cybe

So, here's my (re)build thread.

I watched this one sit in the front lot of the junkyard for a few years - $2500, $2000, $1500, "Needs Clutch," $800.

I'd never even sat in a Porsche, let alone driven or owned one.



Reach in through the missing window, push snow off the seat. Pop the door. Here are the option codes - at the time, I'd no idea what to look for.



I found later - nothing too special - no coveted diff.


Known issues so far:

No keys,
No ignition switch,
Missing rear quarter window,
Busted fender,
Door pulls inoperable,
Sunroof inoperable,
Doesn't start,
"Needs clutch."

I tossed a battery in it and turned it over with a screwdriver (because it's missing the keys and ignition thingy.) No fire, but it rolled over and dropped the rear-view mirror on my lap - like an abused puppy.

Aww. Sold.



I'm not a mechanic. I've done parts and gaskets replacements, suspension work, various mods - but never really put an engine together. By my logic .. for $800? How could I go wrong?

Motor out. Manual says to drop it through the bottom - in a one-car garage? To hell with that.



Armed only with the internet and a borrowed engine hoist, I split the bell for easy access / clearance.





Out she comes!

I took a bunch of parts off and sent them off for blasting and rebuilds. Alternator, Starter, Power Steering, Oil pump, Water pump, Throttlebody.



This is what I found;

Block:



Head:



Cam tower:



I sent the tower and head to 'M&M Cylinder' here in Ohio for machinist voodoo to be done.


The worst part was the freakin' woodruff key in the crankshaft



I torched it.



I froze it.



I filled it with penetrant and let it just burn..



And then I broke it. The keyway for the woodruff key, the slot at the end of the crank. I totally screwed it up. So I got another block from Craigslist. This one from an 87.





And it has updated pitsons! +hp!



Old ones already removed, in preparation for the crankshaft swap.

It also had . .new bearings!

cybe

The parts I sent out came back clean and rebuilt, where applicable:



Finally some sign of progress.



So, I've ordred and acquired a big pile of .. bearings, bushings, washers, nuts, gaskets, .. you name it.. to go with my shiny old parts.



Here's 'work in progress' and current state of the engine:




I moved the Crank from the 'other' block into this one - and brought the better Pistons with it. I got three of them in yesterday and chipped a piston-ring on the last one - so here's where we take a break.

(Disclaimer: I have no idea what I'm doing, and it's probably all wrong. More to follow.)

So, I have this problem:



The rebuilder probably didn't know what this was - and they sandblasted it. So I'm off to pick up a replacement from Craigslist today again.

I posted this thread on another forum (trying to find a home!) and met some harsh feedback against the guys who rebuilt the parts - they assumed the alternator and starter, water pump etc were all just sandblasted instead of rebuilt. So this part may seem out of context, since it's a reply to someone else:

Thanks for the reply!

The Alt, Starter, and pumps were rebuilt properly - this place did the work nicely, and will do the injectors too.

The parts cleaning was kind of a bonus service I tacked on -- not their usual gig. Still, it's nice to work with clean parts - and it helped me to identify some failures I would've otherwise missed:



It's my fault for not specifying about the exchanger, I expected just a parts wash.

I'll keep posting as I go The interior's "just ok" I think - I haven't spent any time inside the car really except to pull the Motronic unit.

cybe

The other block I got from Craigslist for the crank - turns out somebody had used a ball-hone in the cylinders. Bad news for an alu/sil block, yes? I didn't use it, just the rotating assembly. I find it was a bonus in the end, it had new bearings and piston rings! Assembled, but never run or installed in the car.

My block is M44/07, donor M44/09

My original block cyls:



the (ruined?) donor block cyls:



Old pistons (out) vs. new pistons (in)


Today's big adventure was the clutch fork/pin combo. Check this out:



Toast, right? Here's a closer look:



Thanks for checking my thread - I'll keep it updated. Replies encouraged!

Kevin Baker

Oil cooler. Pretty common for them to leak. O-rings and shims to get the depth correct in the housing.

These cars are really pretty tough. Watch and make sure you have the shims correct behind the crank pulley, the friction alone, created from torquing that bolt to 360ft/lbs is the ONLY thing that drives the oil pump.

Kevin Baker

WOW! I've done serveral clutch jobs on these. THAT is the WORST I've ever seen. I only hope I can say that next week when I get my clutch out.

Reimu

Nice job, saving another one

The 944 was the first engine I ever rebuilt and all I had were basic tools and the internet. Couple of years later and so far so good outside of a few stupid mistakes with seals.

To those of you who have worked on many other cars besides 944s, how would you rate the level of difficulty?

cybe

Fresh drive gear and seal, backed by green o-ring and washer. (Right?)

I'm still trying to figure how I'm gonna be able to put 360lbs on that bolt.. I don't have the starter-ring lock.

Oh man. I wonder if my torque tube is hosed too? Have you had to do one of those? I've got the fork/bearing soaking up PB Blaster as we speak. Hope I can get the bearings pressed out/in without issue..

That's me! I'd never held a piston / crankshaft / bearing before.

GGX2

The crankshaft bolt is only supposed to be 155lbs isn't it? 360 would be WAY too much.

-George

Kevin Baker

My mistake, 210 Nm. 155ft/lbs. Still a heck of a lot. We had a 4 ft pipe and a 250lb man, still nothing.

Kevin Baker

I think the torque tubes are usually pretty hardy. Search on here there have been threads over the years about replacing the bearings in them. I have not ever gone that far.

Darwantae951

Where are you located?

cybe

Columbus, Ohio.


Okay - today, I went and picked up a replacement oil cooler.

Old:



New:



Put new o-rings and stuff, set it up and installed:







I have the original 3-piece, o-ringless OPRV. Was in fine shape.


I guess I felt like I was on a roll, so I continued on:





And this is where I stopped:



155 ft-lbs is more like it! I broke a sweat doing 20-50-90s for the cylinder head. Note the loosely-attached crank pulley there

944meister

155 ft/lbs is not a problem with a 250ft/lbs rated torque wrench. No cheater bar needed, unless you have boyish arms....

cybe

Hey, tough guy!






Really though, my concern is how to apply 150lbs of counter-torque to the crankshaft with the engine out of the car. Hows that work?

Paulyy

nice rebuild mate!

did you change bearings and piston rings? (not sure if i missed it or not)

Don't jinx your self.