My new (old) 1981 911sc Project car

NoEardGoat · 10-16-2006, 11:20 AM

Ecstatic about my 911. Yesterday I picked up a 1981 Porsche 911sc w/ 120k miles. It was my girlfriend’s mother’s car and she gave it to us. I doesn’t currently run and has been sitting inside a garage for over 6 years. The engine has oil all over the underneath passenger side of the motor. I am currently charging the battery and I was going to pressure wash the mess of oil and add some more oil inside the motor and see where it comes from. I am mechanically inclined and have rebuilt a few engines in my day. I plan on doing most of the work myself. I am just not very familiar with Porsches so any tips/advice from people with Porsche experience would be awesome.

Some questions:

Does anyone have any hints/tips of any specific areas that I should look for leaks?

How should I try to solve this problem? What steps to take, what tests to run, in which order?

What kind of cheap oil can I use to run this test?

The car has been run pretty hard, but is in descent condition because of the garage storage. It will probably need paint, new leather for the seats, carpet, and misc. missing/broken things. What are the best sources for parts? (I live in California)

What books should I buy?

Any other precautions I should take because the car has sat for so long. (besides draining and replacing the fuel in the tank.

jtfreels · 10-16-2006, 11:53 AM

Congratulations.... I think

First step, dont do anything till you've heard from the experts here.
(As a newbie my self thats about all I can offer)

Jay

kühn tune · 10-16-2006, 12:16 PM

The oil will have seeped past the oil pump by now and is sloshing around in the case. You'll want to drain the engine and you'll probably get a drop or two from the tank. Make sure you can turn the engine through by hand before you crank it. Look carefully for mouse or, insect nests in the fan housing and around the cylinders. Oil return tubes are a safe bet for oil leaks, but you'll probably find others as well. You'd be surprised at how good the view is from underneath the car with the exhuast out of the way. Buy both of Wayne's books.

w21055 · w21055's Garage

Some girlfriend huh? Nice job, let us know how the progress goes.

Hetmann · 10-16-2006, 01:06 PM

Take your time and clean the engine up as well as you can. Avoid using a pressure washer. Make sure air can get past the cooling fins. Why was it parked 6 years ago?

jester911 · jester911's Garage

You will need to drain out the old fuel as well. Probably need to flush it out and change the fuel filter. The fuel is probably jelly by now. You really don't want to start the engine until this is done.

NoEardGoat · 10-16-2006, 01:18 PM

The car was parked for 6 years because of the engine oil leak and a lack of funding to fix the problem.

Why do you advise avoiding the use of a pressure washer? I am aware of their power and was planning on using it at at least a 1 foot distance from the surface to be cleaned. Or are there things like crucial electrical parts I do not want to get wet?

NoEardGoat · 10-16-2006, 01:19 PM

what is the easiest and best way to drain the fuel tank?

911quest · 10-16-2006, 03:03 PM

There should be a drain on the bottom of the tank it is the in tank filter also use 20w50 oil go ahead and buy the good stuff cause you never know the car might not leak that bad if this was a daily driver it could also just have alot of road grim build up etc.

scottb · 03:10 PM

Do a search on the board for tips on starting an egnine that's sat for awhile. You'll find lots of posts with very good suggestions.

A couple of "must-dos" are to change the fuel and fuel filter, and change the oil. Some people recommend pre-oiling the cylinders with Marvel Mystery Oil before you try to turn it over. The suggestion that you turn it over by hand is a good one.

As to buying parts...why, buy them at Pelican Parts, of course. Carpet and seat covers can be obtained at www.worlduph.com, www.autobahninteriors.com, and www.autosintl.com.

Also, get yourself copies of "101 Projects for Your Porsche" and the Bentley service manual.

Have fun. Good luck.

Hetmann · 10-16-2006, 10:17 PM

Using a pressure wash on on engine with an oil leak is a good way to get water inside your engine.

Fishcop · Fishcop's Garage

Home work reading for you:

101 Projects for your Porsche 911 - Dempsey, Wayne (Pelican's owner)
911 Performance Handbook - Anderson, Bruce

There is also quite a few sections of this website that you will find useful such as; Engine Rebuild Forum, For Sale Forum and the commercial mail order parts function. Oh and the "Search" button will reveal a plethora of threads relevant to your ownership.

Welcome

LakeCleElum · 10-17-2006, 03:45 AM

Very good suggestions above. You CIS fuel injection system is very picky about having good clean fuel. Don't try to start w/o new, clean fuel. When you change oil, only add 7 or 8 quarts and don't try to fill it to the "full" mark on the dipstick. This mark is for checking only when the engine is running and the oil is warm.

Oil will have likely seeped from the oil tank to the engine sump, past the rings and maybe into the exhaust heat exchanges. Be prepared for lots of smoke when you start the car and don't let that alarm you. It will burn off. Keep a fire ext. handy!!!

NoEardGoat · 10-17-2006, 07:20 AM

Got home from work yesterday and jacked the rear of the car up and put it on jack stands. Started inspecting the motor from underneath and above the motor. There is a good amount of oil on the bottom of the engine and trans. There is also a lot of old caked oil and dirt all over the inside of the rt. rear wheel well, essentiall all over the oil tank. I pulled off the air filter and on the engine or clean side found a nasty little mess: OIL! So I drained the oil from the engine case filtering it through my fingers trying to find any engine parts. I didn't find any parts.

I had the same symptoms when my 1985 Kawasaki GPz 550 burnt a hole through the top of a piston. Which I just finished rebuilding a year ago.

If the engine had broken parts in it could they make their way to the oil tank?

What step should I take next?

I tried to pull the spark plugs, but this was near impossible without knowing what size socket to use (no manual yet), and even then I don't see any easy way to do this.

Is it time to pull the engine?

Here are some quick pics I took of the car, engine, and oil inside the intake.

NoEardGoat · 10-17-2006, 07:27 AM

I am also wonderin if the #'s match

Here is the vin from the door jam: WPO ZZZ91 ZBS 103099

Engine crankcase: 6314832

Bottom of engine: BEHR E1 911.107.041.00 (?)

Trans: 74C 4546 (?)

Paint code tag was missing, but the color now is grey, maybe metallic. And I believe the car was originally a non-US model (title states this).

Gunter · Gunter's Garage

Hmm...the steel fuel lines are there but...............
That doesn't look like an engine from an '82, more like a '78-'79 because of the airpump. Give us the stamped engine number located on the case next to the right fan post. Use a light, it's hard to see. Should be 930/16 stamped, not cast.
Before anything, get the books and read, read and read some more.
There is way too much to be done before you start the engine.
Do more search on this board about starting a stored engine, lots of info.
I know you are impatient to start but, if you do it wrong, you'll be sorry.
Drain and clean the tank, blow out the lines to the accumulator/filter.
Install new filter. Drain the oil out of case and tank. Get new oil and filter (~8-9 quarts 10W30 is enough to start)
Remove plugs and squirt a little oil into the cylinders, turn the engine over by hand (Large socket on the fan pulley and squeeze the belt)
Spark plug socket is the standard 13/16" with a 5" extension. If the tool kit is there, you might have the right plug socket in it.
Be prepared for lots of work to be done.
Hopefully, the fuel distributor and injectors are not clogged.
When you finally start, do a compression check to determine the condition.
Read the books first and do more search here.

SP2 · 10-17-2006, 08:03 AM

How did NoEardGoat get oil in the airbox?

1982911SCTarga · 10-17-2006, 08:18 AM

The three Zs in the VIN -- ZZZ -- indicate a Euro model. Given that, if the engine is matched to the car, it won't be a North American market 930/16. Your VIN indicates a 1981 (B production) model.

The air pump throws me off and the steel fuel lines. Also, what is that horn-shaped looking gadget atop the heater blower?

Brian

NoEardGoat · 10-17-2006, 09:08 AM

The air pump was an aftermarket deal that a mechanic installed so that the car would pass smog. It didn't come with the smog stuff because it was a Euro version. 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

JK-81SC · 10-17-2006, 09:11 AM

Ditto on what Gunter says, do what he is talking about. If you rush into getting it started, it will run poorly.

I had my '81 in my garage for about 2 years and the gas turned into something that smelled like paint thinnner. The fuel distributor piston was stuck from the old gasoline, and 3 fuel injectors were plugged.

Definitely get Wayne's 101 book, since it tells you how to fix the oil leaks. I fixed all of the leaks for very little money, just lots of my own labor.

You got a free car, but now you need to spend some time and money. Do it right and the car will run fine.