That sounds a lot like thrust bearing failure to me.

 

Dave1200, what we commonly refer to as "TBF" is exactly that. The torque tube moves forward (simplistic view) and pushes flexplate forward, which pushes crank forward, which grinds away at the bearings. This includes main bearings. After the bearings are done, it hits the cradle and block, and the crank runs against those too, ending in total engine destruction. At least total bottom end destruction.

 

ouch.

 

And the number is...................

He stopped at $3000 for labor (just to do the bearings).....and parts are unknown untill it gets opened up. He recommends geting a used engine....

2 options as I see it....anyone have a used engine for sale?

Or Sell it as-is because I dont have a daily driver...

 

Call Mark Anderson (www.928intl.com). They recently had a car from a fire which had a good bottom end afaik. Mark's price on the engine was an incredibly low 2k. I hope he still has it for you.

 

With mine, I ended up going with the used motor route. If you go that direction, make sure that your mechanic knows what he's doing. There are a lot of electrical wiring and vacuum lines that need to be done right on a 928. Make sure he's installed a 928 motor in the past. Make sure he has the shop manuals. Make sure he has all the proper diagnostic equipment. Make sure he's properly licensed in you state. It may seem silly to ask, but trust me finding out months later that the answers to those questions are no is not going to be fun. Don't ask me how I found out.

 

Echo what Wade said. You MUST do the work for yourself. Write the car off in your mind as a total loss. Spend the bucks on the replacement engine and view it as a project. That is IMHO your only good option. Do the work. You can't lose, because now you have not much and rather spend on that engine than on a mechanic's work (which is HARD work and will COST you for sure).

 

And in the meantime i dont have a daily.....this is the problem... Unless i can get a used motor for cheap, and put it in less than 2 weeks...I cant go this route...

Im not closing the door on the used motor route...
But I still need to establish value as-is...

 

how much time is needed to swap the engine in an S4?

 

To actually swap the engines you could do in a day if you have done it before, specially in an auto, no clutch to mess with. Its the prepping of the replacement engine which takes time ... likely need new timing belt waterpump etc ...

How many local 928er's in Charlotte area ?

Chris

Here is a list of engines available in the NorthEast.

1987
Engine
Porsche 928 121 598 miles runs nice 122K CH140 $3000 General Auto Recycling USA-RI(Tiverton) E-mail 1-800-556-7316
1989
Engine
Porsche 928 5.0,REPLACMENT,FIRE 04-719 $Call Green Point Auto Parts, Inc. USA-ME(Brewer) E-mail 1-800-322-0004
1987
Engine
Porsche 928 AUTO,3.2,INJ P21149 $Call Medford Auto Wreckers USA-NY(Medford) E-mail 1-631-289-1772
1990
Engine
Porsche 928 12-4-03 NR 40541 $Call Medford Auto Wreckers USA-NY(Medford) E-mail 1-631-289-1772
1988
Engine
Porsche 928 4-87,RWD,EFI,GAS,AT PO1967 $Call Stan Gills Automotive Parts USA-VA(Chesapeake) E-mail 1-800-253-8469
1987
Engine
Porsche 928 5.0,G,OILED,NICE,U78 658 97K JC0005 $Call Kubis Auto Parts, Inc. USA-NY(Auburn) E-mail 1-800-233-3799

 

I reckon if you don't stop, and have a good helper, it will take say two full 18 hour days for an auto, and another day for a 5spd. Assuming you break nothing unexpected and have all required tools and know what you're doing and have the manuals and have actually read them. There is a pretty good engine swap procedure.

 

Get a cheap POS daily driver. Take the S4 home and pull the engine apart yourself. Buy a used engine that runs or a used engine with a good bottom end. Put the right parts together. Sell the remaining parts on Rennlist and eBay. If you can get an engine from Mark Anderson for $2k, you may even be able to break even selling extra parts.

When you're done you'll have a pile of new friends, know more than you ever wanted about your car, be able to fix just about anything on your car, and every drive in it after that will be so much more satisfying.

 

You are in the same position I was. My 928 was my daily driver and my timing belt failure left me without transportation. I got temporary transportation for a week and got a new (2004 model) car for daily use. The 928 sat in my garage for a few weeks while I weighed my options.

Selling it now will get you probably 1/3rd what you paid for it. Harsh reality, but true. 1/3rd may be on the high side. If you sell now, you'll lose more
money than spending the cash to replace the motor and then selling it.

I made the decision to pull the engine and rebuild. I'll put a couple thousand $$ into it, but the car will be worth the same if not more. I am by no means a master mechanic...I have the workshop manuals and the determination to fix my car. Granted, I had mine longer than you so I have more invested in it emotionally, but the same rules apply....if you sell it as it, you compound your losses. If you fix it, you either have the same car for about $3k more than you wanted to spend, or you sell it for the same price you bought it and lose only the cost of the replacement engine. Your time, assuming you have it, is free to you.

 

Accepting that this is as it smelled - a TBF, go for the used engine and lots of help here as to get it installed. The current engine will have many salable parts (ebay) to help recover some $$ - MAF, intake, heads, cam drive and tensioner gear, water pump, crank, rods and pistons, ...
Get a 'rent-a-wreck' for a month, or anything with wheels.
Best of luck.

 

Crazy thoughts:

Top end is fine, bottom is toast.

Front (TB/WP) is fine, back end is toast.

Fix in-situ?

Start TB/WP job and free crank from belts, leave open.

Suspend engine from crossmember, jack car F&R, Pull TT and flex.

Now, start the motor mount job, and expose pan, pull pan, starter, etc.

View the horror.

Pull crank FROM BOTTOM! Inspect center block webbing for damage. If damaged, spill gas, light match.

If no damage, install new crank and big end bearings, R&R flex, rebuild TT.

Install TT, flex, pan, starter, etc. Jack car down.

Finish TB/WP job, change all fluids, cross fingers and fire it up?

Yes, quite a bit of work in stages, but good stuff is still good stuff and bad stuff is gone. Parts will be: new bearings, crank, flex, TT bearings, maybe TT, TB/WP, Ford MM, pan gasket, fluids, incedentals. Man-hours would probably be about the same, and keeps the orig engine. If he was nearby, I'd already be on my back on a creeper. One crazy mans opinon, and we all know what opinions are worth.....