Just aquired my first 944 and could use some advice.
10-15-2011, 10:39 PM
#1
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Just aquired my first 944 and could use some advice.
Thanks in advance for any help! I just bought a 1989 944 8 valve auto tranny. The good- body and interior are near perfect. The not so good-motor is completely dissasembled. Block has been magnafluxed and tested and is good, head has been completely rebuilt with all new parts, all aluminum was bead blasted and is in great shape. ALL oem bearings-seals-gaskets etc.included. Having local shop do long block will complete rest myself. Now the question- What else should I do while its apart? TT bearings? Any suggestions are greatly appreciated as I am very new to Porsche. Thanks Bigz
Last edited by Bigz; 10-17-2011 at 06:52 PM. Reason: add photos
10-15-2011, 11:50 PM
#2
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welcome. but, you have to change your username..... we already gottzz us un Biggs.
contact the moderator about a new username.
as to the car. first there's some bad news... very sorry to report you've made a poor choice on purchase. any auto 944 is worth less than $3 k. costs for repairs to the transmission can be astronomical by comparison... may it never happen to you. upgrade to a manual box soon, and you'll be able to get the car to 60 mph in less than 10 seconds. that's always a plus for a sports car. now the good news; with a lot of patience, time, spare parts and care for the cooling and timing systems (new parts and wrenching), you could end up having a fun car. good luck.
contact the moderator about a new username.
as to the car. first there's some bad news... very sorry to report you've made a poor choice on purchase. any auto 944 is worth less than $3 k. costs for repairs to the transmission can be astronomical by comparison... may it never happen to you. upgrade to a manual box soon, and you'll be able to get the car to 60 mph in less than 10 seconds. that's always a plus for a sports car. now the good news; with a lot of patience, time, spare parts and care for the cooling and timing systems (new parts and wrenching), you could end up having a fun car. good luck.
10-16-2011, 12:42 AM
#3
You will quickly learn that even though the car was not expensive but the parts that make it burn holes in your pocket. I suggest looking over your car completely and replacing everything that looks questionable. Replace anything rubber! It will save you a lot of trouble in the future. Post some pictures would love to see your new ride!
And welcome to the 944 world!
And welcome to the 944 world!
10-16-2011, 03:26 AM
#4
Welcome to the boards, just so you know you can configure your profile to ignore bitter ramblers and naysayers. So don't let them perturb you.
One word of caution, make sure the shop assembling your motor uses the alignment tool when they re-assemble your oil cooler.
You will also want to go over your entire fuel system, replace anything rubber as mentioned, that includes vacuum hoses as well. Read some of the build threads on here and you will start to get an idea where you need to pay attention to detail.
One word of caution, make sure the shop assembling your motor uses the alignment tool when they re-assemble your oil cooler.
You will also want to go over your entire fuel system, replace anything rubber as mentioned, that includes vacuum hoses as well. Read some of the build threads on here and you will start to get an idea where you need to pay attention to detail.
welcome. but, you have to change your username..... we already gottzz us un Biggs.
contact the moderator about a new username.
as to the car. first there's some bad news... very sorry to report you've made a poor choice on purchase. any auto 944 is worth less than $3 k. costs for repairs to the transmission can be astronomical by comparison... may it never happen to you. upgrade to a manual box soon, and you'll be able to get the car to 60 mph in less than 10 seconds. that's always a plus for a sports car. now the good news; with a lot of patience, time, spare parts and care for the cooling and timing systems (new parts and wrenching), you could end up having a fun car. good luck.
contact the moderator about a new username.
as to the car. first there's some bad news... very sorry to report you've made a poor choice on purchase. any auto 944 is worth less than $3 k. costs for repairs to the transmission can be astronomical by comparison... may it never happen to you. upgrade to a manual box soon, and you'll be able to get the car to 60 mph in less than 10 seconds. that's always a plus for a sports car. now the good news; with a lot of patience, time, spare parts and care for the cooling and timing systems (new parts and wrenching), you could end up having a fun car. good luck.
10-16-2011, 10:46 AM
#6
Proprietoristicly Refined
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Thanks in advance for any help! I just bought a 1989 944 8 valve auto tranny.
The good- body and interior are near perfect.
The not so good-motor is completely dissasembled. Block has been magnafluxed and tested and is good, head has been completely rebuilt with all new parts, all aluminum was bead blasted and is in great shape. ALL oem bearings-seals-gaskets etc.included.
Having local shop do long block will complete rest myself.
Now the question- What else should I do while its apart? TT bearings? Any suggestions are greatly appreciated as I am very new to Porsche. Thanks Bigz
The good- body and interior are near perfect.
The not so good-motor is completely dissasembled. Block has been magnafluxed and tested and is good, head has been completely rebuilt with all new parts, all aluminum was bead blasted and is in great shape. ALL oem bearings-seals-gaskets etc.included.
Having local shop do long block will complete rest myself.
Now the question- What else should I do while its apart? TT bearings? Any suggestions are greatly appreciated as I am very new to Porsche. Thanks Bigz
You did not mention the mileage on the car.
The automatic "flex damper" should be replaced as long as the engine is out and the car has high mileage. The normal cost for the part is about $1200.
I do not think the TT bearings are bad even with high mileage on an automatic. If you have unlimited funds and want "perfect" use the TT bearings from member Constantine.
The power steering rack should be checked for leaks. Again with the engine out, it makes sense. A rebuilt rack is the normal opinion from AutoZone for about $200 with a limited life time warranty. Get a new PS reservoir(filter inside), rebuild the PS pump and get the new short hose and fitting from the reservoir to the pump.
Rebuild the AC system with a Sanden compressor kit from sponsor 944online.
http://www.944online.com/cgi-bin/ASI...tecontrol-9442
New Koni shocks all around, tires, alignment and new rubber bushings will make the suspension like new.
Welcome to Porsche.
GL
John
Last edited by John_AZ; 10-16-2011 at 08:09 PM. Reason: PS reservoir filter inside
10-16-2011, 01:34 PM
#7
Drifting
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Clean all main grounds /remove all fuse & relays check & clean don't forget the sunroof motor & relays (driver side) in Cargo area + battery cables & starter.Body, check the hatcback & grease all mechanisme/doors & hood the same.Clean all rubber part & apply Rubber/Vinyl conditioner.Like mention shocks/rubber bushings (they are now twenty years old & have seen better days if wasn't replace lately.Wheel bearings/brakes & rotors should also be look at.Pics are -the main grounds location & your sunroof motor mechanisme.To properly maintain & trouble shoot your car refer to this place ,it will be your best friend & a money saver from now on. www.clarks-garage.com once on the main page enter (Garage Shop Manual) & scroll down to any subjects which is of interest to you .Have Fun
Last edited by ernie9468; 02-04-2013 at 04:24 PM.
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10-16-2011, 02:09 PM
#8
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Welcome Bigz! Empty your pockets now! 
That's a joke based in reality and experience here. However these cars are nice and worth most of the expense. The guys here have been more than helpful to me and I will carry on that tradition.
Again, welcome!
That's a joke based in reality and experience here. However these cars are nice and worth most of the expense. The guys here have been more than helpful to me and I will carry on that tradition.Again, welcome!
10-16-2011, 03:00 PM
#9
Team Owner
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'Rock' on point...
dug up a post from a recent 944 auto thread....
944 N/A's arent very quick cars to begin with, and when they become an automatic then I hope you brought your running shoes because you could probably run faster.
FYI- Porsche manual says the 944 N/a in a 5 speed does 0-60 in 8.3 seconds, with the automatic doing 8.9 seconds. Ive done burnouts in my grandmas wheelchair faster than that.
Depending on if you want to keep it then you have 2 options.
A. Don't change anything. Drive the car how it is, enjoy it for what it is, and have fun using it as a cruising car. Still enjoyable, and the good thing is there is no cost involved in this.
or
B. Do a manual swap. The best way to go about doing this is to find a donor car. A totaled car with a good drive train would be best. From there the route I would go is to drop the bellhousing, transmission, torque tube, all as one unit out of each car. Slide the manual transmission stuff in there and maybe replace the rear main seal or clutch disc while you're at it. Swap the radiator, of it you have to try and find a way of plugging the hole from the ATF..... Then the third parts issue you're going to be looking at, the clutch pedal. You will need a slave and master cylinder as well as the lines for them that run off of the brake reservoir master cylinder. Once youre done with it all, you're going to need to jumper the switch that stops the car from starting when its not in park or neutral. After you're all done, to finish it off you can (but is not necessary) swap the tachometer to get rid of the gear select.
If you do the work yourself you can save a ton in labor, and if you buy a parts car you can sell off the rest and your automatic setup to offset the cost of the job.
You might be better off selling the car however, and buying a turbo (faster, you can mod) or a nice example of an N/a.
i saved this a while back because it was such good advice... op; everyone new to the 944 will benefit tremendously from having a parts car... keep an open mind, as there's no reason you can't pick up a 944 with a blown engine but with a manual transmission and plenty of other spare parts. and there will be a significant payoff for waiting a bit longer to have your 'driver.'
i'm with rock.. no wait, you're right again; it's always better to blow sunshine up someone's *** to cover for Porsche's slowest car of the 20th century... of course i didn't mean to hurt the op's feelings. on the contrary, he's got a few choices to convert his ride into a pretty fast car... in case anyone here is new and might be tempted into buying a 944 automatic for what will surely look like 'low 944 dollars,' do yourself a favor and don't. get one with a manual transmission instead.
op, if you're going the distance on an engine, Godspeed, but remember that manual conversions aren't out of the woodwork... it could end up being a lot less time and headache, than what any automatic transmission repair will be down the road, and the payoff in performance will be well worth it. good luck.
,
944 N/A's arent very quick cars to begin with, and when they become an automatic then I hope you brought your running shoes because you could probably run faster.
FYI- Porsche manual says the 944 N/a in a 5 speed does 0-60 in 8.3 seconds, with the automatic doing 8.9 seconds. Ive done burnouts in my grandmas wheelchair faster than that.
Depending on if you want to keep it then you have 2 options.
A. Don't change anything. Drive the car how it is, enjoy it for what it is, and have fun using it as a cruising car. Still enjoyable, and the good thing is there is no cost involved in this.
or
B. Do a manual swap. The best way to go about doing this is to find a donor car. A totaled car with a good drive train would be best. From there the route I would go is to drop the bellhousing, transmission, torque tube, all as one unit out of each car. Slide the manual transmission stuff in there and maybe replace the rear main seal or clutch disc while you're at it. Swap the radiator, of it you have to try and find a way of plugging the hole from the ATF..... Then the third parts issue you're going to be looking at, the clutch pedal. You will need a slave and master cylinder as well as the lines for them that run off of the brake reservoir master cylinder. Once youre done with it all, you're going to need to jumper the switch that stops the car from starting when its not in park or neutral. After you're all done, to finish it off you can (but is not necessary) swap the tachometer to get rid of the gear select.
If you do the work yourself you can save a ton in labor, and if you buy a parts car you can sell off the rest and your automatic setup to offset the cost of the job.
You might be better off selling the car however, and buying a turbo (faster, you can mod) or a nice example of an N/a.
i saved this a while back because it was such good advice... op; everyone new to the 944 will benefit tremendously from having a parts car... keep an open mind, as there's no reason you can't pick up a 944 with a blown engine but with a manual transmission and plenty of other spare parts. and there will be a significant payoff for waiting a bit longer to have your 'driver.'
i'm with rock.. no wait, you're right again; it's always better to blow sunshine up someone's *** to cover for Porsche's slowest car of the 20th century... of course i didn't mean to hurt the op's feelings. on the contrary, he's got a few choices to convert his ride into a pretty fast car... in case anyone here is new and might be tempted into buying a 944 automatic for what will surely look like 'low 944 dollars,' do yourself a favor and don't. get one with a manual transmission instead.
op, if you're going the distance on an engine, Godspeed, but remember that manual conversions aren't out of the woodwork... it could end up being a lot less time and headache, than what any automatic transmission repair will be down the road, and the payoff in performance will be well worth it. good luck.
,
Last edited by odurandina; 10-18-2011 at 02:59 PM.
10-16-2011, 03:13 PM
#10
Maybe the OP WANTED an automatic, so let it be. Most peoples budgets are not limiting them to 944s, if they wanted faster cars they would be on other forums. They are here for something else which apparently you haven't been able to grasp.
Perhaps you should take on some double shifts and buy a C5 so you can leave us the hell alone.
Perhaps you should take on some double shifts and buy a C5 so you can leave us the hell alone.
10-16-2011, 04:09 PM
#11
Drifting
lol. converting a 944 to manual won't make it fast. owning a 944 shouldn't be about making it a fast car lol. there are plenty of "suped" up honda civics with turbos that would beat your porsche not to mention the new mini vans, hyundais, kias etc.
I prefer a manual because it's more fun for me but nothing wrong with an auto if that's what you like.
I prefer a manual because it's more fun for me but nothing wrong with an auto if that's what you like.
10-16-2011, 04:24 PM
#12
Nordschleife Master
That shop doing your engine rebuild, make sure they know the 944 engine real well, not all Porsche or German specialists know our engine. A simple incorrect honing or piston finish process on Alusil components could wreck the engine. They should also look at strengthening the oil pickup tube while it's apart and have the correct tool for aligning the OPRV. If they know what they are doing they will understand all this.
10-16-2011, 05:03 PM
#13
Three Wheelin'
Oh well, I guess I'll add my 2 cents. Kinda thought it was suppose to be Welcome aboard new guy.
Not let's beat up on the AT/944!
Hope he's not gone somewhere else and posting how this place is full of A holes!
Just saying!
Not let's beat up on the AT/944!
Hope he's not gone somewhere else and posting how this place is full of A holes!
Just saying!
10-16-2011, 07:01 PM
#14
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My experience with posting on forums is you have to take the good with the bad. LOL Having had a number of projects I have used a variety of forums for info. I did want a auto as I am using it as a commuter car for work(lots of city driving) and will not be testing the performance limits of the car. Just looking for something to go back and forth to work. Good info so far thanks, already got a few areas I never would have thought of to check. Will post pics soon. Thanks
10-16-2011, 07:27 PM
#15
Drifting
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My experience with posting on forums is you have to take the good with the bad. LOL Having had a number of projects I have used a variety of forums for info. I did want a auto as I am using it as a commuter car for work(lots of city driving) and will not be testing the performance limits of the car. Just looking for something to go back and forth to work. Good info so far thanks, already got a few areas I never would have thought of to check. Will post pics soon. Thanks
Last edited by ernie9468; 02-04-2013 at 04:24 PM.