how long should it take to remove Cyl Head

hardflex · 09-10-2003, 07:47 PM

Hello Everyone, a 914 owner here expanding his horizons

I've taken on revival of my Bros. 86 944. it's got a broken timing belt, so i'm wondering how long it should take to remove the head,? I've done lot's of mechanical stuff, just not on a 944.

Is 3 hours about right, or is that in my dreams?

ae1969 · 09-10-2003, 08:01 PM

Sounds about right..... as long as nothing goes wrong....

hardflex · 09-10-2003, 10:11 PM

if something can go wrong, it will.

oh well, might as well get on with it. ;-)

highboost951 · 09-10-2003, 10:40 PM

more than plenty of time, I think I have it down to around 1-1/2. here's a couple of tips: spray a penetrating oil ahead of time on the exhaust manifold studs/nuts and also the manifold to catalytic converter bolts/and studs. Leave the manifold attached to the cylinder head and remove after the whole thing is out. don't use a ball style allen to remove the allen bolts inside of the camhousing; it will break and be nearly impossible to remove. (I hate jobs that are passed on from someone else!) don't waste time putting the engine to TDC before tearing it down. It's easily achieved with the head off for re-installation. Drain the coolant as much as possible from the radiator, lower radiator hose, side of engine block, and even once you remove the upper filler neck from the cyl. head use a punch or screwdriver to punch a hole in the head gskt to help the coolant drain to below. These are all things to keep the mess to a minimum when lifting the head off. there are plenty of more things so once you get started or when you're ready to put things back together, just ask.

ilikemy944 · 09-10-2003, 10:50 PM

When removing the head, do you have to deal with the lifters?

highboost951 · 09-10-2003, 10:54 PM

Yep, they're part of the camshaft housing which has to be removed to access the nuts that hold the head on.

MrPants · 09-11-2003, 12:40 AM

where in dfw you at?

hardflex · 09-11-2003, 05:03 AM

Thanks for the tips! Are the lifters any special problem?

There only a few weeks running time on the motor after another belt break. The job was done on the cheap, I'm thinking a tensioner was also bad that wasn't replaced, or improper tension on the belt.

MrPants, I'll be working on the car in Midlothian. You wouldn't happen to have a tension tool, would you?

afx · 09-11-2003, 06:21 AM

The biggest trouble I had was removing the rusted bolts on the exhaust. A tip to make it go faster and easier is to not unbolt the headers from the head while it is in the car. You can take out the head with the headers still attached. It is a real pain to try and fit a wrench in there and take them off while its still in the car.

TCMdocs944 · 09-11-2003, 12:04 PM

Header to rest of system bolts are a bi#%h. The whole process would have taken about 2 hours (first timer) or less if it weren't for one frozen header bolt (2 days).

MrPants · 09-11-2003, 06:16 PM

no unfortunaltely no tension tool here. they are pretty rare to come by, if you found someone in the area that had one id like to know who has one

hardflex · 09-12-2003, 10:20 AM

I'm in the process now. after getting the covers off, the eccentric tension pulley on the timing belt is ascew and loose, like the stud broke. Is that common? Getting the broken part out looks like fun. The belt is not broken, just no tension, and it's chewed some.

TCMdocs944 · 09-12-2003, 10:51 AM

Some people say the bolt isn't a problem but "clarks garage" begs to differ. I am beginning to believe it myself after your problem.

I wonder if it fails due to overtension? Do you know what your belts were tensioned at?

hardflex · 09-12-2003, 11:27 AM

I'm not sure what the tension was. It was done by a foreign car mechanic but not a Porsche specialist.

Here's a pic of what it looks like.

hardflex · 09-12-2003, 01:40 PM

and the crux of the problem

SoCal Driver · SoCal Driver's Garage

Wow!

Was the tensioner replaced the same time as the belt?

What's all that coolent? Can you wiggle the water pump shaft?

Mike B · 09-12-2003, 05:05 PM

It's recommended to replace the followers (lifters) in the same place you removed them from. Also, it's a good idea to submerge them in oil after you remove them.

hardflex · 09-12-2003, 05:17 PM

I can't say for sure about the tensioner, but it turns smooth as silk, so i don't think it locked up and caused this. I appears from first look the previous belt replacement was a careful job.

The coolant was just spill from disconnecting hoses, I think. It's possible the car was run previous to the belt repair with a bad water pump, as my brother is kinda a cheapskate and the cost of the pump put him off. That might be some of the rusty stuff you see.

It bent all the valves. I'm worried about removing the broken threads from the block. I'm afraid I'll have to pull the motor to get it out.

nothings ever easy anymore ;-(