Turn stock does not go into 'right turn' posiiton

[boxster_nut]

So I just took my boxster out of the garage for a drive and tried to signal a RH turn and the stalk would only move a little bit to the up posiiton and would not hold. The right signal light would not come on either. Left works fine.

I did some searching around on the forum and while I found a lot of discussion of how to replace, I didn't see anything about if it is possible to repair the existing unit. Is it possible???

Pros/cons about doing this are appreciated.

Also, if the unit is truly unrepairable, best souce of reasonably priced/cheap replacement part? (pelican?)

Much thanks for any help!!

-John

[boxster_nut]

So, I am answering my own question in hopes that someone out there will find it useful.

Figuring the turn signal assembly was shot beyond repair, I found a recycled one on ebay for roughly 1/5th the cost of a new one from any of the online porsche parts places.

I found this you-tube video particularly helpful:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hux78ZoPcAI

Two things are worth noting in the R&R of the turn stock.

1) the first step of using a 30mm torx driver to remove the front airbag assembly is an exercise in patience. It is a very snug fit to insert the driver, and in my case, the bolts were not exactly centered at the end of the cylindrical opening in the back of the steering wheel. I had to spend 10-15 mins 'fishing' around with my torx driver to eventually seat it into the screw....very frustrating.

2) the two plastic pieces that protroud from the face of the clock spring and that go through the steering wheel housing are *very* fragile. I was aware of this so I was very cautious when I pulled back the steering wheel but alas, one broke off (or was broken to begin with, I could not tell). In any case, I use some cyanoacrylate glue (aka crazy glue, or Loctite super glue) to reattach the piece, but...I could see the bond would not be strong enough to resist the sheer force when the steering wheel turned. I got a thin toothpick and with a hot glue gun, glued a 'splint' along the length of the plastic piece. I did the same to the other side. Reattached the clockspring and wheel and it worked fine. I figured I had nothing to lose by trying to glue the broken part, especially after a seach for the clock spring turned up a cost of $250....

I disassembled the old turn stock by drilling out the brass rivets. It turns out that a piece of plastic that moves into the switch detent had broken. No repair on the old part could be done - IMHO. Tis a shame....an expensive car such as this should have a turn stock that fails because a piece of plastic breaks...cheaply made, badly designed...

The R&R of the signal stalk took about 3 hrs which included regluing the plastic piece on the clockspring.

Good luck.

-J

[NewArt1]

Yes, the clock spring plastic thingies are a joke. I snapped one off when I was doing the OBC upgrade (project 91 in the 101 Projects book). The 4 stalk assembly that I bought on e-bay was from a manual Carrera and mine's a Tip so the perfect clock spring that (surprisingly) came with it was not the right type. So I said WTF, there's still one good plastic holder and put it back together. A few months later and no problems. Touch wood. Maybe I should get out the toothpicks :rolleyes: