DC242 Posted 25April, 2018 Author Report Share Posted 25April, 2018 Another hour or so looking at this problem. I've established that the 'wiper' motor is probably an overkill for a mechanism that really only needs a "pull" motor. Anyway, having taken the motor out and pulled it apart I've come to the conclusion I don't really know what component 'homes' the motor. I can see the contacts on the geared wheel and can see they have missing sections that I assume are what stops the motor but my testing shows that the blue wire, with power from the key or under dash switch will stay active until released. This one has me stumped. Tim: my micro switch and under dash switch operate without issue but as described above, I'm obviously missing something. Jason E: I contacted Stabilus just down the road from me and was told I'd have to wait 4-6 weeks for them to get the part. I may have shot myself in the foot thou as I purchased some struts for a Melb eBayer before you posted a response. Haven't fitted them yet but will find out on the weekend what I've got. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DC242 Posted 25April, 2018 Author Report Share Posted 25April, 2018 Well another hour or so and hatch motor now operating as it should. Turns out the micro switch has been replaced at some stage. I'm guessing there were 3 wires originally, one being the homing wire. Now I have only 2 wires from the micro switch with the third left hanging in mid air. So a jumper between the brown/white and white wires has the motor operating as the factory intended. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Port 911 Posted 25April, 2018 Report Share Posted 25April, 2018 I have a problem with my hatch from time to time, can depend on the roads you are driving on. The hatch comes unlocked on the passengers side. Anyone got any ideas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason E Posted 25April, 2018 Report Share Posted 25April, 2018 20 hours ago, DC242 said: Another hour or so looking at this problem. I've established that the 'wiper' motor is probably an overkill for a mechanism that really only needs a "pull" motor. Anyway, having taken the motor out and pulled it apart I've come to the conclusion I don't really know what component 'homes' the motor. I can see the contacts on the geared wheel and can see they have missing sections that I assume are what stops the motor but my testing shows that the blue wire, with power from the key or under dash switch will stay active until released. This one has me stumped. Tim: my micro switch and under dash switch operate without issue but as described above, I'm obviously missing something. Jason E: I contacted Stabilus just down the road from me and was told I'd have to wait 4-6 weeks for them to get the part. I may have shot myself in the foot thou as I purchased some struts for a Melb eBayer before you posted a response. Haven't fitted them yet but will find out on the weekend what I've got. Yikes. Hope it wasn't the same mob I went through. The first set were way to soft & wouldn't hold the hatch up. The second lot were way to hard & you couldn't close the hatch. They really sucked to deal with. Wouldn't return emails or phone calls. I eventually made an ebay complaint & they refunded about 6 weeks after that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DC242 Posted 26April, 2018 Author Report Share Posted 26April, 2018 Jason E: Hopefully I'll have the Goldilocks result - too soft, too hard, just right. Port 911: Sounds like the latch pin is not engaging properly or the catch needs adjusting. Proper adjustment isn't difficult to do and makes a world of difference. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Port 911 Posted 26April, 2018 Report Share Posted 26April, 2018 6 minutes ago, DC242 said: Jason E: Hopefully I'll have the Goldilocks result - too soft, too hard, just right. Port 911: Sounds like the latch pin is not engaging properly or the catch needs adjusting. Proper adjustment isn't difficult to do and makes a world of difference. It does catch, but just the flex in the car or hatch lets that side unlock. If you stop and go to the hatch and push down on that side, you can here it click and lock back in. You get further up the road and it unlocks again. I will do a little more adjustment with the bottom lock I think, just need to find that sweet spot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tazzieman Posted 26April, 2018 Report Share Posted 26April, 2018 The 944 has a ridiculously heavy spoiler, which causes so many problems. An aftermarket CF one would be so much better, do they make them? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buchanan Automotive Posted 26April, 2018 Report Share Posted 26April, 2018 The 944 has a very light rear spoiler , what appears heavy is the weight of the massive rear hatch glass when the rear lid struts are removed , the glass is thick ( thank goodness ) and quite robust ( thank God ) , but naturally to have a very large curved safety glass of this large size its going to weigh quite a bit , interestingly with the rear hatch off and two people pick up the entire rear hatch ( one on either side ) if feels quite light , the reason I mentioned that its interesting the impression humans feel / register in ones mind in regards to different aspects of the same subject Note } the alloy rear hatch frame will ( in old age ) and poor usage by many humans , will come away from the top section ( where the hinges are ) and this will also stretch & distort the very thin alloy frame , good luck re-bonding that Now , have installed quite a few Lexan poly carbonate rear hatch ( glass replacement ) and they have more disadvantages than advantages , OK for a dedicated track car & kept out of the sun , but not suitable for road car application Regards Bruce B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tazzieman Posted 26April, 2018 Report Share Posted 26April, 2018 So Bruce , the glass is thicker than the 924 hatch , which is light by comparison? If so , why was it thickened? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason E Posted 27April, 2018 Report Share Posted 27April, 2018 2 hours ago, Buchanan Automotive said: The 944 has a very light rear spoiler , what appears heavy is the weight of the massive rear hatch glass when the rear lid struts are removed , the glass is thick ( thank goodness ) and quite robust ( thank God ) , but naturally to have a very large curved safety glass of this large size its going to weigh quite a bit , interestingly with the rear hatch off and two people pick up the entire rear hatch ( one on either side ) if feels quite light , the reason I mentioned that its interesting the impression humans feel / register in ones mind in regards to different aspects of the same subject Note } the alloy rear hatch frame will ( in old age ) and poor usage by many humans , will come away from the top section ( where the hinges are ) and this will also stretch & distort the very thin alloy frame , good luck re-bonding that Now , have installed quite a few Lexan poly carbonate rear hatch ( glass replacement ) and they have more disadvantages than advantages , OK for a dedicated track car & kept out of the sun , but not suitable for road car application Regards Bruce B Hi Bruce, I changed over my hatch struts a while back (before immediately changing back to the originals) & was shocked at the weight whilst holding it up myself. I wouldn't have picked it for being that heavy. cheers, Jason Eacott Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buchanan Automotive Posted 27April, 2018 Report Share Posted 27April, 2018 Remember the 944 series , meaning 944 , 944S,944S2 >1990 and 951 > 1989 ( Australian delivered ) came with the 937 rear spoiler ( 924 Carrera GT spoiler ) which is larger , thicker & a bit heavier than the small 924 / 931 turbo spoiler ( not Carrera GT ) , but most importantly all the 944 series cars that came to Australia ( new ) had a rear wiper motor , if one removes the rear wiper motor & its steel support brackets , one will soon realize " Gee this is heavy and its right at the back of the hatch near the spoiler " A few months ago we upgraded a 951 ( 1986 ) to the later 1990-1991 951 /968 rear spoiler & removed its rear wiper motor as well ( turning into a club track car ) , when we removed everything from the rear hatch glass , particularly the rear wiper motor & its steel brackets , the rear hatch ( no gas struts attached ) felt significantly lighter , just by holding the back of the hatch up with one hand in the middle Now we take a standard 924 with no rear spoiler at all & quite a few early 924 cars had no rear wiper , this is where the comparison kicks in , no rear wiper & no rear spoiler then you say , gee this big rear hatch glass ( held up by two people , one on either side of it ) feels quite light & it is as compared to a 944 rear glass/hatch with all the accessories attached As for the glass thickness difference between a 924 rear hatch glass & a 944 glass , I have no idea as I never compared them , never had to Regards Bruce B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tazzieman Posted 27April, 2018 Report Share Posted 27April, 2018 My experience : The '81 924 hatch (with wiper motor but no spoiler) was light ; easy to lift with a couple of fingers. Re the 944 hatch ; I read about the delaminating glass/frame and reglueing issues - so decided not to fit the powerful OEM struts. To use , I use the key - plus call upon manly last century strength - to lift the hatch with one arm (in the middle, because you wouldn't want to stress the frame). It's interesting if I have to heave a bag of chook food in , so at times I use a prop. Or a son! In many ways , it would be better without the 924 Carrera GT spoiler. I'm not travelling at autobahn speeds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buchanan Automotive Posted 27April, 2018 Report Share Posted 27April, 2018 We have in stock at the moment a brand new 937 rear spoiler ( 944 / 944S2 / 951 etc ) that we purchased from Porsche in the last month for a customers 944S2 that we are doing a full resto to , curiosity got the better of me and I took this brand new 944S2 rear spoiler out of its massive Porsche cardboard box & weighed it on our scales , its 4.1KG , meaning just a tad over 4 Kilo Grams , the new side sections of the rear spoiler are so light I could barely get the scales to register It was lighter than I expected Regards Bruce B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tazzieman Posted 27April, 2018 Report Share Posted 27April, 2018 Where is the centre of gravity? I must test my 944 lid with some fish scales Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DC242 Posted 27April, 2018 Author Report Share Posted 27April, 2018 Well, Installed the struts this afternoon and all is well. Not sure how hard/powerful/strong the OEM Stabilus struts are but when I turn the boot lock, the hatch opens all by itself. Closing requires hands on the outsides but I'm happy that after all this time the hatch works as I expect it did when it was new. And yes, it is heavy when resting on your head. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tazzieman Posted 27April, 2018 Report Share Posted 27April, 2018 944 hatch weight 25.2kg , add a couple kg for struts/wiper https://www.porscheclubgb.com/forum/tm.aspx?m=441581#441581 It's heavy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buchanan Automotive Posted 27April, 2018 Report Share Posted 27April, 2018 Better heavy & resistant to shattering than 10 kilos lighter & the glass breaking from the inevitable flexing which would be even worse if this theoretical thinner glass with it facing nearly horizontal with even light hail damage would seriously endanger the glass to shatter , give me heavy & sturdy any day Thats why I corrected the impression that the rear spoiler was the heavy bit , like I said its the glass & just look at it , its massive Now the position of the hinges ( up high ) in relation to the catches ( at the rear and down low ) , when one opens a car hatch of this design with "NO" gas strut assistance , you are effective doing a dead lift , the hinges are taking very little weight until you get the opening height to near the point of max opening & even then its not much , or put another way , imagine a 944 was lifted up at the rear and the 944 was placed vertically onto its nose , you then ( standing on a ladder ) open the rear hatch with gas struts void of gas assistance , the entire weight of the hatch glass it taken completely by the hinges ( now the lowest point) & you would not need any gas in the struts at all , the glass less struts would only be used to stop the hatch opening too far , the hatch opening would be as light as a feather , because in this scenario , all the weight is taken by the hinges & the owner would be none the wiser as to how heavy the hatch is Its all simple physics Regards Bruce B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tazzieman Posted 27April, 2018 Report Share Posted 27April, 2018 Agree entirely. Also , over time with the shocks pushing against the hatch and hammering each time you hit a bump , is it any wonder the frame/seal loosens? That's without considering the effect of heat and UV light on the glue. Now , a 928 hatch is just "right" , like Goldilock's porridge! And it's all a wonder these cars have lasted so long and so well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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