Pistol Pete

So I've had my 944 for nearly two months now, a silver '87 NA. It seemed really great mechanically when I got it, and well maintained. Immediately, I started having intermittent electrical problems causing the car to not start after sitting for more than an hour. So, its been kind of a headache from the beginning and I was thinking to myself about all the 944 nightmare stereotypes I've heard and wondering why they had to come true for me.

So I had the car out in the country at a family renunion. My dad went out to start it (and take it for a spin on the twisty roads for a few minutes) and noticed a tinny kind of sound, like something wasn't getting oil. So we shut it off before driving it and pop the hood. The pulley assembly for the timing belt and all that is dangling slack. Oh crap, I'm lucky I wasn't on the highway or something...

So we tow to the mechanic, who worked on the car for the PO and is quite excellent. Turns out, the PO had the waterpump replaced on the cheap, somewhere else. Whoever did that work neglected to tension the bolts properly, left some bolts off entirely, didn't connect some electrical wires, and generally did a **** poor job.

So now I've got new belts, my car no longer leaks oil/marks its territory, and I feel good about owning a 944 again. I promised pics when I bought the car and I will still try to follow through with that promise. Maybe I'll wait until the leaves are changing and get some real good shots. Anyway, beware shoddy mechanical work and always appreciate your excellent mechanic.

Yummybud924

what bolts were left out? water pump bolts?

rberry951

I met a fellow Rennlister who was passing through town a few years ago. I drove over to a small town near the interstate he was traveling and we stopped in a local pub to have a bite to eat and chat a while. When we went to leave I started my car and it made a sound not unlike throwing a handful of bolts in a meat grinder. I turned it off immediately and called a flatbed to take me and the car home. The next day I found this...

Nothing holding the belt on but the tip of the water pump pulley and one roller with no bearings.

Pistol Pete

Not sure exactly which bolts were missing, mechanic just told me some were gone. When I did the alternator shortly after buying the car I noticed that there was no bolt on the AC, it was just held up by the belt. I assume the shoddy mechanic left that out too.

testarossa_td

Glad you still love your car and...

sharky47

Couple of my cars had really great PO's, couple of them were really bad.

Pistol Pete

For the most part, this guy was great. Best quality mechanics and parts, he babied it. But, he knew he was selling it so he tried to get by on the cheap...

Stan944

Sorry to spoil your excitement, but fixing the belts won't fix electrical problems...

saxman

I bet fixing that would though

Pistol Pete

No kidding? Thanks. Actually, I was talking about the wires that had been disconnected. In any case, I figured out just before the belt incident that the car will jump start. If it happens again, I'm disconnecting the aftermarket alarm, which may be taxing the battery.

SwiftyZenBadd

how many of you guys are running aftermarket alarms? i cant say i put much faith in them, especially when i got to know some car thieves, and they told me how to disarm them...

genikz

[homer simpson voice] mmmmmmmmmmmm happy ending [/homer simpson voice]

Stan944

I should have read your post more carefully instead of making "funny" comments. Sorry, dude.

Pistol Pete

This is the internet. Thick sarcasm is expected. I wasn't offended and didn't take it too seriously...no worries. But you're right, I don't know if the connection of these wires has solved my problems. Reproducing the no-start is a project for this weekend.

testarossa_td

So what is with Bonaparte in your sig?