My Impulse Buy - 1987 S4
10-03-2011, 10:42 PM
#1
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My Impulse Buy - 1987 S4
I have never owned a Porsche 928 and don't know a whole lot about them and resigned myself to cars I could afford, but then late last week I was cruising CL and came across this 928. By the time I got there, someone had beat me to it and was already looking at the car. I figured he was going to buy it and I had lost my one chance for getting the car. Well, he drove it briefly - came back - and asked to talk to the owner privately. I took a quick look at the car, figuring he was in there buying it.
To my surprise, the propective buyer comes out and says, "I have to talk to my wife".
What? Are you friggin kidding me?
He walks and the owner comes up to me and starts telling me about the car. I stop him mid sentence and say, "I'll give you $2,500.00 cash!"
They said....YES!
That said, the car is not perfect. Its been sitting for the past year and has been started periodically. After a very short time, it appears like something is burning. I figured the cats are fried, but I didn't care. I wanted the car. I had it towed home Friday, ran a quick vacuum test and it reads low, but steady at idle. At 3K rpm it reads in the green zone and appears steady. Compression on driver's side is 170 190 190 180. Passenger side is 180 155 170 160. Three spark plug tubes on the driver's side had oil in them and surely seeped into the combustion chamber when I removed the plugs, hence the higher compression readings.
I know nothing about Porsches, so this will be my 1st learning experience. Hope it won't be too terribly expensive. I'm pretty handy, so I'll be doing all mechanical work myself.
Car has 134K on the clock. I have the original MSRP sticker. It shows it has an LSD, alarm, and increased AC. Body is near perfect, paint is a little faded and the 5 speed shifter is horrible sloppy. Its near impossible to determine what gear you are in.
I don't have any service history on the car as the original owner gave the car as a gift to a woman and she never titled the car - instead let it sit for the last year. I know a timing belt & water pump change is in the near future.
One last thing, I still think something may be wrong because as I mentioned earlier, something underneath the car is getting really hot and the exhaust stinks (not like rotten eggs). Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Here are some pics...
To my surprise, the propective buyer comes out and says, "I have to talk to my wife".
What? Are you friggin kidding me?
He walks and the owner comes up to me and starts telling me about the car. I stop him mid sentence and say, "I'll give you $2,500.00 cash!"
They said....YES!
That said, the car is not perfect. Its been sitting for the past year and has been started periodically. After a very short time, it appears like something is burning. I figured the cats are fried, but I didn't care. I wanted the car. I had it towed home Friday, ran a quick vacuum test and it reads low, but steady at idle. At 3K rpm it reads in the green zone and appears steady. Compression on driver's side is 170 190 190 180. Passenger side is 180 155 170 160. Three spark plug tubes on the driver's side had oil in them and surely seeped into the combustion chamber when I removed the plugs, hence the higher compression readings.
I know nothing about Porsches, so this will be my 1st learning experience. Hope it won't be too terribly expensive. I'm pretty handy, so I'll be doing all mechanical work myself.
Car has 134K on the clock. I have the original MSRP sticker. It shows it has an LSD, alarm, and increased AC. Body is near perfect, paint is a little faded and the 5 speed shifter is horrible sloppy. Its near impossible to determine what gear you are in.
I don't have any service history on the car as the original owner gave the car as a gift to a woman and she never titled the car - instead let it sit for the last year. I know a timing belt & water pump change is in the near future.
One last thing, I still think something may be wrong because as I mentioned earlier, something underneath the car is getting really hot and the exhaust stinks (not like rotten eggs). Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Here are some pics...
10-03-2011, 10:53 PM
#4
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Good luck, pretty car.
Rotten egg smell is the converters dying, due to a rich mixture, the sloppy shifter is due to worn bushings, the fire will be due to 25 year old fluid lines and a over heating converter.
PS, these are not normal cars.
Rotten egg smell is the converters dying, due to a rich mixture, the sloppy shifter is due to worn bushings, the fire will be due to 25 year old fluid lines and a over heating converter.
PS, these are not normal cars.
10-03-2011, 10:58 PM
#5
Race Car
impulse
Nothing like a little competition and the second-chance perception to let loose the impulse buying! The other buyer was probably his neighbor..
Just kidding....you're off to a propitious start, and being willing to roll with it a bit is promising..
As for the shifter "They all do that"...there are ways to improve it given the mileage doing the linkage bushings under the shifter, the coupler by the transaxle, and a little vinyl post-cap that anchors the front of the shift linkage may help....a little.
134K is not bad for an S4..however time and deferred maintenance are the real risk and it is likely that there will be blood and damaged finances in the immediate future.
d
Burning smell..hm...check for debris...mouse nest in intake...while your there (or here on rennlist) research leaks and fires from those aged fuel lines...Could be a drip onto the manifolds/downpipe from heater valve, behind passenger side head...tough to hone in based on information provided though.
Just kidding....you're off to a propitious start, and being willing to roll with it a bit is promising..
As for the shifter "They all do that"...there are ways to improve it given the mileage doing the linkage bushings under the shifter, the coupler by the transaxle, and a little vinyl post-cap that anchors the front of the shift linkage may help....a little.
134K is not bad for an S4..however time and deferred maintenance are the real risk and it is likely that there will be blood and damaged finances in the immediate future.
d
Burning smell..hm...check for debris...mouse nest in intake...while your there (or here on rennlist) research leaks and fires from those aged fuel lines...Could be a drip onto the manifolds/downpipe from heater valve, behind passenger side head...tough to hone in based on information provided though.
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10-03-2011, 11:02 PM
#8
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You just about can't go wrong with a running S4 5-speed for $2500 so good job so far. Next, read the "New Visitor" sticky at the beginning of the forum before you go any further. This will help let you know what you are in for. You need to be very methodical in your approach to this car. 928's are very reliable and tough cars IF the maintenance is current. To get the maintenance current will mean a complete timing belt, tensioner, and water pump job along with a serious intake refresh (leaky intake manifold and associated plumbing may be the cause of your low vacuum readings.) You also need to invest in the 928 Data CD from Jim Moorehouse. It has just about every scrap of documentation every created for the 928 including the factory Work Shop Manual (WSM), all the the wiring diagrams, and many tech publications from Porsche.
Welcome to the madness that is 928 ownership. They are one of the finest cars ever built, but as a wise man once said here on this forum "You have to WANT to drive a 928."
Mike
Welcome to the madness that is 928 ownership. They are one of the finest cars ever built, but as a wise man once said here on this forum "You have to WANT to drive a 928."
Mike
10-03-2011, 11:04 PM
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As for the shifter "They all do that"...there are ways to improve it given the mileage doing the linkage bushings under the shifter, the coupler by the transaxle, and a little vinyl post-cap that anchors the front of the shift linkage may help....a little.
Burning smell..hm...check for debris...mouse nest in intake...while your there (or here on rennlist) research leaks and fires from those aged fuel lines...Could be a drip onto the manifolds/downpipe from heater valve, behind passenger side head...tough to hone in based on information provided though. Did you get info on last timing belt change..?
Burning smell..hm...check for debris...mouse nest in intake...while your there (or here on rennlist) research leaks and fires from those aged fuel lines...Could be a drip onto the manifolds/downpipe from heater valve, behind passenger side head...tough to hone in based on information provided though. Did you get info on last timing belt change..?
Aged fuel lines - good point. Where is the best place to buy these?
10-03-2011, 11:08 PM
#11
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Car looks great for the money!
Figure out what the burning smell is coming from. Make sure both coils and wires are good.
Does the car seem to be down on power? You may only be running on one bank of cylinders.
If bad, the cats will have raw fuel dumped into it and cause the cat to get hot enough to burn the car up.
Now it is time to do the maintenance normal items.
You can always redye some of the interior black for a two tone effect.
Good luck,
Glenn
Figure out what the burning smell is coming from. Make sure both coils and wires are good.
Does the car seem to be down on power? You may only be running on one bank of cylinders.
If bad, the cats will have raw fuel dumped into it and cause the cat to get hot enough to burn the car up.
Now it is time to do the maintenance normal items.
You can always redye some of the interior black for a two tone effect.
Good luck,
Glenn
10-03-2011, 11:08 PM
#12
Race Car
Recommending a particular vendor can cause bruised feelings and such.
THere are only few vendors that focus on 928s (and hence, can be counted on to varying degrees to know what you need, for how much, and when it can be had). Just in the last day or two a member posted up about revising his web page to include vendors https://rennlist.com/forums/928-foru...lier-page.html
Its probably included in the New Visitor thread, too.
Good tips: http://members.rennlist.com/pirtle/
There are several sites along those lines...
THere are only few vendors that focus on 928s (and hence, can be counted on to varying degrees to know what you need, for how much, and when it can be had). Just in the last day or two a member posted up about revising his web page to include vendors https://rennlist.com/forums/928-foru...lier-page.html
Its probably included in the New Visitor thread, too.
Good tips: http://members.rennlist.com/pirtle/
There are several sites along those lines...
10-03-2011, 11:12 PM
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Replace the fuel lines now before you even think of driving it. It's easy and is the best insurance you can get now, then attack the rest of the items, TB and WP next. Congrats on an S4 buy, I believe you will really love it!
The shifter is just fine when all the wear items are replaced.
Dave
The shifter is just fine when all the wear items are replaced.
Dave
10-03-2011, 11:18 PM
#14
Three Wheelin'
Very nice snag for $2500... With that said, you still could be facing a LOT of work & possible expense so move forward concentrating on mechanicals first. Your ahead of the game since it sounds like you know how to turn a wrench - thats a huge part of the battle. People on here can help you with the diagnosis and possible repairs needed, parts, etc. Do a lot of searching & reading thread topics on the "list" and you'll see the value of this place. Congratulations once again on a nice car. Good luck with your adventure in the 928 experience - in the end it is worth it!!! 
