Automatic spoiler extension question

I've got a '99 C2 Cabriolet and as a Christmas present to myself I recently installed a dash mounted indicator light that flashes as the rear spoiler is either being extended or retracted, and stays on solid when the spoiler is fully extended. Since doing this I've learned that the spoiler extends at 50 mph and retracts at 25mph. I'd like to change these number to something a little higher (like extend at 75 mph and retract at 50), anybody know if this is possible? Thanks Keith

The spoiler extends at 75mph and retracts at 37mph, these are factory settings.

Keith, I would have somebody follow you and you will discover that the tail raises at 72 and lowers at 37. Something seems off with your dash light you installed. What idd you use as a source to signify up or down?

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The kit tied into the extend and retract signals on the blue connector of the instrument cluster (pins 12 and 25), the spoiler extended signal (pin 9 on the white connector of the instrument cluster), then ground and an ignition source from the black connector). I haven't had a chance to have someone follow me to verify, but I can say that I get the same response from the LED when I use the manual switch on the fuse panel. That would lead me to believe that the LED is telling me the truth...

Keith, I have that same indicator on my 2000 996. But I also installed the turbo dash switch to operate the spoiler. I get indications of raising and lowering just as Dell says, up at 72 and down at 37. One thing of interest with the dash mounted switch is I noticed that if the car is moving and I touch the spoiler switch it will raise or lower with just the one push, I don't have to hold down the button. Now if the car is not moving I must hold down the button for it to complete its travel. Don't know why your speed signal numbers are different than they should be. Those sound like speed numbers for a 993 or 964. JIM

As Jim pointed out, your numbers sound like a pre-996 parameter. Have somebody follow you and report on the approx up and down of the spoiler.

Feeling lazy this morning... Can the switch/light kit be found at suncoast or elsewhere?

Order the following: 996.613.155.00 **no light though** you can order another switch (footwell light) like the following to get lights: 996.613.980.00

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There is a kit I have seen on ebay which has a light and it flashes when the spoiler is extending (and retracting I believe), and on solid when the spoiler is fully extended. I have no experience with it other than seeing it on ebay. The parts tha Dell gave are actual switches if you want to relocate your spoiler extend/retract button from the fuse panel to the dash. You could probably make your own indicator with the right switch.

You don't relocate it Don. Both of my switches work (both the factory one by the fuse panel and the one I installed). Although I can say that I haven't had to use the switch by the fuse panel in years

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You're absolutely right Dell, they work in parallel. I just worded it that way since once you add a switch to the dash, you will most likely never use the one in the fuse panel.

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Those are the correct pins for the spoiler for a MY 99. Have you verified they are in the correct positions? Where is your ground connected?

You should be able to see the spoiler come up in your rear-view mirror / looking over your shoulder. Mine (2000 C2) comes up at 75mph and drops at 37mph. This is shown somewhere in the owner's manual.

It is on p.50 "Automatic Control: The rear spoiler automatically extends at approximately 75mph/120kmh and retracts at approximately 37mph/60kmh" **looks like I hit the 2 instead 5 on my number pad in my previous posting about the speed**

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The spoiler is not visible in a cab through the rear view mirror.

Sad face is right. Looks like you guys miss out on having the wife wave at the spoiler and say "Hello!"

I have a newb question, what happens if you are on the track, go 75 mph + down the straights and in some tight corners go slower than 37 mph? Does the wing just go up and down while you are on the track? Is there any way to keep the wing up? Maybe press the button to get the wing up and pull the fuse?

IIRC, it you extend the spoiler manually (with the switch), it will stay extended until you retract it manually.

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Yep, it will lock it in the raised position until you manually lower it. Pretty easy to tell if someone's been having fun when you see their parked 911's spoiler raised.

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Or, you turn off and restart the engine.

I had someone follow me today and I can now verify that my spoiler is indeed extending at 50 mph and lowering at 25 mph, so the LED is telling the truth. So, back to my original question: Does anyone know if these values can be changed? The only thing that I can think of that could have caused my speeds to not be correct is that I replaced the instrument cluster with a brandnew one (I had an Indy reprogram the cluster with the correct mileage and features). Not sure if this could have something to do with it.

Thanks for the tips! I may well give it a go. It's a wonder nobody has thought to put the indicator light right on the spoiler switch. That would seem to make a lot of sense, no?

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I know that it is not user configurable, but I am not sure if someone with a PST2 or PIWIS has the ability to change the values in the cpu directly. Might want to ask on Renntech.org, Loren is familiar with this equipment and may be a better source.

Very odd that it rasies and lowers at those speeds. Almost sounds like an incorrect DME in the car? Not sure if that is even possible.

I'm pretty sure It's not programmable even with Porsche tools. A lot of ppl ask about lowering the speed at which it raises so they can look cool on the highway without breaking the speed limit. I've never heard of a solution other than moving the manual switch to the dash. I'm wondering if your light kit didn't have something to do with the speed change. Where'd you get it? How's it wired?

Sorry, I just reread the thread. I don't remember what the speed signal pin is but if your kit tied into that, then I'd guess it's 'manually' raising and lowering the spoiler at those speeds and overriding the factory speeds. Why else would an indicator light need to know how fast you're going?

I have no idea what wire you used to read the speed signal, but I always use a direct feed from PIN 80 of the DME. Obviously the siinal you are getting from the wire you are reading reaches a level need to activate the spoiler relay. Easy solution is to install a resistor on the wire which will not allow the spoiler to open until a higher speed.

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this guy did it and he's been selling this for awhile... its a good idea for troubleshooting purpose... http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Spoil...QQcmdZViewItem

That's the exact kit that I bought... and the connections are tied to the movement of the spoiler (extend, retract and extended signals) not the speed signal. I'll see if I can find out the answer over on the renntech site and let everyone know what I find out. Thanks Keith

Sweet, thanks!

How does Porshe change the setting between US and German versions? A resistor?

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There should be no difference between a US model and a Euro model when it comes to deployment speeds. My 997 one goes up at a real 75 mph (indicated 77.8 mph). I use a smooth sided black truck to confirm the spoiler position!

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Wow. Sounds like your speedo is way off -td

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I don't think that is true. I had read that German version is set at a higher speed. In the US they had to lower it to 75MPH, otherwise the wing would never come up.

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I run the European DME and it is the same.

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Good to know. Thanks.

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A perhaps noob like question - As per another thread, I'll be going to see a couple of C4S's next week and the week after - I've just had some high res photo's sent of the inside of one of them - but do not see any switch to manually raise / lower the spoiler? Where is it (or, is it an option which apparently I won't have?)... Regards, Gary.

It's down by your ankle on the fuse panel. Some ppl add a switch on the dash. It's not difficult or expensive.

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Thanks, appreciate it That's another box ticked and out of the way! Gary.

I've ordered this but have not yet opened the box. How much of a pain was the install?

It's not that bad at all to install. The only problem that I had was that the wire colors specified in instruction for the extending and retracting signals did not match what my car actually had. It would have been helpful if the instruction referenced the pin #'s of each connector. I have the full manual so I figured it out from the wiring diagrams. If your familiar with how the instrument cluster is removed, I'd say that you can do the entire install in about 30 minutes.

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Not on my car...if I raise it manually, just restarting the car does not lower the spoiler. Found this out after washing the car with the spoiler up.

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You have to break the 75mph again for that to happen. Just turning off and then on the car doesn't do it.

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Statman, if you didn't use "Mobile water" in your car, I am sure your spoiler would also retract after the next restart!

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I finally had a chance to take my car in and have the spoiler looked at. Using the PST2, the spoiler was recoded and is now working properly (extends at 75 and lowers at 37. All at no charge to me.

Great! Thanks for the follow up.

Can you elaborate a little on what happened? Did it just need to be recoded with newer software? Is it possible to pick specific speeds? I designed a circuit that lets you adjust the extend and retract speeds. It works on the bench, I just haven't had time to install it yet. Thanks,

I picked this car up at a local auction with a bad motor and restored it. Beside the engine issues, the LCD on the odometer was also all washed out. So part of my restoration of the car included putting in a new instrument cluster. I had an indy reprogram the cluster. It wasn't until I added the LED before I learned that the tail was functioning at different speeds (which is when I started this thread). I discussed the issue with my local Indy as well as this site and Renntech.org, but no one seemed to have seen this before. I let me Indy take a look at it and in the end what he wrote on the service ticket is what I know (he reprogrammed the spoiler), I'm assuming this had something to do with the cluster programming (since I wasn't charged anything, but not sure, didn't get a chance to talk with my Indy).

2001 996 C2 DASH CLUSTER REMOVED, REPLACED COMPLETE BURN OUT OF CIRCUIT BOARD REPLACED CLUSTER WITH ANOTHER SAME AGAIN. DESPERATE

Holy WTF Batman!

I found the item on eBay again, took a bit of searching around, it is here: LINK TO EBAY LISTING If I get this right, this is just an indicator, not a switch, correct?

Would be cool to link it to that warning light that comes on when you first start the car - the spoiler check light. Or, it might be too distracting to have a red light come on just when you get going on a track, etc. As for spoilers that deploy at wrong speeds, I bet Porsche would fix that free, since the spoiler is a safety item, not just cool looking!