kinglenario

hey guys, i'm new to the forum and thinking about purchasing a 1986 944 Turbo with 100k miles. it's red with black leather and is pretty much loaded. it has the fuch wheels. The car is not a stranger to me as it has been in my family since new. It has had all the regular maintenance done by the dealer and i have the complete service history from the beginning. It has also had a very nice repaint by a shop specializing in porsche's to the tune of about $7,500. probably better than new with regards to the paint.

previous issues: it's had the clutch replaced 3 times. seems to kind of eat clutches. i'm not sure the last mileage that has been done but i'm going to look into that since it's so expensive. it also has the factory alarm system and i think that is the culprit for constant battery drainage. it eats battery's. i'm not sure if that alarm system is still hooked up or not at this point. sometime in the 90's it had a kill switch installed under the dash, but that has since been disconnected for some reason.

recent service: within the last 5,000 miles they replaced timing belt, water pump and other little stuff like rollers, seals, etc. $2400. then had problem with turbo fan staying on wearing out battery. replaced broken temp sensor and replaced power steering adjuster bar.

Another problem which was addressed but I'm not sure is really fixed is an exhaust issue. They found a broken exhaust stud on cylinder #4 and removed it and replaced it, along with some other minor work. $900. However, I still don't think the exhaust is right. First of all, it's loud compared to how it used to sound (more of a whine), and I had a problem with the rpms dropping way down (like a governor) at about 4000 rpms in 4th gear after the work was done. It only did it once. the exhaust is still too loud compared to how it normally sounds so there must be some kind of leak somewhere.

turbo: the turbo has never been changed or rebuilt. the car has always had top quality synthetic oil so i think that has helped. what's the longevity of the stock turbo?

i'm thinking of making this my daily driver and i would like to avoid major expenses down the road. if you guys could give me a list on what i should have checked and normal preventative maintenance done now ie. belts, all fluids changed, etc... also, what are the major issues are i should check for. should i have the clutch checked? can you inspect it without dis assembly?

i want to get the car tip top before possibly doing some light performance mods.

thanks!!!

Dimi 944

Check if the head gasket was ever replaced. It appears that this is a common issue with the 951s.

kinglenario

ok, thanks. that's interesting... is there an updated P/N that is better? i don't remember it ever having a head gasket problem in the past.

thanks

pontifex4

As you will no doubt read, there is a time interval as well as a mileage interval on the timing and balance shaft belts. Many say that the belts need changing every three years, regardless of the mileage (even, or perhaps especially if it's very low).

A good body and fresh clutch are what I would certainly look for first, so it sounds as though you're on the right track. Also, welcome!

kinglenario

it's recommended to change the timing belt and balance shaft belt every three years??? that's crazy. i think it was done in '09. isn't that like a $2,500 job?

pardon my ignorance, but on this car is it catastrophic if the timing belt breaks?

thanks!

aben8057

King,

Here is some good reading: http://www.clarks-garage.com/ if you look at the left well area, there is a specific section on buying a 944. In addition, many of us have used the website during our wrenching as it is thorough.

kinglenario

just did a search on timing belts. HAHA! wow! it seems as though most of the people with timing belt problems have naturally aspirated 944's. does that seem like a trend?

since new with this car we have never had a timing belt issue. maybe just luck. maybe the belts used to be better when they were first made for the 951's? we definitely didn't change it every 3 years. it MAY have been changed twice max since 1986 but i don't have the service records in front of me. all these posts make me nervous. it reminds me of all the Intermediate Shaft Bearing on the 996 that i was worried about on my last p car.

it seems that either the parts aren't as good as they used to be, or these aren't getting installed properly. it also seems that someone would have an update kit that would take care of the fragile nature of these.

Cole

Consider two things. First, there were roughly 150,000 NA cars built. There were only about 25,000 Turbo cars (worldwide). So of course you will see the incidence of failure more often associated with the 944 than the 951 just based on the numbers alone.

Second, 951 owners in general were probably more likely to do regular care to the car than 944 owners. More enthusiasts sought out 951s while more 944s were left to be neglected. (not saying there are not lots of 944 enthusiast owners). Some just doon't want to pay to change the belts and take the risk, some forget, some neglect because they simply don't know better.

kinglenario

good point cole. i didn't realize that so few 944 turbos were made.

also, in the repair records it said that the Power steering adjustment bar was replaced. i don't even see that part listed on pelicans power steering system parts.

thanks!

944Ross

The PS adjustment bar is normally called a tensioning rod. To adjust belt tension.

All that needs to be replaced every 3 yrs on a belt job is the belts themselves, provided all the rollers and tensioners are still in good shape. If you do it yourself (not hard) it is an afternoon job (after the first time) and costs less than $100. 3 yrs is the "better safe than sorry" rule anyway.

kinglenario

cool, thanks for the input guys! so i should probably have the dealer replace the belts again before i buy and start driving it? i checked the records and the belts were replaced in 2008 and the car has had virtually no miles since then.

what about turbo wear with this kind of age and mileage?

i'm a little concerned about the exhaust leak sound and RPMs dropping down like a rev limiter at 4000 rpms. sounds like an overboost situation possible.

i love the car and have driven it since i was a teenager (now in my mid 30's) and even though the car is in really nice condition i don't want to spend 5k a year on car maintenance.

pontifex4

Personally, I would take it to a good independent mechanic who specializes in Porsches for the belts (after digging through the receipts to see how old the rollers and water pump are), but with that done, you'll be sure of their condition. Someone more knowledgeable than I can weigh in on the exhaust / RPM drop problem.

Apart from using (and leaking) a little extra oil, there isn't much of a risk to running a turbo that's on its last legs.

One of the great features of Rennlist is that it provides an excellent early warning service for 951 owners: if you notice something that seems a little 'off' you can search for it and often find a good answer. It's saved me, before.

kinglenario

thanks! yeah, this seems like a really great forum!

kombatrok

kinglenario where is the turbo you are talking about? It sounds a lot like a car I was looking at buying, just curious if it might be the same one?

kinglenario

no, it's never been for sale.