DJCarbine

Did you happen to run a compression test? I know the 944 krystar picked up ran fine dispite 0 compression in the #4 cylinder, and had milkshake oil.

That headgasket however was blown completely apart.

I would throw on a new headgasket and then do a compression test to make sure the cylinders are sealing.

If you don't know the history of the car, I would pull the oil cooler right now while the head is off and change the oil cooler gaskets. If you get it running and there is low pressure and the lifters are claking like mad, the oil pressure relief valve sometimes likes to go bad/stick after coolant mixes with the oil and creates gunk.

MM951

Back when I had my 1st 944, same problem. Pulled the head and was about to put it back together..then realized how easy the oil cooler seals are to get to with the head/exhaust removed. Change the oil cooler seals/head gasket/ and AOS seals and the belts/rollers..

The oil cooler seal kit is about $25... do it!

Don't worry about the bearings until you get it running... You won't have to remove anything you already have to replace the bearings

You can't see cracks or warping of the cylinder head or block.. Spend the $60 it takes to get it pressure tested and make sure its flat. It would be stupid to put it back together without checking everything.. Makes me wish I still had access to a machine shop.. takes 5 minutes to make $60

m73m95

I not giving up on the car just yet. I think I may have gotten a little (or alot) frustrated with it in the beginning, and over reacted lol. When you take the engine apart, and not see the what you were expecting to find, you first thought is "I just wasted a few grand, and 10 hours of my life!!" but the rest of the car is in great shape, and I think it will end up being time and money well spent........Also, where is the best place to get the oil cooler gasket set? Pelican has one, but its not something I want to do again anytime soon, so is the Pelican one ok, or is there a better one??

I'll get some pics up too...

apierce918

Strongly disagree with that $ amount for a good daily 944

ekeeton

Pelican is a good source. Many people also like Paragon Products. I buy from both and have been very pleased with quality and service from both. I suspect you'll get the parts from the same manufacturer whoever you order from.

Legoland951

Apierce, I think if one uses the definition of a "normal person" as a daily driver typical of Honda reliability, its not unreasonable to spend $7500 including "real money and/or PERSONAL TIME". If you pay for the basic clutch, timing belt, and head gasket, you are looking at about $3.5k in work and labor not including the car. My wife's 944, which has to be a reliable "daily driver" especially when she was pregnant, had to be completely rebuilt for me to be satisfied (new battery, hoses, engine removal, complete reseal, cylinder head rebuild, new clutch, new thermostat/fan switch, new DME relay, all belts including timing and balance shaft, transmission change to eliminate r&p whine with a better unit, koni struts/shocks, and much more). Not adding the $ to repaint it so its up to her standards, I think just the parts/labor alone would cost $7.5k since the car is basically completely rebuilt and I don't expect to touch it again other than belt change/fluids for another 10 years.

I am satisfied driving a $750 944 and can fix anything that goes bad before it goes bad since I can identify what will go bad before it does. I also have spare parts to last literally 10 lifetimes but most people are not like me. I believe the most important factor for one's cost for a daily driver depends on how picky one is about their "daily driver" and how much their time is actually worth.

V2Rocket

My 944 cost about $6000 to rebuild and get running in good shape again in the course of about 6 months.

Didn't really need a rebuild, the whole car only had 65,xxx miles but was just old.