Flexplate on 924 S auto trans

strendic · 12-15-2003, 03:31 AM

Just purchased my first Porsche, '87 924S automatic, from an original owner. The only problem with the car as I was told is the flex plate. Very loud noise as soon as you start the car and as you start driving the noise drops. I have couple of mechanically handy friends and we were thinking of tackling the job ourselves, how do I get info on related repair drawings, parts needed and who sells them? Understand that this trans on Porsche is the same to some used in Audis and VW? Can anyone confirm that so that I may be able to find needed parts at VW suppliers.

Any suggestions and info is very much appreciated, thanks in advance.

Happy Holiday Season from the east coast of Maryland, USA.

Slobodan

Dark Skies · 04:52 AM

I'm assuming the 924 setup is pretty much the same as the 944. The flexiplate definitely sounds like it's on the way out. That doink doink doink noise you're probably hearing is the safety latches on the flexiplate centre hitting the corresponding lugs on the flywheel. They're designed as a get you home (or at least to the side of the motorway anyway) backup should the rubber let go completely. It's noticeable under load (pulling away) when the rubber is stretched to its limit but fades once the car is moving at a constant speed and has 'caught up' with the crankshaft.

It's a relatively simple job to carry out. I was told by 'experts' that you needed to remove the rear suspension gear in order to get the room to pull the torque tube back. That's not true. On my 944 I disconnected the torque tube from the auto box, supported it (the autobox) on a decent sized saddle jack, disconnected the mounts and sundry connected lines and drive shafts and lowered the whole plot to the floor.

Remove the exhaust and hanging brackets. Work along the torque tube from back to front and remove the sundry clips that hold various pipes against it. Unbolt anything that will restrict you from pulling the torque tube back.

Remove everything from around the bellhousing that will get in the way of you removing it (starter motor etc - don't forget to discon the battery first), flywheel sensors, cables and that sort of thing.

Pop the rubber cover off the bellhousing and look in to locate the allen bolt that holds the torque tube to the rubber. Unbolt it. Unbolt the torque tube to bellhousing bolts. Unbolt the bellhousing bolts and manhandle the lot back to gain access.

That's a somewhat simplified instruction set (I'm sure someone here will tip you the nod on a manual on disc or similar) but basically I'm saying you can do the lot on your own for nothing more than the price of the disc and no special knowledge. I was quoted £2,000 + so it's well worth doing yourself.

I almost bought my disc from Pelican because it was cheaper than I could get from anywhere here but the shipping was too pricey. In the end I paid £350 (UK)

Took me a weekend of slow plodding. Labourious rather than difficult.

SoCal Driver · SoCal Driver's Garage

Well yes and no.

There is a snap ring on the end of the drive shaft that sticks through the flex plate. You have to unbolt the flex plate from the flywheel and the bell housing from the engine to get the assembly back enough to take the snap ring off. You can't pull the torq tube out as it hangs up on this shap ring. If the snap ring is not there the whole drive shaft shifts rearward and pushes the torq converter into the trans housing shearing off it's mounging bolts.

As much of a PITA that snap ring is some elect to pull the engine rather than the trans, torq tube and bell housing.

Dark Skies · 08:28 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by SoCal Driver
Well yes and no.

Oh, yes ... I knew there was something else I was going to say before the ADD kicked in and ... Oh, look ... socks!

As per SoCal says. Also I found it worth marking the relative position of the plate on the flywheel and the flywheel on the crank with a blob of paint so it all went back exactly the same. Re the snap ring ... as I recall you need to hold the damper assembly tight against it during reassembly and then tighten the retaining bolt so the gap is correct. Might be worth researching that further because ... Oh look ... socks!.

SoCal Driver · SoCal Driver's Garage

Wrong! The snap ring is between the flexdisc and the flywheel. You are thinking of the clamp on the bell housing side. Even the Haynes manual has this one right.

I will agree on the glob of paint. The nine socket head bolts are in patterns of three.

Dark Skies · 12-15-2003, 10:00 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by SoCal Driver
Wrong! The snap ring is between the flexdisc and the flywheel. You are thinking of the clamp on the bell housing side. Even the Haynes manual has this one right.

I will agree on the glob of paint. The nine socket head bolts are in patterns of three.

Hmm. That's interesting. The Haynes manual available over here doesn't even mention the process for anything concerning the automatic flexidisc or associated components. Indeed it just says something like "you'll need to have this done by a Porsche dealer blah blah blah ..." whenever dealing with the auto side of things. No pics or anything. It's notoriously crap amongst (auto)owners over here

When I did the job about a year back it was very much a leap of faith backed up by snippets of info from various sources and a poor photocopy of the relevant page from the Porsche microfiche manual.

What's the number of the manual you've got? Might be worth my while getting hold of one for my own reference.

J1NX3D · J1NX3D's Garage

i was on my 3rd flexidisc when i sold my '78 924 auto. the first time we disconnected the engine from the bellhousing, etc, pulled the radiator and fans and then pulled the engine forward and changed it. I dont know whether this is possible with an S/ 944 motor.
the 2nd time it was as Dark Skies said, dropped the tranny and torque tube.
the time between changes was 3 yrs. i was using 2nd hand parts, got the first one for $US55.00, the second for $US150.00

todwic · todwic's Garage

Quote:

Originally posted by Dark Skies
Hmm. That's interesting. The Haynes manual available over here doesn't even mention the process for anything concerning the automatic flexidisc or associated components. Indeed it just says something like "you'll need to have this done by a Porsche dealer blah blah blah ..." whenever dealing with the auto side of things. No pics or anything. It's notoriously crap amongst (auto)owners over here

When I did the job about a year back it was very much a leap of faith backed up by snippets of info from various sources and a poor photocopy of the relevant page from the Porsche microfiche manual.

What's the number of the manual you've got? Might be worth my while getting hold of one for my own reference.

My Haynes Manual mentioned not ONE WORD about a flex disc. I didn't even have the FWSM on disc when I blew my disc. 951Carter told me it was cool to drive, it'd just sound like crap. and he was right. real embarrasing at stoplights.

ronin · 12-15-2003, 09:11 PM

so what did it sound like???

SoCal Driver · SoCal Driver's Garage

Quote:

Originally posted by ronin
so what did it sound like???

I heard it and I can't desribe it.

Terrible, very terrible.

ronin · 12-15-2003, 11:36 PM

LMAO. mut have been before Tod moved

ronin · 12-15-2003, 11:38 PM

btw, jump in the chatroom for a sec

strendic · 12-16-2003, 04:21 AM

Been reading all replies and wanted to thank you on the info thus far. I can see that I picked my first Porsche with a problem that will be a little challenge to work on, what a start. At least judging from your chat there is fun ahead and I look forward to being part of the owner's club.

At least the timing of my purchase is OK since I have a few winter months ahead to work on my new toy in the warm garage and try to image how fun my first Porsche rally will be.

Thanks,

Slobodan

todwic · todwic's Garage

CLANG TING PONG TO TOW PINGITYPING CLANG PING!

Dark Skies · 12-16-2003, 06:16 AM

Nah. It's more of a doink, doink, doinkity-doink, doink, doink.

SoCal Driver · SoCal Driver's Garage

Quote:

Originally posted by strendic
Been reading all replies and wanted to thank you on the info thus far. I can see that I picked my first Porsche with a problem that will be a little challenge to work on, what a start. At least judging from your chat there is fun ahead and I look forward to being part of the owner's club.

At least the timing of my purchase is OK since I have a few winter months ahead to work on my new toy in the warm garage and try to image how fun my first Porsche rally will be.

Thanks,

Slobodan

Don't be shy on asking questions even if you don't like the answers!

Once you get your 944 up and running and take your first 90 degree corner a bit hard you will discover why we keep these cars.

SoCal Driver · SoCal Driver's Garage

I swear that the Haynes had a few sentences on the flexdisk removal. But then maybe not as I just checked it again.

Who the heck knows where I read it. Maybe Clarks Garage.

strendic · 12-16-2003, 05:50 PM

For a moment my command of English language left me in the dark so I started searching for those words in Webster…. no luck in finding any but I did find them in my Yugo dictionary.

You guys have been at this for a while and know the online crowd and the lingo…. I am just starting out...

Slobodan