[968TDG]

Hi guys, long time since I've posted.  

 

I'm having a problem with oil pressure, but it seems like it could be caused by an electrical issue.

 

When I started my 968 for the first time today, the dash was lit up with all sorts of warnings...The big "!" in the middle, the light on the oil pressure gauge (and also there was no oil pressure), the brake wear light...maybe a few more.  I popped the hood with the engine running and opened the fuse / relay panel, and wiggled a bunch of things.  When I looked at the dash again, all the lights had gone off.  I drove a few miles and everything worked like normal. 

 

When I started the car about an hour later, the same thing happened.  This time, I tried wiggling the key a bit, and all the lights went off.  Drove a few miles and everything was normal.

 

When I started the car about an hour after that, same thing happened again.  This time I couldn't get the lights to go off, even when I wiggled the key, or fiddled with the relays, and after about 10 seconds, I started to hear a rattling coming from the engine bay, so I turned the car off.  Tried starting it a few more times, but could not get the lights to go off, so I had to leave it in a parking lot and get a ride with a friend.  I don't know if the noise coming from the engine was simply caused by there being no oil pressure, but it was bad enough that I didn't want to risk driving it.

 

Any thoughts what the root cause could be?  I really need to go try to move the car as it is at a business and I don't want to get towed.

 

Cheers

Phil

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[968TDG]

I've spoken with a local shop and they think it is an issue with the ignition.  I'm going to go back to the car at lunch and see if I can do some more jiggling and get it to work long enough to drive the 1/2 mile to the shop.  If not, I'll get it towed. 

 

It would makes sense that it is basically in the wrong key position. so maybe it isn't powering the systems that need to be on when the car is running.

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[Waylander]

The plastic electrical part of the switch gets worn when a big bunch of keys is used, it’s not hard to replace and costs about $100

A worn switch has some interesting effects, as you have found out dash lights, brake lights, stereo not working

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[ds968]

 Ignition switches can definitely cause all of those problems EXCEPT rattling coming from the engine.  If the rattling was associated with the engine in the moments it may have been stalling, that may be explicable, but otherwise it could be a serious and real oil starvation problem,.  I'd recommend towing it to the shop, in spite of what may be a very short drive. Better to be overly cautious than sorry.            

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[968TDG]

Dan, 

 

I certainly wont drive it with no oil pressure.  Does it make sense that a worn switch could cause the oil pump not to work, therefore causing the oil starvation and noise?  The only issue I've had that could be related to this is that a few times on the freeway when I've gone over a heavy bump (like driving in LA on the 5) I've had the motor completely turn off, and I have had to cycle it back on.

 

Cheers

Phil

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[J.Elenbaas]

When your engine is running so is the oil pump, but the question is "is the oil pump working OK?"

Or is there somewhere else a problem for not having oil-pressure?

 

Still in your first post you say you started the engine, and eventualy drove 2 times a few miles without a working gauge or without oil-pressure????? :whine:

 

I do hope it's the gauge that's not working.......

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[ds968]

I had a wonky ignition switch in my tiptonic 968 and the only apparent issue is that it did not show the gear light follow the gears changing . There was no light at all for that matter . But if I turned on any othe the other lights ( headlamps , parking lights , fog lights ) the gear light also came on. So it does affect dashboard electronics , so I’m just hoping that it’s also what’s causing your oil gauge to read incorrectly , rather than the oil pump being the problem ..

p.s. it make no sense to me that an ignition switch would cause the actual oil pump not to work , but then again this car is weird and sometimes defies logic..

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[968TDG]

The two times I drove the car, there was never any noise from the motor (had windows down) and before I even put it in gear, all the lights had gone away(within a few seconds of turning the car on), and the oil pressure gauge was showing around 4, so I'm pretty confident things were working properly, and that I wasn't damaging the car, just seemed like an issue of a loose connection in the ignition or a relay.  The third time I turned it on, the lights came on, and within about 5-10 seconds, the engine started making lifter or valve noise, and so I pulled it back into the spot I'd backed out of and turned it off.  I've turned it on a couple times to see if it was just a faulty ignition after jiggling things around, but only for a few seconds each time.  I've had it towed to a local shop who has worked on the motor before, so we will see what happens.  He thinks it has to do with the ignition, but they all agree that the oil pump should still be working, even if the gauge isn't working, so that's confusing.  

 

I'll keep you posted.

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[ds968]

Good luck Phil, and let’s all hope it’s a cheap gremlin in the ignition switch. Always a good outcome when there’s an occasional inexpensive fix to our cars’ issues .

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[MCL968]

Pick up tube?

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[pdxmike]

Definitely there's a problem with your ignition switch if it shut off on the freeway and power cycling it brought it back to life. That switch has to be swapped out no matter what. Makes me think I need to preemptively change out mine. I've had issues with warning lights coming on with the steering wheel lock. 

 

It should be a very easy matter for your mechanic to verify the oil pressure with a mechanical gauge. I agree with everyone else that it does not make sense that an electric issue at the switch/cluster would cause rattling in the engine. It also seems unlikely that your oil pump chose to go out at the same time as your ignition switch. 

 

Good luck and let us know what your mechanic finds. 

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[MCL968]

While I agree with Mike, and I replaced my ignition switch a while back and solved some problems I was having with my heater, don't overlook the possibility that your pickup tube has cracked. That is a common problem with these cars and it would explain the rattling within the motor and the oil pressure gauge. These cars are getting old and having two problems at the same time is not beyond the realm of comprehension. There is a link on here about changing the ignition switch. You may want to look at it to make sure you get the right switch. The dealer tried to sell me the wrong one insisting that it was the right one, but a different source eventually provided the proper switch.

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[Waylander]

The switch is 944 613 024 01 $90

 

the ignition switch will have nothing to do with the physical oil pressure, only the gauge, 

 

the oil system is purely mechanical, have you had the belts done recently just before it went back on the road, if so i would get your mechanic to check the crank pulley bolt is tight, its the only thing that makes sure the oil pump gear turns, the bolt should be 150lbs/ft TIGHT

 

i have seen this before when they have been forgotten.

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[Roboman]

The switch is 944 613 024 01 $90

 

the ignition switch will have nothing to do with the physical oil pressure, only the gauge, 

 

the oil system is purely mechanical, have you had the belts done recently just before it went back on the road, if so i would get your mechanic to check the crank pulley bolt is tight, its the only thing that makes sure the oil pump gear turns, the bolt should be 150lbs/ft TIGHT

 

i have seen this before when they have been forgotten.

 

Hi Waylander, I'm having some issues with my dash, occasionally it just all falls over.  Car still runs and indicators work, just no instrumentation.  My intention is to wait until my odometer gear arrives from Partworks and then give the dash a good clean out, make sure all plugs and sockets unite properly, and hope that particular issue goes away.

 

 

However, regarding the electrical part of the ignition: is that the sort of thing which should be replaced on say a 10 year basis?  Thank you for the part number, I've had a look at it on Design911 (GBP89).  Cheers, Robert

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[Waylander]

Mine was replaced by the previous owner at about 21 years old, the wear seems directly related to the size of the bunch of keys

i don’t think it would be on my list of regular replacement items

 

do you not have a Porsche dealership in southern France ? If you do I would go direct to them Porsche shop just resell Porsche parts  at a profit, 

 

you could contact Steve Mathiot at East London Porsche he will post out direct, and at no extra cost most of the time. 

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[Roboman]

East London Porsche doesn't get a look in amongst the prime advertisers and the ranting bloggers, so thank you for that contact, I'll shortly give them/him a go.


I'll also try Perpignan Porsche, but they kept me waiting for ages for a water pump, only to eventually say they couldn't source one, so I got it from Design911 ..... who, as you mentioned in a previous post somewhere, only add vat after one has committed to a price!


Thanks

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[Waylander]

East London are an official Porsche centre, not a sub dealer or parts place 

 

you are buying from Porsche direct

 

http://www.porscheeastlondon.co.uk/

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