Huhh, all this time I thought you guys knew how to work on your cars because you were just natural geniuses at it. Well, I know the truth now!! Systematically, every part on your cars has broken down and you have had to wrestle with each and every individual bolt on them. No intuition, you guys know because you've been there, Huhh. Well, I believe I'm quickly heading down that road to 944-wisdom now too.

Yet ANOTHER drive train problem occured to me but an hour ago. I am driving along on the highway, I go to make a down shift, and eww. The shifter just kinda floats all over the place. No shift pattern, nothin. Kinda like I'm just holding the shifter and it's just a wooden spoon in a mixing bowl. So I exit and stop at a MC D's and take of the leather shift boot, hoping it's just that clip that has poped of the linkage. Nope, of course not, it's the other end. And of course the exaust is still hot, Almost got me a new scar until the ticking sound reminded me, "oh, I just got of the highway, that might be hot". Rather than risk injury trying to play around a hot exhaust and a hot gear box, I decided to drive it out of the parking lot in 6th and get it home. Why couldn't it have been third or fourth that it got stuck in I'm glad they just added that highway exit right onto my backstreet. I luckily coasted from the highway with clutch engaged all the way into my garage. Beautifull! To bad I was the only one in the car to see it. But I practiced doing that for fun before, so I new how fast I needed to be going when I came off of the exit ramp. So, I decided to share my new exploits with you guys while I'm waiting for her muffler to cool down.

Bob, Where's my little dentists mirror at...

 

You know...this may be off topic, but before I bought my 84 944 I always read the boards and everyone kept telling me how reliable these cars are etc...And Roberto, you are right....I went from knowing zip about cars, to understanding quite a bit now that I have a 944.
I purchased my car from an elderly man and had it inspected...and after 2 years and putting only 4000km on it, the car has a new transmission, clutch, master/slave clutch cylinder, timing belt, balance shaft belt, tensioner.
I think we all sink money into these cars because we love them. It's just I'm starting to feel that this car doesn't love me back damnit!
Do you guys HONESTLY think 944's are reliable, and overall great cars? Remember that even a Ford Tempo that has been carefully babied over it's lifespan will run beautifully too....so we shouldn't use "Make sure u get a cared for Porsche" as an excuse.
Anyways...I think this has no point, just stating some feelings....I'm sure my mind will change once the 944 is out of storage!
Later all
Mike
1984 944 sleeping
1988 325ix...alive and well...so far

 

I would bet $20 that your mechanic didn't install the wire that PREVENTS this from happening.

The shift linkage connects to your tranmission with via a bolt with a tapered end. This bolt has a hole through the head that allows it to function even if it comes loose. 99% of people who remove it will NOT put the wire back in it. The wire goes throught the bolt and wraps around the linkage.

 

Mike,

The clutch and timing belt are known 944 weaknesses. The master/slave cylinders would have gone on any car the same age. This only leaves you with the transmission which shouldn't be a big shocker on a car that is approaching 20 years old.

I don't mean to downplay the financial pain that these cars can bring (I know as well as anyone). I just think that if they are propperly maintained, they can be as reliable as any other car their age.

 

Hey Tabor, guess what I found laying politely on top of my tranny...



I figured it would be laying somewhere on the ten miles between where it came off and home, but nope, it was laying there, waiting for me to find it like a good little boy. This is getting to be an eerie trend. Things just coming loose, and no major damage done. Someone upstairs is watching out for me. Either that or my Mech has got it out for me... I doubt that though. I saw what you were talking about in the Workshop manual, the retainer wire? But the bolt I found does not have a hole in it to run one...

<img src="confused.gif" border="0">

 

I bought my 84 944 NA with I believe around 89500 miles.

It has 159,680 today over 3 years later. It's seen some pretty hard abuse, I've done a few track events, and 2 nearly full seasons of auto-xes. To date I've trusted this car to notlet me down through numerous cross country trips to places I've never been to without so much as a tool kit, without more than $50 with me aside from projected 'vacation' expenses. I've replaced A LOT of stuff on it, but the list of what I've had to replace (not counting the numerous transaxles, but this car has been through endless burnouts, doughnuts, drop clutch style 0-60 runs, downshifts from 5th to 2nd, etc.)is very very short...

Things that have broken on the car, that would not normally require maintenance are oil pressure relief valve (if you don't notice your 0 oil pressure in time, I'm sure you'd mess up your engine in short order), a power window switch, sunroof switch, heater fan switch, one of my cj joint boots are torn, one climate control clip replaced, and I'll be repacking it this week). Oh and it's also leaked a bit of powersteering fluid, I haven't had time to attend to that yet, but aside from that I haven't had to do anything.

I wouldn't call the 944 series 'reliable' compared to a car that's 10-15 years newer as with most older used cars. However I think it's one of THE most reliable cars, if you subject them to very hard driving. My car still doens't consume any oil, (I've also done a valve job on it though) and has factory spec compression. I don't want to step on any toes here, but I don't think it's very smart to own a 944 if you're not going to drive it hard. It definately wouldn't be worth it for me.

A few track events with a 98 Accord EX V6 coupe (sportiest 'Honda' sold at the time), and it uses a lot of oil until valve job, master cylinder failed, abs failed, rotors that warped if you looked at them the wrong way, shifted VERY rough (never tried to manually shift the auto) steering rack was worn at 52k miles. At least most of the repairs were under warranty, but you get the point.
Ahmet

 

Roberto, that bolt will not come out unless it's been taken out before and was not put back in with some type of tread sealant. I know I've RR'd my transaxle 6 times.
Ahmet

 

Roberto,

Hmm... I know my 944 had a wire. Maybe the factory updated the design to just use lock tight. You may want to call the dealer.

 

Tabor, does your bolt have a pointed tip? That's the factory style.

I used to work at a shop where we occasionally got 944s, admittedly not too many early ones but neither of my 944s or any 944 that I can recall had a retaining bolt with a provision for the safety wire.
Ahmet

 

Mine is an '87. I believe it had a pointed tip (not sides like Roberto's).

Edit- According to the factory workshop manual both early and late 944s have this wire. It is shown in section 5 on page 34-4 (late model) and talked about in section 2 on page 34-1 (early model).

 

I just remembered that when I did the tranny convert, I supposedly had to use a 968 linkage as well. Different length? Anyway thats probably the switcheroo point on the flat verses pointed ended with keeper wire.

And now, a moment of reflection...

I just realised that other than oil changes, all the mechanical work I've ever tried to do on this car has ended up going to a shop. I've always gotten to busy, didn't have the tools, was afraid i'd screw it up, etc.. etc.. etc.. As pathetic as it sounds, turning that 13mm socket myself was one of the best feeling things I've done in a long time.

Yes... it's been awhile... stop laughing.

 

That's interesting Tabor, because that means not only do both my cars (84 NA and 86 turbo), and Robertos have non-factory retaining bolts huh...

Roberto, unless you want to be turning that wrench again sometime soon, put some tread sealant on it...

BTW, if the input linkage on the 6 speeder is like the 5 speed transaxle, than you may not get the provision on the shaft to line up with the bolt. It'll work for a while, then eventually loosen out if this happens, so make sure you get it right (or carry a 13mm with you for some time). Glad to hear you're not paying somebody to fix this simple problem.
Ahmet

 

The problem could be easily fixed forever by getting a caslelated nut and simply dilling a hole in the bolt. Just like the ball joint setup.

 

I would second what Tabor said. I just completed a clutch replacement on my 86 951 and it has the tapered end bolt that is drilled for a safety wire. Which I also installed (I used rebar tie wire).

 

Roberto,

Perhaps the bolt that you found on top of your tranny is from some other mount. Not the proper shift coupler bolt. It would explain why it is different. Just a thought.