Daniel5691

Hi again,

I am asking for common-sense and commonly-encountered WYAIT issues for my engine pull.

I really would appreciate input on this WYAIT project, because I have never been WYAIT with an empty 928 engine bay before, nor with a 928 engine on the stand.

BACKGROUND
Basically, this 1981 has about 70,000 showing on the odometer, a 5 spd. I only drove it about 200 miles, short 3-10 mile runs, over the past year before it decided to leak copious amount of oil from the front passenger cam tower onto the hot-and-ready exhaust manifold. Frolic and shenanigans ensued. Look, mommy, smoke everyewhere !!!

It seemed to run good. There was a small PS leak near the driver front engine compartment. It made good oil pressure on the dial (obviously lol) and seemed to idle high (1000-ish) but never failed to turn over and fire easily.

It did seem to always smell rich.

The AC was non-op from the beginning, the defog and heater didn't blow anything other than ambient temp air.
the horn doesn't work,

So, I have an engine waiting and an engine bay waiting.
As much fun as it is to pull a big honking motor out of the car, I'd really rather not do that again in the near future.

My goal for this car is a on-the-road driver's car !! I would like to just PILE the miles up on it !! I want to DRIVE this thing ! ! !

I wonder how far I should delve into the engine itself? Just fix the leak and walk away? Should I at least do the OPG and perhaps the head gaskets?

I would like to send the fuel injection system out for a professional refresh, but don't yet know the options...

Anyway, consider my car a blank canvas. I will appreciate any and all comments from you folks, and I look forward to your ideas and insight.

Dan

GregBBRD

The head gaskets were made from paper....a treated and really tough paper, but paper all the same.

They are 35 years old and would be deteriorated, if your 928 had enjoyed perfect maintenance.

The "problem" with relatively low mile water cooled 928s is that many went for 10+ years without the coolant being changed (which turns acidic.) Basically, owners did not change the coolant unless there was a failure in the cooling system which forced them to change the coolant. This can be a huge problem. I've literally wheeled a dump truck load of 928 engines out to the dumpster, because of this problem.

Your head gaskets are probably in multiple pieces....and you should remove the heads and replace the gaskets, minimum. You may need to have the head surface repaired, where the acidic coolant has eaten holes in the heads. In some instances, I find that the cylinders are also eaten by the acidic coolant. That is when you need the dolly to move the engine tot he dumpster.

Good luck figuring out what to do with the head studs, once the heads are removed. I've written volumes about these little "problem" children...."search" will be your friend.

Do yourself a favor and do not attempt to use the stock cam carrier gaskets. If you do, use metric wingnuts when you put the engine back in....it will make the second removal much easier.

Again, "search" will be your friend.

A pan gasket is a "no brainer". Check the rods bearings while you are there.

Replace all the seals and "O" rings on the front of the engine....including the oil pump. (Buy a complete engine gasket set and use everything in it.....except the cam carrier gaskets....throw them away the instant you open the gasket set.)

The factory workshop manual is also your friend. Do not attempt to do this job without it. Read it carefully and in detail.

Have fun!

ltoolio

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The Forgotten On

Do a complete reseal of the engine as recommended above. Replacing the bearings would be a waste of time as they are usually good for 300K miles if the car is maintained correctly.

Also, replace the clutch master cylinder now before it fails. It is a lot easier to get to with the engine out of the car. Ask anyone with a 5 speed, they will know.

Replace all rubber lines vacuum, fuel, hydraulic, the lot of them. They can fail and either cause poor running or another engine fire, except much worse than the one you encountered.

After all of this you should have a trouble free driver until the second gear syncro gives out

All kidding aside, good luck with your fixes,

LT Texan

Greg sells the cam carrier gaskets you need. Don't use any others.

I'd completely go through the brake and clutch hydraulics. Replace soft lines. Bench bleed the clutch circuit before you reinstall it.

When mine was out, I rebuilt all aircon hoses with barrier hose. I replaced o-rings, expansion valve and condenser. I had to change the compressor to be able to use the Porken's cam belt tensioner. After all that, I filled up with Freon and have never needed to add any more.

Good luck

Jetdriver69

I replaced my coolant and brake fluid reservoir while the engine was out. They both looked pretty weak.

It is much easier and doesn't cost anymore to do it now than to wait until the 33 year old plastic starts leaking. Roger has them both.

+1 on the Master Cylinder, much easier when the motor is out.

Modify the CMC piston if it hasn't been done. The gearbox shifts so much better after the mod.

I also scrubbed down the engine bay and repainted. Replaced and/or added heat shield material on the firewall.

Check all electrical wiring for chafing or better yet, install a new engine harness. Clean hard to get to body grounds, especially the big ground cable.

While the engine is out, send your AFM to the Fuel Injection Corp. guys in Tracy, CA. They will test it, tell you if can be rebuilt or supply a rebuilt warranted unit for less than $300 total after core refund. Just search Porsche 928 AFM on eBay.

A properly calibrated AFM will solve all kinds of running issues.

Definitely send your injectors to Witch Hunters for cleaning/rebuild.

I do believe there are alternatives to new, very expensive stock injectors now that use machined cups that allow the use of less expensive replacement injectors. You would need to research that more thoroughly.

New injector harness if you don't replace the whole shebang. The plastic connectors will be rotten and crumbly.

I replaced all engine bearings, no sense worrying about an old bearing after a rebuild.

New oil sending unit, the old one probably leaks.

Be super careful installing piston rings if you are going that far. Use the approved Porsche ring compressor. If a ring breaks and gouges the bore, you are SCREWED!

I had to source the rings for my 82 from 911UK, they were less than a 1/4 of the price of any US supplier.

New motor mounts if that hasn't been suggested.

Then there is all the suspension work you can do while the motor is out, steering rack and bushings, PS pump rebuild (if necessary), sway bar bushings, control arm bushings, ball joints, tie rods, front shocks…

An OB 928, it is the gift that keeps on giving all year long. Enjoy!

VT928

Every piece of rubber hose that is greater than two years old, Front and rear main seals, cam seals, rear cam gaskets, Oil pump seal, and O ring, engine shocks, Tensioner bushings, intake gaskets, exhaust gaskets, Replace the exhaust studs. You will need to replace the water bridge gaskets the O ring and the thermostat. You are where I was several weeks ago. Plan on spending far more time than you thought cleaning the bay and the engine. Trust me I know. I have a thread going on my engine pull.

Paul 1980 Euro S Red/Blk Lea

Daniel5691

Thanks so much for the advice so far.

All of the ideas and suggestions are invaluable.

Dan

Wisconsin Joe

Haven't seen anything about the A/C lines.

I'm not sure about this, but I seem to remember that one of them is easy-peasy to get to with the engine out, darned near impossible with the engine in place.

dr bob

^^^ The hard lines with the rubber end sections come out now, and go to a good AC shop for replacement of the rubber sections with modern barrier hose. That and the expansion valve and seals will be super easy while you can sit in a chair where the engine used to be.

Echo the recommendation that you steam and/or chem clean EVERYTHING you can get to. Wax all the painted metal stuff.

Do replace the coolant reservoir and ALL the coolant hoses. Inspect and replace the metal coolant line on the pass side fenderwall if needed.

Do replace the Blue Hose between the reservoir and the clutch master cylinder.

Do service the cabin fan motor.

Get Greg's cam tower gaskets and a full engine set as previously recommended.

Anything you choose not to service while you have the chance will fail within weeks of putting the engine back in. (credit goes to Edsel Murphy for that...)

Jetdriver69

Oh yeah, do not reuse the WP, no matter how good it looks.

My old pump was less than 3 years old and had less than 3000 miles. The stupid thing failed six months after the engine was put back in. Bearing seized up.

There is another 8-10 hours of work I didn't bargain for. Bite the bullet, buy a LASO plastic impeller pump and do it right the first time.