A very late 2010 update!
01-01-2011, 07:10 AM
#1
Drifting
Thread Starter
A very late 2010 update!
OK, this is finally a very late 2010 update!
During the winter I had the cage out an the reason for this was that I wanted to remove the passenger airbag and replace the lower dash with the lightweight dash cover from Rennline (which is a very nice piece, looks like a factory part when in place). With these parts out I removed another 10 kg so now the car is down to 1210 kg with 20 litres of fuel. I also painted the cage gloss black instead of flat black and got two fastening brackets welded to the head loop so I can use the seatbelt bolts in the B-pillars to connect the cage to the body. It actually feels like the body is a little bit stiffer after this fix because some of the noise due to flexing when going over bumps etc is gone.
In April I did a “full service” including fuel filter and spark plugs. But I also decided to replace the valve springs, retainers and valve seals, all this just to be on the safe side. So out with the engine! Replacing the valve springs is pretty easy with the engine out but you need a special tool to compress the springs, and I borrowed this from a workshop. It’s not an official Porsche tool so you can buy it from FVD. You need two because the angle of the intake and exhaust side is a bit different so the tool comes on two versions. I don’t have pics of ever step but the process is rather simple.
1 Remove the cam covers
2 Undo the allen bolt holding the rocker arm and remove it
3 Mount the tool on one of the cam cover bolts
4 Compress the spring
5 Remove the conical piece
6 Remove the retainer and spring
7 Remove the valve stem seal
8 Mount a new seal
9 Mount everything back in the above order.
10 Repeat for the other 11 valves
So I decided to start with the number 3 cylinder intake side, and I couldn’t believe my luck! The spring was broken, split in two pieces!! But it was still in the right position because of the tension. So it was seconds, hours, or days from a catastrophe but this time I was lucky!
So instead of just doing “just in case” job it was suddenly a very worthwhile job to do. After some listening around I decided to go for stock parts instead of some race parts. The quality is good and I’m not planning on increasing the revs more than stock. In the pics below you see the retainer, spring, the parts I replaced and the broken spring.
Another thing I’d planned to do was to replace the tranny mount with a semi solid version from turbokraft.com (aluminium with a stiff rubber core) to get rid of some flex in the drive train during cornering. You see a pic below with the the new bushing in place. This was a very good upgrade. The feel in the car is much improved and I don’t get any noise or resistance from the gearbox when shifting under load which could be the case before. There’s a little more noise and vibrations from low revs and under load but when driving at even speed there’s no difference compared to the stock bushing.
I just did one track day in Sweden but then in September it was time for the 2010 main event, a trip to Nürburg Ring in Germany and Spa in Belgium! The event at the Northern loop was a really cool event because the Swedish Porsche Club had rented the whole track so imagine a whole village crowded with more than 200 Swedish Porsche cars. We totally owned that place for two days! The day after some of us drove to Spa, it just 200 km and joined a trackday there organized by the local Porsche club there. I hope you like the pics from the Northern loop but I just got one from Spa (from the F1 start/finish straight).
So all in all a very good season, saved a lot of money with the valve springs job, a lighter and stiffer car, and an amazing trip to Germany/Belgium!
Happy New Year guys!
Thomas
During the winter I had the cage out an the reason for this was that I wanted to remove the passenger airbag and replace the lower dash with the lightweight dash cover from Rennline (which is a very nice piece, looks like a factory part when in place). With these parts out I removed another 10 kg so now the car is down to 1210 kg with 20 litres of fuel. I also painted the cage gloss black instead of flat black and got two fastening brackets welded to the head loop so I can use the seatbelt bolts in the B-pillars to connect the cage to the body. It actually feels like the body is a little bit stiffer after this fix because some of the noise due to flexing when going over bumps etc is gone.
In April I did a “full service” including fuel filter and spark plugs. But I also decided to replace the valve springs, retainers and valve seals, all this just to be on the safe side. So out with the engine! Replacing the valve springs is pretty easy with the engine out but you need a special tool to compress the springs, and I borrowed this from a workshop. It’s not an official Porsche tool so you can buy it from FVD. You need two because the angle of the intake and exhaust side is a bit different so the tool comes on two versions. I don’t have pics of ever step but the process is rather simple.
1 Remove the cam covers
2 Undo the allen bolt holding the rocker arm and remove it
3 Mount the tool on one of the cam cover bolts
4 Compress the spring
5 Remove the conical piece
6 Remove the retainer and spring
7 Remove the valve stem seal
8 Mount a new seal
9 Mount everything back in the above order.
10 Repeat for the other 11 valves
So I decided to start with the number 3 cylinder intake side, and I couldn’t believe my luck! The spring was broken, split in two pieces!! But it was still in the right position because of the tension. So it was seconds, hours, or days from a catastrophe but this time I was lucky!
So instead of just doing “just in case” job it was suddenly a very worthwhile job to do. After some listening around I decided to go for stock parts instead of some race parts. The quality is good and I’m not planning on increasing the revs more than stock. In the pics below you see the retainer, spring, the parts I replaced and the broken spring.Another thing I’d planned to do was to replace the tranny mount with a semi solid version from turbokraft.com (aluminium with a stiff rubber core) to get rid of some flex in the drive train during cornering. You see a pic below with the the new bushing in place. This was a very good upgrade. The feel in the car is much improved and I don’t get any noise or resistance from the gearbox when shifting under load which could be the case before. There’s a little more noise and vibrations from low revs and under load but when driving at even speed there’s no difference compared to the stock bushing.
I just did one track day in Sweden but then in September it was time for the 2010 main event, a trip to Nürburg Ring in Germany and Spa in Belgium! The event at the Northern loop was a really cool event because the Swedish Porsche Club had rented the whole track so imagine a whole village crowded with more than 200 Swedish Porsche cars. We totally owned that place for two days! The day after some of us drove to Spa, it just 200 km and joined a trackday there organized by the local Porsche club there. I hope you like the pics from the Northern loop but I just got one from Spa (from the F1 start/finish straight).
So all in all a very good season, saved a lot of money with the valve springs job, a lighter and stiffer car, and an amazing trip to Germany/Belgium!
Happy New Year guys!
Thomas
Last edited by ThomasC2; 02-08-2013 at 05:49 AM.
01-01-2011, 01:44 PM
#3
Drifting
Thread Starter
160.000 km. Everything else looked good. Some valve guides on the exhaust side were a little loose. But over all no leaks, good colour on the spark plugs etc and the engine doesn't use burn any oil at all. Maybe one litre of oil per season with mostly trackuse incl driving to track. So a top end rebuild is still some years on if nothing happens. It was therefore I thought replacing the springs could be a good "semi-step"....and it sure was!
Thomas
Thomas
01-01-2011, 03:29 PM
#4
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Thomas, excellent catch with the valve springs and a repair nicely done. Timing is everything! The valve spring appear to be hollow or is it just the picture?
I can appreciate your new tranny mount. Every now and then I get shift bind in second gear in slow corners while under load. The Wevo engine mounts make a huge difference. Perhaps its time for another upgrade.
You and the car look great on track! Thanks for sharing and Happy New Year.
Dan
I can appreciate your new tranny mount. Every now and then I get shift bind in second gear in slow corners while under load. The Wevo engine mounts make a huge difference. Perhaps its time for another upgrade.
You and the car look great on track! Thanks for sharing and Happy New Year.
Dan
01-02-2011, 05:57 AM
#6
Drifting
Thread Starter
Thanks guys!
No the spring isnt' hollow, it's just a shadow effect.
Yes, the tranny mount does its job. I already had the RS engine mounts but the combination with now three semi solid fixing points for the engine and tranny is one "level" better!
Thomas
No the spring isnt' hollow, it's just a shadow effect.
Yes, the tranny mount does its job. I already had the RS engine mounts but the combination with now three semi solid fixing points for the engine and tranny is one "level" better!
Thomas
