[ds968]

Im going to order one of those, just to keep on the shelf as a back up when and if needed .

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[JWahlsten]

I have the Iceshark version as well, and the OEMs were in bad shape when they came out.  The insulation basically crumbled in my hands.  These cars are getting long in the tooth.  I wonder whats next due to age...

 

A lot of preventative maintenance gets done for trackwork, but short of rebuilding the entire car, it's tough to catch everything.

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[ds968]

Not sure it’s just age, I’m convinced a lot has to do with the climate, and where the car spends most of the time ( whether covered garages or carports, outdoors, etc. ). I’d be willing to bet there are plenty of cars out there much older than the 968 is, without this kind of deterioration.

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[Roboman]

Very interesting set of posts, thanks guys, add it to the top of the "to do" list ....

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[Velocity]

Took my harness out last week - finally - based on this post. Visually it was fine except for a little bit of loss of insulation at the alternator. Inside the sheath, the insulation on both cables was totally toast. 

 

 

pdxmike - is your car a 6 speed or tiptronic?    Hoping that either way (since you had a bit of extra length in the cable) it'll fit the 6 speed, as I've ordered teh 944 harness and intend to replace mine ASAP.  

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[pdxmike]

6 speed - sorry should have mentioned. 

 

I'd recommend dropping the gravel shield and taking pics of the original harness routing for reference. The slight extra length is not a problem at all as there is ample space behind the alternator. I am guessing the near-exact specs are the primary reason a 968-specific harness remains NLA. 

 

It's a one out of five wrench job. The trickiest part is getting a wrench in the tight space on the 6spd starter - at least on my car, the exhaust and O2 sensor created access issues. Having a wobble socket will help. 

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[J.Elenbaas]

Or just drop the starter motor, disconnect the wiring.

Connect new wiring onto startermotor and old cable loom and carefully pull it up through the engine bay?

 

Regards,

Jack.

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[pdxmike]

Ha - funny, that didn't even occur to me but yes, it would probably be easier and faster to just drop the starter motor. 

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[Greystone]

Ditto on this starter wire thing.   - I was out driving the other day and I heard a strange sound. So I moved away from the guy next to me on the road HOPING that it was his car that was making all the noise.  But no such luck, the fuss was coming from my car  - drats!.  The starter had engaged, what a clatter!  I had to drive a couple of miles to get to a good spot. 

 

Ended up replacing starter wiring and starter.  The insulation was gone.  Once I started doing some research on this, I was like 'how could have missed that - so common'.  What can you do.....

 

The past few weeks I have been preoccupied with the timing belt replacement, tracking down blown fuse causes as well as other odds and ends on my new purchase. - '92 cab.  The learning curve has been steeeep - lol.      But I'm starting to have some real fun ow!!  It's all been fun really, but driving is a little more fun. 

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[ds968]

Inspected the wires harness at battery, alternator ( very limited visibility ) and the starter, so those segments visible both from the top, and from crawling under the car, but without lifting it up on a hoist or removing any of the under trays , so its very possible I may have missed some critical spots,

However, the segments Ive seen are in top shape; the insulation looks great everywhere and to the touch everything feels soft / pliable, without any exposed wires . I did this because I was planning to buy a harness ( the 944 one which fits , as mentioned on anther thread , since the 968 is NLA ) jus to keep it as a spare, but based on the current harness condition, Im thinking it may have another 20 years life before any serious deterioration and corrosion. Maybe its not just age, but resulting much more from climate conditions where the car resides and is driven vs. the age ratio ? Anyone here with California cars that have deteriorated , brtiitle insulation and exposed wires harnesses ?

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[snova]

pdxmike,

 

just found this thread as it was recently bumped.   Were should really meet up one of these days. Thanks again for posting about the 944 part number.  I was preparing to repair the NLA 968 part.  Didn't know 944 part would work.    If in the future you need access to a lift, I have one. Seems my 968 is always up on it these days.  laugh, cry.  I also have some other sports cars that I collect and work on. 

 

I'm 1 hr NW of Downtown up hwy 30 towards the coast.

 

You going to the PCA Avant Garde/Ron Wade shop tour this Saturday?

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[snova]

btw, funny thing happening lately regarding the electrical system in my 968 of late.

My voltage gauge on the instrument cluster was always showing low since I bought it last winter. 12V or lower. About the only thing I did was replace the old battery which didn't help the reading.

 

As you may recall, I recently replaced the voltage regulator, the ignition coils, found the oil in the spark plug wells. All the dash lights and headlights are much brighter now. instrument cluster gage started showing 13V.  

 

When I did the temporary spark plug replacement yesterday, the gauge showed 14V.. and much to my surprise the outdoor temperature panel in the panel was one LCD segment shy of deplaying the out door temperature correctly.   Prior to this, it was showing only 2 or so segments total and dim at that. Now bright and "almost" 100% working.   Maybe the final piece of the puzzle  (the harness) will fix it completely.

 

I feel like I am slowly starting to bring the car back to health. step by step.

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[Roboman]

It's a nice feeling eh? Mine had/ has good bodywork but the rest was neglected. Most things are fine now, but still some details to sort as time permits, and am now alerted to this harness issue. As you say, step by step.....

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[snova]

It's a nice feeling eh? Mine had/ has good bodywork but the rest was neglected. Most things are fine now, but still some details to sort as time permits, and am now alerted to this harness issue. As you say, step by step.....

I guess I was fortunate to have most of the large underside covers still there. I guess its expensive to get.   I have the front Batwing, the aluminum panel which goes 1/2 way around the oil pan and the plastic panel between the batwing and that aluminum panel. Most of the fasteners where gone, including some other brackets above the front batwing which give it support as well as some side plastic covers that attach to the side of the batwing via those brackets.  Finally got most ordered and back on as it should be.

I guess the people who have worked on it over the years just pitch or lose stuff as its time consuming to remove every time you want to work on the car from underneath. Kind of upsetting.  I guess that is why would rather work on it myself then to give it to a shop to fix.  I find missing fasteners all the time on my other cars after someone works on them.   Frustrating. 

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[Waylander]

more than anything those trays are realyy important for Aero and cooling, not so much the rear alloy tray but the front two,

 

without them you will find the front gets really floaty, and the engine bay temps climb a lot,

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[Roboman]

You must have stopped work early today Waylander, or are you self isolating??

 

I've just remembered a part that you may be able to help me with.  I've tried the usual sites but cannot find it ..... the cylindrical rubber mounts with a threaded washer on top that sit under the "varicam" sign and the injector cover, the bolt goes through the sign, through the cover, and into the rubber mounts.  I suspect the mounts are glued to the cam cover, but I'm not sure. I apologise for using you as a parts department, but you are spectacular with such information.

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[Waylander]

Ok those little bobbins are male / female and they are threaded into the cam cover, the PET drawing shows 4 to be fitted, but the drawing is wrong, fit 4 and your fuel rail cover will hit the bonnet / hood.

 

they are 999 703 388 00 at £26.50 each!!!!!

 

get your measure out but I think they are 18 x 15mm M5 thread, think i fitted 15 x 15 from below, £1.50 each plus post

 

https://www.avmountsonline.co.uk/bobbin-...bin-mounts

 

And I know a fella that just bought 4 from Porsche, and as they were special order they wont take them back, not bad £108 for little tiny mounts you can buy almost anywhere.

 

same for the Air box mount, fuel filter mounts, and so on they are all standard sizes

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[Roboman]

Ha!, Thank you for that, and for helping me not waste close to Euro100!  Correct, I have non under the injector rail, only under the varicam sign; the rubber has perished completely on one of them so I suspect the other will soon follow suit.  Cheers, have a good evening

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[Roboman]

Im going to order one of those, just to keep on the shelf as a back up when and if needed .

Yep I think that's a good idea, though I may actually put mine on the "todo" list and wait for it to float to the top.  My 968 was 20 years in the Middle East, rubber and plastic suffers there, so better to be prepared for this one.  Thanks to Pams968 for the original posting.

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[Greystone]

I will put those on my list as well.  

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