Valve adjustment for 570$ ???

[beepbeep]

Local shop here in sweden wants 570$ to adjust valves on my 930 inclusive new gaskets ...

Should i just cash it or hire a garage and try to do it by myself?

Unfortunately, i don't have access to full-fledged garage so i would probably end up hiring a garage and all ...

If i go for DIY-route, do i need to drop the engine? Remeber, this is 930 and there is intercooler standing in a way for me... how tricky is this?

Thanx...

P.S.
My mechanical knowledge is pretty basic, (most complicated i did was to change all brake-calipers, pads and rotors on my last car , SAAB 9000 Turbo) I also have 930 factory repair manuals...

[andyu911]

I always do it myself. No, you don't have to drop your engine. Here's the thread from Pelican. It's not that hard at all. http://www.pelicanparts.com/techarticles/911_valve_adjust/911_valve_adjust.htm
Good luck.
Andy
'87 Carrera

[Bill Douglas]

If you don't want to do it yourself, it may be practical to drive and ferry to Germany to get it done?

[ChrisBennet]

Doesn't the exhaust have to come off on a Turbo to get to the lower valves?

[Doug Zielke]

I think I can understand why beepbeep is a little apprehensive. I helped a club member do a valve adjust on his 930, and it was a major PITA. Had to remove a *lot* of plumbing. $570 seems like a bargain thinking of what my friend and I went through.

------------------
'81 SC Coupe (aka: "Blue Bomber")
Canada West Region PCA
The Blue Bomber's Website
"If it ain't broke...we'll help you fix it 'til it is!"

[old_skul]

Whenever I do a job on my car, as a reward, I try to find out how much it would have cost me at the dealer. Somehow it makes me feel a lot better.

I spent the last Saturday rebuilding my front calipers. Somewhere in the tech article it claims that a dealer quoted over $2500 for the job.

Wish I could pay myself $2500 for that. It was pretty easy.

------------------
Mark Szabo
1986 911 Targa 3.2
1987 Escort 5-speed 1.9 RIP
The Porsche Owners Gallery

[wdarner]

I have had full yearly checkups done, including oil and filter, basic go over etc. for less than that at a local Porsche guru (non Porsche dealer). What makes you think the valves need adjustment? Sort of like wheel alignment in my book. I have driven cars for 50K miles with no wheel alignment because the tires were wearing correctly. What indicates the need for a valve adjustment? It looks like alot of work (from the previous posts) unless you like that sort of thing. I used to like that sort of thing, but don't anymore.
Let us know how you make out.


[This message has been edited by wdarner (edited 09-24-2001).]

[89911]

$2,500 for the front calipers? Wouldn't it be cheaper to buy new ones?

------------------
8 9 9 1 1, The last of the line.

[old_skul]

The article was for the front and rears both. Here's the quote from Bob Tindel (btw, thanks Bob!):

"Give yourself a big pat on the back—you just saved several hundred dollars in labor (try calling a Porsche dealer and get an estimate on rebuilding your brake system. The quote I got for this work was $2,433, “assuming your rotors are good”). "

------------------
Mark Szabo
1986 911 Targa 3.2
1987 Escort 5-speed 1.9 RIP
The Porsche Owners Gallery

[Wayne 962]

Hmmm, $570 or $29.95: www.101projects.com

Seems like a no brainer to me!

-Wayne

[Britwrench]

If your car was out of warranty and more than three years, why would you be going to a dealer anyway? Official dealers have to follow Porsche repair proceedures, which usually mean replacing pars with new ones.
(Most manufacturers are the same), therefore their repair estimate is likely to be higher that non-franchise shops.

[beepbeep]

OK guys, i get the point! I'm doing it myself!

Wayne: I actually ordered gasket-kit and adjuster tool from Pelican one week ago, but i'm still waiting for mail with my shipping options. (It's going over to sweden, you know) Order number is 1000999515-XXX.

How do i know i need valve job? I just tracked down and fixed all exhaust-gasket leaks (which involved lot's of helicoils, mind you) ... now engine is so quiet (well...as quiet as it can be with dual-pipe sport-exhaust) that i can clearly hear ticking sound all a way in in the cupé. It's quiet when engine is cold, but it starts ticking after few minutes. Yeah, i don't really know if it's valves , but it sounds same as ticking originationg from a friends 930, just louder. Also, gaskets are leaking and previous owner was a ***** who just drove the car for 15000 miles without adjusting valves (he was a pimp-type guy).

I'm doing it as a (preventive) maintenance. Bout things that need to go off...well i'm planning to remove air-filter box, and maybe intercooler to get more space for fixing upper valves.

[Kurt B]

How are your calipers now Mark? Too bad you don't have a pic handy so I could see what a salvageable piston looks like...I'm always torn between swapping a caliper and rebuilding one...of course, I'm terrified from my 914 days of caliper rebuilding--there's a whole issue where the adjustment screw cap gets frozen and you have to drill it out, lines near proportion valve breaking (hey VW, think you made that thing hard enough to get at?) and on and on--and it just turned out to be a brake fluid orgy. I looked like a huge shining wiener with all the brake fluid on my body. What a mess.

[old_skul]

I just re-bled the calipers yesterday. I now have a VERY stiff, VERY high pedal. They are QUITE powerful.

I had some minor pitting on the rear edge of just one of the pistons. But just polishing them up with a Scotch-brite pad made 'em look brand new outside of that. They're only (!) 17 years old, so they're practically just getting broken in.

Uh, both of the hardlines to the calipers broke and I had to make an emergency trip up to AutoZone to get some new hardlines. Be aware that if this happens, you can't use "regular" hardlines - you have to get Porsche/VW specific lines that have a different end on them as well as the VW fittings. And they come in straight portions, so you have to use a tubing bender. Good thing my buddy had one. No problems with the "adjustment screw" - I didn't know I had them...They look really nice all painted black though.

I managed to keep all the brake fluid in the system, in the bowl, and in two large puddles on the floor. That fluid is nasty stuff and I wish I'd gotten some waste handling gloves to deal with it.

[speeder]

Hard lines to caliper are available from dealer properly bent for about $8.00 apiece. I just replaced my rears.

[pjv911]

$570.00 is a super bargain.If you still plan to do the valve adjustment yourself just make sure to dont make them to tight or you will burn the valves! And thats a repair estimate you would fear. Having adjusted the valves on your model before I would highly recommend you pay a profesional to take care of it for you as well as responsibility for his work.Being a wrench myself I would not touch that job for less than $800.00 .

[Wayne 962]

beepbeep I think that your email bounced, and you don't have it listed here. Email me at wayne@pelicanparts.com with your correct email address.

I hate when this happens - people think we're ignoring them!

-Wayne

[beepbeep]

Wayne:

It's OK, I called Pelican yesterday and this guy (Sam?) cheched my order manually.

About the car: It's definately going to the shop, but i found cheaper alternative!

I'm buying gaskets from Pelican, and then letting Porsche fabric-dealer adjust valves. I called around and found out that dealer wants 250$ for the job ex. parts (and this is Porsche fabric-dealer nr.1 in Sweden, mind you), compared to 570$ inclusive parts which indy-shop wanted. It's a no-brainer. Thing is the master-gearhead at dealer has old 930 himself, and likes to work on older cars once in a while instead of all "watercooled" cars comming in.

They are also going to change both front bearings, with Pelican parts

So: valve adjustment for 250$ , with Pelican parts at dealer. Feels better...

[Roland Kunz]

Hello

The valve adjustment is checked on a regular service. On a normal used car the valve play doesn´t change in high numbers while a hot session can move things and start a chain reaction. Valve play geting noiser is not risky just cost performance while to smal play will burn a valve off.

Now as a mechanic not "really" knowing how the owners use there cars you stay on the safe side.

But owners can do what they like and skip that part untill they fell uncomfortable or have a fatal error.

Now 570$ for the pure valve check seems a bit high ( but as far I know the swedish pricestructure still fair ) and i think it is a part from a regular service, but in fact on a 930 valve adjustment is a big part.

Servicing the turbos is a good finger exercise for the 964 and 993 engines ( Sorry forgot you don´t had the 993 RS and X versions )


Grüsse,
Roland