I as well however Porsche no longer sells the EZ69 units and when they sold the BX rebuilt units version which were problematic they were $7800 with a $5k core charge. That had to be 10 years ago. These are NLA from Porsche. Last I saw one sell for was over $5k on Ebay.

There are sites claiming to sell them however Porsche has no inventory and I suspect if you try to buy them they will tell you they can't get one.

Will the 3.3T and 3.6T EZ69 come in different versions? Thought there were some key differences between the two. Maybe a single unit with multiple maps?

Any updates on the development on these units?

Prototypes are currently undergoing durability testing, and although indications are we have a viable product from an engineering viewpoint, there is still much to do.

Next step for us is the pre-production evaluation phase, and concentrating on manufacturing viability. e.g. refining the upper case to eliminate several of the CNC machining steps required for the prototype phase.

The tiny potential market for this and the physical complexity and dimensional tolerances of the module have this silly project jammed well and truly in the "must be near perfect or don't even try" zone.

Thank you kindly for the update Steve. I certainly will be suggesting to everybody I know plus on 965 owners reenlist to buy one and put there original unit away in storage. I feel your new unit is a must have for all 965 owners. I had one go bad on last year, Thank god I had spare. if not my 965 would be a paper big weight waiting to find another unit. Thank you again for all your work to develop these.

I’ll take one as well! Much needed as my 94 turbo will die if you shift to neutral while coasting to a stop. The car then won’t start for some time

Any update on this? I just bought a 964 3.3 Turbo project and although I don't know if I need one of these, I wouldn't mind having one for when I do.

Anyone? Bueller..,..

Hi Steve,

I hope all is well. any updates?

Hi All,

Nothing definitive to report yet.

Most of our time is being split between refinements for possible production and reverse engineering the ignition maps out of the 01 EZ69 and various Mercedes units.

Thank you for the update

Thank you! We’re patiently waiting!

UPDATE,

As part of the EZL/EZ69 development, we have unfortunately discovered a little issue the Mercedes EZL as a cheap option.

The fuel coding signal (mercedes) is on the same pin as the Porsche charge air temp sensor is on the 965.
And the resistances are inverted between the Mercedes coding and the Porsche sensor!

Therefore, as the intercooler heats up, ignition timing could advance by up to 6 degrees instead of retard by up to 2.8 degrees.

Not good if you are wanting to protect the motor.

The 538 and others are still likely a good candidates for a "Get me Home" emergency spare to keep in the toolkit, but really not a good choice for extended use.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1755928164.jpg

Reverse engineering the maps is showing promise, but we have some variables in the bench test setup that we must eliminate. Digital replication of the input signals is fine for development but we can't be confident of any results unless the correct real world inputs and outputs are connected.

Thus the above contraption is about to travel from it's home town to us here in Oz and be retrofitted to run a proper flywheel trigger setup and generate vacuum and boost pressure, while firing actual spark plugs etc. Essentially a desktop engine dyno.

The 01 EZ69 we have here is not yet confirmed as functioning properly and there is a chance it is unhappy with the dummy ignition coil load we are using on the bench or it has a faulty temp sensor input, either way it is 7-10 degrees retarded from where it should be when above 2500 rpm.
So, fingers crossed connecting a proper 965 ignition system might pull it out of safe mode and we can move forward.

Chances of our module having a preloaded factory map -- maybe 50/50 at best

Let the weird futility continue :D

Is it correct to assume that the ez-69 either works or it doesn’t? There is no intermittent working vs not working?

Generally yes,
the primary failure is on the ignition coil output, which overloads and destroys itself.

The Ignition transistor fails in two ways, it either goes open circuit, like a blown fuse, and simply stops the spark from working or it shorts out and then kills the rest of the EZ69 by letting 12 volts run around all over the boards inside.

The 01 EZ69 I have here seems to have a different fault where the temperature sensor input has failed. So although it is still working, the timing has gone into an engine overheat temperature limp mode for safety. ( the 3K one on eBay a little while back)

Intermittent faults are logically possible now that the units are 30+ years old, and I've run across some chatter that suggests it's happening. I also have a rare Mercedes 24valve one here that may fall in that category but we've not had a chance yet to look at it properly.

Besides the key factor of its being a bad design, i.e. a hybrid circuit, and installed in the engine compartment, it's failure was predictable.

I came here to post an update, but I'll have to stop laughing first.

Could take a while.........

Your knowledge of Porsche electronics appears somewhat limited, i.e. many of the Bosch 3 pin CDIs from the early '70s (55 yrs old now) are still functional.
This is in contrast to EZ69 design which was domed to fail, especially in an engine compartment with temperatures exceeding 100C.
Remember, the Mercedes Benz versions have a very low failure rate versus the Porsche EZ69 part! Those modules operate in a less severe environment.

Where is your proof-of-concept development circuit board actually running a Porsche Turbo? Surely you have one, as a necessary step for any
complex electronic circuity development, especially for a 965 ignition system. Post #54 describes a setup running on a test bench,
but not actually running a 965 motor, or even driving an ignition coil - a critical development step.

@mysocal911 I have a 965 running motor and would be ok trying the new units. And I’m in socal

Thanks everyone,

A gentle reminder of my last note from June.

Now for the fun bit.

Remember when I said you should all hang on to your failed units?

well....

This little fellow was presented to me last week.


http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1761447620.JPG


Matt black anodised aluminium (anodized aluminum) module cap with ceramic inserts for electrical isolation and thermal management.

More compact, less machining, no worries about connectors or case sealing, less obvious it is not stock etc.
But logistically more complicated.

- Machine off the donor cap,
- snip the internal connections and skim the contact pads.
- drop in the new module and reseal.

Tolerances are tight so you will need to send your dead unit somewhere to have it modified etc.

As always, still much to do, and I'll post updates as we have them.

I think this could be a profitable venture! Figure the 964 turbo production; both 3.3 & 3.6… roughly 5,000 units- every car will need this eventually. Even if 10% need it, that’s still 500 cars and $1,000/unit = $500k. The alternative if stand alone engine management program for about $50k/each car

Thank you for the update, I'm still interested. Just me and us what to do. I have a spare
That doesnt work to send off to you asap.

Thank you kindly
Helio Lopes

Still waiting to see your proof-of-concept prototype driving an ignition coil developing a spark. It's coming soon, right?

I will say that I have seen far more CDI boxes of all eras fail then EZ69's. A common problem even today. I had 2 go on my SC's when they were only a few years old on 2 different SC's. These were actually a bigger issue but replacements were available unlike these. Many had the ability to buy Permatune units which failed even more than the CDI's and or other units which were easily swapped in unlike the EZ69 units.

Porsche was never known for its electronics and is a weak point still to this day.

Obviously, there were many more non-turbos!

Actually, the 3 pin Bosch CDI, used until the late '70s, was very reliable and rarely failed. They typically failed because;
1. reverse battery connections
2. overcharging alternators
3. shorting the CDI coil signal while adjusting the idle.

The later CDI (6 pin) fails because of a marginal output capacitor, and the result of hotter engine compartment temperatures (200F+),
still not as hot as for turbos.

I’d take one just to put it on the shelf. I feel many others would do the same. Heck the factory will probably catch wind of this and buy a bunch as well.

Mine failed under normal driving conditions. Full load and bang. Alternator was fine and everything in spec perfectly prior to the failure. I have 20+ friends who are 40+ year Porsche trained mechanics and independents. I have known them for at least 40 years. I know many gold star techs as well and my son works as a service advisor and he will tell you nothing is safe these days. I have been wrenching on Porsches for over 45 years myself and work with some very well known names on the east coast. I do agree the earlier ones failed far less often for many decades but many did fail and the later turbo and SC units failed nearly as often. The 930 engine compartment was just as hot if not hotter. You see a lot of early 911's using MSD modules to replace their failed CDI boxes. You don't hear about the problem so much because of availability which is not an issue.

I have been closely following the 965 market for over 25 years and although these are a failure point it isn't until recently within the past 5-7 years that we are hearing more and more about these failures. They built the cars well but how many other marques have this % of 30+ year old cars on the road with so few made? The lack of replacement parts is the issue and I don't think getting 30 years out of anything these days is that bad. I have had more electronics go on several 981's and newer Porsche's than I see EZ69's fail. I have helped a few out by supplying replacements for them but my well is now dry except for one spare. One was returned to Brumos for the #59 super turbo it came from. Porsche electronics have never been their strong point. But having anything that won't compromise the originality by cutting harnesses or makeshift compromises on these rare cars is a huge plus and we should be happy we have a potential alternative.

I will wait to pass judgement on the product for now but I know of many 3.6T's which are still running their original EZ unit. In time they might need it but preventative maintenance and checking your coil output and reapplying the paste would be a good palce to start. My only concern with replacing anything Bosch right now is most of it is not good and there are some Chinese parts coming in which are horrible. So this might be a bigger concern in the future.