PorKen

The PKT doesn't let the belt flap, so there's no need for the 'ant-flap' roller.


S4-up water pumps have a stronger tensioner pulley arm pivot, along with a brace to hold it.
These replace the earlier shoulder bolt which is prone to bending.
(The dog bone in the PKT hardware kit replaces the brace.)

Avar928

Nice. I've got TB/WP/Gear job in the next month on my early '86.

I'd contemplate getting Roger's new Cam Gears. I bought a set. $600 for the set and piece of mind. That's better than the $800+ that Porsche prices.

the flyin' scotsman

while funding is perhaps tight I've done a few of these projects and offer this:

replace all the gears, the water pump, the belt and use a Porkensioner. Time the cams using the 32vr and bump stick. Replace the parts are well beyond their sell buy date paying particular attention to parts that if they should fail would cause the death of your car........fire (power strg lines, fuel lines etc)

Call Roger......he can set you on the right path to all parts needed.........reach out to other owners for tools and perhaps a helping hand, read Dwaynes epic and keep this thread going with any questions you may have.

Good luck

Mongo

So in conclusion, I can run the pre-S4 water pump with the Porkensioner? I just want to confirm this.

Mongo

I have some pictures of the passenger timing gear and belt exposed. There is noticeable presence of belt rubbing on the front of the timing cover. However, the belt has not corded yet. Never the less, I'm thinking maybe my tensioner bushings may be on the way out, or the tensioner has run out of oil. It's awfully oily in the area of the tensioner.

You guys be the judge if I need cam gears or not.

69gaugeman

Although not perfectly clear, they look fine to me.

Mongo

Not sure if anyone has noticed or not, but my ignition rotors for about 35,000 miles on them, look awfully clean. The caps have no dust in them either and the contacts are still beautiful brass.

69gaugeman

That's good. Those things are crazy expensive!

Mongo

Here's one thing I'm curious about. To my knowledge, the two idlers under the crankshaft gear have NEVER been replaced. I don't know what they look like right now until I take that center cover and harmonic balancer off. Do those usually need replacing? I almost never hear about them.

PorKen

I remove the crank pulley(s) and the carrier, but some folks leave them.

When you have the belt off, you might want to check the condition of the hall sensor behind the 1-4 gear. Also the connector for it, as it is often crumbling.
Very easy to change the sensor by removing the rear cover at that point - 3 bolts.
My sensor was completely fubared.

Mongo

I'm afraid of that sensor. I can see the connector behind the cam housing just above the lower right of the valve cover when looking perpendicular to the engine on the passenger side. Connector looks old, but is still intact, that is until I touch it and it turns to dust like my knock sensors did.

Mongo

By the way Porken, I just saw your pics. OUCH is probably the only word that comes to mind as I look.

dr bob

Pics can be deceiving, and the angle isn't perfect. But, it looks to me like there's a noticeable divot where the belt lives, with prominent shoulders at either end of each tooth. The original anodizing is a medium- to dark-grey color. If the wear areas are at all shiny or metallic, the anodizing is gone. The true test is put a small straightedge across a tooth, and see if you can see light between the ends of the tooth. If you can't see the light, you will be delighted... If there's any, the anodizing is for sure worn off and new gears are in your future.

Examine the oil pump and crankshaft gears too. Although they are steel, they still wear, and will consequently wear on your new belt.

----

For others playing along at home, a 'judgement' on whether new gears are due has to include the prospect of another belt-change interval with the gears you have. If they are at all marginal now when you are doing the belt service, they should be replaced. Much of the owners' group recommendation for 40-50k change intervals has grown out of the knowledge that the original factory 60k interval was based on having all NEW gears, bearings, bushings, seals, and rollers, with no oil contamination, fully-capable cooling system, etc. We might be tempted to reuse some of the old not-quite-completely-worn-out pieces trying to save instant money, but the payback is the potentially shorter intervals. I know that I just LOVE changing timing belts and pieces, so shortening the change interval by 33% is super appealing to me. Plus worn pieces beget other worn pieces much faster. It's pretty easy to have a $1k+ bill for belt service parts when I do everything on my WYAIT list. Plus the job pretty much consumes a whole long day for me. Should I "save" the gear dollars now, knowing I'll need them next time, and that next time will need to be in 3-4 years instead of 5-7 years? No savings at all, really.

Mongo

I have to try that straight edge test out. I didn't see much 'shine' on the teeth of the gear on the passenger side. Once I tear into it more, I'll post more pictures of the remaining gears. What I am curious to know, is if there will be reduced wear on the gears with the addition of the porkensioner.

dr bob

Andy--

The bearings inside those bottom rollers are common items, and press in/out easily in a vise with a little creativity with sockets. The little circlips that hold the bearing console on the pins are sacrificial it seems, along with the ones for the bearings where they fit on the console pins. Get new clips for those, plus a couple extras. I think JB referred to them as "Jesus Clips", based on the help you will call upon when one goes prooooing into the nether regions during assembly. Lots of thick grease where the console slides onto the pins in the block when assembling.