apierce918

shop i took my head to cost $150 to install new guides, installlation on new valves was free since they were taking them out anyway, shave head, and clean it. they do lots of work on high horsepower (dragster and corvette) engines and aluminum heads so i trusted them with mine.

KLR

michel944,

7 years is definitely time. By way of comparison, the maintenance schedule for my wife's 2001 Acura RL requires a new TB every 7 years or 105k miles. I doubt if many 944 belts (or waterpumps for that matter) could make it 105k miles, so I would bet that you're taking quite a risk at 7 years.

marky522

Nope cant use a chain setup as the belt stretches so much with the engine heating and cooling. And "I'm wondering if it's just over zealous car hobbyists" Nope the guidelines that you hear are almost exactly what Porsche says. Pay attention to some of the people that say that there belts broke, i bet 75% of them fall into a category of
1. exceeding 30K
2. improper upkeep (no rechecks)
3. not knowing last maint (my dad fell into this one)
4. vehicle sitting too long. ( just cause it has 0 miles but is 4 years old doesnt mean anything)

I did belts, rollers, pump and belts on my car 1.5 years ago, it hasnt run since, I am replacing the belts before i fire it up.

Mark

Yummybud924

well thing is, i can't just check the timing belt tension myself as I don't have the 600 dollar porsche tool.

since last year I've had the belt tensioned 3 times cost me over 300 bucks just about 100 each time (had the belt off for repair once and retioning later).

Now if I have to go pay another 100 bucks in 15,000 kms and then again in 30,000 kms etc that's a lot of money just for retensioning.....

should have just bougth the prosche tenioning tool, it'll save you money and time.....

Mighty Shilling

For what it's worth, I'll add my 2 cents to the timing belt maintainance part.

I will religiously check and tension the timing belt every 10,000 miles and replace every 30,000 miles. the way I see it, an hour of my time is worth more than the time and money of replacing the head. It might be over-zealous, but hell, I can do it, I will do it. don't want to replace valves.

I tried skimping on belt rollers once... then they seized. that's not pretty. Luckily it didn't end in a destroyed timing belt. Do it up front, do it right, do as suggested by the owner's manual.

Mighty Shilling

920X from Arnnworx. Great tool, 1/3 the price as the Porsche 9201, easier to use, and IMHO, more accurate. It'll make it so you can do it yourself in an hour, with only removing the top timing belt cover, and it's good. www.arnnworx.com

WizPorsche944

When mine was replaced last November at 97K, I believe it was last done (going by the Maintenance book) at 52K in 1990 !

Rod Thomson

Just a quick update; When RJ mentioned the possibility of seized water pump I got to thinking about other possible causes. I had a look at the water pump and it looks and feels solid and brand new. I will have another, closer look at the rollers as well. At this point I am inclined to believe that I fall into Mark's category 2)no re-checks. So my bad. Head to be picked up in a couple of days.

Yummybud924

I sold my arnnworx guage tool last year to a board member.

It did not work at all for me and Bruce did not reply to my emails about needing help to use his tool.

the concept of the tool seems right but I could not sue the tool as his calculation for getting the proper tension are wrong.

Thing is the arnnworx tool you need to get the proper calculation and number for your belt tension setting or else the tool itself is useless.

I followed all his directions and the calculation that I got would give me a super loose timing belt to the point that I would not even try to run the engine with a belt that loose. I tried many times and followed his exact directions but they do not work.

now if you use the porsche tool to set the timing belt then use the arnnworx gauge to see what the arnnworx gauge reads you could use that setting next time...... should have kept the arnnworx tool and measured the belt with it after my porsche shop tensioned the belts.

Mighty Shilling

not quite... the dial gauge is kinda hard to read. you have to turn it at a certain angle to get it to read correctly, and of course, you don't tension the belts with the reference bars in place. setting tension with the 9201 and then marking the setting on the 920x wouldn't work, as it all depends on you setting the gauge in the EXACT same spot EVERY time. it's that sensitive.

I've used the 920X flawlessly every time, it has a touch of a learning curve, but in the end, once you figure it out, ya can't go wrong.

jns

Does anyone make a timing CHAIN replacement?


Actually, a timing chain can be fitted to the 944. It's just a matter of how much time you want to put into it. I had a chain on mine but took it off due to concerns about harmonics and the extra drag on the engine. I eliminated the stock water pump and ended up using a Honda timing belt which should be good for 60k miles but I won't wait that long.

alordofchaos

...Here's a statement that is just crying for a write-up...

VWaddict

...and pics...

Lots of pics.

alordofchaos

Hey! Well, whaddya know, search actually works! Conversion information was posted in the turbo forum

I'm off to go read this sucker!

Yummybud924

why would you spend so much time and money to convert the belts when you can just replace the belts more often to be safe. OEM Gates belt is like 40 bucks and contitech about 12 bucks.