Boston --> Denver !
04-21-2015, 11:58 PM
#1
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Thread Starter
Boston --> Denver !
Driving from Boston to Denver -
Life got a little out of control last week, as I was getting my home ready to sell, training for a marathon, and planning out my trip home. But it has all worked out so far... to those who have offered help and provided advice, thank you so much.
Last Friday my girlfriend and I nabbed the last standby seats on a flight to Philadelphia. A pal picked us up and brought us to her house, where she was holding my 'new' 1986.5 Porsche 928S. We drove it to the beach and then up to Boston where we visited my family. The drive to Boston was dull and interstate laden but a nice introduction to the Porsche.
Today we packed up the car, fired it up, and drove across Massachusetts, the lower end of New Hampshire and Vermont, and on to Saratoga Springs, NY. Perfect slighly overcast driving weather, with bursts of blue sky and no rain!
The 928S is a wonderful distance car, though I'm still getting used to it. This particular specimen lacks a front airdam (spoiler), and needs rear shocks (though not desperately). It feels a trifle vague at speed. My last car had razor sharp handling and throttle response, but was almost too high strung and wore me out by the end of the day. The Porsche is more relaxed, and much more comfortable as far as sound and input. It doesn't make me feel sensory overloaded all the time, which should allow much greater distances with less fatigue.
The power curve is fabulous, with torque lower than anything I've ever owned, yet it still pulls ferociously to the redline. I think the car has a bit of a two faced engine - it seems calm and happy to pull along from 1500rpm, but gives a throaty bear roar over 4,000. I love that 80mph is about 2,500 rpm - I think the gearing is a large part of what makes the car good at long distance.
The brakes are amazing. They are simply the best brakes on any car I've ever owned.
Quibbles - the stock "climate control" system is wacky. I like a slider for heat and a slider for where the heat is going, not automated systems that try to match a temperature number. Perhaps I'll get used to it, but so far I find that part of the car frustrating. The steering isn't the razor sharp turn in I was expecting - this could be the slightly worn shocks or the 140,000 miles on the car. It isn't broken, just not what I thought it would be as far as precision. The feedback is excellent, though. It just sometimes fees vague on center.
On to Watkins Glen tomorrow!
Life got a little out of control last week, as I was getting my home ready to sell, training for a marathon, and planning out my trip home. But it has all worked out so far... to those who have offered help and provided advice, thank you so much.
Last Friday my girlfriend and I nabbed the last standby seats on a flight to Philadelphia. A pal picked us up and brought us to her house, where she was holding my 'new' 1986.5 Porsche 928S. We drove it to the beach and then up to Boston where we visited my family. The drive to Boston was dull and interstate laden but a nice introduction to the Porsche.
Today we packed up the car, fired it up, and drove across Massachusetts, the lower end of New Hampshire and Vermont, and on to Saratoga Springs, NY. Perfect slighly overcast driving weather, with bursts of blue sky and no rain!
The 928S is a wonderful distance car, though I'm still getting used to it. This particular specimen lacks a front airdam (spoiler), and needs rear shocks (though not desperately). It feels a trifle vague at speed. My last car had razor sharp handling and throttle response, but was almost too high strung and wore me out by the end of the day. The Porsche is more relaxed, and much more comfortable as far as sound and input. It doesn't make me feel sensory overloaded all the time, which should allow much greater distances with less fatigue.
The power curve is fabulous, with torque lower than anything I've ever owned, yet it still pulls ferociously to the redline. I think the car has a bit of a two faced engine - it seems calm and happy to pull along from 1500rpm, but gives a throaty bear roar over 4,000. I love that 80mph is about 2,500 rpm - I think the gearing is a large part of what makes the car good at long distance.
The brakes are amazing. They are simply the best brakes on any car I've ever owned.
Quibbles - the stock "climate control" system is wacky. I like a slider for heat and a slider for where the heat is going, not automated systems that try to match a temperature number. Perhaps I'll get used to it, but so far I find that part of the car frustrating. The steering isn't the razor sharp turn in I was expecting - this could be the slightly worn shocks or the 140,000 miles on the car. It isn't broken, just not what I thought it would be as far as precision. The feedback is excellent, though. It just sometimes fees vague on center.
On to Watkins Glen tomorrow!
04-22-2015, 12:14 AM
#3
Rennlist Member
I haven't noticed vague steering with my '86.5...then again, I haven't really noticed brakes being all that great either (I know the pads have plenty of life, but the rotors are pretty worn down and my ABS isn't working, so I can't really blame the car for that). You did get the coolest model year though, so congrats ;-)
04-22-2015, 12:38 AM
#4
Team Owner
steering issue could also be worn inner tie rods and or rack bushings.
Have a great trip, thats the car for this
Have a great trip, thats the car for this
04-22-2015, 11:06 PM
#6
Rennlist Member
Thread Starter
Day Two - Saratoga to Watkins Glen
Day two started out cloudy and the weather got worse from there. It started raining as I was filling up our bottle of Saratoga water at the natural spring in town. I was still full from a fabulous dinner the night before at Wheatfields (highly recommended by me!).
Several periods of downpour throughout the day, and now that we're in Watkins Glen there's a prediction of snow tonight. I don't really want to pilot the 928 through snow, but I doubt it'll stick down low if there is any.
The car is growing on me. It simply always has the power to do as I ask, without complaint or drama. It cuts well through rain and muck, and the new Continental tires seem perfect. Miles are comfortable and effortless, despite my whining about vagueness in my above post. The seats are wonderful so far.
Highway 57 southbound from Ilion (Mohawk) NY down to the intersection with Rt 20 was a fabulous and gorgeous driver's road. Some tight turns, some sweepers, a picturesque full river burbling along next to us, nice pavement, tall trees. As the trees green out this will only get prettier, and I imagine that fall foliage there would be stunning. The rain stunted my speed, since I'm not fully used to the car yet. But I shouldn't be running too fast on a long trip anyway.
The heating system continues to confound me. It seems to have off or on, and when switched fully off allows odd gusts of cold air onto the passenger's feet. I've downloaded a Porsche parts fiche to try to learn exactly what's happening with all the flaps and doors and things so that I can get a better handle on the heating.
Watkins Glen is cute, and we had a nice dinner at the Wildflower Cafe. Fabulous local cheeses!
Tomorrow is a drop down to Pittsburg to drop off Holly so she can fly home to work - no one would give her the weekend off at her job. While I would like to make Lynchburg VA before dark, I think Harrisonburg VA is a more reasonable stopping point to keep me from getting too tired. I'm still whipped from the marathon, and a 12 hour day might be a bit too long for concentrating. Any recommendations on places to stay in harrisonburg?
Jonathan & Holly
Several periods of downpour throughout the day, and now that we're in Watkins Glen there's a prediction of snow tonight. I don't really want to pilot the 928 through snow, but I doubt it'll stick down low if there is any.
The car is growing on me. It simply always has the power to do as I ask, without complaint or drama. It cuts well through rain and muck, and the new Continental tires seem perfect. Miles are comfortable and effortless, despite my whining about vagueness in my above post. The seats are wonderful so far.
Highway 57 southbound from Ilion (Mohawk) NY down to the intersection with Rt 20 was a fabulous and gorgeous driver's road. Some tight turns, some sweepers, a picturesque full river burbling along next to us, nice pavement, tall trees. As the trees green out this will only get prettier, and I imagine that fall foliage there would be stunning. The rain stunted my speed, since I'm not fully used to the car yet. But I shouldn't be running too fast on a long trip anyway.
The heating system continues to confound me. It seems to have off or on, and when switched fully off allows odd gusts of cold air onto the passenger's feet. I've downloaded a Porsche parts fiche to try to learn exactly what's happening with all the flaps and doors and things so that I can get a better handle on the heating.
Watkins Glen is cute, and we had a nice dinner at the Wildflower Cafe. Fabulous local cheeses!
Tomorrow is a drop down to Pittsburg to drop off Holly so she can fly home to work - no one would give her the weekend off at her job. While I would like to make Lynchburg VA before dark, I think Harrisonburg VA is a more reasonable stopping point to keep me from getting too tired. I'm still whipped from the marathon, and a 12 hour day might be a bit too long for concentrating. Any recommendations on places to stay in harrisonburg?
Jonathan & Holly
04-23-2015, 08:32 AM
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04-23-2015, 03:44 PM
#8
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Are you really talking about play in the rack itself, and not in the tie rods or rack bushings?
04-23-2015, 03:49 PM
#9
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Welcome to Colorado, by the way!
We have a pretty nice group here called the Rocky Mountain Sharks. Look for us on FB.
Also, there are a ton of bad 928 alignments, since a lot of shops don't seem to know how to align them. If the alignment was done wrong, toe will be wrong... usually too much, which will tend to make it stay too centered (and tear up front tires), but it might be worth getting it rechecked. Brakes Plus, out here, seems to know what they're doing for 928s.
Climate control, when it's working, works well. There are issues with the control head sometimes, with the vacuum actuators often, and occasionally with the blender door motor.
We have a pretty nice group here called the Rocky Mountain Sharks. Look for us on FB.
Also, there are a ton of bad 928 alignments, since a lot of shops don't seem to know how to align them. If the alignment was done wrong, toe will be wrong... usually too much, which will tend to make it stay too centered (and tear up front tires), but it might be worth getting it rechecked. Brakes Plus, out here, seems to know what they're doing for 928s.
Climate control, when it's working, works well. There are issues with the control head sometimes, with the vacuum actuators often, and occasionally with the blender door motor.
04-23-2015, 03:52 PM
#10
Rennlist Member
Great post so far J&H! Keep them coming. Car looks great....but those legs?....
04-23-2015, 08:07 PM
#11
Nordschleife Master
Congratulations and a great way to start ownership!
The HVAC system actually works phenominally well when its all working correctly. However as with most 30 year old cars, yours will need some attention to get it working nicely. Odds are at least one of your vacuum actuators has a crack and is leaking, which kills vacuum in the whole system and affects operation of the heater valve and the comb-flap valve (which mixes cold air into the hot stream at the center vent).
The good news is its not hard to fix as long as you've got a mityvac hand vacuum pump.
If you're brave and its making life really uncomfortable on this trip, you can buy a mityvac, a stubby philips screwdriver (for the access), a couple of zip ties, and a few 3mm vsilicone vacuum caps + joiners. Then you can diagnose the system (its a quick job - an hour for the inexperienced - just involves removal of the side panels off the centre console and nothing more, the 2 screws for which are visible by your knee and at the side of your seat).
Once you know which vacuum lines are leaking, you can block off those lines and at least the other parts will work. The zip ties are in case the heater valve is leaking (just zip tie it to cold - its easy to reach), and you can wedge the comb flap up with a piece of cardboard just behind the center vent (the vent just pulls outwards gently).
(See step 12 on this page for the vacuum manifold - the goal is to unplug each colored line and test if it holds vacuum. If it doesn't, leave it unplugged and cap off the manifold port).
Excellent road trip!
The HVAC system actually works phenominally well when its all working correctly. However as with most 30 year old cars, yours will need some attention to get it working nicely. Odds are at least one of your vacuum actuators has a crack and is leaking, which kills vacuum in the whole system and affects operation of the heater valve and the comb-flap valve (which mixes cold air into the hot stream at the center vent).
The good news is its not hard to fix as long as you've got a mityvac hand vacuum pump.
If you're brave and its making life really uncomfortable on this trip, you can buy a mityvac, a stubby philips screwdriver (for the access), a couple of zip ties, and a few 3mm vsilicone vacuum caps + joiners. Then you can diagnose the system (its a quick job - an hour for the inexperienced - just involves removal of the side panels off the centre console and nothing more, the 2 screws for which are visible by your knee and at the side of your seat).
Once you know which vacuum lines are leaking, you can block off those lines and at least the other parts will work. The zip ties are in case the heater valve is leaking (just zip tie it to cold - its easy to reach), and you can wedge the comb flap up with a piece of cardboard just behind the center vent (the vent just pulls outwards gently).
(See step 12 on this page for the vacuum manifold - the goal is to unplug each colored line and test if it holds vacuum. If it doesn't, leave it unplugged and cap off the manifold port).
Excellent road trip!
04-24-2015, 01:02 AM
#12
Rennlist Member
Thread Starter
Watkins Glenn --> Charlottesville, plus Snow
Awoke this morning to light flurries in Watkins Glen, which became slushy snow slime intermittantly from there until just outside Pittsburgh. Winter refuses to die quietly in the northeast.
We stopped in Bath, NY at the Chat-A-Whyle diner, which was so upstate that it was awesome. The roads up there were generally ok, but the weather conditions were too sloppy to enjoy them. The views would be fabulous on a clear day - the Mohawk valley and river, the cool towns... the architecture of upstate is beyond fabulous. So many gorgeous brick buildings in towns, and sprawling farmhouses with wrap around porches, plus enormous victorian homes dotting the roads in and out of town. Modern stuff just can't hold a candle to the inspired buildings from about 1800 to 1930. What happened to American Architecture post-war? And will it ever recover?
The Porsche did great in the bad weather. The clutch is easy enough to modulate for starts without fishtailing, and it seems to glide through the slime without billows of spew behind it. I didn't need the rear wiper, which is good bc the blade is worthless, and the front wipers did ok but should be replaced asap. I'm not sure there's much intermittant speed adjustment with that hidden thumbwheel, but it's still cool!
For some reason, PA seems to have closed 1 lane of almost every 4 lane highway, resulting in a good bit of time spent riding next to cones and behind sluggish people. Grrrr. And crazily, in the construction areas they have put STOP signs at the end of their on-ramps. This way, people have NO speed when they arrive at the interstate and pull in front of 18 wheelers going 35 mph. Super stupid and dangerous. Hey - it's a construction zone where sight is limited, let's have everyone stop so they are trying to merge from a standstill. PA should be ashamed.
After dropping off Holly at the Pittsburgh airport (which appears to be so far from the city that I think they inadvertantly built it in Ohio), the solo section of the trip began. I've crossed the country solo before, once in a 1974 Fiat Spider, but it has been awhile. I usually try to completely avoid the interstate, but today drove some interstate miles to get to the airport on time. The Porsche eats them whole.
A few miles south of Pittsburgh I dove southeast off the interstate and took US40. I think this is the same US40 that cuts across giant swaths of America, but here it was more bucolic. It was labelled the National Road. I drove through a town called Scenery Hill that was every bit it's name. A good bit of winding and elevation change, with some 2600 foot summits in the Alleghanies. You're never out in nowhere, but it's a nice alternative to the interstate that's nearby.
From Cumberland MD (err WV, err MD...) take Rt28 south until you arrive in Romney, WV - established 17962 according to the signs on the side of the road. This is one of the world's fabulous roads. Twist, turns, open spots, valleys, streams, hills, views. Compared to the sparse green of upstate NY, WV has discovered spring... green grass, lawnmowing, flowers, green on the trees. I saw winter and spring in one drive today.
Eventually 28S connects to Rt220, but the driving doesn't suffer. Someone in a Saturn Sky decided they were going to drive very fast for a bit, and I tagged along a couple hundred yards behind them. A) great driver! B) those cars have some serious power. I just looked it up, and it was available with 290hp, so right on with the 86.5 if we were to drag race (which we did not!). The road is marked 55, many of the turns are yellow signed at 40, and the 928 was a good bit of fun.
The car really cares that you set it up right for turns. You can turn in early or late and still get through the turn, but it'll feel heavy and grumpy. Get turn in correct and a little light throttle and the car seems really settled.
Eventually Rt220 connects to Rt33, and I turned east and headed over the mountains into Harrisonburg. The climb is fabulous. The last time I did it was in a stock old Fiat (not my '74) following someone in a modified Fiat Coupe from the 1970s and I remember thinking how i really needed more power for the climb. The 928 does not have that problem.
Tonight I'm hunkered down in Charlottesville, VA. I got in too late to see my pals in town, but tomorrow will bring some sunshine. The 928 desperately needs a bath, then on to Lynchburg for the shortest driving day of the trip. My pal in Lynchburg has a 911 and a 944S2, so the car will have some Porsche company. I hope to swap out the odometer gear, bc so far I have no idea of miles or mileage! The odo gear is waiting for me there.
With the great advice above, I may also dig into the heater system briefly. What i'm getting is either cold or hot, but no in-between, and it feels like the vents at the front of the dash (near the glass) are open no matter what. So I get barely a trickle of warm air on my feet, but my face melts! Probably the cold-air mixer and the one flap aren't actuating properly. Joel (friend in Lynchburg) and I were once mechanics together, and he's since taken on a couple 944 projects, so we should do ok if time permits!
Perhaps the toe is off, or perhaps it's the shocks. In Lynchburg I'll also examine for worn front end parts. IT doesn't wander so much as just feel imprecise. It is stable to 90-95, haven't gone faster.
And I think my legs look pretty good 1.5 days after a marathon in 44 degree pouring rain! Ok, maybe they're scary...
Jonathan
We stopped in Bath, NY at the Chat-A-Whyle diner, which was so upstate that it was awesome. The roads up there were generally ok, but the weather conditions were too sloppy to enjoy them. The views would be fabulous on a clear day - the Mohawk valley and river, the cool towns... the architecture of upstate is beyond fabulous. So many gorgeous brick buildings in towns, and sprawling farmhouses with wrap around porches, plus enormous victorian homes dotting the roads in and out of town. Modern stuff just can't hold a candle to the inspired buildings from about 1800 to 1930. What happened to American Architecture post-war? And will it ever recover?
The Porsche did great in the bad weather. The clutch is easy enough to modulate for starts without fishtailing, and it seems to glide through the slime without billows of spew behind it. I didn't need the rear wiper, which is good bc the blade is worthless, and the front wipers did ok but should be replaced asap. I'm not sure there's much intermittant speed adjustment with that hidden thumbwheel, but it's still cool!
For some reason, PA seems to have closed 1 lane of almost every 4 lane highway, resulting in a good bit of time spent riding next to cones and behind sluggish people. Grrrr. And crazily, in the construction areas they have put STOP signs at the end of their on-ramps. This way, people have NO speed when they arrive at the interstate and pull in front of 18 wheelers going 35 mph. Super stupid and dangerous. Hey - it's a construction zone where sight is limited, let's have everyone stop so they are trying to merge from a standstill. PA should be ashamed.
After dropping off Holly at the Pittsburgh airport (which appears to be so far from the city that I think they inadvertantly built it in Ohio), the solo section of the trip began. I've crossed the country solo before, once in a 1974 Fiat Spider, but it has been awhile. I usually try to completely avoid the interstate, but today drove some interstate miles to get to the airport on time. The Porsche eats them whole.
A few miles south of Pittsburgh I dove southeast off the interstate and took US40. I think this is the same US40 that cuts across giant swaths of America, but here it was more bucolic. It was labelled the National Road. I drove through a town called Scenery Hill that was every bit it's name. A good bit of winding and elevation change, with some 2600 foot summits in the Alleghanies. You're never out in nowhere, but it's a nice alternative to the interstate that's nearby.
From Cumberland MD (err WV, err MD...) take Rt28 south until you arrive in Romney, WV - established 17962 according to the signs on the side of the road. This is one of the world's fabulous roads. Twist, turns, open spots, valleys, streams, hills, views. Compared to the sparse green of upstate NY, WV has discovered spring... green grass, lawnmowing, flowers, green on the trees. I saw winter and spring in one drive today.
Eventually 28S connects to Rt220, but the driving doesn't suffer. Someone in a Saturn Sky decided they were going to drive very fast for a bit, and I tagged along a couple hundred yards behind them. A) great driver! B) those cars have some serious power. I just looked it up, and it was available with 290hp, so right on with the 86.5 if we were to drag race (which we did not!). The road is marked 55, many of the turns are yellow signed at 40, and the 928 was a good bit of fun.
The car really cares that you set it up right for turns. You can turn in early or late and still get through the turn, but it'll feel heavy and grumpy. Get turn in correct and a little light throttle and the car seems really settled.
Eventually Rt220 connects to Rt33, and I turned east and headed over the mountains into Harrisonburg. The climb is fabulous. The last time I did it was in a stock old Fiat (not my '74) following someone in a modified Fiat Coupe from the 1970s and I remember thinking how i really needed more power for the climb. The 928 does not have that problem.
Tonight I'm hunkered down in Charlottesville, VA. I got in too late to see my pals in town, but tomorrow will bring some sunshine. The 928 desperately needs a bath, then on to Lynchburg for the shortest driving day of the trip. My pal in Lynchburg has a 911 and a 944S2, so the car will have some Porsche company. I hope to swap out the odometer gear, bc so far I have no idea of miles or mileage! The odo gear is waiting for me there.
With the great advice above, I may also dig into the heater system briefly. What i'm getting is either cold or hot, but no in-between, and it feels like the vents at the front of the dash (near the glass) are open no matter what. So I get barely a trickle of warm air on my feet, but my face melts! Probably the cold-air mixer and the one flap aren't actuating properly. Joel (friend in Lynchburg) and I were once mechanics together, and he's since taken on a couple 944 projects, so we should do ok if time permits!
Perhaps the toe is off, or perhaps it's the shocks. In Lynchburg I'll also examine for worn front end parts. IT doesn't wander so much as just feel imprecise. It is stable to 90-95, haven't gone faster.
And I think my legs look pretty good 1.5 days after a marathon in 44 degree pouring rain! Ok, maybe they're scary...
Jonathan
04-24-2015, 06:52 AM
#13
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Sounds like its been a great drive so far, keep it up!
If you find that you will need at some point to replace the bladders in the actuators, it takes some time to get at them, but a very doable job, there are great right ups to take you step by step.
Bob
If you find that you will need at some point to replace the bladders in the actuators, it takes some time to get at them, but a very doable job, there are great right ups to take you step by step.
Bob
04-24-2015, 08:31 AM
#14
Rennlist Member
Only having full cold or full hot is a classic failed temperature sensor symptom. Whether its the interior or exterior sensor, though, will take some probing with a multimeter.