My original plan was to rebuild another engine while my engine continues to go south so to speak. However I have had a rude awakening to the fact that my current engine now loses 3 quarts a week due to leaking and burning. Oil burning beside the point I need to fix my current engine NOW! I have determined that I am leaking oil from both the rear main seal and the oil pan gasket. Since I will be dropping the front suspension to do the oil pan gasket, does it make sense to just remove the whole engine and do the rear main seal and pan gasket in the comfortable standing up position with the engine on an engine stand? (may aswell do main bearings too)!

Christian

P.S. When removing my intake manifold to do some idle speed regulator work, I notice that the there was a significant pool of oil collecting on my closed intake valves, do you think that would explane smoke at high RPMs yet perfect cylinder compression??

Thanks
Christian

 

Christian, although some might not agree I think that it is the wise decision. I am doing the same thing on my 951. You have about 5-9 hours (depending on your skill level) to do the clutch on the 944 (this is required removal to do the rear main seal) and you have to remove the crossmember to do the oil pan. If you add those together you are at right about the same amount of time to drop the engine and you can replace all the parts that need replacing. Further, if you think the engine is going south you might as well rebuild it while you have it out. Most of the work on the top of the engine can be done in a few hours and then you are spending less time on your back (for me that is a BIG bonus). If it was only one or the other then I would not recommend it but if you have to do both it looked like the obvious choice from my perspective. There are also a lot of rennlisters in NJ, I bet some of them would be happy to help.
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I agree, go ahead and pull the engine, go through it, replace bearings seals, replace the clutch while the motor is out. It will be MUCH easier to get to everything if the engine is on a stand.

 

That is what I thought, thanks for the back up! Regarding the head, are specialty tools required to rebuild it?

Christian

 

Christian, when I do the head on mine, I'll probably send it to Vertex, IIRC they do a rebuild for 495.

 

Kevin - there is a gut in Minnesota who rebuilds them for like 250 IIRC. I dont think I would send anything to Vertex. Also, you might opt for a three angle job, it doesnt run much additional.
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Well wherever it gets done, when it gets done, I'm spending the $ to do that part correctly. How's your project coming?

 

Absolutely. My advice is don't screw with it. Send it to someone who knows what they are doing.

 

$495??? $250??? HIGHWAY ROBBERY!!!

local shop did a head rebuild on my roommates 951 for $100.

as long as your head is in good shape it should NOT cost much more than that.

-Michael-

 

Micheal, thanks for the info.

 

Kevin: no problem... i've not visited vertex's site, but i hear they are cheap with alot of their products. the head, however, should realistically not cost much over 150 to rebuild correctly, my roommate's was 100, and he supplied the little valve seals (c'mon those can't be THAT expensive), so unless you're getting a full race rebuild with new valves and some sort of race springs and titanium clips, i'd be really wary of paying more than 150.

christian: sounds like its time for a rebuild.

on a side note: if you overfil the car with oil, you will get it in the intake tract, hence oil on your valves... this would explain your smoke at higher rpms most definitely, as i've had some experience with that with a few of my buddies who owned them, and accidentally overfilled, started smoking. they subsequently freaked out, until i realized what happened... d'oh!

clean out your intake tract, make sure your oil is at the proper level, and the smoke should stop.

-Michael-

 

Unfourtunatly I know it isn't over filled, so I guess the seals are completly shot.

Christian

 

hmm.... i can only think of one thing though:

CRAP!!!!!

-Michael- <<<too bad thats not tiresmoke, but high rpm smoke...

 

I have been in automotive for a long time and unless you are just planing the surface and have it leak checked then no shop is going to do it for 100 bucks. If all you want is those items then 100 bucks is about right. A little high actually.

Kevin - the project goes little by little. I just bought the struts from Skip (got tired of waiting for my threaded body ones to come in (back order...to infinity and beyond!) I have been too lazy to go get the hoist to go any further. Plus some guys up here needed some help so I got sidetracked. I am planning to get the hoist in the next 2 days and get started with the rest of it. Looks like my list of replacement items is:

1) Rear main
2) Clutch
3) Fuel hoses
4) Brake hoses
5) Vacuum hoses
6) Hard Pipes
7) MAF/MAP (maybe depends on budget)
8) Solid engine mounts
9) K-27/6
10) Wastegate
11) Chips
12) BOV
13) Rear coilovers
14) 3 bar FPR
15) 57lb/hr injectors
etc
etc
etc

Still to do:
Remove cruise control
Install AVC-R (in bedroom)
Change chips
Install new BOV (on floor now)
Install external fuel pressure gauge

You can see how the list grows daily! Really not too bad. I will be at about 6K total by the time I am done and it should be REALLY nice to own and drive. I know I am looking forward to it. I may have a buyer for my RX so if I do then I may show up on the 18th with the 951 ready to go. You never know.

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