Lots done this weekend, but need some help.
 

I got the car running this morning. It's been in hibernation since November.

My driver's side b-pillar snapped in November while I was trying to get the top to work automatically. Should have been content with manual. I will be from now on.

This weekend, I did the following:

1. Got the b-pillar back from being welded and reassembled the top.
2. Changed the blinker assembly so it now cancels when you straighten out after a turn.
3. Fixed my cruise control cable. When I pulled off the intake a year or so ago, the cable, with its tension, shot into the wall by the oil filter and the plastic near the cable's adjustment nut broke in two. I fixed it with super glue and a tie wrap. Crude, but it works.
4. Changed the oil. Went with Mobil 1 this year as Brad Penn is a drive to get to. By the way, Autozone (no affiliations) has a special, 5 quarts and a filter for $30. They don't carry our filters, but who cares. Worked out to $6 a quart and I have filters for my 3 other cars for free.

On to the problems....

1. My idle is erratic. It will stay at 750 or so steady sometimes, but will also jump up to 1500 steady. Other times, it jumps between 600 and 800.
2. My check engine light is on. I'm thinking about disconnecting the battery overnight to give it a hard reset. Or, this could be cruise control related?
3. My cab top warning light stays on. This isn't new, but annoying. I've tried to have the bottom microswitch open and closed when the top is down, but no change.
4. The cab top isn't aligned. When I close the top, it seems like its too far forward and to one side and won't latch unless I force the latches into place. Also, when the top is down, the canvas cab top boot cover is VERY snug. Another odd thing; with the top down, I used to be able to see the raised spoiler in my rear view mirror over the boot cover. Now, I can't.

Any help is appreciated.

1. The ISV may need cleaning.
3. Mine too; I hope someone has a remedy.

Doc

Drove it to work this morning despite the CEL. Drove fine. Idle still high. Almost 1800. After the cruise control cable broke, I tried to reconnect it and the idle was high. Will disconnect it tonight to see if that fixes the idle. Could high idle cause the CEL?

Could be the cruise cable for sure. If the microswitch isn't tripped to tell the car it is back at idle, it will throw a cel. If the cable is too tight, it could do that. I had a cel once when the floor mat wouldn't let the throttle pedal come back 100 %. Good luck.

I didn't even consider that the Persian rug floor mats I got on ebay could be the cause.

Guess I'll have to live without cruise control. 3 speeding tickets in 12 months, I really was excited about cruise control.

3. Check behind the clock and resolder all the contactpoints. Fixed my light!
http://p-car.com/diy/clockrepair/

A check engine light? Or an airbag light? I don't remember anyone getting a check engine light from clock solder issues.

Check engine light is gone. Disconnected and tied up the cruise control cable. Need to find an adjustment procedure for this or figure out if it's routed wrong.

Oh, erratic idle is gone too.

After searching the 964 and 993 groups, I can't seem to find an adjustment procedure for the cruise control cable. Righty-tighty or lefty loosey on the nut? Or is there an adjustment at the cruise control module?

Also, does anyone have a good picture of how the cruise cable is supposed to be routed?

Ref - 3 - This s probably the micro switch inside the overhead rotating locking arm box. The micro switch goes bad and the whole box has to be replaced - $4-500 per - best is just to remove light in gauge.
Ref top position when down - f it is too high - the rear micro switches on the left and right side on the gear box maybe out of adjustment - or the cable is slipping once the top gets so far down. If you replaced or repaired the "B" pillar after you had it welded - my guess is the micro switch positions need to be checked.
But since you are having alignment problems those need to be corrected first. This is a time consuming task, as you have to be very careful and adjust as you go.
What changes did you make when you replaced the "B" pillar.
Did you check it to see if it is the same length - and the angels are correct after it was welded??
Have you got the gear box covers off??

Regarding the b-pillar weld, it was as close to what I hoped for as possible. I didnt' have the passenger side off for comparison, so I can't be sure.

At this time, the bolts on the linkage from the transmissions to the top bows are loosened. The cab motors behind the seats are removed.

Since I've owned the car, the cab top ajar light in the dash has always been on when the top was down. It's never been on with the top closed. I'll play around with the microswitches that are attached to the passenger side transmission this weekend. Has anyone ever removed the switches and forces the circuit short or open to remedy this?

My cab top warning light was caused by bad soldering behind the light on the clock! Worth checking..

Not a good picture, but one I had on file...........

Goes between airbox and alum manifold as I recall.

'89 C4

On the front left side of the engine directly below your picture is the master control for the cruise control - this is what controls the cable you have a picture of. It is bolted to the to of the engine and sandwiched in between the fuel rails, if you look under the intake manifold you can see it.
The cable you have a picture of runs down to this unit that has an arm on it that pules the cable -
I believe this arm is mounted on a rod with splines and is adjustable in either direction. ( earlier models ) If you have a later model unit then it is like the 993 model CC and the rod is only fitted on in one direction. Not much help - but something

OK, I have an update on the top alignment. I've driven the car at least 80 miles a day since Sunday. Some of the roads I drive are pretty bumpy. I got a bit turned around on Tuesday and ended up on a bumpy dirt road. The whole time, I kept thinking that it may have been the easiest way to alight the top.

Tonight, for the first time since Sunday, I opened the top to take some pictures of the seal on top of the windshield. When I closed it, it closed fine. Open, close, open close, no issues. Also, my cab top warning light is now off when the top is closed. Whoo hoo!!! Also of note, I noticed this morning that the passenger side b-pillar was welded in the past. It's not near as nice a job as I had done on the driver's side. Now I know why the top was manual when I bought it.

Now to fix the cruise control cable so my idle doesn't go haywire and cause a CEL. Also, need to fix that cab top warning light so it doesn't stay on when the top is down.

Slicks to mount on spare rims this weekend and magnetic numbers on the way to get ready for the first AX of the year. Also new 993 motor mounts, R134 conversion kit and receiver/drier coming Monday. I should have done all of this in the winter, but even with the heater in the garage, it's so tough to get motivated when the 6 month agony is beating down on the midwest.

Sounds great. As far as the top open light, iirc there is a microswitch that might need to be adjusted. Not owning a cab, ever, I don't know where it is. Good to hear about the ax, any chance that we will see you at Putnam for a de this year?

Just googled Putnam. Any of. The PCA regions' dates OK? Cab without a roll bar OK? Street tires or AX tires?

Street tires fine, cab fine with top up, no roll bar needed. Take a look at this, has the info you should need

No region should let you DE a cab without a rollbar. Some regions will let you AX without one (NCR does if you're not on R tires). Relatively safe at an AX, but there are lots of videos of roll-overs on the track.

:cheers: for the link

"...Convertibles with factory installed roll bars will be permitted. For all other convertibles a roll bar that meets the “broomstick” test is required...."

DR, I checked out your link and on that page, it says

"Convertibles with factory installed roll bars will be permitted. For all other convertibles a roll bar that meets the “broomstick” test is required."

I can't imagine, even if the cab top is considered a factory installed roll bar, which I doubt it is, that I would feel comfortable risking rolling over with that thing being my protection. Especially considering that I just found the pasasenger side b-pillar was welded and I just had the driver side b-pillar welded.

No plans for a roll bar, so I'll skip the DE's until I get a coupe one day.