Ignition distributer wire ( Green Wire)

[hughc]

I've purchased a new "green wire" part #URO 010409, OE REF # 930 602 907 01 which I hope may be the problem which is causing my ' 83 sc to quit unexpectedly.


The quitting is becoming annoying and I'm not sure how to trouble shoot it.


I'm not sure abut this new replacement wire as it isn't long enough to reach from distributor to CDI unit.


Did I read somewhere that member Tony can supply a connecting wire that will join the new wire to the CDI unit to complete the install? or are there other recommendations.

Thank you,

hughc

[john walker's workshop]

Basically, you cut the old wire and attach a female plug to it, which looks like the wur plug, among others. You buy the bare plug and two crimp on wire ends that pop into the plug, being careful not to switch the two wires, so ground is still ground (the braided one).

[porschyard]

this is what i have used for years, its for early 2 valve 928's and i run the wire directly to the cdi unit and wire it in to the cdi plug bypassing the main harness completely. the wire is 31" long and easily reaches the cdi unit following the contour of the wire harness. in the past i have bought them 3 or 4 at a time and this is the last one that i have left. not sure if they are still available thru porsche or not, the part # is 928 602 907 00 hope this helps, richard

[timmy2]

Go to canadian tire and get a fuel injector connector replacement kit (terminals and housing) that fits the white connector end of the green wire. Cut the old green wire back about 6 inches to reach a good section. Don’t mix up the signal and shield wires.
I have lots of them, but shipping to Canada will kill you....
Picture of what to do here:
Distributor Green wire loose and frayed

[Bob Kontak]

Originally Posted by timmy2

Go to canadian tire and get a fuel injector connector replacement kit (terminals and housing) that fits the white connector end of the green wire. Cut the old green wire back about 6 inches to reach a good section. Don’t mix up the signal and shield wires.
I have lots of them, but shipping to Canada will kill you....

+1 same situation in the way back. I went to a bone yard and snagged older VW connectors (post original Beetle).

Same concept but buy new per timmy's suggestion. Why bother with old to save $11?

[hughc]

Thanks guys. As it turns out I have what's needed to complete the repair as per John W's suggestion.

Unfortunately the replacement green wire I had had a manufacturing defect so I'll have to wait for a replacement, but I should be good to go once it arrives.
Cheers
hughc

[BURN-BROS]

So what is the issue? intermittent power loss?

[hughc]

Originally Posted by BURN-BROS

So what is the issue? intermittent power loss?

The problem is, as per my first post, is that the engine quits while driving. I only have to turn the key off then on and I'm good to go. I seem to be dealing with a glitch, somewhere, that momentarily kills the ignition.


I know I'm grasping at straws but I've tried replacing the fuel pump relay (new) and now I'll try a new green wire as that has been recommended to me in the past.


I'm not sure how else to trouble shoot that problem.

hughc

[BURN-BROS]

Originally Posted by hughc

The problem is, as per my first post, is that the engine quits while driving. I only have to turn the key off then on and I'm good to go. I seem to be dealing with a glitch, somewhere, that momentarily kills the ignition.


I know I'm grasping at straws but I've tried replacing the fuel pump relay (new) and now I'll try a new green wire as that has been recommended to me in the past.


I'm not sure how else to trouble shoot that problem.

hughc

You have not been specific in detailing the intermittent. Does it do it while cold? after 15 to 30 min of operation?

1. Do all the gauges fail when it intermittent occurs? If so check powers and grounds at the fuses, battery, ignition switch, starter. ground strap(s)

2. Does the tach fail only ? Check plug at the CD bod and grounds to the unit. If the condition occurs only when the temps are higher, this may be a cold solder joint in the CD box itself.

3. have you check fuel pressure/volume? Are they in spec?

4. What is spark plug gap and how are the spark plug connections at all ends.

5. Did you test the resistance in the coil?

[hughc]

Thank you Aaron, I should have been more specific in the beginning re this problem.


Basically the engine just quits on me for no apparent reason. It can happen any time and last week-end it quit 10 or 12 times while on a 600 mi road trip. A trip that I hope to repeat this week end.

When the engine quits none of the dash lights come on, nor do the instruments go to zero.


I just turn the key OFF and ON and continue driving. For the short moment the key is OFF the dash lights come on and the instruments go to zero.

The fuel pressures were within spec last summer when checked, the injectors are new this spring and the plugs are new NGK's.

The coil resistance is something to be checked.


Obviously there is an electrical glitch somewhere that is proving very evasive and it might even be in the ignition switch. There is still a lot for me to learn with respect to the electrics on the vehicle.

I just hope I don't have a major shut down while I'm 300 mi from home.
Cheers,
hughc

[BURN-BROS]

That will be tough to diagnose.

I do a "wiggle" test while the engine is running. I grab every connection and move it around with the hope that I can get the problem to show up. If you are lucky, it's quick and the repair is straight forward.

I would also find another CD box to switch out to verify the unit.

[hughc]

Several weeks ago I went on another ~750 mi road trip and for all intents and purpose the car seem to run quite nicely, although the engine must have quit at least 30 times during that trip.

That becomes very frustrating very quickly and even scary, especially when you're passing another vehicle or two.

At one point, while I was away the vehicle refused to idle after starting and even though the "reserve" light had just recently come on I felt there was still enough fuel to keep the car going. I was able to gas up and that "seemed" to correct the problem but I felt there was a fueling problem of some sort.

Since my return the car has been very inconsistent in the way it runs.


One day it would start and idle but would die as soon as I gave it throttle.

Another time it would start but not idle, but if I kept feeding gas it would run and would die as soon as I stopped feeding gas.

I have gone for short drives (car well warmed up) on a few occasions and have had different results.

One day the car ran fine and didn't even quit.

Another time the car would refuse to idle until it was well warmed up.


I checked my pressures this am and the system pressure was at 2.6 bars which I believe is low. I think it's time to have the WUR looked at, cleaned and adjusted.

I should also mention that I tried a smoke test a few times. The first time there was smoke coming up from the back of the rubber boot over the air flow sensor (close to firewall) and when I tried it again I could not replicate it. Go figure.


I should also mention that I managed to replace the green distributor wire and I don't think that has had any effect one way or another.

[JSV798]

When the engine quits none of the dash lights come on, nor do the instruments go to zero.
Please be more specific: do you mean the red charging light and the green oil light remain unlit? And do you mean that the fuel and oil gauges remain at their levels, but surely the oil pressure drops to zero?

I just turn the key OFF and ON and continue driving.


So are you operating the starter or just switching on and letting the clutch in assuming that you depress the clutch when it cuts?

For the short moment the key is OFF the dash lights come on and the instruments go to zero.

This could be the clue to your problem; dash lights shouldn't be on if the key is in the off position. Sounds like something weird happening in the ignition switch. Certainly not a green wire problem

[hughc]

Originally Posted by JSV798

When the engine quits none of the dash lights come on, nor do the instruments go to zero.
Please be more specific: do you mean the red charging light and the green oil light remain unlit? And do you mean that the fuel and oil gauges remain at their levels, but surely the oil pressure drops to zero?

[/B][/B]I just turn the key OFF and ON and continue driving.


So are you operating the starter or just switching on and letting the clutch in assuming that you depress the clutch when it cuts?

For the short moment the key is OFF the dash lights come on and the instruments go to zero.


This could be the clue to your problem; dash lights shouldn't be on if the key is in the off position. Sounds like something weird happening in the ignition switch. Certainly not a green wire problem

Ok, I guess I'm not using the correct words to describe what I'm doing.
When I say I turn the key OFF, I'm really turning it to ACC momentarily and when I say I'm turning it ON I am in fact turning to RUN position (I don't re-start the engine). I hope that clarifies a bit.

I never turn the key OFF to the point of locking the steering wheel.

As far as the green wire, I wanted to replace it since it's been there for 35 yrs and I wanted that job behind me.

Thanks

[BURN-BROS]

[QUOTE=hughc;10112881 For the short moment the key is OFF the dash lights come on and the instruments go to zero.

hughc[/QUOTE]

Hi Hugh, I just re-read this.

What does the gauges do after the engine dies but you have not touched the key?

Is there still power to the gauges?

[hughc]

Originally Posted by BURN-BROS

Hi Hugh, I just re-read this.

What does the gauges do after the engine dies but you have not touched the key?

Is there still power to the gauges?

Hi Aaron, Yes, when the engine dies and I don't depress the clutch the dash lights don't come and the instruments keep indicating. (At this point I am still travelling at 60 mph in gear but I have lost ignition). As soon as I turn the key to ACC both ALT and OIL lights come on and the instruments drop to zero (as is normal with the key in ACC position).


On the somewhat rare occasion where I depress the clutch as soon as the engine dies the ALT and OIL lights will come on (engine speed has dropped to zero), the fuel level will keep indicating but OIL press will drop to zero.

Once the key has been turned to ACC and returned to Run, with the vehicle still moving, I drop the clutch, the engine starts and away I go.


It's a bit much to make note of all that is happening while I'm in traffic but I believe all of the above is as it is.

hughc

[Pazuzu]

I think that the condition of the tachometer when this happens would be more interesting that the speedometer.

Does the tach drop like a stone to zero, or does it stay alive, reading some reasonable value?

That would help delineate whether it's the CDI/ignition side of things, or a fuel pump/fuel kill side of things.

You might be losing power in the FRONT of the car, which would kill the fuel pump, or you might be losing power in the BACK of the car, which would affect the CDI box. If the tach drops to zero, then it's the CDI box, since the tach has no other power connection than the black/violet wire. If the tach stays alive when the car dies, then the CDI box is still firing, and you lost fuel.

[BURN-BROS]

O.K.,

With an intermittent issue. we were trained to do a "wiggle" test.

We would touch every connection by hand while the car is idling.

Wiggle the ignition switch, try slightly different positions and pressures to try an induce the problem. If you get lucky, you can then determine if it is the source.

In the engine bay. wiggle connections to the CD box, check ground...powers to coil. the multi pin connectors etc.

Be careful in an engine bay when the engine is running.

you may also want to try this at the fuse box as well. grab a screw driver and make sure all terminals are tight and that there is no corrosion between fuse and the terminals.

same for the fuse panel in the rear of the car.

[UROParts]

Hi Hugh, glad you received a new green distributor wire, sorry to hear it didn't cure the problem. Which retailer sent you a new wire under warranty? Want to make sure you have the latest version, we changed the inner dimensions of the distributor connector on that wire slightly as of June 2018. (We made the metal wire connectors about 0.005" tighter.)

If anyone had a problem with our distributor wire 930 602 907 01 in the past, please PM your purchase details (or email "sales @ uro parts dot com", remove spaces) and we'd be happy to get you an updated wire under warranty.

[hughc]

Originally Posted by UROParts

Hi Hugh, glad you received a new green distributor wire, sorry to hear it didn't cure the problem. Which retailer sent you a new wire under warranty? Want to make sure you have the latest version, we changed the inner dimensions of the distributor connector on that wire slightly as of June 2018. (We made the metal wire connectors about 0.005" tighter.)

If anyone had a problem with our distributor wire 930 602 907 01 in the past, please PM your purchase details (or email "sales @ uro parts dot com", remove spaces) and we'd be happy to get you an updated wire under warranty.

The replacement wire was supplied by our host (Pelican), no questions.
To me, renewing that wire was a long shot as the original was there for 35 yrs and it was recommended that I replace it as it could be contributing to the lost of ignition signal that I am experiencing. And they aren't expensive.

It hasn't cured the problem but I now feel better that at least that potential problem is behind me and I shouldn't have to revisit it.