Project #928 Officially Starts

[Fischer_76_911S]

So, I bought my first 928 on sort of a whim. It is a euro car that was originally bought and titled in Texas. It was sold 10 years later to a gentlemen in California. He couln't register it with the euro emmissions. He drove it anyways, got a parking ticket and towed. He bailed it out and parked it under the carport for 18 YEARS. I bought it as a non-running "parts car" after confirming that I could register it and title here in Georgia.
I have never actually laid a hand on a 928 before, so this adventure is all new to me too. I have no formal mechanical training with cars, but consider myself mechinically inclined and well versed electrically. I fully restored a 1976 911 several years ago that is now for sale. What I can't do, I have good friends that can. I also greatly surf the web including this site for information, advice, and motivation to complete my projects. I wanted to share my project with anyone that might be interested and possibly inspire someone to do the same. I do really enjoy the "project" aspect and learn a lot during the process.
Be patient, as I have a business to run and most importantly a wife and two great kids to raise (9 and 6). I hope to report eventual success, but I will report the "good, the bad, and the ugly" if ventured.
I got project #928 onto my lift just before Thanksgiving. I didn't have a whole lot of time to work on it, but I have managed this so far:

1. Replaced a locked up fuel pump (found new one in trunk!)
2. Ordered a bunch of new parts
3. Dropped the fuel tank after all the clean gas I kept pouring in came out darker. See the pictures...I now know why! Yikes it was gross. A bunch of old & nasty sludge-like spew.
4. Flushed the tank of spew with a gallon of acetone and replaced all the flexible lines that were hard and crunchy.

So, stick with me and lend some advice (I need it!) as I try and rescue a very clean, rust-free and straight 928 back to life. I'm sure I'll blow something up, fry a wire, or melt something important before it is all over. Stay tuned!

Bob

[MPDano]

Dang, that looks pretty nice. What year? Pics of engine please.

[Pete R]

Judging by your garage you definately took that "the one who dies with the most toys wins" bumper sticker the heart. Huh? Is that an "experimental" helicopter? Love the chrome phone dials. They are my favorite wheel. I just wish they made them 10 x 17

[Mark SF]

Originally Posted by Pete R

Judging by your garage you definately took that "the one who dies with the most toys wins" bumper sticker the heart. Huh? Is that an "experimental" helicopter? Love the chrome phone dials. They are my favorite wheel. I just wish they made them 10 x 17

Looks like an Autogiro to me

[asterix031]

Looks fantastic - makes me miss mine! I recall with mine that the longer I left it sitting about, the more the electronics "froze" and guages stopped. Just driving made it recover, so be sure to drive it plenty when you are done (best advice).

[pcar928fan]

I was going to say Autogyro too! Pretty cool...boat, Porsche, what else does one need? R/V maybe! LOL!

Great project and I wish you GREAT SUCCESS with it! The car looks AWESOME!!! Looks like an odd Euro car though as it has no spoilers so is probably a regular 928 instead of an S...VERY ODD to import a Non-S 928 back in the early 80's. I don't see the point of it really, but man I think you scored one here! I too really like the wheels. Are the chromed or polished?

Can't wait to see more pics and see how this progresses! We have a BIG SAVE (not unlike yours) going on just down the street with my friend Jim. I think his is a '79 US model. It is REALLY ROUGH looking though where yours looks (on the outside anyway) VERY NICE! Great place to start!

Enjoy your project!

[Fischer_76_911S]

MPDano - Here Ya go:



PeteR: HA HA! Actually, my wife will tell you she has three kids . I just started on my bucket list way early (I hope). Thanks on the wheels. I definitely have to buy new tires and I am thinking of going to an 18" wheel and a wider stance to fill the wheel wells - especially in the rear. I may sell these.

MarkSf and Pcarfan: (My 9-yr-old daughter just reminded me I am "Off Topic" - sorry) Yes, you are correct. A gyrocopter. I built that....and it flies! It is a Monarch Butterfly. I am not yet rated (student pilot) so a friend who is rated came up and did the test flight. I would say that 90% of gyros are out-dated and unsafe designs. This is a new breed of "safe" and centerline thrust models. The previous owner never finished the kit. He unfortunately passed from brain cancer. Goes back to my "bucket list" reference...

Here is its maiden voyage:

YouTube - Monarch Butterfly Gyro First Flight[img]

Back to topic: I finished cleaning the tank and remounted. Now I need to put the fuel pump back on, wire, and wait for parts to arrive (maybe Friday). Here is the inside now:


Otherwise, I have lots of wiring to clean up from a previous alarm install...

[riber.bentsen]

Fantastic find, that car is going to be a gem!
Engine looks clean, but almost all the hoses and wires I'm guessing are dry-rotten :/

IMHO keep the Phonedials. They suit the car, but put spacers (factory) in the rear to fill the wells. Keep this car original and you will see it shoot up in value come a few years.

What's the mileage?

[pcar928fan]

That tank looks MUCH, MUCH better now!

You can't just put factory spacers on the back of that car as the lug studs won't be long enough. You will either have to replace the studs to use a factory spacer or just buy some spacers with their own studs (that is what most of us do) and keep the phone dials, OR you can go to 18" wheels. Your brakes will look MIGHTY small behind an 18" wheel though. I have seen some nice ones out there. My absolute fave wheel is the Carrera III lightweight from 911's MY '01 (or '02) to like '04 or '06 maybe. Five thin spokes...they look AWESOME I think!

Replacing the fuel lines and pretty much any other rubber under the hood would be an EXCELLENT idea! There have been some 928's burn up lately from fuel lines that broke because they were brittle and rotten...

[riber.bentsen]

I thought the factory ones had their own studs, my mistake

[Fischer_76_911S]

riber.bentsen: Thanks! I'm going through it little by little. The belts actually don't look bad but will all be replaced as well as the TB and WP if it starts. It will get a full fluid service too. I'll check under the hood for any flexible lines. They went solid just past the tank and down the frame. I haven't stuck my head under the hood that much. 103K miles!

pcar928fan: I'll see what it the wheels really look like when I finally have it down on the ground and I can stand away from it. It went right from my friend's tow truck into the garage and it was dark at the time. Thanks for the tank comment - acetone works great!

Started in on the wiring mess. Does anyone have a schematic as to what fuses and relays control for this '81 928? I'd like to start ohming things out. Thanks!

"A snip-snip here, and a snip-snip there, here a snip, there a snip, everywhere a snip-snip...."

[neil30076]

PM me your email address and i'll send you the 81 wiring diagrams, etc.
Neil

[MPDano]

Here you go.

81 Fuse/Relay Chart

[Fischer_76_911S]

Awesome. Talk about speedy. I can't wait to go back "in" and start checking fuses and relays. To bad I have to work tomorrow. Work always gets in the way!
Bob

[Griffinroydonal]

That is a good looking car and I wish you luck with bringing it back to life. I am in N.C. and work for Mark Benton in S.C. so just let me know if you need any parts or help. I love the early cars and am glad to see someone putting them back together. I only get to pick them bare and Mark sells the parts.

[pcar928fan]

LOVE those seats! You almost NEVER see that material here in the states! Take VERY GOOD care of them! More interior pics would be GREAT!

[Xlot]

Warning - You need the correct 1981 wiring and fuse diagrams for your vehicle.

Your car is a "Euro", i.e. not a car made for the North American market.

This is important, because in 1981, USA cars had L-Jetronic fuel injection (early EFI), whereas Euro cars (every where else in the world) had Bosch K-Jetronic (mechanical fuel injection, also called CIS). As a result, the wiring diagrams are very different.

The diagrams on the Jim Morehouse CD's are for US cars (e.g. "Current Flow Diagram Type 928 USA Model 81"), as are the fuse/relay charts on 928 Specialists site linked above.

Until you can find a copy of the 1981 J-ket diagram, you might have more success using the 1979 US ones (they also used K-jet).

Unfortunately I don't know of a good source of the "Euro" diagrams - a thorough search of Pelican or Rennlist may turn up a link, I've never looked explicitly. I just know there are differences as I've recently started to help another local with his K-jet based 1983 928S, and we couldn't find a diagram to help figure out a weird headlight issue.

[1984928]

If you're looking for a set of spacers to fill out the rear I've got a set I had on my '84 for many years. Bought them from ********** in 1994. They bolt on and they really fill out the wheel wells. Don't need them anymore as I went with wider rear wheels. PM me if you want to work a deal.
Steve
PS. The car is beautiful. I love black.

[Fischer_76_911S]

Griffinroydonal: Thanks. Once I hear the engine run I will start looking at little pieces I need. I don't want to worry about anything else right now but getting all 8 cylinders going.

pcar928fan: Thanks for the interior comments. I liked it too. I'll have to get the driver's seat re-upolstored, but I knew that when I bought it. My wife didn't care for the interior but what does she know!

Xlot: So far, the diagram has been perfect and everything has matched up. However, I have not delved into the fuel injection - only the pump.

1984928: Thanks for the offer. Until I get her running I'm trying to limit my cash outlay until I know what I'm getting into. I may take you up on it, but I don't want to keep you hanging either. If I need them and you still have them - great! Otherwise if someone else wants them then step up to the plate

Update Time! I straightened out enough wiring to feel reasonably safe to hook up the battery. I turned off my tunes to listen for shorts and sudden combustion. Dead silence! Seemed like all the dash lights lit up, turn signals and hazards work, lights popped up (fantastic) AND lit up BOTH high and low beam. No power windows, but that was a bad relay and still no power to fuel pump. With the help of the wire diagrams (thank you) I traced it back to a relay too. I quick stuck in a 4-pin relay to verify and I have power to the pump (if it were there). New 5-pin (correct) relay will be here Friday along with my oil filters, hood shocks, and fuel filter. Come on big brown truck! Getting closer to start time!!!

Here is the dash lighting up (it was exiting for me...ha ha!)


Can anyone read German?


Using some 18-2 wire hooked into my meter on the passenger side from the fuel pump connections to see if I have voltage after replacing the relay (no load this way). As a side note: I've found using a kid's cheap $7 plastic pool under me while working catches all the fluids and/or parts that seem to drop off a car while working on it. Nuts and bolts no longer shoot 30' across the floor under a cabinet.

[riber.bentsen]

Germany is my neighboring country, and we learn it in school (many, many years ago), but sure I'll give it a try

From the top:
Brake fluid
Pad thickness
Brake circuit
Handbrake/E-brake