Going to look at a fantastic 1973 911S tomorrow. Need a bit of advice.

[NorthernThrux]

Got my new version of the MFI speed relay today. Although advertised as a Bosch part on the eBay site, it is actually a Porsche part # 901.615.111.01, both on the case and on the PC board.

Of course I had to open it up so see what is different. No one anywhere seems to have posted a pic of the new ones. And it is a lot different. A voltage regulator, a relay and a 12F675 digital controller IC (C$1.81 at Digikey) as well as a few diodes and a transistor. Looks much more robust than the 50 year old versions.

I think I'll put the new board in the old case and call it a day. Bob Ashlock has rebuilt my old one, and I'll keep it as a spare or sell it off as I'm sure somebody needs one.

[frederik]

Well you’re so keen on having everything original, why not use the original speed relay board? I would definitely keep it with the car. I think the original board is easier to understand and repair. It will most likely outlive the new one. And it’s just cooler!

Great job on the tach btw.

[NorthernThrux]

Well you’re so keen on having everything original, why not use the original speed relay board? I would definitely keep it with the car. I think the original board is easier to understand and repair. It will most likely outlive the new one. And it’s just cooler!

Great job on the tach btw.

It is an interesting point. The new one is likely more reliable to be honest (better quality components and board for sure), but isn't really serviceable if the controller chip fails. You'd have to program the controller if you had to replace that chip, and that's never going to happen. It's also the reason why no one will be repairing modern cars 50 years from now. They are full of little computers for which no one has the software code and no one is going to bother finding the code for. The discrete components in the old board are still easy to find, and the circuit is easy to understand. Only adjustments needed are the values of the two resistors on the posts, and they don't seem too sensitive to component choices. Guess I will keep it with a few other original bits like the H4s and seats that are in my basement.

[LongRanger]

. . . ya know --- make sure all your new bits play nice together


No pics = it never happened





.........................

[NorthernThrux]

. . . ya know --- make sure all your new bits play nice together


No pics = it never happened

.........................

While my tach is with Bob Ashlock (on it's way back via Fed Ex) I took the time to address the leaking shock I previously reported...you know....from driving.

Full tutorial on replacing my front strut inserts here. https://www.early911sregistry.org/fo...ck-replacement With pics Rick.

[NorthernThrux]

8 years ago yesterday, Hildegard started her journeyback into the light.

[NorthernThrux]

Another COVID-19 project. John Audette sells a "value" priced set of LED lights and a "premium" priced set that include JW Speaker LED inserts. The JW Speaker ones come with the options of clear, fluted, Bosch or Hella fluted lenses as I recall. He also sells lovely H4s with Bosch fluted lenses. But the low rent LEDs don't come with the Bosch lenses. I happen to have a set of his H4s (without city lights) and a set of his AC Series 4 LED lights with the plain fluted lenses. I also had a set of correct Bosch fluted lenses lying around that were on the car when I found her and which I had carefully packed away. The picture from 8 years ago I posted above reminded me that they were around - somewhere int he basement. We had thrown the guts out during the restoration, but the lenses were excellent and I kept them.

Soooooo...I re-engineered John's value priced LED offering with the Bosch H4 lenses. Something old, something new. Can't say the beam is really any different, but the lenses look more appropriate for the car at first glance. H4's stay in boxes for some future event that might require true originality. I do drive at night, and there is literally a night and day difference between even the excellent jewel like H4s John makes and the value priced LED lights. The LEDs are just so much better to these aging eyes. I also have a set of his higher wattage marker/turn signal/brake bulbs and in combination, these really add to the confidence of driving at night. Hopefully some lumbering SUV driver actually sees them.



And to prove that people and beauty can coexist together, here's another shot with John's lights playing nice with Eric's spectacular 118 fog light reproductions (Eric's lights wired in with an authentic Kroon harness). I need to take a picture in the dark one night, as it really is beautiful. I can see clearly now.....

[NorthernThrux]

On this scorcher of a Saturday, Hildegard got her tach reinstalled. It came along with the MFI rpm relay on Tuesday from Bob Ashlock. What a great guy. Sorted everything out in the electronics and it all works great. For the first time in god knows how long, the tach runs off the points black/purple wire as it should, with no hacks. And reads perfectly comparing to my timing light.



Cut and redid the black/purple connection on the distributor since the wire right at the connector was looking dicey. Also put in new ground braids at the alternator and transmission to body. Both of those were original and had seen better days. Car runs like a top now.



Finally, I took care of the holes in and above the smuggler’s box. Rubber cover, fibre deck cover and even the metal one at the bottom of the box. The metal one is NLA, but guess what? A 356 torsion bar cover fits perfectly. Just need a little paint to finish that off.

[NorthernThrux]

100 mile Sunday morning blow off the cobwebs on country roads before it gets unbearably hot. Looming thunderstorms, but nothing came my way. Good because I had both windows rolled down and the quarter windows popped open. Car runs great. With the throttle lever all the way up, no foot on the gas, it starts in about 3 seconds of cranking. Runs at1200-1400 rpm and then within 30 seconds slowly rises up to 2000 and then 2500 a minute later. All seems normal. No black puffs, nothing. Sat in my driveway on fast idle while I swapped the Macan onto the lift, maybe 20 minutes in 24C weather. Oil temp got to 190, and that's where it stayed for the next hour and a half. I could feel my trombone was warm when I stopped for gas, but I assume this is all quite normal?

Speaking of gas, looks like 16 mpg including that long idling session. That too seems normal?

Only annoying thing is still a significant front end squeak when pushing down on either front fender or indeed, when just getting out of the car. Not noticable when driving at speed, but when doing U-turns or driving into the gas station it is clear as day. Sounds like an old pickup truck driving down a dirt road. Not sure where to start looking. Torsion bars? Steering rack? Shocks were replaced last weekend and all front suspension components were replaced or repainted and all bushings etc. are new.

[beh911]

Your oil temp, warm trombone, and mpg seem normal to me.

I would avoid letting the car idle much, especially with the hand throttle "unattended"

Enjoy your car