canucope

First off great forum I've spent the last few of weeks just browsing around and reading about watercooled 4 bangers. Ya really seem to kid around and take it in stride plus the amount of tech know how on here can be staggering (plus so is the BS)!!

A little intro, I'm located near a flyspeck little town in SE Kansas called Thayer if anyone cares to look it up. I'm new to the Porsche world, my past interest has been Gen1-Gen3 N/A Mitsu Eclipses. I haven't had a project for a few years (2000 Eclipse GT 3.0 sold in 2002). I ran across a fellow car buff (addict) locally and have spend the last few years around his 944s ('86 951 & '90 944 Cab). Recently the 86 951 came up for sale and for the 1st time I took it out. Once on the curves I knew the Porsche bug had bit (goodbye torque steer and understeer issues of FWD). It took about a month of looking online and checking things out before we worked out a price (a good price so far at least, we'll see in the long run).

If this gets a little too involved my apologies in advance, future posts should be more reasonable.
Here are my pros and cons (which I have not been able to address searching the forum)
Pros
1. Looks new (2yr old garage kept) paint (should have a pic up tonite)
2. New steering (rack)
3. Inspected timing belt tension, rebuilt water pump
4. New master cylinder
5. New clutch master & slave
6. New muffler
7. Full mechanic inspection (non porsche though)
8. New tires (approx 1200 miles)
9. New radio does not pickup FM/AM stations (preamp wire perhaps)
Cons
1. Back hatch in bind (addressed via clarks garage and rennlist) FIXED
2. New Panasonic XM/MP3/CD player shuts totally off with key (ACC, BATT wires backwards) FIXED
3. LCD Clock broke
4. Rear seat belt covers in disrepair
5. Slight steering wheel vibration 55+ mph
6. No up/down on pass side mirror
7. Paint overspray on dash will thinner damage the finish (at least it shows they took out the glass to
do a correct spray job)

Ok now for the more major issues
8. Loud and very strong shifter vibration 3900 to 4100 rpm regardless of gear (neutral also). Not bad enough
to move outside mirrors but puts your hand to sleep. Thought of using short shift kit to replaces bushings/improve.
9. High pitched whine at front of car even at idle (Don't laugh at this if is simple as the PO states, Turbo??)
10. Highest registered boost 1.5 bar so far (around 5200rpm in 3rd full pedal) is this normal? some report close to 2.

Future issues I could use some ideas on

Lights are DIM as hell (driving lights are decent) HELA-4 100watt upgrade??

I live on gravel roads now, are there any good looking splash guards for the front tires?


I hope the long post doesn't scare anyone off, just like to give a good feel for the car.
Thanks
Cope

theedge

Heres a link to a thread with pics and a link for the mud flaps.
https://rennlist.com/forums/showthre...ight=mud+flaps

The 422k could be from a bad odo gear. When the trip meter is reset while the car is moving, it can strip the gear that drives the odometer. Sometimes when that gear is damaged, it skips ahead. Sometimes by a fair bit. Didnt happen to me, but ive heard of it happening a few times.

High pitched whine could be a few things. Overtight belts will make a supercharger like whine. Try and listen and isolate it if you can.

Vibration like that is often an incorrectly installed balance shaft belt. One shaft often gets installed 180 degrees out of sync, and can cause a very strong vibration. Not a difficult fix to do yourself. www.clarks-garage.com has an explanation and howto, and lots of other good stuff.

michaelathome

Welcome to Rennlist!

Sounds like a well sorted car. I'll only take a stab at what I might know.

Radio has an in windshield antenna that may need to be powered. Pretty common to hook it up but forget to hook up the booster.

Hella H4's and a good ground kit can fix some of the lighting issues you mentioned.

8. Sounds like motor mounts.
9. Possibly a belt, if it were the turbo it would change with throttle position and boost.
10. Automotion sells splash guards for the 944, also invest in the 3M guards, maybe 2 sets?

Again, welcome to the list.

Michael

canucope

Update

The vibration issue has been researched some more (good hits when I searched only watercooled forums) and it sounds like b-belt or rubber donut. I'll check it out when I check the belt tension/motor mounts as suggested. GREAT response time I'm used to waiting hours.
Thanks guys look forward to more ideas

95Juan

here's another tech post- 1.5 bar is normal. it's really .5 bar on a real gauge. the 951 gauge reads 1 bar as atmosphere, anything below 1 is vacuum, anything above is boost.

loud shifter vibration could be motor mounts. i remember the mounts on my n/a were going out and the thing shook like crazy.

otherwise, sounds like a decently well-sorted car. post pics, become a member, be addicted to rennlist.

michaelathome

6. No up/down on pass side mirror

Check to make sure that the R/L switch in the center console is working, IIRC that is where it is.

As to the seat belt covers become a member and you can then post wanted to buy threads. Send an email to toddandcharity - at - peoplepc . com, he is always looking to get rid of some parts. Not sure of his rennlist username att. There's a nice plug for him too

Again good luck,

Michael

Michael

Charlotte944

Welcom to the group!

For the most part it sounds like you have a fairly well sorted car.

For the mirror issue, check the change-over switch in the center console.
For the vibration at +55, check the wheel balance AND alignment.
For the shifter vibration I would suspect motor mounts.
For the engine whine, there are two schools of thought: Belts are TOO tight, or Belts are just right. I have yet to own a 944/951 that didn't whine.

For the clock issue, make sure the cigarette lighter/interior light fuse (#11, 15A) is good. The clock, lights and lighter get power from this fuse. If the fuse is OK, then you will need to pull the dash trim.

For headlights, I went with Hella H-4s with some "ricer" stock wattage superwhite bulbs. You can use "hotter" bulbs, but you need to install relays and extra wires. "Ricer" superwhite H-3s work very well in the foglamps.

canucope

Once I found the watercooled only in advanced search I have MUCH more relevent topics, alot on the vibrations and boost. Also alot of new buyers items which I would have never found browsing.

Mirror on drivers side all 4 ways, switch to pass side only in/out no up/down still might be center switch?

I have a local shop do my alignments but in podunkville little is ever seen of porsche. Is there anything very unusual they would not be able to handle. They seem to have done well for me in the past.

theedge

Front is normal, but tell them that the caster block bolts are 30 foot/pounds MAX. Its common that shops go all gorilla on those and strip them out using airtools.

Rear requires a tool to adjust toe (I think its toe... Might be caster). Paragon Products has it for about $25.

canucope

Added some photos.

Now tell me how anyone can see these cars and not want one, and then you drive it and wooohoooo it's good to be behind the wheel again. It's my first turbo and I look forward to seeing what it can really do after we get to know each other.

95Juan

swear to god that looks like pearl...........


edit- if it was posted before, and i didnt see it, sorry. but is the interior burgundy?

i think we found another pearl/burgundy........

95Juan

(my edit feature isnt working right now)


even tho it doesnt have fuchs, i think it could be a pearl option....right?

either way- if it sounds like a continuous chirping sound that goes away above a certain rpm, your belts are loose.

charlotte 944, am i to understand that all your 944/951's have squealed like loose/mis-tightened belts?

i'd say have them retensioned, but seeing as you live in "podunkville" probably no one can do em better than you with some help from RL.

what's the paint code?

maybe it's just the lighting that makes it look pearl.....

canucope

I've always called it Pearl White and assumed PO painted back to spec but
I checked the paint code anyway

pearl white L OA9 interior same code so I assume this is the burgandy leather.

How do I check for LSD. I'm checking Clarks for the code (220) but am unsure where to locate the option codes??

I keep updating my original post with pics because I don't know how to add them to later posts. Let me know how and I'll do it that way.

BTW added interior pic to post.

testarossa_td

Pull back the carpet on the rear deck...drivers side rear next to the light(between the light area).
You will see a sticker.

95Juan

mmmmmm, another pearl.


beautiful.

where's the fuchs?


welcome to rennlist.


btw- the way i check for LSD is big powerslides.



edit- make yourself a photobucket.com account and save all your pictures there and upload them with the [IMG]*pic*[/IMG] feature.