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jad73 · Joined: 19 Jun 2003 Posts: 71 Location: Maine

The engine completely dies when shifted into reverse... Any Ideas?

welder · Joined: 16 May 2003 Posts: 158 Location: cumberland,maine

Do you have a standard or automatic? Is it dying electricly, or is it stalling. If its a standard,and you anticipate its an electric problem really the only thing is the back-up light wire. Even if they were shorted I don,t expect it would shut down the car. Do you shift then try to back and it then stalls. or is it at the moment that you make the shift and without moving, it stalls. Does the car appear to be "frozen out" of reverse or will it shift no problem. I guess what I'm saying is we need some more info to work with. A very different problem...hhmm.
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I have a 78 n\a currently under restoration.

Paul · Posted: Wed Jun 09, 2004 10:15 am Post subject:

Check the grounds for both the fuel pump(s) and the backup lights.

jad73 · Joined: 19 Jun 2003 Posts: 71 Location: Maine

It is a manual transmission and it dies while engaging into reverse. The battery light brightens and the bars drop to 0. The car isnt moving at all during the time it quits.. The clutch is still engaged. It only has one fuel pump as i am running dual webers.

CMXXXI · Joined: 05 Nov 2002 Posts: 1939 Location: Vicksburg, MS

Welder is right, all that is electric on the transmission is the backup light switch, and it is mechanically actuated by a little plunger riding on one of the shift fork shafts. Do the backup lights come on when put into reverse? Engine running or not, as long as the ignition is on, they should light up. Sounds almost like something has been mis-wired. Try pulling whatever fuse protects the backup light circuit and see if that has any effect.
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'79 Eurospec 931

jad73 · Joined: 19 Jun 2003 Posts: 71 Location: Maine

Yeah its really weird.... Yes the backups do work when the car isnt started (ignition on). It worked last summer and I havent changed anything.... Maybe my battery is so weak that it cant power the ignition and the backups at the same time... maybe thats the problem with everything else too... dunno... getting frustrated and about ready to sell

I could use a truck anyways...hehe

1982Porsche924 · Joined: 14 Nov 2002 Posts: 679 Location: Cupertino, CA

A weak battery could very well be the problem, since it is taking a lot of the charge away from the alternator. Unhook the battery, and use jumper cables from a good battery (or put the good battery in). This should make a big different. With my dead battery, my 924 was running on 3 cylinders because it was taking so much power from the alternator. This could be part of all your electrical problems!
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1979 Porsche 924 "S"
Engine: Euro pistons, Light Flywheel, Weber TB, Bursch Header, Cam Wheel
Suspension: Front coil-overs, adj sways, Solid bush. Thicker tors. bars, 5-bolt, BBS rims
Body: Fiberglass widebody kit, 931 Nose

Duncan · Posted: Fri Jun 11, 2004 9:27 pm Post subject:

I dont know if this is of any help to you, but I had the following
problem:
My alternator/startingmotor cable, you know the one with the three
piece connector near the battery, was completely disintegrated
due to the exhaust heat and
made some kind of mild short. When I would turn the ignition key into
the off position, the engine would keep on running. However, when
I put the gear in reverse ( while holding the clutch down) the
engine would stop!!! I had to do this procedure to cut off the engine
over the short period before I had a new cable.

I now have a new cable installed and everything is fine, but I was very
surprised at this strange effect of putting the car in reverse...
Also you could not see how bad the cable was from under the hood,
it only became clear after it was removed.

Good luck,

Duncan

jad73 · Joined: 19 Jun 2003 Posts: 71 Location: Maine

Thats exactly what mine is doing... The Battery light is on now too and when i shift into reverse it becomes brighter... I will check that out tonight when i get home. Thanks.