Hooked up Battery wrong - blew alternator? Selling as Roller

I hooked up the battery wrong. Smelled burning wires...I ended up realizing the mistake, fixed it, and the car started up fine. It was idling for about 3-5 minutes, and it stalled. I have not been able to get it started since. It got towed to a shop and they were unwilling to even begin diagnosing the issue, due to the wires involved and the potential time it could take. Anyone have an experience with this? I was thinking they could replace the fuse, replace the alternator, and I'd be on my way. They made it seem like this could run into 10's of hours. Are they insane, or is that potentially true? Long story short, I have a 2000 Black Coupe, with Sunroof, with an engine that runs great, minus the slight knocking sound. Car has numerous updates, but paint could use a detail, and rims have some wear on them. I do not want to spend a single dollar more on the car, and need to sell it quick. I want to sell it as-is, especially if it's going to cost $1K+ to fix my battery/alternator issue. This car went from being the love of my life, to being my worst enemy, in the matter of two weeks. I'd still sell the car, even if it was in good shape, because the money is going towards a home purchase. I'm just going to get much less money for it than I would have originally hoped for. Any idea's or recommendations?

Wow electric's is my weak spot too, seems like you have to find a electrician buyer ideally. Maybe better to get a PPI now from a mechanic that can check for bore scoring or other cause for the knocking sound.

So sorry to hear this. Has it been scoped and confirmed for bore scoring?

Just to be clear, you mean you connected the black cable (negative) to the positive terminal of the battery? If so, it means the burning smell was the result of you shorting the battery directly to the ground system of the car. I don't know the design of the electrics on the car but i don't think there is any built in safety (like a fuse) for that type of mistake. Generally speaking, you applying the full capacity of the batter to all the ground system and most likely the first wires to overheat and blow are the smallest gauge wires (unless there is something built in to the circuit to prevent such a back flow of current. I guessing that's why they are hesitant to dig into such a job, especially if they aren't knowledgeable about the circuits of the car. Anyway to you question, I think if you search on the forum you will find numbers for a roller around $5 or $6K although I get the impression that they are getting harder to find so maybe it's also a waiting game.

First thing i would do is pay $2-300 and have it bore scoped to confirm its scoring. Next thing i would do is buy a multineter and learn to use it. Some time and patients can go a long way debugging electrical. I dont think 10hrs would be out of line, but testing and swapping an alt is not to difficult so u can start there for a couple hundred dollars.

There is such a differential in price between a healthy car and not. I think I would spend the money on: 1. Determining if there is bore score. If the engine is otherwise healthy then, 2. fix the charging issue.

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I'm not sure you've through this through fully. Reversing the cables is bad, yes, but for your scenario to be true there would need to be power at the other end of all those ground wires. The problem is that the current flow was reversed, not overloaded...which creates a similar sort of problem.

The fact that you reversed (attached properly) the cables, started the car, and then idled for 3-5 minutes tells me whatever it is cannot be extremely serious.....IF the car would have not started after "fixing" the cables I would be more concerned.....it takes a skilled tech to go thru a wiring diagram and troubleshoot.......I just have one question right now, when you say you cannot get it started...I assume the car cranks normally but does not start...right? I would be checking every fuse as a start............

Unless you have some weird aftermarket cables in the car, it�s not even possible to reverse the positive and negative leads. They simply won�t reach... I�m smelling bs here...🙄

I've seen several cars hooked up backwards,, They survived, you may have toasted one of the system control modules,, but that's not terminal +5 on getting a bore scope and looking.. Check all the fuses. The alt is likely fine ,, its a rectifier,, they don't pass current the wrong way.. But its possible it back fed the windings, but that would make itself very obvious.. They would be black. Flashlight and a cell camera see if you can see though the cooling vents..

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Perhaps he put the battery itself in backwards.

OP, depending on price of the car, I'd be willing to cover the inspection for bore scoring and purchase the car. I am local in Southern MA Feel free to post or PM me some pics and such

What is the charge status of the battery? Does it turn over or just click? Hooking up a battery backwards can smoke the diodes on the alternator. The car may have idled on whatever charge was left on the battery, then stalled when the battery voltage got too low. If battery charge is still good, that debunks this theory. But if the battery is low, you probably need a new alternator.

I�d be interested in it as-is at roller price. Rollers typically go for $4k-7k. PM me if you�re ready to sell it. I�ll need you to store it until I could arrange shipping. I once repaired a customer�s car that was hooked up backwards. It required a new ECU and about 40 hours of labor. Lots of melted wires. I wouldn�t quote a repair charge, I just asked how many hours they wanted me to put in maximum, with no promises that it would run even then. It was a nightmare. If I�m lucky, it might just be the alternator. That�s what I�m willing to bet, but if it requires more, I�ll eat the time involved.

Probably blew one of the 80 amp fusible links in the power distribution box. I would start there since that is the main power distribution panel for everything else.

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It has been scoped at the top of the cylinders and they confirmed there's some wear. I don't remember the exact words but the mechanic said it will lead to full on bore scoring most likely. But for now, it shows no symptoms, besides the knocking sound, which you cannot hear that well outside of the car. I heard it sitting in the vehicle and also when i used a stethescope.

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After it stalled, I could not get it to crank at all. Roadside service hooked up a jump pack, and it cranked but did not turn over. The car was sitting for 30 mins and the alternator was extremely hot...I'm not sure if that means anything or not.

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Besides the normal fusebox in the footwell, I'm hearing that there's another location of fuses elsewhere in the car. I cannot find out the exact location of these fuses, or what purpose they serve. Does anyone know anything about that?

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Thanks for your helpful advice, detective. I knew my battery was on its way out, but drove to the car wash and it seemed fine. However, it would not start back up again, so I walked a mile to the autozone down the street, and I popped the new battery in. It's not about how long the cables are. My old battery had the name and logo of the battery facing the front of the car, and i put the new battery in with the name and logo facing the same way as the old one, without double checking. This was wrong and the battery should have been installed the other way around. I was in a rush and made a bonehead mistake. I can't stand when people like you are trying to poke holes in a person's story about asking for help with their car. What purpose are you serving? This is a devastating issue to me, and other people that have big problems with their car. It's stressful and costs thousands of dollars, and you want to say it's BS. Why would someone lie about hooking up a battery wrong? And why are you trying to call people like me a liar?

Power distribution box (like I said ^^) #16 in the first diagram- behind carpet and padding passenger footwell on the front "firewall". It is a black box and has fusible links in it.

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I'm not sure what the charge status is. After the car stalled, I got no power at all inside the vehicle and it was totally dead. With a charger hooked up to it, it would crank, but not turn over. The car was sitting for about 30 mins after all of this, in 25 degree weather, and the alternator was burning hot. I'm fairly handy with my car and maintenance, but I know nothing about electric issues and don't know where to begin. I could easily replace the alternator, but the shop i took it too made it seem like it was much more severe than that.

Joe, thank you!!!

If the alternator was that hot, it could have overcharged and boiled the battery and cooked some other circuits too. Sell it to the first person that offers around $5K.

I really appreciate everyone's thoughts and advice.....I have a couple questions if anyone can help me out. 1.) What's worst case scenario here? --Some people seem to say it could be just a fuse, or perhaps it needs a new alternator. I can easily replace the alternator, but it seemed like there was more damage than just that. Maybe I should at least give it a shot? After what I did to the battery, do I need a new battery also? --TexSquirrel mentioned that he had a similar issue on his car, and it needed a new ECU and 40 hours of labor. This seems to be in line with what the mechanic told me. On a sidenote, I don't know this mechanic, but he is a Porsche guy and formerly worked at the local Porsche dealer in my area. I don't trust him yet, but i have no reason to not believe what he was telling me. I figured if it was just an alternator, he could've easily tested that and told me that's what it needs. He called me and told me he added a battery pack to jump it and he could immediately smell burning wires. That's when he called and said this could turn into a nightmare and asked me how i wanted to proceed. They did not spend much time on it. I'm meeting with him again today to get it towed back to my house. --Let's assume i did fry the wires and it is worst case scenario, why is it such a big deal to fix this? I know nothing about electrical issues, but wouldn't it just be a couple cables from the battery to the alternator? I know this is a pipe dream, but why can't i replace those cables and be on my way? 2.) Regarding the bore-scoring issue - I don't have 100% confirmation that it's bore scoring, but I'm pretty sure that's what it is. The mechanic scoped it from the top of the cylinder and noticed different wear patterns (or whatever specific words he said), and that it will most likely be a bigger issue down the road. At the moment, the car runs smooth. I can faintly hear a knocking sound while sitting in the cabin, but it's not very noticeable outside the vehicle unless you get right under the car and listen for it. Either way, I'm not spending more money on diagnosing this. I'm selling it with the assumption that it has bore scoring. Think of it as a roller that can potentially drive thousands more miles before anything needs to be done to it. There's no need to confirm the bore scoring in that case. If best case scenario (although unlikely) was that it's NOT bore scoring, then I won't be selling it at a roller price. Am I missing anything? Anything else I should be thinking of? Again, thanks everyone for all your help and support...You're all the best and you know the bind that I'm in. It sucks. Three years ago, a month after I bought this car, the engine fried due to coolant leaking into the cylinders.....So in 30K miles of ownership, two engines have been toasted on me. I'll never buy a used Porsche again, without a warranty. Carmax is the way to go....I couldn't even enjoy driving it anymore, listening for every little noise, extremely paranoid about another $10K repair bill.

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Imo, what does that mean? If other circuits were cooked, i'm assuming that'd be a big repair bill? Is there an easy way to check and verify what exactly was done, without spending hours of labor? I'm personally not comfortable using a voltage meter, or how to diagnose electrical issues.

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Could be melted and shorted wires or just fried circuit boards in some modules. Since you we can't see electrons flowing, it will be time consuming to systematically go through the car to try finding where the issues are. Then again, you could get lucky and only blown a fuse. Sorry but there is no simple answer when it comes to guessing how much this will cost.

Im not sure how else we can help u. If your not willing to learn how to diagnose electrical issues then u will have to pay someone to do it. It could be as easy as a fuse, alt or even a fried new battery but it can be more. Get comfortable with a multimeter at this point u have nothing to loose.

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This is a great diagram to start...ALL of those high capacity fuses MUST be checked as a start to a diagnosis.....

I replaced the battery in my 99 996 on Sunday and initially installed it backwards. Fortunately I realized the error before hooking up the cables.

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Yes, get it towed back to your house.....lets assume for now that all high capacity distribution fuses are blown...start there...lets get a nice multimeter

Many people are intimidated by electricity. But, there really is no need to be. In simple terms, think of electricity like an energy drink flowing through your car. Get a multimeter and read the directions on how to set it to the DC scale. Touch the red probe to the "+" post on the battery and the black probe to the "-" terminal. You should see around 12.6 volts on a charged battery. That's the energy drink can for your car. Now, just start working your way from there. Check the fuses as others have mentioned. If you aren't sure if they are good or not, pull them out and use the ohmmeter function to test them. There are plenty of youtube videos explaining how to do it. If a fuse is bad, that energy drink can't get to other parts of the car until that fuse is replaced. You won't have the expertise to troubleshoot DME problems. But, sometimes you can solve seemingly impossible electrical issues by just testing the basics.

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"in my opinion"

Bore scoring starts at the bottom from what I understand, if it was seen from the top then your motor has issues.. Can you post pictures of the car's rough spots.

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Oh jeezzzz... A) I never called you a "liar"... I said I smell BS - ie: your "story" - People have all kind of reasons why they tell "stories" - not necessarily lies, but not reality either. I'll take you at your word, but recommend that you find someone local to help you out with your mechanical skills. B) I've actually "tried" (not purposely) to hook my battery up backwards and it didn't work - the cables didn't reach the posts... Hence my BS call! If you use a "proper battery" (per mfr's spec.) you can't hook it up backwards because the cables won't reach...

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Not in this case. It's some sort of a short version of my first name.

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He probably got an "R" battery where the posts are reversed. For example, there is a group 26 battery and a group 26R battery. Look the same except the positive and negatives posts are reversed. I'd say the OP didn't know that and bought the wrong one. So, it's easy to do if you didn't know that little tidbit. And, it's not like most FLAPS guys know enough to help you, either.

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Do tell

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Bill, is user name is IMO000....I called him "IMO"

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Correct, if there is a little scoring on top, it isn�t just starting, it is critical.

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I wanted to know his real name...

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Imre

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Swedish?

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Thanks, it's nice to know who we all are.

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Hungarian.

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Jay, don't feel bad sir. I've almost did the same thing on one of my Porsches. I was tired. The car wouldn't start and the battery was the culprit. Went to the auto parts store and bought another battery. Got home, wasn't paying attention and seated the battery backwards. Started to hook it up and noticed my mistake just BEFORE connecting the positive terminal of the battery to the negative cable in the car. Whoooooosh. I jumped back and felt my heart drop. Knowing all the pains these cars cause us... All I could imagine was toasting the whole car or catching on fire or something. I quickly unconnected the positive cable from the neg terminal and rotated the battery and connected it right. I was that close!!!

We have all done stupid things while working cars. Those that admit them are now posting on the "Worst things you have done on your DIY" thread somewhere in the 996 section. Those that claims to never have done any stupid things are liars.

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Because deporto is a "insert your favorite derogatory term", as I have stated many times here.

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Uh oh my stalker �mr thin-skin� is back... Ok, you can crawl back under your rock now

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Come on Tex. Swedes carry their reindeer in the back seat. Hungarians have their horse there.

I feel Jaycote's pain and hope we will hear how his difficulties are resolved.

You could of built up carbon on ground from dead short, that negative goes to body ground and would of took battery out , and alternator getting hot was it from trying to charge discharging battery ,maybe check your main ground on engine and body. I was High voltage linemen /electrician for 20 years and seen crazy stuff , could be minor or like other said major. don’t beat yourself up , I’ve seen people cook them selfs , it’s only a electrical issue. good luck ,hope it’s minor

Holy scheiben klistier! This is a fun read. I need to get over here more often. Jaycote,buy your self a nice Fluke meter, https://www.fluke.com/ good batteries and turn it off after you measure and keep it inside a climate controlled area when not in use and it will be your friend forever. I've had fires in my old Porsche and the meter paid for itself time after time. You've gotten some great advice here with a diagram even! So start testing! No fear!

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Yes !! 996'ers are the most fun at Porsche events also !! Jaycote , hate to hear of your predicament, being around car dealerships for over 40 years I have seen that mistake many many times. The car salesmen trying to help out ( when the shop is slammed) or in a hurry show a car that has been sitting for a while, or the "lot boy" who is charged with keeping the cars cleaned and cranked periodically, Usually the damage is minimal, but the newer the car, the more sensitive it to reversed polarity. But even on the newest of cars it's usually no more than a radio, CD changer, a few fuses or maybe a control unit, I have never seen a car "totaled" by reversed polarity.Good luck with your outcome..

Been there, done that. Didn’t close driver glass at fall storage. Reversed polarity on my mustang. At first, I thought just the radio fuse. Come spring, car would not charge. Changed alternator. Nope. Still didn’t charge. Ended up being external voltage regulator.

I'm surprised the car started with the polarity reversed... Although in your defence the cables look very similar - I always check the negative is coming from the body of the car. Like everyone has said - bore scoring - bad - reverse polarity - not good

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Hey Dan, the car didn't start while it was reversed. I hooked it up correctly, after I realized my mistake. And it ran fine, and it was idling for 4-5 minutes with no issues. It then stalled, and the gauges were frozen in place. The temp gauge froze in place and RPM's were frozen on 750 RPM's, even though it was no longer running or had any power. This is another thing that has me confused. If I truly fried everything when I hooked it up wrong, why would it start and run fine for a few minutes, after I corrected the mistake, only to have it die on me and then not be able to start? My Mechanic hooked up the jumper pack again to it yesterday, in an effort to close my window, and he was able to close it. However, he said he immediately smelled burning wires. I'm having the car towed home on Friday, and I'm going to see what I can do. I'm going to check those fuses that some of you guys have pointed out. Some of you have said to check the grounding wires, but I'm not sure what those look like, or what a "bad" ground wire would look like? Am I literally looking for burnt out blackened wires, or melted wires? Will I be able to visually see it, or do I need to be testing all of these wires with a voltage reader?

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Am I literally looking for burnt out blackened wires, or melted wires?... yes....look at ALL wires...not only ground wires. Will I be able to visually see it.... if they are burnt bad enough...yes, you should see melting (or melted) insulation do I need to be testing all of these wires with a voltage reader?... .you will not be measuring voltage...you will be measuring "continuity" or "resistance" on the wire....which should be 0 ohms or almost 0 (milliohms) "If I truly fried everything when I hooked it up wrong, why would it start and run fine for a few minutes, after I corrected the mistake, only to have it die on me and then not be able to start?"...... that is exactly what I am thinking also....it ran for a few minutes, I assume several (fuses, voltage regulator?, other component?) got stressed out by the reverse polarity and failed.....I had a similar case on another car....the voltage regulator in the alternator failed while idling...voltage went all over the place, burning a few fuses, burning smell and car shut off.....after replacing the alternator, a few fuses and a cable at the alternator, everything was fine. That was a best case scenario, your case may be different, BUT you will not know UNTIL you do investigative work.....

Since he smelt burnt wires, you will need to try testing with the battery disconnected. You don't want to do more damage than already exists. You will see the wires that are melted when you get to them but they might be hidden and not easily visible.

R u anywhere near Philly, im always up for a weird electrical problem. I guess im weird like that. I find it a challange to repair difficult problems. If your not maybe there is a member near u that can lend a hand.

Here's a tutorial on the basic use of a meter: https://www.freeautomechanic.com/wir...blems%206.html

I think it started the first time because the wires were still hot and perhaps did not melt into each other....yet then later after turning off the hot wires melted the wire casing and shorted when you tried to start later. lets see some pics of the wires when you get it home. when are you buying the house and need the money?

Ahh I see I see, yes this is going to be a difficult problem. I'd personally start making a list of what works and what doesn't. Sounds like your cluster might be fried as well if the gauges are stuck in time. I'd get to someone with an advanced OBD2 reader - or best case a PIWIS1/2/3 and start seeing if you can communicate with the modules - ECU/Alarm etc. You can test most systems with the PIWIS and you can also test the cluster as well.

Before you see what is and isn't working you need to check your fuses ,all the fuses. Make notes to which fuses are open ,and pull the fuse out to make sure the blades are good and test it with ohmmeter.When all your fuses are tested and replace bad ones ,see what circuits the open fuses control.Also do a non intrusive visual inspection for distorted ,melted ,wires and connectors. Then test ground circuits for continuity to ground.You will need a wire schematic to find these. When fuses are good do not start it but do key on engine off self test with durametric or similar tester,record all codes and any freeze frame data also.Test each system for codes air bag,ecm,inst cluster ,etc .After codes are noted ,clear codes and retest again record any codes you get on retest.When you record the codes list them with respective system ecm,all modules and systems.This will give you an idea of what circuits or systems to look at first .Follow diagnostic routines and record your data and circuits tested,this will give you a direction to see whats damaged.More then likely when you get these tests done and tests pass ,you can see if it starts and runs then perform your self tests of all systems .If crank no start hit shop manual perform diag tests. You most likely damaged the voltage regulator and poss alternator ,test that with volt/amp meters.When you test circuits make clear legible notes and diag routines performed.There isn't really a easy way to find out what got damaged,just process of elimination . Also the fluke meter is recognized as one of the best but you can do same tests with a craftsman meter at a fraction of the price of a fluke.As long as it reads digital amps,ohms,volts it should work. I would see what these tests show before you sell it.Good luck

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I wish I was near Philly! Very cool of you to offer your help....I'm located in Rhode Island

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I'll check back in with you guys once the car is home and I can take my time, checking things out. I still have no clue what I'm doing with the wires, but we'll see what I can do, You guys have sent me alot of good information to get me started, so we'll see how far i can take it. . Once I get the cash from my car, I'm buying the house. I honestly don't think I'm going to be able to do much with this issue, unless it's an obvious fix. I'd be comfortable replacing the alternator, if that would help fix my issue.

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Dan the gauges were initially stuck when the car stalled. When the tow truck guy hooked up the battery pack, the gauges reset and there was power in the car, but it would not crank over, and the burning wire smell would begin.

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Why hook it up and try to start it again? Just made things worse...

[QUOTE=Jaycote; there was power in the car, but it would not crank over, and the burning wire smell would begin.[/QUOTE] Gotta be a fuse. As others have said, start here.

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Do modern fuses give off a scent? I've never smelt one as they just seem to pop. Wires melt and give off a distinct odder.

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Where in Rhode Island are you? In the midst of a full rebuild in Westerly. Could lend a hand (and a multimeter) over the holidays.

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I've seen some cheap Chinese fuses melt and deform but they never smell like burnt wire insulation. This car has more than just a fuse problem. By connecting the batter tor check the fusees will keep melting the insulation and create bigger problems than it already exists. Sounds to me that the OP doesn't know how to handle this and isn't comfortable doing it either so best would be to not to do anything with the battery connected or else this will end in a disaster. If the insulation is burning with the battery connected then the problem of the smell is't a blown fuse.

Im always up for a road trip but dont think i could make my way up to RI for a couple months . The burning could still just be the voltage regulator. It all depends on where the smell is coming from. The vr is one of the few unprotected circuits. Most every thing else is relay/fuse protected. Im betting its the vr/alt or something in the main distribution center (as mentioned earlier). He could have also hurt the brand new battery. An internally shorted bat can wreak havok on the charging system. First thing i would do is pull the bat and have it tested. Quick story from last weekend: My friends dodge truck with 2 bats started having charging issues. Figured by miles we should change the alt and soon as we fired it up the voltage was reading over 17v on one bat and 11.5 on the other. We pulled the 17v bat quickly as it got hot ans started swelling. Once disconnected the charging system acted normal.

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Hey Yaz, I live in Providence but the car is at my fathers house, down in Coventry. About 5 minutes from the Walmart/Bj's plaza. If you want some beer and want to take a look, i have about 10 days off around XMAS also. Thank you!

I'm sorry for the large pictures....I don't know how to re-size. Here's where I'm at so far....I looked at the alternator and half of the copper wires are black, so I'm assuming my alternator is fried. I'm willing to buy a new one and install it, and hope for the best, but only if there's a chance that it'll help solve my issue. The goal is for me to sell this car in the next 4 weeks or so.....so I want to make sure I'm spending my time trying to fix the right things, and keeping my costs down. 1.) Alternator needs to be replaced...Do you guys agree? If so, is there any chance that a new alternator and battery and fuse could fix this, or no? The mechanic I talked to said no, but he didn't spend much time on the car either. They tried to jump it and smelled burning wire, and stopped. 2.) I keep reading that there's a voltage regulator...is that connected to the alternator itself? If not, where exactly is it? 3.) I've read online, and some of you guys have also told me that there's a secondary fuse box in the car. I've read online that it's behind the back seat, on the drivers side. I've also read that it's behind the firewall in the passenger footwell. I pulled the carpeting down in the footwell of the passenger side and I didn't see anything that looks like a fuse box to me. I pulled some carpeting in the trunk and didn't see an obvious fusebox in there either. If anyone could help me pinpoint exactly where this thing is, i'd really appreciate it. A picture or diagram of the actual location would help me too. 4.) I have to admit that I have no clue what I"m doing when it comes to tracing wires and using a voltage regulator. I have an aftermarket amp/sub/radio installed by the PO, and there's a **** ton of wires, all over the place. Many of them are covered in plastic tubing, and I'm not comfortable ripping everything apart. You guys have been helpful explaining it to me, but I still have no idea what i'm looking at or what wires are for the battery and which ones are not. I've taken some pictures of some of the wiring that I looked at, but I don't think it's helpful. If wiring is my issue, then I'm not going to repair it...I'll sell it as is. If it's anything else, that I could repair myself, then i'm down to do it. 5.) There's a large fuse near the battery, and I'm assuming it's for the stereo system. It looked good to me, so I did not replace it. Also, on the drivers side, in the trunk, you can see where I'm holding a plastic clip that's not attached to anything. I don't know what it's for, and I cannot find anything near it that it should plug into. I'm assuming this has nothing to do with my situation, but I just wanted to point it out. Does anything in those pictures mean anything to anyone?

First, get the battery tested. Then check all your fuses in the footwell on the left. Make note if any are popped.

The next step for u should to remove the alt and the battery, take them to your local parts store and have them tested. If bad then replace. I think with your level of comfort for wiring thats as far as u go on your own. Hopefully u can get help over your xmas holiday. yes the voltage regulator is the black plastic "box" on the back of the alt. In your case i would probably replace the whole thing.

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1.- Battery Connected...2.Power in Car....3.Before attempting to crank car, check if radio, headlights, wiper, windows, power locks, power seat work.... without attempting to start the car.... Questions: Did you check the large capacity fuses (and cables) in the distribution box....as recommended in a previous post? I would stop attempting to crank the car until I look around a little more.....as others have said...yes, you may take alternator off and have it tested at Autozone for free....and while it is out...look at the cables to the starter...which is somewhere near (or behind the alternator)..... Here is a link to the regulator on the alternator: Amazon Amazon

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no because he doesnt know where to look and he is gonna need help to diagnose. this is from my Bentley, hopefully it helps

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First off,don't assume anything and 2nd don't toss parts at it. This is a Porsche and parts add up. Making sure the battery is charged and in good condition (and that the cables are clean and are secured properly) is paramount. Use a multi - meter to check fuses (or a fuse tester) and follow instructions in a service manual on how to test the components involved with starting, running and charging. Once that is solved then you can address other issues with the vehicle.

Please send me a pm. Thanks.

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Buyer Beware! His first post has been edited and the motor has issues. You been warned!

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Did he take it off CL?

It is back on CL as of yesterday

Quotes source post: 16392867

Yep. He stopped replying to my PMs. He had the engine scoped and it has scoring

He's been on the Forum as of Friday.

Craigslist ad says $5500 I'd go offer 4500 and have it towed home He's not far from me

Quotes source post: 16393886

I'd pass...There's other rollers, one low mile c4S might be coming up soon.

I’d be tempted if it was closer to me, but 900 miles is just too far to drag home.

Quotes source post: 16393911

Interesting. Link?

Quotes source post: 16393988

I think the other possible electrical issues make it more risky than a typical roller.

He's in Rhode Island. https://rennlist.com/forums/market/1178862#post16372208

Quotes source post: 16394502

Definitely. Wiring harnesses issues can be repaired/replaced. The main concern I would have is that the DME is somehow fried. I suppose it could be repaired/replaced also, and then there�s potential key compatibility issues to contend with. Are all the hassles worth it to save this car and does it make financial sense? Quothing Dirty Harry, �are you feeling lucky?� Worst case, could you part it out and at least recoup the investment?

Quotes source post: 16394937

Definitely a "pig in a poke". The seller has shown that he can't be trusted so who knows what other sins are lurking? Transmission issues? Cooling problems? Clapped out suspension? Other electrical issues not even related to his electrical escapades? I'm a glutton for punishment when it comes to these cars, Lord knows. But, that one even scares me!,

Quotes source posts: 16394695, 16372208

Glad to see he's being honest now (unlike the CL ad) and has it priced more realistically.

Quotes source post: 16394937

You probably could make back the initial investment but it would most likely take a lot of time sitting on the parts

Quotes source post: 16394996

The Craigslist ad is basically the same unno

Quotes source post: 16395013

The original was not. Another member inquired and the owner failed to disclose any of the engine issues...

This thread should be retitled: "How to lower the value of your 996 intentionally or otherwise". The O.P. doesn't take into consideration that trust is part of buying an auto. "Believe but verify" is an old adage. Now that trust is out of the way, he should be able to receive as little money as he could from the very community that would most likey purchase his car. Beware unsuspecting buyers!

The car is also in the PCA classifieds still at the old price. In it, he mentions a “rod knock”. Not sure how accurate his description is, but IMO rod knock is more significant than bore score/piston slap. Turning down crank journals and undersized bearings is typically not an off the shelf option and new cranks are basically unobtainium. https://www.pca.org/classified-ad/340862

Maybe Jaycote should have made a claim with his insurance agency stating the car was struck by lightening.

Quotes source post: 16396097

No wonder 996's have gotten a bad reputation - There are just so many of these types of cars out there. People buy them because they're "cheap" and then can't afford to maintain them or fix them when they break. I wouldn't "venture" more than $4 or $5k on a car such as this - In the end if you want it done right, it's going to be a $20 -$30k car. In Jaycote's defense, he's got the car priced closer to where it belongs (still too high by about $2500 IMO), and he's only slightly opaque in his description...

Quotes source post: 16396097

You not undersizing but oversizing the bearings when the cranks is re ground to a smaller diameter. I would take a rod knock over a scored bored any day of the week.

Quotes source post: 16396372

Two ways of looking at the same situation. Fact remains that oversized bearings for an undersized crank are not typically available for these engines. Maybe it can/has been done as a one-off, but I�ve never seen it as a catalog item. I�d like to be proven wrong.

Instead of bearings you can go radical like this guy did.

A few of you guys have been very helpful and cool to talk to. Thank you for that. The rest of you......wow! is all i can say. I never thought I'd see the day when grown men are stalking me, trying to access my facebook profile, posting my personal details online, constantly checking to see where I live, when I'm online, and what my activity is, and just totally trashing a person based on an assumption that they created in their mind. I don't think I should need to explain myself, but I will. My car had a very unique set of circumstances going on with it, and I wanted to discuss it thoroughly in person, via phone, or via email. And that's exactly what was done. I didn't think i needed grown men to approve another grown man's vehicle and how they choose to discuss the vehicle with a potential buyer, but apparently I do...Otherwise, i get stalked and harassed if you don't approve of it. Every single person that inquired about the vehicle, including a couple of you phony's pretending to be a potential buyer, was told exactly what was going on, along with every single detail that I know. If you don't know the facts, stay out of it, because it's none of your business and you're spreading information that is not true, which is exactly what you're trying to prevent other people from doing.

@Jaycote so did you sell the car? I don�t see it on CL any more. Hopefully you did, and also hopefully the new owner will document the rebuild in this forum. I�d love to see this car have a happy ending and back on the road!

Quotes source post: 16396399

Pelican Parts sold the oversize main bearings for $1K/set, they were not one offs. BUT looks like they don't sell them anymore. The issues is not so much the oversize bearing but the proper treatment of the journals after they are re ground. Now it is also possible that the vendor that developed these bearings with the manufacturer put a stop to letting them sell it to anyone but them. So the "foil hat" in me is saying that they are no longer available to anyone but them.

The way I see it is that if someone needs a long winded explanation to tell why did something then, the chances are really good they did something wrong.

LN has recently started selling “reconditioned” cranks, no detail on what they actually do them, but most likely not undersized. Given their reputation, I’m confident it’s done properly. Not inexpensive and they only sell std. size bearings. https://lnengineering.com/products/c...rankshaft.html

I know a shop looking for a roller near NYC. PM me if you want to talk to him.

Quotes source post: 16396948

not everyone sees the world the same exact way as you do. Perhaps a person sees things differently than you? And a difference of opinion doesn�t give anyone the right to stalk and harass another person like a few of you have. It�s sickening.

Quotes source post: 16397083

I didn't stalk you or even go past this thread so don't throw me in that boat just yet. It' clear you were cover things up before and during the resale. Now maybe your judgement got the better of you or the nimrods that were stalking you...but at the end you did decided to come clean to the buyers. The important part is that people here don't want to see another poor dude get ripped of, like you did when you bought your car.

Quotes source post: 16396899

Car is sold and I�m sure a few of you will stalk him/her too; by looking up the VIN and contacting him/her. The buyer is aware of every detail...FYI. And so did every other potential buyer. I�m upset because one, or more, of you contacted family members of mine; through Facebook. Spreading lies about a man that you have nothing to do with, and creating a false narrative that you created in your head. It�s disgusting and I won�t recommend this forum to anyone ever again. I can�t believe what some of you are capable of.

Lots of weirdos that love their car on these Porsche forums.

Quotes source post: 16397140

@Jaycote I don�t know why you�re directing these comments at me. All my comments above are directed at the car, not the owner. I�ve never contacted you nor anyone associated with you on FB or anywhere else. Never directed personal attacks at anyone. In fact, I even said above that I�d be interested in buying the car if it wasn�t so far away. I�m glad you sold it and wish the new owner the best luck, hopefully getting it back on the road.

Quotes source posts: 16397213, 16397264

There are a lot of weird people out there and the internet gives them a lot of access to information. We had an issue in a local FB group were a member went into one of the admin's businesses and threatened physical harm to them and the police had to be involved. All over a post in a small town FB group. That being said the ad was misleading and could have been a significant mistake for someone. It seems to have been rectified but contacting the owner's family is honestly crossing the line.

Quotes source post: 16397340

I totally agree. All in saying is it wasn�t me and I don�t appreciate anyone insinuating it was. I don�t even have a FB account.

J you're welcome for the time that I had placed helping you with your problem but I suspect all of our efforts to help you were for naught. So this thread is a lesson to the rest of us: 'if it has a moronic title then expect the original post to be moronic.'

Quotes source post: 16397140

If true, that is ridiculous. This place has a bit of a mob mentality with a few members.

Quotes source post: 16398427

Yup but the OP did some fukery to get these people to go after him.

Quotes source post: 16397140

^^^ Bummer ^^^ Unfortunately, this is the world we live in. I rarely if ever open my FB page anymore (or anyone else's for that matter). I hate that F'kn place... In any case, I hope you got what you needed to get out of it - and the buyer as well. It's too bad you had such a negative Porsche experience. I think the one thing we all have in common here, is that we've always dreamed of owning one of these (hopefully) amazing cars for ourselves. When the dream turns into a nightmare, the marque loses a bit of luster in all our eyes...