Well - it took me a couple of days and lots of PB blaster and some heat but I got down to the cylinders and it doesn't look pretty. 1 and 2 are at the top of their run and I haven't bought a socket big enough to turn the motor yet but 3 and 4 are open. 3 feels fine but 4 is pretty badly scored. How could I tell if I need a valve job? I guess I have to go ahead and take out the rest of the engine to get the cylinders fixed?

Side Note: I am not superstitious but there sure are a lot of 13mm bolts on these cars

 

dude, thats 1 and 4 (cylinders are numbered from front to back) the zundfolge (or what have you) is actually the firing order of the cylinders.

from front to back 1-2-3-4

firing order 1-3-4-2

 

Oops - I was just reading the number sequence on the valve cover I though it was a strange way to arrange the cylinder

 

seems to me like you could just use your starter motor to kick the engine over a few turns to inspect the other cylinders.... I could be wrong.

 

What happened Josh?? Timing belt go?

 

that looks like an '83 or '84 or e'85 judging by the valves, pistons, and exhaust manifold... new acquisition, eh?

 

This is an 86 944 NA that I just picked up. Only took the previous owner 700 miles upon purchase to ruin the motor by running it hot. The body and interior are in really nice shape.

 

Pics of it on the trailer

 

not bad! the only thing i see off are those cast exhaust manifolds. those came on pre-85.5 cars and weigh a metric butt-load! i updated to the tubular steel ones - much much lighter!

 

I downgraded to iron headers.... The piece of mind knowing that they wont crack like the steel ones MORE that outweighs the extra pounds...

Btw, with a little wax, that car will look very nice!

(and yes, there sure are a lot of 13mm nuts and bolts...i have twice as many 13mm sockets than anything else)

 

i hardly think it justifies the increase in weight. although, that '86 probably had cracked headers, resulting in the retro-fit. i have a few sets of the old steel ones here at the house... if you want to trade your tubular ones i'd be more than happy to send you a good set. the track car will be LIGHT as light can be

 

Id have to see it with my own two eyes but those look like metal shavings on #4. If that is the case, chuck the engine block and get another.
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hey... wait a minute... is that a saratoga top i see? you sly dog

 

holy crap man those look dirtier than mine were...

but hey...here's what my head looks like NOW (after a $1300 head job with all new valves) ..i got it back wednesday from stoid racing here in dallas...they built the two fastest cars at sport compact car's ultimate street challenge with their mr2 and their sleeper miata

www.stoidracing.com

 

Definetly a bunch of metal shavings......

Nice looking head - that is some beautiful work!

And yes that is a saratoga - man you guys have sharp eyes