964 distributor change or not to change ??

fedefiore · 08:58 AM

Hello everyone, I'm new to the forum and to the P world!
Just got my hemmm..."new" 964 a 1992 TT black beauty that i Just adore...
A P specialist here in Milano that had a quik ride and brief chek told me it is a good car, well kept and that the 50.000 miles on the clock seem honest.

This is the only car I have and I?m becoming more and more paranoid about using it.
Always checking the ground for oil leaks, always waiting for the DME relay issue to present when I turn the key always thinking about the damn distributor belt while driving it....I need psichological support !!

The old school P. specialist (he is well known among P maniacs in town) who tested my car told me that
there is no need to change the belt unless it is ...broken!!
He told me it is very expensive to change it and once you change the belt you also have to change other stuff (that I don't remember now..maybe some bearings?)
I have the modification that is supposed to make the belt last longer (and it's a single pipe not double) but still I feel a bit paranoid not changing the belt itself the car is 15 years and I have no papers at all...the old owner told me he never changed it.
When I asked for a spare DME relay the mechanic smiled and told me "look don't worry too much ...these are strong cars that are intended for every day use don't fix anything that is not broken !!"
I felt like a 14 yrs old girl at her first date...(should I kiss with the tongue or without ? should I call him the day after or maybe wait a couple of days ???))
(should I change the belt or not ??? should I buy the DME relay or not ??)

I will have the car serviced next week for regular oil,filters, etc. stuff plus a check for small oil leaks (no oil on the ground but that doesn't tell anything... right ?)

So how do you guys feel abaout this "don't fix it if it ain't broke " attitude ??

kurquhart · 02-11-2008, 09:08 AM

The DME relay is relatively cheap and has been superseded by a 993 part. I installed the new part and carry the old one as a spare just in case.

I also had my distributor belt replaced even though it was not broken and the vent is in place. I am a firm believer in preventive maintenance being cheaper in the long run.

wachuko · wachuko's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by kurquhart

The DME relay is relatively cheap and has been superseded by a 993 part. I installed the new part and carry the old one as a spare just in case.

I also had my distributor belt replaced even though it was not broken and the vent is in place. I am a firm believer in preventive maintenance being cheaper in the long run.

+1

fedefiore,

DME relay is cheap insurance. Replace yours (very easy to do) and keep one in the glove compartment.

Distributor belt. Best to order a replacement and keep it handy in case you have to replace it. Not a difficult task, just a bit time consuming. Unless you want to go the expensive route and get a complete new distributor $$ as a replacement.

As far as how you feel, is normal. I used to think about stuff that could break... heck! the first week I got my car I put it up in stands and replace every belt, oil hose, spark plugs, dist cap and rotor, etc. and that has not stopped, I still change stuff from time to time just as preventive maintenance...

try to overcome that fear and use the car as often as you can. These cars are well built and do better when used often..

Pelican is a great site and for 964 owners Rennlist is algo a good forum to visit.

http://forums.rennlist.com/rennforums/forumdisplay.php?s=&forumid=59

fedefiore · 02-13-2008, 06:50 AM

Thanks guys !
Just bought new dme relay and will soon do the same with the belt or even a spare distributor if I can find a good deal on the internet.
Both pelican and rennlist are great forum and source of inspiration...unfortunatly I can barely pull and read the dipstick...that's how far I would push myself into a car engine!!!
I would like to start doing stuff by myself but don't know how and where to start cause if you screw something on a Porsche it is big time screwing !!

SLO-BOB · 03:52 PM

The distributor belt swap is not an "easy" job for all people. Having a spare makes no sense seeing as they are common items and there is no way you can do a roadside "fix" should your belt break. As far as "don't fix it till it's broke", I vehemently disagree. I have heard horror stories of snapped connecting rods because of a mis-spark condition due to a snapped dist belt. Do a search on the Rennlist 964 forum for much more detail.

You own an nice, expensive car. It deserves upkeep. Take it to shop that knows 964s (imo - maybe not the one that gave you the poor advice) and have a vent kit and new belt installed. I had mine done at 25k miles for about $150. Time is money, so I don't regret the expense and it's sure better than an engine rebuild!

Here's a link for a diy belt replacement.

http://forums.rennlist.com/rennforums/showthread.php?t=219861

This is a nice forum for casual browsing, but you really need to sign up for the Rennlist 964 forum. It has far more traffic and information.

Btw - Where's the pic??

fedefiore · 02-13-2008, 11:24 PM

Hey Slo Bob thanks !
150 $ is nothing compared to the 500 € I was asked...(750 $)

I would not think 2 times if it was that kind of money.
I will post pics ASAP !!
I will investigate with some other shop...I wanted to avoid official Porsche and here in Milano we don't have many specialized independent.
I want to do a complete 100.000 km service and change the belt.

And Yes I'm already in rennlist forum !

SLO-BOB · 02-14-2008, 04:56 AM

$750 is a lot of money for that! I would "diy" it for that kind of money. Fwiw, you can also send it to at least one guy here in the States that will do it for $150. Yes, you have to remove and replace the dist yourself, but it's something to consider. I wouldn't go to a Porsche dealership. They seem to be unenthusiastic about working on older Porsches.

colo964 · 02-14-2008, 09:39 AM

I lucked out and got a rebuilt dist. for about $400. When you factor new belt, caps and rotors, I got a pretty good deal. I made damn sure the vent tube is blowing.

For you, It's time for a new belt, especially if it costs only $150 to have it done right.

BTW, the week after I got mine, the vendor raised the price to $750.