Changing Plugs in a 3.0 911 sc...

ascarswell · 01-13-2005, 02:58 PM

Hope someone can give me some advice...

My mechanic drove my '79 911sc today and told me I need new spark plugs. Being a newby to Porsche world, I thought that it wouldn't be too pricy of a job...then he told me it's a 4 hour task... Does this seem reasonable? If not, is this something I can handle in my garage?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers,
Adam

crashmy911 · 01-13-2005, 03:07 PM

changing spark plugs are a no brainer. You can do it no problem.

Cdnone1 · 01-13-2005, 03:10 PM

it might take you four hours the first time you do it but it's a great way to start yourself on the DIY road, just be careful it's a slippery road

ubiquity0 · 01-13-2005, 03:24 PM

With the proper porsche tool, theres no reason it would take more than 30 minutes for your first time.

Its a bit tricky w. smog pump & AC compressor, otherwise just don't get the plug wires mixed up, and thats about it. You might as well replace the cap & rotor if you don't know how old they are.

anthony · 01-13-2005, 04:02 PM

The trick is to unbolt the A/C compressor and hang it off the side of the car. That's what my mechanic did during the PPI. He also had one of those bras for the rear of the car that protects the paint/body while you are working on the car. It didn't take them more than 20 minutes to remove the plugs and do a compression check.

Cdnone1 · 01-13-2005, 04:07 PM

ascarswell
I was only kidding about the four hours. It will not take you anywhere near that long! get yourself a bentley manual and our hosts book, go slow and take digital pics of anything you remove before you remove it for reference later. If you have the AC compressor air pump and have not back dated your heat it will get a little crowded in there but it really is an easy and enjoyable job. I would replace the rotor and distrib cap while your doing plugs. Just becareful with the order of the wires
steve

rlane · 01-13-2005, 05:23 PM

Oh and beleive it or not use the spark plug wrench from your toolkit IF it is the spring loaded one...really makes it a quick and not too hard of a change. If the toolis a newer version that is not flexible go to Sears and get one of their flex spark plug sockets and pick up a short 3/8" flex handle ratchet. You will find that this combo with or without a "wobble" extension will make the job go better. Getting the plug connectors off may seem difficult as are some of the body contortions, if you can find a fellow Pelicanitew down there and I am sure they will driop by on a Saturday and run you thru the drill. I had such an ally and it made a huge difference.

Noel · 01-13-2005, 06:00 PM

I've never removed my AC compressor to replace mine... but then again, I have small arms.

ascarswell · 01-13-2005, 07:03 PM

Thanks a ton, guys. I'll give it a go this weekend and let you know how it goes. If it really turns out to be a twenty minute job, then I'll have some words with my mechanic! Thanks again...I knew I could count on Pelicanites for some good advice.

Cheers,
Adam

kqw · 01-13-2005, 11:54 PM

.....and you are still referring to him as your mechanic?

Is your mechanic an employee of a dealership?

howie944 · 01-14-2005, 12:20 AM

The only one that will give you fits (at least it does me) is the one on the passenger side closest to the firewall. No matter what tool(s) I use I always manage to come away with the back of my hand black 'n blue. there's a small mounting bracket with a point back there that nails me every time.Aside from that as was said earlier once you move the AC out of the way its a piece of cake.

cgarr · cgarr's Garage

Are you sure he wasn’t doing the valves too?

Craig

ascarswell · 01-14-2005, 03:25 AM

No - "my mechanic" is the owner of a shop that restores/races vintage and exotic cars, including, of course, Porsche. He is a parent at the independent school where I teach. I've really had no issues to date with him and his guys' work. I felt defensive yesterday when I went to see him to settle up for some work he did Friday. I attended my first PCA driver's ed course on the weekend at Moroso track (which was better than AWESOME!), and I took my car in for the tech inspection. He suggested new front pads and brake fluid. I also had a Bursch muffler installed. When I got the bill yesterday, the front pads were $98! I know that they are available on Pelican for $35-45, so I was a bit taken with that. He explained it off as being "really good pads". I realize brakes are critical on the track, BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT I ASKED FOR!!! I'm only ever going to be on the track once every several months, so street pads would've been fine, in my opinion! Oh well...it sucks when you see the end of a trusting relationship between you & your mechanic.

By the way - I've ordered from Pelican the Bosch plugs, cap & rotor! I guess it'll be next weekend before the install.

Thanks again, guys.
Cheers,
Adam

ascarswell · 01-14-2005, 03:28 AM

Cgarr...
Are you serious?

Noel · 01-14-2005, 05:00 AM

$98 is about right and even cheap for a decent set of front pads. Note I said only decent. I wouldn't recommend anyone drive with a $34 set of pads at the track. The temperatures are just too hot for a cheap street pads like that.

Welcome to the world of Porsche.

BTW, four hours is usually the standard time for a valve adjustment. I think there is some confusion between you and your mechanic.

The first time I replaced plugs it took me quite a while, but now after the fourth time it only takes about 45 minutes. The factory tool is a must!!!

Good luck.

crashmy911 · 01-14-2005, 06:38 AM

Four hours is about right for spark plugs and valve adjustment and for the brakes 98 is cheap especially if that included labor. I mean he needs to make something theres alot of over head in that buisness

cgarr · cgarr's Garage

I am trying to figure out how he knew it needed only new plugs just by driving it?? That’s why there must have been something else like a valve noise that need to be corrected. You or him should at least pull one plug to see if they are old or new. It took me an hour to do my valves and my engine is out of the car with the oil already drained, I have not yet adjusted my valves in the car.

Craig

ascarswell · 01-14-2005, 07:04 AM

The $98 did not include labor - he billed me 1.5 hours @ $75/hour for installation of brakes & fluid, as well as an adjustment to tighten up the steering wheel. (It had a bit of a wiggle - the bushing wasn't sitting right). I fully understand the cost of labor, and I know he needs to make a living - but four hours for spark plugs??? Thanks, by the way, Noel and crashmy911 for the reassurance about the $98 pads!!!

Where did the valve adjustment thing come from? He simply said, "Changing the plugs is a four hour job." No mention of valves - as a matter of fact, no mention even of cap & rotor! Wouldn't he have mentioned valves if he was including that job in the quote?

Here's a pic of me (#99) in pit lane waiting desparately for my session to begin! It was truly an awesome and potentially addictive experience...but not so for the guy in #38 who hit the tire wall and buggered up his car - an expensive weekend!

mede8er · mede8er's Garage

Hey Adam....not to derail your thread but I saw your car at Moroso last weekend...my car was still on blocks unfortunately...I'll look for you at the next event.....I'm 818...(it's a Valley thing).......

ascarswell · 01-14-2005, 07:47 AM

Hey there, mede8er - that brings up a whole other issue I had with the car on the track. If you saw me there, you would've seen me taking it real easy on 'er - particularly after the first session. That's not for lack of wanting to get on the throttle - the damn thing seemed to really be having a tendency to get hot. The temp guage was fully perpendicular, or half way up the dial - usually it stays at about a third. Some say that's normal, others say their cars run all the time at the one third mark.

On top of that, when it lost power on the back stretch with about 5 minutes of the 30 minute session left, I pulled into the pits and noted that, with the car stopped and idleing, the oil level guage was all the way down to NOTHING, yet after it cooled a bit, the guage's needle bounced right back up to full indication. HMMMM....

The car ran well, but my inclination (not that it's an accurate one, mind you!) is that when the car got to a particular temp, the power would cut, and the oil level would go down...blowing the engine was not something I was willing to risk, so I took it easy. Damn, I wish I could've got on her like I wanted to! Fun nonetheless...

Adam