[Walt Fricke]

On the wrist pin clip: I'd take Old Tee's advice, and use a borescope down each spark plug hole. Turn each piston in turn to BDC, so you can inspect the fore and aft sides of the cylinder walls. If a clip is missing, I'd anticipate seeing some scoring. If it wasn't put in solidly, it will come out, and the wrist pin. You probably don't have a boresocpe, so you will have to take it to a shop (or buddy) which does.

It is possible that this clip was lost (fell in) on installing a piston, and the mechanic simply got another one for that piston, reasoning (sort of correctly) that the clip will end up by the oil pump screen where it is out of harm's way. I stuff a rag around the connecting rod when installing these buggers, just in case. Wayne's book, I see, recommends clear plastic sandwich wrap. Dropping and leaving a clip is hardly professional.

I am wracking my brains for the construction of the stock 3.0 pistons. Some 911 pistons are not "slipper skirt" - they don't have a cutaway below the wrist pin slot. Such a piston can't lose a wrist pin retainer into the sump, because it can't get there. Instead it will bounce around in the slot, abrading the cylinder wall. If SC pistons are of that construction, and these are original, then the odds favor a fumble fingered mechanic. But I don't think they are.

I'd be less concerned about the broken clip from one of the chain ramps. The ramps really can't go anywhere. However, it indicates a problem. I've broken these clips trying to remove ramps, so I suppose it could happen installing them. These plastic ramps otherwise I think are pretty durable. None of mine have ever been worn so much that they really needed replacing, though usually I do anyway.

However, you need to inspect all of them in case more is broken, and when you go to that trouble you might as well replace the one which has a broken clip and thus a bit looser side to side than the others. You will have to lift the chain up a bit to see which one is loose. Removing the tensioner would give you the slack you need for that. It isn't hard to keep the chain on its teeth so you don't lose timing. Just be careful.

If it is a ramp which is in the chain box, easy. If it is one of the four in the case, you will need to unscrew the pins whose bolt heads are external. Be careful not to drop it deeper into the case, though you can probably fish one out easily enough with one of those cable grabber tools.

Good luck.