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bgammie1 · Joined: 20 Mar 2011 Posts: 100 Location: Snellville, GA

Got my toofah running, actually put 8 miles on it running around the neighborhood. not street legal yet. Anyhow thought I'd get busy on the interior, removed seats, sent them to the upholsterer. Removed the dash and instrument panel and subsequently disconnected wires that go to these locations. Jetronic brain is still hooked up and fuse panel.
Engine turns over but will not start.
now here's the newbie dumb question.
Do the instrument panel gauges need to be connected to complete certian circuits to allow the engine to fire up?

PS I'm having fun working on the car and spending lots of money.
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BFG
1982 Porsche 924 NA

bgammie1 · Joined: 20 Mar 2011 Posts: 100 Location: Snellville, GA

Post has had 38 views but no answers.
Is this really a dumb question.
I think the car should still start regardless of the wiring to the dash and instrument panel.
Am I right?
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BFG
1982 Porsche 924 NA

joejax · Posted: Sun May 22, 2011 11:49 am Post subject:

Hello and welcome, I am, by far, no expert, but I would guess it would not matter as long as all your other grounds are good.

Seems these things don't like to run too well with bad grounds, also try running an extra ground from battery to engine.
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I got nothin'
Uhhh...you got any pics?

Paul · Posted: Sun May 22, 2011 11:55 am Post subject:

The tach wire can short out the ignition is my first thought.
_________________
White 87 924S "Ghost"
Silver 98 986 3.6l 320 HP "Frank N Stein"
White 01 986 "Christine"
Polar Silver 02 996TT. "Turbo"
Owned and repaired 924s since 1977
Porsche: It's not driving, it's therapy.

bgammie1 · Joined: 20 Mar 2011 Posts: 100 Location: Snellville, GA

Paul - are you telling me I need to have the tach connected or just make sure the tach wire is not going to ground?
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BFG
1982 Porsche 924 NA

Paul · Posted: Sun May 22, 2011 12:57 pm Post subject:

Why risk damaging or shorting something. Unhook the negative clamp of the battery until everything is back together again.

I'm guessing this question has never been asked on this board before.

_________________
White 87 924S "Ghost"
Silver 98 986 3.6l 320 HP "Frank N Stein"
White 01 986 "Christine"
Polar Silver 02 996TT. "Turbo"
Owned and repaired 924s since 1977
Porsche: It's not driving, it's therapy.

joejax · Posted: Sun May 22, 2011 1:43 pm Post subject:

My tach has been disconnected forever, really in need of a new one here

. Must have been mis-wired, fried one day driving during a light rain when wipers were engaged.

Since then I have to be in tune with the engine, listening to the way it sounds, repairing speedo helped too, now I can judge shifts by speed and sound.

Tach is disconnected and the wires are taped up so no chance of shorting out, makes for interesting driving, to feel and listen to whats going on, man, I'm lovin' it. Still want a new tach though.

Fixed the radio only to leave it off to be able to hear the revs and any unusual noises. When she's running right, that's all the music I need.

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I got nothin'
Uhhh...you got any pics?

the_mad_electrician · Joined: 16 Nov 2009 Posts: 1073 Location: Central Georgia

My 95 Ranger didn't have a tach and I drove it for 4 years just got used to not using them
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81 924 N/A

2004 Ranger "Edge"

2005 Mazda 6

BionicBalls · Joined: 05 Jan 2009 Posts: 642 Location: Charlotte, NC

pretty sure Paul is not saying that not having a tach will preven the car from running, but if the green wire of the tach (the one that comes from the dizzy) is grounding out IT COULD be a cause of the problem.

We need more info though. Is it turning over and just not cranking or are you not even getting it to turn over? What year is it? There are some vacuum hoses that run under the dash, perhaps you undid one of those.

And along what Joejax was saying, there is a crown ground point under the dash that has quite a few important things grounding to it. I would say your first step, which is a good idea to do even if your car was starting, would be to take the time to clean up the crown grounding point and each one of the wires and apply some dielectric grease. This thing is a PITA to get to when the dash is in so this is going to be the perfect opportunity.

There are quite a few other things that are nice to do while the dash is out as well. Such as:

1. replacing the vacuum hoses will silicone lines.
2. having your A/C lines redone with rubber that will hold R-134a
3. upgrading your heater blower to the early 944 style.
4. repairing the battery tray if it's leaking.

There are a few more things but those are the ones I wish I had done when I had my dash out. I've gotten pretty good at it though and getting it out isn't too bad anymore.
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1980 924 NA
1982 931

bgammie1 · Joined: 20 Mar 2011 Posts: 100 Location: Snellville, GA

everyone, thanks for all the feedback "

answers to question:
- for now negative terminal is disconnected and it was before starting work ondash removal. After dash was out and all wires were checked to make sure none were touching each other of going to ground I thought I'd try to see if the engine would start up and run.... it didn't

-turning over but not starting - running - firing up

-no vacuum hoses were disconeected intentionally, I'll double check to see if any came loose

now some more newbie questions for you all:
-what is a "dizzy?
where is the specific location of the "crown ground point" gotta pic?
_________________
BFG
1982 Porsche 924 NA

bgammie1 · Joined: 20 Mar 2011 Posts: 100 Location: Snellville, GA

everyone, thanks for all the feedback "

answers to question:
- for now negative terminal is disconnected and it was before starting work ondash removal. After dash was out and all wires were checked to make sure none were touching each other of going to ground I thought I'd try to see if the engine would start up and run.... it didn't

-turning over but not starting - running - firing up

- 924 1982 na

-no vacuum hoses were disconeected intentionally, I'll double check to see if any came loose

now some more newbie questions for you all:
-what is a "dizzy?
where is the specific location of the "crown ground point" gotta pic?
_________________
BFG
1982 Porsche 924 NA

bgammie1 · Joined: 20 Mar 2011 Posts: 100 Location: Snellville, GA

All, got the car to fire up thanks for your help.
I will take Paul's advice and not press my luck and wait until I get everything put back together
_________________
BFG
1982 Porsche 924 NA

BionicBalls · Joined: 05 Jan 2009 Posts: 642 Location: Charlotte, NC

dizzy = distributer either the fuel or ignition.

crown ground point is located above and behind the relay box on drivers side foot well. It's hard to miss, it's the thing with 10 wires connected to it.
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1980 924 NA
1982 931