Marc Shaw

Did the vent kit already (1/2 hour, most time fishing the metal cover peice out of the bottom of the engine after dropping it...) and have a dual dist belt but I'll tackle a few other things first then, when I'm brave....

Marc

Chris M.

I guess I'll call the shop that did the work and ask if they usually replace the belt when they do the distributor. It's possible they just didn't write that on the invoice because it was assumed.

thanks for the help,

c

no kit installed:

Richard Curtis

I agree with Jean-Pierre. Changing the belt -- either by yourself or by an independent mechanic -- isn't that difficult and is a huge savings over a new Porsche distributor (what was Porsche thinking?). In addition to the belt, you also need a Porsche-specific roll pin, available at dealers for less than US $1 each. In ChrisM's post about replacing the "...distributor, rotor and cap" if the comma has been added by mistake, you change the entire meaning of whether the distributor itself was replaced. Chris: how much was the charge for the distributor cap and rotor? (Should be two of each, about $50 each for the distributor caps and -- if memory serves -- about $20 for each rotor.)

springer3

It is possible, but failure is near. I did mine at 52,000 miles. It was still working, but the rubber was hard and cracking. One strand from the fiber backing had separated and was starting to cause problems.

I don't think mileage is the correct consideration for distributor belt replacement. They don't wear. Rubber degrades with time. It hardens, gets brittle, and starts to crack. Belts that sit in the same position for a long period take a set, and are more prone to crack than belts that get regular exercise. With the vent kit installed, the belt should be replaced every 10 years regardless of mileage.

$US 200 is about the going rate to have this done. DIY cost is less than $10, but it is an adventure the first attempt.

Chris M.

Invoice:

Then in the labor column it says "replace dist/rotor/cap" 39.00

c

Richard Curtis

Doesn't look to me like your distributor got replaced, just the rotors and caps.

springer3

The car urgently needs to have the belt replaced. That age, and no vent kit. I'll bet the belt is crumbling.

Rennen

How is this possible? Everything I've read says it's a major job. Do you know something others don't? Which directions do you follow? I really want to do this but I've been very nervous about it.

Chris M.

Just talked to the shop where the work was done and he said that if they had replaced the distributor they would have installed the vent kit. So as Richard Curtis pointed out, the belt is probably original. The mechanic also said that they generally don't replace the belt alone because it's so hard to get out (even said they had to build some special tools to do the job) and that they just get whole rebuilt distributors from Porsche and install those at a cost of around $900 just for the parts. Is this just a businessman at work? It sounds like there's plenty of people on here that have done just the belt themselves, albeit with differing opinions on how difficult it is.

c

Marc Shaw

That sounds like a businesman to me.

Marc

Richard Curtis

Sounds like a businessman to me, also. All you need to remove/replace the distributor belt is a socket to remove the bolt that holds the distributors in place. then you need a Phillips-head screwdriver to remove a few screws (or was it an Allen-head? don't remember...). YOu need a clamp to compress the distributor shaft and a drill to drill out the roll pin. You also need to be very careful at several stages (indexing the distributors, for example, on both removal and reinstallation; also reassembling both distributors). If you're a halfway competent mechanic, work slowly (hence the 90 minute first time estimate) and can follow directions, you should be able to do this repair. Or you can pay to have it done; a ballpark estimate is two hours of labor (@$85-$100 per hour) plus $10 in parts.

Chris M.

New belt installed and not a day too early by the look of that old one (80000 miles). Thanks to everyone who said "change it right now!!!"
With the right tools (a vice or some huge C clamps included) I could do it again much faster. As it was, it took me about 6 hours which included several trips to various neighbors' houses looking for tools and 2 trips to work to use the vice.
Anyway, thanks to Garrett and everyone else for their input. Rennlist saves the day again!



c

garrett376

Good job Chris!! That sucker was bound to break at any moment!!

Thomas Owen

I have a question about the 'roll pin'. There was reference above about drilling it out, but why can't it be driven out with a punch?
Thanks.

Chris M.

The roll pin is made of a soft metal and if you try and punch it out it just deforms. I thought the drilling was one of the hardest parts of the whole process. Even after I had a hole through the whole thing it still wouldn't come out. I really had to wrestle it out of there. Again, this is one spot where a vice is handy.

c