Wtromb

I've owned a 1986 Carrera Cab with 21,000 original miles, today we became a two Porsche family. I just purchased a 1994 968 Cab with 28,000 original miles, and this car I intend to drive. I'm sure this question has been asked a hundred times, but when would you replace the balance shaft belts, water pump etc.

I use to work for a Volkswagen/ Porsche dealer in the 70's, but the 968 is a new gig to me. Do any of you do it yourselfers do the cam belts, water pump etc. Any other problem areas I shoud be aware of? I've seen a lot of 968's with high millage so the must be pretty reliable.

Thanks for the help!

flash968

the manual calls for inspection at 30k and replacement at 60k - that being said, there is also a fairly high failure rate of the belts due to age alone - my balance belt was dried and crumbled in the bottom of the cover at 27k

if they have never been changed - DO IT - personally, i would change every part in that area including the water pump every time i am in there - the parts are cheap, but the labor is a drag

there is a really good set of pictures and step by step out there - do a search

like with any car, others issues you can expect are also time related, and not just mileage dependent, and if the parts have never been changed, will need it soon, if not already (things like accessory belts, hoses, shocks and struts) - make sure the hydraulics are in good shape - carefully inspect the flexible hoses for any signs of cracking or wear - flush and bleed the brake and clutch systems if it hasn't been done in the last 2 yrs

if it's a manual, you can expect to hear a lot about pinion bearings

BruceWard

The belts are due at or before 60K/8 years. I would change it soon.

There is a PDF with instructions at http://www.968s.com/DIYPDF/belts.pdf

This thread contains the story of my belt change http://65.61.16.109/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=6860

User 41221

From my experience, I wouldn't be in too big a hurry to swap the water pump when doing the belts. Its an upgraded design over the 944/951 and seems to last quite a bit longer than the earlier design. Belts and rollers are a must, tho, and I am highly suspicious of the hydraulic belt tensioner (I've now seen 3 of them fail prematurely, altho none of the failures resulted in the loss of a timing belt). The spring tensioner from the '87 and later 951's is a much better set up, in my opinion. Its a pretty easy job for a DIY'er to tackle a belt job over a weekend, working slowly and making sure you are doing it right, and you are liable to do a better job yourself than most shops. If you are paying someone to do the work, then you might want to do the water pump at the same time so that you don't have to worry about going back in afterwards for a good while.

Be sure to pop the valve cover and check the cam gears/teeth and variocam tensioner/pads for wear, as thats been an area for concern for a few too many people to take any chances with. You probably also have heard about the ring and pinion problems for the 6 speed trannys, but aside from those issues, these are remarkably durable cars and I am confident you will be very happy with it if its maintained properly.

Regards,

RajDatta

I 2nd the waterpump notion. You probably don't need to change it for a while. These are very easy to do jobs and you have plenty of help here. Let us know what you need a writeup on and between myself a few others, we will take care of it. Also, if you ever get stuck, take some of the phone numbers down and you are welcome to call any of us.
Raj

flash968

i guess that depends on how much down time you are prepared to have to go through - for me, i would rather spend the 200 bucks and change it while i'm in there than have at least another day or two down, have to wait for parts again, and go through the whole mess, just because i was too cheap to change one silly part while i was in there anyway

i really don't want to spend any more time under the hood than is absolutely necessary - i would prefer to be driving and not wrenching - if i can spare myself a lost day or two for a simple outlay of 200 bucks, man i can't get the money out of my wallet fast enough

BruceWard

Flash,

The water pumps on 968s are not prone to failure as the 944s are. If you want to change it as insurance against failure please do so. Personally I will stick with whats working. I will inspect and consider changing mine around 120K.

I hope that Wtromb does not every hear his pinion bearing!

flash968

i'm certainly not saying that the pumps are porne to failure, though i'm not sure why the 944 pump would be if it is the same casting and only an impeller difference - i have a 944 pump in mine right now - the mechanic who put it in apparantly swiped my brand new 968 pump and stuck this one in instead - works fine, but i will change it when i am in there doing the belts again

it's purely a time thing for me - i don't just arbitrarily change stuff because i can - i only do it if it is a minimal cost like this one, and can save me huge amounts of time later - i would test it and not change it if there was any real way to do that - you could "give it a twist", but to really check it, you would have to remove and really look at it and see if there is any potential for impending failure, so, at that point, you might as well change it out

pure ecomomics is my reasoning - time is far more costly than parts

Wtromb

Thanks everyone for all of the great responses! I'm going to have the belts done this week. The 968 is a Tip so I won't have to worry about the pinion sound. Quite a contrast from my 86 Cab, but I love the car!

User 41221

Too bad you aren't a bit closer, I'd invite you over to do it at our wrenching party this weekend. Let me rephrase that... if you want to come down to KC, we'll have a KCWS wrench party and we'll git 'r' done!

Do you ever make it to the Chicago beer nights? If so, tell Oliver I said "howdy!".

Regards,

User 41221

I just caught what Flash just said... if that happened, I would be EXTREMELY pi$$ed off, and that is just one more reason why I try to do as much of my own work as possible.

Regards,

richard glickel

Hey Wtromb,

Who was the "Wheaton Ice Man"?

Richard
'87 Carrera 3.6L - widebody
'93 968 M030 coupe track car

P.S.: Congrats on the 968 & welcome.

Wtromb

Thanks for the invite to KC! I can't beleive that I'm going to whimp out and let the local Porsche dealer do the belts. The wife is dropping it off tomorrow. I find it amazing how much faster the 6 speed is than the trip, but I really like the 968. I actually bought a new 2001 Honda S2000, fun car but I'm a big guy, so I traded for a 2003 Acura TLS. Reliable fast car, but I hated it! Dumped the Acura, and bought the 968, and I think I'm going to be real happy. I can't beleive how well it handles and how comfortable it is, and I really love the look.

Wheaton Ice Man? Got me on that one? Wheaton has a car show on Friday nights, now and then I bring my 1986 Cab, and open the engine lid. I get a big laugh out of the reactions I get. Anybody interested it would be nice to have a big Porsche turn out. I think the public is sick of looking at the same Corvettes you would see on any Chevy lot.

Thanks again for the warm welcome!

Bill

1986 Carrera Cab
1994 968 Cab

NeedPorscheSpeed

wtromb,

Welcome to the 968 fold! I bought my first one in June, a 1993 Amazon Green Tiptronic Coupe. I flew to Colorado to get it, and when I got her home, my dad liked it so much, I sold it to him and began searching for another one. I now own a 1992 Black 6-spd, and again, I'm loving every minute behind the wheel. Yes, it is a bit quicker, but the Tip is a very special car, too! It becomes even more special during heavy traffic, doesn't it?! I'll bet you drop the top as often as you can, aye? Like you, my father loves the handling of his new toy and has so much fun in it. He now thoroughly enjoys his daily commute. My mission was accomplished!

Jonathan

richard glickel

Bill,

Sports trivia - Harold "Red" Grange, known as the "Galloping Ghost", was perhaps the greatest football player of the "Golden Age" of sport. Playing for the University of Illinois in 1924 against Michigan Grange gave one of the best single game performances by any football player EVER. Grange scored five touchdowns (3 in the first 12 minutes of the game) and passed for another. One amazing aspect of Grange's performance was that up 'til that game, Michigan's defense had only allowed a total of 4 touchdowns over the preceding two years!

Grange signed to play professional football with George Halas's Chicago Bears which gave instant credibility to the then fledgling NFL - and the rest, as they say, is history. Grange was one of the initial inductees to the pro football Hall of Fame.

Anyway, Red Grange went to high school in Wheaton, where he grew up, and while in school he worked delivering ice, hence his other nick name - "The Wheaton Ice Man".

Richard