My new (old) 1981 911sc Project car

[NoEardGoat]

Any ideas on how I got oil in the airbox?

Could this be from overfilling during a past oil change? (crosses fingers)

[Walter_Middie]

Any ideas on how I got oil in the airbox?

Typical mistake - the oil is overfilled, then when the engine is started, it pukes all over the airbox and passenger side. We all have our fingers crossed that this is your only problem with the oil leaking.

Good Luck - Rex

[Gunter]

Originally posted by SP2
How did NoEardGoat get oil in the airbox?

Someone put too much oil in at one time and the breather hose connected to the top black rubber intake boot supplied the extra oil-mist into the airbox at high revs.
The airbox can be cleaned out but, the intake runners and the cylinders/valves will be caked up. Internal engine cleaners and running the engine hot for a while will clear that up.
Always keep the oil level at the middle of the stick: Level ground, engine hot and running, manual check.
When you open the oil cap, revs should drop about 50 RPM's.
If there is no drop, you have a vacuum leak from the 2 breather hoses. Clean the inside of the hoses and put a clamp on each end if there isn't one already. (4 clamps altogether, the one on the engine breather cap is hard to reach) You may find a nipple with a screen in the top breather hose; clean the screen.

[hbkramer]

girlfriends moms car??? who's name is on the title??
Sounds like a receipe for disaster .
You should buy it from her,title it, and THEN have all the fun the rest of have with our German airheads.
Remember free advise is wporth exactly what you pay for it.
my 0.02
Good Luck with it .
bruce

[Gunter]

Originally posted by NoEardGoat
The horn shaped thing is a disquistingly 80's (maybe early 90's) car alarm.

I believe the stamped number on the engine case is: 6314832

I found this on the passenger side just below the fan. Or am I looking in the wrong place

Common mistake:
Use a light, it's hard to see. NOT the cast-number on the fan post.
Go down on the right fan post to the engine case.
Clean the area. There is a stamped number:
If it's Euro: 930/10? US: 930/16

Reality check:
This is a 26 year old car. The 911 is only fun to drive if it is maintained and upgraded, meaning: $$$, time and a certain mechanical ability.
That car was parked for 6 years for a reason. Unfortunately, too often people store a car without Stabil/ injector cleaner in the fuel to keep the CIS clean and start it periodically.
Aside from the engine needing work, there are the brakes for sure, shocks, suspension bushings, tires, alignment, etc.
Heater- and flapper boxes? Muffler?
You may need a new clutch and the 915 transmission usually developes issues with first and second gear.
If the engine just needs a re-seal, figure a minimum of $2k, it goes up from there.
Be prepared for a lot of work before you start the engine.
Oil leaks can only be found if the engine is cleaned really good first, otherwise you don't know where it is coming from.
Once it runs, an inspection by a qualified mechanic may give you a better idea about the general condition; money well spent.

Read and read, especially about CIS.

[JK-81SC]

girlfriends moms car??? who's name is on the title??

Wow! Good point. Without the title signed over in your name, don't spend a penny on the car. If your relationship turns sour, the car won't be yours anymore. Tell the mom you need the title to get the car registered for license plates.

Then dive into the work. Don't be afraid to do and engine drop. Once the engine is out of the car, it is way easier to do all of the fixes and clean it up

[Zeke]

You are wise to take this whole process of reviving the car in baby steps and keeping this thread going with your progress. Shoot, you won't even need a manual (although you should get one or two) with all the help you will receive here. And, with each step, if you run into problems, chances are you will find out what to do next right here. With the right supplies and. tools and procedures, you will have the car running by Sunday.

BTW, you can look into and siphon out the gas by removing the fuel level sending unit on top of the tank where the plug attaches. You can even vaccuum out the last of the gas and debris IF you use a venturi vac and NOT a shop vac. You'll just blow up the shop vac and start a fire. Speaking of fires, get an extinguisher and have it handy at all times on ork like this and then carry it with you. There is a non toxic, clean unit called Fireade.

You can blow out lines and run solvent (safer) thru them if both ends are disconnected. Don't use 100 lbs of air. 40 is enough. And, as someone probably already said, remove the plugs, look them over for signs of how the car was running last, clean them fr the initial start up and clearing out of the oil, etc., and then replace them with new. Old spark plug wires may not be working well. You will know if you run the car at night in the dark.

There's a lot more, keep reading and welcome to 911 ownership (I hope).

[madmmac]

All good things so far as stated.

Blow compressed air in the sparkplug holes prior to removing the plugs.

Remove all 6 plugs. Spray in your oil and let it sit overnight.
Leave the plugs out and as stated, turn the engine over by hand in a clockwise rotation only for a few complete revolutions. Spray again, let sit, repeat.

Good luck,

[NoEardGoat]

Well, I drained the oil out of the oil tank. Got a few little pieces of metal, but nothing major. I will pull all the spark plugs next and take a pic to show their condtion.

Thanks for the advice about the girlfriend. We are going to be doing this project together and splitting costs. We have been together for 3 years and I plan on marrying her, but will keep things even until then, because you never do truly know what will happen. Enough about the relationship though, and back to the important thing the Porsche (j/k).

I plan on cleaning up the old oil a bit and then attempting to run the engine in the car and see, hear, and smell, what happens. If everything checks out OK, then I will pull then engine, clean everything very well, and replace anything needed and convenient while the engine is out. If things check out bad I will probably pull the engine and start the diagnosis.

A good plan of attack?
Anything else I should inspect prior to attempting to start?

I also have a bunch of reciepts and found that the trans was rebuilt in 1999 or 2000, within a year of its hibernation. I will definately take baby steps and keep this post acitve throughout the entire build.

[pgeorgeson]

I think part of the problem is that she stored the car on its side.

(sorry, I couldn't resist)

[LakeCleElum]

Don't be in a hurry to pull the engine. You need to get it running and work thru the very probable fuel/CIS issues. Before pulling the engine, you want it warm for a good compression/leak down test.

You'll also need it running to track down oil leaks. Even if the compression is a little low, it can improve with driving aftera car has sat this long.

Also - The rubber, flexible brakes lines tend to swell up on the inside and block the release of pressure. If your calipers are hanging up (feel the rotor after you go for a drive), check this before you pull the calipers apart...

[JK-81SC]

I dropped my engine because it was a total basket case, and wouldn't start. Stuck fuel distributor, plugged injectors, dried up injector o-rings, noisy valves, leaked oil everywhere...

If your engine is in better shape you might be able to avoid it.

Once my engine out, it was easy to do a ton of stuff very quickly. It runs like a new car now.

[Al Zucha]

I've been working on my 80' Targa SC for more than 2 years. Almost ready to go. Good luck.

My main $0.03 (inflation) -- fuel, fuel, fuel.

If car has set up this many years, pull the gas tank, take it to radiator shop and have them pressure test, boil out, and recoat the inside. In Houston it costs about $90. Knowing fuel storage system is really clean eliminates a lot of questions.

[1982911SCTarga]

Ditto on the fuel. You're getting a lot of great guidance in getting your steed ready to run.

Milt's suggestion to take a peek through the fuel tank sender opening is a good one, too. Sometime I'm going to do that on mine just to see what condition my condition is in.

Would a borescope be handy for taking a look inside a fuel tank? Can you rent one at a tool rental place?

Brian

[Kemo]

seems like you could make or use a dentists mirror to kinda take a look see in the tank. anybody done this?

[LakeCleElum]

Originally posted by Kemo
seems like you could make or use a dentists mirror to kinda take a look see in the tank. anybody done this?

Just do what Milt sez, pull the sending unit and you can see everything you need w/o any mirrors, scopes or any of that. Equipment needed: 1) flashlight 2) a set of eyes...

[porsche930dude]

Before you turn the key check all the wires under the dash and under the hood up behind the dash for frayed wires from mice chewing on them. They feasted on my glove box light wires and then spread them throughout the car as they came out

[Kraftwerk]

add to the list four new tires and the brakes should be bled

[rteague]

check bank account balance!

[stealthn]

HI and welcome.

I would wait to start your car, sitting is really hard on it. I would get the bentley manual for the SC and learn about Porsches before doing too much. Wayne's book is also good, and there's plenty of information here.

I would drop the engine first so you can check everything and clean iit up (also makes getting to the plugs easy). You can read the procedure on dropping the engine here. Definitely change the fuel, filter and accumulator, put in a pop-off valve in the airbox.

Leaks are common on the lower valve covers, most people replace the stock ones with the turbo valve covers (and new gaskets), the oil return lines would probably need to be replaced as the seals are probably cracked from sitting (another common source of leaks)

There is an oil additive you can get that luminates under black light (I think it's black?) so you can see where the oil is leaking from. I would also add techron to the gas (when you replace it) to clean out the system, but your oil will need to be changed again after a tank of gas has been used.

These are just the starting points, good luck and read, and ask alot of questions (after doing a search in this forum for the ansers )

Good luck