924Board.org

[Tengai in Toronto]

I'm new here. And i'm going to immediately ask for help

I just picked up a 78 924. It sat for 2 years or so. It's in really good condition, minus the fact that mice made it their home over the winter. I paid $1000 canadian, and for that price I couldn't be happier.

All i've done is change the plugs and wires, steam clean the mouse shit-stink out of the interior, new wiper blades, other random small things like fuses and bulbs. Everything works except the rear wiper and defroster.

However, there are a few issues I need addressed which have me a bit boggled.

The dash clock doesnt work. More importantly, I suspect there might be a grounding issue?? When the lights are off, key OUT of the ignition, the clock backlighting is on. When the lights are on, the backlight turns off! I realize this tiny bulb cant draw much, but its still annoying that the light stays on overnight, basically all the time that the car isnt in use. Anyone have any experience with this??

Next up, cold starting. It turns over and fires up right away, first turn of the key, but immediately stalls. Then I struggle for 30sec to 1min to get it to finally fire up. After that it runs fine until it sits for more that about a half hour.

Any help/advice would be appreciated. I'm foolish enough to sell a perfectly good awd subaru wagon in favor of a 36 year old sports car just in time for canadian winters. Im also foolish enough to try whatever you people tell me.

[Ian89C4]

Welcome!!

For the cold start issue I would check to make sure that your cold start injector (on the backside of the intake facing the firewall) is firing. Just pull it off and try starting the car, it should spray. I would recommend pointing it into a glass so you don't get fuel atomizing over the top of the engine.

Try that and see. There are a few things that it can be, but I would say that is a good place to start.

Cheers,

Ian
_________________
Ian Edgerly
North Carolina

Current:
1981 924 SCCA/ChampCar Weissach Race Car ("Serenity")
1987 924S ChampCar Endurance Car ("Der Weg")
1980 924 Euro ("Wahala")

[Fasteddie313]

[quote="Tengai in Toronto"]
Everything works except the rear wiper and defroster.

there is a "ground crown" all the way at the back, under the carpet that covers the rear wall of the hatch area under the hatch lock mechanisms, more to the drivers side, that's your ground for the rear window stuff, and fuel pumps etc.. clean the green off of it

and there are short wires with female spades on em from the hatch to its support shocks that are responsible for the rear defrost lines in the glass, check those.. one of mine was just corroded to hell and smoked when I put on that defrost

and there is another ground crown under the drivers footwell that is extremely difficult to get at that probably needs to be cleaned up also


The dash clock doesnt work. More importantly, I suspect there might be a grounding issue?? When the lights are off, key OUT of the ignition, the clock backlighting is on. When the lights are on, the backlight turns off! I realize this tiny bulb cant draw much, but its still annoying that the light stays on overnight, basically all the time that the car isnt in use. Anyone have any experience with this??

when I had my dash all torn down I thaught I remembered all the backlight bulbs pretty much being on the same circuit, maybe you have so PO (previous owner) wiring back there.. my clock ticks always all the time and its backlight goes with the rest of all of them..

you can pull that 3 gague pod out quite easily with the 2 screws in the top, maybe take a pic of the back of it for us so we can see if the wires are right, or non factory wiring period..


idk good luck man, sweet car

_________________
80 Turbo - Slightly Modified

[fiat22turbo]

Wait, you actually expect the dash clock to work?

I thought they had all failed within a few months of the warranty period expiring....

Pull it and put a useful gauge in there (like a wideband gauge or even just an engine vacuum gauge)

Adding a second ground lead from the gauges to the stud under the center speaker cover helps a bit as well.
_________________
Stefan
1979 924 Carrera GTS (clone-ish)
1988 944 Turbo S (Silver Rose)

[SilverGhost]

fiat22turbo wrote:
Wait, you actually expect the dash clock to work?
I thought they had all failed within a few months of the warranty period expiring....

???
My dash clock works and keeps good time.

I concur with other posters comments on grounds. I've found adding and augmenting these fixed several electrical problems.
_________________
"Priscilla" 1981 924 NA RoW auto, metallic blue

[Tengai in Toronto]

Thanks for the input everyone.

I pulled the cold start valve and it's not spraying. What's next, thermo time switch? How do i test that sucker?

This thing is one big heap of problems.

I think i have a timing or ignition issue. It idles, and runs under 3000rpm alright. It also revs freely in neutral. But when I push it anywhere over that, under load, it kind of bogs down and struggles, and refuses to do more that about 3200rpm, even with the pedal on the floor.

Also, it gets horrible fuel economy, which might indicate a timing issue no?

I've put new plugs, wires, fuel filter, air filter in there, so I doubt any of those are making it struggle.

Also, the rear hatch glass is now popping off the frame....guess I have to fully remove it and glue it down again...

Thanks again for any advice. I guess these problems are expected when you pay less than a grand for a porsche....