Need advice for 85 944

[1982_928]

Hey, my dad has a 85 1/2 944, and he was driving home from work in it, and he ran over something.. Long story short, it broke the bottom mount on the radiator and put a hole in the top of it. Don't know how bad its broken, and if its not badly broken i might be able to repair it, like i have on many other radiators. (JB weld does wonders..)

What year radiator can i fit in there if i were to buy another? Ive got a 944 S2 turbo radiator located for a decent price, and want to know if it will fit the hole.

Also, it had been sitting about 2 weeks, and i went out and started it, and for some reason it has a pretty loud lifter tick. It wasn't making any noise before it was pulled under the car port, but it is now. I'm going to change the oil in it soon and see if it will pump up. Is this a common thing on these cars? It has sat for much longer other times and never shown any signs of this.

Thanks in advance!

[mytrplseven]

Sounds like he may have fractured the oil pickup tube in the crankcase with whatever bump he hit. This would starve the oil system. How's the oil pressure look at high RPM? Warmed up it should be 4 to 5 at higher RPM range and idle at around 2 to 3 bar. If it's sucking air it may still starve the lifters.

[FrenchToast]

As for the radiator, any radiator from a regular 8-valve NA from 1985.5-1989 will work, as well as one from a 1983 to 1985 car I believe.

A turbo/S2 radiator is not a direct fit, however easily can fit with the 951 lower crossmember and I think one new hose is needed for it.

Be safe, have a good evening!

Cheers

[1982_928]

The oil pressure is just as it has always been. We have run it many times since its broke, but it just now decides to make lifter noise. I'll check out that oil tube.

From the pictures i've looked at, the 85 radiator and a S2 radiator are the same, but you probably know more about them than i do, so i'll take your word for it. I don't have a 951 cross member, so by the time i bought one, i would have just been better off to buy the correct one for the car. This is the one i was looking at purchasing: eBay - New & used electronics, cars, apparel, collectibles, sporting goods & more at low prices Now i hope someone doesnt snatch it from me if it is the correct one..

I actually bought a nice turbo radiator off of Ebay the other day, and the seller told me that he "Couldnt find the part in his warehouse" I think he just didn't like the fact that i got it for $27...

How big of a nightmare is it to get the radiator out? Someone told me that it comes out the bottom. Is this correct?

Thanks for your advice!

[petrolhead611]

The radiator is not too difficult to remove, but take the electric fan assembly off first. The oil pickup pipe is a heck of a job to check,: you have to drop the front cross member which means dismantling the steering, then remove the oil pan.

[89-944NA]

Before you tear into the engine to check the oil pickup, if the oil pressure is still in the range as before the mishap, some seafoam added to the oil may free the noisy lifters (also, letting the engine warm to operating temp may free the lifter(s)).....you did mention the car has sat for 2 weeks or so....mine does the same thing if not run for extended periods of time.

[1982_928]

I will probably end up pulling the radiator this weekend. If the tube is damaged, i will probably pay someone to fix it.. That car is a pain to work on.

We let the engine warm up the other day, but that yielded no results. I had read on the back of a can of seafoam that you could pour some into the crankcase, and was going to try that. Ill pick up another can today. How much should be added to the crankcase?

[looneybin]

it could also be the Oil Pressure Relief Valve (OPRV) when mine went south, the lifters made a nasty clacking sound

[1982_928]

I will check that as well. Thanks!

[jeffrsmith]

My car sat for about 2.5 years before I bought it. When I first started it, it clattered like a beast. Didn't matter how long I let it run it still clattered. I pulled the coil wire and cranked it several times for 10 seconds or so. When I put the coil wire back on it fired right up and the lifters were quite, I haven't had a problem with lifter noise since.

[1982_928]

Huh. I guess it pumped up the lifters because it wasn't running. I might try that if all else fails.

[kfanazini]

The guy that is rebuilding my head told me to do that. Using the starter crank the motor a few times before start-up

Originally Posted by 1982_928

Huh. I guess it pumped up the lifters because it wasn't running. I might try that if all else fails.

[1982_928]

Well, FINALLY i got some time to work on the thing.. Started it...TICKTICKTICKTICK...Shut it off, poured about 4oz of SeaFoam in the crankcase, started it, TICKTICKTICKTIck...................Lifter noise is gone. That seafoam is some good ****...