P928Drvr

928 4.5l 1981 with AT:
I finally got her to fire up! Seems that the balancer was on backwards, however, I couldn’t fit the pulleys with it backwards. So once I had TDC I flipped it back over and the pulleys fit. I think I may have a non-Porsche harmonic balancer. The car fires right up and purrs at 500 rpm. However, there is a louder than normal clicking around the air intake and fuel rails. Anyone know what causes this ticking? I am at TDC and I twisted my alternator to see if it helps, but it just increases and decreases my rpm. Secondly, most of my coolant ran out when I had the water pump out. How do I get the fluid back in. When I let the engine run with the cap off, I can fill the tank, however, the car runs to the red line and wont pull anymore fluid. I can feel in the hoses that there is no water in them. But there is a gurgling when I release the hose.
Help Please !

Garth S

DO NOT run it without the full 16 liters/4 usg of coolant in the engine - or you will quickly lose a head gasket ... or worse.. as you say " the car runs to the red line and ...", I think you mean the high temp on the gauge ??? Not good - get the coolant in first before ever turning a key.
Remove the small 3/8" hose from the top of the rad and the thermocouple on the thermostat housing. This will provide two air bleed sites to help fill with coolant and purge until no air bubbles show. This is a must do! It can be a very slow process to get coolant to fill from the reservoir tank - but it will fill. On a cold engine, you can get a head start by removing the top rad hose at the T-stat housing to pour directly into the rad.
You are a brave and talented man to twist a running alternator - I think you meant the distributor. Set it in the middle of its travel - and set at 23 degrees @ 3000rpm later using a timing light. If there is a 23 deg mark on the harmonic balancer, it is definitely a Porsche unit.
The noise could be either fuel injectors - or more likely, the hydraulic valve lifters have bled down while since last operating: they can make a horrific 'clacking' noise as they slap against the cam and valve stem. Normally, they refill in short order - and the noise quits.

P928Drvr

OK. can i use water for the summer? Does it have to have coolant in it? I can feel fluid in both hoses and the 3/8ths hose on top of the rad streams fluid about an inch up, no bubbling anymore. However, with all the fluid in the system, I am still running hot. Is it the fact that I used water instead of coolant?

docmirror

There are several recent write ups on this issue. Therre may be three likely failures; First, the radiator may be clogged, not allowing fluid to circulate sufficiently to cool it. Next, you may have the dreaded non-spinning water pump impeller. This is where the shaft spins fine, but the impeller just sits there and doesn't circulate the water. next, you may have a stuck thermostat. You don't have to have coolant in the water for summer. Don't forget it's pure water in Michigan or you will bust in come Sept/Oct.

At this point, if you have pure water in the system you need to find out if it's circulating. Pull the top hose when the car is just WARM, not hot. Water should run freely out the top of the radiator whan the car is turned on. Turn it off if once you check it. If there's no flow, test the thermostat, and then plan on having the radiator rodded out. There are issues with this as well due to the type of the radiator tanks. Read previous posts searching on "radiator" or "runs hot".

Doc

P928Drvr

I have water in both hoses, Maybe it is overheating becuase i am at idel? It is a new water pump and new thermostat and I have filled the rez 3 times, no bubbles but running hot. Maybe becuase there isnt any air flow?

ErnestSw

The ticking may be noisy lifters and may not be related to your overheating problem at all. If that's all it is it's no biggie. Be sure that the timing belt and other belts are not rubbing on the belt cover.
How long did the car sit without running before you got to it? Was it running hot before you did the belt? Did you replace the water pump?

docmirror

Okay, more info is always good. I the thermostat in the right way? It can be put in backward. Next on the list is the radiator rodding. Bummer. It should stay cool at idle if the fan is working.

Doc

Garth S

.... and is the fan drawing lots of air through the rad?

Rich9928p

928 don't need to be bleeding like 944s. I've done many cooling system drains and refils and do not do anything more than fill the tank before starting and then keep the tank 3/4 filled and watch as it drains. I'll take it out and drive it and confirm that it stays at the 3/4 level when hot.

One trick when replacing the thermostat is to use a funnel and fill the block up to the top of that housing and then install the thermostat. This fills the block.

P928Drvr

Thanks for the help. I think my radiator is gunk'd up or I have an air pocket in it. I am going to try to burp it tonight. However, I think I may have chew'd up my new water pump because I am hearing a grindy-knocky noise in the area, I'm not sure if it is an air pocket or I just didn’t get enough fluid down to the pump before it spun itself into oblivion. I tightened the belts (thought the noise was a loose belt hitting the plastic shroud). I dont see water leaking from around the pump area, so I am hopeing it is a bubble.

Rich9928p

Air pockets don't make noise. Waterpumps dont grind themselves to oblivion due to low coolant levels, the bearings are sealed (when they're good).

To fill the engine with coolant, step one is to slowly add the desired amount of anti-freeze. Next, add distilled water to fill the tank to the 2/3 level. It may take several steps of filling and waiting for the water to fill the block. Start the engine. The level will probably drop a bit, keep filling but don't overfill. Once the level stops dropping, put the radiator cap on and drive the car for a while. Shut off the engine and let it cool, remove the radiator cap, and fill to the max cool level, roughly 1/2 level. This is all that needs to be done.

Any grinding noise indicates metal on metal contact. This must be investigated.

P928Drvr

Thanks for the advise, I'm not sure what the grinding noise is...looks like im going to have to pull it down and look at the pump. Im glad to hear that I cant burn the pump with lack of fluid. I will try burping it tonight and report back.

SharkSkin

Disconnect accessories one at a time, starting with the air pump and ending with the alternator to see if one of those is making your noise.