konakat

I just purchased my 1984 Porsche 944 yesterday. It runs well aside from a rough idle. The interior is pretty rough, though mostly functional. The first order of business is getting it to pass Maryland inspection, so my to-do list at the moment is:

Replace missing steering wheel center (no horn right now)
Replace front fog lamps (both lenses are completely missing)
Replace missing interior light
Replace tie rods (haven't looked, but PO said they needed it)

Some other things on the short-term to-do list:

Replace missing rear seats (they were removed at some point)
Install newer power seats (originals are very rough and PO gave me the new seats)

I'm sure I'll find some more random things that need fixed along the way. I look forward to any advice on where to get parts and what should be replaced with original equipment versus aftermarket.

Dino V

Congrats and welcome!

Aero426

Do you have any history as to when the cam belt and balance shaft belt service was most recently performed? If not, that may be something you want to put towards the top of your list.

Congrats on your purchase!

konakat

I don't have any history. Is it possible to inspect the belt to get an idea of its condition, or do you just have to do it if you don't know? The PO said it looked new when he looked at it. The car has had very few miles put on over the last several years.

Voith

Belt&rollers now or valves later.

Welcome!

mytrplseven

I've seen tires that looked new until you exercised them a bit and the the sidewalls came delaminated from the core. The Timing and Balance belts are at the very core of potential engine damage. Kinda like Achilles Heel. You're best insurance against replacing bent valves is to replace the belts (and if it was me, rollers and the water pump while you're in there). Without receipts or a valid history of what was repaired and when, you're gambling on real expensive repairs. If you are a decent "wrench" you can do them yourself and save money. If not, check around to see who in your area, using this post, can come and show you how it's done. As forum members, we pretty much pitch in to help our friends. I researched the threads and posts on this forum and then did my own and I've had no problems (not trying to toot my own horn here, just sharing what is possible). We're all here to support each other.

Oh, by the way, I like the car and the graphics are really cool.

The rough idle could be a number of easily fixable things: vacuum leak(s) in vacuum lines, bad TPS (throttle position switch), bad spark plugs/wires/cap and rotor, dirty air filter, fuel filter, Old gasoline or fuel injectors. Go to Clarks Garage online to see what it says about engine anomolies. This site will become your friend.

Welcome to the adventure.

konakat

Would one of the timing belt kits at Pelican have all the parts I should replace included, or is there something additional? The car has 97k miles, fyi.

Aero426

I have a friend who explained that he can tell you exactly how far his timing belt went, plus ten feet. It failed when he let out the clutch at a stop light. He said it looked visually new. Although there are mileage intervals to be observed, most belts will time out before hitting the mileage.

konakat

I guess I should probably do the water pump while I do the timing belt. If I still have an old style pump, should I just rebuild it or get a new style pump?

mytrplseven

You can buy them from PP or even on ebay. I don't remember what I spent for the complete kit, which included new rollers and idlers but it wasn't extensive. You'll also need a flywheel lock, and don't worry about what it costs initially, you'll use it for more stuff down the road. Also there's a few tools on ebay for replacing the rollers and idlers. The procedures are all listed on Clarks Garage. You can do it over the weekend the first time and then in an afternoon after the learning curve settles down. The belts should be changed around every 40 to 45 k miles or 5 years and the water pump every other set of belts. After the belts are done, they should be re-tensioned after 1500 miles. It take that time to settle the teeth of the belts to settle in to the gears. Then you don't need to worry about it for a while.

Any oil leaks? Check under the car. This is the second common malady that plaques these cars. The thing is, the rubber seals get hard over the years and cause oil leaks. Almost all the seals are located under the plastic cover that encases the timing and balance belts. This is the best time to replace them (while they are exposed during the belt change). It's not critical until it starts affecting either the garage floor or your oil quantity.

There's also an easy procedure for doing a vacuum system test if you have access to an air compressor. More on that later, as you find time.

Good luck and stay in touch.

konakat

Does the risk of breaking the timing belt go down if you drive gently? I'd like to get in a few miles while the weather is still good since I suspect that the 'weekend' timing belt job will take all winter with a 3 year old and 3 month old in the house. I could live with low revs if it means I can have a little fun before winter.

mytrplseven

There's no way to tell if the belt can tolerate it or not. It might and then again, maybe not. As we've said, it's an expensive gamble. I still suggest polling the site to see who in the area who's done the belts might be able to come by and run you through it. It's an easy, one day project and he might even bring a set of the tools along until you can get your own.

odurandina

Arte Johnson avatar? very interesting !!

hey new guy.

welcome and good evening.

Aero426

No, timing belts can break at any time. The one my friend experienced in his 944 was leaving a stop light.

Mueller944s2

Another thing to watch out for on 944s, stop lights. I snapped a crank in half at one.