Timing belt parts and replacement

Roastin944 · 04-09-2003, 07:43 PM

well after reading what all you master minds have to say about the 944 timing and balance shaft belt replacement, im going to try to perform this. You have all said on Gearhead290's last post that the Kricket1 gauge is just as accurate as the wonderful porsche tool thats $400. When replacing the 2 belts, what all should be replaced when in there. My belts and waterpump were replaced about 15,000 miles ago by the previous owner. Should i assume the "updated" waterpump is in there now? What are the parts that should also be replaced besides the belts, isnt there rollers, ect. If they were replaced 15K ago, should i only worry about the belts then? They say 30K is when you change them but this is still a mystery to me and i want to see what its all about in there and do a little preventative maintainance too. Thanks alot for advice

John

ae1969 · 04-09-2003, 08:02 PM

If you have documented evidence that the belt had been done........ 15k ago.... don't bother.....

If you are worried just have a place recheck the tension..

The belts I would switch at every 30k intervals... you will see people stretching it to 60k...depends how much you like to gamble.

...water pump at ~100k + (rollers, front seals) and the belts again..

The part I don't understand for those that by the kricket tool??? To me its no different than buying a cheap cheesehead socket.... or buying the aftermarket mounts.......

You get what you pay for.

Tools are not cheap. If you plan on working on your car? and are planning on putting on 100k miles why would you take the chance? You are already saving it by not taking it in for 3 schedule services to the dealer? What is so bad about $300 bucks on an item that is needed everytime you touch that engine?????

I am not a mechanic by any stretch of the imagination and I would only trust an experienced mechanic to get the proper feel of the 90 degree twist or the kricket tool or blazzaks tool? Why would I as a rookie make the leap of faith that I could master something I touch every 30K miles?

Honestly I don't get it?

AFJuvat · 04-09-2003, 10:57 PM

Yeah.... what he said....

AFJuvat

Lawrence Coppari · 04-10-2003, 03:20 AM

In general, you do get what you pay for. But when you are paying for some overly complicated, overpriced piece of German mumbojumbo, you are wasting your money. There are too many of us that use the "cheap" tool and get good, consistent results. Some even do it by feel and get good results.

Lawrence Coppari · 04:24 AM

Here is an example of more German mumbojumbo. I have a 1980 450SL that I purchased new. Its HVAC system is controled by a servo valve. The valve controls water flow to the heater and is moved by an amplifier tied into the thermostat where you set the cabin temperature. The valve is turned by a servo motor. The other end of the motor shaft drives a disk with many pinholes arranged in a rats maze. The driven disk rotates so different sections of its rats maze line up with the rats maze of the stationary rats maze. In this manner, vacuum is passed from one disk to another that controls the flaps in the dash. If one disk is rotated, different holes line up and dfferent flaps open/close. The shaft passes through the two rats mazes and also moves a sweeper that controls the blower speed and whether the AC is on or off.

Needless to say. the coolant seals wear out every3-4 years and coolant gets sucked up into the vacuum system.

Now, here is some more unecessary German mumbojumbo making something very complicated out of something that could be simple.

Scott R · Scott R's Garage

WOW, and I thought that the little rotating fan and resistor setup on the 951 climate system was goofey, that piece of engineering takes that cake. Could they possibly have found a more complicated design for that?

Lawrence Coppari · 04-10-2003, 07:10 AM

It has about 8 electrical connections and 10 vacuum connections on it. Then there are two coolant connections. I am on my 4th servo valve. The only thing good about it is that it is easy to get at. Maybe I'll photograph it and post it tonight. It is a truly amazing example of something too complicated.

Lawrence Coppari · 04-10-2003, 01:13 PM

Here is servo valve on my 1980 MB. The colored lines on right side are vacuum lines. Electrical are below. Pump at front is similar to turbo water pump. It comes on when temperature is low to enhance heater.

T86951 · 04-11-2003, 07:01 PM

well I think I agree with a previous reply, if you know all that work was done 15,000 miles ago, take your car to a good porsche shop or even a dealer and just have them inspect and retenion the belts. From experience belts need retensioned after some amount of time and/or miles, maybe 2,000 or 3,000 miles or for sure by 15,000. I went 60,000miles on my 944 (not my 944 turbo) on a set of belts and never had them retenioned and lost a cam belt, cost me $1500!!!! from what you say retionioning and inspection is in order, they aren't that fragile pretty durabe belts.

oh if you have an '87 or newer it has a spring tentioner and will keep them pretty well tentioned in spec unless the spring setup goes bad. I have an 86 regular 944 and an 86 turbo so someone with an 87 or later can tell you better about the spring tentioner.

hope this helps, I no expert but have had these cars 10 and 7 years and although I have a lot of my work done I did the belts on my regular 944 recently , had my turbo done because of all the underbody work around it, a regular 944 belt job is a lot easier.