Dropping the 3.0 out of my 81SC. What should I do while it's out?

[Porschedr.]

Dropping it pretty soon, already have valve gaskets for valve adjustment (turbo valve covers, plugs, and rotor. What else would you guys recommend doing while it's out.
Thanks

[Bob Kontak]

I would replace the stuff you can't get to easily. Oil cooler seals and breather gasket.

Read up on bench testing the aux air valve, aux air regulator and decel valve. Way more fun getting to them while out of car than in. Inspect the hoses with a vengeance.

Replace the fuel injector o-rings and the fuel injector sleeve o-rings in the intake runners. Dremel the intake runner crimps out and then re-crimp with a punch.

[Gogar]

Clean Clean Clean it up like crazy. Makes working on it much more enjoyable when it's back in the car.

[BlueWing]

I'm dropping mine maybe mid month for a tranny swap. I also plan on reversing the rear suspension bushing bolt for later servicing, fuel lines, vacuum lines, maybe the heat/sound deadening pad (never had one does it help?) and the same as mentioned above.

And all the associated clutch parts.

Are missing anything ?????

Terry

[rusnak]

On a 3.0 liter SC, you definitely want to replace the thermostat o-ring, and the oil pressure switch. Use the green (viton) o-ring.

[nesslar]

Originally Posted by Gogar

Clean Clean Clean it up like crazy. Makes working on it much more enjoyable when it's back in the car.

No to mention making the engine compartment itself clean enough to eat off of; except for, maybe, that gray birthday cake I saw somewhere..........

[jmitro]

flywheel seal, resurface flywheel, new clutch disk, PP, TO bearing, pilot bearing, clutch fork, omega spring

new plugs
new rear shocks (easier to get to upper bolt)
new breather hoses
new vacuum lines
anything related to the intake and fuel lines
replace rear suspension bushings
repair unibody damage or rust

how much more do you want to do?????

[MotoSook]

Rear main seal, tranny output shaft seal, noses bearing, check head studs, tighten ricer shafts if possible or at least clean up what you can once the valve covers are off.

I would tack the CIS off and replace all rubber or foam material. With the CIS off, you might as well take the engine shroud off and check things over (e.g. Any debris build up on top if cylinders or oil filter that might restrict cooling), them you might as well replace the gasket under the case breather housing, tstat o-ring. Basically a reseal without breaking down the the long block.

All depends on how deep you want to go!

[rusnak]

Those flywheel bolts are one time use only. I don't think I'd remove them. I'd leave the pressure plate too unless the TO bearing was not spinning smoothly.

Maybe replace the oil cooler seals, and have it cleaned professionally. Maybe rear suspension banana arm bushings if you have a hydraulic press. Without one it would be much more difficult to do four. I'd probably check the vacuum hoses and replace the injector seals if you have known leaks. Otherwise I'd just bolt the engine back in and leave it alone.

[rusnak]

I should add in the interest of full disclosure that I went hog wild on my 3.2 when I did my engine drop, in the interest of reliability, but I would not advise anyone else to do that.

[jmitro]

Originally Posted by rusnak

Those flywheel bolts are one time use only. I don't think I'd remove them. I'd leave the pressure plate too unless the TO bearing was not spinning smoothly.

they do make brand new bolts for those, ya know?

[rusnak]

Originally Posted by jmitro

they do make brand new bolts for those, ya know?

Oh, what a relief. I was wondering what those metric sized bolt-y looking things were that I bought at the place that looked a lot like a Porsche dealership when I replaced my clutch. What would I do without this board?

I guess the following are replaced for giggles then, and not out of need: flywheel seal, resurface flywheel, new clutch disk, PP, TO bearing, pilot bearing, clutch fork, omega spring

[RoninLB]

if thinking about a future SSI install now might be a good time to renew the exhaust studs

if you're pulling the tranny check specs on the engine thrust bearing

party hearty

[Porschedr.]

Thanks for all the help guys. Are most of these parts like vacuum lines, o-rings and thermostats available on here? I couldn't locate them on the parts list.
Thanks again!

[Por_sha911]

Originally Posted by Geno911

What should I do while it's out?

Use the search button?

Many good suggestions above. I'll add replace the sound mat.

[jmitro]

Originally Posted by rusnak

Oh, what a relief. I was wondering what those metric sized bolt-y looking things were that I bought at the place that looked a lot like a Porsche dealership when I replaced my clutch. What would I do without this board?

I guess the following are replaced for giggles then, and not out of need: flywheel seal, resurface flywheel, new clutch disk, PP, TO bearing, pilot bearing, clutch fork, omega spring

relax.

you would go to the effort of dropping your motor and not replace the $6.75 flywheel seal and $18 worth of bolts? only to have it start leaking 500 miles later? maybe you do need this board

on a motor with no known history, absolutely i would do all of those, and I have.
with a known history of recent service to those areas, then no I wouldn't.

[vash]

DO NOT FORGET to disconnect that electrical connector at the back. it is just like the 14-pin connector you had to take off at the fusepanel. it you forget, it comes off the hardway..and that isnt a good thing.

[vash]

the motor comes out easy..i would fix leaks, and potential leaks and call it good..(plus the stuff you originally wanted to do).

[rusnak]

Originally Posted by vash

DO NOT FORGET to disconnect that electrical connector at the back. it is just like the 14-pin connector you had to take off at the fusepanel. it you forget, it comes off the hardway..and that isnt a good thing.

That goes also for the shift coupler and speedometer wires in the tunnel, oil hoses to and from the oil tank, heater hoses, starter wires, cruise control cable, throttle cable, and on and on. You should triple and quadruple check before and during the drop just to make sure everything is disconnected.

I would not go overboard on the "I have to change parts" mentality, despite what Jmitro says. It's an engine drop, not rocket science. Which parts you change, and when, has more to do with the particular car and how you use it, both of which we do not know. Experienced wrenches fix what is broken, and correct known problem areas. Crankshaft seals, though they do leak, are not known to spontaneously leak every 100K miles.

As for the known oil leak problem areas on the SC, definitely replace the "oil thermostat o-ring" and the "oil pressure switch". The latter is on the right front of the crankcase, at the top. It turns on the idiot light on the dash. It is NOT the oil pressure sender.

[Grady Clay]

Here is a great thread for ideas:
Long term & Commonly Neglected Maintenance

Best,
Grady