New owner here: a few maintenance questions

[mountain14er]

Greetings and thanks for the wealth of information that helped with my recent purchase of a 1970 911T Targa. The car is an absolute blast to drive and an amazing mix of simplicit and sophisticated engineering.

After a rough DIY PPI, I want to go through things more thoroughly. Anyway, this car is from the lower end of the price range and I want to be thorough with the preventative maintenance. Here is the list of what I want to check into, listed in order.

1. Engine oil change.
2. Transmission oil change.
3. Check timing chains (is this even possible) and install slip prevention collars.
4. Check everything rubber: belt, hoses, bushings, (other suggestions?).
5. Adjust valve clearance.
6. Check points.
7. Check timing.
8. Drain/replace brake fluid, bleed.
9. Go through suspension & steering again.
10. Start addressing cosmetic stuff.

Any other advice or reprioritizing would be very appreciated. Thanks.

[Oh Haha]

First, you should purchase some books that pertain to your car.
The factory manuals are just aboout the best but Bentley and Haynes do well.
Where are you located? Pelicans are all over the world and most will readily help out a newbie.

[holtjv]

14, your best bet is buying wayne's 101 projects book--you'll find it on the site--Congratulations and please...

POST PIX!!!!!

[HarryD]

Mountain14R

Welcome to the best Porsche BBS in the universe. It is a time honored tradition for us to "force" you to post some pictures before we start answering questions.

Sadly, there is no Bentley for the early cars so Haynes, Factory Manual$ and 101 Projects are your best bets for books.

There is a thread here (Long term & Commonly Neglected Maintenance) started by randywebb on maintenace issues for older cars.

Your list is a good one, but I would reorder like this:

Do these now:
1. Engine oil change. - Be sure to use a Mahle Filter
2. Transmission oil change. - Use Swepco 201
6. Check points.
7. Check timing.
8. Drain/replace brake fluid, bleed. --Many us here use ATE Gold or Blue (we alternate between them to be sure we have a good flush).
4. Check everything rubber: belt, hoses, bushings, (other suggestions?).

Do these as you see the need and have a block of time and dollars to address:
* Go through suspension & steering again. --Depending on what you want to do this can be trival to very extensive. Read up be fore you start.
* Adjust valve clearance. --This is needed every so often but if hte valves are not ticking, you can wait a bit and get the other jobs done first.
* Check timing chains (is this even possible) and install slip prevention collars. -- Good prevention here but unless you are hearing the sound of chains being dragged over a garbage can, this can wait a bit as well. Some will advocate going to the later Carrerra tensioners but the call is yours. Two schools of thought on this and they both have good arguments.
10. Start addressing cosmetic stuff. --Sometimes you should do some of these just to "feel good", but as you note, these can often wait.

[randywebb]

0.5 - DO FIRST - replace the rubber brake hoses unless you are certain they are only 3-4 years old.

9.5 - replace all the rubber suspension parts - this is time consuming but more imp. than #10

Also see:
Long term & Commonly Neglected Maintenance

[azasadny]

Mountain14er,
Congrats and welcome aboard! Post some pics of your car (requirement) and you'll find the advice here, as well as Wayne's book (101 Projects) will keep you busy for awhile.

[Grady Clay]

Mountain14R,

Welcome.

You will find a lot of help here. I'll respond more fully when I get back to denver (I'm in Ft. Collins until Tuesday.) Your model is something I know a little about.

Best,
Grady

PS, My aunt was the first woman to climb all 53.

[mountain14er]

OK, here's an initial pic. I'm not a fan of the flaking red paint on the rims or the, um, enormous spoiler but there's more good than bad. It was mechanically well cared for but a poor repair job of a dent on the hood, followed by years of weather and a bra caused some cosmetic issues. That flaking paint bugs me but replacing the worn out seats is a higher priority. Still, the underside is rust free, and it corners like a dream.

Thanks for the tip on parts brands and the brake hoses. My other car is from 1973 so I'm cautious of all things rubber. The haynes manual is on it's way and I'll order the 101 book tonight.

[HarryD]

No apologies necessary. You never know, it may grow on you.

Still, it looks like fun.

[Early_S_Man]

Personally, I would say #10 needs to be left off the 'new car to me' list until safety and reliability issues are taken care of ... that could take several weeks, even when grouping projects that naturally go together for a weekend project.

I suggest grouping individual maintenance items into logical subsystems/groups, and prioritizing the groups by critical safety impacts or long term relibility concerns:

I. Brakes
1. R&R calipers -- clean, inspect, rebuild with Ate kits and Dow Corning 4, 111, or 112 Silicone Grease applied liberally.
2. Replace rubber flex hoses, unless obviously new.
3. Master cylinder -- remove, clean, inspect & evaluate for necessity of replacement, or rebuild ... pitting at bottom of bore sufficiently deep to be able to feel with dragged fingernail justifies/requires replacement.
4. If rust is suspected in the hard brake line in the tunnel, blow out with compressed air, flush line with 91% isopropyl alcohol and blow out again until dry. If serious restriction or blockage enncountered, replace hard brake line through tunnel.
5. Replace brake fluid, bleed.
6. R&R front wheel bearings, clean, evaluate, repack with high-quality EP grease such as Valvoline SynPower Synthetic Grease with moly #985 or #986. EP Moly grease is now specified by Porsche for front wheel bearings!

II. Fuel Tank/lines/Pump subsystem
1. Examine fuel drained from inlet line to fuel pump for rust/debris settlement.
2. Remove fuel filter and cut open over metal pan. Examine filter element for rust, water,or other comtaminants.
3. Examine fuel drained from tank after fine bronze screen 'sock' and outlet fitting removed ... for rust and need to get tank steam-cleaned and resealed at general aviation maintenance shop ... no FAA certification needs to be specified for lower price. Do NOT leave strainer screen in tank for the 'Slosh 'n Seal' ...
4. Replace all rubber fuel lines with OEM German hose and be sure to reuse factory clamps!!!
5. R&R carbs, clean, evaluate, record all jetting & venturi data for future reference, rebuild with new gasket kits ... save old gaskets if intact.
6. If any rust found in carbs, or in fuel lines past the tunnel ... blow out lines in tunnel with compressed air. If serious restriction or rust 'plugs' encountered, replace the hard fuel line in the tunnel!

III. Transaxle & drive axles
1. Transmission oil change. Filler plug open, FIRST, before drain plug! Strain gear oil for broken dog teeth or other significant debris.
2. R&R axles, clean, evaluate, repack CV-joints ONE AT A TIME with Valvoline grease -- same as used on wheel bearings! These articles have pics to aid evaluation:
http://volksweb.relitech.com/cvjoints.htm
http://type2.com/bartnik/cvjoints.htm
CV joint disassembly
The trouble with DIY projects.... the CV nightmare
3. Replace ball cup, shift rod and two coupler bushings to restore shifter connection to the transaxle.
4. Check freeplay at clutch pedal to see if 5/8" to 3/4"?
5. Inspect clutch cable and Bowden tube for damage and proper seating at both ends.

IV. Engine Mechanical
1. Engine oil change. Use a 9 qt fill initially -- warm up engine to 180°F before topping up to midway on the dipstick while engine idling on flat ground.
2. Adjust valve clearance.
3. Replace chain ramps -- five black, one brown.
4. Check timing chains, and install slip prevention collars.
5. Inspect & check fan belt for tightness -- 3/8" to 1/2" 'give' when pressed midway between pulleys. Replace belt if ANY cracks visible -- keep old as spare! Always buy two fan belts at a time, so you have a spare at all times! Never drive car after alternator warning lamp comes on ... unless you have verified that fan is still turning!
6. Practice changing fan belt and count the number of shims -- should be a total of EXACTLY six. Buy spare shims for that time [fate] when one or two gets lost on the side of the road in a rainstorm.

V. Engine Electrical/Ignition
1. Check timing. Plot advance curve.
2. Remove distributor at TDC cyl #1 ... clean, partially disassemble, inspect, and relube ... re-install, set timing per following thread: distributor lube... Get tube of Bosch grease to use on the distributor cam and rubbing block.
3. Check distributor cap, coil wire, and spark plug wires for arcing or blue corona effect while engine is running in dark garage or on moonless night. If arcing or corona present, plan on wire set replacement or rebuild per following thread: Ignition Wires
4. R&R spark plugs, inspect condition for fouling or other damage. Recommended spark plugs are NGK copper or V-power: BP6ES for cold weather, BP7ES for normal spring/summer conditions, BP8ES for track work. Gaps should be 0.028" to 0.032". Use anti-sieze compound, sparingly, on the spark plug threads.

VI. Suspension & Steering
1. Inspect all upper shock/strut mounts for looseness and cracked rubber ... replace if squeaky!
2. Remove splash pan.
3. Inspect steering rack boots for cracks or tears and leaking grease. If not undamaged, clean, and dry ... install Turbo tie-rod kit after removing rack, cleaning, and repacking with Valvoline grease.

Let the debate begin!

ver 1.5 ... 26 Feb 2007

[Zeke]

Well, I think the wing overpowers the car. A duck tail would be nice, or just stock. Wheels with some silver to pick up on the brushed SS Targa bar would be a nice touch. The main thing is the lack of rust, you say. I hope that really is the case, because that's a sharp little car. I had red Targa for 15 years. I don't mind the cookie cutter wheels, but bead blasted and left raw would look good, or some polishing on the outer parts. But, you didn't ask for my opinion.

So, AFA your thread about maintenance goes, anything rubber is a good idea, espcecially gas lines as well as the brake hoses. Use the proper millimeter hoses and the proper clamps (search "norma clamp"). You can get any size you want by the foot from Pelican or your local VW, BWM or Mercedes dealers. They have the correct clamps, too.

So, I'm just adding to your no. 4 on the list. Check your fuel filter and remove the sending unit from the gas tank and see if it's perfectly clean. Pretty easy to check with a penlight when the level is a quarter tank or less. You don't need any rust issues in the fuel system. You will probably need a new cork gasket for the sending unit.

Checking wheel bearings and the axle boots is not a bad idea, either. Congrats and welcome to the bbs.

[randywebb]

Outstanding Outline!

[mountain14er]

Thanks Early_S_Man, I'll print this list and go straight through it. I can order all this stuff now and save a little on shipping .

[defcon65]

Those wheels look small - are they 15s? Can't go wrong with 16" Fuchs.
Lose the tail! It balances on the deck the way a mattress balances on a bottle of wine... sorry, BD

+2 on 101 projects, lots of useful info there.

I didn't see it mentioned, so check/clean/restore all the electrical grounds, connections and fuses.

Pull up carpets and look for rust - targas sometimes leak in a hard rain.

Install LED third brakelight at the top of the rear window to alert tailgaters when you brake - stock taillights too low to see in many SUVs.

Don't fold up the targa roof and store behind the seats - store safely in your garage when not in use. (pricecheck at Pelican to see why)

Nice ride! I'm warming up to targas although the lack of quarter windows still doesn't look right to me.

Regards,

[SCWDP911]

Holy wings Batman! Yeah +(whatever number we are up to) on that wing. It looks like it came off a Cessna!
Don't drive that thing too fast, at least not until you change the wing/decklid. I think Milt already told you a ducktail would be best. I believe he is right. That should really setoff your car. If nothing else though, no wing at all. My two cents, which is exactly what this advice is worth, because it is your car...

Joe, those have to be 15 or less, as they are cookies (not sure if the cookies came in a 14 or not?)

[randywebb]

People are reacting to the looks - cosmetics. I dislike the wing too, but focus on the really critical stuff first.

Then I'd address the wing and what to me is way too much red - it reminds me of a beetle of some sort.


Here is why the underlying stuff is important:

[SCWDP911]

Ouch!