My First Porsche - 1985 944

[uncle_scott]

Hello Everyone!

I have been watching the forums for a while, and just picked up my first running Porsche. I figured it was time to join in on the madness.

This thread will serve as both my introduction to the forums, as well as my build/clean-up thread for the 944.

About a year ago I picked up my first 944 which was a non-running 1986 with very nice BBS RS wheels. I ended up parting the car out for more than I paid, and I kept the BBS RS wheels for a future project. A few weeks ago I picked up a Dodge Durango from the County surplus auctions. I planned to sell the Durango at a profit, but a chance to do a trade for a Porsche 944 came up, and I figured I wasn't taking a loss, so I went for it.

The car is in decent shape. It has been resprayed twice. Originally it was silver, which is what the engine bay still is, the door jambs are black, and the car has a fresh coat of white on it now. The paint is about a 20 footer, but at least it is clean, and will get my by for a while until I get the bug to return it to its original color. It runs great, but came without a maintenance history. Call me a gambler, but I am confident in my ability to turn wrenches, so I am not too scared of it...

Day one (yesterday) I broke an inner CV on the driver's side. Luckily I still have the axles from the first part-out car. Axle should be taken care of tonight.

I apologize for the long intro! I am excited to get to work, and use this as a daily driver (When it runs of course, haha).

Pics to come tonight after I get it home from the in-laws.

This is the car I bought and parted out...just so there is something to see!

[Rasta Monsta]

Congrats, and welcome. Since I am the first here, let me be the first to say: don't start that car again until you have stripped the front of the engine and replaced (at a minimum) the timing and balance belts.

Have fun!

[vdubr928]

Welcome. There are plenty of good support troops.

They do break. How well is the car running?

[Catamax944]

let me be the first to say: don't start that car again until you have stripped the front of the engine and replaced (at a minimum) the timing and balance belts.

+1000 but i think you already knew that.
WELCOME.
I can't wait to see it , what year is it ?
Great decision to keep the RS's ,they look great on 944's ,white with gold centered RS's is killer or even better in prima donna finish.

[JohnnyRevs]

Good luck with the project - you're in a more advanced state than I am - I've just bought my first Porsche, knowing next to nothing about mechanics etc but am eager to learn. First thing for me, as mentioned by Rasta, is the timing belt etc: - in at the deep end but will do plenty of research first.
Can't say I agree on those BBSs (hideous!). However, to paraphrase "beauty is definitely in the eye of the beholder".

Regards to all.

[89-944NA]

+10,000 with Rasta, and while you're in there, do the water pump too. With no history, you don't know the age of the WP, and it would certainly be a PITA to do the belts and have the WP fail. If that happens, you get to go back and pull the belts to get at the WP. Belt kit and WP will run you under $350. for parts

+1 with JohnnyRevs, never was a fan of those wheels, the words "butt" and "ugly" come to mind. LOL

Welcome to the forums

[uncle_scott]

It is amazing to me that the Porsche crowd doesn't support the BBS RS wheels, haha. Coming from Volkswagens, BBS RS wheels are basically THE wheel to have. The RS wheels will be refinished this winter. I am taking them apart and powder coating the centers (not sure on a color yet ), and I will be hand polishing the lips and probably putting a sealer over them so I don't need to maintain them as often. That is a sideline project that will take a few extra dollars to make happen.

Well...(gasp!) I did start the car last night after swapping the inner axle CV. I actually drove it home, and then drove it to work this morning. Under the hood looks like it has been cared for, and the valve cover was recently changed out. The owner who had it previously in Idaho took care of it, I just didn't get any service records. I realize the Timing Belt is a ticking time bomb, but having just gotten the car, I don't want to tear it apart just yet. Give me a week or two to enjoy it first! haha.

This wasn't exactly the best scenario to swap the axle out last night, but it worked, and the car is road worthy again. I pulled the axle from the 85, and took the broken inner CV off of it. My original plan was to just swap the axles altogether between my 86 parts car, and this 85, but the axle length was significantly different...3-4 inches in fact.

Here are a couple of progress pics. Note the use of approved tools including a big hammer, and a paint scraper, lol . Whatever works.



The car itself has fresh white paint on it with a fair amount of overspray. The hood is the original silver color underneath it, and has been wrapped in carbon fiber vinyl. I don't really like the look, so I might pull the vinyl and spray the hood white temporarily. All of the lights have been smoked. The car is a Storm Trooper .

I really just want to return the car to stock color, and stock lights. I find it a bit tacky in its current state.

[p-talk]

I am a fan of BBS wheels on the 944. Had them on my '84 for awhile. But I just like Fuchs better, so I sold them to a 911 racer. To each his own - they are as light as Fuchs by most charts.

Good luck, these cars are fun to work on! Here's a pic of my 944 with the BBS mounted:

[89-944NA]

Yup, you're playing with a ticking time bomb there, without the service records, you have no idea of the age or condition of the belts (just looking at the belts will not tell you the age or condition), and a broken cam belt means a major meltdown...at the least bent valves.

Simple rule of thumb on these cars, 40,000 miles or 4 years which ever comes first...personally, I do mine every other year, and every 4th year for the water pump.

[uncle_scott]

That is good advice. Do I need to change the rollers each time I do a belt service, or is there an interval there you recommend?

I love the silver car with the BBS wheels! Looks great.

[Catamax944]

If you spray the hood white also do the mirrors and the sills ,the black accents ruins it ,imho.

[uncle_scott]

Originally Posted by Catamax944

If you spray the hood white also do the mirrors and the sills ,the black accents ruins it ,imho.

Quoted for truth. All white is definitely how I want it. I don't dig the storm trooper look.

[89-944NA]

Originally Posted by uncle_scott

That is good advice. Do I need to change the rollers each time I do a belt service, or is there an interval there you recommend?

I love the silver car with the BBS wheels! Looks great.

No set interval on the rollers, just check them when you pull them.

Personally, I change my belts every two years, water pump and rollers every four years, I look at it as cheap insurance

[8ballphoto]

Once you put in the new TB, plan on every 3 years or 30,000 miles. They will not make it for 40,000. I had one let go at just under 40,000 about 15 years ago (in the dark ages before 944 forums) after the dealer said I should be good for 45,000. That said, these cars are pretty solid outside of the timing belt system. I've had mine for 20 years and have had very few problems. They just go and go. You'll love it.

[uncle_scott]

Quick update. I got the car registered at the DMV with a temporary sticker. Then I took it past a friend of mine who is a tech at the VW dealership. While we were there we checked the brakes, fresh cross-drilled rotors up front, and new pads all around. The car seems to have been well cared for, with recent fresh parts installed. TB will be done soon. I am having a safety and smog test done next week for the license plates. Then it might just be time to break out the paint sprayer and begin the process of making this thing white all over.

[ernie9944]

[QUOTE=uncle_scott;
Give me a week or two to enjoy it first! haha.

Not bad looking for an 85 (paint job is a question of taste I guess but it will definitely look better all white,agree with everybody here here on the doing the belts ASP otherwise you migth not enjoye your new ride a week or two if they break.At least what you could do is take the front belts cover off (easy job) & inspect both belts for cracks & wear & see how much tension you got on them.If your not familiar with the 944s belts arrangement ,this is what you'll be looking at once the cover is off.This will be your best friend when working on your new ride.
Clark's Garage Home Page

[uncle_scott]

^^^Thanks for the advice. I actually looked up the Porsche 944 usual issues, and expected to the TB once I got it. I will pull the covers tonight or tomorrow and see what I am up against.

[89-944NA]

@8ballphoto...not meaning to be argumentative, maybe it's a difference in belt technology between then and now, but the belts today do go 40,000+ miles...I personally have put over 60,000 miles (quite by accident) on a set in my 89NA. I think if you search the forums, you will find that the general rule of thumb is 40,000 miles or 4 years. I have seen in Porsche publications 50,000 miles or 5 years. At any rate, at whatever interval he chooses to make the change, the bottom line is DO IT NOW not later. lol

Or maybe I can throw more fuel on the Conti belts vs. Gates belts controversy and say maybe you had one of those defective Conti belts (me, I haven't ever found a problem with the Conti, but some people swear they are a bad belt). Now if uncle_scott wants to be REALLY be sure, he can go with the $125.00 Gates Kevlar belt.

[8ballphoto]

Yea, the kevlar sounds like the way to go if you're already getting your hands dirty.

[944sracer]

I would highly suggest finding some factory service manuals as well. Having the correct torque specs and diagrams make a world of difference. You will spend a pretty penny on them but well worth it and you can all ways sell them if/when you switch to a different model Porsche. The Porsche hook is in now so you will forever be a Porsche person now