95_993

Listening to everyone's 0.02 on this since I have new gaskets and bolts ready to go and may tackle this weekend depending on how fast hurricane Earl gets out of here.

Slow Guy

First let me say I'm glad it's not me.
Second....

Mike J

Hmm, had never really had any problems getting the stock covers to seat, but you definitely have to be careful with the torque settings. Two usual problems : the first is not many people have a good torque wrench that can do 7 ft lbs accurately (and has been calibrated as well as stored properly) and the second is you cannot get the torque wrench at all the cover bolts unless the engine is out of the car or partially apart. So, its all by feel, the idea is to make them all uniformly tight, and just barely fully down. Its does take a while to get the feel of how tight they should be. I also lubricate the gaskets before I put them in which also seems to help.

Personally, I do not think billet covers are required unless you want the look, or alter the heat dissipation.

Cheers,

Mike

IXLR8

Mike, I used a 1/4" drive Snap-On torque wrench with a Snap-On 5mm hex-stubby 1/4" drive socket and got at all 38 upper and lower valve cover fasteners without any problem.

That is with the engine in place and the complete exhaust system off including heat exchangers (I wanted to replace all exhaust gaskets and fasteners).

Mike J

I am talking with the minimum parts removed, I think having the heat exchangers off definitely frees some room so I can see that happening....which is the comment about "partially apart". There is also have very little swing room, so I am not sure how you managed to get that nice swing for a proper torque...must be possible but I usually use my "finger-o-matics", no leaks yet (after over 5 sets done..).

Cheers,

Mike

IXLR8

Loads of room, Mike...



But if swing angle is an issue, I'll stop prior to reaching a point where static friction prevents my clicker from clicking at the value I have it set to, ratchet back and continue in the available angle...or add an extension if necessary to clear an obstruction.

Mike J

OK, I see, I usually do not strip all the tin, heat exchangers, various mounts off the car to do this...this is equivalent to what I would call "partially apart". Given I often work on other peoples cars, I want to minimize both time and risk ; undoing heat exchangers that have not been removed for 12+ years on a car with 140,000+ miles is not what I want to do given the risk of breaking a stud...so, without actually taking this these components off the car, the result can still be leak-free.

Congratulations on stripping the car to such an extent that you can access all the points you want. If I was going to spend that kind of time, I would likely support the engine while the car is on the hoist, undo the motor mounts, and lower the engine which gives even more room. Did you do that?

How about the top cover, especially around the steering pump? That one I find is problematic as well.

Cheers,

Mike


Cheers,

Mike

IXLR8

Well I wanted to take the whole exhaust system off just so that I could replace all gaskets and fasteners with new OEM parts. I noticed very slight blow-by at one of the heat exchanger/catalytic converter flanges once I had it apart.

At fifteen years and 70,000 kilometers, I also wanted to get to the fasteners that mattered before they became an issue or worse yet, a headache should a stud break. All new fasteners had anti-seize paste applied, as did the spark plugs.

Plus I couldn't handle seeing an M8 nylock nut at the heat exchanger/catalytic converter flange. Imagine...a nylock on an exhaust system...guess what was left of the nylon part of the nylock. Who installed that; some expert shop?


I had all winter to relax under the car and that is the time to do time consuming (if you do it right) stuff.

I had so much room (for a Porsche), I didn't have to do anything else, so no, I didn't lower the engine a bit.

I did have an issue removing the left side metal engine trim between the upper and lower valve covers, but came up with a few tricks. I work slow and place rags/bristol board between metal parts to prevent scratches, etc.

No issues, but I also removed the air cleaner assembly and rear blower motor/ducting to get to the top covers and clean the area which gets done first before any covers are removed.

It may have been easier due to the smaller head of the 1/4" drive torque wrench and stubby 5 mm hex socket that I was using...I can't remember now.



This was my first time working on my new-to-me 993 and there is always a learning curve, but that time was not lost as I will be replacing my ignition wires this winter and will need to remove those items again for better access. I just got my Beru crimper.

I've worked on everything from chainsaws to aircraft engines and although most of this comes natural to me, a quick glance over your DIYs with pics on your site, makes life easier. Thanks!

600RR

Mike/Alex: do (should) you always replace the crush washers when heat exchangers are removed? Even if they are (say) a year old?

600RR

I mean washers at block, gaskets at exhaust.

IXLR8

I would, but I don't believe in cutting corners.

MarkD

Curil-T is good extra insurance if you are having trouble.
Not required but makes the job more forgiving

dryadsdad

Not so much as cutting corners as foolish economy. The cost of the washers is trivial but the cost of a used one's failure is massive.

I had to laugh at myself when reading your first posts. You clearly showed the assemblies but others were saying they can't even reach the fasteners to torque them properly. I wondered how you had enough room to take pix while they couldn't reach the fasteners, but then I read what you stripped off.

Our 993 is also 15 years old and I suppose I need to do what you did. BTW, do you have a lift? I'm curious how you gained access to remove what you did.

IXLR8

Maybe I should have used my usual saying..."life is too short to have to do things over or twice in a row...do it right the first time".


I can understand it being more difficult to get to them with the heat exchangers in place, but not impossible if one has the right tools. I will stop in the middle of a job and order the right tool if I don't have it. Trying to loosen a socket head with the bit not fully inserted because it is too long...I don't have the patience for the aggravation a messed-up socket head causes.

Nope, just a Tire Rack aluminium jack and a 6X6 piece of lumber under the tire for safety reasons. A lift is about a year away.

The next time I replace my valve cover seals, I'll remove is all again. It gives you a chance to renew gaskets, fasteners, apply anti-seize compound, replace spark plugs easily, etc. and avoid snapped-off stud headaches.

BTW, removing the heat exchangers also gave me clear access to the spark plug holes which were cleaned with a test tube brush and lacquer thinner till they were like new...no carbon build-up. I do take it a bit too far.

dryadsdad

So you only add 6" to the height of the car to perform the work? That is, you jack and put the 6 x 6 under the wheels to lift the car 6" and that gives you sufficient clearance to perform this work?

I'm in philosophical agreement with you on disassembly. I'd rather spend an extra hour in dis/assembly than struggle for an extra half hour due to lack of access.

I'm a bit mixed on tools. We had a garage burglary and I lost a lifetime's worth of tools which filled two roll abouts. One with a toolchest on top. So far I've bought back about 10% of what I lost, but there is something so sad about re-buying all these things. Also I tended, like you, to buy as the demand showed.

Oh, this job demands a stubby 3/8" socket wrench so I get one, but it's the only took purchase that month. Just going out and buying w/o demonstrated need and even then....

Been over a year and I'm still angry. All the tools were engraved with name, etc but magically none have ever shown up in police seizures (of which there aren't every any).