Otto Mechanic

PS: The new shop/house is in Paso Robles CA, about an hour and half from both Laguna Seca and Buttonwillow so I expect to be getting a lot more track time with a whole new group now I'll be driving the 944. The old place is about the same distance from Laguna Seca but still 2-3 hrs to Sears Point or Thunderhill. I love Laguna though so it wasn't much of a problem.

Thinking about it is about the only thing that's kept me going this past year. Gotta finish my car!

Otto Mechanic

Got it in with all the help from all the folks who commented on this question, most especially Kevin Gross for both the amazing remote diagnosis of the problem and more for his very gracious offer to send me the sleeves I needed.

After removing the transmission I found the sleeve on the driver's side was missing. Using one of the sleeves Kevin sent I re-installed the tranny and bolted it up snug to the TT, which didn't work. Since replies on the subject were mixed I'd decided to try snug first. I backed the bolts out a few turns so they were loose but the collar still didn't engage so I put a jack under the back of the transmission as Van suggested and lifted it just a hair, tried the collar again and repeated. On the second lift, the collar engaged and slid onto the driveshaft smooth as silk.

As it turns out removing the transmission was good for another reason. On the first pass I'd forgotten to install the only944 shift linkage I'd bought over a year ago for this project. Even though the instructions for installing the linkage say it can be done with the transmission on the car, after doing it with the tranny off I don't think I'd want to try it the other way.

So now it's just a matter of torquing all the bolts to spec and I'll be done with the rear end of the car. So far that's been:

- SS brake lines
- Caliper seal re-build
- Rear sway bar w/delrin bushings
- LSD & "short" 5th gear in tranny
- only944 short shift and shift linkage kits
- Tranny oil cooler
- Koni "sport" shocks
- Hawk ferro-carbon brake pads
- Black Sea "Super Bearings" on the driveshaft
- Rebuilt "solid" torque tube
- Semi-solid "Super Mount" transmission mount
- Spec Stage 4+ clutch
- Rear main seal
- New CV joints all around

Next up (at the front) will be:

- Solid "Super Mount" engine mounts
- Lindsey Racing 3 part engine cross member
- "De-powered" steering rack
- Koni sport struts
- O2 sensor
- 30mm anti-sway bar w/delrin bushings
- Ricochet poly rack bushings
- Clutch slave cylinder
- Hawk pads & caliper re-seal
- SS brake lines

I'm almost certain I'll be reporting more progress and asking a few more questions as I work my way through the rest of the list. Thanks again for all the help so far!

BTW, I now have an extra guide sleeve for the transmission to torque tube bolts so if anyone needs it drop me a line and I'll mail it to you.

Otto Mechanic

I do have another related question for people who've done this. I need to figure out how to manually disengage the clutch so I can spin the driveshaft to get at the second bolt (nearest the rear) on the clamping sleeve. I took it off before unsealing the hydraulics to replace the brake lines so I just pushed in the clutch and spun the wheels. I won't be able to do that before bleeding and refilling the hydraulics.

I was thinking about taking the slave cylinder off and using a C clamp to press in the clutch fork. Anyone done that before?

KevinGross

Just wedge a 2x4 (or similar piece of wood) between the driver's seat and the clutch pedal.

JimV8

Yup, 2x4 is the best tool for this procedure.

Otto Mechanic

Hey Kevin & Jim -

I'd do just that, but it wouldn't help because there's no hydraulic fluid in the system. I hate to bleed it and refill since I have to get at the front end to re-seal the calipers and install SS lines. Seems a waste to do that just to disengage the clutch. That's why I was looking for a manual solution like a C clamp and a wood dowel where the slave cylinder is to push in the clutch fork and release the drive shaft.

Van

I just put a 24mm socket on a ratchet and turn the engine over from the front. The driveshaft spins with it.

Otto Mechanic

I do that on my 928 when I change the timing belt. Is direction important on a 944? It is on the 928, can't remember which way off the top of my head but I can look it up. I think clockwise only.

Van

For the driveshaft coupler, direction doesn't matter. But clockwise (tighten) is a good habit to get into for a few reasons: it'll never loosen the front crank bolt (although, at 155 ft/lbs it shouldn't anyway); you're keeping slack on the timing belt tensioner side of the run (which is why you do it that way for timing belt changes/adjustments; and you're turning the engine over the direction it normally rotates.

Otto Mechanic

Thanks Van, that sounds like the best solution.

My 928 is an S3 (32 valve) and it's an interference engine. With the Tbelt off it doesn't matter which direction you spin the crank but with it on, a counterclockwise turn can crash a valve, which is why I asked. I don't know much about the 944 S2 engine yet since I haven't done anything to it but I wanted to check. In this case, the Tbelt is installed.

I don't think I could get the crank bolt off without a flywheel lock anyway, but I live in fear of crashing valves.

Otto Mechanic

Van, just wanted to let you know that worked perfectly. Its funny the way I get in a rut after reading the manual and don't even think about something I've done before. Good call!

Scott.

Van

Never underestimate the power of laziness!

Otto Mechanic

One note on this portion of the project: adding a transmission oil cooler greatly complicates removal and installation of the half-axles. To get the passenger side in I've had to almost remove the oil cooler for clearance. It's a difficult job to start, the oil cooler makes it much more interesting.