Litronic install questions

[geoff]

I got the Porsche Litronic retrofit from my wife as a combined b-day and Xmas present. No instructions from Brandywine, but they had the cheapest price ($1099), and I found the old (1999) and new (2002) TSBs online for guidance. I read both and have some questions before I start tackling the installation:

1. The Porsche TSBs refer to left and right sides. Is left the driver side (for US cars), or left side looking at the trunk from the front when installing?

2. The old TSB doesn't say to solder wires, but to remove pins and crimp, the new instructions say to solder wires. Is one way better? Using the provided pins and crimping sounds like a cleaner installation than cutting and soldering wires

3. Which is the harness side and which is the receiver side of connector X1/2? Or will it be obvious when I pull everything apart?

4. Is the medium SIR pin removal tool, p/n 9701, the one I need to remove the pin 2 from connector X1/2? I searched past messages and that sounds like the Porsche 87050 equivalent. Can I get it at some place like Fry's?

5. Is there anything else I need to have or do besides what's in the TSB? There's another guys' site on the internet with pictures, but his instructions sound a little like he couldn't be bothered with removing pins - he just clipped wires together.

6. How long should I expect this to take?

7. Is there any way to make the Litronic headlight housings amber like my current headlights (2001 Boxster)?

Thanks in advance for any/all info

[Loren]

1. Left is drivers side for US cars.

2. Depends on if you have a pin removal tool.

3. The harness side is the chassis side.

4. uh... Tool Pants has the tool info.

5. Just make sure the new lights are proper locked in place before going for a test drive.

6. Took me about 1 hour.

7. No.

[Tool Pants]

The run time on the DVD is 42 minutes. We show the 3 different methods to combine 2 wires together. Actually, my own method on the DVD is the 4th. I remove the pins because I have the pin removal tool then solder the new wire to the existing pin already crimped onto the wire - so the 2 female pins in the retrofit kit are not used. No method is better than the other so as long as you make a good electrical contact that will last.

Depending on the year you will be working with a 21 pin black connector on the passenger side behind the carpet, or a 21 pin white connector next to brake booster. When you separate the connector you will see the male and female pins. You add the wire from the control unit to the female side of the connector, of either the black or white connector.

The other wire from the control unit you will be adding to an existing wire is the connector for the passenger side heated windshield washers, again on the female side. This connector has not changed over the years.

Both connectors, 21 pin and washer, must be unlocked before your can remove the pins if you choose that method.

[geoff]

Loren & Jeff,

Thanks for the fast and insightful replies -- as always. Jeff - question still to you on whether the SIR 9701 is the right tool?

[Tool Pants]

That is the one. http://www.renntech.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=3389

And here it is in action. Removing the pin from the black 21 pin connector and the pin for the 2 pin heated washer connector, during Henry's litronic install. Again, you first must unlock the connector before you can use the tool to remove the pin. You unlock the 21 pin connector from the back, and I think the 2 pin connector from the side. AMP/Tyco calls it a secondary lock. Only after the connector has been separated and unlocked can you use the tool to push the pins out.

[lilsnoboardr22]

why amber? isnt the reason for getting litronics to take away the amber corners? yea there nasty lights but the clear looks so much cleaner

[geoff]

why amber? isnt the reason for getting litronics to take away the amber corners? yea there nasty lights but the clear looks so much cleaner

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Personal taste. I drove in a friend's '99 996 with Litronics and they were noticeably brighter on dark roads, which is the only reason I went with them. I like the way Boxsters look with amber.

When I was growing up, we had a 1966 Mercedes Benz 200 - heavy, 4 cylinder automatic, grossly underpowered and mechanically unreliable. No amber. I remember when amber lights started coming out on the "newer" cars from Europe and thought the look was much better. As with everything, if some is good, more is better, and too much is just right, as evidenced by some excessive use of amber in certain European and Japanese cars. Now the taste pendulum has swung the other direction, and amber is considered "bad". I'm sure people will get tired of the "clean" look at some point in the future and amber will be "in" again. I figure I'm just ahead of my time.

If all I wanted was the amber-less look, the regular Halogen headlights without amber are a lot cheaper and less work to swap out.

[geoff]

That is the one.  http://www.renntech.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=3389

And here it is in action.  Removing the pin from the black 21 pin connector and the pin for the 2 pin heated washer connector, during Henry's litronic install.  Again, you first must unlock the connector before you can use the tool to remove the pin.  You unlock the 21 pin from the back, and I think the 2 pin from the side.  AMP/Tyco calls it a secondary lock.  Only after the connector has been separated and unlocked can you use the tool to push the pins out.

FYI - I just spoke with SIR Tools. They are discontinuing their 9701 medium wire terminal extractor tool. I tried Sears last night, and they didn't have anything like it. SIR Tools was very nice on the phone, and since I was an individual and didn't have a tool distributor I normally use, they sold direct to me. (800) 845-4542. Supplies are limited and the woman at SIR Tools I spoke with didn't expect anyone in the LA area to have any in stock. Only a few more available for sale if anyone is interested

[Larry Nakamura]

I wouldn't think a pin extractor tool is anything special.

I would try looking at Radio Shack/Fry's/Electronics Surplus

store. If you don't want to do the pin, you can splice a line

to it or cut the existing wire and solder the new lead to it.

I'm an electronic engineer and have to do technician work

all the time. Let us know what you find.

[Tool Pants]

I tried Fry's and Radio shack a long time time. They do have round pin electrical pin removal tools but none were even close. The AMP connector has an odd size metric pin used for European automotive apllications.

So I went to Peter and he showed me the factory electrical tool kit. Then we measured the inside and outside diameter of the tool for the large round pins used for the litronic retrofit. I tried to order the factory tool with no luck. Then another mechanic I know showed me a Sir Tool catalog and the specs on their medium pin removal tool matched. Strange that Sir would discontinue the tool as it can be used on many other connectors used in the 996/986, such as the amp and cell phone connectors.

[Vman]

I tried Fry's and Radio shack a long time time. They do have round pin electrical pin removal tools but none were even close. The AMP connector has an odd size metric pin used for European automotive apllications.

So I went to Peter and he showed me the factory electrical tool kit. Then we measured the inside and outside diameter of the tool for the large round pins used for the litronic retrofit. I tried to order the factory tool with no luck. Then another mechanic I know showed me a Sir Tool catalog and the specs on their medium pin removal tool matched. Strange that Sir would discontinue the tool as it can be used on many other connectors used in the 996/986, such as the amp and cell phone connectors.

confirmed the Sir Tool is no longer available, for some reaosn they discontinued it, but the nice lady on the phone said they may come out with a new tool in a couple of months. Sir Tools knew of no competing products either...so for now it is risk solder and splice or go to the dealer and get ripped off on the install.

Vman

[Tool Pants]

Weird. I checked Samstag Sales which sells German tools and Sir Tools 9701 is listed as discontinued.

Hazet and Stahlwille also makes pin extractors, but they cost more than Sir Tools.

I have never been able to find Mibotool - even asked on the German Boxster board.

[RascalRuss]

they look alot like positronic crimp extractors, give them a go, they are a pretty reasonable price.

Russ

[porschepete]

The run time on the DVD is 42 minutes. We show the 3 different methods to combine 2 wires together. Actually, my own method on the DVD is the 4th. I remove the pins because I have the pin removal tool then solder the new wire to the existing pin already crimped onto the wire - so the 2 female pins in the retrofit kit are not used. No method is better than the other so as long as you make a good electrical contact that will last.

Depending on the year you will be working with a 21 pin black connector on the passenger side behind the carpet, or a 21 pin white connector next to brake booster. When you separate the connector you will see the male and female pins. You add the wire from the control unit to the female side of the connector, of either the black or white connector.

The other wire from the control unit you will be adding to an existing wire is the connector for the passenger side heated windshield washers, again on the female side. This connector has not changed over the years.

Both connectors, 21 pin and washer, must be unlocked before your can remove the pins if you choose that method.

I would like to get a copy of the DVD on how to install the litronic lights on a porsche 996---1999 thanks

[Loren]

Hi I would like to purchace or get a copy of the installiation DVD for a 1999 996. Can anyone tell me where I can find it? Thanks

http://www.renntech.org/forums/index.php?a...code=_9x6_Werks

Buy DVD #1

[porschepete]

The run time on the DVD is 42 minutes. We show the 3 different methods to combine 2 wires together. Actually, my own method on the DVD is the 4th. I remove the pins because I have the pin removal tool then solder the new wire to the existing pin already crimped onto the wire - so the 2 female pins in the retrofit kit are not used. No method is better than the other so as long as you make a good electrical contact that will last.

Depending on the year you will be working with a 21 pin black connector on the passenger side behind the carpet, or a 21 pin white connector next to brake booster. When you separate the connector you will see the male and female pins. You add the wire from the control unit to the female side of the connector, of either the black or white connector.

The other wire from the control unit you will be adding to an existing wire is the connector for the passenger side heated windshield washers, again on the female side. This connector has not changed over the years.

Both connectors, 21 pin and washer, must be unlocked before your can remove the pins if you choose that method.

I would like to get a copy of the DVD on how to install the litronic lights on a porsche 996---1999 thanks

Can I JUst buy DVD #1 ? and can it be sent overnight? Is there a phone # I can place the order at? Thanks.

[Loren]

Yes, you can buy one DVD -- it is listed on the more info page. $39.95 on PayPal or your credit card.

You can email the seller (see the main page) for any special delivery options.

[porschepete]

Yes, you can buy one DVD -- it is listed on the more info page. $39.95 on PayPal or your credit card.

You can email the seller (see the main page) for any special delivery options.

Thank you, I can't seem to find the e-mail address at the main page. I am new to this site. Can you tell me the email address? Thanks again. Pete

[Loren]

Yes, you can buy one DVD -- it is listed on the more info page. $39.95 on PayPal or your credit card.

You can email the seller (see the main page) for any special delivery options.

Thank you, I can't seem to find the e-mail address at the main page. I am new to this site. Can you tell me the email address? Thanks again. Pete

That is a third party that gives RennTech.org members a special price.

You can email them at: htverheyen@aol.com