Several questions from a new member

[tommarkillie]

Hi guys.

Apologies if any or all of these questions have been asked before but I am just starting to help my uncle get his car back on the road after 5 or 6 years out of use. It is a 1983 3.2 carrera. We are stuck with the following issues so far...

1. It has a PA2000 alarm system fitted which refuses to be silenced once the car battery is connected. We have changed the key fob batteries but they don't have any effect. The alarm does a 30 second cycle, resets, then sounds again. Hamilton & Palmer suggest changing the circuit board under the seat.

2. The steering lock seems to be stuck. We have jiggled the steering wheel whilst turning the ignition key but it doesn't want to release. Is it purely mechanical or is there an electric lock linked to not being able to disarm the alarm?

3. One of the last trips the car had 5 years ago was for some new tyres. The tyre fitters did their usual trick of tightening the nuts with an impact gun and then checking them with a torque wrench. In trying to get the wheels off the locking wheel nut 'key" has cracked and split apart. Are there replacements available anywhere?

4. If the car hasn't run in 5 or 6 years, what things should we be most cautious of?

Many thanks.
Tom

 

[Robertb]

Welcome! Sounds like a fun project... but sorry I am no help at all, I'm sure somebody more useful will be along soon.

It will be interesting to follow the story.

 

[Luddite]

Sorry no 3.2 experience or specific knowledge so related, but as no one else has replied as yet I thought to jump in.

No clue about the alarm though it may have an internal battery in the sounder causing issues if operating on reduced/no volts regardless of the vehicles main battery voltage...?

On the locking wheel nut issue, I have heard of folk using a socket that is of a suitable size for it`s points to be able to cut their way down the outside diameter of the locking nut when hammered on forcibly. Choosing just the correct size socket is critical and if too tight it will not hammer on, and if not tight enough the grooves cut by the points will not be deep enough to grip the locknut exterior, and thus will likely slip.

Also worth consideration is that if the locknut is within a recess then a thin-wall socket might be required which then risks the socket splitting, thus a high quality socket might be less likely to split...?

No idea if there is a further mechanism on the steering lock, the idea of rocking the steering a little, is generally to release any pressure on the mechanism imparted by the tyres being in a position where they are creating sideways pressure on the locking pin and making the key more difficult to turn.... As best I understand it, the rocking of the steering wheel both clock and anti-clockwise, is to work against any such pressure dependant on whether the tyres are providing the pressure in either direction, and thus reducing the effort required to turn the key to unlock it..

As the engine may not have been fired up in six years, some will say jump in and fire it up, whereas I have a tad more mechanical sympathy.... I suspect the oil will be showing as low level with much of it having found it`s way down into the sump, thus perhaps best not to add any oil at this stage.... With a fully charged battery, remove the DME relay (I don`t know where it is) to prevent fuel pump operation and thus also prevent the engine starting until some oil has been circulated by spinning the engine and watching for the oil PRESSURE gauge beginning to display a reading, which indicates that the bearings and much else will avoid being under pressure with little or no oil present..?

After that then what chance the clutch is stuck to the flywheel... and which will require a tad more action, and after that the brakes seem likely to be in need of attention..?

Hope all your issues are easily resolved and that you can enjoy the 3.2 on the road soon. :thumb:

 

[Surlysurdi]

I had the locking wheel nut issue, I went to a garage where they welded a socket onto the end of the nut and managed to free off the nut. Mind you this only works if the nut is not deeply recessed.

 

[Zingari]

Personally I'd rip out the old alarm and put in a new modern one. I thought H&P had (just) finished trading but anything electronic aftermarket from the 80s is going to give you ongoing issues. Sounds like there's an open circuit to the alarm somewhere plus the H&P unit do not like batteries below optimal charge.

The steering lock is mechanical. Try some WD40 down the key hole to see if that helps. Have you got another key in case the wear on the one you're using is not lifting all the levers into place. Otherwise it sounds like a disassemby.

Most tyre fitter outfits and good garages will have come across the broken locking stud many times and have novel ways of getting them off. Seek their advice.

I'd suggest a good check over by a good Porsche Indy mechanic along with a full service before you start the engine. Brakes and other issues I suspect will give you many hours of entertainment. That said perserverance is worth it.

 

[eko]

I'm sure there is a lot of knowledge on here, but you should also ask the same questions on a dedicated site like Impact Bumpers.

The wheel nuts are normally made of a lightweight material and could be quite soft.

 

[Fulla]

For the alarm I'd call GT-One in Chertsey. They removed several old alarms from my 3.2 and installed a new one.
They are very knowledgable when it comes to the older Porsche alarms.