bringing life to 1987 911 Carrera Cabriolet
01-27-2016, 04:54 PM
#1
3rd Gear
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bringing life to 1987 911 Carrera Cabriolet
Hi All,
I am a total newb to the Porsche scene I normally dabble with VW's
My father owned a 1987 911 Carrera Cabriolet non Turbo and kept it in really really good condition. He fell ill 2 years ago and the Porsche sat and when he passed this past year he left the car to me. I don't want to sell it I want to keep it in the family. I have no clue about working on this car and was wondering if you could help me with a few tips to get it started after sitting for 2 years. H had a Red Top battery in there and I pulled it to test and as I thought completely dead and won't charge.
What battery do you recommend and what model number? I'd like to run a smaller than stock battery if possible to save on space and weight.
Any suggestions would be great, p.s. the gas in the tank has not been treated with stabl or anything so I'm assuming that its bad
Thanks in advance
I am a total newb to the Porsche scene I normally dabble with VW's
My father owned a 1987 911 Carrera Cabriolet non Turbo and kept it in really really good condition. He fell ill 2 years ago and the Porsche sat and when he passed this past year he left the car to me. I don't want to sell it I want to keep it in the family. I have no clue about working on this car and was wondering if you could help me with a few tips to get it started after sitting for 2 years. H had a Red Top battery in there and I pulled it to test and as I thought completely dead and won't charge.
What battery do you recommend and what model number? I'd like to run a smaller than stock battery if possible to save on space and weight.
Any suggestions would be great, p.s. the gas in the tank has not been treated with stabl or anything so I'm assuming that its bad
Thanks in advance
01-27-2016, 05:35 PM
#2
Addict
Sorry about your father. My father passed away a few years ago....was a very dark time in the lives of everyone that loved him. keeping the car is a great way to keep his memory fresh in your mind.The battery I use is the one from Interstate. Don't recall the model but can look later when I get home. Any Interstate retailers will have it. I do happen to sell packaging to several Interstate Battery Distribution centers here in SoCal so I'm super bias, but it is the one Porsche recommends.
01-27-2016, 06:24 PM
#3
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Sorry about your Dad. Good for you keeping the car. They are not that hard to work on, you'll be fine. Lots of help here and on Pelican Parts.
Two years may be OK. I think I'd drain out as much as possible and add fresh, but I bet it will start up. You might see a lot of white smoke at first, but that seems to be normal after these cars have sat a long while. You'll also want to change the oil (about 10 quarts), there are only a handful of modern oils with the right additives, including Brad Penn and Valvoline VR-1. A search will turn up plenty of info. You also only check oil level with the car hot, level, and idling.
That red top is probably an old Optima. Seems they have fallen out of favor, with recent concerns about quality.
I think I'm going to go with an Odyssey this spring. See this thread.
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/porsc...-2015-agm.html
Mark
Two years may be OK. I think I'd drain out as much as possible and add fresh, but I bet it will start up. You might see a lot of white smoke at first, but that seems to be normal after these cars have sat a long while. You'll also want to change the oil (about 10 quarts), there are only a handful of modern oils with the right additives, including Brad Penn and Valvoline VR-1. A search will turn up plenty of info. You also only check oil level with the car hot, level, and idling.
That red top is probably an old Optima. Seems they have fallen out of favor, with recent concerns about quality.
I think I'm going to go with an Odyssey this spring. See this thread.
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/porsc...-2015-agm.html
Mark
01-27-2016, 06:31 PM
#4
Don't be surprised by all the smoke when you first get her running again. Mine sat for a year and a half before my local shop got her running again. She was smoking through the air-vents on my way home. I was told she would smoke for a good 10-15 after each start for week or two.
The smoke went away after a few drives.
The smoke went away after a few drives.
01-27-2016, 07:46 PM
#5
Well you're lucky because your 911 is easy to work on. Get the Bentley shop manual and hit sites like this and Pelican Parts for fix-it items.
On batteries I have an Optima and have friends that have them and as mentioned above there have been quality issues, especially if you don't keep a trickle charger attached when not in use.
I use the Porsche Classic oil on my 87 Targa as it's made for my car.
On batteries I have an Optima and have friends that have them and as mentioned above there have been quality issues, especially if you don't keep a trickle charger attached when not in use.
I use the Porsche Classic oil on my 87 Targa as it's made for my car.
01-28-2016, 04:37 PM
#6
Burning Brakes
If it was in great shape 2 years ago, I expect you will not _need_ to do anything other than replace the battery.
I've had Optima Red Tops in my '85 for almost 20 years now. Regardless of reliability, you want to be really really sure your battery does not leak acid. I won't disagree that the newer Optimas don't have the longevity of the older ones. One thing I think I've learned is that letting them sit while discharged will kill them, so keep them charged up.
If it's easy for you to drain and dispose of the gas, that would not hurt. Kill the fuel pump the first time you start it, so the oil gets circulated throughout the dry engine at starter speed, rather than running speed. Then I bet you'll be fine.
In general, you may find that not much work is needed. These cars don't need to be pampered because they're awesome and valuable. They're awesome and valuable partly because they don't need to be pampered.
Sorry to hear about your dad, and it's nice that it can stay in the family. Good luck with everything.
I've had Optima Red Tops in my '85 for almost 20 years now. Regardless of reliability, you want to be really really sure your battery does not leak acid. I won't disagree that the newer Optimas don't have the longevity of the older ones. One thing I think I've learned is that letting them sit while discharged will kill them, so keep them charged up.
If it's easy for you to drain and dispose of the gas, that would not hurt. Kill the fuel pump the first time you start it, so the oil gets circulated throughout the dry engine at starter speed, rather than running speed. Then I bet you'll be fine.
In general, you may find that not much work is needed. These cars don't need to be pampered because they're awesome and valuable. They're awesome and valuable partly because they don't need to be pampered.
Sorry to hear about your dad, and it's nice that it can stay in the family. Good luck with everything.
01-28-2016, 05:20 PM
#7
3rd Gear
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Sorry about your Dad. Good for you keeping the car. They are not that hard to work on, you'll be fine. Lots of help here and on Pelican Parts.
Two years may be OK. I think I'd drain out as much as possible and add fresh, but I bet it will start up. You might see a lot of white smoke at first, but that seems to be normal after these cars have sat a long while. You'll also want to change the oil (about 10 quarts), there are only a handful of modern oils with the right additives, including Brad Penn and Valvoline VR-1. A search will turn up plenty of info. You also only check oil level with the car hot, level, and idling.
That red top is probably an old Optima. Seems they have fallen out of favor, with recent concerns about quality.
I think I'm going to go with an Odyssey this spring. See this thread.
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/porsc...-2015-agm.html
Mark
Two years may be OK. I think I'd drain out as much as possible and add fresh, but I bet it will start up. You might see a lot of white smoke at first, but that seems to be normal after these cars have sat a long while. You'll also want to change the oil (about 10 quarts), there are only a handful of modern oils with the right additives, including Brad Penn and Valvoline VR-1. A search will turn up plenty of info. You also only check oil level with the car hot, level, and idling.
That red top is probably an old Optima. Seems they have fallen out of favor, with recent concerns about quality.
I think I'm going to go with an Odyssey this spring. See this thread.
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/porsc...-2015-agm.html
Mark
