"16volt" (thecrashingdoor)
08/05/2014 at 19:55 • Filed to: porsche, porsche turbo, bad ideas, porsche 911, turbo, aircooled, porsche 930
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"16volt" (thecrashingdoor)
08/05/2014 at 19:55 • Filed to: porsche, porsche turbo, bad ideas, porsche 911, turbo, aircooled, porsche 930 | 1
| 0 |
(Originally written 1/16/2014)
Day 6 (315miles)
I am a huge proponent of the multi-car solution. I learned this the hard way, building my only car from a stock MK2 16V Scirocco to a 2l 16V turbo charged circus on EFI. This was done one tortuous time crunched weekend after another, spanning 5yrs.
I am well versed with the brinkmanship of going from the "best of intentions Friday night" to the "despair of dis-assembly Saturday" concluding with the "late for work, Monday morning thrash". This tests your mettle, bonds of friendship and just how much access to credit anyone who is into cars should sanely have (thank you Amazon.com corporate Amex). Shortly after crossing into my 30's I had for the first time multiple cars and have never looked back.
I told you that story to tell you this one. My garage over the last few years has shown all the traits of a gravity well. Walking past on the way to work I find myself invariably pulled to consider if I really want to take the daily driver that particular day. Some mornings the pull is stronger than others. "Do I want to stop for coffee? The sixer is too low for the coffee hut and has no cup holders soooo", "Its sunny in the PNW, have to drive the Cabriolet" or "I need a refresher on why I love cars, lets roll Rabbit". You get the point. Mind you it's a good problem to have and one I work hard to continue to enjoy.
Last weekend the Pacific Northwest saw a bit of a windstorm and some heavy rain. Logic says "no problem, its Allroad time". The right tool for the right job and all that. Well…it was not that simple. You see the Seahawks are in playoffs and I was all set to watch the game and do some show and tell with the 930 at a friends house. Queue the gravitational pull of the door to the garage. "Come on Shannon, be an adult, there is no reason you should take a 911 Turbo out in a storm"…no good reason at all.
After much deliberation in the foyer, sanity triumphed, Allroad it is (pats self on back). Reach for Audi keys…..no keys…..where did I leave them….I moved the Allroad just last night…then I moved the 911….****. Allroad keys are in the Porsche.
So there I am driving a 911 Turbo in a huge storm, which is every bit as nerve racking as it sounds. There is enough water on the freeway to give the impression of having power steering, at 50mph it's a pucker factor of 8. Big boy car, big boy power and I am a big time idiot. At one point I watch a C63 AMG blow past me, hydroplane, then clip a Sprinter van sending both off into the woods together. I briefly imagine the traction control light in the AMG finally having the last laugh. In the 930 when doing something stupid the only light you will see flashing is that of your life before your eyes.
Not maybe a minute later a branch, that for all I know was thrown by the Porsche gods themselves smacked into the hood. OK, I'm done. I immediately exit the freeway and finish the last 4miles on surface streets. Once parked a quick assessment revealed the only casualty to be a pair of boxer briefs. I'll proudly present my wuss card when prompted to do so from here on out and just drive the damn Audi.
In other news, the first visit to Mr.Walker, the 930 Whisperer is on Monday. I have called twice to add more things to the list. I get the distinct impression he is not as excited as I am about the visit, nor is my checking account. After a bit of research it does seem more and more likely that the cut out under boost I see occasionally is the Overboost Protection Switch. This switch is designed as such that at boost pressures greater than 1.2bar it cuts power to the fuel pumps.
Given that we are dealing with 80s tech here its entirely plausible that I am either getting a boost spike or the switch is overeager. The diagnostic test for the switch is not for the faint of heart, from my reading it goes something like this.
1. Remove and ground the lead connected to the switch thus bypassing the protection completely.
2. Liberally apply the loud pedal.
3. Check shorts and wallet.
To me this sounds a little like seeing if a gun is loaded by looking down the barrel and pulling the trigger. No thanks, "hey John can you also…..".
To close out, while the multiple car solution would at first blush lead people to believe that car project productivity would increase, the truth is quite unfortunately the opposite. Where youth afforded me the hutzpah to says things like "engine swap this weekend and road trip to California Monday, hell yeah", old age sounds more like "maybe I will tackle the turn signal gaskets this weekend, maybe".
I promise to make discretion my co-pilot from now on…..right after this last dip into boost. I Promise.
Some quick facts:
First tank of fuel = 210miles (holy crap this thing has a 20gal tank!)
Most common visual commentary = Wow!
Most common first ride commentary = coo…jesus, wow, brakes, BRAKES, BRAKE, SHANNON!
First Pelican Parts order total = $634.00
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