refrigeration system is probably OK, and the problem is in the control system. The outside temp sensor will make the system be either full hot or full cold, with no in between.

Go to our website, then Tips and Links, then Wally's World, then HVAC. Download and print the paper, and use it to help in troubleshooting.

 

Your battery will have been permanently damaged by sitting fully discharged, you will be able to charge it but its maximum charge level will be reduced, each time you let a battery run down fully and deplete all charge you are damaging it further - if you know will be working on the car for a long time or you have an parasitic leak issue - disconnect the battery until you are done/can fix the issue.

Alan