aircooledbug

About to retro fit the OBC. The p-Car site says I need to find a now unavailable part form a breakers yard for the tachometer connector, but I am sure I read somewhere there is a BMW part that fits as well - I am having problems finding it again.

Hoping to drop the car off to a garage next week to fit headlamp relays, would like to get them to sort out the retro fit at the same time.

Car is currently without an MOT and am desperate to get in it again having not driven in in what seems like forever.

Can anyone help?

aircooledbug

This is hinting at the BMW thing:
http://www.911uk.com/viewtopic.php?p=746799

"...the plug was a problem and expensive for what it is. You can get away with plugs from a 3 series BMW (early one) but the wiring colours are different and the locking mechanism won't work. The plug on 993 and 994 central electrics will also work."

Vic_S

p-car + link above are referring to 993's...

On a 964, most early cars already have the wiring + plugs:-
(i) For Tacho connection its buried in cables behind the dial.
(ii) For stalk connection it's cable tied to the steering column.
You just have to locate them.

Later cars (1991+ ??) usually don't have the wiring, so retro fitting is more difficult!!

aircooledbug

That is a relief to hear that. December 1989 car so will hopefully be okay. Thanks

g60pops

I thought the later cars had the wiring but early 1989 ones didn't?

Vic_S

There's really only one way to find out
My 1990 car had them...

g60pops

my c2 1990 also does, but I thought the 1989 c4 did not.

StanUK951

My MY1991 car did. Plastic manifolds and later type rear shocks. I did this retrofit. Only wires I couldn't find are for the ext temp sensor. The sensor goes in the wing mirror. I bought a new sensor and housing and ran a pair of new wires back to the tachometer and scotch locked into the relevant cables on the connector.

aircooledbug

Result! Both connectors were in there.

Does this also mean I won't need to splice the wires under the seat?

Realise that sounds a daft question but my battery is flat.

:-)

Vic_S

Great stuff - its just plug & play

-but you will be missing the outside temp function without doing as Stan did...

BigMikeATL

Good luck. Be prepared for the OBC to fail one day. The OBC in my car hasn't worked since I bought it. I've posted about the issue and it seems to be a common problem. The latest victim is ToreB. The OBC in my car just reads 0.0. North Hollywood Speedometer can fix it for $650!

aircooledbug

Thanks all. Might jump start it later and see if it is working. Just got to refit the steering wheel and somehow cut extra holes in the lower steering column trim. There is no gap for the new control arm and the cruise on the other side does not fit through the existing hole (993 stalks).

Fingers crossed it lasts. Don't like the idea of having to post it to Hollywood.

aircooledbug

Thank you everyone who has given me pointers on the OBC thing (there are probably 2 or 3 threads I have started in the past 6-months or so).

It is now in the car, and a much easier job than I had anticipated. It was not expected that I could simply pop in a new tachometer with the OBC screen and add the control stalk. All the wiring and connectors already being in the car from the factory.

The hardest bitwas sourcing a reasonably priced tacho (which I bought last year!), and finding a steering column switch with cruise, headlamp washer and the OBC menu/function arm as they are not available from Porsche (I have had one on back order since September 2012). Eventually I got a used 993 item sent from Colorado.

After fitting it I was concerned that I may have bought a dead OBC tacho as it would light up, however after waiting a little while it came to life and is now working as it should. Temperature is the only function not working as I have not fitted a thermostat.

To me this little thing makes a big difference to the inside of the car. It sort of makes it just that bit more modern, the speed readout I was keen to get as the Clubsport steering wheel means I can't see much between 80-160mph on the dial. Taking it for a little spin to charge the battery back up I noticed I was glued to to the mpg estimate, probably driving the car more carefully than ever!

Still got a bit to finish:

Lower steering column cover
There is no hole for the new stalk. I was going to buy a new lower section but I cannot fathom how to disconnect the immobiliser - too nervous to cut the wire incase it is some fancy cable. So going to cut a bigger hole in the existing cover. Anyone else done it this way who can share some pointers?

Getting the horn to work on the steering wheel
Have no idea what has happened here. The horn pad shot off all by itself months ago, luckily as I was exiting the car otherwise it would of most likely hit me in the face. I am confident I am assembling the bits in the right order but I am getting no sound or spark from touching the two metal rings together. Fuses seem fine in the main box under the hood? Any ideas?

Need to get it working as an MOT is (over)due.

g60pops

I used a dremel when I had to make a cut out on the lower plastic column cover for the obc stalk.

aircooledbug

Thanks. I used mine too. drilled a couple of big holes, opened them up with the dremel and then flattened/squared the three edges off with a flat file by hand. Actually looks okay.

For now that is me done with this job. I may come back to it at a later date to add the outside temperature measure if I can be bothered.