968Forums.com

Hope this is the right forum.

 

While chasing my electrical drain, I was following wires, looking at grounds etc.  I noticed a plug behind the distributor housing.   barely touched it, plastic pieces fell to the ground, and the top part of the plug (female) just pulled right off.  There is a tin-like bracket attached to the backside of the distributor housing, and the male part should seat in this bracket.  To explain a little more, right below it is a vacuum pod which looks like it opens the heater hose.  The female plug wires look like they run between the distributor housing and the top front of the motor.  The male end wires run down underneath and at this point disappear into the unknown void.  The 3 wires on these pins are thin gauge and colored red, green, and black.  I also noticed the top of the distributor housing is melted and wrinkled on the top, about the size of a half dollar, but that damage appears old.  Gaaaaaaaaaaaaawd it just doesn't stop!!!  Sure would like to drive my new-to-me 968 someday this year!

 

So I see on Paragon they sell the female portion to this plug, but mine still looks brand new.  No male ends.  What is the wire, and how much is involved in getting in there to repair or replace it?  If I need to post pics please let me know.  I'm not making anymore orders from anyone until I know what I need.

OK.  So a guy over on the Bog Bird site says this is my Cam Timing Sensor.  He says '$$$$'...........and I haven't even looked yet cause I'm having a nice evening.  I guess my next question is.........is this something I can do myself?  I have zero Porsche-based specialized tools for dealing with this motor and what's behind that front cover.  I mean, somewhere I MUST be able to just get the connector, shove the wires in, and plug them back together.  Right?????  Anyone?  Anyone?  McFly?

Have you downloaded the 968 parts catalog yet?  That's a good place to look at diagrams to identify parts and part numbers to check pricing.  Porsche provides it for free.

Thanx.  I'll look tomorrow.  I'm not in the mood (except bad mood!) right now.  :whine:

I did not know our cars have a " cam timing sensor " that plugs into the back of the distributor .

Or is that commonly referred to as the Hall sensor ?

After looking at other sites, I believe it's the Hall sensor.  But I still can't figure, because I can't see exactly where the wires go, if the sensor is attached to the top plug/wire (female), or the bottom plug/wire (male), and if it goes into the distributor.  I'm leery of taking things apart B4 I know what's going on in that area..  I also can't confirm if it goes into the distributor.  I just don't know, and I quit doing research for the evening.  Still can't believe I can't just buy a plug fitting and assemble it!

More than a few owners have simply cut the wires and removed the plug and saved 150 bucks. Some solder and shrink tubing and all is well.

Thanx.  I seriously considered that except my soldering skills suck, and there's just not a lot of room in there.  If the harness and plug attached to the sensor is the female end, then that one is fine.  I guess my question is, which plug is attached to the sensor?  Or put in better terms. Is the top plug connected to the sensor, or is the bottom plug connected to the sensor?  Can I just remove the distributor cover (the plastic case) without affecting anything?

 

And I suppose this needs to be said.  Since everything just fell apart, I'm not even sure which wire goes where.  Quite honestly, if the male end of the plug is the one attached to the sensor, I'd pay the money just to have it plug and play.

that is the hall sender.  it tells the engine where zero is.  common failure.  the unit is prone to heat failure, which is one of the reasons i designed the heat shield.  the unit frequently fails in side the distributor housing.  it is a magnetic component that commonly disintegrates.  replacement is pretty easy, as long as you have the mating wiring intact.

OK, I get that.  Someone please review my questions.  I don't know where to start or what the fix is.  My issues are the plug ends and which is which and what to do, etc.  This car is not endearing itself to me.

Quote:OK, I get that.  Someone please review my questions.  I don't know where to start or what the fix is.  My issues are the plug ends and which is which and what to do, etc.  This car is not endearing itself to me.

 

Might help if you post some pictures.  I am not clear if you are saying the plug broke, or the hall sensor itself. Another thing, go on youtube and watch soldering videos, it really is not that hard, like most things you just have to do good prep, use the right tools and be patient.  Shortcuts only cause problems is what I believe.

 

I am not 100% that this is the right plug, and I htought you could get it for like 25 dollars or so, but I think this is what you need to fix the connector: http://www.ebay.com/itm/PORSCHE-924S-944...5b2979bc9a

 



 

This might help you: 

 

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/porsche-9...ion-s.html

 

Last time I checked a replacement hall sender was about $180 from sunset. I don't know if both plastic ends of the plug are included though. On my car there was a crack in one of the plastic plug pieces but it hadn't completely disintegrated, so I carefully filled cracks with epoxy, and it seems to be holding together.

As far as while you're in there's, this is a good time to sand prime and repaint the original magnesium cams sprocket housing if it's corroding under the paint. Magnesium is NLA and an aluminum one is still quite expensive.

On closer inspection of your picture I don't see any paint on the cam sprocket housing, so maybe it's already been replaced with the new aluminum one? ( or painted silver?)

Quote:OK.  So a guy over on the Bog Bird site says this is my Cam Timing Sensor.  He says '$$$$'...........and I haven't even looked yet cause I'm having a nice evening.  I guess my next question is.........is this something I can do myself?  I have zero Porsche-based specialized tools for dealing with this motor and what's behind that front cover.  I mean, somewhere I MUST be able to just get the connector, shove the wires in, and plug them back together.  Right?????  Anyone?  Anyone?  McFly?

 

What the heck is a Bog Bird site??????

 

Jay

I assumed Brian meant a "big" bird, such as a Pelican.

Just F'ing say Pelican then...JMHO

If the female end is good, there is this solution:

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/PORSCHE-924S-944...9X&vxp=mtr

 

These guys have unusually good prices. I have purchased a few things from them over the years and they parts worked fine.

 

https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/porsche...fgodz0oOog

Yes, PELICAN.  Some forums don't like the mention of other forums, so that's why I did it that way!.

OK, thanx for the help.  It's the male end.  I'll just do it right and be done with it.  I took some pics to add to this to the thread for future reference so rookies like me can see the problem. 

 

The first pic is the top (female plug).  Looks like it is part of the wiring harness as it disappears between the cover and the block.  The second is what's left of the lower plug (obviously male), and the third is all that's left and was picked out of the top plug.

 

It seems pretty straightforward.  A couple 8mm to remove the distributor.  Some allens to remove the valve covers, new gaskets, and replace the sensor.  I'll check on Clarks to make sure I do it right.  Guess there's no better way to learn about a car than to tear it apart!

 

  

Well, don't mention other sites too often,but if you MUST, just say it

 

NEVER NEVER NEVER link to "one of those sites"

 

Jay

You can replace the sensor on the plate, it's a Siemens Hall effect sensor I have the part number for it some where


Just drill the rivets out, rivet on a new one connect the wiring up to the plug, did mine this way cost me $13 plus gaskets and seals