jbrob007

I've just recently gotten into the 944 realm with an 87 base / auto tranny. While getting all of the deferred maintenance up to snuff, I noticed that many of you dislike URO parts and consider them a low quality make. This had me concerned as I'd just finished replacing all the rollers / tensioners. I went back and checked on my parts manufacturer and the name on the boxes is "INA" (not URO). Soooo... does INA make acceptable replacement rollers & tensioners?

We're gonna replace the seals / gaskets on the cam tower (persistent oil leak) and since we'll have the belts off I figured this was a good question to get answered before we button her back up. Let me know.

Thanks for any input.

Joel

FRporscheman

These are just my experiences so take it for what it's worth...

INA is decent, I've used them many times with no problems. But if they were obtained through Uro branding, I'd be wary, because it could be that INA sent their worst of every batch to Uro for reselling.

I used a Uro relay once, and it failed within days. Same thing with a Uro switch. My brother used some Uro stuff on his VW and it all broke quickly. Then I started seeing threads pop up everywhere about how poor their quality is. I even read a statement from their CEO where he said he is trying to fill a niche in the market, which is the lowest price possible no matter what.

For seals, orings, etc, a lot of people (and I) use Victor Reinz and it's good quality. Occasionally I have a seal leak prematurely, but it could be due to slightly crooked installation, who knows. I think in most cases Kaco is the OEM. Elring is also a good brand. I think proper installation is more important than the difference between Reinz, Kaco and Elring.

If you're into 928s, you should already know the good and bad brands, right? They're very similar in engineering to a 944.

odonnell

Just get OEM wherever feasible. There are plenty of good quality aftermarket parts but you have to research on a case by case basis. Avoid Chinese parts unless it's an absolute emergency... it's almost never worth it. Double the work when it fails prematurely and plus then buying a proper part. Luckily there are a fair amount of parts that cross over from other cars, sometimes you can get great quality parts without the Porsche premium.

royalschwarz

INA is an OE Porsche manufacturer. If you go to the dealer, INA is what you will get. I've also read that INA is the sole manufacturer for rollers and tensioners for our cars and that other brands are INA seconds. Don't know if there is any truth to that but I've never bought anything other than INA and never had one go bad on me.

Jfrahm

I have bought a few URO parts, none for the Porsche
PCV valve - crappy, would prefer to clean a used OEM
Washer pump - still working after a few years
Bump stops - still rubbery but only 6 months old

I hesitated to buy the washer pump because it's not easy to replace but it was really cheap. We'll see if I regret that. I bought the bump stops because I got into my S8's suspension and I recalled my 92 968 bump stops were crumbling. Turns out the OEM ones on the S8 are fine but I put the URO ones in anyway. I recall I used KYB bump stops on the '68.

odonnell

For the record, I'm honestly running a Uro water pump on my NA. I ordered a pump from Zim's, who is perhaps the most widely recommended WP vendor on this forum, and was surprised when I got it. I almost sent it back since it was Uro. But a few people said they were holding up fine so I installed it just to get the car back on the road. It's fine a year later but I'm keeping an eye on it. If someone were to tell me today that they had been failing early, I would have a good quality rebuilt one in the mail the same day. But so far there doesn't seem to be anyone saying that.

jbrob007

Thanks! INA seemed to be the favorite in the rollers and tensioners departments of most on-line parts stores and the local Euro Parts Dealer. I'm glad they check out as they aren't TOO expensive. 928 parts are a different story - you almost always have to go with OEM and even a good aftermarket WP (Laso) = $350 - $400. They are not cheap to maintain, but they are a blast to drive once you get them sorted out. The engine doesn't have as many tensioners & rollers because it only has one belt (albiet 7 feet long) and everything else is pretty much 928 exclusive with the exception of a few "parts bin" pieces like mirrors, interior lighting, etc. The 928 is my "toy" and the 944 is my son's DD to / from High School. I like driving them both and they both still look good on the street even after 30 years! Thanks again!!

Lizard944

Check out some of the Porsche dealerships that have online ordering. You'd be amazed at how competitive their pricing has become, some parts even lower than aftermarket.

MAGK944

^^^^^THIS^^^^^

I just purchased motor mounts for my 996 cheaper from Sunset, a Porsche dealership, than my local Porsche specialist parts supplier. Also if you buy directly from the dealership you get a 2 year Porsche warranty on every part.

Sunset $166.15

Vertex $175.11