GuyMonnin

According to some on this thread and many on this forum, a PPI is useful but a couple thousand or a couple hundred miles later...$14,000 rebuild...ten thousand miles later, another rebuild.

How many miles on the odo before your first $10k or more "refreshing." I expected the myth, bullet proof. I got the reality, a quart of oil on the wrong side of the gaskets (or lack there of). I am happy and can live enthusiastically in that new found knowledge, but I refuse to not blindly call a spade a spade. I expected more. So should you from a premium builder. I now know what this builder is REALY capable of (continues in 993/996 major engineering issues - 997 to be determined - hope all is good after 50-years of the flat six + boxer/cayman engine meltdowns). It's all good but I have found a new sense of pride in the corvette, mustang, cts v etc.

clutch-monkey

three years since purchase and i'm still counting..

GuyMonnin

Great! I hope after the rebuild that will be my experience here also. Trust me, if it is I will be just if not more vocal to a new poster like me who is shocked at the apparent lack of solid engineering in previous an late model Porsches. Like every one said, I went in blindly thinking they were well sorted and bullet proof and I should have done more research and got a ppi.

Amber Gramps

When are you going to get past the engineering and realize that the previous owner and his mechanic are to blame for the condition of your engine?

The term "well sorted" applies to individual cars, not the entire fleet. Some 911's are drivers that are driven by idiots, and some are concourse queens that are spared no expense.

Please just ask yourself honestly the following question:

Was epoxy on the original build sheet?

clutch-monkey

should be.. my three years of ownership has involved track days every second month and some long trips on top of normal driving.
that's not counting how the previous owner used the car..



..so after your rebuild, if you keep proper maintenance (which it sounds like previous owner did not?) you'll be set for many joyful years of happy motoring.

yes. they are well sorted so long as they are reasonably maintained, as with any car.

The Flying Dutchman

Guy Monnin despite some arguable actions here, I really feel sorry for the money you have to throw in the money pit for you new hobby. It is a huge amount to put in at the beginning, all in once.

However if it is rebuild by a reputable mechanic to almost new (do not forget to get it documented woth pictures and receipts like the bookkeeping of a Nasdaq listed company), you could even tune it a little bit here and there (if you dare after all this) if you are concerned with 335's passing you by. If it is well rebuild you can drive it like you stole it for at least the next 10-15 years (after warming it up decently every time) and will give you enough passion in return.

I hope you and your Porsche can start building on your relationship, after all this heavy relationship trouble at the beginning.

Silvertarga

Guym...get a Harley...probably the worlds most respected motorcycle) you wont have to worry about oil leaks

Jim Richards

Guy, your rants about Porsche's lack of solid engineering are a pity. You seemed to be blinded by your own, individual misfortune. Porsche wins reliability awards, they are perennially one of the most durable long distance racers, and they probably have the highest percentage (relative to number of cars sold) of vehicles still on the road that are twenty, thirty, and even fourty years old. How many thirtysomething year old cars do you see driving cross country and back? Read the forums (esp. Pelican Parts) and you'll see it happens all the time. If you look at Mercedes, BMW, Audi, etc., you will find that Porsche's are more reliable. Ferraris cannot compare to Porsches. And the air-cooled Porsches are really easy to work on for the DiY mechanic. I don't have water-cooled experience so I won't make too broad a statement. Except for machine shop service to support an engine rebuild I did on my old 73 911, and corner balance & alignments for the track, I did all the maintenance on that car. That engine rebuild was when the car was thirty years old, a bit tired, and I planned on upgrading the engine from 2.4L to 2.7L RS-specs for my use on the track. After a few years on the track, I drove that car cross country and back with my wife and only had problems with my crappy R-compound tires and a right chainbox oil leak. Not bad for an at the time 34 year old car. I'm on my third 911 and hope to always have one.

964s do have some issues in the early years of production. Many of these pre-92 cars have been taken care of, but not all. You bought a limited production, exotic sports car from a seller who did not care for it as he should have, in spite of the receipts you have from him. My 18 year old 964 has/had a couple of issues that should have been addressed by its enthusiast previous owner if he knew as much as he should have. He was very **** about care and maintenance of the car, just what you hope for in a previous owner, but he wasn't as knowledgable as he should have been. Instead, I have been knocking out these problems he missed attending to one at a time myself. Your car's previous owner appears to have used a mechanic that isn't all that good. That was also the case for my car's previous owner and his shop. When I was buying my car, I talked to the mechanic and it was obvious to me that he should have been working on Chevys or Hondas instead. He seemed to me to alternate between clueless and somewhat apathetic about the needs of the car. You will have to find the most competent shops in your area to maintain the car, which I can imagine is more challenging in the smaller markets like where you live.

Good luck, become more knowledgable, and enjoy the rest of your Porsche experience.

PNine64

Until someone like Dale from Euroclassics or Yuri from the Garaj takes a look at this car I remain suspect. If the Foreign Exchange maintained this as had been stated in your for sale feeler then people should know what they are capable of...if they aren't then say, "maintenance performed by random and untrained mechanics". You realize you might already be able to start giving back the the board by helping steer people away from folks willing to do a hack job on a pcar...or in turn someone who has done well for you.

GuyMonnin

Hi Jim. I know I sound like sour grapes but I CAN NOT WAIT to get this car back and head for the twisties. I love it. My 68-miles kind of unfolded like this:

Car interior smelled bad but I initially thought it was "normal" (it was the oil leak on HVAC baffle).
After warm up, I put the car through some brisk driving and was impressed by the steady torque always pulling.
Seats were so comfortable
Chasis was SOLID, moved as one part
LOVED the sound of the flat six at startup - It sounds mean, mechanical, I love it. It makes this car special.
Then, the heat blowing into the cab - then the smell...bad. My wife and I were very dissapointed.
Drove the car to the shop early in the morning and the HVAC problem quit for some reason (probably because I was taking it to the shop). This was about a 15-mile early morning drive and I fell in love...
The more I drove it, the more I like it.

Now, I am glad that I am doing the right thing by my porsche - making it right and making it mine o mine.

I am getting new cylinders and pistons (kind that accept the gasket - $ ouch, ubber expensive), lwfl + clutch (it has a new clutch but apparently this won't work with a LWFW). I am going to try to sort the HVAC ducting myself after reading some threads (foot well area seems to be the problem).

I am gettting a new one piece german canvas top and installing a Sparco Ring steering wheel (leather, not alcantra). Top and Sparco this week.

Some day, I would love to do a fabspeed exhaust.

At the end of the day, it is a sports car and most certainly, a hobby. I am a car guy but I'm not a mechanic. For the sake of saving money and really rolling up my sleaves on MY CAR, I am going to get some proper tools and try to take car of minor issues as they come up on my own...and major as time allows.

I'm glad I'm a porsche owner.

Very Glad.

johnsjmc

I looked at this thread when it started and now again after it has cooled down under a new title. I now see the early cylinders without gaskets is part or perhaps most of the oil leak repair. If you haven,t spent a pile of money already on dismantling it .Here,s what I would do .I would find and install a newer 964 motor. There is one in the classified section now BUT it has the aluminum intake and is a leaker like yours. You want one with the plastic intake.. You would get the newer cylinders and chances are good it will come with a servicable flywheel. Re use your low mileage clutch Even though I would do the Lw flywheel on a 993 I would hesitate on a 964. The 964 will likely have a stalling issue with a LWF.It requires a new chip to help but not always eliminate the stalling. More money.. Then part out your existing motor.The crankcase and heads etc are worth lots as parts. You should be able to get away with only $3-5000 net not $14K plus. Bare in mind that estimates of $14 for an engine rebuild tend to go up from there rarely down. I see $5-7 for a low miles later motor less $ 2-3 for sale of core parts plus re&re labour(10-12 hrs)
And by the way my 993 has 110000 mi on it and doesn,t burn a drop of oil and never leaks enough to spot the floor. .I am a retired licensed mechanic in Canada if my engine croaked I would likely look at a used motor as completly rebuilding these motors is very very expensive for parts and machine shop labour. They are also labour intensive for just assembly. I have done top ends on these and can get away around $3000 parts plus labour of about 25 hours. but usually want to go further just because I am in there.

Greg964

I have had enough of this. You made a mistake (a very expensive one)by ignoring rule #1 to get the PPI. You did zero research prior to jumping into Porsche ownership. Deal with the consequences like a man and stop the silly Porsche bashing. You sound like a 16 year old. Maybe you are 16?

KaiB

Congratulations on a rebuild (if the right shop does it, you haven't asked here yet).

But...don't come back bitching abut the LWF. I, for one, am convinced you don't want one.

Shamus964

+1

Porsche964FP

Guy what shop are you using for the rebuild????

Why have you as of yet not told us???