I seem to recall another 944 spec driver mentioning that you can't simply cut all the excess wires out in the late model cars. The reason being that apparently a lot of the wires are connected to critical components, and cutting them out will create shorts. Can anyone give me some advice as to which I should cut out and which I shouldn't?

This car has weird electrical issues too...something is causing the battery to drain, and I'm not sure what. Any advice as to how to figure that out? Also, some of the switches didn't work when they were in the car, i.e. the power windows, and nothing on the turn signal stalk works. (For the turn signals, it's just one connector right?) Could it be because something else is disconnected? The headlight switch also doesn't work, they will pop up but not illuminate. I think it's the switch because I checked the fuses and I checked the bulbs, both are fine. I'm sure I'll be removing this stuff anyway eventually, but for now I drive it on the street from time to time so I'd like it if they work.

No guru here.....

I was going to take the approach of having the car running, and just start cutting until the engine died, but was warned against that approach I've only removed stuff that I could identify, but still have a ton of extra wires behind the dash. I'm just learning to live with it !

I had very similar headlight issues (mine's an '87) and it turned out to be the bright switch on the turn signal stem. To get the car home the first time I had to shim that stem with a little flat piece of tin, so it would stay firmly in the "regular" position. That worked to get me home, and then I just kind of "massaged" the switches on the column, as I reinstalled them (from removing the ignition switch) and got them lined up better. A little jiggling should let you know if that's the culprit.

Dillon,

Once upon a time I, too, used to focus on non-critical issues on my car (oil changes, brakes, a seat, etc) before doing things like...making it run. That changed late one night, however, prior to my first 944-Spec race weekend. I heard the words of wisdom from Chuck Taylor himself, blasting into my eardrums:

"WOULD YOU QUIT DIRKS-ING AROUND AND PUT THE #$%^&**@ STEERING WHEEL ON ALREADY!?!? WE GOTTA GO!!!!

Sometimes I still Dirks-around a little, but only in the privacy of my own garage.

By the way, start with a decent wiring diagram for your car. You can download the '88 specific schematic here: www.cannell.co.uk/Manuals.htm

from the man himself ....

Thanks guys. I'm not terribly worried about seeing wires hanging out, it is a race car after all...but I was hoping someone would know exactly what to cut.

Cullen, I don't think it is the bright switch as I'm able to switch it back and forth just fine. However, now that I think about it, it makes sense that if the bright switch isn't working (it's not, nothing on the turn signal stalk works) then maybe that would create a short in the headlight circuit and the headlights wouldn't come on.

Dirks, my car runs pretty well I have seen that wiring diagram before, but I can't make heads or tails of it in PDF form. I'm not very good at reading those things...but I'll print it out and put it together and see what I can figure out.