924Board.org

[ltgland]

I have been researching into parts for the starter/alternator lines and have found the following:

It looks like for the 924 NA, there is a line from the battery + to the starter (477 971 224A), and a second "starter" harness, (047 971 224A).
It looks like the turbo has a "all in one " unit (477 971 223B).

My car has a "home made" starter harness. 3 lines running into a thick hose, which I suspect may be part of the problem with my car.

I think that option 1 is what is used on my car (924 NA). Could someone who has worked with this before please confirm if I am correct?

[924_fan]

That description of a homemade harness sounds suspiciously like a description of the factory alternator harness. The "hose" is a heat resistant casing. On the na there are two smaller gauge wires running from the starter to the alternator rather than one large wire.

[ltgland]

ahh, the black one (which I think is shagged),
and the "red" one. The hose is red, I figured it was home made after the indie specialist I took my car to for an inspection said it was... and to be frank, it does look a little jury-rigged. (thats Heath-Robinson to the English speakers.)

Best I order the pair and install them.

[gohim]

It is very common for the harness from the battery to be damaged by battery acid. There is supposed to be a cover over the wires (mine have all been "ivory or off-white"). This appears to be a heat resistant material, rather than a acid resisitant material.

The battery acid runs down the cables and attacks the wiring from the inside. The insulation will appear to be intact, but the wires they contain will have corroded and become brittle.

Replacing the harness is the best solution. The last one that I bought years ago, only cost me about $30 from the Porsche Dealer. I don't think a used harness would be a good idea, because used wiring would have the same problem that your existing defective harness already has (namely exposure to battery acid).

[ltgland]

I have recently found a new FLAPS (friendly local autoparts store), and will check them out. The only possible line for an acid leak is the black battery one, and thats the one I suspect is the dud. The other one I was thinking of doing while I was there. As I dont really have the space or parts, its a real PITA digging out the starter and alternator to do replacements

[John Brown]

You have my sympathy. Yes, that is a very hard area to get into. Pulling the alternator (a non-trivial task in it own right) provides good access. I wrestled with some intermittant charging problems for some time and finally just duplicated the harness with all new.

If you can get the factory for cheap well and good. If not, it is nothing but standard wire and connectors. You can make it up from scratch using the old for pattern.

This is not an 924 problem by the way; just old car brittle wiring.