My 944 handles funny

[pho king fast]

I feel an unnatural tendency for the back end to want to step out. It happens pretty randomly, even when I'm taking corners slow, about 30-40%, lightly feathering the throttle. It wants to step to the side about 3-6 inches regardless of whether I'm going 15mph or 35mph, both close and far from the traction limit.

I've taken 2 40mph corners at 80%, where the grip felt fairly progressive and I wasn't anywhere near the slip angle, only to slide out randomly, and rather violently.

Now that it's raining, it's even worse. It feels like it wants to slip at the slightest amount of G's. On the highway, it feels like very bad rear tires (probably so) ready to spin you into the wall at any second, I had to get off because I it was too sketchy to try to even go 50mph.

The rear also shudders over bumps and small patches of road, particularly during acceleration. Imagine a street filled with pavement markers lined up side by side, now do a burnout across these markers. This is what the the shudder feels like. Over rough patches, the rear wheels seem to jump and spin and I have to back off the throttle.

I can't tell for sure, but it seems that it might be mainly from the right side. I did 1 very quick test where I punched the gas over a rough patch with just the left side of the car (it was more or less smooth), and the same with the right side of the car (it shuddered). The shocks rebound and settle normally if I try to bounce the car manually.

Information that may be relevant:
Shocks have been visually inspected by a porsche mechanic. The front right inner sway bar bushing is worn, and there is a slight leak in the rear driver shock, but the other suspension components appear to be fine. I believe my rear tires were installed in 2004, so they are probably even older than that (no DOT sign). Front tires are the same make/model, but installed in 2010. Motor mounts are worn. The car is squeaky over bumps of all sizes(have yet to spray WD40 into the bushings).

What are the possible causes for this?

[Tervuren]

What are your tire pressures? What type of tire are you running? Same compound front and rear?

I have summer tires on the rear of my '84 944, and all seasons on the front, needless to say, when its cold out, my rear can't hang with the front, not even close. If the rears are warmed up, it'll grip a little better, but cold summer tires on a freezing winter day are not a combination for grip.

As for the bumps on a launch, I've seen a lot of 944's do that.

[alan6272]

check control arm bushings and mounts, it is independent suspension.

[Pete R]

It sound like your shocks are completely shot, bumps are bouncing your tires and your losing traction.

[johnkoawood]

So you have a worn sway bar bushing at the right front, a blown shock left rear, 7 year old rear tires, and squeeks any time the suspension moves going over bumps and you are asking why your car handles "funny"?

Sounds like from your tires, to your bushings, to your shocks (and likely struts) are worn out, tired, and needing to be replaced! your front tires should be fine, but the rears... come on they are 7 years old!

Please either fix your car before you seriously hurt someone driving your car around at 80%.. or start driving it a little bit safer!

[mytrplseven]

Tires that old sometimes start to suffer from cord delamination and when you combine that with questionable shocks and bushings you got problems. If you have anyone else in the area that has the same car it'd be great to swap wheels and tires to help isolate the issue.

[89-944NA]

7 year old (or possibly older) tires are hard as a rock, not to mention in all likelihood seriously cracked. Start by replacing your rear tires (use same as the fronts....it's NEVER good to mix tires) and shocks. You'll not only make the car safer for you and everyone on the road, but you'll also be amazed at how much better it rides and handles

[Rasta Monsta]

Handles "funny". . .get it?

Most humorous post of the week!

[rick13]

+1 shocks, struts and tires. Oh and please go smack your "porsche mechanic" in the schnout for me.

Smith out.

[johnkoawood]

Originally Posted by Rasta Monsta

Handles "funny". . .get it?

Most humorous post of the week!

Last time I saw a car that handled funny, 12 clowns piled out of it in the center ring!

[Dantilla]

What about the alignment?

The 944S I'm driving used to try to do evil things to me- Felt as if the entire rear suspension was mounted on rubber(I guess compared to the race car, it is!). Even with far wider tires in the rear, the car was very tail-happy. Very strange for a 944.

Had a proper competition alignment done, and all is well.

Before the alignment, the rears were toed out! No wonder the rear was doing goofy things. Along with freshening up the worn-out components, you may want to check how the car is aligned.

[Tervuren]

If everything is old, its better to replace the bushings first, then go get a new alignment. If you've got play, it doesn't matter what you align it to, it won't hold it.

[kfanazini]

This has got to be a joke.

[FLYGEEZER]

WTF ???????? OK I gotta question........"How long is a piece of string"?

[Dantilla]

Originally Posted by kfanazini

This has got to be a joke.

Even the title says it's funny.

[andyshoun]

Pho king fast, make sure you don't have a leak or contamination that is causing your rear tires to loose grip. Oil, radiator fluid, dripping and getting on the rear tires could be your problem.

How did I find out my radiator was leaking? The rear in lost traction. Looking under the car I found fluid on the underside of the car all the back to the left rear.

[ernie9944]

Let stop thethe man he is new to the forum and maybe to 944s,first welcome on Pelican___pho king fast__it will be a good idea if you tell us which year is your ride (early or late model) & then where your from.If one shocks is leaking you will need to replace both + the rear tires(really unsafe to drive around with those on) with the same brand as you got in front.Sway bars bushing you will need two also while at it check the wheels bearings all around.Good advices was given here,when all worn out components are replace get what we call a four wheels alignment but be careful you'll have to find a shop that really know 944s suspension otherwise your throwing money down the drain.And yes do punch your mechanic on the nose please

[porschetub]

Read all the info,shocks are gone and tyre pessures may be wrong,but don't go to much on the tyre age thing it was invented by tyre companies to make people buy more tyres .
Fair enough if there is dry rot sidewall cracks,throw them out ,but the tyre age thing is an old wifes tale as it depends alot on how the tyre has been stored/used and other factors.

[Eric_Oz_S2]

Originally Posted by porschetub

Read all the info,shocks are gone and tyre pessures may be wrong,but don't go to much on the tyre age thing it was invented by tyre companies to make people buy more tyres .
Fair enough if there is dry rot sidewall cracks,throw them out ,but the tyre age thing is an old wifes tale as it depends alot on how the tyre has been stored/used and other factors.

That is completely untrue. Tire grip does reduce drastically with age. The rubber oxidises through absorption of ozone from the atmosphere and uv light. It has been well reported that tires have a limited shelf life. I have first hand experience with this, throwing away half worn tires and replacing with new tires of the same model is night and day in terms of grip level. Once tires are more than 5 years old (and less if subject to almost continual uv radiation) they go hard and lose significant amounts of grip.

[pho king fast]

Yes this is my first 944, which I've had for 2 weeks. I'm still trying to decide whether or not to keep it, as I bought it on impulse and took the seller's word on a lot of things, like "original paint and no drips/leaks." I occasionally help people sell their cars, so I think I was in the "ah that's nothing" mode when pointing out cosmetic flaws. I also tend to give people more trust than they deserve.

The things I think need immediate attention are an oil cooler leak, power steering leak, old tires, and 'funny' handling .

I can reseal the leaks myself for about $250, get a matching set of rear tires for $200, motor mounts for $250, and then both rear suspensions for about $250. That would put my cost invested in this car at about $4000, which is what I'm willing to pay for a mechanically sound 944 daily driver with occasional track days.

However, there are a number of other cosmetic/interior issues that, although I can probably live with, would certainly hurt the resale value of the car:

1) Passenger door has been repainted (all other body lines are straight, frame screws intact). Lesson learned, don't buy cars at night! Fitment is not great, it seems to close a little 'downwards', and gets caught on the sill even more so when the car is lifted...Do 944/etc. doors vary between years/cars, or what could be the cause of the bad fitment? The paint matching is ok, but the orange peel is so bad I don't know if a wet sand would make it much better.
2) Key mark on rear passenger quarter that's been touched up with blue paint with poor color matching. Noticeable but minor scratch on the paint of one of the head lamps.
3) AC is empty - don't know if there's a leak or not
4) Heater doesn't work (mechanic connected a vacuum leak that was supposed to fix the heater, but it still doesn't work)...this needs to be fixed for defroster, anyone have ideas?
5) Turn signal doesn't go back automatically
6) Gas meter goes to 3/4 when full
7) Rattles in sunroof, hatchback, passenger door glass, etc.
8) Cracks in dash, minor tears in seats, no original mats, rear trunk pull-out cover doesn't retract, tear in leather around sunroof
9) Passenger seat doesn't lock it's incline/decline position. It worked when I got it, I've fiddled around with all 3 levers, but it still doesn't lock.

There are 2 other known mechanical issues that don't appear to need immediate attention:
Car sometimes idles at about 2k, I have to jab the throttle and it'll rev then drop back down to regular idle. Under the hood I can pull on the throttle cable to make it drop where it stays.
Clutch was stuck halfway when I turned the car on once, and I was able to replicate it by pumping the clutch a few times. Every once in a while it'll feel like there's something tapping quickly on the pedal. Would bleeding help or is the cylinder(s) going out?

Yeah, I know, what was I thinking ?

It's a 1987 944 base with almost 92,000 miles. Suggestions, comments, more bashing is welcome, you guys have been both helpful and hilarious.