Needing all the help I can get! Everyone and anyone that knows about the 924S, READ!!

[924S1987]

I am 17 years old and have some knowledge about cars. I have on my hands a 1987 924S that has been sitting for about the last 5 years. I have looked up information and researched a little and I am planning on restoring it back to the daily driver she was when my dad drove it! It has little cosmetic damage but due to it sitting for 5 years, lord only knows what's gone wrong inside! I have started a list of need to do's before I get her started and driving again! Please comment on what you think I should do and on what I should add to the list!

- Replace water pump and gasket : $260
- Replace belts :
- Replace head gasket : $100 for head set of gaskets
- Replace hood cable
- Replace battery : $140
- Replace brakes and brake pads
- Replace tires
- Drain and flush engine tranny
- Clean all grounds parts and sensors
- New distributor cap, ignition rotor, spark plugs, and ignition wires
- New vacuum hoses and tubes
- Replace pullys
- Change oil, oil filter
- Change air filter : $45
- Drain fuel
- Replace fuel filter : $25
- Replace brake fluid : $15
- Check Oxygen sensor
- Replace oil seals

Thanks in advance and I look forward to hearing everything you have to say!

[ronin]

of course the belts have priority. everything else on your list looks good. work your way from the most obvious items (belts, oil chg, brake fluid, etc.) down the list to those that can be done on an as-needed basis (seals, head gasket, etc)

here's a suggestion on how this might look: (using your list)

- Replace belts :
- Change oil, oil filter
- Change air filter : $45
- New distributor cap, ignition rotor, spark plugs, and ignition wires
- Drain fuel
- Replace fuel filter : $25
- Replace brake fluid : $15
- Replace brake pads
- Drain and flush transm
- Clean all grounds parts and sensors
- New vacuum hoses and tubes (as needed)
- Replace water pump and gasket : $260 (if needed)
- Check Oxygen sensor

as needed (not necessarily in that order)
- Replace head gasket : $100 for head set of gaskets
- Replace tires
- Replace pullys
- Replace oil seals
- Replace hood cable

obviously needed
- Replace battery : $140


I'm sure that others here might arrange the list a bit differently, but you did well in finding the most important things to be done. good luck and welcome to the board!

p.s. don't foget labor costs

[924S1987]

I plan to do most if not all this stuff on my own.

That's really a big reason I am doing this. There is no better way to learn it then to do it and experience it....so that is what I am planning to do. When I put on the finishing touches (which will be a black paint job with a clear coat per my deal with my mom) it will be more rewarding if I did the work to it myself!

And it has been sitting outside for between 5-6 years and was a daily driver before it sat so I can't imagine there being serious damage besides the wear and tear of sitting!

[MrPants]

belts are most important. cleaning the grounds is also good idea. do you have reason to beleive it needs new plugs, wires, vacuum hoses, pulleys, air cleaner, and "oil seals"?
just wires and dist. cap for example could run you about $150.

[ronin]

you're pretty ambitious! just remember that jobs such as the timing belts and head gasket are best done under supervision of someone that has done it before. I don't know what your automotive experience is, but this isn't a job for a beginner. (not saying that you are) the belts are critical!! you'll need the belt tension gauge to do it properly. you can get lots of information from the guys here on replacing the belts and doing a search here on the subject will also yield a lot of useful info. it's good to see someone doing their best to keep another one of these cars alive. just make sure you don't plunge into the unknown waters of Porsche maintenance alone. maintenance costs on these cars are high for a reason, and it's not prestige

[ronin]

btw: where are you located?

[924Sman]

Originally posted by ronin
of course the belts have priority. everything else on your list looks good. work your way from the most obvious items (belts, oil chg, brake fluid, etc.) down the list to those that can be done on an as-needed basis (seals, head gasket, etc)

here's a suggestion on how this might look: (using your list)

- Replace belts :
- Change oil, oil filter
- Change air filter : $45
- New distributor cap, ignition rotor, spark plugs, and ignition wires
- Drain fuel
- Replace fuel filter : $25
- Replace brake fluid : $15
- Replace brake pads
- Drain and flush transm
- Clean all grounds parts and sensors
- New vacuum hoses and tubes (as needed)
- Replace water pump and gasket : $260 (if needed)
- Check Oxygen sensor

as needed (not necessarily in that order)
- Replace head gasket : $100 for head set of gaskets
- Replace tires
- Replace pullys
- Replace oil seals
- Replace hood cable

obviously needed
- Replace battery : $140


I'm sure that others here might arrange the list a bit differently, but you did well in finding the most important things to be done. good luck and welcome to the board!

p.s. don't foget labor costs

And the special belt tensioning gage...300-400 usd

Ronin...you know better than that! Replace oil seals when doing the belts! This car has sat for years and rubber deteriorates.
I would not worry about head gasket till all else is done then do a leak down test. The head gasket may still be ok and more work to replace for no need. Or do a test before the work and see if the head is leaking. At least you will know ahead that the head gasket needs replaced but if not save the cash for wheel bearings if needed, another thing to check on, see if they need packed or replaced.
I think you need to ask and shop around for parts pricing as some prices listed are too high!
Replace the WP/stat if needed.....wrong- REPLACE it!! One other thing I forgot...check the rubber brake lines. You can use OEM or SS lines. Sman

[ronin]

you're right. rule of thumb for the turbo (read: very high heat) is that if the car doesn't get to run at least once a week, the seals will go quick! but then again, I never owned an N/A

hehe. too bad I'm not in the waterpump business

[924S1987]

I have a few buddies who have a lot of knowledge in this stuff and I plan to have them come over and help, they dont know that, but I do. haha

I can't start this project until summer because I am getting ready to start baseball which means no job until baseball is over....then I will have all summer to work, earn money, and blow it on my Porsche!

I live in south central Ohio by the way!

Doesnt the '87 924S models come with the built in tensioner or some such stuff? On the other board at www.924board.org there was some talk about it?

[924Sman]

Originally posted by MrPants
belts are most important. cleaning the grounds is also good idea. do you have reason to beleive it needs new plugs, wires, vacuum hoses, pulleys, air cleaner, and "oil seals"?
just wires and dist. cap for example could run you about $150.

Mr Pants.....Where are you buying caps for 150 bucks!? Mine was 50 bucks.
One major characteristic of our cars is corrosion on the electrical and rubber components, therefore the need to replace the ignition parts or clean up well is advised.
Remember this car has sat for at least 5 years and if it sat outside that adds to the breakdown of parts etc. Sman

[ronin]

good, that'll give you plenty of time to do some research. hope all turns out well. keep us informed

[ronin]

Originally posted by 924Sman
Mr Pants.....Where are you buying caps for 150 bucks!? Mine was 50 bucks.

he said wires AND dist cap

[924Sman]

Originally posted by ronin
he said wires AND dist cap

Ah! My error! Forgive my misread! Sman

[ronin]

forgiven. amazing I even caught it, I'm about to fall asleep sitting here as it is. g'night

[924Sman]

Me too! I woke up at 3am and the coffee isn't doing it's job! zzzzzzzzzSman

[ronin]

[SoCal Driver]

$150 for a battery? Sam's Club has them for $38.

I would also check the trans for lube. Pull the top plug and stick your finger in.

The wheel bearings are going to be shot. You could get it running down the road for a few days or weeks but you will soon hear the rumble and clatter of rusted bearings. Especially the rears.

Think about draining the gas and flushing the fuel pump out before even putting current to it.

Don't know if the 924S has the spring loaded timing belt tensioner. No big deal if it doesn't.

I don't think that you will be blowing your money on the 924S as long as you treat it like the touring sedan it was designed to be not a street racer.

Why has it sat for five years?

[AaronM]

Originally posted by 924S1987
Doesnt the '87 924S models come with the built in tensioner or some such stuff? On the other board at www.924board.org there was some talk about it?

No. It doesn't.

As for having your buddies help you, if they haven't done Porsches before they are essentially worthless except for tools. These cars can be nightmares. If your car is in rough shape, expect to spend at least $1,500 and probably closer to twice that in order to bring it back.

The 924S is a fairly demanding car. Treat it carefully and follow the maintenance to the letter using only high-quality (read: expensive) parts and she will be good to you. Do otherwise and she will do very expensive bad things in very short order.

I got mine when I was 20 and if it weren't a shared project with my father I'd have never have bothered.

Aaron

[ronin]

Originally posted by SoCal Driver
Why has it sat for five years?

that's what I was wondering

[924Sman]

It was his Dad's car and put it away when he bought a new car and has been sitting ever since then...5 years ago. Sman