View Poll Results: Has your 944 ever left you stranded?
Yes: It was MY fault (Left lights on, etc.)
16
8.74%
Yes: It was THE CAR's fault (something broke)
73
39.89%
Yes: It was something uncontrollable (flat tire)
9
4.92%
Nope 
85
46.45%
Voters: 183. You may not vote on this poll
EVER broken down?
02-10-2004, 03:02 PM
#31
Intermediate
Join Date: Dec 2003
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I am under divine protection from car gods!!!(Sorry, This is long, but I've had a lot of "experiences" with sub $2000 porsches)
My junk heaps have always gotten me back to the driveway. Here are some close calls:
1. Heard a clunking sound when driving home from three hours away at night. Driving down the interstate I wondered what it was. As I Pulled INTO driveway, the alternator fell off.(76 924)
2. I started the car an hour away from home. No oil pressure. I said "please god give me oil pressure, and I will rebuild you". Started the car again, Oil pressure magically returned, and then I drove the hour home. Parked IN driveway. turned off engine, restarted, and NO oil pressure. (I stuck to my word and rebiult it, even though it was probably a stuck oil relief valve.)(83 944)
3. Driving home the other day the car started bucking. Limped home to driveway. Car cuts out IN driveway with no power to anything!. (Loose ground)(83 944)
4.Driving down interstate. Middle of nowhere. heard a "thunk thunk thunk" sound. Got louder over several hundred miles. Suddenly "Kablam" (Tire shreds apart) Scared to death I stop. Examine tire. Examine underwear. Although tread sheared off, it still has airpressure and had exploded right infront of gas station. DROVE the car over to station and changed tires!(76 924)
5. Drove around for several weeks noticing steering feeling "Stiffer" One day while leaving house the front ball joint actually separated from a-arm and front wheel was dangling by strut and brake line(Notice this was at the end of the street and not in the driveway). Walked to driveway, grabbed skateboard in driveway, inserted skateboard under front right tire and drove the car home to driveway on a skateboard.(66 911)
6. Before going on date one day, pressed on the brakes IN the driveway, a rusty brake line burst and the pedal dropped to the floor! Thank the car Gods for not loosing brakes in traffic. Jacked up car and replaced lines. Had to take oldsmobile on date.(66 911)
7. Noticed idle slowly increasing over the day. Drove home and parked in driveway when i noticed the car was squatting in back. Entire torsion bar assembly was rusted through and had broken loose, as it twisted, the car sunk and the engine went back...stretching the accelerator cable (66 911) (got me home though).
8. Driving downtown late one night when the clutch dropped to the floor. Kept taking right turns and caught sequenced traffic lights (by the grace of god all green) and drove 15 miles home without having to stop once!!! (only ran one red light (master cylinder 76 924)
9. While opening the hood to check something in the driveway before going for a drive, I noticed the gas line was quietly spewing raw gas all over the exhaust manifold. Yikes. (87 951)
9.5While opening the trunk of my 69 911, I noticed raw gas spewing all over hot engine. Yikes.
9.75While looking under the car, I noticed the gas tank was seeping wet. It had rusted through (66 911) (BTW, how do you weld to that?)
9.755Car ran great with full gas tank. Ran weaker as gas tank emptied. Pin Hole in gas line near heater boxes (66 911) No strandings. No fires.
10. When the master cylinder in the 87 951 clutch failed, it would only slowly sink to the floor, letting me drive it for several weeks until I could replace it. Never stranded me. Thanks car gods!
11. One late night on the highway all the lights mysteriously went out! Pulled over. Frantically pulling on wiring harness, and by God ... only the headlights came on. Hey, those are the important ones! All other running lights were off. It got me home!(76 924)
12. Driving over narrow mile long bridge with no shoulder in heavy rushour traffic, the engine started convulsive misfiring, popping, backfiring, and shooting flames through exhaust. Scared me to death. Limped across entire bridge at 3 mph. not really running, yet not stalling either. Got me to the other side were I could pull over. Cleaned the clogged carb jets and I was good to go! (69 911)
Convinced I am protected by some sort of guardian angel of sorts, I further postulated she was looking out for me in other ways.... and jealous at that.
1. While driving a girl home who came from the proverbial "wrong side of the tracks" in the 87 951 (I didnt want her in the car anyway), the power steering resevior came loose and dumped fluid all over the hot exhaust manifold, causing a plume of smoke, which interestingly snuck through the wiring harness seal (which I had not reattached) to blow smoke all over her on the passenger side while I didn't get anything on my side! She was fumigated, although nothing came throught the hood, or onto me...Just her. Wacko stuff.
This stuff is weird, and I thank whatever entity it is and all the tired Porsches that have transported me through life.
I thank them for their help in always getting me home. I have abused them and kicked them back to life long after they should have been put to pasture, yet they have never let me down!
THANKYOU PORSCHE GODS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
My junk heaps have always gotten me back to the driveway. Here are some close calls:
1. Heard a clunking sound when driving home from three hours away at night. Driving down the interstate I wondered what it was. As I Pulled INTO driveway, the alternator fell off.(76 924)
2. I started the car an hour away from home. No oil pressure. I said "please god give me oil pressure, and I will rebuild you". Started the car again, Oil pressure magically returned, and then I drove the hour home. Parked IN driveway. turned off engine, restarted, and NO oil pressure. (I stuck to my word and rebiult it, even though it was probably a stuck oil relief valve.)(83 944)
3. Driving home the other day the car started bucking. Limped home to driveway. Car cuts out IN driveway with no power to anything!. (Loose ground)(83 944)
4.Driving down interstate. Middle of nowhere. heard a "thunk thunk thunk" sound. Got louder over several hundred miles. Suddenly "Kablam" (Tire shreds apart) Scared to death I stop. Examine tire. Examine underwear. Although tread sheared off, it still has airpressure and had exploded right infront of gas station. DROVE the car over to station and changed tires!(76 924)
5. Drove around for several weeks noticing steering feeling "Stiffer" One day while leaving house the front ball joint actually separated from a-arm and front wheel was dangling by strut and brake line(Notice this was at the end of the street and not in the driveway). Walked to driveway, grabbed skateboard in driveway, inserted skateboard under front right tire and drove the car home to driveway on a skateboard.(66 911)
6. Before going on date one day, pressed on the brakes IN the driveway, a rusty brake line burst and the pedal dropped to the floor! Thank the car Gods for not loosing brakes in traffic. Jacked up car and replaced lines. Had to take oldsmobile on date.(66 911)
7. Noticed idle slowly increasing over the day. Drove home and parked in driveway when i noticed the car was squatting in back. Entire torsion bar assembly was rusted through and had broken loose, as it twisted, the car sunk and the engine went back...stretching the accelerator cable (66 911) (got me home though).
8. Driving downtown late one night when the clutch dropped to the floor. Kept taking right turns and caught sequenced traffic lights (by the grace of god all green) and drove 15 miles home without having to stop once!!! (only ran one red light (master cylinder 76 924)
9. While opening the hood to check something in the driveway before going for a drive, I noticed the gas line was quietly spewing raw gas all over the exhaust manifold. Yikes. (87 951)
9.5While opening the trunk of my 69 911, I noticed raw gas spewing all over hot engine. Yikes.
9.75While looking under the car, I noticed the gas tank was seeping wet. It had rusted through (66 911) (BTW, how do you weld to that?)
9.755Car ran great with full gas tank. Ran weaker as gas tank emptied. Pin Hole in gas line near heater boxes (66 911) No strandings. No fires.
10. When the master cylinder in the 87 951 clutch failed, it would only slowly sink to the floor, letting me drive it for several weeks until I could replace it. Never stranded me. Thanks car gods!
11. One late night on the highway all the lights mysteriously went out! Pulled over. Frantically pulling on wiring harness, and by God ... only the headlights came on. Hey, those are the important ones! All other running lights were off. It got me home!(76 924)
12. Driving over narrow mile long bridge with no shoulder in heavy rushour traffic, the engine started convulsive misfiring, popping, backfiring, and shooting flames through exhaust. Scared me to death. Limped across entire bridge at 3 mph. not really running, yet not stalling either. Got me to the other side were I could pull over. Cleaned the clogged carb jets and I was good to go! (69 911)
Convinced I am protected by some sort of guardian angel of sorts, I further postulated she was looking out for me in other ways.... and jealous at that.
1. While driving a girl home who came from the proverbial "wrong side of the tracks" in the 87 951 (I didnt want her in the car anyway), the power steering resevior came loose and dumped fluid all over the hot exhaust manifold, causing a plume of smoke, which interestingly snuck through the wiring harness seal (which I had not reattached) to blow smoke all over her on the passenger side while I didn't get anything on my side! She was fumigated, although nothing came throught the hood, or onto me...Just her. Wacko stuff.
This stuff is weird, and I thank whatever entity it is and all the tired Porsches that have transported me through life.
I thank them for their help in always getting me home. I have abused them and kicked them back to life long after they should have been put to pasture, yet they have never let me down!
THANKYOU PORSCHE GODS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
02-10-2004, 03:50 PM
#33
Three Wheelin'
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Schenectady, NY
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I'd like to keep a healthy perspective about the subject before embarking on a critique. Take mine for example it is a 1988 built in Sept 1987. This makes the car 17 years old. How many automotive brand do you know of that can be trusted to take you straight from east coast to west with original, unrebuilt engine and clutch? It's not unusual for me to take a 650 mile round trip after the car been mothballed in storage for over a year.
Sure I have had and still have issues with the car. The original owner was too cheap to maintain this car. When I got it just about all the fluids, rotor, brakes, wheels, rubber had to be replaced. Timing belts and water pump was done a year after the purchase. My current issue revolve around over heating and slight hard of starting. Got a pretty good idea where the problems are. They are all routine maintenace stuff for a car of this age and mileage, 82,493. Bottom line this car never left me stranded and I trust it to take me anyplace. For now I have to keep the A/C off until the cooling issue resolved. Been procrastinating repairs because of my recently born baby, wife and high-execrcise requirement breed dog. Then I have my 4Runner and my wife's Impreza to maintain and a second home, 100 miles away, to maintain & repair.
All in all I find my 944 very forgiving and understanding. I hope I won't abuse this forgiveness too long
Sure I have had and still have issues with the car. The original owner was too cheap to maintain this car. When I got it just about all the fluids, rotor, brakes, wheels, rubber had to be replaced. Timing belts and water pump was done a year after the purchase. My current issue revolve around over heating and slight hard of starting. Got a pretty good idea where the problems are. They are all routine maintenace stuff for a car of this age and mileage, 82,493. Bottom line this car never left me stranded and I trust it to take me anyplace. For now I have to keep the A/C off until the cooling issue resolved. Been procrastinating repairs because of my recently born baby, wife and high-execrcise requirement breed dog. Then I have my 4Runner and my wife's Impreza to maintain and a second home, 100 miles away, to maintain & repair.
All in all I find my 944 very forgiving and understanding. I hope I won't abuse this forgiveness too long
02-10-2004, 04:33 PM
#34
Race Car
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: FloriDUH
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ok i lied... it didnt leave me stranded on the side of the road... however it did not want to start at the gas station after my last autocross. i drove to the station, filled up, and when i went to start it, nothing. so technically i was stopped at a gas station.
always carry a spare DME relay!!!
-Michael-
always carry a spare DME relay!!!
-Michael-
02-10-2004, 04:55 PM
#35
Three Wheelin'
My 924S has never left me stuck anywhere. EVERY other car i have driven has though. Its been 8 years that my car and i have been together and get this! Its still the same battery in the car as when i bought it!!! So its atleast 8+ years old...yea i know i gotta change that this summer when i start driving the car again!
Broken Down:
93 Bonniville
90 Vette ZR1
92 325IC
96 Tarus etc...
I love these(P-cars) cars!
-Erich
Broken Down:
93 Bonniville
90 Vette ZR1
92 325IC
96 Tarus etc...
I love these(P-cars) cars!
-Erich
02-10-2004, 05:28 PM
#36
Racer
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Toronto
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Major engine let go about 3 hours north of the city (Camshaft index key sheared in half, bent 7 valves, blew a hole in the headers, major melting in the top end of the engine)... I had to wait 2 days to get a flat bed to pick the car up.... I dropped a new engine into the car, and am having that one re-built as a spare.
02-10-2004, 07:36 PM
#37
Nordschleife Master
I had major mechanical failure last year, but I do not blame me, nor my car! I knew the clutch didn't have long to live when I got my car, and had planned to replace the clutch. But when I called the mechanic, he couldn't do it, because his head mechanic had committed suicide!
So, I waited a few more months...and then he had a bad car accident, and lost a lot of blood...two days later, went out on a date with my boyfriend, and loaned my car to my roommate, since he knew how to drive a stick, and I told him to "Granny Shift it".
Well, we come back from the movie, and I laugh and point at the car that looks similar to mine on a flatbed - then I realize it's MY 944! AHHHH
So, my roommate got a bug up his *** to not just drive where I said he could go, Home Depot...no, he just HAD to go to Lowes, about 10 miles away, and was doing 90 in the fast lane, and the clutch, of course, just gave up the ghost. He has to coast her across 3 or 4 lanes of traffic, onto an off ramp.
For his punishment, he had to use his AAA, and have her towed nearly 100 miles to the repair shop. I got the clutch back to look at, and the rubber donut was shredded in more than one place...and he spun out the gears!
Anyway, my other 944 only stranded me once, and that was because she lost oil pressure, and I wasn't going to drive her that way. Had her towed to the mechanic, who had to "router rooter" the stuck oil out, it was like, solid.
But I have to admit, other than a few minor things, the cars I've had almost always had symptoms before giving up the ghost.
Oh, my car almost did strand me last week, by a weak battery - but I jumped her, and drove her over to Autozone, and dropped another battery in. Had the alternator checked out, strong. But I knew it could happen, with the low temp radiator switch I had put in. I'd rather change the battery more often, than blow the engine from heat!
- Julie
So, I waited a few more months...and then he had a bad car accident, and lost a lot of blood...two days later, went out on a date with my boyfriend, and loaned my car to my roommate, since he knew how to drive a stick, and I told him to "Granny Shift it".
Well, we come back from the movie, and I laugh and point at the car that looks similar to mine on a flatbed - then I realize it's MY 944! AHHHH
So, my roommate got a bug up his *** to not just drive where I said he could go, Home Depot...no, he just HAD to go to Lowes, about 10 miles away, and was doing 90 in the fast lane, and the clutch, of course, just gave up the ghost. He has to coast her across 3 or 4 lanes of traffic, onto an off ramp.
For his punishment, he had to use his AAA, and have her towed nearly 100 miles to the repair shop. I got the clutch back to look at, and the rubber donut was shredded in more than one place...and he spun out the gears!
Anyway, my other 944 only stranded me once, and that was because she lost oil pressure, and I wasn't going to drive her that way. Had her towed to the mechanic, who had to "router rooter" the stuck oil out, it was like, solid.
But I have to admit, other than a few minor things, the cars I've had almost always had symptoms before giving up the ghost.
Oh, my car almost did strand me last week, by a weak battery - but I jumped her, and drove her over to Autozone, and dropped another battery in. Had the alternator checked out, strong. But I knew it could happen, with the low temp radiator switch I had put in. I'd rather change the battery more often, than blow the engine from heat!
- Julie
02-10-2004, 08:03 PM
#38
Does sliding backward on ice into a ditch, missing several large trees as it came to a stop and having to get pulled out by a tow truck while the driver laughed at me for driving the car in the winter count?
02-11-2004, 06:26 AM
#40
Nordschleife Master
Car Gods Hate me!
Slinky is right, I shouldn't have posted, I jinxed myself; car failed tonight, stranding me at a house full of those "Furry" folk.
I suffered the infamous "hood latch failure" but without it peeling, only because I didn't drive very far when it happened! I spent the day repairing it earlier today, but the plastic piece that holds the spring up broke on the freeway, I'm just glad it started at my exit.
Anyway, I'm being punished by being forced to drive a truck with a stuffed purple bunny glued to the dash...most embarrassing!
I did try to wire the hood shut before lowering myself to that, but I just couldn't find a way to tether it properly, then the secondary latch gave up the ghost on me.
Oh, well...
- Julie
I suffered the infamous "hood latch failure" but without it peeling, only because I didn't drive very far when it happened! I spent the day repairing it earlier today, but the plastic piece that holds the spring up broke on the freeway, I'm just glad it started at my exit.
Anyway, I'm being punished by being forced to drive a truck with a stuffed purple bunny glued to the dash...most embarrassing!
I did try to wire the hood shut before lowering myself to that, but I just couldn't find a way to tether it properly, then the secondary latch gave up the ghost on me.
Oh, well...
- Julie
02-11-2004, 11:24 AM
#42
Race Car
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: FloriDUH
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Julie: i don't know how a low-temp fan switch would help. if your car is going to overheat (wp failure/thermostat failure) it's going to overheat. Porsche designed our engines to work at a certain temperature. that said my '84 has a low temp switch, but it still hovers at the middle mark on the highway, just like our '83 with a standard switch.
-Michael-
-Michael-
02-11-2004, 12:22 PM
#43
Nordschleife Master
Michael, I thought the whole point of a low temp fan switch was to help keep the normal operating temperature down. Mine hovers just UNDER the halfway mark on the streets, and just above 1/4 on the freeway (WHEN traffic is moving!). The fan keeps running after I turn the car off, cooling the engine down.
Maybe it's a stupid way to ruin a battery, but I figure every ounce of prevention keeps the engine running well longer.
- Julie
Maybe it's a stupid way to ruin a battery, but I figure every ounce of prevention keeps the engine running well longer.
- Julie
02-11-2004, 12:43 PM
#44
Wax On, Wax Off
Rennlist Member
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Join Date: May 2003
Location: 5280 ft above the sea
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Spun a bearing inTopeka Kansas...forced to use the greyhound to get home as I had classes in 12 hours. car locked in a self-storage place for 5 months until we could have it shipped to us and put a new engine in it.
02-11-2004, 12:53 PM
#45
Race Car
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thats weird. under normal circumstances our 83 and 84 run mid mark on the highway, and sitting idle, the 83 goes to near the top mark then comes back to near the first. on the other hand, the 84 at idle takes forever to warm up (prolly not so good for fuel economy and engine wear) and will only get to the mid mark on the guage.
ymmv, i guess
-Michael-
ymmv, i guess
-Michael-