Pics of high beam turn signal replacement (and steering wheel and headlight switch)

[sugarwood]

My high beams were not working so I installed a new turn signal stalk for $125.
I had a some questions along the way that Pelicans helped me through, so I have assembled these ideas into one thread.

I took a bunch of photos along the way, so I thought I'd share them here for the next guy who might need some inspiration or confidence building.
If I managed to do this, anyone can!

1. Take off steering wheel.
2. Take apart clamshell housing.
3. Detach old turn signal stalk.
4. Remove headlight switch for easier wire transfer
5. Unclip all turn signal connections.
6. Snake out old turn signal.
7. Feed wires from new turn signal
8. Make all connections
9. Reinstall everything

1a) Remove the horn pad.
Pull gently at the orange and purple dots.
Be patient.
Unclip wire that is connecting the horn pad.



1b) Unbolt the steering wheel.
You'll need 1 1/6" socket or 27mm. And extension bar.
Check that SAE toolbox, you probably have the 1 1/16" socket!
A deep well impact socket will be too big for the cavity.
Fish out the nut and washer in there.



1c) Mark the wheel and the spline so you can realign the marks when installing.


1d) Remove the wheel.



2a) Remove clam shell housing.
2 side screws.
2 horn contact screws.
4 clamshell screws.

2 side screws.


The 2 front top screws are hidden by the horn contact (horizontal brass strip)
so unscrew and move that aside. Then remove the 4 screws.
Notice the ground terminal that is attached to the bottom right screw.


Gently wriggle the clamshell off.



3a) 2 screws holding in the turn signal.
To fully remove, you will need to rotate the stalk.
I rotated pointed the stalk almost straight down to the floor in order to twist it out.



Optional: I left my front seat in place, but before working under the dash, some might be more comfortable removing the front seat, or at least tilting it backwards. Take photos of your 6 allen key bolts, so you know where to reinstall. Stick your finger inside the seat rail to catch the brass blocks the seats are bolted into. To fully disconnect the cable, you need to pull UP on the plug behind the rectangle plate with 2 screws. I was told the plate can be unscrewed for better visibility.


(Continued in next post...)

[sugarwood]

4a) Remove headlight knob.
Inside the switch is a nut that secures the knob to the shaft.
You might need to peel back the rubber and pop off the bulb icon face plate.
My nut was disconnected inside the knob, so I just spun the knob right off.



4b) Remove bezel with pick tool or snap ring pliers.
Remove washer with pick tool.



4c) You now need to push the headlight switch back into the dashboard.
It turns out, there was a good reason my switch was not moving.
Right behind the headlight switch is a 5 prong harness plug.
This 5 prong harness plug was directly blocking some of the other wires attached to the back of the switch.
In the photo, the red wires are blocked.
To remove the headlight switch, it's much easier to first remove the 5 prong harness plug.
It needs to be disconnected if you're going to pull the switch down below the dash, so you might as well unplug it before removing the switch.
You'll see it when you're back there. Once you unplug that plug, the switch can move freely.







(Continued in next post...)

[sugarwood]

5a) Next, it's time to remove the wires from the old stalk, and connect the new stalk.
There are 3 wire harnesses that feed into the headlight switch.


I wrote down all the connections, in case someone ever mixes something up.
Below, each wire color is listed alongside the headlight switch terminal number it plugs into.
This is from a '86 coupe

Turn signal stalk harness
White/black -> 56 (White is the main wire color, black is the stripe color)
Grey/black -> 58L (inside)
Grey/red -> 58R (inside)
Red/white -> 75


Plug Prong harness
Grey/black -> 58L (outside)
Grey/red -> 58R (outside)
Grey solid -> 58 (between 56 & 30)
Grey/white -> N
White/green -> 57
Black/blue -> 58a

Electrical tape wrapped harness
Red/white -> 75
Red solid -> 30
Blue/black & Black/blue -> 58a

5b) Unplug the other connections from the original turn stalk.
2 plastic connectors
1 wall prong plug thing that goes into the firewall.


5c) Snake out the old turn signal stalk now that it's fully disconnected.
Pull it all back through under the steering wheel, where the cables enter the dash.
The tricky part is passing that big prong plug through the tiny dashboard gap.
Look behind and find the space, and you might need to push aside the heater cables.



5d) Now you feed the new turn signal cables and make all the connections
Don't forget to wrap that brown ground terminal around the steering column.


........just re-install everything in reverse.

I hope this helps the next guy, and ask me any questions you might have.

[gazzerr]

Thanks for taking the time. Great write-up.

[porwolf]

I did remove my '79SC turn signal switch to repair it about a year ago. I did not have to remove the light switch. I was able to disconnect all the turn signal switch cable connectors and reconnect them by simply crawling on my back under the dash board with a light without also removing the driver side seat.

[Royze]

Thank you for the clear write-up!
this clarified many steps for me before I start the same project.

would you happen to know if the earlier aluminum stalks + early clamshell can fit on ~80's 911?

[DRACO A5OG]

Great contribution :-)

[CCM911]

You rock, Sugarwood!!!!! My new switch has been on the shelf for two years!! You have just given me the impetus to install it. Thank you so much!!!

[emac]

Sugarwood--
Very well written along with the photos. I'm sure this will help many!
Ernie 81 sc

[KevinB_NJ]

Great post! Trying to tackle this now myself. Only problem is I can't get the light switch out. I see that Porwolf was able to do it without. Hopefully the Porsche Gods are smiling down on me tonight!
-Kevin 80SC

[sugarwood]

Trust me, take the light switch out.

What's the trouble you're having?
Were you able to unscrew the knob from the front?

Are you unable to push the shaft back down into the dashboard?
If so, read step #4C again.

Originally Posted by sugarwood

4c) You now need to push the headlight switch back into the dashboard.
It turns out, there was a good reason my switch was not moving.
Right behind the headlight switch is a 5 prong harness plug.
This 5 prong harness plug was directly blocking some of the other wires attached to the back of the switch.
In the photo, the red wires are blocked.
To remove the headlight switch, it's much easier to first remove the 5 prong harness plug.
It needs to be disconnected if you're going to pull the switch down below the dash, so you might as well unplug it before removing the switch.
You'll see it when you're back there. Once you unplug that plug, the switch can move freely.

[KevinB_NJ]

Thanks again! I was able to do it with out removing the switch (although it would have been WAY easier your way!). Everything checked out and I couldn't be happier. Your post was perfect, much appreciated. To answer your question, yes, I couldn't push the switch into the dash and was too nervous to force the issue. I was able to fish the new harnesses through and switch out each connection one by one to ensure correct placement.

Cheers, and good night!

[KevinB_NJ]

A visual of both units hanging around!

[86 911 Targa]

Well done!!! Very well done.

By any chance, did you fuse your dash lights?

Gerry

[KevinB_NJ]

Bear with a relative P car virgin here... Haven't heard anything about fusing the dash lights. Or, did I just walk into a bad joke?!

[groovydude]

Thanks for the thorough post!!!

I'm having a weird trouble with my switch, my high beams want to come on all by themselves and then it's difficult to get them off. Sometimes I can gently pull up on the switch and they go off, others not. Do you think it's a slight short in the switch, or in the light switch? Or is there a relay for this and it's a relay issue?

[sugarwood]

Google to read the turns signal switch fix. I think some just have to have the contact bent back into the correct position.

Based on your budget, my attitude was that if I am going to remove the switch in the first place, I would rather just install the $125 replacement right then. Otherwise, I'd have to reassemble, order the new turn signal, wait one week, and then redo the job again.

[wrxnofx]

Originally Posted by KevinB_NJ

Bear with a relative P car virgin here... Haven't heard anything about fusing the dash lights. Or, did I just walk into a bad joke?!

There are two "enhancements" that most of us make to the lighting system:

1. Add a relay kit for the headlights. Search on here for a ton of posts on it. Most of us go with the JWest relay kit. These will save the contacts on your brand new signal switch from getting fried.

2. The lights that backlight the gauges are not fused. That is, there is a direct connection from the battery to the headlight switch (added relays notwithstanding), and from the head light switch to the gauge lights. So the safe thing to do is put an in line fuse between the headlight switch and the gauge lights. Search will yield a bunch of results. It's a 7.5amp fuse I want to say. If memory serves, disconnect the black/blue wire from the back of the headlight switch, stick the wire with the in line fuse onto the now vacant headlight terminal, and connect the black/blue wire to the free end of the inline fuse wire. Easy peasy. Now if there is a short or an overload in the dash lights the fuse will blow instead of melting wires.

[KevinB_NJ]

Originally Posted by wrxnofx

There are two "enhancements" that most of us make to the lighting system:

1. Add a relay kit for the headlights. Search on here for a ton of posts on it. Most of us go with the JWest relay kit. These will save the contacts on your brand new signal switch from getting fried.

2. The lights that backlight the gauges are not fused. That is, there is a direct connection from the battery to the headlight switch (added relays notwithstanding), and from the head light switch to the gauge lights. So the safe thing to do is put an in line fuse between the headlight switch and the gauge lights. Search will yield a bunch of results. It's a 7.5amp fuse I want to say. If memory serves, disconnect the black/blue wire from the back of the headlight switch, stick the wire with the in line fuse onto the now vacant headlight terminal, and connect the black/blue wire to the free end of the inline fuse wire. Easy peasy. Now if there is a short or an overload in the dash lights the fuse will blow instead of melting wires.

Fantastic! Thanks!

[wrxnofx]

Here is the thread on adding the dash fuse:
Dash lighting fuse installation