Some questions on a 87 944s
07-25-2018, 05:44 AM
#1
Some questions on a 87 944s
First a little history:
I picked up a 87 S with a little body damage to the front and windshield area (I think a pole or tree fell on it) for a good price. 200 bucks. The body damage looks fixable to me, I have brought worse back. Interior is in good shape albeit dirty and all there. The timing belt had been removed and the car had sat inside for years. I picked it up and got it in the garage and in the boxes was all the parts with new timing gears, belts etc. Thank God the previous person mostly labeled all the bolts where they went. The old belt was in the box, no missing teeth or broken so I am hoping there wasn't something major just needed changed and they got in over their head. I installed the timing belt the other night and man that thing is a real PITA with the auto tensioner. Trying to route the wire better for the cam sensor, the connecter disintegrated. I also pulled the valve cover to see how the tensioner pads were. The pads looked ok and I could see marks where a tool was slid out so they evidently had been replaced at some point. It was pretty clean inside no real shellac like you see in cars that lots of blow by or lack of oil changes. One lobe on the exhaust cam cyl 1 showed some minor pitting on the top edge, the rest had minimal wear marks.
So to the questions.
I checked prices on the tensioner pads. Even though they had been changed I am worried about the age of them. The upper can be had for under 20 bucks. Why are both pads around $125? Am I missing something here? Chains are cheap also. Is there a better price for both the pads?
On the cam sensor should I just remove the plug and create my own out of another 3 prong plug (I could use one from another non Porsche wiring harness I have laying around). Soldering another one in should not affect the readings? Or is there a similar plug I might be able to source from a junkyard on another vehicle? The plug on the wiring side harness is ok the cam sensor plug just broke on its side of the plug.
What is a S worth should I continue to bring this car up to finished. Basically how deep should I go before I should cut my losses and try to part out to cover what I have in it? With bodywork, and missing hood, windshield I know I will be in the $1500 -$2000 range and a lot of my time to get it back straight body wise. Tires, seals, new belts etc. I could easily start racking up towards another 2k. What do you think?
Thanks for reading!
I picked up a 87 S with a little body damage to the front and windshield area (I think a pole or tree fell on it) for a good price. 200 bucks. The body damage looks fixable to me, I have brought worse back. Interior is in good shape albeit dirty and all there. The timing belt had been removed and the car had sat inside for years. I picked it up and got it in the garage and in the boxes was all the parts with new timing gears, belts etc. Thank God the previous person mostly labeled all the bolts where they went. The old belt was in the box, no missing teeth or broken so I am hoping there wasn't something major just needed changed and they got in over their head. I installed the timing belt the other night and man that thing is a real PITA with the auto tensioner. Trying to route the wire better for the cam sensor, the connecter disintegrated. I also pulled the valve cover to see how the tensioner pads were. The pads looked ok and I could see marks where a tool was slid out so they evidently had been replaced at some point. It was pretty clean inside no real shellac like you see in cars that lots of blow by or lack of oil changes. One lobe on the exhaust cam cyl 1 showed some minor pitting on the top edge, the rest had minimal wear marks.
So to the questions.
I checked prices on the tensioner pads. Even though they had been changed I am worried about the age of them. The upper can be had for under 20 bucks. Why are both pads around $125? Am I missing something here? Chains are cheap also. Is there a better price for both the pads?
On the cam sensor should I just remove the plug and create my own out of another 3 prong plug (I could use one from another non Porsche wiring harness I have laying around). Soldering another one in should not affect the readings? Or is there a similar plug I might be able to source from a junkyard on another vehicle? The plug on the wiring side harness is ok the cam sensor plug just broke on its side of the plug.
What is a S worth should I continue to bring this car up to finished. Basically how deep should I go before I should cut my losses and try to part out to cover what I have in it? With bodywork, and missing hood, windshield I know I will be in the $1500 -$2000 range and a lot of my time to get it back straight body wise. Tires, seals, new belts etc. I could easily start racking up towards another 2k. What do you think?
Thanks for reading!
07-25-2018, 08:42 AM
#2
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The cams have more market value than you paid for the car.
You could easily spend a few grand bringing it back to life, or you could part it out and take the $ to get a better condition car.
Give your checkbook a quick glance and see if it has the loving look in its eye...
You could easily spend a few grand bringing it back to life, or you could part it out and take the $ to get a better condition car.
Give your checkbook a quick glance and see if it has the loving look in its eye...
07-25-2018, 05:10 PM
#3
Burning Brakes
Tensioner pads: It would be helpful to post a picture. If the pads are deeply grooved, or a very dark amber/brown color, then replacement should be done. You may be OK to use them while you are getting the engine in order. Yes, the pad prices are goofy. Don't worry about the chain, unless it has obvious wear or damage (not likely if the cam shafts are OK).
Cam sensor: Yes, use something like a weatherpack connector, or twist & solder, then heat shrink. Wire nuts aren't bad either!
An S is typically worth $2500 to $6500 depending on condition and market, although that's extremely variable and you will see high asking prices on outliers. The 944S is not a particularly loved car since it is regular 944 with Porsche's first 16V 944 engine. Compare it to the Turbo or S2 brakes and suspension and you'll see the difference.
Do the basic engine maintenance (belts and such), fix only that which is needed to keep the engine in good/proper operating condition, do the minimum to repair the body and drive the snot out of it. When you're done, buy another one and sell this one for parts.
The best part is you are only $5000 away from a $5000 car!
Cam sensor: Yes, use something like a weatherpack connector, or twist & solder, then heat shrink. Wire nuts aren't bad either!
An S is typically worth $2500 to $6500 depending on condition and market, although that's extremely variable and you will see high asking prices on outliers. The 944S is not a particularly loved car since it is regular 944 with Porsche's first 16V 944 engine. Compare it to the Turbo or S2 brakes and suspension and you'll see the difference.
Do the basic engine maintenance (belts and such), fix only that which is needed to keep the engine in good/proper operating condition, do the minimum to repair the body and drive the snot out of it. When you're done, buy another one and sell this one for parts.
The best part is you are only $5000 away from a $5000 car!
07-25-2018, 10:20 PM
#4
Thanks Paul for the answers!
Yes the pads had very little if any groves but were pretty dark in color. I will at least get it running and see how it sounds before I pull it back down and do all the seals and such. I didn't want them to just break on start up or something crazy like that.
I had a turbo years ago that get away from me one night and was damaged beyond what I wanted to repair. Looking at the specs on the S it seems close to a turbo or S2, power wise anyways (30hp). This one does have ABS so I am not sure what options it had as far as sway bars, LSD, etc. The S should have the same suspension as the S2 and Turbo? Well minus the bigger brakes.
Thanks for the pricing, basically what I put in I should be able to get out of it, I didn't want to go the other way. Put in 4 grand and it is only worth 2 grand.Thanks.
Yes the pads had very little if any groves but were pretty dark in color. I will at least get it running and see how it sounds before I pull it back down and do all the seals and such. I didn't want them to just break on start up or something crazy like that.
I had a turbo years ago that get away from me one night and was damaged beyond what I wanted to repair. Looking at the specs on the S it seems close to a turbo or S2, power wise anyways (30hp). This one does have ABS so I am not sure what options it had as far as sway bars, LSD, etc. The S should have the same suspension as the S2 and Turbo? Well minus the bigger brakes.
Thanks for the pricing, basically what I put in I should be able to get out of it, I didn't want to go the other way. Put in 4 grand and it is only worth 2 grand.Thanks.
07-26-2018, 08:59 AM
#5
I would just make it "safe" and then drive it, ok, do a few items to make sure it doesn't blow up. Otherwise, I mean it was $200, any reasonable money you put in you'll be able to recoup.
ps I also have a 87 S but paid many multiples of yours so any money I put in is a sunk cost...but it's all part of the game so I drive it like I stole it to keep the benefit of the equation high.
ps I also have a 87 S but paid many multiples of yours so any money I put in is a sunk cost...but it's all part of the game so I drive it like I stole it to keep the benefit of the equation high.
