The timing belt and WP were done June 2008

 

You actually need to unbolt the flex plate clamp, and use a dial gauge to measure the crank end-play when there's no load on it from the torque tube. You need to know how much fore/aft movement there is for the crank inside the girdle, which will tell you whether the thrust bearing is worn.

If the measurement is more than 0.4mm, then you should either sell the car and move on, or start shopping for a used engine. (yes, it is that bad). Or if you're nuts/brave, pull the engine, take it to bits, and rebuild it, but the cost of that job is $$$$ because of all the other stuff it will need While You Are In There (WYAIT's are a dangerous demon on the 928..).

 

Still need to open it up an look it over.
For every 5 done, I bet 1 is done right.

 

Put a new one in?

BS'ing a little on the research part I see. Well, only on the single most critical pre-buy inspection item.

No spin zone my friend.

 

Welcome to Rennlist! Now there are two (2) Harveys who own 928s in the entire world! Harveys are more scarce than the cars themselves.

I'm confident that you'll love the car once you get the gremlins worked out. Be cautious and do the key component preventative maintenance before driving it much...you really do not want a failed cam belt or seized water pump...both achilles heels on this car (but as mentioned, check these out only after the thrust bearing which can be the coup d'grace on engine blocks). I've changed out cam belts/WPs on 3 cars...and while I was at it, replaced all the rollers, cam gears, etc. The first time is the worst as you're getting used to how it comes apart and goes back together.

Without Rennlist's resources, many new 928 owners give up after throwing money at the car. Ditto on DWAYNE'S tutorials. With those even a monkey could do the work...if monkeys could read.

You'll need a few specialized tools also.

Harvey
H2

 

One of the center crankshaft main bearings has shoulders which locate the crankshaft and limit forward backward movement (endplay). When the front coupler on the flex plate moves it puts too much load on the thrust surfaces. It is usually terminal and the engine is NOT rebuildable.....the most common symptom is not holding an idle stalls when you lift off the gas. Many cars have been sold in that condition after shops changed ISV , starter to fix it . We are all hopfull that this is NOT the problem with your car but it is the FIRST thing that needs to be checked.

 

Congrats on the new 928.

When I loosened my pinch bolt the shaft when bang.
I went straight for the oil pan and crank girdle and found brass showing on the thrust bearings.
Caught it just in time before the counter weight touched the engine block and split it up the middle

 

Oh Yeah,
We can read........

 

After all the grief and aggravation............who the hell was it that missed that we could just drop a new one in????

 

We can apparently drop in a new one......
So...what's the big deal?

 

Seriously, if someone doesn't have some mechanical background, you may have well as just spoke ancient Gaelic.
Just sayin'
BTW, don't wanna hear about what happened when you loosened your pinch bolt.....

 

Sometimes the simple things can cause problems. I had a rough/stubbling idle, ran fine otherwise.

Check for a vacuum leak.. had similiar problem and it was a vacuum leak. There is so much vacuum tubing in there. The guys at the shop found it... now the car runs like a champ.

Joe