Mr. HapPy

Hi all, new member here and I'm so happy to find such an active Porsche forum! I'm looking at purchasing my first Porsche, the above mentioned 1987 Guards Red 924S 5-speed with 90k miles.

Can you all help me put together a list of porsche-specific maintenance issues for my mechanic to check on the car? I'm sure you all know what generally goes wrong with these models!

1. Timing Belt (Repair/Replace every 30k right?)
2. Water Pump
3. ?

Mich924S

What I did when I bought mine with 37,xxx miles on it was to change the timing belt and I told them to do a 40,000 mile maintenance. I also told them to check the water pump, flush the cooling system, replace the oil cooler seal, and check the tires/fluids/etc. All told that first checklist came to near $3000.00. If he doesn't have receipts for many things, expect to put a few grand into it right away if you don't do the work yourself(like I don't). BUT..for $3000.00 I got a gorgeous, near new 87 924S. Congratulations on your upcoming purchase. Mine is a daily driver now in the summer and stored winters.

chris924S

Aside from the obvious stuff such as belts and body condition, there is a litany of overlooked things to watch out for (this comes from long years of ownership):

1)Have clutch thoroughly inspected by trained mechanic. It may seem sound, but the rubber damper deteriorates and small pieces could jamb release mechanism. In addition, have clutch hydraulics check out. If there is a small leak have slave and master cylinders replaced immediately.
2) Check for water leaks. Check door, sunroof and hatch gaskets, look for signs of water leakage.
3) Check CV joints, may need to be repacked or replaced.
4) Check exhaust for cracks and leaks. Made from a low grade stainless steel that gets brittle with age.
5) Check motor mounts.
6) Check for play in front wheel bearings, may need to be adjusted or repacked.
7) Pressure test radiator, over time the composite radator will leak. It has a metal core and plastic sides. Leaks will happen where they join.
8) Check soundness of battery mounting point. If acid leaked from battery at some point, it could etch through zinc primer and you have a leak. Look for rust marks.
9) Check soundness of all fuel hoses. If you see any signs of cracking, replace immediately.At the rear of the car: trace hose that leads from gas tank to fuel pump, then to the replaceable fuel filter, (have filter replaced). Under the hood: trace lines as they come up from under to car curve over the intake manifold and attach to the fuel rail.
10) Check fuse box, look for any fuses that may have been replaced recently. These are ceramic fuses made with a bare wire lead. So the age of fuse is apparent.
11) Check condition of rubber covers of brake and clutch pedals, make sure wear on them is consistent with odometer readings.
12) Set aside some funds to pay for repairs that will crop up once you take possession, e.g. $3000.00
13) Get copies of assorted back issues excellence magazine that discusses repairs and modifications of 924/944/968.
14) Get copies of Upfixing Der Porsche from PCA, don't forget to join too.


These are great cars. I've owned my for a very long time. I have autocrossed and raced it. It is a daily driver too. But be prepared, because stuff happens and you might want to try to repair some of these things yourself.

Chris
Gray 1988 924S

Keith924S

If you get your cam belt changed, change out your rollers, tensioner and all seals. Replace the main crank seal $25./ 1/2 hour labour while your in there. You don't want to go back in there until the next belt change.

Same thing if you get a clutch job. Replace the rear main seal.

Also, if not previously mentioned, change the tranny fluid out with synthetic.