Hello! Another newbie with 1980 SC questions

[Joe Joe]

Hello all,

First I want thank our host and all of you who have posted answers and project threads here. I have learned an amazing amount since I've joined up. I’ve learned just enough that I thought I'd dive in to this car I bought.
I bought this car in July from a guy I know but neither of us knew too much about it. I knew it was a running, driving 1980 SC coupe showing 79k on it and an awful paint job.
He kept lowering the price till I said yes in a momentary lapse of judgment. Not only did I buy it without really checking it out, I forgot to tell my wife. Of course she found out when the guy I bought from ran into her and asked her what she thought of my new project. So, my newly acquired unauthorized purchase was to be sold immediately. To make a long story even longer, I procrastinated and commenced to earning kitchen points. Five months later and two other vehicles sold, I have been green lighted to proceed on the Porsche.
Well, if you were paying attention you noticed that I did not have a PPI done prior to dropping the cash. So I set out and read nearly everything I could on this website. I decided I could do my own PPI (post purchase inspection) to see what I was really up against. I'm a car guy and I've redone old Rovers, Scouts, and motorcycles but the Porsches have always intimidated me. I've owned two prior to this but I've let professionals handle the work. I wanted to do this one myself.
I called up our host and ordered a valve cover gasket kit, filters, fluids, and a couple tools. I thought I would start with a valve adjustment and check the head studs while in there. I was anticipating repair loose or broken studs and changing the cam chain tensioners. I was going to drive a bit more before having to drop the engine.
I got my parts, backed the thing up on ramps, crawled under it and started draining the oil. While it was draining I was looking around underneath the car for the first time really. This is where things started looking pretty good. Now you have to understand, I'm an idiot for buying a car like this the way I did. And, I can't pick a grocery line so I have some seriously bad luck often. But this time, it's working out okay.
This car had one tight valve, no broken or loose head studs, the updated chain tensioners installed, turbo valve covers, and SSI headers! Really, I never have things like this happen to me. At this point I’m pretty stoked.
I broke a spark plug wire getting it off so I decided to buy wires, plugs, cap, and rotor. The car was missing the heater blower so I ordered the parts to backdate the heat. When I got it, it took a long to start – had to let the pump run a good 30+ seconds before it’d show any kind of life. Based on what I read here, I got a check valve to try first. Once I got into it, I found that whoever had the engine out previously did a sloppy job reinstalling. I found over a dozen nuts and bolts just lying around the engine bay, loose hose claps, electric plugs disconnected and laying there. I’ve changed the tranny fluid, new brake fluid and bled them, fuel filter, air filter, and oil of course. I took out the AC and the cruise control and got a lot accomplished by searching this forum and reading how to articles here but I’m ready to reassemble and need some help if anyone is willing and hasn’t fallen asleep reading this long post.
Here’s where I could use some help.
• There’s an outlet on the right side of the air box about ¾ of an inch in diameter. It is on the intake side of the air filter and had nothing connected to it so unfiltered air just rolled right in. I’ve looked at every post and picture I can find and I can’t tell what belongs there? Some pics show a stopper of sorts maybe or a one-way drain valve?? Kind of like the water drains on my dirt bike air boxes? I’ve attached a picture. Please advise?
• The hose clamp that secures the oil breather to the crankcase is on the hose but it is very loose and not even slid down over the part of the hose that covers the male part of the breather. Apparently you can’t tighten that without a partial drop and removal of the CIS? Is the worse that can happen some weeping of oil or is the something I have to do right now? Has anyone ever cut an access whole behind the back seat? Just kidding.
• After I sort these issues my plan was fit a new-to-me set of wheels and tires, have it aligned, and drive it for a few months to let any other issues surface. Is there anything you all would advise me to do to it before driving it on a regular basis?
Again, thanks!
Joe

[KyMitch]

I've replaced that hose with a mirror, drop light, and a small selection of screw drivers till I found the right one for the job. You just gotta kinda climb on in there, give your CIS a big bear hug (might as well get that over with..), and have lots of patience.. good luck!

[gazzerr]

The outlet on the airbox you are pointing to is plugged with a factory stopper on my '82 SC. I think it's left over from earlier models.

You might be able to get to the breather hose with a partial drop. I got to mine by lifting my whole CIS up off the engine and going under the airbox.

[Joe Joe]

Thank you both for the quick reply! I'll start by hugging the CIS in the morning and go from there!

[81SC]

Joe Joe, the Porsche PET is always a good reference for some of these issues. Item 9A is the plug(stopper) you need.

[steely]

Hi Joe and Welcome - congrats and thanks for posting the pic.
My car isn't a CIS, so I can't help. And for someone who was intimidated w/ p-cars, it sounds like you're doing your homework and know exactly what you're doing. Best of luck with it, and congrats on the find. BTW, what don't you like about the paint - the job itself perhaps? Because I for one dig the color.

[Joe Joe]

Thank you 81SC! That is exactly what I needed. I'll add that to my ever growing reference source material.
Steely, the paint has cracks, orange peel, runs, and all kind of nastiness. Sad really. The story I got was the body shop went out of business while they were in the middle of the job. But, if the paint was good, I probably couldn't have afforded the car! Thanks for the reply! I'll post up as keep going. I'll probably have a ton of questions.

[75 911s]

Welcome and great opportunity to paint it a new color. How about slate gray or miami blue? Or petrol blue?

[don gilbert]

Joe you can remove the rear motor mount bolts, unhook you shift coupler, and the engine will tilt down quite a bit. Un-hook a few fuel hoses and a connector or two and it will come way down.

[RDM]

Congratulations on your purchase (and getting to keep your purchase!). You're making great progress and coming to the right place for answers. Really good news that your head studs are intact- mine weren't!

Welcome to the board.

[Joe Joe]

Thanks for all the replies! KyMitch, that bear hug worked like a champ! Dang it's tight back there and the mirror made it interesting but I got the clamp on. I got her all buttoned up and she fired right up! The check valve was clearly the culprit and she never started so so well. She is idling high and I have a shudder like hesitation at partial throttle between 2000 and 2600 rpms. Based on the body of knowledge here it sounds like I need to start checking for vacuum leaks? The idle is high but very smooth and steady and pulls really hard and smooth all the way to redline. Any suggestions on things to check before I finagle a vacuum tester?
Also, thanks to the market here I scored some used wheels and tires that should spruce things up a bit!

[Luccia at Pelican Parts]

Welcome to the Pelican community, Joe Joe. Happy to see some Pelicanites helping you out already. Are you going to keep the paint the way it is or change it up? I kind of dig the color. I do hope that our tech articles will come in handy for you now or in the future as you begin to work on it. If you have any questions (parts of forums) please don't hesitate to let me know. Enjoy your time here.

Porsche 911 (1965-1989) Technical Articles - Pelican Parts