Alarm, radio, oil leak

sd01 · 12-18-2001, 10:26 PM

Sorry, couldn't find a good thread to resurrect for my little question(s) so here goes...

1 ) Why does my '84 have an alarm horn behind the battery if the car doesn't have the factory alarm? I mean, there was a piece of crap aftermarket alarm I removed, but nothing doing with the factory setup...no keyhole in the side of the car, etc.

2 ) Right now my car has no antenna. Just put a radio into the car, touched one of the powered wires to a contact on the radio and heard the antenna motor.
Two questions here: 1. any idea which antenna mast (smooth/toothed) is right for this year of 944 (would like to order some parts ASAP and won't have time to check for myself for awhile), and 2. is it true that having that wire connected will improve my AM reception (by "powering" it?), right now all I get is faint static and amplified "door is open" chiming (very weird)!

3) Most important question. I seem to have a small oil leak. Oil can be seen on the engine area below the intake manifold...any obvious stuff to check next time I get the chance?

Thanks again ya'lll...I always try to load-up on ideas here before I go on a tinkering excursion...

SD

Lawrence Coppari · 12-19-2001, 04:23 AM

Oil collecting on top of the block might be due to a leaking upper balance shaft housing. That's what happened to mine. It is not hard to fix on an NA. Just use Loctite 574 as specified so you won't have to do it again soon. And use correct order and torque on housing bolts if what I have said is your problem.

sd01 · 12-19-2001, 05:26 PM

Thanks, I'll jot that down...

Any ideas on why that alarm horn is in there?

divezic · divezic's Garage

No idea about the horn, but my 84 944 has a smooth belt antenna.

sd01 · 12-19-2001, 10:21 PM

Thanks...

Hoping to take a peek at some of the little stuff tomorrow if I get some time...

DennisR_944 · 12-20-2001, 07:12 AM

Are you sure that it's an alarm horn? The only thing even near by battery box that could be mistaken for an alarm horn is some sort of vacuum device, but it has a small vacuum line going to it.

sd01 · 12-20-2001, 10:12 PM

Yep, this is definitely the metal alarm horn, though I do have that vacuum reserve thingy too, nearby. Very puzzling. Wiring goes from the horn into the cockpit (?, or somewhere), looks like it is/was hooked up as normal. My options sticker doesn't list the alarm though.

So I found a window of time to pull out the antenna, wow...chock full of grit inside the box...time to get a replacement. Do any manual antennas fit up nicely with 944's? I always see those 911/914 manual ones advertised, maybe those will work?

But now that the antenna is out, my headlights don't flip up! Arghhhh, it never ends.

As for the oil leak, it's steady as ever. Oil pressure is good and I don't find myself needing to top off, but still gotta look into that sooner or later. It seems to be pretty high up, maybe somewhere right below the intake manifold. Any tips on working in that area?

Also...I want to inspect my belts soon...can someone tell me the quickest way to get the engine cover off? I mean, I can take off a bunch of stuff again to get at it with no obstructions, but there's got to be a quicker way. How do you veteran 944'ers do it?

THANKS again everybody. Always learning something new here.