L_perm

Hi all,
I've had my '91 S4 for a year and a half and I currently have the top and front of the engine dismantled in the name of replacing/refreshing. I have probably close to $10k in parts ready to go in--from most of the fuel and intake system and all of the sensors, to new shocks, springs and engine mounts, to the starter, alternator, and wiring harness.

The car has about 78k miles and has been well maintained from the looks of things and what documentation I have.

Having so much already dismantled and unhooked from the motor, and needing to replace the motor mounts, oil pan gasket, and steering rack bushings, I'm seriously considering pulling the motor out. The idea is that I could get everything checked and nicely cleaned up. I could inspect, clean and refresh the engine bay, including the ground points. And just generally end up with a finished engine and engine bay that have been thoroughly inspected and carefully maintained. I would have baseline info for all of the important stuff.

I'm also considering dropping out the transaxle and sending it to be rebuilt--not very happy with its performance as is.

I'm also likely to double my "investment" in this car when I get to the interior, which I would like to make better than new. I'd really like it to be a reliable daily driver for me.

So, is pulling the motor just crazy, or does it make some sense, given my goals?

Thanks,
Louis

davek9

Pull it, all is easy and can be done correctly on a engine stand, also access to the Rack and cleaning engine bay will will make the effort worth it 10 fold!

Dave K

soontobered84

If there is any question in your mind about whether to pull it or not, I say just go ahead and pull it. You'll be much happier when all is said and done since you will be able to work from an engine stand.

James Bailey

pulling it out will save you a bunch of time and is much easier on your back

L_perm

Thanks for the input guys. With that resounding endorsement, I'm gonna do it. Now, I just need to pick up an engine lift and stand. More goodies for the home workshop,...er, garage.

dr bob

There's a WYAIT list of engine-bay things for you while the engine is out. Cooling system pipes and hoses, coolant reservoir, A/C hose rebuild, A/C evaporator clean, power steering hoses renew. And more.

Then drive the **** out of it so you can recover some of your investment in the car. A well-maintained reliable 928 is an absolute joy. Sounds lie you have the right attitude and are well on your way!

L_perm

Thanks Doc.

I have a bunch of that WYAIT stuff already strewn around my garage, which is what got me thinking I should just pull the engine. Pulling it may be easier than pulling some of the stuff that's already out!

I let Roger know earlier that I'd have a few more things on order soon.

Louis

jeff spahn

Don't forget new front wiring harness, coils, and general cleaning of all the areas you can't possibly reach when the engine is in the car. You'll be amazed at all the things you'll want to change. Coolant fill tank, do it. Never easier. Brake booster and master cylinder, check. Power Steering tank and filter, piece of cake.
You'll hate working on it when the engine is back in because you'll remember how easy it was to stand in the engine bay and just "get to that part".

While you have it all out, get a Constantine Super Clamp and forget your flex plate worries. Get new trans mounts when you have the trans out. Never easier. Replace your PSD reservoir (if you can get one) or drain and put a filter in line and refill. Beg, steal or borrow a Hammer if you can to make the flush a simple job.
These all sound like "I know that" kind of stuff but you'll wish you did just that one more thing that may be on this list if you don't.

Way cheaper than paying Porsche $170K to refurb your car at the Porsche Classic facility in Germany and you'll learn so much more about your car than you ever knew.

If you are up to the task, new head gaskets couldn't hurt. It doesn't suck that bad, you just need an angle torque wrench (snap on makes a nice one) and you must keep the washer from turning under the bolt head when torquing.
Great time to check your cam chain pad too. super easy to get the valve covers off and look at this stuff. It is almost too easy.

New sensors (like your CPS) will never be easier to change. New heater valve, just stand there and change it (replace the hoses too).

Oil pan stud kit, do it.

I think I've given you a big enough list to blow some more dough.

L_perm

Thanks for the list Jeff. I've got quite a bit of what you mentioned ready to go. I hadn't thought much about replacing the reservoirs, but I'll look at them closely. The head gaskets--a little afraid of those if they look good. That one is a wait-and-see.

Louis

dr bob

Edsel Murphy shares the opinion that there will be a gasket failure within months of any decision not to replace the gaskets when the easy opportunity is offered. Just sayin'...

At this age of the car, if you are not absolutely without a doubt certain that coolant service has been done religiously throughout the life of the car from new, now is the time to do head gaskets. If you do have that certainty, it's still a Very Good Idea to replace the head gaskets.

There's no non-destructive way to check their condition and see "if they look good", unfortunately, so get new ones to install after your inspection. Resist the urge to clean anything in the bores below the head gasket surface, no matter how tempting it might seem to 'just take care of that carbon deposit there'. Surprise yourself and find that all the aluminum at the joint there is still in great condition. Or fix the corroded areas and resurface the heads.

Depending on miles, might be worth having the valve guides replaced as part of a comprehensive valve job on the heads. Get on Greg Brown's service calendar for the head work if you can.


What was that black-diamond sign back there that said "Slippery Slope"?

L_perm

Lol! It was actually a big red sign that said STOP, CLIFF AHEAD!!! You guys are pushing metaphorically, but my wife is going to do it literally!

Am I correct in thinking that if the heads come off, then it only makes sense to replace the studs? Come to think of it, I do have some nice, new torque wrenches waiting to be used.

Comprehensive valve job? Really? Doesn't Greg B. do the tranny work too? Maybe I could get a bulk discount.

In one of the other "should I pull it" threads, someone advised going ahead and replacing the main bearings underneath. What?!? My '91 S4 has 78K miles. Shouldn't I wait at least another 22K (if not 72K) on stuff like that? (Assuming things look fine.) It'll take me more than five years to put another 22K on it, if not ten years. My five-year-old son will be ready to help me pull the engine then.

A bad CPS got all of this started. The engine was purring beautifully before the sensor problem. I decided to do a fuel system and intake refresh. I didn't know the age of the fuel lines, and taking them out made getting to the CPS much easier. Then I found bad fuel dampers...

By Monday or so the engine is going to be hanging on a stand in my garage!

Whose idea was this?

Somebody please reassure me that once I've done this comprehensive work on the engine and engine bay and ancillaries, had the tranny rebuilt, and sent the car off to Bob at Classic 9 for a full interior redo that I'll end up with a car that is better than anything else I could buy for the $50K I'll likely have in it then.

It will be cooler than what my neighbors are driving, for sure. And, I will have had a lot of fun doing the work. That's worth something. Then, maybe I can come meet some of you guys and gals on this site.

L_perm

You know...if I get those heads off, then I won't be too far from just doing a complete build and slapping on a supercharger! Lol!

Then...maybe I could just sell the autobox and do the 6-speed mod. I'd need to buy a Corvette for parts...

Daniel5691

Oh my.
I think you've been bitten by THE bug.



Dan