howdog928

Hi guys,
Looking into a 1989 928 for sale that has a non-working engine.
Trying to get any info on the car so if you recognize it and have any info on the car, please let me know.

Thanks,
Howard

pcar928fan

Howard asked me about this car and it looked familiar to me, but it might just be that all the PARTS look familiar to me... I told him to post pics here because someone is BOUND to recognize a car with this much modification to it!

blown 87

TBF car?

pcar928fan

Owner says it "cranks heavy"... That does not strike me as TBF, but it is possible...

Hilton

Cranks heavy strikes me as dramatically increasing the likelihood of being a TBF car.

Its one of those description items that leads the buyer to think there's a cranking issue, but if the car starts when they go to see it, then they think its just something that can be fixed, like the starter, or battery.

I wouldn't buy an auto 928 with any kind of cranking issue - and if it cranks ok, I also wouldn't buy without a crank end play measurement by a trustworthy source (i.e. not the seller or his mechanic).

pcar928fan

Yea, it cranks heavy but WILL NOT START... That is why I was not really thinking TBF...those cars usually start and run for a bit and then stop when they get hot and then have serious cranking issues till they cool down... maybe this car is SO BAD it can't even get that far...

danglerb

Is the car in Austin?

Does not start could be a consequence of a TBF eventually wrecking the starter, battery, you name it, or it might not start for a very "simple" but unethical reason. Begs for a PPI from an independent shop.

pcar928fan

I'll let the OP post more specifics about the car but it had been at a shop recently and it is unclear if the mechanic at said shop deemed the engine "wrecked" or if the shop just didn't know enough about 928's to even try to fix it and the owner deemed the engine "wrecked". It is NOT and Austin car.

Hilton

The will not start makes it worse IMHO.

A chap here in Oz has just been through this - bought the car on the condition they showed it running. Under battery power, it cranked over slowly but wouldn't start, so they ran off and fetched a external booster pack and got it to run with throttle applied altho' it wouldn't hold idle.

He's spent $$$'s replacing starter motor, battery, wiring and more.. no guesses what the problem is. Its so bad he can't turn the engine over by hand with a breaker bar. And we don't have cheap replacement engines here in Oz; a used engine here runs about the same cost as a complete, running S4 over in the USA.

Don't mean to be deliberately pessimistic - but the fact is, buying an Auto S4 requires either a superb purchase price and willingness/space to part it out if needs be, or a proper PPI including checking crank play.

howdog928

Thanks for the input so far on this guys.
The car is in San Antonio now. Owner says he has had it since 2004 and it was him that has added all the extra stuff and gotten work done on the car.
He doesn't seems to be too much into the 928s - like I'm sure he wasn't on here. Car stopped on him in July, he put it into a shop (don't think it was Porsche specific) where they found water in the tank, so he had work to fix that, still not working, left it sat in the shop for a bit, then pulled it back home & has it sitting there, trying to figure out what he wants to do. The mechanics didn't know what was up without getting in there to find out, which would have cost owner more $. So he hadn't gone ahead with anything more.
Looks nice otherwise and seems everything else is working, but engine is a major concern. (at least $2-3000 to buy replacement plus install costs I'm guessing)

Howard

Vilhuer

While engine is out it makes sense to do all reasonable maintenance like cambelt, water pump, oil pan gasket, check all sensors and their wiring etc. This adds up quickly, especially if someone else does it all. To get really cheap S4 out of the deal car can't really cost anything. Othervise its same as buying complete functional car which has had all maintenance done to it recently.

So its better to scrap it up. I'll give seller $100 for it if he delivers it to my door.

SteveG

"Cranks heavy" is a new term to me. I'm not a mechanic, but my point is I had a "cranks slow" (with dimming or no dash lights) last summer. Battery checked good with a VM, but not with a load tester, it had a bad cell and was only two years old, had been kept charged; a new battery might make it crank "light," I dunno. As nice as it looks, that is a $1,000 car til the end play and valves (compression) are checked.

Certainly water in the oil (tank??) if that is what you mean is another problem, but it could/should start.

You could prob get an engine for under $3K, but low mileage is closer to 5K, but then there is the installation. I would start with 928 Int'l and 928 Specialists.

Speedtoys

Who cares if the engine is toast.

http://www.mailordercentral.com/928i...100%20940%2042

Factor that into the discount you're gonna ask for to get it. Too bad ya just missed the 50% off for used parts sale.

pcar928fan

Just got word from the owner, TBF (according to him...not sure how that was diagnosed, but that is what he says and symptoms are consistent with that too). Will need a new block. The easiest way to get this otherwise VERY NICE shark back on the road will be to find a used S4 auto motor for it... Not sure if ANY S4 motor will work in an '89... any thoughts on that? Guessing any S4 motor will be fine, but you know about assuming!

danglerb

If you want to get it back on the road, spill all the details and maybe somebody will decide to put in the money and time.

If your trying to decide if you want to buy it, why ask us, its a roll of the dice until a good PPI.