Just Finished 1300 mile road trip!

Brother · 12-12-2004, 07:07 AM

Fellas,

I just got back to Texas from the tundra covered lands of North Dakota. It took three days total. The first day I only got to Fargo from Minot. The snow and ice was brutal. The yokos wouldn't let me go very fast. My wife had problems in the toyota as well. At one point, I saw a guy go off the road and cross the median into the other lanes. The guy behind him hit the brakes and spun off and then in slow motion I saw my wife do the same. I'm in my car right behind her saying, "NO, don't hit the brakes!" Lo and behold she fishtails and spins out. I almost T-boned her and my baby daughter with the 911, but I stayed on the gas and took it to the shoulder. Good thing because there was a semi jack-knifing behind me. I drove on and she got turned around. It freaked her out a bit, so we stopped in Fargo that night instead of going on.

We pulled off to eat at Outback that night. Ironically it was next to the only Porsche dealership in the state. My dog tried to pee on a Cayenne but I wouldn't let him.

The next day was treacherous as it snowed hard all night. I'll post a picture later. Right as the snow on the road was ending in South Dakota, an old woman in a Camry finished off my windshield by sending a rock the size of Pluto right into the center of it. The shatter points are about the size of two quarters side by side. Oh well, that is the price of doing business I guess. No other tragedies. my windshield sprayers don't work and my wiper blades were useless because of icing so that is a major safety lesson that I've learned. Those things should be operative. The rest of the drive was okay.

My new problem is that my idle will stick up high after driving for a while. It just stays around 1500-2000. If I put a load on the car, it will drag down and stay lower, but this is still weird. I must have some major vacuum leaks.

Cleaned the salt off first thing after getting in last night. I really need to have the mixture set professionally and get that idle problem fixed, but everything else is bueno. The temp never got over 180 while I was still in the hinterland and only yesterday around Oklahoma City did it even kiss 200. I don't even have a cool collar!

Approaching 175,000 miles.

Venetian · 12-12-2004, 07:22 AM

Your a braver man than me driving a 911 in those conditions!

350HP930 · 12-12-2004, 07:27 AM

Is there a reason why you and your family decided to go on such a treacherous road trip?

I plan on taking my 930 on a long road trip through some mountains sometime, but it certainly will not occur in icey conditions.

Brother · 12-12-2004, 07:28 AM

I had no choice. I had to get the F out of the NoDak.

Brother · 12-12-2004, 07:30 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by 350HP930
Is there a reason why you and your family decided to go on such a treacherous road trip?

I plan on taking my 930 on a long road trip through some mountains sometime, but it certainly will not occur in icey conditions.

Moving to Texas. A week earlier and it would have been fine. I should have gone south after Bismark. I wanted to stay on Highways but I didn't know it was going to get worse.

IceBlueSC · IceBlueSC's Garage

Quote:

Originally posted by Brother
Moving to Texas. A week earlier and it would have been fine. I should have gone south after Bismark. I wanted to stay on Highways but I didn't know it was going to get worse.

Brother,

I'll be moving this winter too. But from SoCal to Vancouver, B.C. I took advantage of the Thanksgiving weekend to drive my SC up to pre-empt driving it through any snow. But when my wife and I move in January, we are expecting to see some snow along the way. We are planning to take it easy, even though we are moving in a 4x4 truck.

Best wishes on the move!

350HP930 · 12-12-2004, 07:40 AM

Well, thats a good excuse. If you were headed north to visit relatives it didn't sound like that wise of a decision.

I am being hypocritical since I have driven hundreds of miles on nearly treadless race tires in the rain in order to get to a track event.

At the time I looked at it as a long training session in limited traction control.

Brother · 12-12-2004, 07:43 AM

I noticed something else that I need to fix as well. I need a spacer for my steering wheel. I'm 6'3" and I have the seat all the way back. At 10 and 2 my arms are nearly straight out. Ouch after three days.

Brother · 12-12-2004, 07:44 AM

One other thing. I averaged about 24-25 mpg.

rcwaldo · 12-12-2004, 08:40 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Brother

My dog tried to pee on a Cayenne but I wouldn't let him.

Now theres some poetic justice

Glad to hear you eventually made it without anyone getting hurt. Sounds like an adventure..

Post some pics when you get the time..

Chris

AZ1977911 · 12-12-2004, 10:26 AM

Hey Brother,

Good story. I traveled to Denver from Phoenix for Thanksgiving in my 77 Carrera 3.0.. I got the High Idle issue as well, but I think that is because of the low, low temps for most of the drive. Cold start cycle is active even with engine internals warm. The problem doesnt happen to me in warm weather.

Greg

curiousone940 · curiousone940's Garage

Coming from N.D. to Wichita Falls, you must be stationed at SAFB. Give Lazslo Papp at German AutoKraft a call...he's the best Porsche mechanic in the W.F. area.

P.S. If you've never spent a summer in W.F. you might reconsider N.D. come July.

Zeke · 12-12-2004, 06:34 PM

Brother, that is some seriously funny writing! All that went wrong and you have a sense of humor about it, for sure. Glad you made it OK except for the windshield.

david c. · 12-12-2004, 08:13 PM

Coming from someone that recently made a somewhat similar trip in an old air-cooled Porsche, that's a good story. I know what you went through and now that it's over and just a part of your life's story you can enjoy it. But damn is it cold in those cars. If I ever have to drive across the country in a Porsche in the winter again, it's gonna be a C4 on snow tires with operational heat!

Here's to you for not having it shipped!!! !!! !!!

Les Paul · Les Paul's Garage

May 4th 2000. I fly into Phoenix to pick up my newly rebuilt 930. I had worked all night the night before and since the car was to be ready when I got to the shop at 9 that morning I could drive it the 1,000 miles home on no sleep with the adrenaline rush of over 400hp to propel me home. So I catch a taxi to the shop and it is not there anymore. Moved. Damn. Not good. I call the # and they had forgotten to tell me they'd moved. So they come get me and the car is not ready. May 4th in Phoenix it is in the high 90's. They put a team on it finally and I am out of there by 6 or 7 that evening 3k more than they had quoted me. But that is another story.

I leave having eaten nothing since 24 hrs before and no sleep. So on the way out of town I get the biggest coffee I can find and know a place in Flagstaff where I intend to eat. I had to get some miles under my belt. I get there, eat a bite, and know I'm going to be pushing it to get back to my sons track meet the next day. He is supposed to run the 400 at 11am. No problem really only 800 miles to go. I leave Flagstaff heading to the Lone Star State as it is getting darker and colder. I had only worn shorts and a light shirt. I pull into a gas station on I-40 and in my addled coffee induced sleepless deprived state proceed to start filling the tank as I know it will be many many miles before the next fillup. I glance down and fricking realize I'm putting diesel into my tank. 2 gallons. Luckily she holds 22 and was almost empty.

2hrs later having not slept in 36 hrs I am freezing my ass off. I pull over to a rest stop run around, jump up and down, run some more just trying to keep from freezing. My heater controls had been imobilized and with no jack in the car I was out of luck. I don't know if I was shaking more from the coffee or no sleep. I make it home with an hr to spare. My son wins the 400, and anchors his school over 5 others by coming from behind in the 4x4. My daughter has her Prom that night. In our town it is a real big deal to arrive at the Prom in some kind of cool ride. Be it a helicopter to any exotic car you can imagine. Since I've had this car since my daughter was 3 she wanted to use the car. So still on no sleep after 48 hrs we go to the shindig and enjoy watching her get out of the old Turbo. I have pictures of all this and someday will post them if I ever figure out how to do it. Bottom line, it isn't just a trip, it's an adventure.

rich22 · 12-12-2004, 10:57 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Les Paul
May 4th 2000. I fly into Phoenix to pick up my newly rebuilt 930. I had worked all night the night before and since the car was to be ready when I got to the shop at 9 that morning I could drive it the 1,000 miles home on no sleep with the adrenaline rush of over 400hp to propel me home. So I catch a taxi to the shop and it is not there anymore. Moved. Damn. Not good. I call the # and they had forgotten to tell me they'd moved. So they come get me and the car is not ready. May 4th in Phoenix it is in the high 90's. They put a team on it finally and I am out of there by 6 or 7 that evening 3k more than they had quoted me. But that is another story.

Oh no, sounds like you got Powerhosed.

bob911s · 12-13-2004, 12:54 AM

If you are interested,I had a similar problem with my '77 911s on the idle. I was told that I had an air leak somewhere but when I had the car smogged ( for the last time ) the air adjustment had to be made to it. It brought the idle down and I have not had the problem since. Try adjusting the air mix with that special tool.

RoninLB · 12-13-2004, 03:36 AM

try disconnecting the deceleration top hose and plug it. If it disconnected tends to give you a prob adjust idle at 1k

Brother · 12-13-2004, 02:11 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by curiousone940
Coming from N.D. to Wichita Falls, you must be stationed at SAFB. Give Lazslo Papp at German AutoKraft a call...he's the best Porsche mechanic in the W.F. area.

P.S. If you've never spent a summer in W.F. you might reconsider N.D. come July.

Thanks for the mechanic. I'm actually just passing through. My mother-in-law lives here. I went to high school here though. I'm on my way to San Antonio for a few months and then over to Del Rio for a few years.