Rebuilding a 962 motor

[jacko241]

What an great thread. Thanks for posting your rebuild of this amazing engine. I assume the rods are titanium? Because the heads and cylinders are one piece, it must take some special tools and a lot of patience to grind the valve seats in the heads!

[efhughes3]

I've notice in watching this that the term "need to clean-up" is a relative term when it comes to motors. That thing gleams as it is, compared to many motors.

[ChrisBennet]

Great post, keep them coming!
-Chris

[helidoc]

Today I spent several hours on cleaning and organizing. Here are some more photos. There is a picture or a disassembled water pump, the main oil pump, oil filter and block, crank and seals (note the copper fragments I found in the flywheel seal), and water cooling system parts.

[ANTONIO]

Helidoc,
Do the shims from the oil filter came out clean?? the only place that I can see that that "copper" material comes from are the bearings,but if they are ok, perhaps from previous damage,do you still have the old oil? if so, it should be a good idea to have a sample lab tested, it will help you pinpoint possible problems areas.,cheers,Antonio.

[helidoc]

I guess when you refer to shims you mean the individual screen filters? Yes, they were pretty clean. I suspect like you the copper pieces were from something in the past and may have been the reason the flywheel main bearing had that mark on it. There is no evidence else where of where they could have come from. I don't really have any of the old oil left but a sample of it may not have been of much value anyway. The lab I use for my helicopter oil samples recommends that the oil be obtained after heating up and cycling it through. My oil has been sitting for over 5 years so I am not sure of what the results would suggest.

Does anyone have any tricks for removinng gasket material like that found on the valve covers (some type of paper?)? I have tried the NAPA gasket remover stuff but that doesn't work.

[WERK I]

Maybe some of the steam cleaners used for cleaning aluminum?

[helidoc]

Sound expensive and hard to find. Maybe it will come in the cold cleaning tank when I take the parts to the machinist.

[WERK I]

Sorry, helidoc, I was thinking of the mesh filters for cleaning. I think the steam cleaners used by auto machinists would be more suitable.

[Alan Cottrill]

Those blue towels are the best!!! My wife is a nurse at a same day surgery center. she brings me a couple of bundles of those towels a month.

as far as removing the gaskets, I've had good luck using a product called "goof off", you can get it at the hardware store and scrubbed it lightly with a green scotch brite pad.

[helidoc]

Well, here are a few last pictures for a while. I hope everyone had a happy Thaksgiving. The tear down has been fun but the clean up has not. I guess it is kind of like cooking, the fun is in the making but not taking care of the mess afterwards. At least everything can be handled without getting dirty. I am sure it is not up to the standards of some of you or the machinist but it is a start.

O rings are another issue with this car. There are so many of them and I am sure they are overpriced from Porsche. Anyone have any sources for some of the ones used for example around the through bolts. I was also curious how one determines what size to use if one knows the depth of the grove or the diameter of the tube. It is difficult to know for sure what the size of some of these o rings are after they have been used. Maybe someone out there has some tricks or science on the subject.

To jacko241, yes the rods are titanium and special tools are needed to remove the valves and grind them. Although I am sure I could remove the valves but have decided to leave that to the machinist. I have done valve jobs before so this doesn’t meet the work to fun ratio to do it.

To WERK-I, steaming sounds like a good idea. I just remember now my wife gave me one of those little steam units for cleaning a couple of years ago. She had so much fun with it herself she absconded it a while back for her own projects. I’ll have to try it on some of the other parts.

To Alan Cottrill, maybe I’ll try the goof off next time (going to leave it to the machinist now) and yes these blue towels are handy. Don’t use them to polish though as they tend to scratch some surfaces.

Anyway here are some pictures of the titanium rod, piston in different views and gear housing for the gears that drive the cams off the intermediate shaft. Does anyone know what the 95P48++ means on the piston (I assume the 95 is the diameter). The engineering is fascinating in the way the oil passages were designed as well as the bore for the piston pin to accommodate lubrication.

Final packaging for the machinist.

[ANTONIO]

Helidoc,
On gaskets, o rings, etc., try Charlie Spira, at Wrighwood Racing,try a search., he is the one for all things gaskets and brakes in Porsche.,cheers,Antonio.

[ANTONIO]

Helidoc,
Here it is, (805) 385-7191, WrighwoodRacing@earthlink.net ,cheers,Antonio.

[KobaltBlau]

Originally posted by helidoc
My oil has been sitting for over 5 years so I am not sure of what the results would suggest.

if it is in a container that was fairly clean when the oil was put in I would still have it tested; amount of iron, copper, etc. is not going to change over the five years. Things like the TBN change but you don't care since you're not trying to reuse the oil or determine the oil change interva..

[helidoc]

Thanks for the thoughts guys. Ultimately though, I guess the reason to test oil samples is in lieu of direct inspections, which of course I am doing by dismantling the engine.

On the subject of o-rings I had a good conversation with a guy at Rocket Seals (a supplier of o-rings) and have ordered a tool that might be of interest to others. It has two components, a cone that o-ring slides on and there are graduation marks that give you its size in AS568 numbers as well as ID and a tape that you roll up and let it unwind in the ring. They have a metric tape as well. The tapes are primarily for 70mm or larger ID's. Knowing the size you can then let the guys know your application and they can tell you what material they recommend based upon temperatures and chemical exposure. I know most of you will probably not need to go to this effort because you buy a complete engine gasket set but I think I will probably have to get parts separately.

[Jim Williams]

I just happened onto this thread today, and have read it though from the start. I have been intrigued with the 962 engine since I first saw one in Jerry Woods shop a few years ago. Thanks, helidoc, for taking the time to post your progress and all the photos. The parts are nothing short of beautiful to a 911 engine mechanic (well, using the term loosely of course).

[KobaltBlau]

good point about direct inspection, helidoc. Those guys at rocket seal sure know their o-rings.

[Henry Schmidt]

Originally posted by ANTONIO
Helidoc,
Here it is, (805) 385-7191, WrighwoodRacing@earthlink.net ,cheers,Antonio.

Charlie will not deal with the general public.
We are a Wrightwood Racing distributor and in fact have most of their items listed on our website.

Perhaps your best source for Wrightwood Racing products

[helidoc]

Originally posted by Henry Schmidt
Charlie will not deal with the general public.
We are a Wrightwood Racing distributor and in fact have most of their items listed on our website.

Perhaps your best source for Wrightwood Racing products

I guess the question now would be whether or not there is a gasket/seal set for a 962 motor like mine? Niel Harvey had told me that they have many of their gaskets custom made.

[ANTONIO]

Helidoc, Again call Wrighwood racing, and talk with Spira,he might be able to help you,since this is a special project, I don't think he will have any issues on suppling you gaskets and "O" rings. Kind regards,Antonio.