New Owner Questions

[BKOMAR]

I am a long time 914 owner but new to 911 ownership so I have a few questions (and tons more to come I'm sure) There is a little rubber thing attached to the roof near the rear view mirror. Its about 1 inch long and is a perforated tube...what is it? In between the front seats is a dial. I am sure it is has something to do with the ventilation system but when I turn the dial...nothing happens...what is it supposed to do? The car is an 80 euro SC with 10000 miles on the motor and 20000 on the rebuilt transmission (syncros etc) 964 cams, 9.8:1 comp, early heat exchangers, Turbo V/C's, Carerra tensioners, no AC, very nice interior, euro fuel dist, roll bar, nice Fuchs and Dunlops, Alpine stereo w/ amp and MTX components. The motor was a Motor Meister rebuild that had to be "re-rebuilt" by BHR in Kansas City. It came with receipts back to 89 when it appears that it was imported (receipts before that are in German). Tons of $$ spent on this car. I would rate it a high 8 to 9 car with just a couple very small rust spots and a couple of rock chips. I bought the car for $11,000 and couldn't be happier! I have looked at a bunch of BEAT 911's that went for near $10,000 that would require tons of work and upgrades. This car has been a get in and drive without any work necessary. It runs absolutely beautifully and strong! I have tried to post a pic, hope it works. Thanks, Brian

[usurpah]

Nice stable!! Looks great.

Sorry, no help on the mysterious rubber hose.

- Eric

[Jadams1]

Congratulations on the car. I also have a 1980 Euro 911SC. I paid $10,500 for mine last November. Mine has 106,000 miles and was well taken care of too. The knob between the seats controls the cable position to the heater duct valves. The perforated tube near the rear view mirror is the cabin temperator sensor. When you turn the dial to a number (higher = warmer) the red handle should move up automatically and modulate up and down to maintain the cabin temperature at that setting. If you have the owners manual for the car, it explains the operation. If you don't have it, let me know and I'll copy the page out of mine and get it to you.

Here' a pic of the car I bought.

[Olivier 3.0]

well, I think alot of people could answer to this question, but I will do my best in a correct language :-) : the "little rubber hose" is a sensor for your heating system. You have another one under the car, near one of the heat boxes. and the "dial" between the seats is indeed a part of this system ...

how does it work ? the sensor near the mirror "feels" the temperature inside the car, and send the information to the automatic system (the "dial"), which, thanks to a motor and according to the number you put the "dial" on , opens or closes the heat boxes, in order to set the correct temperature, IF the heat box sensor detects heat from the engine compartment !

easy, isn't it ?

[car911]

The little rubber device near the rear view mirror is indeed a cabin temperature sending device.

The SC heating setup might be a little different. On my Euro spec Carerra, the temperature dial between the seats control the heater flaps as stated by others. You can actually hear the actuators constantly moving when the dial is set anywhere except '0'. If you don't (or not getting heat), the system is probably not working.

I have never actually traced the controls. Does anyone know how the flaps are actuated? I suspect there are one or two electric motors and probably cables leading the flaps somewhere close to the heat exchangers??

I have also wondered how reliable this system is. It seems to be working fine on my 84, but after 15-20 years, I suspect there can be problems with wear on the actuators, broken cables and seized flaps???

[BKOMAR]

I do not think it is working.... I get a little heat from the defrost...but thats it. I did try and move the red lever but it wont stay up...like on my 914's. It doesnt move at all related to where the dial is turned. So, is there little servos that work the flapper boxes? Should I look for a fuse that is blown? The dial box is lighted and the light stays on when the headlights are on. Does anyone have a schematic that shows the wiring to this contraption? I take it that this is an early version of "automatic climate control" I also forgot....the car came with a set of Wilwood superlite calipers to fit to the stock rotors... does anyone have any experience with these? It looks as though going to these would nearly double my pad area. Brian

[Jadams1]

There is a small screw that attaches the mechanically driven arm to the cable lever arm. Try taking out the screw and manually lift the red handle lever and see if the cables and valves are free. The owners manual explains this procedure in case you need heat in an emergency. Do you have an owners manual? I think the Bently manual also has a pretty good section on troubleshooting the heater controller. I'll check tonight.

[BKOMAR]

I don't have an owners manual, or Haynes/ Bentley. I have multiple manuals includint the factory shop manuals for the 914 but very little technical for the 911. I guess that is next on my list. What is recommended for the most bang for the buck manual wise. I noticed that the Bentley manual is Big $$. But as said in a different thread... If you can't afford it you shouldn't be driving a Porsche....LOL Thanks, Brian

[emcon5]

If you are able to move the heat lever by hand, that means the little rod that connects it to the heater servo is not connected. When it is properly linked, you should not be able to move the lever by hand (well, without tugging hard enough to break it anyway)

With the engine off but ignition on, turn the knob on the heater box. If it is working properly, you should hear the servo motor and see it lift the lever. If you hear the motor, but the lever doesn't move, the connecting rod is probably popped off one end. There is an access panel on the right side that you can remove and see the rod. You may have to remove the passenger seat to get to it. The rod has 2 ball and cup type connectors, and should pop right back on.

If you don't hear the motor, you have other (more expensive, probably) problems.

Tom

[TRE Cup]

if the red heater lever goes up and does not stay up, that is normal on the "auto" heat style of system. The cars equipped with the manual set up have enough friction so the levers stay up. If the auto system is working, you will be able to hear the servo, even if the lever is disconnected. Since it is a time consuming job to remove the unit, repair it etc., As a stop gap measure you could wedge some object under the lever so the heat works for you. When you have time to fix it, then you can do it right

[Jim Sims]

Manuals/Catalogs in order of value/$ (IMO).

0) Owners manual for your car
1) Specification book for your year/model
2) 101 projects
3) Haynes
4) Abridged factory parts catalog
5) Bentley
6) Factory shop manuals
7) Complete illustrated factory parts catalog/CD-ROM/microfiche for your year/model (not available for all years)

Jim

[Jadams1]

BKOMAR, if you give me your fax number I can send some info on the heater controller.

John

[BKOMAR]

Woo Hoo!...I got the thing to work... the little ball/socket was unhooked! Now the lever moves up and down automatically. I must say though, there is still very little heat. It is just enough that I can only see my breath occasionally (OK...no tic tac jokes please) This morning it was 2 degrees above, I normally wouldn't drive the car on days like this but my wife's Rodeo is up for repairs and she needed the GTI. This is a COLD BLOODED BEAST! My warm up regulator never closed on the 50 mile trip to work. My idle speed was around 2200RPMs and it wouldn't go down. This is not a problem when it is somewhat warm out, but today was quite the exception. Thanks again guys for all the help. Brian

[Rot 911]

Something still doesn't sound right. One reason that I like to drive my 86 Carrera and before that my 72 E on cold mornings is because of the instant heat. I'm wondering if the flaps on your heat boxes are sticking and not shutting all the way thereby not allowing all the hot air to travel up to the cabin. It was 11 degrees here on my way to work and I was toasty warm in about 1/2 mile. Oh and last sunday it got up to 73 degrees. What bizarre weather in mid-Missouri.

[BKOMAR]

I agree....something is not kosher. I turn on the fan on HI and I can hear it whizzing away, but it seems to make little difference on the air coming from the defrost or the lower outlets. When I open the center dash vents it blows BIG TIME. Is the fan ONLY for the cool air? The one thing that Porsche has ALWAYS lacked, from the 356 onward...(in my opinion) is the ergonomics/ simplicity of the HVAC controls. I dont know about the 996's/ Boxster controls but this is nuts. I must say that I am impressed with the simple automatic temp system. It is almost comical in its simplicity. The idea of having the lever there as a redundant option if the servo part doesnt work is a great idea... the only problem with this that I can see, is that people like me, that are used to 914 type lever, would be pulling and tugging at the lever and ultimately breaking the mechanism. I do have a couple if small rust holes in my heat exchangers, but nothing that looks like it would allow large amounts of air to escape. The air that does manage to come out of the defrost and lower outlets is quite warm...just not enough of it to make a whole lotta difference. Any ideas? Brian

[Rot 911]

Originally posted by BKOMAR
I agree....something is not kosher. I turn on the fan on HI and I can hear it whizzing away, but it seems to make little difference on the air coming from the defrost or the lower outlets. When I open the center dash vents it blows BIG TIME. Is the fan ONLY for the cool air? Any ideas? Brian

It sounds like you are turning on the fresh air fan which is controlled on the dash. And you are right all that will do is bring in cold air. The automatic heat control between the seats controls the heater blower fan, which on your car is located back on top of the engine. You need to check and see if it is operating. You also need to see if your flapper boxes are operating properly as I previously discussed.

[BKOMAR]

Dont I feel stupid! Well...that may be why there is COLD AIR coming out too! (damn) To be honest...I dont remember seeing a heater blower inside the engine compartment. I have seen peoples pictures with that tubing going over the fan....mine doesnt have that...I am sure that the blower is similar to the one used in a 914...and I havent seen one of those in there.... I do have extra 914 fans though...I will look when I go home.... This could be a bummer! Brian

[Rot 911]

Brian, I wonder if someone backdated your exhaust to a pre-74 system? If so you should see a setup that looks similar to this:
Here is a pic of the right side of my 72 E engine which shows how the heat hoses off the heat exchangers are routed:


Even if you have this setup you should have some decent hot air blowing out at rpm's over 2000

[BKOMAR]

Kurt, I guess I failed to mention that...or at least didn't know to mention that... They are early SSI's. the tubing going to the exchanger doesn't look familiar....but I may go out and look here at my next break. I'll let you know what I find. Brian

[BKOMAR]

I just went out and looked and yep, all that is on there. Its amazing how that big beautiful fan pulls your eye away from everything else! I will have to go under the car this weekend and see if there is something plugged or if the cables are adjusted correctly. As a side note: When I went out to look and opened the deck lid there was a guy sitting next to me in a new Saturn. He rolls down the window and yells out..."Nice car...what are those...sixty or seventy thousand?" I laughed and told him that he would have paid less for the 911 than what he paid for the Saturn. He looked back at me and said "whatever" and laughed, then he said he was in the wrong business...and that he ought to be a Doctor like me to afford a car like that (I'm a nurse and I was in my scrubs out in the parking lot). It still amazes me that these cars still hold their "mental value". I know that my neighbors must think that I have tons of money, Currently having a nice 911 and 2 nice 914's in my garage, and 2 more out at the school that I own, not to mention the snow cars that my wife and I drive. The fact of the matter is....all of my cars combined don't add up to what my neighbor has into their (one) Excursion! Appearances are EVERYTHING Dahling! *grin* (shaking my head!) Brian