My 914 is driving me insane, not so happy about having it anymore. Options

[weird_looking_cactus]

Ever sence I bought the thing I have been having toubles. I have only had 1 good memory about it almost 2 good memoys. The first good time is when I first got it started up and I was able to get it up to a high enought RPM and make it idle to take it for a drive around the block. The second almost good memory I had is when we were pulling it to my grandmas house I had to stay in the car and steer it. I was having such a good time steering the car and getting lots of attidion from everyone. I didn't realize that the door doesn't such tight and we went a round a sharp conor and the door flys open I almost fall out and the door miss's a car by 1/2 a feet. But for the past 2 weeks I have been having troubles trying to get the dang thing to run. I was filling pretty good about it tell the guy at auto zone told I should replace the ignition coil for good measures well that screwed me up big time cause now I can't figure out what the heck I burn't out and Im getting fed up with everything on the car being hard to replace and really expensive. Maybe I need to be a little older to have this car and get more auto repair experience behind me. I bought the car for $700 and I bet I can get $1500 out of it easy. I have put about $300 into already. And my parents are no help they just keep telling me I should of bought a car that runs I just don't see the fun in that but I guess there right.

[Freedom]

well sir you are learining with one of the finest learning tools there is, if you had that much fun with it think about when you have it running. you are here and thier are people to help you. they can answers you questions

[rhodyguy]

have you copied the tech articles at pelican? or read them? did you buy a Haynes or a Lash manual yet? hell, at the end of each chapter there is a trouble shooting guide. make sure the doors are closed (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif). one suggestion, it may make people howl. if you are going to be in the engine compartment for a while, take the engine cover off. drive around with it off. 2 small bolts= a few minutes, turning down the agro factor=priceless.

kevin

[weird_looking_cactus]

Yep I have got a haynes manual and it dosn't say crap about the igntion coil but just remeber what order the wires went on which I did follow that step and now its to late. But Im going to try my hardest to put my anger aside and not let my parents win by giving up.

[MXMARK]

I second the Pelican tech articles and the Haynes manual. Is this the electrical problem? We could walk you through the wiring. do you have a gap in your points when the shaft turns? These cars are simple and pretty complex. Don't get down you just need time and Money. Good Luck Mark

[rhodyguy]

print out the color wiring diagram at pelican for the CORRECT car. the b&w wiring diagram in the manual sucks.

kevin

[nebreitling]

dude, whatever you do, do it patiently and methodically. until you've wrenched on your car for a while, double and triple check your work before turning the switch. don't start replacing parts that you only 'suspect' to be bad, and don't take advice from Autozone guys unless there's a 914 out in the parking lot (not yours). come this board, pelican, search through the posts, and learn everything you can about troubleshooting your specific problems. download the factory maual, which doesn't really exist whatsoever at the following address (legalise):

http://www.914world.com/downloads/

we've all been up to here with these cars, we've all been young, we've all been broke. hell, i'm still all three of these.... i think that what you're doing with this car is really great, and i know that everyone else here does too. if your parents don't support you, that's okay -- hang out on the board and you'll get the help you need.

i'd buy you a non-alcoholic beverage if i lived near (IMG:style_emoticons/default/cool_shades.gif)

nathan

[Chris H.]

Well, most of us have definitely been in your shoes. Chances are you just need to tweak a few things. So do you actually think you fried something or maybe it's hooked up wrong? We can help you straighten it out.

Looks like you should stay away from the Auto Zone in your area. Don't replace things like ignition coils "for good measures" if the car is running OK.

[weird_looking_cactus]

Well my parents support me but they just told me thats its not a good idea to get a car that dosen't work. And I just wanted to prove to them that I could get it to work with what little auto shop experince I have from school. Im not sure why but for some reason my parents just want me to be a normal kid. Like I told them I wanted to start my own bussiness and they told me I should wiat tell Im atleast 18 well I showed them I started my own ebay bussines for about a month I was doing good but I guess I didn't get my caculations right and only ended up with $7 profit. here take a look www.stgeorgewebmaster.com I just got my self a checking account then paypal account and learned how to use adobe and dreamweaver and found a drop shipping site and I was set. Right now my car is at my grandmas house what I really need to do is bring to my house so I can have the internet right next to me. So I can get asnwer sright away and won't have to keep drivings 13 miles back and forward to work on my car. Plus I have work and school which gets in the way right now. So its really a pain.

[John]

Mr. Cactus,

Why do you think you "burned something up"? I am at a loss as to how you could do this by replacing an ignition coil. There are a total of 3 terminals on a coil (one of which is very difficult to wire incorrectly {the center post}). Power (+12 Volts) is attached to one of the other two posts and the other post is grounded through the points and condensor. There is one other wire attached to the coil and that is for the tachometer.

You can wire the coil backwards and the car will still run. If you attached the +12V and the switched ground wire to one of the coil posts, you may have "burned something out" when the points closed.

Did you get smoke? Did a wire burn it's insulation off? Did you blow a fuse in the interior fuse panel (#9?)?

The wiring to the coil should be:

Green wire (from points) ----> Negative pole on coil
Black with Purple Stripe (tachometer) -------> Negative pole on coil

Black wire or Black with Red stripe (HOT with ignition on) ---------> Positive pole on coil

Make sure your is wired this way then check to make sure you have +12volts on the Black (or black with red stripe) wire with a volt meter. If you do get +12v, then make sure you get a spark when cranking. I use a timing gun and watch to make sure the strobe flashes while cranking.

I am not sure what would happen to a tachometer if you applied +12 volts to that signal wire but I bet it wouldn't be good. It should not prevent the car from running.

[nebreitling]

what kind of coil did you put in your car? you should probably run a bosch blue coil (with the internal ballast resistor).

[fiid]

Be patient and stick with it. Don't sell it unless you move to another country (I sold my Spitfire before moving to the US when I was 18). It's frustrating and will driv eyou crazy, but it's worth it in the end.

Follow the advice here, and try to be meticulous. The simplest problem can cause wierd problems.

Try and enjoy the frustrating times. The first time you take your mom on a twisty road and scare the sh!t out of her whilst maintaining complete control of your vehicle, you will look back, laugh, and hit a perfect apex on your next corner.

[weird_looking_cactus]

Did you get smoke?  Did a wire burn it's insulation off?

Yes thats what happened I got lots of smoke and the insulation got burnt off the condenser wire.All fuses check out good. But I have already replaced the condenser once I burn't it. Plus I have already got new points to go with it.I have tryed other starter's that are new and are suppose to work. Im thinking some could be shorting my positive wire. Will it be ok If I run the positive right from the battery to the coil.

[seanery]

cactus,
since the car isn't close by, it would be helpful for you and for those here if you had a camera. You could take pics of stuff and guys and gals here can help point out what is wrong in the pics. I've seen it a hundred times. Especially with wiring crap and fuel injection stuff.

[rhodyguy]

a blue one (coil) is what i refered to in the email. look on the back of the trans. there should be a pretty good sized ground strap that goes from the trans to the bottom of the rear trunk (step one for starting issues). look for it, it should not be frayed and the connections should be clean. forget using wd-40 for a penetrent. get some pb blaster and/or a product called Areo-kroil. keep asking questions. what year is your car and what size engine is in it? make sure you use the correct wiring diagram. they are year specific.

kevin

[davep]

Welcome to the school of hard knocks. It gets easier with age, you get knowledge and experience if you learn properly. Sure, most of us learned on running cars, and some of us with nearly new cars.

I think what you need most is a mentor. Someone to work beside you that knows a lot more than you do. I would bet that a lot of the money you spent was wasted because the parts you replaced were still good. You have to learn the troubleshooting techniques that will help you identify the real problem as opposed to the apparent problem. Case in point: your starter. If replacement starters do not immediately fix the apparent problem (not starting) then you have to find the real problem ( probably wiring or other components in the wiring circuit). You might consider asking your auto shop teacher for assistance.

Probably one of your biggest problems is that the previous owners really screwed the car up. You almost have to go through the car piece by piece to determine if it is working and installed correctly. Don't give up, you CAN do it. Be methodical. Write notes. Take pictures. Find someone to help you, it is so much easier with help even if they just hold your beer. Don't be afraid to ask for help, that is what we are here for.

[McMark]

Did you get smoke?  Did a wire burn it's insulation off?

Yes thats what happened I got lots of smoke and the insulation got burnt off the condenser wire.All fuses check out good. But I have already replaced the condenser once I burn't it. Plus I have already got new points to go with it.I have tryed other starter's that are new and are suppose to work. Im thinking some could be shorting my positive wire. Will it be ok If I run the positive right from the battery to the coil.

I've done that a few times my self. You hooked the 12v positive to the same terminal as the green condenser wire and fried both the condenser and the points (the points have a little plastic block that melts). You need to check your connections at the coil very carefully. Do you have a test light yet? If not, get one, they're cheap and very useful.

Once you have a test light hook up the coil as was mentioned above:
1. Install the new points and condenser and unplug all the wires on the coil.
2. Turn the key on.
3. Clip the test light to the negative battery post and touch the poker end to each of the three wires that go to the coil.
4. Connect the one that makes the light go on to the positive side of the coil. If more than one make the light turn on come back here and report the colors of the wires.
5. Connect the other two wires that didn't turn the light on to the negative side of the coil.

You shouldn't run the positive from the battery to the coil because then your ignition system will stay on even when the car is off. Your coil will get very hot and you can burn up points if left long enough. Not a good idea. You need a wire that has power only when the key is on. I'd bet money that your stock power wire to the coil is fine as is and that you just hooked it up backwards. Use the steps above before you start replacing wires all over the place.

[Bleyseng]

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif)

My son helped me for a year or so on the 914,then I sold him my 84 RX7. He then decided to customize it going with a turbo2 motor into it. I helped him only when he had beaten his head against the wall for a few days. Pretty soon he was able to use logic to troubleshoot all of the problems doing this conversion.
So, what I am saying is that its a mindset to troubleshoot out this puzzle thats your car! You can do it if you use reason and help if you need it.
My son is now going to school for automechanics since he decided he liked doing this soo much and gave up on computer stuff.

Geoff (IMG:style_emoticons/default/MDB2.gif)

[SirAndy]

dude, chill out. take a deep breath and slam a beer or two (wait, isn't that illegal for you here in the US?! haha) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/drunk.gif)

you already answered your own question:
get the car home so you can run between the garage (or whatever place you work on the car) and the computer ... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smash.gif)

there's a ton of help here on the board, just ask.
and don't forget to give us more details about a particular problem.
PICTURES work very good too.

oh, and kick the guy at Autozone next time you see him. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/fighting19.gif)

Andy

[fiid]

We affectionately call the autozone guys FLAPS - Friendly Local Auto Parts Store. They are invariably useless. Also - be careful of going there all the time trying to get parts - invariably even if you regard it to be totally generic they won't have it - I tried to get an indicator light for th dash and they only had like one lame one. I have wasted so much time at my local Kragens trying to figure out if some honda bit will fit, or if they have improved their selection of anything since the last time I went there. NO. They have a reasonable selection of oil, paper shop towels, and a couple of other bits.

If you are new to tinkering with cars - I recommend going to your local CostCo and buy 2 packs of appropriately sized surgical gloves. They are really cheap, and are fantastic at keeping oil off your hands - which a) is bad for your skin (carcinogenic) and b ) makes it much easier to give up working on the car for a night - it reduces the amount of time you spend cleaning your hands to about 30 seconds. The costco gloves are true surgical gloves and are thicker than the Walgreens gloves which rip very easily. Other members will have their own favorite brands. I also like to talc my hands before putting gloves on as it makes it easier to put the next set of gloves on when your hands are sweaty.

Also - taking pics with a digital camera and posting them makes it really easy for us to help you diagnose problems - unless you are Andy. Andy's wires are all fuzzy :-) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/lol2.gif)