Mr.Alex

I think the enthusiast companion is great for someone who is entirely new to the car, to get the basic gist of things and how they operate, etc.

hamah

I have both books and I enjoy Adrian's more (as previously mentioned it is more a coffee table book and an all around good read).

If you are looking for p/n's and diagrams PET is your friend. If it is procedures and how-to info you are looking for these forums and PP is the place to go. If it is specs you need the gold standard is the somewhat difficult to find and fairly expensive Porsche Technical Specifications book(let) p/n WKD 423 920. Of course superseded by Porsche factory Service Information Bulletins.

All (most?) Porsche factory documentation can be found by p/n and description here.

I guess it all depends on what you are looking for. In my case it is pretty much anything 964 related including a pretty comprehensive collection of original dealer posters, brochures, paint chip cards, dealer advertising kits, factory press kits etc. etc. (all for MY91)...call me OCD /shrug

pskirk

Hmm, maybe I should retract my comment that you're a competent mechanic. If you can't recognise a Bosch cold start bypass and it's connectors perhaps you shouldn't work on your 964's engine.

As alex asks, have you informed publisher of errors you've found?
http://www.bentleypublishers.com/feedback.htm

No offence intended, but I dislike this running down of Adrian, he has been very helpful on forums & lists and written informative books while dealing with family problems.

PS
Discover Germany Featuring Don Traver and his 964 RSA at Nurburgring
Download link: https://hotfile.com/list/2126439/7b04a2c

Sharker

Someone asked for an opinion, one was given by Metal Guru, who then backed up his opinion with facts.. He is not "running down" Adrian, he is backing up his statement. If there are glaring errors in a technical publication, then it should be noted. This is not a work of fiction. I purchased the book, but do not think I should be sending corrections to the publisher, that is what editors are for. If they want me to edit the book, they should be paying me..

As for bashing Metal Guru's mechanical abilities, well, you may want to head back to the playground..

He hooked up something incorrectly by referring to an erroneous technical manual, and should "just be able to recognize it"? Really? That is what a competant mechanic uses the manual for!

/Sigh

pskirk

Editors/proof readers are not technical experts. They mostly look for typos and grammar errors.

I stand by my comments, I know enough to overlook minor errors. Anyone working on a car as complex as a 964C4 should not be doing so if they need hand holding from a book.

Don't know your background, but if you were editing a computer tech manual and author said memory was DRAM, would you know if that was correct and it wasn't SRAM, NRAM or FlashRAM?

As for "but do not think I should be sending corrections to the publisher", if you spot them and don't that is selfish. Help others by giving feedback. If we all do we all benefit.

PS
Discover Germany Featuring Don Traver and his 964 RSA at Nurburgring
Download link: https://hotfile.com/list/2126439/7b04a2c

Sharker

if you are editing a technical manual, (and I have done plenty of technical manuals for medical devices) you better know your stuff. If the author was saying DRAM, and I did not know what it was, I would be getting someone else to edit it.

I am not saying I would not send corrections to the publisher, I am saying there should not be corrections to send.

To each his own. Need hand holding from a book? I have quite a bit of mechanical knowledge, but I am new to this car.. but I cant use a manual, I just have to know. so... unless you know how to fix a 964, you can never learn to fix a 964.. hmm, how did the first one get fixed?

pskirk

Perhaps I'm over cautious, but I believe if one can't replace timing belt/chain, clutch, cv joint, head gasket & valves on any car with only Autodata info and not needing a Haynes/Bentley or similar guide one is not qualified to maintain a 964C4

PS
Discover Germany Featuring Don Traver and his 964 RSA at Nurburgring
Download link: https://hotfile.com/list/2126439/7b04a2c

The Stig

@pskirk - 16 posts in and having a go at everyone who doesn't share your opinion or expertise. Well done.

Maybe you should read the manual on Rennlist etiquette. Oh wait...that's contrary to your ethos.

alexjc4

Can't see that he's really having a go at anyone and I don't see where 16 posts comes into it.

Clearly some people find the two books informative and entertaining, while others find the errors, especially wrt the Turbo, really infuriating. Honourable men may differ.

Personally I think Adrian's book is a pretty impressive effort, covering a wide range of topics in reasonable detail.

The first 964 was fixed by porsche trained mechanics. They really knew what they were doing. They still made mistakes. Sometimes the training was wrong. Sometimes they just messed up. They learned and moved on.

Adrian's book isn't a factory workshop manual. It would be a mistake to use it as one. For that matter neither is the Technical Data book. BTW I have submitted a suggestion for the publisher to include the TSB re the drain plug torques in future version. I doubt they will. I can live with that.

When it comes to the required level of knowledge to maintain these cars I'd note the factory manual assumes a fair amoint of previous knowledge and competence, more than some other manufacturers I've seen.

I wouldn't say I shouldn't work on any car without being fully qualified. But I just should expect to hit some bumps along the way, and with a porsche that will cost me, and when that happens it will be nobody's fault but mine. Sometimes I have the grace to admit it, other times I kick the cat, curse my cheap tools, or maybe even blame the stupid book.

pskirk

Thanks

P

Smartgroups 964 message database https://hotfile.com/list/2020739/0b1904f includes Adrian's help
Discover Germany Featuring Don Traver and his 964 RSA at Nurburgring https://hotfile.com/list/2126439/7b04a2c

The Stig

Very true.

Maybe it's my time of the month, but I interpreted the comments "Anyone working on a car as complex as a 964C4 should not be doing so if they need hand holding from a book" and "I believe if one can't replace timing belt/chain, clutch, cv joint, head gasket & valves on any car with only Autodata info and not needing a Haynes/Bentley or similar guide one is not qualified to maintain a 964C4" as having a go at those not blessed with the innate ability to fix 964s.

I found the comments dismissive and disparaging to those of us trying to learn about our cars.

Cheers for the weekend.

alexjc4

Fair enough, its a fairly strong line pskirk's taking I spose.

Metal Guru

Dude, your a jerk.
End of discussion.

pskirk

You're entitled to your opinion however rude it is.

I disagree and as I am the owner of the original John Miles 964Smartgroups DVD which I've shared I believe I'm a 964 owner's friend.

P

Smartgroups 964 message database https://hotfile.com/list/2020739/0b1904f includes Adrian's help
Discover Germany Featuring USA's Don Traver and his 964 RSA on his 18 month European tour at Nurburgring https://hotfile.com/list/2126439/7b04a2c

hamah

I meant to do this about a dozen posts ago:



Can an admin please close this thread?