Ben951S

Shop called me back stating 0psi on one cylinder (Compression test). Leakdown indicates air escaping mostly through exhaust/intake valve. They stated it is most likely bent or burnt valves. No money shift on my part so I suspect burnt.

They quoted that their machine shop would charge $1800+ if it's just the two valves, check for warpage, and everything else is okay. Then looking at about 17hours of labor for the head off and on, provided they do not run into a problem. ~17hrs@$125 is approximately $2100 not including parts (replace head-gasket (has 60k on it), etc.

So my questions to RL...

Any recommended sources for a known good head?

Anyone in the tri-state area interested in doing the work? I would rather pay an experienced RL-member (and let them do it over say 3 or 4 weeks). Or put frankly, I cannot afford to just pay the shop and let it ride.

Support, suggestions, etc welcome. I have one more place to call for options but I doubt it will be much different.

-- Status -- (Last change 1347 on Wednesday May 09, 2012)
Determination: Paid shop to do compression and leakdown. 0psi, air escaping from both intake and exhaust valves. Not using oil, or coolant, no smoke out the exhaust
Head: Sourcing from TechnoDuck. He is going to have a favored machine shop do a rebuild, and then ship it to JKW
Gasket Set: Researching. Car had a Wide Fire ring gasket. TD suggested getting in touch with Jason at Paragon for what I need. Email sent. Only peak at 15psi.
Root Cause: Car was abused by PO, I thought I had corrected everything in time, but I guess not. Also, my vacuum was always low, which I thought was the cam, but could have just been this issue slowly getting worse.
Plan Forward: 1) Awaiting head work and shipping to JKW, 2) Finalize parts list and ship to JKW, 3) Set up a date with JKW and drive it down there! 4) return when completed. 5) Post about it!

1) Head shipped by TechnoDuck and arrived on Friday
2) Waterpump, full gasket set
3) Set up Fri-Sun with JKW. Limped it down. Fun Fact: About 80-85 is the best you can do without inducing boost in 5th (and a hole in your exhaust valve)
4) Cam back 5am Monday Morning, oops.
5) Posting pics!

Intake off!


Cam tower off!



Injectors refurb'd!



Hole in Exhaust Valve!



New Head, New Waterpump, intake studs!



Fixed other broken stuff along the way... John is a great guy and I owe him big!

Afterwards: Running too rich with 3.0bar FPR, and it started fluctuating and causing power loss (~8psi at times!). Also, one of the heat shield spot welds broke, so we had to shim it (will try and get it tack'd at some point). It would rattle so bad at specific RPMs it apparently activated the knock sensor!

Back with the 2.5bar FPR, things seem good, and very good FPR! Vacuum is still super low, but same as Reno, and we both have cams, so I'll just roll with it (7-9 cold, 10-12hot)!

Just ordered new tires for my ClubSports! Sweet!

V2Rocket

I say BS on the 17 hours - maybe a third of that or half at most.

Ben951S

I hear you. They said 5 or so to get it off, provided they don't run into any stuck components, and then MORE hours to put it back on (torque sequencing, etc)... + time doing anything but the head-gasket, maybe shipping the head, etc)...

This isn't a bargain shop either, unfortunately. Not necessarily where I will have the work done, geographically convenient and PCA recommended, but so is the other shop I am considering.

Bri Bro

Just for the record, you can get a good used head and the gasket set for around $500.

Contact JohnKoaWood and talk to him. You could tow it R/T to him in a day. I was just up in the Langhorne area to visit relatives last week...could have knocked it out over the weekend.

Ben951S

I've bought parts from him, so maybe that's some good PR. Wouldn't need a rush on it if it would make life easier.

The car drove from West Virginia (Shenandoah) back to east PA with no problem (80mph 5th gear)... Langhorne is less than an hour from me.

(Any reason why driving it 50 more miles would be bad in comparison to the 300 I just drove it home from the track?)

I should also contact JKW before I get my hopes up.

StoogeMoe

Ben,

We're missing part of the story. If you drove it all the way home with no problem, why was it in the shop? Did something happen at the track?

If you were missing a cylinder, I would think that would be quite noticeable, especially since that is 25% of the engine.

I would like to help, but you're too far away and I have plenty of work to get my own car ready for the track. I was hoping to run into you at the next RTR event.

reno808

dude buy a used head for like 300 its takes 5 hours to take the head off and on and another couple for some minor BS

brian944turbo

Hershey swap meet this weekend. Should be lots of porsche experts in Pa. this weekend.

Ben951S

At the end of the day (end of 3rd session), I noticed my AFR was high (16-17) at idle... but under ANY load, it was normal (14.7 down to 11s under WOT). So I ran my last session... issue remained. I went back to the hotel, then drove home (200 miles or whatever it is). Sputter sound under boost, and it is missing at idle, but not shaking like on ONLY 3 cylinders, originally had an issue where it was so rich it ran on 3 cylinders, car shook, low power, etc).

What I don't get is, it still pulls 14psi of boost, is a bit down on power and you can tell the idle is bad, but it really just seemed like the injector wire (plug end is mashed a bit) was the problem, like a weak pulse to the injector, masked under load.

Would love to get a second opinion, but don't know a shop around here that knows these cars, already owe $170 for this assessment (but hey, if I get another more favorable opinion, it's worth it).

So yes, I am now a bit confused how it's 'zero' compression but power is not 75%...

Ben951S

Reno, are you volunteering to make a few hundred bucks mayhaps? Though are far enough away to be safe, I think...

Bri Bro

Borrow a compression gauge from Autozone and do the test yourself. All you have to do is warm up the engine, remove the spark plugs, prop open the throttle plate (so it can breath) and have someone turn over the engine. It should come up to max pressure after a few turns.

And no, I wouldn't drive it any more then you had to.

Ben951S

I just paid the shop to do this (and leakdown). My wife is increduclous that I could drive it home so effortlessly on 3 cylinders (and it is not rocking at idle like 3 cylinders, but you can tell it's missing).

I have a friend who is an MB tech that may be able to assist me (or do it at the shop on Saturday).

Bri Bro

Just making a suggestion on how you could get a reliable second opinion.

blown 944

Just find a local lister. I can swap a head in less than 5 hrs easily, so there should be many others that can help you out. I'd buy a used head and throw it on.

Ben951S

Possible head and cam found in Canada... So that's part of it. JKW is in VA so that's a bit further than was originally posted... could have it towed there, and back, but last I thought that'd be ~450 each way, no?