Engine bay light and P6000 tyres

[pegasus]

Hi all,just a couple of questions you may be able to answer for me,the engine bay light on the bonnet is not working the wiring dia is not very clear on this,what has got to be on enable the light,ign,? ign + side lights?, sidelights etc, another question, what is the problem with p6000 tyres, I have a set that came with the car and they are too new to bin,on the road the car seems fine but I do drive slowly and have not driven another 944 to compare,( ps, I have not driven the car in the wet yet and the roads down here at Lands End being what they are am I going to get a fright with these tyres, all the best John.

 

[944 man]

You are (going to get a fright, yes): theyre terrible. They wont ever wear out either, so if you still refuse to bin them, youll be stuck with them for years. Im sure that someone will be able to help you with the lamp: its a common fault, but I cant remember how to make them work, sorry.

 

[pegasus]

Thanks for that,is the problem lack of grip in the wet due to a hard compound,many thanks John.

 

[944 man]

The compound is certainly hard, but they have extremely stiff sidewalls too.

 

[edh]

They are a good tyre for airfield track days []

I know people hate P6000's, but for road use they are OK, particularly all round on an n/a. I'd be more concerned if you had P6000's on the rear & a grippier tyre on the front.

I wore out a set on our Legacy - it can be done! []

 

[Diver944]

My S2 came on a set of P6000's when I bought it in 1998. Perfectly fine for road use wet or dry, and they did last a good 30,000 miles before I moved to 17" wheels.

P6000's rarely wear out so their ultimate grip is not the highest

 

[pegasus]

Thanks for the info,I will just have to be carefull in the wet, any ideas on the bonnet light,if i know when it should come on I can replicatethat and check for the fault, thanks again, John.

 

[944 man]

That rings a bell! It should only operate under certain circumstances; perhaps when the headlamps are on and maybe the ignition...

 

[Peter Empson]

I started with P6000's on my car and had no problems, they're not a performance tyre but if you're not used to better then I don't see them being a major concern. I've even done a few wet trackdays on them []

Can't rememebr the specifics about the bonnet light but the lights definately need to be on, check the connections on the lamp holder first as they tend to corrode. Do please remember that the tilt switch contains mercury so it's not advisable to dismantle it.

 

[pauljmcnulty]

Leave our P6000s alone! []

The tyres on my old car are beginning to perish, but still show no signs of wear. They really do go on forever and I know 944 owners who buy them because they do huge mileage but don't want ultimate performance. If you spend 15K mile per year driving within the speed limit on congested roads, or at legal speeds on the motorway they are absolutely fine. I've done nearly 20K on mine and they will do another 20K if they weren't failing due to age.

I think we forget sometimes that most drivers spend their time in traffic. The odd clear road is great, but there's another camera around that bend. I can honestly say that I can't imagine having any more fun in the real world on different tyres and although I wouldn't choose them over better tyres at a similar price, I'd not throw them away either. []

 

[pegasus]

Thanks again for the reassuring info on my tyres,where is this mercury tilt switch,I have a normal switch in front of the fuse in the engine bay,is this for the alarm or the bonnet light or both? all the best John. ( I had a modified mk1 cortina gt in the late sixties on michelin zx tyres, they lasted for ever but were interesting in the wet )

 

[Peter Empson]

The tilt switch is inside the bulb housing itself, so as the bonnet raises the mercury shorts the switch contacts and the light should come on. I'd get a meter across the contacts and also double check that there's a good clean earth (from memory the metal of the bonnet and hinges is the earth path).

The mechanical switch you have is almost certainly for an alarm.

 

[pegasus]

Thanks for that Peter,I would never haved thought that the holder had the switch incorporated in it, I will check for the fault now I know the set-up,many thanks, all the best John.

 

[Diver944]

There is an old FAQ on the Titanic 944 website that my help:

http://www.titanic.co.uk/FAQs/FAQ26_944EngineBayLight.html

 

[pauljmcnulty]

If you get the vial in thet wrong way round, when you have your lights on your engine will be illuminated !

Cool, what is the maximum wattage of neon one could fit under the bonnet? [][][]

 

[pegasus]

Thanks all,corroded contact between the mecury vial and the holder,all fixed now,don'need it but if doesn't work its annoying,thanks again, John.

 

[EddySpaghetti]

So, if there is a mercury switch for the light (mine works), what does the push switch located near it do?

Switch I'm talking about is mounted on the panel in front of the fusebox and has a corresponding plate welded into the bonnet to push it down when the bonnet is shut. - I spent a pointless few minutes yesterday trying to get the light to switch on and off with that switch

I didn't think it would be an alarm switch as my car has an aftermarket alarm fitted and the lug on the bonnet makes it look like original equipment... -

Just curious!

Eddy

 

[pegasus]

Hi Eddy, the switch is for the factory fitted alarm,(on my 1990 s2 anyway), the horn should be seen behind the fuse box, when the doors are locked the door buttons have built in leds that flash slowly and the alarm will go off if the doors rear hatch or bonnet is opened. This is all very basic so most people have a motion or acoustic sensor type aftermarket alarm fitted.all the best,John.