sendarius

Greetings all,

Well, after months of agonising, I finally pulled the trigger on the purchase of a 928 - specifically a 1988 928S4 Auto in Grand Prix White, 86000 kms. I will actually get to look at it for the first time tomorrow, so no pics until then.

It's a US model that I am importing into Oz from Japan, so a Pre-PI was not really an option, but at the price, I figure that I can easily cover my costs by parting it if turns out to be a lemon.

So - I am dropping off the car for a Post-PI and the necessary compliance work (what most of you would call 'federalization' I suspect), and I have a list of other things that I think I need to do. Some are urgent, others can probably wait.

I am intending to make this a reliable DD, so I can take my '89 944S2 off the road for clutch and trans work.

My (short) list:
1. Post-PI
2. Timing belt and water pump etc
3. Crank end-play check and drive-shaft clamp release
4. all filters - oil, air, fuel, smog, transmission
5. all fluids - brake, engine oil, engine coolant, auto trans., washer fluid
6. electrical grounds and CE general clean
7. brake pads / rotors if necessary
8. tyres / tires if necessary

Does anybody have any suggested additions to the list?

SeanR

I'd say your list covers the basics. Good place to start.

* leak down test?

unit

Congrats!

Have fun.


Sam

69gaugeman

and

mj1pate

The vacuum hoses are usually suspect for leaks. If you have any concerns about hard shifting, the vacuum hose to the transmission vacuum modulator is probably compromised. I suggest replacing all the vacuum hoses. Don't make a big deal out of searching for the vacuum modulator hose leak, if one is suspected. Just run a new silicon or metal line to the modulator. Its easily routed along the brake lines underneath the drivers side.

Check the general condition of the ABS power feeds to each wheel. These are not fused and can make contact with metal parts near the calipers due to heat and abrasions. Fires and/or melted wiring looms have resulted. Before you start moving these cables around to inspect them, disconnect power.

Mike

daveo90s4

Sendarius

Rubber hoses:
- fuel hose at front of engine
- fuel hose at rear of engine (NLA - some on list can supply I believe)
- power steering high pressure hose
- check brake hoses - prone to decay on inside meaning brakes drag when they're not mean to, then when they're meant to in a hurry, don't!

Cheers

Greg Z

Congrats, can't go wrong with your choice!

F451

Drive it like you stole it!

And congrats!

Hilton

Congratulations.. I know from experience that buying sight-unseen from overseas is nerve-wracking

I'd add the following:
Bosch WR7DC Spark Plugs
Maybe Distrib Caps and Rotors (easy to inspect the contacts while doing Timing Belt)

You should also check the ignition wires are ok (run the engine in the dark and look for sparks grounding out off the leads).

And as DaveO says, fuel hoses are a good idea (my car had original rubber.. and emissions test showed it was leaking fuel vapour from somewhere). 20 year old pressurised fuel lines are a spontaneous fire waiting to happen.

And if you're doing fuel hoses (requires intake removal), also replace the vacuum lines and oil breather hoses under there too, and check the idle stabliser valve.

Also sign up for the yahoo Landshark mailing list.. its linked from the www.landsharkoz.com site's front page.

sendarius

Thanks all. Some great suggestions there.

69gaugeman: Windsor? I've been to Windsor! Crossed the border into Detroit from Windsor. Border guards looked at us Aussie tourists like we had two heads.

mj1pate: vacuum hoses, check. The trans is "abrupt" when shifting into reverse, but I don't think that is a vacuum issue, and I haven't had a chance to drive it more than a few metres. ABS wires, check.

dave90S4: fuel hoses, pwr steering hose, check. The brake hoses will be replaced as part of the general cleanup to get the car registered.

Xlot: plugs, rotors, caps, check. Already ordered and dispatched from 928 International (along with lots of other WYAIT stuff). Landshark, already registered, but lurking.

Further update:
Picked it up from dockside, and put it on a flatbed to transport to workshop. Body looks good, dirty but good. No damage anywhere that I could see except that the right rear side reflector (marker?) lens is cracked. Bonnet (hood) struts are shot (which I knew), and the driver's side hinge seems sticky, it "pops" once it gets to about horizontal, and opens normally from there. Tyres are aged crazed and unusable, so will be replaced. Wheels are clean and straight, with no scuffs that I could see. Front "batwing" (black piece at bottom of front clip) is damaged around rear edge, and splash guard that fits behind it is hanging down at the front and shows some damage around the mounting holes.

Interior is light grey, and looks good, dirty but good. Anybody seeing a common thread here? Oh, and it smells, er, funky from the fumigation chemicals.
Some wear on drivers seat around switches and on the piping along the left bolster (the one you rub over as you get into the seat). Rear carpets have some damage around the clips that hold them in place, and the spare was out of the well, obviously so they could get to the battery compartment. Some of the panels seem to be a little warped at the edges, but there are no cracks even on the dash. The internal mirror (which I was told was missing) was sitting on the passenger seat.

Everything that I tested worked, except the auxiliary driving lights, but they might be fogs in a US car so possibly not a problem, and the driver's side brake & tail light (probably a globe). Central locking works, and both windows go up and down, although the driver's side needs coaxing to go up.

Found a wristwatch on the floor, a road flare in the glove compartment, three BIC-type lighters and a box of matches in the passenger door cubby, and the tow hook in the driver's door cubby. (So much for the inspection to ensure no explosives were being transported!)

Oil was fresh and clean (and full), coolant was fresh, engine bay in general looked good, with none of the hoses that I prodded seeming decayed at all. Some of the inlet manifold "paint" is flaked off. Started on first turn of the key, and idled smoothly at ~1000 RPM for a couple of minutes, then dropped to ~850 RPM. At least one fan came on after some time. Aircon has been evacuated so not functioning.

In summary, I am a HEAP happier today than yesterday. Now if the transmission "abruptness" doesn't prove to be anything major, and the crank end-play is OK then I will be ecstatic.

Pictures when I get home.

daveo90s4

Well done.

Transmission abruptness could easily be due to two minor ande easily fixed things:-
1. Disconnected vacuum line between engine bay (somewhere under air inlet box at rear of engine) and gear box.
2. Incorrect adjustment of 'modulator' (??) valve on side of gearbox.

Maybe other possibilities, others will know better.

sendarius

Photos.

Please forgive the crappy quality (and the industrial background).

Now that I have something worth photographing, I need to get a decent digital camera.

... and no that is NOT my other car in the background.

ew928

To add to DaveO's fuel line suggestion, replace coolant hoses.
Coolant hoses don't like me. And don't forget that small line that goes from the motor to the not-longlasting heater valve.
It's one of those if coolant hoses go, you'll have to flatbed failure scenarios.

Nice car.
Sorry about the dirty condition.

shmark

I'm looking at a cross-country purchase and it's difficult, can't imagine what buying overseas sight unseen is like. Good on ya.

sendarius

shmark: let's just say that it's a long nervous wait to see if you have just thrown away perfectly good money

Even though I have spent very little time with the car, I am MUCH relieved at just how good it seems. Of course, from what I have read here, it may all just be an illusion!

I have read of TBF of both kinds, vacuum leaks, engine fires, electrical gremlins, mixing of oil and water or ATF and water due to leaky coolers in the radiator, an d a host of other nasties while I have been firstly pondering the purchase, and then waiting for delivery.

On a related note, I have been reading how to force a first gear start by manually shifting the gear selector to '2' while stopped, but today I hear that you shouldn't do that because (and I quote) "The 4-speed MB box is at its limit dealing with the power and torque output of the 5 litre V8."

Does anybody here give this comment credence?