87 Targa Just bought - need some advice before I get my hands on a Haynes manual

[Guest]

I just taken delivery of an 87 Targa.

Problems identified so for:

Numerous dashboards bulbs gone - how do the clocks come out?

Constant hot air feed - The centre control is at "O",I assume the valve is seized, is this a workshop job or should I be able to fix it (I've built/assembled a Westfied 2 years ago)

Rear corner bumper strip strip needs replacing, do I have to take the bumper off?

Engine kept stalling - I think this was my poor driving as I was holding on to gears to long (i.e. too late to depress clutch) when stopping. I've taken rolling to a halt and this seems to have fixed it.

Thanks for any answers

Andrew

 

[Guest]

Numerous dashboards bulbs gone - how do the clocks come out?

They pull out - lever (gently) the rim of a clock, without damaging the dashboard, all round, and then just pull out.
I created a Visio diagram (well, I was at work at the time) to indicate where all the wires etc. went on each clock (I was having all the clocks refaced), just in case I forgot.

Constant hot air feed - The centre control is at "O",I assume the valve is seized, is this a workshop job or should I be able to fix it (I've built/assembled a Westfied 2 years ago)

Could be the valves in the engine compartment - same heat on both driver/passenger side ? If so, then unlikely to be the valves (odd for both to go wrong in the same way).

 

[Guest]

John,

Thanks for the help, it's hard to say whether the heat is the same each side, last night I had hot to the passenger cold to driver (RHD) when on the windscreen, but still get hot to drivers footwell!

 

[Guest]

Firstly, I would say if you built a Westfield then there's not much you should be worried about try on a 911 but, the first think you should do is forget about the Haynes (well maybe get it anyway) and buy the Bentley Service Manual for the 3.2.

The price will shock you (about 80 quid) but you will save many times that over the first few jobs. Remember 80 quid is about an hour at an OPC and maybe 2 at an independant.

The only thing I would add on your heat issue is that I would check the flapper valves first. You can jack each side up (one at a time, ensuring supported correctly not balanced on the jack [use an axle stand on the end of the torsion bar tubes]) and then take the wheel off, find the bottom of the heat exchanger, feel along its bottom towards the front of the car and follow it up. You will come to some corrigated aluminium tubing on the end, follow this and you come to one of the flapper boxes. The boxes have flap in them that should close all the way but often dont cos all the c**p in the word gets thrown on them. See if you can close them manually and the heat should have gone away. You can refurbish them but the trick is getting them off. Three bolts hold them on but Its a bit tight and grimy to get at. The problem I had was removing the actuating cable from the boxes. New boxes are about 60 quid? I think. I get most all my bits from Bert Gear at Berlyn Services.

Cheers

Andy

 

[Guest]

flapper valves

Andy

Do you mean the rotary valves in the firewall, one each side ? I never know what to call them. If this is the case, then in rest position (0 on the dial), shouldn't they appear as open, so that all the heat comes back into the engine compartment ?

Naturally, I can't picture them, and try to avoid looking for them !

Good advice about Bentley - very good wiring diagrams, year specific, if nothing else, and worth the money for that alone, in my case.

 

[nottage]

Just bought a Bentley service manual from an Amazon partner, brand new for £55.

I have an 88 targa and have the same problem with the hotair in the footwell. I have not had it fixed yet, but have had it priced at about £100 - £150 for all the parts from design911 or about £200 by an independent to do the work (although probably +vat)

 

[Guest]

Regarding stalling - change all the fuses and clean the holders and clean the earth connections.
This alone stopped my 88 3.2 from starting on 3 cylinders! as the Bentley manual says...

There is a manual for the 911 3.2 Carrera printed by Bentley Publishers which contains this paragraph
regarding the electronic ignition on the 911.

Page 200-13 Engine management
"All the cars covered by this manual use engine management systems that rely
on precise electrical signals for proper operation. Some of the DME circuits
operate on very low current and are sensitive to increased resistance due to
faulty or corroded wiring or connectors. If any of these signals are
distorted, incorrect or missing the car can develop major driveability
problems."

 

[Guest]

The flapper boxes (rotary valves as you call them) just act as a block in the piping when they are closed. When open (control switch above 0) pressure from the engine fan and the electric assist fan in the engine bay blows air through the exchangers and then all around until out the vents. When the switch is at zero the electric assist fan in the engine bay isn't running but the pressure from the engine fan will still force air around if the flap is open even a little bit. When closed the small amount of air from the engine fan that feeds the exchangers just vents out over (and cools) the cylinders as 95% of it usually does anyway.

Cheers

Andy

 

[Guest]

Hi

Andrew

I can't offer any help I'm afraid but my Targa also stalls when slowing to a junction, but this only happens on the warm up cycle (about half way through).

I did report it to Northway Porsche last time it was serviced and they thought that they'd fixed it (Airflow meter I think they said) but it does still happen so I will report it again but fear it's one of those problems that is hard to detect and rectify without actually being the one who drives the car regularly.

 

[Guest]

Where can i get hold of the bentley service manual in this country? Just had a look at Bentley publishing and the manual looks rather comprehensive but its an american site.

 

[Guest]

The club office used to sell them - perhaps they still do.

 

[Guest]

Cheers,
I will just have a wee look.

 

[Guest]

What I meant was that, at 0, they would appear open in the engine bay; this means, as you pointed out, that the moving hot air produced by the engine fan would be allowed back into the engine bay, and not through into the car. They are held open by a spring, according to Bentley.

Just my attempt to be less ambiguous, as we appear to be talking about the same thing.

 

[bones]

Just to clarify the heater flapper box issue. With cockpit controls set at -0- the flapper valves are fully open to allow the heat exchangers air out into the open underneath the car not back into the engine bay. When at positions other than -0- the flapper valves should be closed or partially closed thus directing air to the cockpit. The flapper valve system sucks really as they are siuated in highly vulnerable places and corrode easily, the cables stick and fail etc, they are overlooked at service intervals when in fact if you can remember to clean up and lube every 6,000 miles this would help matters a lot.
If PCGB don't have Bentley try Amazon.co.uk

 

[nottage]

try this link

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/tg/detail/offer-listing/-/0837602912/used/ref=sdp_usedb/026-1800025-8034836

£50.46 for the 84-89 Bentley manual

 

[Guest]

ORIGINAL: bones

Just to clarify the heater flapper box issue. With cockpit controls set at -0- the flapper valves are fully open to allow the heat exchangers air out into the open underneath the car not back into the engine bay. When at positions other than -0- the flapper valves should be closed or partially closed thus directing air to the cockpit. The flapper valve system sucks really as they are siuated in highly vulnerable places and corrode easily, the cables stick and fail etc, they are overlooked at service intervals when in fact if you can remember to clean up and lube every 6,000 miles this would help matters a lot.
If PCGB don't have Bentley try Amazon.co.uk

Try to lubricate and also replace the return spring before embarking on replacement. The springs also rust and struggle to pull the valve to "open" (ie spilling air out under the car rather then into the cabin). I have just done my RHS.

Richard

 

[bones]

Richard have you ever tried lubricating or replacing the cables, I'm told they are a swine to do properly.

 

[Guest]

I've sorted my stalling problem, It doesn't happen if I depress the clutch fully. I think my Audi A6 Multitronic has made me a bit lazy.

Thanks for the replies on the heater.