Was there a Top 10 things to do thread for the Carrera?

[Zeke]

If so, I missed it. Randy Webb had a similar idea here.

1984-89 911 specific, what are the top 10 improvements?

(I'm gonna throw one out here just to get it out of the way since it's not an improvement.)

1. Put a spare DME relay in the glove box. OK, make that no. 0.

[masraum]

I never did, but I always wanted to get rid of the engine mounted heater blower. It would clean up the engine bay tons.

Make sure the oil cooler is insulated. There's some stuff that runs around the perimeter of the cooler to make sure air doesn't get around the cooler. That stuff gets old and disintegrates. Also, I saw a difference in temp when I enclosed the area under the cooler so the air that went in had to go thru the cooler.

I found that the lines and stuff in the front driver's side wheel well caught all sorts of dirt and road grit. I used a hose and spent around 30 minutes cleaning stuff out. I got lots of crud out. A couple of people have found rust in those areas. On a related note, the area at the extreme forward end of the rear wheel wells also seems to collect stuff. People have found rust there.

If you have AC, the blower that blows air over the condenser in the front of the car has a kit to fuse the blower to keep it from catching fire. You may want to install that.

Check the rear sway bar body brackets. They crack/break off on the Carreras.

Check all of the fans on the car and lube any that you can.

put relays on the headlights

clean the INSIDES of the H5 lenses.

Do the windshield washer squirters work? Check the 2 valves and the motor (can be disassembled and cleaned).

[Joeaksa]

Not to forget the fuse link in the power cable going to the air conditioning condensor fan in front of the spare tire. They have been known to catch fire without the fuse and burn the car to a crisp.

Cylinder head temp sensor upgrade. Make sure it has the two wire sensor, not the single one from the factory.

Check the fuel hoses on the engine. They leak and as well can burn the car to the ground.

[Barrpete]

If it's a pre-87 add a fan to the fender oil cooler.

[williecoyote]

Make sure you are getting full throttle.

[randywebb]

If you find Wil Ferch's thread listing the crazed electrical design flaws in the 911, most of those relate to the later cars.

Evidently P AG didn't learn too fast about electricity... And how come none of the histories of the marque discuss who designed the elec. system??

[Por_sha911]

Go to www.pelicanparts.com and learn to use the search button.
-One of the "Search Nazis"

[Zeke]

Originally posted by Por_sha911
Go to www.pelicanparts.com and learn to use the search button.
-One of the "Search Nazis"

Oh, thank you very much. I'll see what I can do.

To those that replied postively, thanks. Kinda hard to search when you don't know what you're looking for. I'll find some info on those fans, etc.

[Zeke]

Anything else?

[imcarthur]

Not a bad list (?) so far. But throw the H5s & get H4s. I paid for 1 of my pair with the cash I got from selling the H5s & trim ring.

And go out right now & inspect the engine fuel line from the rear of the rails as mentioned above. Does it look like this?



There's also 2 hidden ones that are a major PITA. I just replaced mine yesterday.

I've read posts recently that the instrument lights are unfused & a hazard also.

Like driving around in a bomb.

Ian

[JeremyD]

I'll try and help Milt...

Two wire temperature head sensor (solves bad ground issue) – Pelican P/N: H-606-915-00

Aftermarket bell crank bushings (replaces plastic bushings with bronze) Pelican P/N: B-423-211-00

Front A/C condensor blower wiring harness – (adds a fuse to prevent a potential fire hazard) Pelican P/N: OEM-91161207700

Improved cam oiler adapters (reduces excessive oil flow to cams and boosts overall oil pressure) Pelican P/N: A-105-361-01

Modified clutch release lever (bronze bushing) – This version is produced by Weltmeister and does not require G50 transmission case modification. Sold by John Walker’s Workshop. Note: The improved factory release lever appeared in 3/89.

Modified clutch release lever (provides more surface area in contact with release bearing) Pelican Parts: 950-116-086-05

New version clutch release bearing (not sure if it’s improved but it’s different) – Pelican Parts: 950-116-080-05

New version guide sleeve (required when using new style release bearing) – Pelican Parts: 950-116-813-06

Modified (wider) ring gear (reduces the chance of a chewed ring and/or starter gear) – Pelican Parts: 950-116-143-01

Clutch slave cylinder (has additional helper spring to reduce clutch pedal chatter) Pelican Parts: 950-116-237-11

Shift rod rattle remedy (just a rubber “O” ring) – Pelican parts: 999 701 969 40

Spring type clutch disk (replaces rubber centered one, slightly noiser but lighter) – Pelican Parts: 950 116 012 04

Steel head studs (replaces troublesome Dilavar studs, ask me how I know) – Pelican P/N: PEL-REBKT-03

G50 Transmission to right heat exchanger brace (to reduce G50 transmission noise) P/N unknown. I think this became standard equipment in 88'. Does anbody have this part number?
--------------------------------------------
would suggest
the 993tt/993RS 993.101.170.51 studs
either phosphor-bronze or Manganese-bronze valve guides
911CS intake valves
930 exhaust valves
Raceware or Arp rod bolts
a cam (your choice of many)
uprated valve springs and retainers (you choice of several)
A quality valve job/port clean up
SSIs to go w/ the cam
------------------------------
Another couple p/n's you could add to the list would be the G50 shifter parts. 911 424 139 01 is the hard rubber shift handle ball cup bushing and the other is 950 424 224 03, called a friction ring (big hard rubber grommet) . When the ball cup fails, the shifter goes dead- no gear selection. The friction ring supports the gear selector rod and makes for sloppy shifting and gear selection when worn.

Differnt posts I have "collected" over the years

[RickM]

930S wheel, separate oil pressure and temp guages and adding a second exhaust tip to the muff were well worth the time IMO.

[randywebb]

that recent thing about buying the much cheaper SC brake pads if you don't use the idiot light brake wear reminder...

[Jeff Alton]

Like Jeremey said, if you do the modified release arm, get the WELT kit, I put one of these in an 88 this spring and it is really nice. IF (when) it needs a clutch, get a 930 disk (spring centered). Then it depends on what you are going to do with it. Don't replace factory suspension parts and brakes if you are going to upgrade them in 6 months (but you already know that )

I would get a spare DME relay, plugs, cap and rotor, wires too maybe. Get a Steve Wong chip, check the CO and have fun.

Cheers

[Zeke]

This thread is starting to pick up some steam. Excellent info, Jeremy! I would imagine more than a few 84-89 911 owners bookmarked or copied your post to their hard drive.

Thanks to all that replied in earnest. You know, I've been around here maybe a little to long, but I've used the search feature here and elsewhere plenty. What good use of a forum is it to advise one to "search?" Again, how does one search what one doesn't know? If I had a definitive problem like a stuck trans fill plug or a broken t-bar, I could find that info in minutes. Jeremy's post contains info that might take reading for weeks or months. Remember, you search N*z*'s, that new people come through here all the time. I just happen to be new to the Carrera.

[450knotOffice]

Not to mention that if we only used the search button for info this forum would simply dry up and die due to lack of active use. Just about everything has been talked about at some point in this forum's history. So how about we never post anything. Instead, let's just use it as a textbook of sorts. We'll use the search function, find what we need and be outta here quietly.

Are those crickets I hear?

(This is a tongue in cheek post, btw)

[ianc]

I agree with you Scott; I've often thought that if everyone obeyed the search nazis, no one would ever post anymore.

Milt,

My suggestions:

1) SW chip. It ain't gonna be no MFI or CIS, but it will be better.

2) Spare DME relay and a new two wire head temp sensor. If one of them goes, you ain't going anywhere. New speed and ref sensors wouldn't be bad either, but they can probably wait 'til you do your top end.

3) Not Carrera-specific, but ER bushings and stiffer torsion bars will help, because stock Carreras just FEEL heavier. These will help. A LOT.

4) Do the FR Wilke AFM mod. If your car's got over 100K, it's time and driveability will be improved: FR Wilke's AFM mod a success (and easy)

5) New O2 sensor if yours hasn't been done in awhile.

That's only 5, but what the hell, get back to me when you're done. Happy times,

ianc

[89911]

Originally posted by milt
If so, I missed it. Randy Webb had a similar idea here.

1984-89 911 specific, what are the top 10 improvements?

(I'm gonna throw one out here just to get it out of the way since it's not an improvement.)

1. Put a spare DME relay in the glove box. OK, make that no. 0.

You kind of have to tackle this a few ways. Jeremy has detailed most of the work that I woulds suggest. I would break it down to several categories and most likely add the 87-89 into a separate group. 1. What would you need to do for 84-89 specifically that may be different then any other years as far as possible weak points or areas of failure? 2. What improvements are generally recommended for cars of these years? 3. What improvements that, although benefit these years, are true most 69-89 cars.

Basically, if you car is running fine, your good with these cars because they are rock solid. That said, I believe many, many of these cars valve guides go. The G50 models also can benefit from the recommendation sans Jeremy. The clutch plate should be replaced and upgraded when all this is done, or needs done.

Here are are my top 10 improvements, not in any exact order. I'm staying away from pricey things I have done, (engine enlargement and transmission regearing.) These are the top ten things that I have done that have given the most bang for the buck:

1. Suspension. The car is too soft from the factory. This could really fill up all 10 catagories if I seperated them. 22/30 t bars, custom revalved shocks, new bushings (Elephant or Poly), Adjustable swaybars, front through the body, reinforced rear brackets. Many other little things also (lowering, alignment).

2. Brakes, (for heavy use). Suggest 930's, (Big reds are overkill IMHO)

3. Seats. Unless you have the sports (which are very heavy), I nice set of Recaro's will give you much more support for all types of driving.

4. Bigger wheels/tires. Regardless of make, the bigger you can get can only help as long as they aren't boat anchors.

5. New speakers, head unit. This is an easy install for the money that pays off if you like music. The speakers are most likely shot anyway.

6. STEVE WONG CHIP and a cat bypass and a new exhaust. Better performance and better sound.

7. New, smaller steering wheel. I was never a fan of the original wheel, too big and obstructive.

8. Roll bar and harness. This may be a track only upgrade, but the biggest improvement with these is that you don't need to worry about using energy to hold your body in the right position around turns and you can focus only on the driving.

9. AC removal. Don't know if you need it, but I didn't. Car is much cleaner overall, weighs less, and looks like it never was there.

10. Tons of track time to find out what the next 10 (or 50) improvements will be.


Good Luck.

[masraum]

Originally posted by Por_sha911
Go to www.pelicanparts.com and learn to use the search button.
-One of the "Search Nazis"

Dude, Zeke has over 10,000 posts on this userid, and has a second userid that he retired when he got to 10,000 posts, so he's got a combined total of over 20,000 posts. I think he's pretty well acquainted with the search function.

[charleskieffner]

DITCH THE STOCK MONSTER BATTERY! save a lot of weight. should take about a 12 pak to do and some aluminum. add kill switch. simple effective undertrunk out of sight ANTI THEFT DEVICE!