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Safety Dance posted:I put down a couple test beads. The left two were with the old spool that Motronic told me to throw out. The one on the right was a new spool -- I _thought_ it was the spool I bought from the welding supply shop last week, but it's actually the one I bought at harbor freight at the same time that I bought the welder. It had just been sitting inside for a while. I'm reasonably pleased with the result, and I hope I can leave this spool in the welder over the weekend if I plan to keep working. Different climates and all, but I don't notice flux core going off too badly for 6+ months in the machine. I've never had a sealed roll go bad on the shelf - I suppose as long as the plastic is unbroken you're good to store it pretty indefinitely. I learned that it goes bad the hard way back when my 120v flux core box was babbies first wire feed welder that I decided was a piece of garbage. Until I swapped spools.
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Dec 23, 2023 17:56
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Safety Dance posted:Those holes are tapped 1/4-20. Just something to consider that I thought of while reading, the whole car is metric. Might want to make your custom stuff metric also, so you know you'll have the tools for it.
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Dec 26, 2023 17:27
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LloydDobler posted:Just something to consider that I thought of while reading, the whole car is metric. Might want to make your custom stuff metric also, so you know you'll have the tools for it. While this is true and probably a good idea, most of the car is the kind of metric you need tools for that won't cross over to this rack like torx, e-torx and triple square - many at diameter and thread pitches that don't exist at your local hardware store in the bolt bin aisle.
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Dec 26, 2023 18:59
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LloydDobler posted:Just something to consider that I thought of while reading, the whole car is metric. Might want to make your custom stuff metric also, so you know you'll have the tools for it. I had the same thought, but the track itself is so clearly inch that it seemed wrong. Also Motronic's point about what's going to be more available at hardware stores in the middle of nowhere.
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Dec 26, 2023 20:18
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I bought a horizontal band saw on Christmas Eve Eve. The sketchy looking air compressor was thrown in for cheap. It doesn't exactly cut straight or inspire confidence, but it seems to work okay. Does better than I do with a portaband or an angle grinder.  And after a bunch of false starts and loving around, I finally made some progress on the roof rack. It's not perfect, but diagonal-to-diagonal it's within 1/8" and more importantly it bolts into place nicely.  I just placed an order from McMaster for the final hardware (oh gently caress I forgot to include loctite). Tomorrow's project is cutting and welding more cross members. More progress: - Blizzaks should be delivered to my local Discount Tire Thursday. I'll get them mounted on Friday. - Eurowise light bar and other stuff arriving by next week, except for the spare wheel. That's still TBD. - I started a new project for the rally computer software. I also convinced myself I could be lazy and use Rabbit Rally _if_ I could find an android tablet with a keyboard and mouse. TODO -[ ] Buy and install ham radio -[ ] Buy and install fresh battery -[ ] Replace gas struts on the rear hatch (still) -[ ] Get under the car, drop the skid plate, and find a place to install an oil pan warmer -[ ] Arrange rental parka Not TODO any time soon but I spent too much time researching it: -[ ] Install the PCCM Plus head unit for the Cayenne Safety Dance fucked around with this message at 08:34 on Dec 27, 2023 |
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Dec 27, 2023 08:31
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I'm going to try to get my tires mounted tomorrow, so I went ahead and put this thing on tonight. It went okay. Built sturdy. The part the actual wheel mounts to was almost too short for the backspacing. If you get one, plan to have a 12" socket extension and some grease available. Wilco uses this expanding foam packaging. I understand why, but it annoys me that I can't recycle the box. I'll fill it up with trash and take it down to the dump for $30. 
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Dec 28, 2023 07:25
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-[x] Blizzaks mounted -[x] Spare as good as it's going to get for the time being.  Bonus: my backup camera can see *just enough* that I know when I'm about to hit something. I need to re-build the looking behind me muscle memory though. -[ ] Relocate license plate to spare tire carrier -[ ] Sort out license plate light for the spare tire carrier I think mounting fuel cans is going to be easier than anticipated. There's a 2" receiver on the swinging portion of the spare tire carrier, so I can just put together something that slots right into there.
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Dec 28, 2023 21:59
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Safety Dance posted:-[ ] Sort out license plate light for the spare tire carrier Is there already a provision for trailer light wiring?
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Dec 29, 2023 14:36
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Yep, it's got a 7-pin wiring harness (but annoyingly no brake controller). I've seen a few different license plate lights that could take advantage of that, but I can't remember off the top of my head who made them. I'll need to spend some time googling around.
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Dec 29, 2023 18:26
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My son brought home a stomach virus, so the family has been alternating between vomiting and making GBS threads our brains out all weekend. Finally, we're feeling better. Progress. Turned a bunch of tack welds into a bunch of complete welds.  Some even look semi competent.  Others... Paint hides a lot of sins.  I got it installed on the car with the final hardware.  And slapped some plastic end caps on for that "I'm sick of thinking about this" look.  The short sections of tubing are bonded in place with epoxy for the time being. I wanted the joint to be a little flexible while I got the hardware in place, and it can cure in situ. I'll tack weld it in place before it goes to paint. On Friday I did a 100 mile fuel economy run up in the mountains. I'm seeing a little over 17 mpg*, which means about 400 miles per tank. I want to do the same thing with the winter tires and the roof rack with some stuff strapped to it in place, to see how that number changes. * depending on how well the automatic shutoff was calibrated on the pump at the end of the trip. Next time: start and end at the same gas station. Ideally the same pump. To-do: -[ ] find a paint place -[ ] install front light bar -[ ] wiring for lights -[ ] another fuel economy run Edit: -[ ] pull the sunroof fuse. I don't think the sunroof is gonna clear that thing Safety Dance fucked around with this message at 03:36 on Jan 2, 2024 |
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Jan 2, 2024 03:19
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Light progress recently because my whole family's been having round after round of diarrhea and vomiting. Dropped the roof rack off at the powder coater's.  It may or may not snow this weekend, so I put on the snow tires.  In doing so, my harbor freight ratcheting breaker bar lost its head.  It's hardly hellaflush, but maybe my speedometer will read correctly now 
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Jan 11, 2024 07:31
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This picture popped up on my FB feed and I thought of you. Apparently, there exists a very rare factory spare tire mount:
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Jan 11, 2024 12:16
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bolind posted:This picture popped up on my FB feed and I thought of you. Apparently, there exists a very rare factory spare tire mount: Yes, but it doesn't fit "Transsyberia spec" i.e. 265/65-18s tires because of the design, only stock. I was looking for one until I realized that. It's not clear to me what the use case for that option actually was. Not sure how big the crossover of "running stock size tires" and can't "limp home on the foldable spare" actually is. It has to be vanishingly small.
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Jan 11, 2024 16:04
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I'm a sucker for weird options like that, but they're very difficult to find. I saw a video on youtube not too long ago where somebody built a spare tire carrier into the rear bumper. It looked really nice. If I was less averse to cutting into the bodywork, I'd consider that.
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Jan 11, 2024 18:03
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It's balls cold so I haven't made a ton of progress. I got the roof rack back from the powder coater's.  The color is Hammertone Green, and I'm extremely pleased with it.  It makes a bunch of noise around 70 mph, so I might buy/make a roof rack spoiler. Stupid idea: I might add vortex generators. I also went to a Rainier Auto Sport Club party and got Alcan stickers.  The stickers will wait until it gets a little warmer. I went to install the Trigger controller for the driving lights last weekend and discovered I couldn't find the mount I'd bought for it. After a couple days of searching I paid the ADD tax and bought another one. It should be a little above freezing in the next few days; I'll try again. The biggest Todos at this point are installing the ham radio and buying NATO fuel cans. Also finishing the rally computer program I'm writing. Safety Dance fucked around with this message at 03:18 on Jan 15, 2024 |
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Jan 15, 2024 03:14
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Motronic posted:Yes, but it doesn't fit "Transsyberia spec" i.e. 265/65-18s tires because of the design, only stock. I was looking for one until I realized that. It's not clear to me what the use case for that option actually was. Not sure how big the crossover of "running stock size tires" and can't "limp home on the foldable spare" actually is. It has to be vanishingly small. Ah, that makes sense, and the design is kinda dumb in that it limits the size of tire. I'm suspecting the use case is for the looks rather than purpose. Or maybe so there's an answer to those customers who balk at the no-full-size-spare.
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Jan 15, 2024 11:07
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bolind posted:Ah, that makes sense, and the design is kinda dumb in that it limits the size of tire. The story goes that the first generation Cayenne was designed by VW / Porsche under the assumption that Americans wanted a proper offroader that could leave the dealer lot and conquer some wilderness, so the spare tire carrier makes sense in a world where step 1 of every purchase isn't throwing away the stock tires and replacing them with 30+ inch diameter tires. Dumb question, and I'm emailing the same question to Eurowise, but PDCC was never offered on the 955, correct? I got stumped trying to install the Trigger wireless lighting controller with the Eurowise bracket last night. It's running into these stainless steel (air conditioning?) lines in the center of the photo below.  It looks like the same lines are blanked off in Eurowise's product photo below. (product page)  I'll shoot them an email and see if they have any advice before trying again tonight.
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Jan 17, 2024 20:07
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No on PDCC, yes, those are AC lines. And yikes I thought better of eurowise. They're seriously telling you to use a loving suspension bolt to mount a bracket? Don't do that. That's a lovely idea.
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Jan 17, 2024 20:24
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Safety Dance posted:The story goes that the first generation Cayenne was designed by VW / Porsche under the assumption that Americans wanted a proper offroader that could leave the dealer lot and conquer some wilderness, so the spare tire carrier makes sense in a world where step 1 of every purchase isn't throwing away the stock tires and replacing them with 30+ inch diameter tires. To the point that VAG engineers were driving around Explorers and Grand Cherokees as benchmarks during development. Edit: The little bracket hanging down at a ~45deg angle on the firewall in the last picture is how my 957 PDCC reservoir is mounted. McTinkerson fucked around with this message at 21:01 on Jan 17, 2024 |
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Jan 17, 2024 20:51
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I drilled a few extra holes in the eurowise bracket, stuck it in my vise, hit it with a hammer a few times to bend it over 90 degrees, mounted the lighting controller to it sideways, and used the suspension bolt to mount it. Not ideal, I agree, but it's right next to the fuse box and the jump starting post and that makes wiring easier. Eurowise never responded to my questions; I'll update if they do but I'm pretty cheesed about the situation.  I considered ditching the wireless controller, but I also don't want to punch holes in the firewall. This is a reversible change. This afternoon my son took a nice long nap, so I went out and mounted a 2m ham antenna on the roof rack. I might might might see if I can borrow or buy a SWR meter to see if this sucks or not.  I rigged up a cigarette lighter plug for the radio and got it set up in my trunk. I call this "minimum viable radio".  Interestingly the cigarette lighters are fused for 20A and the radio only uses 11A when it's transmitting at 65 watts, so connecting it to the cigarette lighter circuit will be my long term solution (just not in the trunk). I'll have to reconsider how I'm running the antenna cable, because going through the back hatch and under the cargo liner only gets it to the back seat. Another interesting finding: when you purchase a MARS mod with a radio from Ham Radio Outlet, they just do it for you. I honestly expected I'd get a photocopied set of instructions.
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Jan 21, 2024 09:07
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Oh yeah I also did another 70ish miles on mountain roads with the roof rack and snow tires, and got 17.9ish mpg again. This indicates 400 miles to a full tank. I'm a little less worried about fuel range, but I still have two NATO cans coming.
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Jan 21, 2024 09:30
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what's a nato can? a jerry can?
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Jan 21, 2024 13:54
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Yeah, same same.
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Jan 21, 2024 17:33
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Safety Dance posted:I still have two NATO cans coming. Any clever mount or bracket, or are bungees going to suffice?
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Jan 21, 2024 17:35
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If I have time I'm going to weld up a mount that hangs off of the swing out spare tire carrier frame. If I don't, I'll ratchet strap them to the roof rack.
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Jan 21, 2024 22:06
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Finally, finally, after nearly a year of ownership I replaced the lift gate gas shocks. Step 1: remove the cargo area light. Step 1b: figure out that the cargo area light is burnt out and that's why it never worked. Step 1c: buy replacement, make it bright and LED  After a lot of cussing, I got the shocks replaced. It's so so nice to have the lift gate just open.  Oh! Also! I glued up the headliner fabric that was starting to peel! No more flapping around when I have all windows down. The offenders  Straight to jail. Also pictured above is the antenna cable for my ham radio. I ran it up under the headliner to the sunroof controls. My goal is to hang the transceiver off of there as best I can. It was late. I was tired. I might have broken some stuff.  Gotta kill some people to make an omelette. I have to see if I can replace that part. Edit: a lot of them on eBay are broken in exactly the same way I broke mine. This one, surprisingly not! Hundo bucks and I get a working dome light out of the deal, hell yeah 
Safety Dance fucked around with this message at 20:17 on Jan 24, 2024 |
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Jan 24, 2024 08:09
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I popped the new LED cargo area light into its holder. Let there be light! [Not pictured] I got the radio mounted where the roof console used to be, and temporarily wired it up so I could test it.   1.83 standing wave ratio is... not great, but okay. Probably won't hurt my radio. I suspect it's at least partially because my ground plane is basically just the roof rack. I'm also curious about the 58 watts forward power: the radio is rated to 65 watts. Fun fact: at 65 watts (actually 58 watts), pressing the push-to-talk button triggers the motion detecting light in my driveway. While I was doing stuff, I changed the cabin air filter. I've been putting that job off for nearly a year. It was easier than anticipated.  Dropping the cabin air filter cover gave me a ton of room to run power cable for the radio (I also found two more accessory ports I thought existed but couldn't find before). It goes from the center console, up inside the cabin air filter cover, past the passenger's side fuse box, up the passenger's side A pillar, on top of the headliner, and over to the radio. Since I was inside the center console, I pulled the ashtray blanking plate and re-did the wiring.  All buttoned up, it doesn't look too bad. I couldn't quite find a good spot to hang the microphone. I might move it elsewhere.  This is what Ferdinand Porsche had in mind, right? I think, when all is said and done, I'll replace this radio with one where I can stick the transceiver in the trunk and just run a little cable for the display, speaker, and mic up to the front like one of the other Alcan Cayennes has. This afternoon I cadded up the rough shape of the roof console. I might print part of that and use it to cover up the hole in the ceiling. I've got half a mind to add some map lights, and maybe even replace the controls for the sun shade.  Speaking of! Have you ever wondered how the sun shade button talks to the rest of the car? I pulled up the diagram and was puzzled by it.  It's only got two wires. It looks like four momentary contact switches that close the same circuit? It took me a second, but I worked out it must have four different resistor values. I measured them and wrote them down but the piece of paper is elsewhere. I think it's something like: Automatic close: 12ish ohms incremental close: 100ish ohms incremental open: 800ish ohms automatic open: 1800ish ohms Safety Dance fucked around with this message at 08:37 on Jan 25, 2024 |
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Jan 25, 2024 08:32
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Safety Dance posted:This is what Ferdinand Porsche had in mind, right? Seems like it to me. 
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Jan 25, 2024 15:40
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The fuel cans came in. I'm getting increasingly lazy and don't feel like putting together a goofy platform that hangs off of my spare tire carrier. I started playing with the layout of things on the roof rack. First pass.  I don't *love* how far forward the traction boards sit, but it'd work. Alternative:  I could rotate the fuel cans like that. I like this arrangement a little better: - the handles are on the side and easy to grab. - the traction boards can sit a little further aft. On the other hand, it increases frontal area. Not that that matters a ton. As is tradition, I'm putting together a McMaster order for stuff to hold the fuel cans in place. I might screw around with the fuel can holders I already own and maybe pop rivet them to the roof rack. Right now the cans are sitting open in my garage, because they really smell like the VOCs in the paint. The spouts are the spillproof variety, but they don't have any goofy latches or switches like some fuel cans. I'll practice with them. I own another, non-spillproof spout that I'll carry as well in case they get in the way. I'd also like to stick a shovel on the roof. TBD. Motronic posted:Seems like it to me. I really like your cockpit! I'll be using it for inspiration in the future, definitely.
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Jan 26, 2024 08:36
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Alaska Marine Highway cancelled the sailing from Haines, AK to Bellingham, WA on March 3rd. I'm shipping the Cayenne home instead, and I'll just fly home from Anchorage. Kind of a bummer, but that's boats. On one hand, it puts me back in Seattle sooner for child wrangling. On the other hand, it gives me a day or two to bum around Anchorage. Lights!   Those are Diode Dynamics Stage Series 3 LED pods with DOT beam patterns. I ran the same LEDs on my Subaru in the Thunderbolt, and they really light up the road.  I used two Wago waterproof splice blocks to wire the lights up in parallel, and Deutsch connectors on the lights and where the wiring leaves the truck. If I need a tow, the light rack comes off with two bolts and unplugs in a few seconds.
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Jan 31, 2024 06:16
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New battery came in!  I charged it up overnight, so I figured I'd put it in today! Let me just tilt the driver's seat back and...  What the hell happened here? Some complete chucklefuck stripped out the triple square screw and ground the head into a rough loving pentagon! I am incandescent with rage. TODO: - call my Porsche guy or the dealership in Bellevue and see if they have any replacement bolts - get a loving easy out I guess - jesus loving christ - gently caress
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Feb 2, 2024 07:16
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Kastivich, I don't blame you. This is probably the same idiot that put in the drat backup camera or the ridiculous head unit. Edit: one of those sockets with a bunch of spring-loaded pins might get this out if I treat it as a single use tool.
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Feb 2, 2024 07:19
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maybe use one of those chuck-style stud extractors maybe, or even better one of those fluted female ez-out style ones i have no idea if these are any good or go find one of those pentagonal sockets for christy boxes or whatever it is i keep seeing out in public that has those (other than fire hydrants)
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Feb 2, 2024 08:04
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Safety Dance posted:Kastivich, I don't blame you. This is probably the same idiot that put in the drat backup camera or the ridiculous head unit. Yeah, wow. This one wasn't my doing. I wonder if they got it out and put it back in like that or just gave up after hacking it into shape.
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Feb 2, 2024 15:58
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I ordered some replacement bolts from the Porsche dealership in Lynnwood, and picked up some assorted extractors. This project will probably be on hold until Tuesday or so when the bolts come in. Today I did a little bit of work while the sun was up for once.  I noticed my carpet was wet, so I cleaned the sunroof drains. Fingers crossed that solves the problem.
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Feb 3, 2024 03:09
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I've had a lot of success with square straight fluted extractors, just drill the proper sized hole and hammer it in. https://bowerstool.com/mayhew-5pc-square-screw-extractor-set-37332-1-5-screw-bolt-made-in-usa/ Those external bolt extractors Raluek linked to might work too.
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Feb 3, 2024 17:15
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I decided to try removing the hosed up seat bolt with this thing first.  Exceeds expectations.  The carnage  Perfectly normal place for a battery.  I replaced the battery (not pictured). It's a heavy sumbitch. I really did not expect a group 49 battery to be quite that large, but it's impressive. The old battery will go to the recycling center tomorrow. I'm somewhat proud of this.  I like the Milwaukee Packout system a little too much. Two of them fit almost perfectly side by side in my trunk with enough room to strap them down to the cargo tie downs on the floor. I'm still putting together a full packing list, but it's got room for a great selection of sockets and wrenches, various power tools, tire inflator and repair kit, extension cord, etc. Batteries and rechargeable lights go in the little organizer on top, to be taken inside the hotel rooms at night. Oil and recovery gear will go in some mini-crates, closer to the back seats.
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Feb 8, 2024 07:03
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Phone posting from my commute, but it threw a CEL on the highway just now. P0351 and P0301. Misfire on one of the cylinders. It intermittently runs rough. I'm already going to the shop tomorrow, so I guess I can ask them to fix it. Will do more research when I get home. Better now than in two weeks! Safety Dance fucked around with this message at 01:24 on Feb 9, 2024 |
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Feb 9, 2024 01:21
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Safety Dance posted:Phone posting from my commute, but it threw a CEL on the highway just now. P0351 and P0301. Misfire on one of the cylinders. It intermittently runs rough. I'm already going to the shop tomorrow, so I guess I can ask them to fix it. The coilpacks on these motors are basically wear items. They are on revision -22 or something ridiculous of the OEM part. https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/porsche-ignition-coil-kit-beru-zse012kt1 This is the last set you'll have to buy, because FCP Euro gives a lifetime warranty on parts. For real. Alternately it could of courrse be something else. But it's likely the coil packs. The second most likely source is valve cover gaskets, which if they haven't been done yet on that one are badly in need. Once the spark plug well seals start to go you get oil down in there and it shorts out the coils.
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Feb 9, 2024 15:12
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Motronic posted:The coilpacks on these motors are basically wear items. They are on revision -22 or something ridiculous of the OEM part. Good News! It's both! The coil pack on #1 cylinder is cracked, and the shop says there's oil likely leaking from the valve cover gaskets.
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Feb 10, 2024 02:23
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