Mark

88 S4 at my wrench's. The WP seized and shredded the belt.

The owner was driving and got an overheat and TB warning light - as he was turning around to go home - she just died.

Wrench was AMAZED - when they pulled the heads - the valves were fine!

Talk about lucky!

Jim bailey - 928 International

Ah ,"Lucky" would have been that they never pulled the heads ! but not bending valves is highly unlikely unless the cams happen to stop at just the right time . This one just kills me "overheat and TB warning light - as he was turning around to go home - " WHY, WHY do so many people try to make it home ?? Join AAA get the extended tow service they respond very quickly will send a flat bed will haul it 100 miles or so ! When the car is obviously not happy STOP DRIVING. Some people act like wounded rabbits trying to make it back to the burrow ...

ew928

When my thermostat stuck open, temp gauge pegged at full hot.
Saw it in time and I pulled over as soon as temp warning light came on. Phew.

Did they do a compression test to verify no bent valves?
Or can you tell after head is pulled.

Ernest (NYC)

JP Rodkey

I bought my '88 with the same story - PO lost the belt and the Porsche dealer diagnosed a seized water pump. The dealer recommended and quoted removal of the heads and corresponding repair, which put PO into financial shock. That's how I bought it.

Because the front of the engine was already removed, and I had no history on the car, I decided to go ahead and remove the engine to pull the heads, do the rack, replace the mounts, etc. Turns out there were no bent valves - so I got lucky.

FBIII

Can't do a compression test without a timing belt.

Garth S

Nearly identical to the WP/TB incident experienced shortly after receiving my S4 - and the TB tension was verified correct within the previous week. The WP bearing had failed allowing the shaft to 'tilt': this caused the drive pulley to start grinding the pump housing and eat away at the TB, the TB to ring in the lo tension alarm, and the plastic impeller to strike the block - which broke the bond to the shaft and allowed it to freewheel.
The same two alarms came in simultaneously - or at least so close that I couldn't determine a winner as the engine was killed: fortunately, only ~1-2mm of the belt edge were chewed up ... the TB was still fully functional, as was my sphincter muscle ....

Imo000

My '85 32V had the same faliure just before I bought the car from the PO. However he wasn't so lucky and the exhaust valves were bent on the right bank (passanger side). However, I did put the new WP and TB on to check for compression before the heads came off. My father had a 91 Civic back in '97 and the TB broke during a regular drive. The Civic engine are non interferance just like the 32V 928s are. His valves didn't bent either. First thing I did was to check for compression. The mechanic SHOULD have done the same thing to this S4. This would have saved his reputation and the cutomer's $$$.

Changing the WP and putting on a t-belt for cpmpression check might take an extra 30min during disassembly. I can't belive the mechanic didn't do this first.

jserio

They respond very quickly Jim? Ask Dr Bob how quikly they responded when I crashed on hwy 2.

khalloudy

My WP did not seize... the propeller got loose from the rod so my car overheated... i got it towed, but the shop recommended doing the head gasket at that point. Radiator was toast too... 7k in damages

SharkSkin

As a former provider of this service, I'm curious about this... out in the boonies may take a while but they WILL show up, unlike some fly-by-nite outfits. When I was in the biz we had a requirement to be talking to the customer within 30 min. after the dispatcher received the call, and did so >98% of the time. I think that has been relaxed somewhat, but they always pick up the phone right away and in town I've waited no more than 20 min.

Imo000

How did the radiator get damaged and how long do you remember driving it with the engine overheating?