968turbos2

Hey RD, go to harborfreight to get the engine support. less than 90 bucks and i can verify that it does support the engine.

I had to do the same for other reasons and really suspending the engine using the support bar is alot easier.

I first attempted to use an engine hoist but the problem with anything pneumatic is it will leak over night.

If you buy the barbor freight one, it fits right on top of the shock towers instead of where the fenders are bolted to the body. With the rubber stops on them, I have had the engine suspended for a week while I had to do some welding.

968turbos2

If you use an engine hoist you can support it using the front engine loop and not the rear as long as the motor is bolted to the torque tube. The engine support at the dealership only connects to the front loop anyway.

rdhayward

Good advice, thanks.

Back to the sources of the trouble, the motor mounts. I want to use OEM mounts, but will it be okay to save a few $$ buying a pair of good used motor mounts? Do they have to be new?

PorscheDude1

Not worth saving money on unless you want to do it again.
Of course it easier after you've done it once....

Spend the extra few bucks and buy new mounts, they're not that expensive.

rdhayward

I'm at the point where I'm about to drop the steering rack and crossmember, or figure out how to get to the oil pan without completely dropping the steering rack and crossmember.

The diagnosis so far is that the passenger-side motor mount is bad, and the BS belt slipped about 3-4 teeth on the lower shaft gear, no doubt due to my failure to check and adjust the belt tension since replacing the belt 48k miles ago. Otherwise, the Goodyear timing and BS belts were both in good shape, and I'm sure had much life left in them before I cut them for easy removal.

The driver-side motor mount is holding up ok (153k miles on the car), but the passenger-side mount is squished.

PorscheDude1, thanks for your input on the technical stuff, but I'll do my own shopping. I spent $20 for a perfectly good, used OEM motor mount.

User 41221

This probably isn't what you want to hear, but if its got 150k miles on it, I will guaranty that drivers side mount is shot as well.

Also, pulling the steering rack completely out of the way isn't much more work and will make the job a LOT easier, especially if you are doing it on jack stands. I don't know if its even possible to do the job you are about to tackle without completely removing the crossmember, and since you are going to HAVE to get an alignment once you are done, make it easier on yourself.

I'd strongly suggest you do the rod bearings at the same time, especially if you were getting some knocking noise. And I am with Porschedude, new factory mounts are the only way to go. Its your money and your car, so do what you want, but it really is good advice.

rdhayward

Thanks again for the input. I'm getting the engine support bar from Harbor Freight this afternoon.

Also, upon re-reading my previous post, I apologize for the tone. Didn't mean to sound cross, just to express that I'm on a tight budget and can't casually throw a few hundred dollars here and there into the car.

Kudos to Mike Ward (last week) for sending me the OEM oil pickup tube that was originally in his 968 race car. And Kudos to Mark Robinson (yesterday) for providing me a power steering pump and two practically-new OEM motor mounts from his 951.

And Raj, of course, for helping me cheer for Alonso!

rdhayward

Incidentally, Harbor Freight has the engine support tool on sale for $49.99. I got one yesterday and put it to immediate use. It's holding my engine in place this moment, with the crossmember/steering rack dropped.

It took me about 15 minutes to assemble the tool and set it in place. It came with two chains, and I ran these underneath each "engine carrier," the aluminum arms that attach between the block and motor mounts on either side.

RajDatta

I have a cherry picker/engine hoist, which is what I use for suspending the engine.
Raj

mikew968

Ralph

how does the p/u look?

rdhayward

Mike, you da man! I have literally just come in for a lunch break after installing the oil pickup tube you sent.

The pickup tube in my car was cracked badly, and sheered completely when I was bumping the oil pan around to remove it. I sent Raj a cell-phone pic, which hopefully he'll post later.

Both motor mounts were indeed shot. Fortunately, a fellow here in Austin named Mark Robinson provided me two from his 951, one of which was compressed a bit. I bought another one on eBay that was good. So two good mounts will go back in. Incidentally, Mark has a sweet 951 daily driver (350 bhp), as well as a pair of twin-turbo 928's (both 650 bhp, but the race car is 700 lbs lighter than his street car), and a 911 turbo (450 bhp) with over 200k miles; all guards red and exceptionally clean. He does all the work himself in a two-car garage with hydraulic lifts in either bay. Talk about a stable!

Now for the fun part on my 968: Assembly is the reverse of disassembly!

RajDatta

Not surprised. As soon as you called me about rattling noise from the top end, I knew it was from low oil pressure/air pockets in variocam oil pressure feed. And as I suggested, your lower bs pulley was off.
So I batted 1000 on this one! I am sure, she will feel a lot better when you are done.
Raj

odurandina

rod bearings yes... indeed ! [since you're down there and it is, technically time to do it, anyway]. i'm doing mine soon also.

crank bearings ummmmm. big job. if you do the crank bearings, add rings + time + $$$$$$.


and the other stuff that i'm sure it needs, would be done here: H20 pump, seals, cam chain, belts, pullies, gaskets. mounts...


adding a couple of pics of one of my favorites.



.

rdhayward

Just finished everything this evening and can't wait to test drive it tomorrow.

When I started the car, it seemed to take a long time for top-end chattering to go away, several minutes, perhaps. Are these hydraulic lifters that have to fill up with oil, or was it variocam pressure?

PorscheG96

Sounds like it was just the lifters but you could've removed the DME relay and cranked the engine for 30-60 seconds before starting it so that doesn't happen as much.