Arominus

I had a nice chat with lart, great guy! As for the car I got the head off and it looks good. Valves are straight! My cam shows up tomorrow and the head gasket, I have everything else I need. The only part in worried about is getting the cams set up correctly.

Arominus

Making good progress on the repair, waiting on cam pads and crush washers for the j-tube to arrive tomorrow. I've been working on reassembling what is can while I wait, she should live again on Wednesday!

FRporscheman

Are you doing a head job while on vacation? What a bad-***!

GL dude!

AlphaOmegaPower

What did you do with the failed cam?

Tom M'Guinn

Where do you go while on vacation to do hardcore motor work like that? Hats off to you for digging in like that on the road!

Arominus

We lucked out and had friends in the area that had a garage with some stands and a floor jack. I had a decent selection of tools with me, but had my friend mail me my balance shaft wrench, flywheel lock, the beta arnnworx cam tools I was to test when I did cam pads (thanks Bruce!)and torque wrench. It's been a rough week, but I did get her running yesterday and drove the car around Westminster today. Worked out a few more things and now she's ready for the 1100 mile drive home. Did I mention my girlfriend was with me for most of this? I got her on a plane Tuesday but she stuck it out and was super understanding. Even after we couldn't get a rental car because I didn't realize my license had expired until we were at the rental place. She spent a lot of time being bored while I was working all day on the car and helped me where she could. I was riding a skateboard to the parts store for what I could get and paying out the *** for quick shipping for the parts I needed.

It's a crazy story, I'll flesh it out more in a mega post over in the other 944 forum when I get home. I want to give a big shout out to lart, he set me straight and helped me out with a part. Great guy and it was a pleasure to meet the legend himself. Also a huge thank you to Amber lamps and V2 for their offers of help.

Edit: adding pictures from safari on the iPhone is funny, so enjoy my unshaven scruff pic! This was supposed to be car pics haha. It won't edit out correctly from safari.

V2Rocket

growing a beard happens naturally when you change a headgasket in a parking lot.
really kills your razor budget.

RajDatta

It shouldn't be too difficult to time the cam. The dirt creates marks around the round spacers for the ignition rotor. Use those as a reference to get the intake cam timed. For quicker response, post on the 968 forum next time .

lart951

Chris, keep us posted on your trip, it was a pleasure to meet such intelligent young man unlike Spencer, lol J/k Spencer you are smart too, anyway have a safe trip home.

Lart

Arominus

I did exactly that, I used the marks on the zinc coated metal shield that sits behind the cam gear and verified with the rotor marks. She's running fine now! Made it to flagstaff via Phoenix and am staying the night. It's time for a beer.

FRporscheman

Make it a Dos Equis, cuz while reading your post, I was like "this guy's even beta testing special tools, while doing an emergency head job, while on vacation." And then the beard just seals it. You are the most interesting man on Rennlist.

mtnman82

Benn following this and glad to hear it's running again. Quite the vacation! Your girlfriend sounds cool to be dealing with all of it too. It'll be a great story to tell in the future. Best of luck with all and safe travels!

Arominus

I made it home! Yesterday was the longest day of driving in my life, but she did well and made it home.. I even got to chase route 66 for a bit while driving back, the nicer sections that remain are awesome in spots. Awesome until they peter out and devolve into nothing.

This picture as at the end of a good stretch, blocked off and for good reason, after these blocks it turns into a field. The really light colored pavement is original i'm thinking.

Tom M'Guinn

Congrats. Sounds like a great adventure home and a story that will just get better over the years!

jhowell371

Well done