Steve's unending Progress thread, Air compressor setup recommendations Options

[ArtechnikA]

There's always a bit of art to this.
I think your problem is in Step 4. You select 3rd gear with the lever and you don't get 3rd at the transmission. You're supposed to then adjust until you -do- engage the desired gear.

Pictures don't help much because all the cars are different - that's why it's an art and the instructions just say 'fiddle until it's right.'

Another alternative technique is to put the transmission into a known gear and then adjust the linkage so it's right. The standard technique tries for this with neutral, but that's a big vague area.

So if you can't hit 3rd, loosen the linkage, manually select 3rd at the hockey stick, and tighten it down. Verify you can still hit 2nd at the other end of the travel - usually you have to try to split the difference on the travel so you can hit both the 'up' and the 'down' gears.

Then, once you have the travel right, you concentrate on the 'twist' adjustment that aligns the 3 planes.

It's easy to get confused since you have the direction-reversing lever/pivot to deal with. Patience...

[stephenaki]

OK, got her sorted. I pulled both gearshift rods apart and started from scratch. After tightening her I checked every position running from Reverse up to 5 to see where the rod at the trans was positioned. Tightened her down and gave it a whirl. WOOHOO! It works! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

Took her for a spin and stopped at the gas station to pump up the tires. The first trip was short, I had to come back because she was making a weird sound. I got back and, HOLY SHIT! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ohmy.gif) The rear left wheel was trying to fall off! All the damn lugs loosened up. OK, tighten, torque, check the other lugs. Try again, ahh much brtter! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/driving.gif) Still high idling though, pull over and check the drivers side carb. Yup, dang accelerator pump on the carb is still sticking.

Get her home, back out the tiny nut and add some WD 40; that seems to have done the trick. I'll let her sit and try her again tomorrow. I need to check adjustment on the Emergency brake before I try to run her through inspection. Still no exhaust or oil leak that I can see so we are doing well thus far.

I'll re-torque the wheel nuts again tomorrow to make sure they are good then re-install the engine lid and adjust the E-brake. Lets see if she has any issues starting tomorrow. She definitely does not like the cold. I bet she was fine when she was still fuel injected, not a fan of carbs at the moment! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ar15.gif)

[ArtechnikA]

She definitely does not like the cold. I bet she was fine when she was still fuel injected, not a fan of carbs at the moment!

And now you know why /6's came with a fast-idle/warmup control !

[stephenaki]

She definitely does not like the cold. I bet she was fine when she was still fuel injected, not a fan of carbs at the moment!

And now you know why /6's came with a fast-idle/warmup control !

Yep. She is starting, gives a bit of a fit but once she is warmed up she is good to go.

[stephenaki]

OK, failed inspection...knew it wasn't gonna pass though. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/dry.gif) The primary culprit was the rear right brake with parking brake engaged. She just didn't hold. Of course the reverse lights and high beams didn't come on either. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif) Those caught me by surprise. No worries. I tore into the rear right brake and pulled the caliper as I adjusted the cable already and that is not the issue. This is what I found.




Yeah, pretty much toast. After doing the initial disassemble of the caliper I got stuck on how to get the piston out. Do a little search and BAM! THANK YOU ERIC SHEA! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/pray.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/pray.gif) I came across his thread with the video that shows the tear down and reassembly with his kit. Well, Sorry Eric but I don't have time to order your full kit but I truly do appreciate the excellent video you did.

So I tore her down with the exception of the hand brake mechanism and pulling out the adjuster from the piston. You can see the 'gunk' at the bottom of both caliper bodies after the pistons are out.



Of course Eric makes it look easy, kinda like Mike makes it look easy in his gearbox rebuild. Got a good size gash up my left pointer finger from a slipped dental pick! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)

So, I just have to finish cleaning everything up and then check to see if the local Porsche dealer can get me the basic rebuild kit. Since ATE is a German company I think this should be fairly easy... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/lol-2.gif) Nothing in this friggin country is easy. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif)

Quick question for the group or Eric whoever responds first, can I use lithium grease for the re-assembly or do I need to find assembly grease? Or, am I a dumbass and they are the same?

[Dave_Darling]

The dealer may not be able to get you a rebuild kit. The ones that are available over here are from some other car that has the right sized bits and pieces for the 914 rear caliper, and I don't know what car that is. It also doesn't have all of the parts for a complete rebuild (I think it's the E-brake mechanism bits that are lacking). Those have been reproduced or sourced alternately from someone else.

So you may be waiting for the kit from Eric anyway.

--DD

[stephenaki]

The dealer may not be able to get you a rebuild kit. The ones that are available over here are from some other car that has the right sized bits and pieces for the 914 rear caliper, and I don't know what car that is. It also doesn't have all of the parts for a complete rebuild (I think it's the E-brake mechanism bits that are lacking). Those have been reproduced or sourced alternately from someone else.

So you may be waiting for the kit from Eric anyway.

--DD

Dave,
Yeah, I know that the PP kit is just the dust cover and seals but at this point that is all I need. When I get her back stateside, I may pick up the big kit from Eric but it all depends on the future configuration of the car when I start the body off resto.

I have a couple of sources here that I'll ping today, if I can't get them quickly or affordable, I'll probably order them from the states.

[stephenaki]

OK, Christoph at Boxer motors was able to get me the basic kit with the seals. The Porsche dealer could only get me the retaining ring and protector cap. Long story short, they ordered it without me telling them to do so then got mad and 'banned' me from their dealership when I told them that I did not want it as I found a complete kit from somewhere else. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif) Really?

My neighbor was talking to them since his English wasn't that great he then told her that she couldn't shop there ever either. She told him, 'and? This is not a problem, I do not have a Porsche.' (IMG:style_emoticons/default/lol-2.gif)

OH yeah, they were gonna charge me 27 Euro or about $30 for a set of retaining rings and dust caps. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/WTF.gif) I'll pay about 25 euros for the kit from Chritoph which the wife will get from him tomorrow. Meanwhile I'll finish cleaning up the caliper body and prep everything to be put back together tomorrow. Once I get that back together I'll reinstall, bleed (UGH!) and adjust and see where that puts us. I'll rebuild the left side AFTER I get it back through inspection. Just gotta figure out the light problem.

[ArtechnikA]

the reverse lights and high beams didn't come on either.

With the ignition on, when you pull back on the flasher stalk, does the high-beam indicator light?

If yes, your problem is on the output side of the relay.
If no, it's the flasher switch, the lead to the relay, or the relay.

Do the reverse lights come on when you bridge / jumper the switch leads? If yes, switch is bad. If no, it is power to that circuit. IIRC (could be wrong, don't have a wiring diagram at hand) the power is shared with the license light circuit, so check that too. If it's separate, check the fuse.

The switch is easy to replace (and a fairly common failure) but the bullet connectors are _not_ common and you may have to fabricate something in case they're bad or missing. (But forgetting to reconnect the backup switch following a driveline replacement has been known to happen too...)

[stephenaki]

the reverse lights and high beams didn't come on either.

With the ignition on, when you pull back on the flasher stalk, does the high-beam indicator light?

If yes, your problem is on the output side of the relay.
If no, it's the flasher switch, the lead to the relay, or the relay.

Do the reverse lights come on when you bridge / jumper the switch leads? If yes, switch is bad. If no, it is power to that circuit. IIRC (could be wrong, don't have a wiring diagram at hand) the power is shared with the license light circuit, so check that too. If it's separate, check the fuse.

The switch is easy to replace (and a fairly common failure) but the bullet connectors are _not_ common and you may have to fabricate something in case they're bad or missing. (But forgetting to reconnect the backup switch following a driveline replacement has been known to happen too...)

Thanks, that will be helpful. I got the bullet connectors hooked up, what I couldn't tell is which bullet goes where or, does it matter?

The high beam indicator does light when pulled back so I'll take a look at the output side of the relay as you stated. I would like to get this sucker re-registered but it is not the end of the world if I can't resolve the light problem as I can ship the car in what is considered a 'non-op' status. It just has to move on its own power and the E-brake needs to work. Should have the caliper rebuilt tomorrow night and get things put back together this weekend.

My temp tags expire on 6 Feb so if I get things sorted this weekend I should be good to go.

[ArtechnikA]

which bullet goes where or, does it matter?

It's a switch - it does not matter.
On the high beams - if the low beams do not shut off when the highs are on, it's almost certainly the relay. The blue indicator comes from the relay, so you know the signal is getting from the column switch to the relay.

[Dave_Darling]

A common problem with the back-up lights is that the pin that activates the switch wears and winds up too short to activate it. I have heard of people making new pins out of appropriate-sized drill bits...

--DD

[stephenaki]

A common problem with the back-up lights is that the pin that activates the switch wears and winds up too short to activate it. I have heard of people making new pins out of appropriate-sized drill bits...

--DD

Thanks Dave, don't suppose you know how long the pin is supposed to be do you?

[stephenaki]

Dangit! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/headbang.gif) I had gotten everything put together for the caliper and was trying to get the spring for the e-brake in when I noticed that the piston was no longer pushing forward when the lever was actuated. It was working before I put on the retaining ring what the hell!

OK, back out the plug, stick a 4mm allen head in there, turn...nothing. I recall Eric, in his video, mentioning that sometimes they get stuck so when you pull in the piston, back it out a bit. I did that, then adjusted it to get the retaining clip on...looks like I didn't back it out again. So now what? Eric stated that when this happens you need to use a high speed air wrench to get it out. I pulled the retaining ring and dust cover off of it and can shoot over to the auto hobby shop tomorrow but, just want to make sure what it is I need to do.

[stephenaki]

NEVERMIND! I get frustrated so post; then, after I post, I think of an idea, try it and, it usually works. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/dry.gif)

Dowsed it with penetrating oil, let it soak for a bit, turn her over and whack the backside with a hammer a couple of times to loosen it up. Put the adjusting gear in and turn...wella!

Pulled the piston all the way out and cleaned everything up again. Will re-assemble tomorrow and make sure I don't make the same mistake. If I had any sense, I would have sold this car a year after I got it! Well, no one said I had much sense. Besides, I do like a challenge (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif)

Just ignore the short Chinese guy pretending to be a mechanic...nothing to see...move along... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif)

[stephenaki]

OK, caliper is back together and installed. I evidently didn't do a good job of stopping brake fluid from leaking after I pulled the caliper. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/dry.gif) Bit of a mess to clean up before I got everything put back together.

Needless to say, I need to add fluid tomorrow and bleed the brakes. After that, I'll do the final adjustments and set clearance between the pad and rotor. Haynes says .008 inches, does that sound correct? After that I'll start checking and adjusting the hand brake. Hopefully all goes well tomorrow and I can then tackle the electrical issue with the lights.

[Dave_Darling]

I use 0.004", I think the 0.008" is too loose. At least, for my taste.

--DD

[Cupomeat]

This is a very impressive thread!

YOu have handled adversity like a champ and still fighting toward that goal...

I am impressed!!! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/first.gif)

[TJB/914]

This is a very impressive thread!

YOu have handled adversity like a champ and still fighting toward that goal...

I am impressed!!! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/first.gif)

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif)
Every time Stephen posts I can't wait to see how he handles issue's. I feel safe knowing the military is protecting our homefront with guys like Stepehen.
Tom

[stephenaki]

I use 0.004", I think the 0.008" is too loose. At least, for my taste.

--DD

Thanks Dave, I'll try that. I had originally adjusted to .008 before I called it quits and adjusted the handbrake cable as well. The pistons are working but not holding solid as you can still force the tire to spin by hand.

I was thinking that a lack of fluid in the system may be the issue so I will tackle that first then re-adjust. I'll need to shoot down to Polo-Motorrad and grab a vacuum bleeder. I have one but, as is the story of my existence in Germany, it's in storage. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/dry.gif)

I figure I can always use a spare (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) I find in interesting that I can get more tools from the motorcycle store than the crappy version of NAPA called ATU here in Germany. With any luck, I'll resolve all issues with the car today and then try to get it re-inspected on Monday. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/first.gif)