I searched for this, but it wasn't in the faq norany posts in this forum...but I'm pretty sure I spelled "maintainance" wrong.

Anyway, Apart from plugs, coolant, oil, brakes, timing belt, and just generally taking a look around while you're underneath the car, what else do you guys watch out for? The Haynes manual said something about stuffing bushings and changing manual transmission fluids and what not...These sound like things to leave alone unless something seems wrong, no?

I'm just curious as to what you guys definately check on year after year and at which mile ticks. I do want to take care of my car, but I've never really changed transmission fluid or steering fluid unless I noticed a problem...I'd love to hear some thoughts from all sides, from the systematic crazies to the "my tires ain't bald--they're slicks now" croud.

 

Maintnenance is detailed in the Owner's manual. If you don't have one, get one. I think Paragon has them. It will detail belts, fluids, etc.etc. If you're not certain that the schedule has been followed (as evidenced by records), do it all at once and reset the timer to the appropriate intervals. Do the water pump and rollers when you do the timing belt; it's cheap insurance, they tend to fail after the belt change.

Some people change all fluids once a year. Oil should be done every 3000 miles regardless of whether you're using dino or synthetic.

Waiting to change fluids or replace belts until a problem has manifested itself is like using birth control -after- you're done having sex. It's a nice afterthought, but won't help you avoid a troublesome outcome. Changing fluids and doing regular maintenance is prophylactic, and using better-quality rubber is money well spent (to torture the metaphor just a little further).

cheers

Thaddeus

 

I personally disagree with Thaddeus that the water pump needs to be changed every time you change the belts. I think it would be just fine if you change it every other time. I think the 944 water pumps got a bad rap in the begining, but they have been updated by the factory.

Whatever you do, don't get a rebuilt pump. I have heard that they will only last ~10,000 miles.

 

[quote]Originally posted by Tremelune:
<strong>"my tires ain't bald--they're slicks now"</strong><hr></blockquote>

Too funny... a friend of my wife was hanging out in the garage and noticed a stack of track tires. She smirks "Hey skip, think it's time for new tires?" I defend "Those are race tires... they're just getting started!" She muses "Ha! I guess my minivan is a race car now, what with the bald tires and all!" She and the wife got a good laugh while I crept back under the car mumbling...

Anywho, you've got the basics covered. I would add that what most folks consider preventative is subject to the use of the vehicle. You could probably go 10-15 years on the same tranny fluid in a street driven car, but not a track duty type. If you look in any service manual, they all point to the basics of fluids and filters... then to high wear items like brakes and clutches... then to periodic hard items like timing belts/chains and valve adjustments. Best thing to do is have a once over with the basics, then start looking for the high-failure items... so I assume you were looking for a list that is specific to the 944... okay...

Basics:

- all fluids (oil, PS, PB, Coolant, Transaxle)
- all filters (oil, air, fuel, PS [inside the reservoir is a filter, must replace the reservoir to replace the filter])
- all rubber (tires, suspension bushings, weather seals, vibration dampers [engine, transaxle])

then:

- ignition items (cap/rotor, plugs, wires, coil, DME relay [maybe carry a spare])
- fuel items (Fuel Pressure Regulator, injector service)
- brakes (pads, rotors, shoes, lines)
- clutch (hydraulics [master, slave], disc or interior hard parts like TO brng)
- wheel bearings (front, rear)
- CV joints (look, listen, feel... any tears in the boots or clicking at low speed and you need to repack or replace)
- things that go bump (ball-joint, tie-rod, strut, upper strut bearing)
- timing belt/chain (tick, tick, tick... a relatively easy to diffuse bomb)

There's too many to list only because I've been listening to the stories for years now. Do what you can, when you can... listen to and feel the car... they do speak volumes... to me at least <img src="graemlins/c.gif" border="0" alt="[ouch]" />

Good Luck!

 

Tabor is WRONG. It should be changed more OFTEN than the belts (perhaps with every fueling), except nobody has figured out how. Also, it confuses the car too much and makes it feel not at all itself. So go back to coding, Tabor. Leave water pumps to the REAL men on the board!

Swoosh swoosh

Thaddeus

 

Good stuff.

 

Re: My 84 944. I had to change the water pump soon after I got it at about 75000mi. I got a rebuilt unit. I changed belts at the usual intervals. At 150000 mi I thought it time to put in a new (rebuilt by the same guy) water pump as a preemptive measure. I think the one in the car was ok. The second one was going strong at 190000mi.

 

I agree with Tabor, Thad, although a famed German engine designer claims that the water pump should only be changed while the engine is running. According to him, this will verify no leaks under actual driving conditions......

Or, as 911 owners used to say:

Pffffffft..we don't NEED water pumps, baby..."

Bob S.

 

im all for basic maintance. It's generally cheaper than most performance upgrades. and you still get considerable benefits! I would never have guessed that I need a cap and rotor! They were so nasty when I took em' off though. I dont know how the car ran!

 

i agree with tabor as well... but it always depends on how the car is used (how hard/how frequently, etc.) but personally, i would go for changing the pump every *other* time, max.

 

This reminds me of another thread out there about what constitues 'routine' maintenance on these cars. I really have to wonder about the engineering prowess of a car company that can't make a water-pump last more than 30k-miles. For what it's worth, my last rebuilt water-pump is going on 40k-miles now. Then again, the water-pump on my '82 Supra went the entire 245k-miles I had that car. I won't even mention how many times I changed the timing-belt during that interval...

 

I have seen Honda pumps go after 110k. I think the 944 one would probably make it to 100k, but since there is no timing belt changing interval that lines up with 100k, I choose to do it at 90k.

 

I have a 944 with the t-belt at 50k miles, waterpump about 66k and counting. I retensioned the t-belt on it about 20k ago, but it seems really loose right now. Anyway it's probably a good idea to check that belt again, but I'm not thinking about replacing the water pump unless it makes noise, is rough to turn when I'm doing the t-belt, or leaks.
Ahmet

 

Ahmet,

You should really re-tension your timing belt every 15,000 miles and replace it at 45,000. Also, retension it 1,500 miles after replacing it.

 

Tabor, I think these water pumps, timing belts/rollers can last a lot longer than mechanics would have you believe. I've got my car to show for that, which is the reason I posted this (I also want to prove it to myself, seing as how this car gets driven even if it failed right now it'd be surpassing the longest recommended intervals by 95% of shops).

I think that the updated parts are fine to go for a lot longer than the initial claims by the factory. You know this was supposed to be one of those 100k belts...

Also, drop me an e-mail if you get the chanse. over1g@hotmail.com
Ahmet