First timer takes on '84 Targa

[jmills]

Saturday was mostly spent cleaning. But first, we removed the clutch to see if we could tell exactly was was causing the chatter and why the clutch lever shaft fell out.

To remove the clutch, you need to remove the hex head bolts on the outside of the clutch.



Once the bolts are loose, you can pull the clutch off. I did mark both gears so that they go back together as they were removed. I am not sure if the is necessary, but can't hurt.



The clutch is free.



I pushed the roll pin out of the clutch fork with a drift pin and see why the shaft fell out. Even to the untrained eye, the problem is obvious.



Next I removed the starter prior to cleaning. You just need to remove the one remaining hex nut and it pulls right off.





The rest of the day was spent in the driveway with de-greaser, brake cleaner and a power washer. It's not Concours level, but it is good enough for a date night street car.

Before:


After:




The clean transmission now shows just how dirty the motor is. Looks like more cleaning to come.

[jmills]

Sunday and Monday were spent cleaning the motor. It is a little overwhelming, but we are just taking it one spot at a time. Cleaning is pretty boring for the forum, but there was one funny find. I have most of the service records for this car and I read that in 2001, a mouse or family moved into the engine bay. The motor had to be dropped to clean it up and remove the nest. Apparently, they didn't get everything.

This is the top of the engine oil cooler.


And the amount of stuffing that I pulled out.


Hopefully, that is the last of the nest debris.

No time to work tonight, but I'll be back cleaning on Wednesday evening.

[Steve N L]

I've been using a Bentley manual for my '87. What is the Wayne manual? Can someone tell me more about it?

[jjeffries]

101 Projects for Your 911 by Wayne Dempsey, benevolent Over Lord and founder of Pelican Parts. Great book. Also he gave us How to Rebuild Your 911 Engine. Both well written for DIY-ers and old dogs alike. Best, John

[CCM911]

If it makes you feel any better, I spent about a month and a half of weekends cleaning my engine and translmission the last time the engine was out.

I also cleaned the engine bay top to bottom. Based on all the oil on your engine and trans, I would suspect the engine compartment is pretty bad. If you do this, I promise it will be the best bang for the buck you have had in a long time. I am not recommending it, but I have heard that gasoline makes a nice solvent. Otherwise, a lot of Gunk(original formula), old clothes and eye protection. I can not stress eye protection enough when working on your back inside a dirty engine compartment.

[jmills]

The engine compartment is fairly oily and that will be attended to in the near future. Right now I am focusing on the motor, but unfortunately work and other obligations have kept the brushes and solvents out of my hands for the last two night.

I have some new plastic putty knives to scrape caked on oil and some new nylon bristle brushes. I have been using brake cleaner on the motor to clean. It works pretty well and evaporates so I don't have to worry about rinsing. The fumes do get old pretty quick.

I run the safety department at work, so I always err on the safety side. I have a stack of safety glasses in the garage.

My new clutch arrived yesterday, so I am collecting parts.

[PushingMyLuck]

Brilliant write-up with details down to how to remove a clip.
THIS is how you do a write-up.

[jmills]

I've been cleaning a little tonight and have a question. The tins will need some paint, so I am trying to get all of them off. Is it possible to get the rear most tin off without removing the heat exchanger? I have removed all the bolts, but can't get it free in the circled area. The other side is free.



I was hoping that I could lift the rear side of the cover and slip it out between the heat exchanger and the bolts. There is a bolt and what looks like a banjo bolt on an oil line that is keeping the cover from coming free. I'd rather not remove a bunch of stuff and still not be able to get it free due to the heat exchanger.

[CCM911]

I had mine off without removing the exhaust. It looks like it won't come out, but it will. Mine had a crack in it, and I am wondering if that "helped". I just remember removing all the bolts. Do I still see one to the left of your circle?

[jmills]

I got it removed. I removed the metal straps that go around the muffler that also hold the rear most heat exchanger part in place. With the heat exchanger not secured to the muffler, I was able to wiggle things around enough to get it out.

[jibmaster1]

jmills: Excellent and timely write up. I am in the middle of dropping my 85' 3.2. I just came inside to double check if I missed anyting, and suddently came across this well done DIY write up. It's my first drop too. I'm sure you read this or someone recommended it already, but you might consider adjusting your valves while the engine is out. And the three seals at the oil cooler too. It's much easier to do now! Nicely done. You've saved yourself a few thousand dollars my friend.

[jmills]

You are welcome and thanks for the kind words. We have been cleaning away and things are looking better. I already have most of the o-rings and gaskets, so those are on the to-do list. I am still debating on the valves. They were done about 8k miles ago. I know I should do them now, but the list of things to do is growing. I want to limit the time the car is on jack stands. I miss driving it.

[Duniel3000]

Can't wait to have my own Porsche to drop the engine from!
Cringe at the thought of so much cleaning though.

Regards
Daniel

[jmills]

I don't have too much to report other than the daily cleaning. I will point out a couple of things I have learned in removing parts. I have removed all the tins that surround the motor to gain better access to the motor and to give them a fresh coat of paint. The tins on each side of the motor are easy enough. You just have to find all the bolts that hold them on. There aren't any hidden ones, so that is easy enough. The tin on the passenger side on the flywheel end of the motor is also easy enough.

As I mentioned earlier in this thread, the exhaust side tin gave me trouble. I ended up removing the straps that hold the heat exchanger and exhaust together. Liberal amounts of Kroil allowed the rusty bolts to come off with no issues.



I then loosened these hose clamps on the couplers that attach the exhaust to the HE. With both of these loose, I was able to wiggle things around enough for the tin to clear.



Looking back, I am not sure if I really needed to loosen the hose clamps or completely remove the straps. Oh well, at least I won this battle.

The driver's side flywheel side tin was also a little tricky. In addition to the bolts that hold the tin in place, you will need to remove the bracket that holds the TDC and speed sensor in place (red circle). The tin is sandwiched between the bracket and the motor.

There are also two grommets where wires pass through the tin (yellow circles).



The grommet with 3 wires passing through it will push out from the engine side. The white wire grommet will just pop out.

I found it easiest to disconnect the three wires here and push all the wires through the holes in the tin.



The connectors just push back through the metal bracket.

[jmills]

Now a couple of before and after cleaning pictures.



I have not addressed the fan yet and an not really sure what I am going to do. I would like for it to look decent since it is the first thing you see when you look in.









I made the discovery last night that the heat exchangers polish up nicely. The left side has had a little attention but the right side is untouched.



I will be back cleaning tonight and adding to my shopping cart. Hopefully, my flywheel socket will be delivered today or tomorrow and I can remove the flywheel and finalize my parts order. I think I am getting closer to having the motor clean enough to start replacing gaskets and o-rings. At least that is the plan.

[CCM911]

Very nice work. I am impressed that you removed the tins on the flywheel side of the engine. That looks like it was a lot of work.

When you are done, your car will be so tight. Keep up the good work.

Looking at the top of your engine, it appears that you should be fine when you replace the Thermostat gasker and o-ring, and the sender o-ring.

[jmills]

I think most of my oil leaks were from the oil return tubes (already replaced) and the usual suspects (breather hose, etc) on top of the engine. It looks like it has been leaking from this area for a long time and oil has been running down the back side of the engine on either side of the transmission. It was a mess back there, but it is looking better. I should have bought stock in brake cleaner before I started this project.

The tins on the motor side weren't all that bad once I figured out what I was doing. I also uncovered a speed sensor that needs replacing. It worked, but there was some damage to the wiring on either end of the sensor. I have already found the thread that gives the part number for the BMW sender (thank you guys for saving me some $$). I just need to figure out how to get the speed sensor out of the bracket. Mine is stuck in place. I'm all ears on how to liberate this part. The TDC sender pulled right out of the sleeve.

[Ferrino]

I would be very interested to see the list of gaskets/o-rings you end up replacing, for when I do the same soon (if you have a chance).

[jmills]

I'll be glad to post a list of parts and part numbers.

[CCM911]

Are you planning on blasting your tins before you repaint? I did my first repaint without blasting and it came out looking funny, so the next round, I used a blaster, now they look much better.