993 restoration

[Nige]

So was it new/used case halves?

[Ferry Man]

So was it new/used case halves?

Yep, Redtek sourced a secondhand donor 'core' engine for me. The old cases were scrap, as was the crank.

[Ferry Man]

My car was fitted with the ‘On Board Computer’ (OBC).
‘Sounds grand but - compared to modern car technology - it’s a rather modest display within the tachometer that shows a few functions such as average MPG, average speed, trip mileage, outside temperature, etc.
Exciting stuff for an early 911 though.
It was standard equipment on the turbo’s and optional on a manual C2.
You can see the computer display in the lower half of the tacho in this picture:

[Ferry Man]

The information is displayed in orange characters on a little LCD screen.
However, another common failing on the 993 is that display. And sure enough, mine was broken.
In the right light you could determine that the computer worked, it was simply that the numbers didn’t illuminate.

Now, it is possible to repair the gauge.
Usually it is a transistor failure that prevents the backlight from working.
It’s a fiddly repair that demands some intricate soldering but the replacement components are cheap.
So, I set about dismantling the dial to access the electronics, soldering iron & flux at the ready.

[Ferry Man]

Well, sadly, the sight that greeted me was not good. Not good at all. In fact it looked like it was a write-off.
I’d say a previous owner had attempted a repair and rather than use a very fine soldering iron, a magnifying glass and plenty of care, he had probably set about it with a blow torch & shovel!
The carnage inside led me to believe it couldn’t be repaired.

The three small holes in the PCB below (around the burn damage) should have a resistor soldered into them:

[Ferry Man]

These pins contact into receivers on the printed circuit board board below:



But on my gauge one of those connectors is missing. You can see it's a mess:

[Ferry Man]

So, after deciding it was beyond my skills I sent pictures to Tore Bergvill (in Norway) asking him if he might be able to assist.
Now Tore is a 993 owner and skilled electrical engineer. He is, frankly, the ‘go-to-guy' for anything to do with 993 electrics.
Check out http://www.bergvillfx.com and you’ll see.
Remarkably Tore felt he could possibly repair it. He was amazed at the damage, he thought it had suffered an explosion and vaporised. He’d never seen one quite so bad.

[Ferry Man]

Tore, guessed at 200 Euros and a few Euros more for bulbs and components + return shipping. In light of the condition he made no guarantee of success.

Well not only did he repair the display successfully but the cost was exactly as projected.

[Ferry Man]

The gauge arrived back well packaged and I’ve only got good things to say about Bergvill. It's remarkable that he was able to save it. Good work.
I’ve subsequently bought some other little bits from Tore and he is a good guy.

[Ferry Man]

How many of you have pulled a dial out from an early 911 and been greeted with about a dozen wiring connectors to remove?
'Easy on a 993, just one connection. Welcome to the world of the multi-pin connector.

[Mike]

[Ferry Man]

Yes, sorry, I can understand your impatience. I'll try and update the thread.

[Ferry Man]

Here's a few pictures of the engine as returned from Redtek.
This was the biggest lump of money I've spent on the whole project. But it is the most important part.
I asked for a comprehensive rebuild to standard, including full cosmetic refurbishment.

[Ferry Man]

[Ferry Man]

It certainly looks pretty.