911svet

I just got my first Porsche - 1989 911 cab - and I'm sure my incompetence will show in the following questions:

1. the guy who did the PPI on the car suggested new break pads, which I changed but the breaks still seem very hard (compared to those of my nissan pathfinder). The car stops, but I need to press fairly hard on the breaks. Is this hardness normal for those cars? Or could it be that power breaks are not functioning properly?

2. the top on the front shocks (when you open the front hood and look under the tapestry) are covered with black thick rubber almost like someone has poured it on top. Is that normal?

Greatly apprecite your feedback
Svet

Tom 97 C2-S, So. Cal.

Hi & Welcome:

1) Does not sound normal. Brakes should catch fairly quickly with pressure equalling more stopping force.

2) Yes, normal. Mine was just removed for it's first alignment/balance/lowering after 23 yrs. They will have to remove it for this service & or add front strut bar.

There are no dumb questions here. Hint - - Always try to do a "search" first. Someone is bound to have asked already. If you can't find it, there are many great wrenchers in this forum.

Marlon Targa 86

I'm going to say it's normal that you have to press hard on the brakes. Def compared to a Nissan Pathfinder.

Maybe the brakes need to be "broken in" more, so they grip "faster". Not sure, but on mine I had to press pretty hard too.

Amber Gramps

The goo on the strut tops is for sound dampening. Totally normal.

The brakes are not power assisted as in your Pathfinder. Would be far more worried if you said they felt soft.

Welcome to the club. The only dumb questions are the ones you fail to ask. . . . so ask away.

rusnak

The '88 may very well have power assisted brakes, but as Marlon pointed out, the newish pads need to bedded in a bit. Try some aggressive stops to knock the glazing off the rotors.

The black goo is actually to prevent water from being thrown off the tires from entering the trunk area.

911svet

Thank you all, this is really helpful

Peter Zimmermann

Hard pedal. Can't compare to your other car - never have driven that one. If your 911 is in perfect working condition, and you drive it for a week, when you get in your other car and put on the brakes you will be thrown against your safety harness. That's the way it works, but...

There can be other reasons for a "hard" brake. Did your PPI mention the flex brake fluid hoses, one per caliper? If not, call him and ask him what the dates on them were. If he can't answer, you picked the wrong guy to do your PPI! Those hoses should be replaced every ten years, along with a fluid flush. If your car still has it's original hoses, instead of its THIRD set, then that is the place to start.

Post with hose dates...and then we'll go to the next step.

As others already wrote, the shock tower tar is normal. Usually it will be trimmed away from the bolt heads if the car has been aligned.

Brett San Diego

In my opinion most modern cars have "over-boosted" brakes because the general populace are wimps and don't want to work a little to drive their cars. lol With deference to what Pete Z. has mentioned, generally you'll find the 911 brakes to be a harder pedal. Definitely do several hard stops to deglaze and bed in the new pads. 911 brakes got a vacuum booster beginning in 1974 I believe (I know 78 has one since that's what I have.), but they are boosted less than the typical car.

Brett

blake

To Q1 - I was wondering if the brakes just needed to be bled to get out some trapped air...

And as usual, Peter continues to educate me... So much to learn about P-Cars. Thanks!

-B

dshepp806

My question would be "how did it stop before you installed the pads"? (just as a reference)..

Rusnak's deao on about allowing time for brakes to seat and condition. There are proper procedure to go through to assist with "bedding" the new pads, one installed. Still, they take time to seat (if you will). .....alll of this is assuming you've no issues with the calipers' pistons. Some have had issues when doing pad changeouts, finding the piston no being in proper (best) position. On an install, we all know to expand the piston ONLY the amount needed to get the new pad sets in. This seems to help with proper piston positioning at rest.

I couldn't agree more with Pete's take on comparative analogy. Same damned thing happens to me when I get in the Wife's car,..or, eve worse, my trusty 1997 (MINT) Nissan XE. I've actually banged my head on the frikin windshield when coming to an unseat-belted abrupt stop while in that truck.)

As Pete mentioned, check those hoses,..especially the production dates....

When were they last flushed/bled?

I had to rid that "tar" when changing my front shock inserts out...no big deal there,..easily removed,..easily reapplied.

Big warm welcome here,..and congrats on your purchase!!!! Certain to enjoy that girl!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Without question, SEARCH is your friend,.....treat it as a Library of knowledge to be researched...some (here) will even call you out on the (lack of) effort. Then, again, I know your feeling in wishing to get the answers quickly. I'm certainly guilty of it (who wouldn't ?). I say "ASK AWAY"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Great group here,..to provide you lotsa' info.........let's face it: when you've got the likes of so many Pros here on the forum, it just doesn't get any better....

ENJOY!!

BEST!

Doyle

theiceman

welcome aboard .. and as pointed out that goo is to stop ater penetration into the front cargo area. If it has been broken for allignment it should be resprayed.

Once the pads are bedded properly i think you will be fine .. its not a pathfinder tho ..

Ed Hughes

I'd do the run through of the brake system, but I'd also try to see if I could try the brakes in another Carrera. Sure, the pedal is harder than your average Buick, but I never had to push THAT HARD to stop. That is a very subjective description and not one that any of us here can diagnose without feeling this car's. I'd hate to say it is normal, and find out that there really was a problem.

911svet

@ Peter Z... I spoke with the guy that did the PPI. He didn't change the fluid hoses because he drove the car and said "pedal firmness" was fine - he said those hoses tend to swell on the inside with age, which would make the brake pedal firmer. So, it seems that my level of brake firmness is just normal for that car. Next time I bring the car to a shop, I will ask for them to check the dates on the hoses. The guy that did the PPI is 400 miles away, so not going back there.

Speaking of shops, does anyone has suggestions for a reliable Porsche shop where I can maintain my car in the Hudson Valley area - preferably south of Albany.

Thanks again for your input.

Caferacer

If Elmsford, NY in Westchester isn't too far then you have an excellent option in Cheech Fernandez at Rennwerke. Do a search on him here and on pelican for additional opinions.