I'm having some strange starting issues which I think might be a issue with the head light switch. The car started perfectly first time tonight then would start again! In fact the green/yellow lights wouldn't come on! I changed the battery and the lights are now every bright but the starter isn't turning.
I'm going to trying and by pass the head light switch but couldn't figure out how to get it off? I thought that maybe I would just turn the 'locking ring' (don't know if that is what it is called) but couldn't get it to move!
Here is view of the wires going into the back of the switch. Do you agree they could do with a refresh?
Just google your year "Porsche 356 wiring diagram" I think they are on Pelican Parts site. Do yourself a favor and order a liminated diagram for your model from Greg. You will never regret it.
1965 356C 2000 BMW 740i Sport 1967 Honda CL77 There is never enough time to do it right, but always enough time to do it over.
Neil, there is no doubt you need to refresh those wires. Looks like someone has been in there sometime and done a bad job of re soldering them. Get some new bullet connectors and a good soldering iron with a decent watt rating. Around $30 here in the USA. This is one I recommend. Hopefully you can get a similar one in the UK.
Yes, to remove the switch,remove the ring and it will come out. You could buy the tool but I have used a needle nose pliers with success. Put some making tape around the switch in case of slips.
If I had known I would live this long I would have pushed the envelope a little harder.
Cymru am byth
David Jones #9715
Wiring diagrams also here: http://classickabelboomcompany.com/wiri ... m-porsche/ a little penetrating oil soak overnight will help remove the bezel also. I have even resorted to a nail inserted at an angle and tapped with a hammer to get them loose. Not highly recommended but sometimes necessity is the mother of invention.
1965 356C 2000 BMW 740i Sport 1967 Honda CL77 There is never enough time to do it right, but always enough time to do it over.
I sacrificed a pair of needle nosed pliers bending the tips inward to make a tool to remove the bezels. Not perfect and as David said masking tape and be careful.
1965 356C 2000 BMW 740i Sport 1967 Honda CL77 There is never enough time to do it right, but always enough time to do it over.
Neil
I am replacing those wires in my underdash harness at this time. First thing before removing that switch is to disconnect the battery. You have bare hot wires exposed on both reds. If those contact ground while removing the switch you will start melting off the insulation, as there is no fuse. Yes, I would replace those connectors. I would practice on a bench before trying it under the dash. Almost need 3 hands to do it. I used 8 and 10 ga. AGW wire, as metric sizes are not readily available in USA. Once you cut back to good wire, you only need to remove a short amount of insulation, as you want the insulation inside the bullet.
Another alternative if you don't want to mess with the h/l switch right away would be to pull the red wire off the ignition switch that comes from the h/l switch, and run a same size hot wire with a bullet connector to that spot on the ignition switch. This would help tell you if the problem is in the h/l switch.
Well I cleaned the contact points and the car started perfectly! With the lights on and off. I will refresh the wires but this is my least favorite area to work on as it's dark, you are facing up so things fall on you and no support for your head so very uncomfortable!
If you do get to it later the key to soldering is to have everything very clean and free of corrosion. Too much heat will cause the solder to change its properties and not work too well. If that happens, heat it up and wipe it off with a rag and start over. Although it is not proper for electrical work, if you cannot get things clean enough for the solder to flow nicely, I would use acid flux. Just do your best to clean it off when you are finished.
Neil, even though the car started after cleaning the points that has nothing to do with the initial problem. The fact that the starter would not operate means a hug volt drop somewhere. You need to check the wiring sooner rather than later or you could find yourself stranded somewhere. I would recommend carrying a jumper wire with you that is long enough to jumper from B+ to the + side of the ignition coil so you can have ignition and with a bump start can at least get home.
If I had known I would live this long I would have pushed the envelope a little harder.
Cymru am byth
David Jones #9715
Neil, did you mean you cleaned the ignition points in the distributor, or the connections pictured on the back of the switch? Either way I agree about carrying a jumper wire in case you need a temporary power feed to make it run.
PO on my C crimped a connector on the large wire coming to the ignition switch. The crimp failed over time and would have left me stranded on the highway if I hadn't found it first. Slight heating and cooling will cause it to loosen over time. Soldering takes more time and effort, but is the only way to go.
Some days it's just not worth chewing through the restraints.....
I've put a temporary fix on this. I decided to bypass the highlight switch and go directly to the ignition switch by connecting together the wires that went to/from the head light switch. Then I feed from this connection a single wire to the headlight switch. It now starts nicely every time. I read over on the abcgt.com forum that going directly to the ignition then going back to the headlight was a factory recommendation in the 60's to avoid the voltage drop across the headlight switch.
When I trimmed back the red voltage in wire to the headlight I noticed it was very hard and not flexible at all with the plastic cover miscoloured. I think this means that I need to replace this wire before too long.
The above changes helped my car but I was still having problems when starting if the car had been sitting for ages. Unfortunately I only have 1 garage attached to my house. The other garage is a 5 mins drive away and doesn't have power so I can't keep the car on tickle charge. For the last 6-8 weeks I have had the 356 in the other garage. I finally ago around to taking it out for a spin. The starter motor was very slow to turn over I could see the amp meter moving to the far left. Trying to get about 30amp. After a bit the starter motor decided not turn at all. I went to check the battery and undo the green cut off screw/battery terminal in the picture. It was quite hot? After I unscrewed/rescrewed the battery kill the car started. When I got the car back home the battery had 6.4v of charge. Which should be enough to start the car so this made me think it wasn't the charge in the battery but the connections.
So I decided to replace these
with these
Time will tell if this completely solves the issue. The next day I took the car for a drive and stopped in the countryside for about 90 mins while I went for a run. When I got back to the car I noticed I have left the lights on! It started first time. Interestingly when I got home the battery only 5.9v charge?
It's been too long since I drove this car. What a pleasure a nicely sorted 356a is to drive on the B roads in the UK.
