fejjj

Hi,

I am looking for a time estimate to replace Water Pump, Timing and Balance belts and updated rollers, front engine and rear main seals done by an experienced 944 mechanic.

Car is an 85.5 944 NA

Thank you

Van

I'd guess 6 hours?

kev951

anywhere from 6 to 10 hrs depending if water pump studs or bolts break.

fejjj

Ok so 10 hours worst case.

Thank you for your help!

fejjj

This would include rear main seals as well, correct?

Van

No, rear main seal is another 10-12 hours. Flywheel has to come off for that. To get the flywheel off, the clutch has to come out. To get the clutch out, the pressure plate has to come off. To get the pressure plate off, the bell housing needs to come off. To get the bell housing off, the torque tube has to be moved back. To move the torque tube back, the transmission has to come out. And you also have to remove the exhaust and starter, too.

fejjj

I hate you.

odurandina

the 944 ends.

that's why they're all gone.

Remember2

I have just had this exact thing done (+ new clutch). My mechanic took out the engine. It was easier and overall faster. 3 working days, approximately 3.500$ in total, including the new clutch. It was worth it!

Arominus

Is the rear main actually leaking? Don't forget rod bearings while your in that deep. Especially if you pop the motor out. Do that clutch too unless you know when it was done.

The FOES is easy, rear main is suuuuckage. Hence if its not leaking, don't bother.

william_b_noble

don't change rear main unless it is seriously leaking - wait until you need clutch. All front seals are easy to access. Change the O-rings (for example on the dist to cam housing) while you are having the work done, they get hard and you get weird leaks.

fejjj

Great advice, exactly why I love this forum.

Thank you William.

mytrplseven

One additional item. It's possible that the RMS is not the source of the actual leak. It could be the rear part of the oil pan gasket. But, don't get your hopes up. The best way to tell, and it's cheaper as well, is to really clean the area at the back of the pan, pull off the shield between the pan and the bell housing, go to the auto parts store on go on Amazon, and get a flourescent dye tracer kit. It includes dye, glasses and special flashlight. Put the fluid as described, in the oil and drive the car a couple of hundred miles to get the penetrant dye moving around the sytem. Look carefully at the rear of the pan and see if the leak is coming from the pan or the RMS. It also helps define the source of all the other leaks.

Of course if you're like me, you consider that when one rubber seal leaks, the others are as old as this one is and should be replaced anyway, while you're in there. This also goes for the two little shaft seals in the throttle body (vacuum leak). $20 kit.

Removal and replacement of the pan gasket has a history of guys having issues with it leaking after installation so you'll hear a lot of differing opinions on how to do it right. I have mine, too, and it works.

So, good luck with this.

Arominus

The pan gasket leaks because that gasket settles in a lot. When I did mine I had to keep going back every day to tighten up back to spec. I think I did it 4 times? it has not leaked yet. I was doing other work so the pan did not get filled during this time.

william_b_noble

odd comment on the pan gasket - maybe there were different styles? I've only replaced one - it had solid metal inserts where each bolt went through, and then the thick soft plastic seal everywhere. Once torqued, there was nothing to loosen because the bolt tension path was all metallic.