Rob Edwards

C'mon, if yer going all OCD, it's gotta be alphabetical:


A/C compressor condition
A/C hose condition
Accessory belts
Air filter/filter straps
Air pump condition (bearings)
Air pump filter
Alternator condition
Alternator cooling hose
Alternator/starter loom condition
Auxillary fan function
Battery
Battery connections/cables.
Brake booster
Brake booster check valve
Brake vacuum hoses, "venturi"
Cam belt
Cam gears
Cap/rotor condition
Check tightness of rear torque tube coupler. (Visually check 5th gear for cracks/damage.)
Check valve to inside of car
CIS fuel line condition (where applicable)
Clutch ball socket condition
Clutch condition
Clutch master cylinder condition
Compression/leakdown
Condensor condition. Dirt/debris between condensor and radiator.
Condition of auxillary fan mounting
Cruise control cable condition (where applicable)
Emergency brake cables
Emergency brake shoes
Exhaust condition
Exhaust hanger condition
Fan clutch bearing condition
Fan clutch conditionStrek
Flexible clutch hose condition
Flush/bleed brakes minimum
Front brake condition
Front brake hoses
Front gearshift ball cup
Front shock condition
Front sway bar bushings
Front wheel bearings
Front wheels and tires
Fuel evaporative control system. Hoses/connectors/etc.
Fuel feed/return flexible hoses
Fuel filter/fuel pump/rear hoses
Fuel hoses to injectors (80-84)
Fuel hoses to regulators
Fuel injection loom condition
Fuel level sender. Check for leaks.
Fuel regulators/dampers leaking internally?
"Green wire" to distributor
Ground strap and ground strap connections
Heater control valve. Check hose carefully.
Hose from oil filler to oil pan
Hoses to oil filler assembly
Idle switch/full throttle switch (where applicable)
Idler bearings
Intake manifold boots. (Also boot between upper plenum and throttle body.)
Intake manifold rubber mounts
Lower ball joints
Lower control arm condition
Master cylinder/reservour
Motor mount condition
Oil cooler hoses (if applicable)
Oil leaks?
Oil pan gasket condition
Oil pump gear
Pilot bearing condition
Plug wires
Radiator
Radiator cap
Rear axles/axle boots
Rear brake hoses
Rear brakes
Rear gearshift coupler
Rear shock condition
Rear suspension bushings
Rear sway bar bushings
Rear tires/wheels
Rear wheel bearings
Seal between engine/cowl
Slave cylinder condition
Spark plugs
Starter motor condition
Steering hoses
Steering pump
Steering rack
Steering rack boots
Tensioner condition
Thermostat condition
Throttle cable
Tie rods (inner and outer)
Torque tube condition
Transmission condition. (Change gear oil minimum.)
Upper "A" arm condition
Vacuum advance/retard can
Vacuum hoses/connections
Vacuum storage container function/connection (also 4 way tee)
Water hoses
Water leaks?
Water pump
Water reservour condition
Watershield over wiper motor
Windshield washers/pump/tank/etc.
Wiper condition
Wiper motor function


Isn't this just the first 1/4 of your PPI list?

GregBBRD

When you get older, you need to have lists that start somewhere and ends somewhere. Otherwise, I get all confused and keep jumping from one place to the next and never get anything done. I call this "mental burnouts". You've seen me do it.....

Actually don't have a "formal" PPI list...but this would be a good start.

Rob Edwards

A/C relay light up?
aluminum/steel ball joints
ball joint boots
belly pans
CE panel fuse holders
expansion tank condition
headlamp motor arm E-clips
heater valve
jump post cover
Leaks around blower box onto CE?
magic blower?
Steering rack bushings

danglerb

Alarm
Keys and locks
C clip on headlight lifter bar.
Horn.

October 1985 issue of VW & Porsche

S4ordie

Sunroof drains, check for blockage
Rear hatch carrier insert
Doors/window/hatch weather striping (check for cracks and worn areas
Catalytic converter - check for functionality and possible restriction/blockage
Wheels - check for trueness and cracks
Windshield inspection

Rob, can you put this list into a csv or Excel format? Could be a great asset to have a very comprehensive list of things to check/r&r

danglerb

Easier to say check everything, and know what your doing.

Kiln_Red

Greg,

I'm in the middle of performing a top side tear down on my '84. So far, all I have removed is the driver's side head & gasket. I was originally planning on doing all the work with the engine in the car, but I don't see any practical way at re-installing the cam towers this way. It's hard enough just to get them out with those 6 pesky M6 Allens as deeply recessed as they are at the top. I'm sure you'll see what I mean.

I don't know the extent of the damage to your engine or the work you're planning to do, but either way, I will be looking forward to following your progress. From the sounds of things so far, it would appear that you're going much further than I am. Perhaps a full rebuild if the cylinder wall/rings have been negatively impacted by the water. I wish you the best of luck.

GregBBRD

Haven't quite got to the point of talking about the removal/teardown, but the #8 cylinder had an area eaten away from acidic coolant and the block is essentially trash. The terrible gouges in #2 cylinder from the piston thrusting into the cylinder wall caused by the bent connecting rod finished that block off. Looking now for a block/short block. Got several to take apart and inspect. My son is disassembling engines. The "core" he took apart yesterday was also junk.

Yes, getting the cam carriers off in the car is a tough job. If it makes you feel better, they aren't a hell of a lot easier to put back on....

I've made up some perfect length 6mm allen sockets, from cutting off the long Snap-on allens, over the years. It is still a pain.

I just got done with a '83 which we pulled both heads off, with the engine in the car. Not sure what I was thinking....some lessons should not be repeated.

Made me remember why we used to have a non-breakable rule:

Remove one head in vehicle barely tolerable. Two heads only happen on engine stand.

BC

Its just so much easier in almost any imaginable situation to remove the engine - I suppose unless you CAN'T remove the engine because you don't have the tools/garage - but at that point I don't see how one could own a car like this, or anything else other than a leased econo-bore-box.

Rob Edwards

After watching Greg lying on top of that '83's fender, showing it who's the Alpha Dog, the first thing I'd do for any significant head work on a 16V car is pull the engine. Dunno how critical the torque values on the cam carriers are, but there have to be some bolts that can't be torqued properly with the engine in the car.

heliflyer

I'm facing the same issues with the cam carriers !! Recently did both head gaskets (engine removed), cam carriers torqued to manual spec and car has run 1500 miles without problem. Then all of a sudden I'm getting oil leaks on both sides from the front and rear corners. One of them is a real river!! I have tried all sorts of combination of tools to access the bolts with the engine in the car and have now given up as I don't think it's possible to do the job properly..
Engine will be coming out again soon and cam carriers refitted using hondabond in addition to the paper thin gasket this time.

Roy928tt

Patience, gentlemen is what is required to do the heads or cam towers in situ, I did my head gaskets with the engine in the car, and can't imagine going to the bother of removing the engine just to make it easier.

Admittedly, I cut my teeth as a youth working on original Minis, and most people also say they are hard to work on.

The cam towers and heads are not hard to remove, just tedious. Due care must be taken ensure the right tool is used for each socket head screw, taking care not to damage them.

Oh I also have the advantage of being lithe and limber, I was perched in the valley of the engine when I removed the cam towers!

Cheers Roy

GregBBRD

Yes, isn't that a thrill! The "latest generation" (about 10 years ago, I'd guess) of cam carrier gaskets has some sort of moly type coating sprayed onto the first couple of inches and the last couple of inches. I have no fricking idea why they did this....other than selling replacement gaskets.

After you've had several of these leak (both in 944 applications and 928 applications), you quickly figure out what you are doing wrong and change your approach to this gasket. I've never tried hondabond/yamabond in this area....didn't think it would stick to that moly crap. Let me know how this works, for you.

GregBBRD

It's a toss up for time removing one head versus removing the engine. If two heads have to come off, it is much quicker/easier to remove the engine.

For some, the magnatude of the "project" increases if the engine is out of the car and I completely understand the "mental" aspect of not removing the engine.

In the case of my son's car, the clutch pivot arm ball socket was missing, it needed a cam belt, water pump, oil pan gasket was split (need to add that to the list), and there was water in the cylinders. Made no sense to not remove the engine, since there had to be some damage somewhere to allow water to get into a cylinder.

GregBBRD

Turns out the torque values on the cam carriers are uber important, with the "latest generation" of gasket. Do it wrong and you get to redo it. If I couldn't get a torque wrench on each and every bolt, I'd never attempt to do this.