Regulatori

I used to have a 1979 911SC Targa and that car was bulletproof. Daily drove it for 3-4 years in Seattle rain/shine without a hiccup. Think the most I spent was plug wires after noticing a miss.


I've had my 964 for about 4 months now and always felt something was wrong since the beginning but couldn't put my finger on it.

-Poor mileage. I first thought it was my FVD chip so I replace it with a Wong...same results (around 10-11mpg).

-Rattle sound like a loose valve but more erratic. This is my first 911 with headers/no cats so I figured it might just be some resonance. It was minor when I first bought the car and slowly got worse.

-The power seemed off. It was punchy at 4000rpm+ but I started noticing it wasn't pulling hard at freeway speeds. I figured it might just be in my head and another one of those instances where you think your sports/muscle car is losing power but it's actually you getting used to the speed.


So I brought it in the shop and get the news....worn left camshaft. Guess it was super worn to the point it was unusable. All of that noise was from the camshaft lobe not doing it's job. Not sure what happened but John (Walker's Workshop of Seattle) thinks it could be various reasons (oil squirter plugged, previous owner ran the car low on oil/wasn't allowing proper warm-up, etc..)

A leak down test will be performed....hopefully cam bits didn't make it into the case. I had a PPI done in a different state and the car had a low leakdown.

We were able to locate a used cam but this will be not be a cheap bill. I'm having a lot of other stuff taken care of too though like a minor oil tank leak.

I expect to keep the car for a long time so I'm not too worried. I'm just looking forward to this issue fixing all of my other issues (poor mileage, power loss, etc..)

Also wanted to put in a good word for John. My father used to work with John back in the 70s on Porsches....John's definitely very knowledgeable/honest and I'm glad there is independents like him still around.

Regulatori

Guess my thread wasn't that exciting.

Since the engine is out I'm thinking about replacing the clutch (80K on the original). Any suggestions for the most inexpensive but good setup for the street? I'm guessing just an OEM clutch...what about an online shop with the best prices?

jimq

we dont hear about many 964 engine failures so guess nobody wants to jinx themselves by commenting

911Jetta

I like your attitude...it can happen to any of us, and we all know it will be expensive, but after the pain subsides a bit we realize these cars are part of our lives and they're keepers. Then the budget goes out the window, you fix a couple extra things (while you're in there) and you just can't wait to drive it again. Can't wait to get the report when you get it back. It will be worth it!

falcor

Just started mine up yesterday after letting it sleep it's beautysleep (like it needs it?) during the winter.
We all know these cars can get expensive if something goes wrong, but once you turns the key and hear that lovely rumble....I know you are going to be smiling despite the bill being expensive...

Here's hoping for a speedy and cheaper than you expect-recovery !

sml

At least you'll have worry-free motoring after that point! That will be awesome! It's probably a good thing to get the rebuild out of the way now and then have stress-free motoring going forward.

I still worry my engine is going to explode. Should I just rebuild now then drive stress free !?

elbeee964

I wouldn't own a Porsche if its engine weren't tough, or grenaded with the frequency of other marques under track conditions.

Or, if its brakes were poop, like other marques.

Bearclaw

I would think a lobe that worn would not be doing that valve/seat much good. Hopefully you can get away without head rework? How many miles are on the engine?

You couldn't have a better man on the job than John. This is a bit of an owwie, but not like a major rebuild. Once you get this behind you, you'll have a healthy motor with more power than it's had since you've had it - and you'll have a big grin.

LastMezger

"Inexpensive 911 ownership"? Never heard of that;-)

Regulatori

When it rains, it pours.

After starting up the engine he realized the left bank wasn't getting any oil pressure....some thing is blocking a line/gallery and there is barely any oil getting to that head. He's trying to trace the blockage but it looks like he might have to split the case to get to it...which is even more $$$

The shop that originally rebuilt the motor was out of Hawaii and John's finding a lot of odd things..like weird colored sealant that he hasn't seen before. Maybe some of that got sucked into a gallery and causing the blockage. The problem only started a few weeks back so I'm glad I caught it early...it's crazy to think that bank pretty was pretty much getting minimal oil pressure.

sturm

Ouch
I can't imagine an independent Hawaiian shop having much experience with the 964 motor.
Good luck and keep us updated

'93rsa 3.8