To add to what was said earlier... if you remove the cam tower and the original paper gasket is in place, they are a real B to get off. I spent about 3 hours one day scraping and I onyl have about 1/2 of it off now. I am not sure if there is a magic chemical to eat the stuff (it is paper, not rubber or cork) but jesus.

I have used acetone, non metalic soap pads and razor blades to scrape. Porsche suggests that Loctite 80646 adhesive remover could be used. But, like most, for me it is 5 to 8 hours to get the gaskets off when doing a complete head repair.
When you think your done, shine a LED flashlight over the surface and continue :).

John_AZ

Ever consider using a butane torch and burn it off?

Dal

Found out the "leak down" tests I was trying only confirmed that the "leak down" test equipment wasn't leaking. I was able to perform compression tests with all spark plugs removed. Results were as follows - #1 -- 165, #2 -- 160, #3 -- 165, #4 -- 156. From what I have read I would think this is acceptable. Wish #4 was 160-170 range but I think it is OK. I am going to pick up a spark tester in about an hour and we will see what happens.

wow, you are one lucky dude.
please pm me some numbers at random, ill play them in the lottery!
no need for a spark tester, just pull a plug wire, stick a screwdriver in the end and hold it a 1/4 inch from the motor, have someone crank the motor, you should see a nice spark

if thats good, pull the rail cap, put a hose on it to a jar and do the same, should have fule while cranking

last if you have both and no start, remove the 4 bolts on the rail and pull it up. put a towel under it and crank, you should see all 4 injectors spraying evenly

btw, clean w/ elect cleaner the speed and ref sensor connectors and make sure they are in tight

I really appreciate the help earlr85944. I ordered the spark tester and my wife is picking it up now. Rather than the hose to a jar, what about connecting it to a gauge. Should I get 29 psi when cranking?

As far as the numbers go - I figure if the good Lord wants me to win he'll even give me the ticket.

So far so good. The compression numbers look OK.
"Mild Backfire"
Rereading the post and from your discription of the "mild Backfire" and car ran fine before, you might want to look inside the AFM to make sure the swinging "barn door" is not stuck.

Idea #2. Have you taken the distributer cap off and inspected the rotor and cap contacts? The next step may be to take the front cam gear cover off under the distributer and inspect the bolt and the cam extension for any loose parts.

If the car ran good before, I am inclined to think it is something simple.

Along with Clarks-Garage, many944s has a section on "no start".
http://www.benms.com/944nostart.html

GL
John_AZ

Thanks John. I did have some trouble with the distributor cap. Cracks around one of the mounting screws. I cleaned and examined with good light and magnifying glass. It "LOOKS" ok but I agree that it is suspect. Lightly sanded rotor and contacts in distributor cap. I will never again try to remove the distributor cap without removing the cover. I can remove four screws on the outer timing belt cover and pull it back enough to ge the distributor cover off.
We'll see what happens with fuel pressure and spark test

I have compression. I have 32 psi fuel pressure at the end of rail. Falls to about 20 psi in 20 minutes. I have a nice blue 30 mm spark at each spark plug. Confirmed AMF is not stuck. Still no start. Considering a little starting fluid in the air cleaner box before removing the fuel rail. Any other suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

cool, just confirm injector pulse, if you dont have a noid light, pull the rail, prop it a few inches up w/ rag under and have someone crank, should see nice spray

if still no start, triple check cam belt marks and then make sure spark plug wires are in correct order, youre almost there

Earl = I got it. Send me a message with your phone # and I'll tell what it was. I will post it later. Never seen this posted anywhere before.

Please post that you reset the cam timing, right? If you havent, I would imagine you could turn the crank 90 degrees in either direction from the flywheel TDC mark to bring all the pistons to mid stroke and well away from the valves, remove the belt and carefully set the cam timing correctly, and then slowly back the crank up to TDC again and reinstall the belt. Don't know if this technique works since I've never tried it, but it makes sense I think...

Yes, that does work. If you're VERY careful.

I'm dying to know what the issue was.

Sorry it has taken this long to provide the final report. Been riding in the Porsche, cleaning up the work shop, watching a little football and celebrating with way too many brewskies. I don't think I ever mentioned it but other than driving the car home after purchasing the first of July, I have nor driven the car. Unknown timing belt you know. I am going to try to give something of a recap and describe what I THINK happened. After changing the front seals, water pump, belts and rollers, the car absolutely would not start. I pulled the front timing belt cover, aligned the crankshaft to TDC and the camshaft was off by about 180 degrees. At this time I was unaware that the crank rotated twice for every camshaft revolution. I had printed instructions for all the tasks and have since noticed that the Clark"s Garage does talk about the crank rotating twice. I had some Clark's instructions and some others. Convinced that my timing was somehow off by 180 degrees, I removed both belts and slowly rotated the crank and camshafts in what ever direction they would move until I met resistance. I was finally able to again have both camshaft and crankshaft aligned to their respective marks. Put it all back together and no start. Hooked up a pressure gauge to end of rail and had good pressure. Bought a spark tester and had good spark at all plugs. About this time I decided to re-read all the instructions for the tasks that I had done and this is when I realized the cranks two revolutions per one cam turn. Easy enough to see based on the size of the two gears - just not focused on it before. By this time I had been looking at these dang belts and gears and crankshaft bolts and trouble lights and jack stands and timing marks for about eight days. Oh yes, and one other thing I had been looking at for eight days. The ROTOR. Certainly the rotor would only fit on the shaft one way right. If it were possible to set the rotor wrong certainly I would have read about that. NADA. I removed the rotor, this time noting how it was mounted on the shaft. Hum, a small threaded hole on each side of the shaft. I replaced the rotor with it now 180 degrees frome where it was, re-installed the distributor and she cranked right up. MANY THANKS to everyone that helped me here on the forum. ---- Until next time.

All RIGHT!!!!!!

"I removed the rotor, this time noting how it was mounted on the shaft. Hum, a small threaded hole on each side of the shaft. I replaced the rotor with it now 180 degrees frome where it was, re-installed the distributor and she cranked right up" ihuntsum

Breathing easier I bet. Congratulations!

John_AZ

Congrats!

Zundefolge!
 

Zundefolge!

What's the literal meaning of that?

technical german
 

Zundefolge is german for "firing order" It is one of my favorite words.
as in "der zundefolge ist 1,3,4,2" Additionally I use it as a one word explanative that loosely means victory through following the basics or following some kind of system or logic. It was a one word reply for a no start that means check the firing order between me and SoCalDriver, without whose help, I would have been sunk many times over.

The philosopy is that there is an order and a way to do things, and by following the order you will achieve vicory. (yes, very german thinking) As the car is geman, the philosopy and approach are fitting. Additionaly, for superstitious reasons I try to speak a little german to german cars when diagnosing them. "was is los mine liebeling?", "das ist nicht gut", "Das ist nicht recting", "Zu ist eine schoene Auto!". It makes them more comfortable and less likely to bite. Admittedly this is my own anthromorphization and neurotic displacement, however, It does work wonders and I keep a phrasebook in my toolbox for german italian and japanese. Original factory manuals for these beauties is in German and the translations are not done by mechanics, so they loose something in the process.

The next time you emerge victorious from following the basics, try saying it with feeling. Or, if you need to stand back and review the basics for a no start say "zundefolge" and then check the order and spark. It is a good word, and lord knows I have said my share of bad ones while groveling as of late.

it substitutes in a pinch for several choice explanatives that come to mind while wrenching and as there are small children that hang about when I work on cars who are trying to widen thier vocabulary, I use it as an explanative and to ground me back to the basics when frustrated.

It is written in your engine compartment somewhere, so mechanicaly speaking if someone doesn't even know where thier zundefolge is, it is kina like saying they can't find thier ass with both hands and a flashlight. Or, It could mean that they never bother to go under the hood at all and look about. (owners that don't work on thier cars) Novice mechanics can be sent to the parts stores for a zundefolge as a joke, much like board strtchers, muffler bearings, doofleegle valves, diesel spark plugs and Saturn distributor cap and rotors.

OR----
It is good Sol does not use the term:

Schadenfreude!
n.
Pleasure derived from the misfortunes of others.

;)

John_AZ