Tom M'Guinn

+1 I guess it's possible he pulled the head with the headers attached and didn't notice, but even that probably qualifies. To your list of hacks, add whoever used flange nuts on those studs. The factory used prevailing torque lock nuts with thick washers. They cost too much, but probably worth it all things considered. You can get fairly close lock nuts and washers from McMaster Carr and similar places, which would a significant improvement over those flange nuts.

Humboldtgrin

You can't pull the head off with the exhaust manifolds still on. Maybe if the head studs were replaced with head bolts like some DOHC models were adopted to having done, it is difficult to remove a DOHC head so I seen a tech foot note in my Porsche parts/tech ref catalog stating that information. So the mechanic is a hack. Too bad.

black944 turbo

Humboldtgrin, there have been many people who have said that they have pulled the heads on these cars with the exhaust manifold still attached.

Tom M'Guinn

You can! I've done it several times. It's a tad heavy, and hard on old backs, but it definitely works. Just disconnect at the cross-over flanges and pull it up.

Humboldtgrin

Really, well he's still a hack. It was right in front of his face if that's the case.

jonno abram

Ya I he's a hack. He didn't know what was causing the low compression and it was working fine before it went to him. So all the cylinders work I believe except the first one. It sparks and I'm gonna try and take the fuel injector off tomorrow to see if fuel is going to the cylinder. I phoned a porsche mechanic and he said that it'll probably need a valve job, he doesn't know for sure Unless he takes a look at it. Maybe more. I guess I don't really have a way to do a leak down test so I'm probably gonna have to open the engine up soon. Or maybe I should just send it off to the porsche mechanic. Is there different ways to check for problems on the outside of the engine that would affect it?

mtnman82

Is that a crack in the weld next to the bolt that is there?

Naplesguy06

Those exhaust manifold gaskets are peeking out a bit much.He looked like he replaced the studs and bolts with whatever he could get,too bad he diddnt use the rennbay kit or something better. This is why ile never take my car to anyone but a 944 specialist. In Florida I don't trust anyone but Albert and David and when problems like this arise many of these guys want to charge you even more money just to put it back to where it was,negates the entire reason you go to them to begin with.

Humboldtgrin

If that head is all the sudden in need of head job it's because they bent the valves probably when they installed the timing belt wrong on the first try and turned the engine over bending all the valves equally just a tiny bit. I've seen this kind of $hitty shoty work before to make more off you. And pay for their mistake because guess what you weren't there watching what they did so you can't prove it. I don't play games with people like them, I would call the bureau of automotive repair (BAR) on that shop. That is why I'm the only one who touches my cars. I worked for those crooked people for too long and I cost them a lot by making them make it right. Needless to say I work for myself now. To bad you weren't close by I could help.

Humboldtgrin

I can already see it. That monkey didn't lock the flywheel because that's a special tool that I'm sure they don't have. Then took everything apart thinking he could time it, eyeballed cylinder one to DTC, put the head on, hen the rear cover, now this is were the problem starts to arise. If the crankshaft isn't locked and there NO reference marks for the crankshaft to know it still at TDC on he front where most monkeys look (beside on the flywheel thru the bell housing, but I'm betting that monkey went to the books a little to late to find that out) so then when monkey boy tried to install the belt I'm guessing he moved it, most people would accidentally move the crankshaft, hence why they make a tool for the 944/951 to lock it. So it's very easy to be one crank tooth off but two crankshaft teeth might be dealing in trouble depending which way. So I'm thinking they found out where the timing mark locations were after the damage was done. Set it properly and called you to pick up your freshly bent valve rebuild. I sure hope that's not the case but that's what I just seen in my head.

carlege

You need to delete your post. Some poor guy is going to think you actually know what you are talking about.

jonno abram

So I guess I should add something I missed saying. The exhaust is cracked. Right now it sounds like it's straight piped a bit. But an update on the situation. There is low compression I am very certain. In the front cylinder at the very least. It has spark and fuel. Where I live its winter right now and I crashed my winter beater so now I'm driving my porsche through the snow which really sucks considering there's no heat and no winter tires on it. Power is way down but there's still enough to get it going. The turbo winds up so I'm sure that's working. But basically I've stopped looking at it cause it's so cold outside. So the thing I didn't say is the first water pump that the mechanic installed seized and the timing belt shredded. Then he replaced the timing belt and the water pump again. Since I found out its an interference engine does this mean the the valves are bent?

George D

black944 turbo

Bent valves is a very strong possibility if that happened and I would make your mechanic pay to have someone competent repair it for free. If he won't do that than contact his insurance company, he should have shopkeepers.

Adonay

With a cracked exhaust "before the turbo" the car will never build any boost . Replace that first .