Timing belt a DIY job?

[tdskip]

Timing belt a DIY job if you are mechanically handy but have never done it on a 944 engine?

Anyone in SoCal easily swayed by an offer of good beer and food to coach me through this?

Thanks!

Tom

[mattdavis11]

oh hell yeah. Timing belts are easy.

[krystar]

it's definitely a driveway capable job. me and a buddy did it right after i bought my 944. and we only had clarksgarage and a haynes manual to go off of

[tdskip]

Any tips to pass along?

Seems like doing the water pump at the same time is recommended, yes?

[944Spec_bound]

If you do a little searching you can find plenty of advice on how two do it. You can probably spend more time reading about it than just doing it, but I like to research before tearing into unfamiliar stuff. In the end, I waayy over-thought it. I found there pretty much are 2 schools of thought, just do whichever suits your mechanical style/budget.

1) Buy all the official tools and parts, replace everything else since your already in there. Several hundred dollars, some waiting for deliveries, but some peace of mind that it's done "right".

2) Do the quick, budget job where you adjust it by hand or Cricket tool, only replacing whats defective. Under $100, quick fix, quality is debatable.

Best advice I'd give is don't be scared off by stuff you might read about how precise everything must be. Folks giving that advice are trying to help, but sometimes it can make the job intimidating to the average Joe. I did buy the NAPA Cricket tool since I didn't feel I was advanced enough for the "twist method".

[944burns]

I'm also in the same situation and looking to change my timing belts and rollers, so this is very informative. I've been told that the Porsche tool for belt tension is about $ 500 , so about the cricket tool, does anyone know how much its worth and a p/n of it ?? thanks!!
Good luck tdskip

[many944s]

The cricket tool is a POS at best...
Is it better than nothing? Perhaps. However, the proper tension of the TB is at the very end of the range of the cricket, so the reading is bogus. Several people here have tested the cricket, and it is difficult to get the proper tension using it.

The way I look at it is:
If you have a leaking pipe in your house, do you put a piece of duct tape over the leak and go away for a 2 week vacation? Do you really want the possible end result of a flooded house when you get back?

I have loaned out my 9201 to several people here on the BBS. I would much rather someone do the job properly, then "just wing it" only to have a bigger problem (bent valves) down the road, and feel that they would rather sell the car instead of fix it! There is one person on the waiting list right now to borrow the tool, so if you can wait a week to do the belts, you are more than welcome to borrow the tool.

It is not a difficult job, but at the same time it is not something to be taken lightly.

-Nick

[idontknow]

Anyone rate the arnnworx tool badly or have any complaints?

http://www.arnnworx.com/

[EMBPilot]

944 spec post is spot on.

regarding bruces tools at arnnworx you CANNOT go wrong with them. I bought the kit with the fly wheel lock for future water pump jobs. His tools get the job done right without dropping the coin on Porsche parts, and he supports his customers.

If you write him an email with a question, he will respond back, quickly, with a solution for the job at hand.

highly recommend. one of the best purchases i made.

[bud9344]

I just finish replacing a water pump and timing belt cover and belts( timing) and roller on my Son 87 944S. I have found a way to reinstall the timing belt as it was before I take out the old belt.
First off all is the car good or great now? I figure why mess with the timing when the car run good now. If I can install the new belt exactly as the old belt, for when I am done the car will start and run the same--- (I hope). logically it should.
I have the fly wheel lock it work great and also use the amnworx.
You do want to lock the fly wheel to remove the Crank pulley. Crank pulley bolt is 24mm (socket) and get a wire coat hanger handy You can make a tool out off it
PM me if you need some help.





Tools made from a coat hanger


__________________________

Bud

87 930 Black
86 951 Black
86 944 N/A part car
87 944 S White
83 944 N/A Black
83 944 N/A White Auto

[John_AZ]

bud9344,
Now you know that someone will follow your idea and leave the coathanger "clamps" in.

OK, lets review. The original question and common fatal outcome is covered frequently.

$250 to $500 +- shop fee. VS bent valves ==$800+- parts and $1000 labor if needed.

$11.50 cam belt (PP) DIY and feeling of great achievement. Priceless.

No mechanical skills? No tools? This is your daily driver? No shop or work space?
Limited time? Children want attention? Your partner is angry you spend to much time on the Porsche. You just lost you job. The market sucks. And on and on...

This is not the job for you.

John_AZ
1988 924S 58K + 1987 924S DD 112K
First belt change took 4 or 5 hours and then I rechecked it all again next day. Now-about an hour.

[bud9344]

Well if someone leave the coathanger "clamps" in, than they are not finnish with the job. Try to start the car with out the belt pulley and the crank bolt ? I don't think that is a good idea, there is nothing stopping the small pulley to work itself out and there goes the engine.

---------------------------
Bud

[AKCJ]

Originally Posted by idontknow

Anyone rate the arnnworx tool badly or have any complaints?

http://www.arnnworx.com/

I have Bruces tensioning tool and it is definately the way to go.

I highly recommend it.