Get a second opinion or learn how to diagnose it.

If you put a wrench on the crank and it turned 360 with out any Resistance (like compression) then the valves are bent. Why is a good question.

As there is 19 years of use on the car I would consider the reseal along with a valve job. This should get you another 19 years.

I've had my 83 for 19 years. The wife for 15. She knows who comes first in my book.

P.S. I would kiss off the "I'm Too Good" mechanic.

 

Just a thought. I have a working head for an early engine. Wouldn't take much to swap them. That is if it's bent valves.

 

You can't give up on the car so easily! The car might only be worth a tax-write off to your wife, but it sounds like it's priceless to you. If you can keep her in the garage and spend some time restoring the car yourself, I don't think you'll find the job too difficult and, moreover, you'll find the whole project immensely gratifying.

 

Nineteen years is a lot of memories. There's that time with the christmas tree on the inside. Then there's that time out-running the cop after making that illegal u-turn on El Cajon Blvd. And then there's that time on 395 the cop told me he had to do 120 to catch me on the way to Mammoth Mountain (Damn Mustang GT. Nice guy though, he only wrote me up for 80 mph. Damn Independance, California- They don't accept traffic school)

Over the years I've done the water pump, the wheel bearings, the radiator, the cv joints, three fan switches, three antenna masts, oil cooler seals, plugs, wires, rotors and caps, oil changes, filters, wiper blades and arms, gaskets, filters, fog light lenses and on and on- not to mention enough elbo grease, carnuba wax, car covers and bras to keep her looking new.

Nineteen years is a long time.........

 

You're hooked!

What is the name of the shop in Vista? Is your car still there?

 

Terry ; I think socal is right on bent valves. But to be sure without ripping the head off ,just remove the cam tower. Make sure u bring the timing marks up right before you take the t belt off. Put a straight edge on the valve ends and see if they are in line. ie are they all the same height.If a valve is bent it will be shorter.Thats because it is not seated correctly because it is bent. If you are mechanically inclined you can do the job for 400-500 yourself

 

Shop's actually in Escondido.

When I rotated the crank through 360 degrees I fealt what I though was the normal increase in compression/resistance as each piston rose in its cylinder. The T-belt is intact and TDC on the bell housing matches tdc on the front of the camshaft. So, I too don't know what's up with the valves. I do know that the car has been in storage a lot over the last two years. I went from daily driver to storage in March of 2002. The non-use was harder on the car more than anything else.

 

Joe,

When you say put her in the garage and work on her slowly, are you talking about the wife or the 44?

 

Socal,

I've taken the cam tower off the car before to replace the cam tower gasket. I know I'm mechanically inclined enough to do the job. I have the tools and the time. It's more a question of money and whether it'd be better spent toward a newer car.

You're right. I'm hooked. I'm already thinking about your early cylinder head. I drive to LAX right by Costa Mesa every week. So, I might just take you up on the offer.

This is the first time with this mechanic. He came recommended. But, that really doesn't mean anything at this point. When I go to his shop tomorrow morning he's going to have to how and why. I just can't buy no comression on 3 out of 4 cylinders unless it's timing-belt-related. I could see a broken valve taking-out one cylinder, but that's it. I could see head gasket taking-out two cylinders, but not 3. In my mind, the only other possibility is burned valves. But the car just didn't act like anything was wrong power-wise prior to giving-up the ghost.

 

Both times the belt went on my 83 it took out three of the the four exhaust valves. Once at freeway rev's the other at an idle.

Two times? Don't ask!

I just bought replacement valves and laped them in. Guides were marginal the second time.

A new car is a consideration. I just choke on the down and monthly payments not including the large increase in insurance!

What is the LAX weekly for?

 

He he I meant put the car in the garage, but if that doesn't work....

Nineteen years is alot of memory indeed. I don't care what the blue book says -- you just can't put a value on that! I'm jealous that you have so much history with your car.

 

SoCal,

I work for Alaska Airlines out of LAX.

Never done a valve job myself. I've pulled more than one set of heads and sent them to the machine shop over the years. Don't really want to pay someone to do this valve job though. I think I can teach myself how to do it.

But, a newer car has been on my mind for a while. I've been thinking a lot about a S2 or 968.

 

I'd be interested to know which shop it was in Escondido...

...one place I went to did a decent job on mounting/balancing tires on my Mercedes... but it's questionable how many 944s he sees.

...the other place I talked to on the phone about sourcing GL-4 spec gear oil for my 924s. This guy didn't know why I didn't want to use GL-5. So, I would doubt he is as much of an expert as he claimed.

...a 911 expert may not necessarily be a 944 expert. One a**clown wanted to "sell me" on valve adjustments for my car as regular maintenance. He was also setting up shop in escondido at the time.

It's a long tow, I would have recommended Black Forest in Clairemont Mesa instead. One of the two owners has an 83 944, they see a lot of these cars.

I can't believe the car just died like that... it has to be something more simple. I had a dme fail on me once... only a new dme fixed the problem.

I recently had a fuel pump fuse that "partially" failed. It was a glass-capsule style. It would sometimes connect, sometimes not. It took a lot of debugging to realize that the fuse was intermittent in nature. If you haven't tried changing fuses... please consider this as well.

Did you make sure you get a nice pulse at the DME output to the coil, using the scope you borrowed? A simple logic probe would work as well.

On the "get a better car" angle. I've had my 924s since I was 18 (11+ years now). The memories in _that_ car (places I've gone, etc.) make it hard to replace, even though it would be easier to get one in better condition. Also, this car is truly "the devil you know", in that you know what has been done and what hasn't. With a different car, god knows what has been jury rigged, or if the car was abused or not repaired properly.

Kevin

 

A "new" S2 or 968? Interesting.

The 944 is definately a hobby car. You have to want to keep it running.

I wouldn't short cut the valves if I didn't have to. If the guides are whacked then there is really no choice but to do a full valve job.

You really need to see what is wrong with the car. As you report it does sound like a timing belt problem.

Tell us more about that parts car you looked at. Might be worth the $500 for the parts like a useable head.

 

Supposed to meet with the owner of the '97 NA tomorrow. He called back and lowered his asking price to $1500. Before I got the news on my '84 I was thinking about the windshield and other parts. He says that it's a blown head gasket on a car that suposedly has only 60k miles.