Superb thread m8 - really informative and a great read...
Osh
Marky911 Watkins Glen
Joined: 04 Jun 2009 Posts: 2117
Posted: Wed Dec 13, 2017 9:52 am Post subject:
Cheers D, glad you sourced the door catch gaskets ok anyway.
As for the steering wheel, what a bummer. Not the outcome I'd been hoping for, for your sake and later, mine. I'm pre-PSM too so that's a big blow to my interior plans.
The standard 3 spoke looks great when retrimmed though. Craig (cobra RS on here) has one in his car and it makes a big difference as it's something you touch as well as look at. Completely alters the feel of the cabin.
Anyway, as Osh says, great info in this thread which should help loads of other owners with regard to the various projects covered, even though you have had to endure some hassle along the way . Good work.
Dammit Watkins Glen
Joined: 23 Sep 2016 Posts: 2009
Posted: Wed Dec 13, 2017 10:29 am Post subject:
Thanks - we're not actually out of the woods on the wheel it turns out.
I spoke with Gert, he made a very good point: we're also having issues with the Porsche/Momo hub fitting on my column, he's sent a new one out which should arrive today in order to rule out manufacturing error. If the new one also doesn't fit, then we have a problem, - the extender uses the same pattern as the hub, so if one doesn't fit neither will the other.
So I've asked Precision to test this - if it fits, great, we'll go for the extender, if it doesn't then we have no choice but to swap the column to a later unit.
Just to add to the fun my Becker (fitted on page 1) has started having issues with regards to radio reception, which is annoying - I believe that every Englishman should be able to listen to Radio 4 when in the car, and this has become problematic.
I paid £500 for the Becker, if it's dead that's going to be a bitter pill to swallow so I've emailed a place in Germany that says they repair them. I'll report back.
Does anyone know of a different option for a stereo?
The Porsche Classic unit is £much (over £900 with PCGB discount from an OPC), what else is out there which fits with a 996 dash, but has modern attributes such as Bluetooth and (if possible) nav?
maldren Österreich
Joined: 07 Oct 2016 Posts: 974
Posted: Wed Dec 13, 2017 10:53 am Post subject:
Hi D
there's a big range of units depending on whether you want to stick with single height or go for a 'double DIN' unit with screen, satnav etc etc.
You're probably best visiting a local car audio specialist for a start. IIRC yours is an early car so you don't have to worry about the MOST system and the on screen computer but you may want to think about DAB and bluetooth integration as well.
Car stereos have changed a lot since you car was built with MP3 players etc gradually replacing CDs so non original upgrades are well worth considering, especially since you car is already non standard. _________________ Mike
2003 996.2 C2 Coupe Arctic Silver
One critical difference between the two is that the PSM style are either grounded or can be grounded. The pre-PSM shaft runs in plastic bushings that do a remarkably good job of isolating it, from an electrical standpoint.
Another difference is that the later column is 2 -part. The lower UJ can be removed with the rack end splines.
The column splines on the early column are plastic coated (leading to your electrical isolation?)
When I dropped my rack (leaking pipes) the plastic coating fell off.
This would not go back together.....
If it were a late rack, I could simply swape the lower part.
As it happened I have an early 1 piece column and had to replace the whole thing
Dammit Watkins Glen
Joined: 23 Sep 2016 Posts: 2009
Posted: Wed Dec 13, 2017 2:40 pm Post subject:
Yep, that's exactly right - and I didn't know about the plastic coating, that makes a lot of sense.
Dammit Watkins Glen
Joined: 23 Sep 2016 Posts: 2009
Posted: Wed Dec 13, 2017 9:09 pm Post subject:
I think this thread is, quite frequently, a cautionary tale.
This tale is not yet over, indeed I genuinely don't know what the ending is going to be, which makes things quite interesting (for a given value of interesting).
At the outset of this I'd thought that the wheel swap would be simple- an hour or so of work and done, zipping through the countryside with a new level of tactility and connection with the car, and (finally!) with the wheel where I want it with relation to my position from the pedals.
Everyone involved in this process has been taken aback by the whole thing - Gert, the guys at Precision, people on this thread.
I don't think anyone knew how difficult such an ostensibly straight forward task would be.
Precision have now spent ~12 hours on trying to make the wheel work, which if they were charging me for all of them (they are not, I hasten to point out, for which I thank them) would be three times the cost of the wheel spent on what is essentially a process of discovery.
My suspicion is that the new boss won't fit, and we'll end up fitting a later, two part column and the Cup/Momo wheel.
I'll find out what's happening tomorrow when I call Andy in the morning.
That the radio (a Becker Cascade Pro which I purchased in January this year for £500) has gone wrong is, as I have said before, a bitter pill to swallow.
Would anyone know of a person/business that services Becker radios, and might be able to rescue some of my investment in that quarter?
Otherwise I'll buy that Continental unit I think.
I really wish I'd won the Euro Millions yesterday!
Sundayjumper Spa-Francorchamps
Joined: 17 Mar 2009 Posts: 293 Location: Royal Berkshire
My suspicion is that the new boss won't fit, and we'll end up fitting a later, two part column and the Cup/Momo wheel.
Before you rush into that (because I bet changing the column will be a whole further can of worms), my offer of help still stands. Come over for a coffee, we can put the cars side-by-side to see where the differences are. I reckon we'll figure it out.
I can even lend you a Becker Traffic Pro while your Cascade is away. I understand how important Radio 4 is
Dammit Watkins Glen
Joined: 23 Sep 2016 Posts: 2009
Posted: Mon Dec 18, 2017 10:17 am Post subject:
Thanks - I may take you up on the radio offer.
In the meantime, the car is still at Precision and with Christmas coming up I've had to make a decision on what to do.
The column in the car can't provide continuity - a latter (two-piece) column can.
Therefore I've asked Precision to swap the column for a later column (from a donor car that they have on-site).
They'll put my column into the donor car so it can be moved around etc.
Which means we have an end in sight - and I should have the car back/available to collect by the end of the week, with the Cup wheel fitted and the horn operational.
As I've been transparent about other costs in this thread I'll do the same here - the invoice for fitting the steering wheel, which bear in mind includes all the discovery that Precision have done, and swapping the column, is going to be just shy of £1,400. The work on the radio reception will be in addition to this.
This has been something of a perfect storm I think, where a lack of data/knowledge about the very early 996's has collided with my desire to fit a wheel that exposed this lack of knowledge. Being honest, I wish someone else had paid for the research on this one!
If I had know at the outset that this wasn't an hours work, but rather 13/14 hours work I'd not have started the process.
Hopefully I'll forget about the cost when I get the car back.
Sundayjumper Spa-Francorchamps
Joined: 17 Mar 2009 Posts: 293 Location: Royal Berkshire
At risk of teaching people to suck eggs here, have they fitted the wheel to the donor car and confirmed that it definitely works with that column ?
Last edited by Sundayjumper on Mon Dec 18, 2017 12:05 pm; edited 1 time in total
Dammit Watkins Glen
Joined: 23 Sep 2016 Posts: 2009
Posted: Mon Dec 18, 2017 11:39 am Post subject:
Yep.
Dammit Watkins Glen
Joined: 23 Sep 2016 Posts: 2009
Posted: Tue Dec 19, 2017 6:24 pm Post subject:
Wheel is in, honking ability present in full.
It turns out that all inner steering column shafts receive a coating from Porsche during construction.
When the upper bearing is pressed onto the shaft its the luck of the draw as to whether enough of this anti-corrosion coating is removed during said process to allow electrical continuity between the inner shaft, bearing and outer part of the column.
In this picture you see my rack with the central shaft removed, and the contact point now lightly sanded to remove factory coating where it meets the inner race of the top bearing, that is located in the outer part of the column. Once re installed Precision found/achieved around 4ohms resistance between the inner and outer part of the column. ( via the top bearing) . The bearing in the lower part of the column is isolated via a large rubber buffer, so no continuity would ever be achieved through that point.
Luck of the draw on how much resistance a rack provides when being built from new. Very little continuity is needed to operate the horn.
In addition to this non PSM cars need an earth wire run to the external part of the column.
My car now has a later, two-piece column in place that clearly was luckier than my original one during the construction process in terms of the coating being disturbed when the bearing was installed.
Precision are chasing down an annoying noise coming from the passenger air-bag area, which they believe will be resolved tomorrow and I'll pick the car up by the end of the week.
(I feel a little like the protagonist in one of those fables where you are on the bank of a river with a chicken, a lettuce and a fox, and have to get to the other side of the river with all three intact, in terms of shuffling the Jaguar, the Porsche and the Volvo over Christmas).
Anyway - probably the least enjoyable experience with the car, and one of the more expensive, but hopefully soon forgotten when I'm driving it again.
Marky911 Watkins Glen
Joined: 04 Jun 2009 Posts: 2117
Posted: Tue Dec 19, 2017 9:31 pm Post subject:
You got there in the end! What a mission though. It's definitely made me weigh up whether to get one for my car. I'll decide nearer the time. If everything else is going well and I've had my brave pills, I might risk it.
Good info for everyone though.
Dammit Watkins Glen
Joined: 23 Sep 2016 Posts: 2009
Posted: Wed Dec 20, 2017 10:10 am Post subject:
Well, the good news is that yours may just work - Precision tested 9 cars, of those only mine didn't have continuity.
Just be aware that if it doesn't you'll need to pull the column/rack and scotch-brite the coating off beneath the top bearing.
Precision are on the rattle hunt today.
The passenger side air bag cover retaining pin has an amount of play and they have tightened the fixing hinge points and all is going back together now, apparently.
Dammit Watkins Glen
Joined: 23 Sep 2016 Posts: 2009
Posted: Fri Dec 22, 2017 12:33 pm Post subject:
Success! Well, of a sort.
In the end I asked Precision to do the following:
- Fit the Cup wheel
- Fit a new antenna amplifier to (hopefully) fix the poor reception
- Chase down and fix an annoying noise
And they have delivered on each one - I'm back to the handbrake button being the most annoying noise in the car (it vibrates, put a finger on it and the noise stops, any suggestions on how to fix that gratefully accepted!).
Sadly the radio reception is still poor - but it must be the radio itself (a Becker Cascade, purchased in January this year from an eBay seller who now won't return any attempts at contact, possibly a lesson there).
I may purchase a Continental from Bergvil and post my Becker to a service agent.
Onto the wheel - the initial question ("if the wheel comes further toward the driver does that improve the driving position?") has been answered with a resounding "yes".
However, there are qualifications to this - here's my attempt at taking a drivers-eye-view of the dash/wheel/etc:
Feels great, loved the drive home this morning, but I'd like to be able to see the dials.
I think I need to drop the seat by around 3cm (based on phone camera snaps to get the level), which is a lot to achieve with the seat-base cushion.
Can the hardback sports seats be put onto lower rails?
Dammit Watkins Glen
Joined: 23 Sep 2016 Posts: 2009
Posted: Sat Jan 13, 2018 11:46 am Post subject:
Just got back from the US and this had arrived in my absence:
I'll drop it into Precision to fit, as I've got a very annoying buzz coming from the steering column on the concrete sections of the M25 that I'd like them to resolve.
Car goes for paint+roof on Monday - excited!
Dammit Watkins Glen
Joined: 23 Sep 2016 Posts: 2009
Posted: Sun Jan 14, 2018 7:47 pm Post subject:
Ok, dropping the car off for paint tomorrow morning.
This is the list I have emailed over to Multitech/D:Class in advance:
"Corrosion in boot lid lower seam
Corrosion behind both door-striker plates
Corrosion just behind drivers side front wheel-arch, on the top of the sill, very end of sill slightly deformed (guessing a jacking incident)
Dent in the horseshoe/clamshell, drivers side (hard-top fitting incident from PO)
Couple of dings above the passenger side rear wheel arch (looks like a door has been opened into the side of the car)
Dents that really annoy me just behind and to the rear of both doors - I’m guessing someone had a habit of shutting the door on the seatbelt when the latch was still outside the car, but that's a wild stab in the dark
Lots of tiny little dings all over the doors/body - it’s a 19 year old car that’s been parked in public a lot, so this is pretty standard I’d guess
Hard seat backs body colour
Centre tunnel body colour
Bonnet and boot release levers re-done in (generic interior) silver with the supplied decals fitted
I think that’s it, but doubtless you’ll find something/s as you go over the car - I’m very excited to have it back when you’re finished.
In terms of stuff I’ve asked Lawrence to do:
New BHS roof, in blue, with heated glass window
Cover the roll-hoop unit and the other parts of the rear that accommodate the roof mechanism with matching fabric to the new roof
Pull the chairs out and take the hard backs off for you to paint
Pull the centre tunnel out for you to paint (not sure if you’d prefer to do this?)
Lower the drivers seating position as much as possible - I’ve asked (but not yet received an answer from Lawrence) about cutting down the seat cushion, or replacing with a lower cushion made from higher density foam whilst keeping the existing heating element. I can’t see the top of the clocks, at the moment!
One thing I’ve not yet asked, but would appreciate adding to the list - the passenger side chair has three mounting points for a fire extinguisher cradle which are un-tapped - whilst the chairs are out could you please run a tap through them? It’s one of those jobs that is pretty much impossible with the chairs in the car."
Can anyone think of something that I should add to the list?
I may well have missed something that you chaps are aware of that always needs to be done (I'm thinking similar to the door striker rot issue that I was blissfully unaware of until Marky mentioned it!)
Dammit Watkins Glen
Joined: 23 Sep 2016 Posts: 2009
Posted: Mon Jan 15, 2018 2:49 pm Post subject:
Dropped the 996 off this morning, noticed something about the radio reception whilst on the way there.
I use this to hold my iPhone so that I can use the sat-nav, charging the phone at the same time:
What I noticed was this - set off, radio reception was (for once) fine. Got to roughly Woking and noticed that my phone wasn't charging.
Pushed the charger deeper into the cigarette lighter socket - lightning bolt icon appeared on phone, and at exactly the same time the radio reception went to sh*t.
Experimented by pulling the cable out of the phone but leaving the charger fully in the socket - radio reception immediately better again.
Now I didn't have a chance to fully test this, but from what little time I did have (Woking to Chobham) was quite compelling.
So I may have changed the antenna amplifier and made Precision chase around the car for a fault that was actually in the phone charger - plus purchasing a replacement stereo to use whilst the Becker was "fixed".
I am feeling (potentially) a little silly at this point.
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