Teething troubles ......

[tooooooon]

Hi there - can any one help with a few teething troubles with my '83 944. I have now been driving it for just over a month having resisted temptation and finally done all of the belts/pulleys.

Firstly a slightly annoying problem - the right side of the tailgate keeps unlatching while I'm driving causing a bit of a rattle - I guess I need new pins? Can i get them from an independent if so where??

Common problem I know but my clock isn't working any easy fixes or do I have to scour ebay??

I also have a creak when I drop the clutch ??

Only other thing is the aircon - the manual is not good at explaining how it works - anyone explain what the 2 stages of pulling the knob out are??

My sunroof seal seems a bit worse for wear is it easy to find/fit a new one?

Not a bad list for a 25 year old car I suppose most people have a list like this after 6 months of mondeo ownership!!
On the whole I'm totally taken with my first Porsche - the handling is sublime where can you get a car that will look and drive as well for £2k and will do 25mpg and only cost £107 a year fully comp??

 

[sawood12]

The hatch pins are pretty cheap from the OPC - only a few quid each but in all likelihood it is not the hadthc pins that are the problem but the actual mechanism they go in that wears. The functional part of the hatch pins is the shoulder under the cone of the pin and not the cone itself which is the part that wears. There was an article in a recent PP about it where a guy with a 968 replaced these mechanisms (£44each) and it cured his rattly hatch problem. I've got mine on order currently so will let you know how they go.

 

[edh]

Before you buy new ones, try adjusting the length of the pins & also freeing up the latch mechanism. They have to be just right to latch & then release whne you press the switch / turn the key.

 

[Fen]

I agree with Ed - adjust them and don't nip the bolts up too tight or they will bind and not close properly. I don't think people really need new ones most of the time when they replace them.

Check Clarks Garage for sunroof tips, but it's usually the cogs stripping as happened to someone else the other day.

Lubricate the clutch pedal.

No idea about square dash air-con, sorry.

 

[Diver944]

Look down into the tailgate latch and turn the key to see if the jaws are opening and closing properly. If they are not then remove and clean out the latch then relube with oil (not WD40) and refit. Lube this latch regularly.

The clock is a hens teeth part so good luck in finding one at a reasonable price []

Try http://www.forestfine.com/ for the sunroof seals

 

[sawood12]

I'm not so sure how effective setting the hatch pins would be. The way the mechanism works means that the length of the hatch pins does not affect the mechanisms ability to keep the hatch closed. Yes properly set pins will mean the hatch rattles less, incorrectly set pins shouldn't cause the hatch to pop open. This seems to me to be the actual locking mechanism where the holes wear into an elongated shape and reduce the contact area under the sholder of the cone on the pin.

 

[944Turbo]

My original hatch pins had worn on the flats on the back of the cones turning them through 90 degrees made them work much better - replacements are not very pricy from the OPC though so worth replacing - spray and let soak lots of penetrating oil before trying to adjust them.

 

[Fen]

Pins set too short won't ever latch properly.

 

[edh]

And pins set too long won't ever release [] (unless you have very strong struts [])

 

[Neil Haughey]

Replacing the mechanism (the jaws) as a complete unit is one of the easiest jobs one can do an a 944. Took me all of 5 mins. The price must have gone up since ISTR costing about 30 quid a couple of years back.

 

[tooooooon]

Thanks everyone for all of that - I'll clean and oil it up before I replace anything - I take it the boot release switch came with later cars - haven't seen one in my car

 

[sawood12]

ORIGINAL: Neil Haughey

Replacing the mechanism (the jaws) as a complete unit is one of the easiest jobs one can do an a 944. Took me all of 5 mins. The price must have gone up since ISTR costing about 30 quid a couple of years back.

Well apparently the part number changed in '87. I need to provide the OPC with my chassis number so they can identify the correct part. The £44 price I mentioned earlier was taken from the PP article which was in relation to a 968. The 944 parts could still very well be £30 ish.