924 On Film


First of all check out: www.imcdb.org/vehicles.php?make=Porsche&model=924
 
The Professionals - Blind Run (First aired 2 December 1978_
Series 2 Episode 9
Green 924 (2 litre) Registration 924T
(information: Vince Matthews)

The Professionals - Cry Wolf (transmitted: 9th January 1983)
Series 5 Episode 7
Brown Porsche 924 (2 litre) Registration HTF 355W
(information: Vince Matthews)

The Professionals - The Untouchables (transmitted: 16th January 1983)
Series 5 Episode 8 - filmed: 1st-12th December 1980
Registration: unknown

Agatha Christie - Murder is Easy (1982)
Warner Home Video 2005 (DVD) The car appears on Disc 2, Part 4, scenes 6 & 7.
Registration: 37 CD 263

Smiley's People (based on the John Le Carre novel) starring Sir Alec Guiness (1982)
BBC (DVD) The car appears on Disc 2, Part 4, scenes 6 & 7.
Registration: 37 CD 263

Wheeler Dealers - Porsche 924 (DVD)
Discovery Home & Leisure - July 2004
See www.greenumbrella.co.uk click on 'special interests' then 'motor cars'

Porsche'd to the Limit - Conquering the Sahara in a £300 924 (DVD)
Cut Mustard Productions - November 2005
See www.nickgibbs.net for more information

Buying a car, a basic (and incomplete) guide Paperwork:
First of all make sure the owner is the same person on the registration document - Be wary if it's being sold "for a friend" (Either a V5 or the new style V5C) look at how long the owner has had the car, and how many owners the car has had - if it's had many owners and a short ownership it may indicate problems.
Take a look at the MOT documents to see where it was tested and how long is left to run, if there is a short time left then there may be a reason the owner is parting with the car. http://www.motinfo.gov.uk/
Ask to see service history and reciepts for work done on the car, check mileages on all these to see if they match up to the present mileage.
With the car switched off and cold:
Tyres, look for even wear, bad tracking will show itself with increased wear in the inside of the front tyres, don't forget the spare.
Take off the engine oil cap, if there is a a 'mayonnaise' coloured gunk inside then walk away.
Take out the dipstick, wipe it, then check the engine oil level, look for too little oil or too much - the level should be between the two marks.
Look at the water level to see if it's between the marks.
Check all the lights, high beam, indicators, fog lights, reversing lights, wipers and washers et al
Check the seat belts lock when tugged
Look for accident damage and rust
Start the car:
Let it idle until the engine cooling fan starts, look for radiator and oil leaks, excess vibration, rattles, squeaking fan/alternator belts.
If the car has a oil pressure gauge make sure it reads something!
Exhaust, listen out for leaks.
In the car press on the clutch pedal, if it is heavy then it could be the sign of a worn out clutch.
The brake pedal should feel 'progressive' and should not reach the floor.
The steering wheel should not have exessive play in it - 3mm maximum
If the car has a voltage gauge check it reads over 12v while the car is running - and the lights on.
Ask to be taken for a test drive if possible, better to drive it yourself but make sure you are insured! It won't actually tell you much but will highlight any major problems with slipping clutch or clonking suspension et al.
If it feels right then it probably is right - if not say "No thank you" and look for another.
Haggle for a lower price, offer 20% less than the starting price!
I'm sure there is much more to check but this should be enough.
Published Resources

Published Resources: Workshop manuals
Porsche 924: 1976 to 1985 - Haynes Publishing - ISBN 1850104387 (HB)

Published Resources: 924 History Books
Porsche 924 - Brian Long - Veloce Publishing - ISBN 9781901295856 (HB - 2000)
features car registrations:
2.0
LBMR 258 (p46 BMW 924 engine mule?)
SDL 7629 (p46 seen with prototype)
S 04844 (p48)
S 04637 (p49 with steel wheels)
HN 04017 (p50 Heilbronn plates in cold weather testing)
SCL 8495 (p58 5 spoke wheels - p59p60p63 steel wheels)
SCM 3687 (p59 Green)
SCR 8802 (p70 Blue)
BIM 40 (p72 US car)
SDJ 9546 (p77)
WURK 333 (P80 Police car)
SDP 3?? (p81 Doctors car)
BBP 459 (p81 Ethanol powered)
SDK 8739 (p91)
SDU 6984 (p139)
SES 1466 (p146)
SEK 8078 (p150)
SET 7524 (p154)
924 DLC (p158)
SHN 4758 (p159)
Turbo
SDL 3953 (p90)
SDL 3949 (p91)
SDL 3955 (p92 two tone turbo)
SDL 3952? (p92 on car transporter)
HHDD 825 (p110 Le Mans)
SDR 8791 (p107p110)
SEH 7264 (p132)
SDZ 6676 (p141)
SEK 8079 (p150p152)
S
SHW 5591 (p163p166)
THE 924S (p167)
SJD 1987 (p172)
SJK 2170 (p172p173)
SJU 9237 (p176p177)

Porsche 924, 944 & 968 - Brian Long - Veloce Publishing - ISBN 9781901295856 (HB - 2000)
features car registrations:
2.0
LBMR 258 (p14 BMW 924 engine mule?)
SDL 7629 (p15 seen with prototype)
S 04637 (p19 x2 steel wheels)
SCL 8495 (p20x2p23 5 spoke wheels)
V 20924

Published Resources: Magazines
Porsche Post 207 September 2004 - page 54 'Changing the Head Gasket on a 924 Turbo' by John Barnatt (924nutter)
Porsche Post 211 January 2005 - page 66 - 'Adjusting the Rear [drum] Brakes on a 924' by John Barnatt (924nutter)
Porsche Post 224 February 2006 - page 64 - 'The Porsche 924 Body Main Development Objectives' (Part 1)
Porsche Post 225 March 2006 - page 64 - 'The Porsche 924 Body Main Development Objectives' (Part 2)
911 & Porsche World 148 July 2006 - page 100 - 'Engine Tech Porsche 924'

Published Resources: Official Porsche Brochures and Guides

Porsche 924 - 924 Turbo Farben und Innenausstattung '81 [Colours and interior] (WVK 1105 14)
Green cover, 8 sided chart

Porsche 924 - 924 Turbo (WVK 110820 - 1981 model year)
Green cover, 32 pages with 2 fold out pages, illustrated
features car registrations:
2 litre:
S DY 4659 (green with side repeaters)
S DR 8791 (green no side repeaters)
Turbo:
S DY 4658 (red with side repeaters)
S DN 1652 (red no side repeaters)
S 04415 (two tone US spec car)

Porsche 924 - 924 Turbo Technical Data 1981 (WVK 110820)
White (4 pages)

Porsche Service - Service Workshops
Edition No.18 - 4/1982

Porsche 924 Driver's Manual - Maintenance Record '83 (WKD 471 520 - 2 M 7/82 - 1983 Edition)
Green cover

Official Porsche Centre Car Plan Handbook - Approved Used Cars (WG49/8/85)

My fuel pump has stopped working, how do I fix it?

a. Most probably your fuel pump relay has blown.
The Porsche part number is: 433906059 Porsche Centre Hatfield quoted me £88.20 + VAT [Prices are for the relay as used on a 1983 MY two litre 924 as of August 2003] BUT the same part is available at other sources for MUCH more reasonable prices - I do not recall which is the part number I actually installed on my car back then but it was either part number 433906059 £29.36 + VAT  (VW dealer at August 2003) or superceded by part number 321906059F £37.40 +VAT (VW dealer at August 2003) but that is still half the price that Porsche want!

b. You fuel pump has expired:
Once again Part number: 91160810202 - £279.88 + VAT or Bert gear at Berlyn Services - £89 + VAT [Prices are for the 'later' type pump as used on a 1983 two litre as of August 2003]

What tyres are available for my 924 2 litre (non turbo)

Porsche recommend the Michelin XWX and the Fulda Y-2000 but these tyres are no longer available

The following list is subject to ongoing change and does not contain every choice available.
The information shown is for information only and is not a recommendation of any make or model of tyre or of their performance. Prices were obtained April 2010.

(Taiwan) Maxxis MA-AS approx. £43.50
(Dutch) Vredestein Hi Trac (summer tyre) approx £55.00ea
(Czech) Barum Brillantis approx. £57.50ea
(French) Michelin Energy Saver approx. £119.50ea
(USA) Avon ZV3 approx. £68.50ea
(USA) Bridgestone B391 approx. £88.50ea

Why am I having cold starting problems, and how do I cure it?

The reason the engine starts and then stalls is because the fifth injector is doing its job, but it only runs for a few seconds, so we know it is ok. It sounds as if the mixture is too lean when cold, and there one or two reasons for that.

1) The control pressure regulator (CPR, aka warm up regulator) is not working.

2) The airflow sensor plate is sticking in its plenum camber

I would rule out the auxilliary air valve (AAV), as you say that any attempt to accelerate the engine leads to it cuting, and the AAV has the effect of holding the throttle slightly open.

Take the large round rubber duct off the fuel metering unit (FMU) and check with a feeler gauge at 120 deg intervals around the circumference of the disc that the gap is even. Check for smooth operation of arm to which the disc is attached by lifting it up. It should not have any trace of stickiness.

If there is no fault found here then the the most likely cause is the CPR.

In simple terms, the upward action of the sensor plate and hence the angle of the arm, is opposed by the system pressure, and the amount of fuel metered is dependent on the angle of the arm, because as the arm moves, it draws a plunger up into a ported chamber through a waisted (not wasted) section, which then controls the fuel flow to the injectors. 924 injectors do not open and close when the engine runs. Fuel forms a pool behind the inlet valve whilst it is shut, and when it opens, spray from the injector re-atomises the fuel.

It follows that if the system pressure is lowered the arm moves up more and meters more fuel for a given air-flow. The job of the CPR is to open when the engine is cold and by-pass the FMU allowing the system pressure to drop slightly.
The regulator on your car may have failed in the open position at sometime, and subsequently, the over-rich mixture has been reset at the FMU leading to you having a mixture which is too lean when cold, or there may have been a loss of electrical supply to the regulator giving rise to the same symptoms, and remedy.

Alternatvely the regulator may have failed (i.e. stuck) in the closed position, in which case no mixture enrichment will take place.

Why am I having hot starting problems, and how do I cure it?

It is caused by vapour lock in the fuel lines that occurs because the residual system pressure bleeds back into the tank via a faulty check valve in the fuel pump. The fuel metering unit is more susceptible to heat soak on the 924 than it is on the Turbo, because they are situated in diferent places. Thus when called upon to deliver fuel, the injectors do not open because the system pressure is too low to overcome the check valve inside the injector, which is set to a slightly higher pressure than residual, otherwise fuel would leak into the cylinders.
The fuel pump barely runs when the engine is being cranked on the starter, which is why it takes so much churning over to re-pressurise the fuel lines. Without any other alterations, fitting the latest version 924 fuel pump from Porscheshop, (which comes with a new check-valve in the end of the pump) cured the hot start problem on my first 924, which I owned and ran for 15 years.

An electrical solution is to intercept the earth from the fifth injector before it reaches the thermo-time-switch, and splice into it to create an additional earth path, via a descretely mounted spring return switch. Thus, when the engine fires and dies, operation of the switch will complete the earth and allow the fifth injector to open when the engine is cranked, as it is solenoid operated, and supply fuel so that the engine fires, where upon
the fuel pump will start to pressurise the system much more quickly. This was a mod that I carried out on my 924 many years before I fitted the new fuel pump, and after (usually) three goes the engine would be back running. Infinitely better than churning away draining the poor old battery.

Other causes of starting problems

1. Check for corrosion behind the fuse box.

2. The air inlet baffle can occasionally stick.
Undo the inlet hose replace the hose - take the air cleaner off. You can then put your left hand up into the inlet port and unstick the lever that lifts the intake baffle plate.

Can I Obtain A Stainless Steel Exhaust For My 2 litre

A Dansk stainless system is available from Eurocarparts and costs £178.79 including VAT (April 2016).

My odometer no longer records mileage, can I fix it?

A common fault. There is a small gear that gets off line or gets broken/cracks. Second hand units are of course prone to the same fault so it is worth repairing the existing unit.

One solution is to contact Eric Kirk, he is able to fix the unit and his phone number is 01993 882350. He lives in Oxfordshire directly opposite the Porsche Festival venue at Eynsham Hall near North Leigh.
If you contact him please mention Geoff Ives name or else he might be reluctant to talk. His phone number is 01993 882350 (information from Geoff Ives)

The second solution is a home fix. Use the unthreaded end of two 5mm nutserts (A nutsert is like a threaded pop rivet) which are a perfect size to cut off and press over the split boss with some cyanoacrylate (superglue) as insurance.
You drill a hole the size of the o.d. of the nutsert, slightly countersink it and screw the nutsert onto the threaded mandrell of the pliers and insert into the hole. Squeezing the handles together pulls the threaded section forward, and swages the body of the nutsert out so that it grips in the hole. A bolt can then be screwed into the hole.  If you buy two, cut off the threaded portion and use the hollow part of it. (Information John Barnett aka 924nutter)

How do I fix the cracking on my dashboard?

There are plastic mouldings available on the market to cover the top half of the dashboard.
It is also possible to find a complete uncracked secondhand dashboard.
It is possible to colour match both items.

Will my 924 run on unleaded petrol?

The short answer is YES.

However the youngest 2.0 is from 1985 and the 'S' 1988.

In the intervening years each engine has weathered differently - it is entirely up to each owner to decide whether it is neccesary to further 'protect' their engine with higher octane fuel, or to use an octane booster, particularly in the case of the 924 Turbo models - this is the view of Porsche Club GB and the 924 Register.

See 'Crisis? What crisis?' in '911 & Porsche World' December 1998 issue for a article on the subject.

What MPG can I expect from my 924?

Times litres by 0.22 then divide the miles covered into the gallons figure

Official government fuel consumption figures (Information Trevor Smith)

924 lux 5 speed
Urban 22.8mpg
Steady 56 42.8mpg
Steady 75 34.9mpg

924 Turbo
Urban 23.0mpg
Steady 56 36.2mpg
Steady 75 26.9mpg

924S 150bhp (1986-87 MY)
Urban 23.0mpg
Steady 56 46.3mpg
Steady 75 34.9mpg

924S 160bhp (1988)
Urban 22.4mpg
Steady 56 42.2mpg
Steady 75 34.0mpg

2.0 engine - 27.247mpg (average)
High of 29.917mpg - Low of 24.605mpg
Based on 8 consecutive readings of 1983 model: over mileage 176,221 to 178,864 (2,643 miles)

2.5 engine - 31.6mpg
Based on fast round trip to Moreton In Marsh from Formby (North Merseyside) approx. 314 miles