Cam chain/belt Porsche 944 S2

[Butcher]

Hi!

Currently looking at a 1989 Porsche 944 S2 with 180 000 km on the clock.

The thing im wondering about is:

* At 155 000 km a porsche repair centre serviced the car, they changed the
socalled " registerbelt, balancebelt and tensioner for the registerbelt.

I talked to a porsche mechanic and he said something about a cam-chain with the tensioner that should be changed on these cars.. Now im getting confused, are the registerbelt, balancebelt or cam-chain the same? Very confusing.

Can someone please explain to me what he meant? How expensive is it to change the socalled "cam-chain" and tensioner if there is one, and how often should it be done?

Thanks for help! Really appreciated =)

[jsb944]

never heard it called a 'regiser belt'...but then I am in the US and you apparently are somewhere else (KM reference).

The cam-chain tensioner should be replaced if you have no record of it having been done in the last 5 years or so....

I don't recall the exact amount I paid to have mine done...but I want to say the parts run around $250 US.

I don't think it's all that hard to do...but if the teflon pad material on the tensioner pad is old...it becomes brittle...and if it breaks you can kiss your head goodbye.....a replacement head, if you can find one....will run in the thousands (US).

Moral of the story is you should at least change the tensioner pad/s.....I believe one can be changed easily...the other is a part of the tensioner and therefore you must change the tensioner if the pad is worn/brittle.

Good luck !

[jsb944]

Just re-reading your post....maybe they are calling the timing belt the regiser belt ?

That's a critical item too !!! Same nasty head results if it breaks !

[Butcher]

Thanks for fast reply

I think the timing belt is the register belt yes. Standard service interval on it. But Porsche never said anything about service interval on the cam-chain?

That`s what i read someplace. I`m not a good mechanic, so I must leave the changing/servicing of internal engine-parts to experts.

So i guess ill just deliver the car to service first thing when i lay my hands on it then. They`ll change the cam-chain with the tensioner, and ill just have to get some discount on the car if it`s expensive.
The "timing belt" and balancebelt was changed at 155 000 km, so they should be fine i guess, have read intervals of about 80 000 km or so.
I am from Norway

Any other worries I should consider? The car looks nice, haven`t tried it yet, but it looks nice.

Will try to post a pic of a "register belt" here.

http://bildr.no/view/439855

[Dave L]

hang on,

The timing belt also ages and will become more brittle, it should be changed every 3 years or so, you would probably want to do the water pump as well as it doesnt look like it was changed last time, you might also have to have some of the rollers replaced. The cam chain tensioner is a separate item, you can change just the pads or you can do the tensioner, chain, and J tube. All of this is going to be expensive, I would strongly recommend getting quotes ahead of time before purchasing the car(I would think they would be in the $2k+ range). I would also have a Porsche mechanic do a pre-purchase inspection to see if there are other things that need to be fixed.

[Butcher]

Found out that registerbelt is the same as timing-belt so that is changed at 155 000km, not due for change for å while i hope. U see, in Norway these cars are only used in summertimes which is about May to September or so, so they don`t get that many km a year(or miles).

Any other things i might check? The car has had a pre-purchase test on my demand from the biggest car-union in Norway(NAF). The test didn`t reveal any
dangers, the car was in good condition, and they test about everything from wipers, engine,breaks, toe angle, dampers... u name it =)

Thx for good answers

[Dave L]

Originally Posted by Butcher

Found out that registerbelt is the same as timing-belt so that is changed at 155 000km, not due for change for å while i hope. U see, in Norway these cars are only used in summertimes which is about May to September or so, so they don`t get that many km a year(or miles).

YES EXACTLY my point they most likely need to be changed unless you have records that they were changed in the last 2 or 3 years. The timing belt can break due to age and because its an interference engine it will bend the valves in your head.

[Butcher]

I see your point, but the current owner had it changed at 155 000 km(with documentation), that was in 2005. The car has only driven about 22 000km since then.

[PAUERMAN]

You may want to inquire if the tensioning pads for the timing CHAIN have been changed. Notice the crack on the left side of the pad. There are 2 pads to change in a 16v engine and when these fail, your valve(s) will end up making contact with the piston(s).

[Cking1975]

Ditto the others...be very careful with this...First don't trust anyone with the timing belt history...just change it, second make sure the plastic pads are replaced (even if they look fine), on the timing chain tensioner...they can crack and fall apart anytime (no idea why they are plastic ?). I pulled the timing chain tensioner out on a 140K car and the plastic feel apart in my hands...I really dont miss these engine

[Dave L]

I look forward to Butchers next thread, "My timing belt broke, what do I do now?"

[Butcher]

Thanks for help guys. I am hopefully getting answers on what was changed on monday, have contaced the porsche-workshop that did the 155 000 km service on the car. The timing-belt with tension-wheel, and balancebelt should have been changed according to the seller and his documentation from the porsche workshop.

I will change the timing-chain along with the pads, so that im sure everything is top notch.

[slow944s]

Butcher; I have an 87 S that I didn't get the timing belt changed in time and it cost me $4,000 for a new head along with the belts, rollers, water pump, thermostat, and labor to have it done. Listen to everyone here and change the belts, rollers and tensioner pads as soon as you get the car or better yet see if the owner will change them on condition of selling it to you, or give you a price break. Mine set for 2 yrs and had dry rotted and let go with less than a 1000 miles on it after I had bought the car. Hope this helps.

[Butcher]

slow994s: Sorry about that. I just don`t understand how it can break with such low mileage, aren`t these supposed to be changed with intervals of 80 000 km? I don`t mean to be ignorant or anything, I just don`t see the owner changing it again since he "just" changed them. And if I change it myself it would probably cost me a lot, there aren`t many porsche-workshops in Norway, so it`s a 400 km. drive just to get there for me. (I guess non-porsche workshops can do this for me too?, in that case it would be more accessible)

So, when I have had the car for 2 or 3 years and driven it 20 000km, I should change the belts again? If that`s the case I can`t have the car, I would just be constantly worried about belt-breakage and motor-failure. I like to keep my things neat and tidy, but that seems too often.

Do porsche use low-quality belts? Why do they break so easily?

Thanks again, sorry if you guys think I`m ignorant. Just want to have everything
out in the open.

[Makis]

You should at list inspect the belts and check their tension. An inspection will tell you if you need a imminent replacement.

The chain tensioner you can recondition as Porsche I think sells a kit that includes both plastic pads that need replacement. The tensioner itself should last forever. Also this is not a difficult job to do, probably much easier then a belt job.

[Butcher]

Okey, how much "tension" should it have? Is this something i can easily check by myself, or does it need a professional check?

[jsb944]

FWIW, I agree with the others...if the belt is from 2005 just have it changed....it's not that expensive to do and it's VERY expensive if it fails.

Plus...then you know exactally what the belt history is...and can be a good 'care-taker' of your care from that point forward ...afterall...you want to be a good PO too !

[mistertate]

Originally Posted by Butcher

Do porsche use low-quality belts? Why do they break so easily?

Yes, they use low quality belts. The Porsche belts use the same polymers that they used 30 years ago when the belts were developed. Polymer technology has obviously advanced a lot in the last 30 years. All current cars like Ford Focus and the Japanese makes have better polymer belts and that's what allows them to go 250km before service is required.
It's a shame we 944 guys all have to put up with these low quality belts.

[Cking1975]

As many other wise grasshoppers have told me in the past

Read and learn, you too will become a wise grasshopper:


http://www.arnnworx.com/

[Butcher]

Oki, thanks guys. I`ll have them check and replace the belts as well then.