I recently took my car to a shop to get the balance shaft belts readjusted. I had purchased a camshaft offset key and asked if they could install the key, but was turned down because of its complexity; that it may induce unwanted issues during the installation...

From my understanding, the key seems to be a straight forward installation...find TDC, release the tension on the timing belt, remove the camshaft sprocket bolt, switch out the keys, tighten everything back up, check the timing marks and that's it...

Is there an important step I'm missing? Can a new timing belt be re-tensioned after the original installation?

 

 

Ahh, okay. I just assumed it was a good time to have the shop install the key...

I don't feel comfortable doing it myself without having the Porsche timing belt tension tool...

 

Does this shop have a lot of 944 experience?

 

They must not....., or else they would have explained that 2deg offset is equal to 1.2 bhp, or about the same as a K&N air filter upgrade....



T

 

The benefit is a shift in the torque curve lower in the rpm range making street driving a little more fun. Not so useful on the track. HP at 5500 rpm isn't everything.

 

K&N filter is a downgrade...

 

It was a joke dude, thus the :biggrin lighten up.

Next time I'm configuring a cam, I'll make sure to consult you first if you will allow me to be added to your friends list as a reminder.

T

 

Deal

 

It's actually a 4 deg offset key...

I heard good things about them; especially given how cheap the part is, and saw the difference in performance compared to the factory configuration through dyno graphs...

As far as the shop, supposedly they have a master Porsche mechanic who worked on the 944's during their production years and after...

 

I installed a 4 degree offset key in my 924S when I replaced my timing and balance shaft belts last spring. After installation car idled fine, under full throttle above 4000 rpm's it ran fine, between 1800 rpm's and 4000 rpm's it misfired, overheated catalytic converter. I double checked everything, all checked out ok. When I put the stock key back in all was fine. Be wary.

 

^^ something else mustve been wrong with the car?
i ran my cam advanced for years...it was incredible the driveability difference, more power everywhere...even with the stock AFM setup, going to a MAF and then MAP setup just made it better.

EVERYONE with an 8v 944 should advance their cam 4 degrees.

 

@V2Rocket How do you view the rate of difficulty for installing the offset key? New timing and balance shaft belts have already been replaced and readjusted by the shop. Can the timing belt be loosened then put back to it's proper tension? Can one confidently adjust the timing belt without the Porsche timing belt tension tool?

 

it's something that should have been done when changing the timing belt initially.
it can certainly be done during "retension" and without the tool, i've never even seen one of those tools in person.

if no fasteners were rusted out, etc i could probably put a key on a 944 and have it back together and running in 30 minutes or less. dunno about your shop.

 

As I stated above, everything else checked out fine. It was definitely the key. It was the only change I made to my stock set up, and it didn't perform at mid range rpm's. Putting the OEM key back in resolved the issue. I was only trying to pass along my experience.