New to the forum

[Cking1975]

First I would like to say hello !

I recently purchased a 1990 Porsche 944 S2 Convertable. Having owned and worked on VW's almost my entire life, I feel some comfort with the mechnicals of the car. I do however want to ask for opinions on what should be checked on a car with no service record ? amazingly all the manual are intact and all the tool...but no service history since 1992 I did find one service record tucked into the manual case from 2007 and I was planning on calling that shop today. It looks like they replaced the Brake system in one for or another...can't read it very well.

What I am planning & Questions (reference links are fine for answers)

Replace all rotors, wheel bearings, pads, etc. (almost done pretty easy)

Replace timing belt all rollers and cam belt (complete kit) This I am not going to do.

According to the previous owner the timing belt was just done, the car now has 145,000 miles...but when I start the motor the belt (s) are whining...god help me if Jiffy Lube did this service.

AC Belt and Alternator belt

Should I change the water pump ?

How do I know if the power steering pump is shot without driving it?

Replace shifter, shifter ball, boot (I guess PP is out of these ?)

Leaks yes of course lets rack them up:

Leak out of the power steering line (s)

Leak out of the oil drain plug

Leak coolant block off plate...any quick fixes for this ?

I notice some fluid staining on the rear axe...? Does not look like it is leaking now ?

In addition any other places I should look for leaks?



Replace all fluids (what type of oil should I put in this car?)

Why is my oil drain plug leaking ? Oil was just changed at Jiffy Lube (aww not by me) Hey guys do you think this GMC Yukon washer will work on a Porsche...? u know it is true !!

How can I fix a small tear in the top ?

Overhaul the interior

What is the deal with the door panel bottom tray ? What a POS !

Thanks a bunch,

Corey

[kdjones2000]

Corey,

Welcome to the forum, and your "new 944".

The chain tensioner in the head is also a weak spot on these cars, and should definitely be checked/replaced.

Look at Clark's Garage for more info: http://www.clarks-garage.com under shop manual.

Cheers,

Keith

[mr. dude]

Hey Cking1975,
Welcome to the forum. The whine you're hearing from the belts isn't necessarily a bad thing. If it was recently tightened or replaced they tend to whine for a little while. I used to use 10w40 Mobile One oil in my old 944 and never had any problems, there are a lot of different opinions here on that though and it tends to vary for different types of climates. I also agree with you on the door panel bottom tray, plus mine were pretty dirty as well hench why I removed them from my old car when I had it.

-Jeremy

[Razorback1980]

Hey Corey,

I would like to welcome you as well. Here is a web site that might help with some questions about the various 944 models and years. Hope it answers some questions for you.

http://www.connactivity.com/~kgross/FAQ/944faq.html

As keith already mentioned, Clarks garage has a wealth of information and you will reference it constantly. I think the thing I found most impressive about this forum is that there are a large number of very knowledgeable people on here and they are extremely kind, helpful, and have more style and class than any other forum I've been on. If you are looking for an answer about your car and these folks do not know what it is, then there probably is no answer. We all enjoy the same passion and that makes you an important part of our community. Don't be a stranger. Also, it will help us to help you if you put your year and model of car in your signature line. Location is sometimes helpful but not always, so I put it in on mine anyway. Now on to the questions:


According to the previous owner the timing belt was just done, the car now has 145,000 miles...but when I start the motor the belt (s) are whining...god help me if Jiffy Lube did this service.

Make certain this was done Corey, These are interference motors and if the timing belts break or the teeth strip off, serious engine damage will occur. Not sure how to tell unless the PO can furnish a receipt or tell you which garage did it and you can confirm that with the garage.

AC Belt and Alternator belt

I'm sure you don't need advice on those but if you do, please ask. Although when you get the a/c belt off, make sure it's good and snug and doesn't move around. Sometimes the mouting bolts break or come loose....especially the back one.

Should I change the water pump ?

I do this every other time I change my timing belts. I change my timing belt every 30 to 35 thousand miles. This is located in such a place that it's just more convenient to do it when that's done. Again, see what you can find out from the PO and the garage that did the timing belts to see when it was last done.

How do I know if the power steering pump is shot without driving it?

Power steering pumps can leak on these cars but there is a rebuild kit for it and it's not hard to do. I think it's on rennbay if I remember right and there is a video to show you how to do it.

Replace shifter, shifter ball, boot (I guess PP is out of these ?)

Not qualified to help there...but there will be many that can.

Leaks yes of course lets rack them up:

Leak out of the power steering line (s)

The most common leak that I've found is on the hose coming out of the reservoir. Replace that hose and clamp and you may fix this leak.

Leak out of the oil drain plug

Replace the washer...you already knew that one didn't you? Just get one from a GMC Yukon or something!

Leak coolant block off plate...any quick fixes for this ?

I've never seen this type leak before...I think you could take it off and use a sealer behind it and put it back on. Someone else that's experienced this might add more later.

Hope all that helps some. Good luck with the new toy

[Cking1975]

Thanks for the welcome and advice. So I just got my first quote from a Porsche mechanic...and I think Clark Garage and I are going to get along well with each other...I cannot imagine how long it must have taken to put all that info for the 944...better get the printer warmed up.

[DMRK]

First, off welcome.

Second, we like pics, so feel free to post some.

Third,
"Replace timing belt all rollers and cam belt (complete kit) This I am not going to do." YOU CAN DO IT! With the help here and clarks garage plus some arnworx tools its not that hard. Plus if you drive alot like I do you'll do it every other year so you'll get good at it.

[gtroth]

I'll add another caution on the chain tensioner-search around here and pelican.
And the T belt - if it's new in miles but old in years, change it. Lots of pricey valves to bend in these cars.

Also, power steering leak may have eaten your front right sway bar bushing.

Pics?

[white944cup]

Welcome to the board. I have one recommendation: if you did not get a receipt for the timing belt change, I would make changing it your #1 priority. I personally know 2 people who were assured by the seller of their 944 that the timing belt had been recently changed, and they quickly found out the hard way that they had been duped. Even if it has been changed, you need to check it yourself, or have it checked for peace of mind. I would recommend utilizing the resources previously mentioned and learn to do it yourself....it's not really that hard if you can read and you have some mechanical ability and some patience. Furnish some beer and wings or pizza (AKA belt party) and someone from this board will show up and give you a hand.

[Cking1975]

Wait...did someone say beer...perhaps I should save the beer until the belts are replaced So do I need the special tools to replace the belts or can I use standard tools ?

[Arizona_928]

you will need the special tools to tension the belt.

[CJFusco]

If you don't have the records of the timing belt being changed, do it now. Trust me - I'm the victim of one "minor" (only one bent valve) failure on my old 944, and it wasn't fun (or cheap). You're better off spending the $200-400 to do it now (or much cheaper if you do it yourself) than $1200+ for engine work.

Most of those leaks are easily fixable. The power steering lines will ALWAYS leak. Even if you replace all the lines, they will start leaking again within a couple years. This is a fact of life with 944-series cars. The only REAL problem with this is that the pass. side sway bar bushing is PROBABLY toast.