Jay W

Sorry about the confusing post about the bottom pad, what I meant to say is that I bought the top pad before the kit with both pads was available. I didnt know the bottom pad was worn badly until I had the tensioner off the car.

JayP

Do you need to replace the cam cover gasket?
I might just bother with this soon and want to get all the parts I need...

FRporscheman

Haha. Variocam pads are a F'ing PITA to replace. The cams need to come out, and "just depressing the tensioner" requires a vice. At least that's my experience.

944S2NUT

Where did u get the plastic cap replacements?? I was told that part number did not exsist anylonger :S ended up dropping $1000 on the whole tensioner/install AHHHH.

Weisach burned me good

PorscheDoc

Lol, I just looked at an 87S in guards red the other night. Cam chain broke, stripped the teeth off the cam , then must have swung around and hit the chain tensioner, busting it off the head, and taking half the spark plug hole part of the head with it! Crazy lady still wanted $2k for the car!

Jay W

That lady is crazy. A 944S with a broken head is worth about $500.

Jfrahm

Actually the chain wears through the pad, catches on the edge of the metal adjuster, rips the tensioner off the head, and right around then the cam teeth strip off.

It's cool the bottom pad is available now. It used to be in the parts system for $350 or so, more than the tensioner assembly and both pads as a unit.

-Joel.

Dr.Porsche

Any info on replacing the gasket?

harrisonrick

Sorry, I havn't been watching this thread....I bought a new gasket kit from 944online...$69.95...it includes EVERYTHING...buy it.

Any time you remove something with a gasket, IMO/experience, replace the gasket when re-installing.

I bought the pad kit from ZIMS. (my car only has 125,000 kms)

If your car has higher mileage, I'd forget Zims and buy the whole tensioner with new pads @ $342.15 from 944 online.

Otherwise...easy to do.

martin944

Great post! Quick question though. To remove the cam cover all that needs to be removed are the cam cover bolts right?

Jay W

Well the spark plug wires too and the cruise control cable gets in the way a bit too. Be careful with the cam cover bolts, they like to seize in there and break off. You will understand why they are brittle when you take one out and look at it. Not much bolt shaft there.

gtroth

Change the gasket, spark plug seals, and the 13 bolt seals (grommets).
The corners of the gasket where it breaks up off of the plane should have a little sealant (i.e. RTV) applied.
Cruise control cable can stay put - just need a little finesse.
Those bolts are pricey - wake them up and torque them properly. I use antisieze.
Plug all oil passages with rags or paper towels so you don't drop anything in there (especially all the little crush washers in the oil pipe line (J-tube). And replace those crush washers.

martin944

Thanks! when you say 'corners of the gasket where it breaks up off the plane" do you mean by the exhaust manifolds?

CarbonRevo

Well, I will be doing this closer to the start of June, and figured I'd start ordering parts now. If these bolts are weak, would it be advisable to order the new stronger bolts from rennspeed racing (sharky47)?

What about the J-Tube? The car I'm getting is a '91 with 78k miles. Never been done on the car before. Right now I'm looking at atleast the pads, gasket kit, and the new bolts (maybe). How can and what do I look for on the J-Tube to be bad, or should I just buy a new one? Thanks!

gtroth

--most of the gasket lies on the flat plane, along the long edges. Where it bends up off of that plane - that's where you are supposed to use sealant.

For the J-tube, I just couldn't pay ~$130 for that. Mine looked pristine, but I don't know.

New bolts are going to cost a fortune (~$26ea for short, ~$12ea for long.), and if they are not bent or twisted, I would use them.

--edit just noticed you are talking about the Rennsport bolts. I don't know what those cost.