Peter Zimmermann

Studs: Nobody's got them. We kept a couple of junk cam housings upstairs, when we were desperate for a stud or two that's where we got them!

Don't worry about leak down tests, your car was in Ohio, and I'll bet that it had its 30K service. "Maybe still having the original plugs" is a silly statement; even if they are the car passed its last smog test, so that means that your car's compression is fine . If the car's idle characteristics haven't changed (become rough) just drive it and enjoy it. Your household would be better served spending that $200 on your wife!

Amber Gramps

Pete, I broke down and went to the dealer this morning. I got 16 lower studs and 6 upper ones. I didn't notice the differance in length, but they said there was. They were about $2.50 each. I tried and tried and tried to get the nuts off and it just wasn't gonna happen. I'd really like to do it right and $50 in nuts is worth not busting my nuckles anymore....

Peter Zimmermann

You're doing it right - that's what counts!

Amber Gramps

Major Edit: "Got" should actually read "got on order"...I can pick them up on thursday. Even though the Porsche DC is 5 minutes from my house I can't will call them there.

Where are some of the places in this process that guys really screw up? IE: backing the screw out too far and dropping the elephant foot into the head. ..or even backing the nut out too far and dropping it. or dropping gasket chunks in or the .004 gauge into the head(ask me). What else can go wrong?

I found the "S or Z" shaped screwdriver to be the best tool. Having the studs out and the cat out of the way really helped with the job.

Peter Zimmermann

douglas: The elephant's foot is almost impossible to remove from the adjuster screw, if the screw is backed out far enough it just stops when the foot gets to the rocker arm. Correct adjuster screw removal is always done with the rocker in a vise, and the screw is removed from the nut side.

You really can't lose pieces of gauge (shim stock), but a little creative work with a magnet is needed from time to time!

I think the biggest mistake is trying to tighten valve clearance by over tightening the jamb nut, which can force the adjuster screw to "follow" it. That's a serious no-no, will garf the threads, and make life miserable for the next guy that will adjust the valves on that car. Absolutely unacceptable short cut!

old man neri

Two items I have seen from reading other boards.

1) Leaving them too lose the first time. I think this just might be part of the learning process
2) Loosening them before checking. There will probably be some that are still correctly set. Save some work. Pete may disagree with me on this one.

Peter Zimmermann

You, sir, have hit the nail directly on the head! The reason that I didn't mention #1 was that I felt that douglas had a firm grip on gauge drag and reinsertion. Your #2 is exactly right also, there is no point in loosening something so that you can tighten it! I've always felt that inserting the gauge before changing lash gives you an understanding of how loose that valve is, or, the one in a million of how tight that valve is. It's part of the story, which every technician should know...you can never have too much info.

Amber Gramps

Total Off Topic Rant: You remember back in April or May of last year I blew up my Chevy Astro and put out almost $7,000 for a Rebuilt motor and trans....That then blew up a fiew months back. That motor quickly dropped #6 from the firing order when at idle. I have had it back six times trying to get it right. The tranny is shifting at will, the idle is way, way too high, the AC is not blowing and now it is overheating. The shop wants one more chance, but my wife and her lawyer want in. I used my Porsche for work for 12 weeks so far this stupid motor problem. What really pisses me off is last week my brand new $70.00 tank of gas was bone dry upon it's return. Today, another full tank of gas is at risk. At what point do I turn it over to the lawyer or www.autorepair.ca.gov ?

old man neri

That's ridiculous. So you are saying you drop off the car with a full tank and then it comes back empty? I would start taking before and after pictures if that is the case.

Amber Gramps

Neri....that's what I'm saying.



back on topic: Didn't Oshin11 loose an elephant foot, strip a nut, or strip out a rocker? or ...some other major problem? I remember he had to replace a rocker, but don't know why exactly.


Pete, did you get my PM yesterday?

old man neri

Ya, he said he found his rocker threads stripper or something. I am not to sure. I believe him. I, however, get the feeling he loves working and dismantling his car....all the power to him for him. I just do what is responsible and then spend the rest of the time driving it.

Speaking of which, I had to change a rear turn signal bulb tonight. There are some issues back there. I think I am going to try to do a write up in the spring about it and the repair.

Amber Gramps

having spent a day behind my car I have discovered that one tail light has a black border and the other has a rather clear looking border. I have to figure out whitch is right and replace the one that is wrong. I also want to replace the rear bumber shocks and two more of the hard oil lines.

Here is a question....Can the "tray" come out without taking out the motor?

old man neri

Honestly, I took off my tail light covers and it was amazing how dirty one of them was inside, the other was clean. Maybe that is your problem.

I have no idea what you mean my 'tray' however, which also leads me to believe I cannot answer your question regardless.

jakeflyer

------Peter Zimmermann-------- The '83 911SC had 150,000 on it at purchase 5 months ago. Installing a new fan belt uncovered a 2 inch piece of broken belt under the crank pulley. Assuming overheating, I checked the studs when doing the valves. Using a Snap-on, ratchet, swivel head, torque wrench which was calibrated and a cross reference of 3 manuals for correct torque value, I found 3 studs on # 5 and # 6 needing a twist. Not much maybe 20 degrees of turn. For peace of mind, I am going to recheck them. -----WHILE I have you here, I need some advice. This car has a well used tranny and I will replace it with a spare that I have at some point. In the mean time, it has started to drip the Swepco blue fluid from the front. I sprayed it down to clean it and have parked it over a drip pan. It is ever so slight, maybe a half ounce a week on the pan. All trips are short and no intended long trips. Is it common to leak from the shift shaft seal or the plastic electric connector? I do over fill it with it jacked up from the driver side.

Amber Gramps

Pete, you made my day. thank you so much for the friendship you have freely given me and the love you have for my car. I know I'm a nut case. I like it that way. Thank you for keeping me focused on restoration. She is a great car, just the way she is. I'll be calling Marc.