Case/Piston Squirters
 

I was finishing up the cases on my 3.2 last night and tried to pass some carb cleaner through the squirters. First I tried to do the hard ones, but figured I was doing something wrong, then I went the direct ones and still can't get anything through them. I even backed it up with a little shot of compressed air, but I really don't think anything is flowing through them (It's hard to tell, working on one side and trying to feel or see the other.

Should they require a lot of pressure to flow through them? If not can I assume mine are blocked, how can I clean them? Back flow or maybe thread a wire through them?

Oil squirters are check valves that don't open until the proper pressure is achieved. From memory that number is 40 lb..
What I like to do is hold the check valve (the little ball open with a small wire and back flush the squirter.
There are three squirters available from Porsche and some machine shops make their own so there are some variables here.

Read this article. I had the same problem 2 weeks ago.

Chris Bennet was very helpful.

Piston Squirter Post

That was very helpuful thank you very much. Are they just threaded in there? I wouldn't object to replacing them, but I'll try all of that other stuff as well.

No thread. They are an interference fit with the edges peened or staked.

Thanks for all of the help, that link to a previous thread was very useful. I just got back in town and spen a great deal of Sunday trying to free up the squirtes. Three suirters are qorking fine, but 3 go stuck when I pushed them down and are not responding to soaking with penetrating oil or carb cleaner and being subjected to compressed air. Two of them are very compiant and will spring back when pressed and will spray out the oil or cleaner with compressed air. The other one is sticky, but does work.

The last thing I thought to try was heat to possibly burn out varnished oil. Any thoughts on this?

If I drill out the old squirters, can I put new ones in myself without machine tools?

I put my own squirters in. Just be very careful drilling out the originals... use a small bit, then a self tapping screw for something to hang on to and a slide hammer. Use a punch to peen over the edges around the new squirter.

Sorry if I am running this into the ground, but I'm still getting nowhere with some of the squirters and it has delayed me a couple of weeks. I think I would like to just replace them. Does Pelican carry them? I didn't find anything in the parts search. Can anyone give me the number? The engine is an 84 I believe.

I had a couple of squirters that wouldn't clear with just air pressure. Repeated soaking with brake cleaner and air pressure wouldn't budge them. Finally I filled the passage with brake cleaner, fitted a small nylon screw snugly in place, then gave it a tap with a light hammer. This hydrolock generated enough pressure to force solvent through the nozzle and break things free. After that, I repeatedly blew solvent through to make sure everything was clear.

I suspect my were gunked up or had somehow jammed when the engine cooled and might have opened up just fine on their own when hot, but there was no way I could button up the short block without ensuring they were clear.

I can dig out the nylon screw size and post the info if you need. Hope you can avoid drilling yours out.

Steve

I appreciate the tip. I ordered these from the dealer about 2.5 weeks ago. They finally came in yesterday. I got two out last night, but never found the steel ball from the 2nd one. It sort of has me worried because that main has other material removed around the squirter and I'm afraid it may be lodged in there somewhere. Of course it may have come out with the drill or screw and bounced off onto the floor.

Anyone have suggestions for:
Ensuring the ball is not in there
Prepping the holes for the new pieces
Where to get a sharp, long, narrow enough chisel to re-stake the squirter?

I thought that the stake may not be necessary, but the second suirter moved quite a bit when I started drilling.

In regards to the ball, you could try waving a strong magnet around the area and make sure it's not hiding in a passage or similar.

The "chisel" I used is also known as a small flat-nose screwdriver.... :)

Excellent. I forget that the case is soft aluminum.

I have stuck all manner of magnets and pics with magnets stuck to them into the passages. I am getting a little paranoid. I may start moving stuff out of the garage and see if it turns up. Mybe I could take the case half to Lowes and stick it on their paint shaker.