Tail Light Plastic Knob, 968

[GregAmy]

An oddball request...I'm looking for a tail light securing knob, the plastic one with the embedded 5mm nut. Porsche part number 95163103300. Doesn't look like anyone carries/makes one any more.

I have a 5mm nut with washer holding it now, but because of the protruding boss the taillight rattles...

I'll probably end up paying scads more in shipping for it (too bad I don't have a 3D printer) but let's see if someone has one laying about.

I'll just find a plastic dowel and fab one up if there's nothing cheaply available. - GA

EDIT: 1/8/23 update. John Shiery had one. Thanks!

[commdiver]

I might have one as I have a 968 spare tailight or john Sheiry is parting 968’s he might have one. Let me check

[chudson]

+1 for John Sheiry. He should have a box full.

Cliff

[GregAmy]

How would I get in touch with John?

I'm in no rush, I've got it secured with a small tube, washers, and nuts. - GA

[commdiver]

Pm him here

jsheiry

[jsheiry]

Greg, I have a bunch of them.

I will send you a PM

[GregAmy]

Thanks, John.

Fun story: I was in the back tightening up the one taillights with big washers for now (I installed LEDs; who has a good suggestion for a flasher relay?) and I thought, "how in the hell does someone lose one of those knobs...?" So I thought maybe it fell down into the spare tire well...the original tool kit is still in there (kinda cool) and I used it to remove the original spare (would this thing still work?) and found at the bottom of the spare tire well...an 8" Craftsman adjustable wrench.

So not only do I now wonder "how does someone lose one of those knobs?" but also "what was someone doing back there with a rather large adjustable wrench and why did they just leave it there...?"

Ah, "prior owners" stories... - GA

[commdiver]

Well they lost that large crescent wrench when tightening up the plastic nut to 72ftlbs and it snapped off and they dropped wrench! I’m surprised all the plastic bits are not down there…..

[chudson]

Greg - curious. What LEDs did you use? I tried installing 2 of a well known brand into one of my cars and it weirded out the system. As soon as the second bulb was installed, one of them (don't remember which one) illuminated with key off, lights off and brake pedal not depressed. A friend told me that there is something available that doesn't cause this, but right now don't recall what it was.

Cliff

[GregAmy]

I bought 1156 and 1157 replacements from https://www.superbrightleds.com/. Amber, Red, Natural White for the appropriate slot.

I use these in my 914, too, with a modified flasher from https://www.spokeworksled.com/ Work fine in the 914, no probs.

My 968 is doing goofy stuff, too. When I did just the rear turn signals I had a hyperflash. When I did the front ones, too, the t/s lights just stayed on.

I'm going to try another couple flasher relays to see if I can get it working. If not, I'll put incandescent back into the t/s slots.

[GregAmy]

@chudson, LED update: while the NAPA-branded EP35L ("compatible with aftermarket LEDs") did not work, the Novita-branded EP35 from AutoZone resolved it. Turn signals, emergency, and key-off side parking work as expected.

[commdiver]

Great info thank you

[Monkey Wrench]

the flasher works by the bimetal strip heating up and then straightening , loosing contact, cooling and repeats.
wiht an LED bulb you have very little resistance so the flasher cant' work right, it's not drawing enough amps to heat the bi-metal strip properly

some of the bulbs may have an included resistor, you can likely add a resistor if it's an LED bulb or use a bulb that has an included resistor.

you might hide the bulbs and run them in parallel with LED bulbs. none of this saves any power if the intent is to make the alternator work less.

maybe you can use a different type of flasher?
ill maintain originality , its part of what makes the car look as it should, but some may like the higher visibility.

[GregAmy]

Addendum (and we're WAY off the original post lol)

Reminder, I'm usign SuperbrightLED.com 1156 and 1157 replacements, and the Novita EP35 flasher.

All is fine with parking lights off. But click on the parking lights and/or headlights and the rear turn signals (and dash) will flash but the fronts won't, they just illuminate the second filament.

I put the incandescent bulbs back in the front positions only, and it all works fine.

Note that the front turn signals are 1157 bulbs, dual element, whereas the rears are 1156, single element. The 1157s use a common ground for parking and turn signal...these chassis use of the 111 ur-Beetle 3-pin flasher relays and does something inside to illuminate the single turn-signal indicator in the dash. I suspect that turning on the parking lights does something funky to the ground, voltage, and/or current/load path. I've not traced down the wiring to get a solid read on it.

My next attempt is to put one of the load resistor packs on each front turn signal circuit ONLY, see what happens.

Seems like a lot of trouble? Sure. But I prefer the way LED turn signal and brake lights "pop!", which seems to catch the eye of inattentive drivers...it works well with the "never saw ya" 914. - GA