1st drop & top end observations & questions

[GaryR]

Originally Posted by r-mm

Inneresting. So you start the engine bolts first. I've been going off Bentely which says start the trans bolts first, but what you're saying makes sense.

Depends on the car as the tranny mount (even with the four bolts loosened) only has so much play. On my car, which has seen the tire wall and been pulled back into shape, I must do the transmission first as I have to use a pry bar to align the second engine mount hole (it's more flexible than one might think!). My shop, who does a LOT of race cars, isn't fazed by this...

[r-mm]

Guys,

I think its a wrap. Took her out for about 25 miles and I'm not seeing any drips. She runs beautifully, shifts like a dream and every mile feels that much more rewarding knowing what I've put in to get to this point. Naturally, a longer shakedown including oil consumption check is in order before proclaiming total victory, but for the time being, I'm calling this one a wrap.

BIG THANKS to everyone who contributed by reading, posting, PM'ing and emailing with me. No exxageration to say I couldn't have done this without you all. When family, friends etc ask how I learned how to do all this I usually tell them its a combination of not being afraid to do stuff wrong (see cam seal...) and the internet. I'm going to post a separate thread with my costs and lessons learned, as I have found those sorts of things very useful when contemplating a large project, and I'm sometimes not willing to page thru a 20,000 post thread to get the info.

Merry christmas to all,

Rus

[r-mm]

Forgot to ask... the car idles nicely at ~900rpm but sometimes the idle "sticks" up around 1100. If it tap the throttle it'll usually come back down. What would this be? I checked the linkage carefully and made sure I could hear the on/off throttle switch click every time I manually released the throttle, however gently.

[jjeffries]

Great job. It's easy to look at other people doing these big jobs, but kinda gutsy when you actually do them. Kudos to you. John

[KTL]

Glad to hear it came together well Rus. A lot of credit goes to you for asking the right questions and being diligent in your work. Happy to help out. That's what this forum is for!

[JJ 911SC]

Great… Now its time to empty the fridge, again

[whiz05403]

Nice job Rus, and congrats!!

Now come up to Vermont and help me!!!!!!

[kidrock]

Originally Posted by r-mm

Forgot to ask... the car idles nicely at ~900rpm but sometimes the idle "sticks" up around 1100. If it tap the throttle it'll usually come back down. What would this be? I checked the linkage carefully and made sure I could hear the on/off throttle switch click every time I manually released the throttle, however gently.

Rus,

Next time the idle sticks, keep the motor running and grab a screwdriver. Gently tap on the Idle Control Valve with the screwdriver handle. If this affects your idle, you've found your culprit.

BTW, thanks for the great thread....I've subscribed and will probably use it in the near future for my own project.

[Smoove1010]

Originally Posted by r-mm

No exaggeration to say I couldn't have done this without you all. When family, friends etc ask how I learned how to do all this I usually tell them its a combination of not being afraid to do stuff wrong (see cam seal...) and the internet.

I felt the same way when I finished my top-end. This forum has become a much bigger factor in my Porsche-owning experience than I could have imagined.

That's fantastic news Rus, congratulations! Great job documenting it as well, I really enjoyed following your progress.

Enjoy the ride, and Merry Christmas to you too!

GK

[r-mm]

Thanks for the kind words guys! Felt great to have a Porsche again. Put a good hundred trouble free miles down this weekend.

A little aside -

Forgot to post this pic of how I torqued the CV bolts - worked perfectly. Also, noticed that in the engine install part of Bentely 30ft-lbs is specified as the torque for these, but in the expanded section on the suspension it says that for the G50s, 60 ft-lbs is needed on account of the bolt is an M12 instead of an M10 (I think i have that right). Is this the value my fellow 87 owners are using?

[Lapkritis]

Following since the beginning: nice job sticking with it and being patient. The smile and enjoyment doesn't wear off from what I've found.

[Smoove1010]

Originally Posted by r-mm

Also, noticed that in the engine install part of Bentely 30ft-lbs is specified as the torque for these, but in the expanded section on the suspension it says that for the G50s, 60 ft-lbs is needed on account of the bolt is an M12 instead of an M10 (I think i have that right). Is this the value my fellow 87 owners are using?

According to this authoritative post from one of our forum's gurus in the epic, definitive CV joint rebuild thread, you have it right:
Reconstructing Constant Velocity (CV) Joints

[Jcslocum]

60 Ft. Lbs. is right for the G50 due to the larger bolt diameter. Bigger bolts dia. higher torque to properly get the clamp loads.

[GaryR]

Looks good Russ! Funny, looking at your exhaust with the nice bolts -




Here is why I used a Sawzall to remove mine (headers going on anyway)!

[r-mm]

Maybe I got lucky... the exhaust bolts were certainly ugly on my car but with one exception I got them all off without a dremel. I have to say I'm a bit confused as to how the copper anti seize stays with the fastener, as I can literally see it melting out of all those fasteners which I coated in the stuff. Maybe it remains between the threads where it counts?

Also, my car is a veritable rolling testbed of fastener longevity. I have cad plated, zinc yellow chromate, and 316 stainless in various places along the exhaust, just cause its what I had on hand. Given that none of these are too hard to cut off, I'm not sweating it.

[Jcslocum]

Originally Posted by r-mm

I have to say I'm a bit confused as to how the copper anti seize stays with the fastener, as I can literally see it melting out of all those fasteners which I coated in the stuff. Maybe it remains between the threads where it counts?

The paste carrier is just a light grease/petroleum jelly or some other carrier of the actual copper powder. That is what's needed in between the faces of the thread form as well as under the face of the nut. The copper keeps the 2 metal parts from corroding together and becoming one. We use this stuff or the Nickel based version on gas turbine casing bolts up to 5" diameter, and they come loose by hand (using a tommy bar about as big as a bic pen) when the tensioner is used to release the loads. These bolts see 1500 degrees-F when in service.

[r-mm]

500 mile checkup: tight and dry. So far as I can tell it has consumed no oil at all, which is a big difference to the more than 1qt it would have consumed pre-top-end. Feeling good so far. Think I'll score some marks on my dipstick so I can get a better read on consumption. Dunno why these things were never indexed from the factory. I guess when cars are manufactured you are not supposed to have to monitor their oil consumption so closely as you do 30 years later....

Also gotta say that RR traction in the snow is no joke and non-assisted steering from the non-drive wheels helps a lot too. I drove through some mixed winter muck today and the car felt very stable and secure. I'm sure that had I opted for "real" winter tires instead of all-seasons it would have felt even better. I love this car!

[JJ 911SC]

Sound like successful Top End

[GaryR]

Excellent job Russ!

[r-mm]

Guys

I figured I'd send a 1-year update. I've only managed to add 5000 miles since the rebuild and there is more or less no discernible oil consumption. The dipstick is an imprecise tool (more score marks anyone?) but 1675 mi after my last change, I'm not seeing much usage. She drives absolutely beautifully and every time I start her up, purr around town then rip to redline I'm proud of my work.

The only hiccups I've had since the rebuild have been very minor:

1. The idle is still jumpy when cold occasionally

2. I'm seeing tiny bits of weepage (never a drip) by the oil cooler

3. my fuel injectors are rusting! I posted a separate thread on this but apparently Witch Hunter stripped the coating or paint from their body as part of their cleaning process. Maybe they oiled them or put some light conversion coating on them, but whatever they did or did not do, they now have ugly surface rust on them which I am in the process of removing. I am not thrilled at someone who would strip a coating from mild steel and leave it unprotected. Maybe its my bad for failing to think this through, but it seems a bit cheesy.

Happy new year to all!