Zoidberg, my 1978 911SC

[PeteKz]

If someone hasn't suggested it already, you need to get a CIS gauge and connection set to solve your remaining running problems. Search the Forum and Amazon, plenty of inexpensive options.

[jrwilson]

I actually have one, but it was running well enough before winter that I didn't bother to go through it. I'll do it in March or so when it's close to time to emerge from the garage again.

[almostordinary]

Great progress! Going to make that first spring drive a whole new experience.

[jrwilson]

Time to rebuild the pedal box. Still a bit shocked to see plywood in a car from the 70's but those wacky Germans are definitely a "if it ain't broke don't fix it" bunch. This bad boy has seen better days for sure.



Not too bad, a little crusty and clearly original. Still, nothing was difficult to remove or rusted in place.



A bit dirty but nothing some elbow grease won't take care of.



Blech.



Tons of other links go over the process in detail but this job was surprisingly easy, even the clutch spring, except the clevis at the MC. It just did not want to come out. It wasn't loose so I just left it in the end.

You may notice the brace and other parts look a little off - that's because I didn't want to spend $400 for the cad plating kit to redo the yellow cad parts that can't be seen anyway, so I painted them gold with a touch of yellow added and they're serviceable at least. Not as pretty as the real thing but they won't rust out and they're invisible anyway. Once I get to the engine compartment I might re-think my plan but until then this is fine.



While all that stuff was out I decided to install the Innovate LC-2 O2 sensor my JBell gauge was set up to use.



Ran the wire through the tunnel via the speedometer cable entry into the shift coupler, up to the wiring harness hole in the dash, hooked it directly to the battery for ground and the lighter for power since that has a nice fat 5A fuse and it's keyed. Wire was just barely long enough. The O2 module sits in a visible spot just behind the hood strut.




Then time to button it all up behind a new floorboard. Seems a shame to cover it but I like the carpet color more.

[jrwilson]

It works! Just under 15 at idle.

[maverck]

Originally Posted by jrwilson

It works! Just under 15 at idle.

I have seen those gauges for sale - seeing it in action I am pretty sure I should get one! Would be so great to keep tabs on AFR. Thanks for sharing some of the details!

[jrwilson]

Big boxes of fun came today from the UK. Electric A/C, new alternator and the fancy fuse panels.



Since I'm missing a few tools like a pully wrench and hose clamps for the A/C lines, I figured I'd tackle the easy ones that only require hand tools while I wait for them to be delivered.



It's a pretty simple process but the wires don't line up exactly and don't always have the slack you'd hope for, plus the screw terminals aren't as big as the old ones, so for a few of the bigger wires or the double-up ones there was some minor surgery involved. But I got it done.



I did mess up one wire - the turn signals were turning on the high beams! I poured over the wiring diagram and traced it to one of the black/green wires on the top one space over. Moved it to the right spot and all was right in the world.

Did the back too. Less chance of screwing that up thankfully, but the provided sticky posts didn't actually fit the holes in the board so I improvised and used high strength velcro to hold it. Wires mostly keep it in place anyway.



I got new plates for the car and I needed to replace the nut inserts that hold the plate. This might seem like a pretty basic project but it turns out that finding the small license plate plastic nuts is really difficult! All the ones I found locally are too big for the Porsche plate holders (5/8 vs 3/8), and you can either buy a pack of 100 for $50, or they're $3/each on Pelican. Forget that.

Turns out McMaster Carr has downloadable 3D files for a lot of parts to use in prototyping, so I downloaded one for the inserts and printed up 9 of them.



Fit right in, easy peasy. Total cost, three cents?



New plate. "78 911SC" was available but the government wouldn't let me have it because it would be "confusing". But SC911 is fine. Go figure. I don't love, love it but all the other variations of 1978 911 I tried were taken.



In preparation for the A/C I decided to clean out the smuggler's box. Bit of fibreglass mess from when I blocked off the enormous hole.



In case you were wondering what that hole looked like: Yikes. A couple of layers of fibreglass, some black paint and some sound deadening covering and it's fine now.



While doing so I discovered a fun surprise from either the factory or the dealer A/C install, since it was under the white brushed on coating. A nice extra screw. Gotta love hand built!

[Frog76S]

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploads26/DEF9C6CC_4389_40F5_84C5_1FFC3D4610A2_1_105_c167495 1079.jpg

Regarding the remaining hole to the left of your patch job, how are you going to fix it? I have the same hole, same spot in my 911 from hose that connected to the vents where the knee pads normally go.

[jrwilson]

I know Rennline makes a cover plate:

https://www.rennline.com/tunnel-hole-block-off-front-tunnel-sku-i36/

But $45 seems a bit steep. I think I might just fibreglass it off like I did with the other hole.

[Frog76S]

Originally Posted by jrwilson

I know Rennline makes a cover plate:

https://www.rennline.com/tunnel-hole-block-off-front-tunnel-sku-i36/

But $45 seems a bit steep. I think I might just fibreglass it off like I did with the other hole.

Thanks, never imagined the problem was so prevalent that Rennline would offer a solution. $45 is a bit much, but alternative to fix with other methods would be pretty time consuming versus the $45 easy fix. BTW, I a fan of differing Porsche interior/exterior colors, love the lobster. Don’t see it very often and it really pops with your exterior. Glad to see your keeping it.

[jrwilson]

Originally Posted by Frog76S

$45 is a bit much, but alternative to fix with other methods would be pretty time consuming versus the $45 easy fix.

One thing I have to take into consideration is that it's not just $45 to me. Here in Canada I have to pay taxes and shipping, plus exchange, and that usually doubles the price of anything. So that $45 panel becomes $90 to me. So I choose my battles more carefully.

[jrwilson]

I went to install the new alternator and realized I didn't own the special fan pulley wrench you need to remove it. The cheapest one I could find was $79! So I guess I'll have to wait on that job while I wait for the tool to show up. In the meantime I did some work on the interior.

The seat backs are in nice shape (since nothing ever uses them) but the black coating - it doesn't seem like paint, seems more plastic - on the hinges was peeling off and there was some light rusting so I decided to repaint them. Wire wheel, sanding, primer, paint.





But the big thing in the interior that stands out is the carpet. You can buy new carpet sets but the carpet in the car isn't actually bad, it's just sun faded.



So rather than buy new carpet (for what, $800? More?) I used a can of SEM Color Coat in "Fiery Red" which is actually a pretty close match for Lobster. Just a light spray over it is enough to really bring it back. Each pass makes it darker but just one seems to be best.



The back seat was particularly faded and it came back nicely. It doesn't match the vinyl that closely but neither does the carpet protected by being covered so, such it is.



The other badly faded carpet is the pockets. Looking much better!

[jrwilson]

I'm going to be adding the Electrocool A/C and part of that is upgrading the alternator to support the load.

On most cars I've worked on, the phrase "replacing the alternator" makes me think of a job that takes at most 15 minutes. With Zoidberg... not so much. What a pain in the ass!

You can't say "European car" without "special tools"! This stupid thing cost me $100 by the time you add exchange and shipping costs. I guess it explains why the Porsche tool kit is like $600.



At least since the engine has been rebuilt recently, it came apart pretty easily and I only had to give a couple of light taps on the shaft for it to fall out nice and easy. But all the steps leading up to this were a fiddly mess, having to balance all these loose parts (strap, fan housing, back cover, etc).



The new one is a pretty nice looking bit of kit. Forgot to get a photo of it but here's the backside. Before anyone says anything, it's upside down in this photo and I figured that out before trying to install it. Read the manual!



Nice beefy wires - the ground cable is substantially improved.



For the power wire, I just ran it over the top of the existing rubber grommet in the tin. However I didn't figure out I could do this until I'd pulled the tin apart and no amount of contorting could get the rubber piece back into it. I got it about 85% in there but I may do some checks on it this summer. I just added the power wire to the existing connections instead of replacing it.

Also, it still had its original alternator so I had to do the internal regulator modification, which is just leaving a black wire unattached and disconnecting the regulator on the left side.



Lots of people don't care for the US bumperettes (including me) but they sure make handy shelves. I know, I know - I should use a cover over the paint. I'll add it to the non-essentials list.



The pulley used this rounded washer which pushes against the pulley since it apparently doesn't sit flush. However I had to open up the hole quite a bit to fit the new shaft on the alternator.



All buttoned up in what I assume are the right places. It's alive!



Nice steady 14.3v. Old alt would do roughly 13v or so, often dropping to just over 12v. So that alone is a huge improvement.



Coming soon: heat backdate, A/C install, M&K headers.

[rswannabe]

Nice work. Care to share why you chose Electrocool over the other electric AC options?

[jrwilson]

Is there other electric A/C options? I thought it was just upgrade stock or go Electrocooler?

I was originally going to upgrade the installed A/C but then when I got the car, the mechanic hadn't included the compressor and bracket, and then when I dug into it, it was some weird aftermarket A/C installed by the dealer back in the 70s and half of it was missing anyway, so I decided to pony up the extra.

Makes for a cleaner engine compartment as well - part of the reason I'm backdating the heat too.

[rswannabe]

My bad! I was thinking electrocooler was different from classic retrofit.

[mike sampsel]

Originally Posted by jrwilson

I'm going to be adding the Electrocool A/C and part of that is upgrading the alternator to support the load.




For the power wire, I just ran it over the top of the existing rubber grommet in the tin. However I didn't figure out I could do this until I'd pulled the tin apart and no amount of contorting could get the rubber piece back into it. I got it about 85% in there but I may do some checks on it this summer. I just added the power wire to the existing connections instead of replacing it.




Coming soon: heat backdate, A/C install, M&K headers.

Yes, I too removed the engine tin to enlarge a hole for a grommet and the #4 red wire. Then I discovered I could not get the tin back quite in perfect place and thus the squarish OEM grommet is not in quite right either. The wires are still protected though. Thinking I'll fix it when and if I drop the engine again.

Now you can add a stereo booster needing 50 amps if you want

[jrwilson]

Originally Posted by mike sampsel

Thinking I'll fix it when and if I drop the engine again.

That was my thinking as well, I imagine there will be an engine drop at some point and I can clean up all the various crap I can't reach.

Stereo did seem more powerful after the upgrade!

[Superman]

We really appreciate the thread, pics and narrative and we (I) appreciate your energy and thoroughness. Early on, you started to get a sense for why these cars are so believed. It's because of the driving experience, frankly. Lest we forget. I drove mine twice in the last two days, which I rarely do, and it is just SOOOOO much fun. My car is set up perfectly, for me. Particularly the suspension, wheels, tires and cams.

The first pic of your removed fan made me think it is the correct, and fairly rare and desired by racers, fan. The other pics make me unsure. AFAIK, all 1978 USA cars had it. The fins are shorter than ordinary 911 fans, and I think the entire diameter of the fan may also be smaller. The fan and housing are a pair. It is the fan that went on the earlier RSR. 1974? I think it actually moves less air, but also robs less power.

The plywood pedal plate is great, and functional, and very light. Too bad yours was toast. Other parts, like the cardboard ones you replaced in the trunk, follow a similar design decision. Lightweight, and built to do the job. All those parts, on cars not subjected to water in the interior, are just fine after 45 years.

Though mine is not currently working, I do like having cruise. There is supposed to be a sticker on your lower dash showing the elegantly simple way your cruise stalk control should work. Similarly, the intermittent wiper design is the best I have seen in any car, period.

You are doing all the right things. Troubleshooting a CIS system begins with checking fuel pressures. Swapping out parts is not the best way to troubleshoot a CIS. Your fuel pump may be delivering inadequate pressure or volume, but generally they either work or they don't. That said, I would suggest replacing it. Factory original ones are nearly a half-century old and ignoring yours might be a good way to get stranded at the most inconvenient time and place.

Happy motoring, and thanks for the updates!

Oh.....I installed headlamp relays. My high beams are 100W. Just like having daylight, at night. I see you have the Euro H4 headlights. Nice car!

And yes, absolutely, backdate that heating system. One of the best of all possible upgrades for this car.

[Robey5]

I appreciate the attention to detail here. I too will be tackling that classic retrofit fuse panel on the 79 before I get back on the road with her. The initial review of that project is that you’re looking at a 2-3 hour investment in time: it sounds like you were able to knock it out with efficiency (sweet!!).

It sounds like you were faced with the similar sofie’s choice with that alternator pulley tool that I was. As an aside, I bought 2, and one of them stays with the car, the other is in the tool chest/garage. I have a little tool bag that was made for me, and I have a collection of tools in it ICO - because I do not understand why these tool kit things do not continue to live their rightful lives in the car’s frunk. All in the name for someone to make a couple more bucks when they part ways with the car, I suppose. BTW, if you find a good, complete and period correct tool roll for $600 and you have cash to burn, I’d buy it because they don’t last long in the classifieds.

Enjoying the ride so far!