Hallsy's Heroes - 944 & S2K
Discussion
So, going into 2014 the Honda has been typically drama free, although she will soon need a new set of rear boots.
I bought some new mats from S2K Tuning as the ones in there are awful, and also wanted some of the longer ones (went for full length, one piece ones) to cover the humps that get worn when getting in/out. They're a birthday present for my other half so I won't have any pics until next week, but I must say, for what they cost I wasn't blown away with the quality. Being picky, the stitching and binding isn't the neatest in places and they are suprisingly thin with quite a cheap looking backing. They certainly look and feel cheaper than OE mats I've had (Volvo & Porsche spring to mind), but I guess they might have to be thinner to follow over the humps neatly. Others that have bought them seem happy over on S2ki, so maybe I am being a bit picky.
The 944 on the other hand, she has kept me busy!!
Since I bought the car it has had an on/off problem with water gathering in the rear footwell. I thought I had fixed this problem many times along the way (the 944 has many common water leak problems) and checked the following areas:
Sunroof seal (this was replaced before I bought the car)
Sunroof drains - running clear, no cracks
Fuel filler drain - this was detatched, I have rejoined and it is now draining OK
Hatch seal - this does leak some water over the drivers side rear seat, but only if water is sprayed at it from a hose
Tail lights - these were leaking a touch, so I have resealed
Hatch latch seals - these are leaking, I need to replace these
Now, the water does not seem to be getting the front carpet wet, is only on the passenger side, and runs from the box section just in front of the seat mounting point.
I have borrowed a pic from someone who had the same problem, but never resolved it as far as I can tell (his was drivers side, mine is passenger):
Mine appears from the arrowed area just behind where the box section meets in the inner sill.
After persistant rain (say all night), I will have water sitting in the footwell where it has ran from this point. It is not loads at one time, but when the carpets are down it will get to the point where it soaks through.
After more trial and error, I traced the issue to the bulkhead area. The interior fan blower is mounted here, with a rather flimsy cowling above it, that cracks over time allowing water to pool around the blower. I was confident it was getting in here, so I removed the flimsy cowling, repaired it and removed the blower unit to see what was going on.
There was evidence of water settling around the rear of the unit as one of the mounting bolts had corroded and hardly had a head left. Thankfully it was so rusty the head broke off as I removed it.
AHalls_20140201_0001 by Hallsy01, on Flickr
There were no obvious water marks or tracks around the sealant, but you could see water had been running into the ventilation duct:
AHalls_20140201_0002 by Hallsy01, on Flickr
A rusty stud, just the head was rusty so I needed nothing more than my fingers to remove!:
AHalls_20140201_0003 by Hallsy01, on Flickr
I stripped the blower unit down to give it a good clean up then replaced the seal. I already had some 8mm butyl tape that I had used for the rear lights, I'm not what the original size/section would have been, but one layer of 8mm seemed like it may have been a bit shallow for the rebate, so I added a second layer to be sure:
AHalls_20140202_0004 by Hallsy01, on Flickr
While I was there I added some
pollen filters (Miele motor filters that I had going spare) with a splash of my favourite after shave, lol!:
AHalls_20140202_0005 by Hallsy01, on Flickr
The repaired cowling was refitted and I was quietly confident that the leak was fixed........nope!!!
After yet more detective work I traced it to the bulkhead drain area on passenger side. This just drains down inside the wing cavity, reading around on the internet I found a couple of cases where people have removed the front wings to find corrosion around the inner wing & chassis that was allowing water ingress....
So, off with the wheel arch liner in readiness for removing the front wing. Had quick look around and all looked quite tidy, no obvious signs of corrosion. I then noticed that the seam sealer between inner wing and body had cracked right at the bottom - this has to be it!!
I have rust treated the area, etch & zinc primed, and once home from work will re-seal the joint.
I am now 99% certain this is the cause of the leak - but I've said that before, lol!
I bought some new mats from S2K Tuning as the ones in there are awful, and also wanted some of the longer ones (went for full length, one piece ones) to cover the humps that get worn when getting in/out. They're a birthday present for my other half so I won't have any pics until next week, but I must say, for what they cost I wasn't blown away with the quality. Being picky, the stitching and binding isn't the neatest in places and they are suprisingly thin with quite a cheap looking backing. They certainly look and feel cheaper than OE mats I've had (Volvo & Porsche spring to mind), but I guess they might have to be thinner to follow over the humps neatly. Others that have bought them seem happy over on S2ki, so maybe I am being a bit picky.
The 944 on the other hand, she has kept me busy!!
Since I bought the car it has had an on/off problem with water gathering in the rear footwell. I thought I had fixed this problem many times along the way (the 944 has many common water leak problems) and checked the following areas:
Sunroof seal (this was replaced before I bought the car)
Sunroof drains - running clear, no cracks
Fuel filler drain - this was detatched, I have rejoined and it is now draining OK
Hatch seal - this does leak some water over the drivers side rear seat, but only if water is sprayed at it from a hose
Tail lights - these were leaking a touch, so I have resealed
Hatch latch seals - these are leaking, I need to replace these
Now, the water does not seem to be getting the front carpet wet, is only on the passenger side, and runs from the box section just in front of the seat mounting point.
I have borrowed a pic from someone who had the same problem, but never resolved it as far as I can tell (his was drivers side, mine is passenger):
Mine appears from the arrowed area just behind where the box section meets in the inner sill.
After persistant rain (say all night), I will have water sitting in the footwell where it has ran from this point. It is not loads at one time, but when the carpets are down it will get to the point where it soaks through.
After more trial and error, I traced the issue to the bulkhead area. The interior fan blower is mounted here, with a rather flimsy cowling above it, that cracks over time allowing water to pool around the blower. I was confident it was getting in here, so I removed the flimsy cowling, repaired it and removed the blower unit to see what was going on.
There was evidence of water settling around the rear of the unit as one of the mounting bolts had corroded and hardly had a head left. Thankfully it was so rusty the head broke off as I removed it.
AHalls_20140201_0001 by Hallsy01, on Flickr
There were no obvious water marks or tracks around the sealant, but you could see water had been running into the ventilation duct:
AHalls_20140201_0002 by Hallsy01, on Flickr
A rusty stud, just the head was rusty so I needed nothing more than my fingers to remove!:
AHalls_20140201_0003 by Hallsy01, on Flickr
I stripped the blower unit down to give it a good clean up then replaced the seal. I already had some 8mm butyl tape that I had used for the rear lights, I'm not what the original size/section would have been, but one layer of 8mm seemed like it may have been a bit shallow for the rebate, so I added a second layer to be sure:
AHalls_20140202_0004 by Hallsy01, on Flickr
While I was there I added some
pollen filters (Miele motor filters that I had going spare) with a splash of my favourite after shave, lol!:AHalls_20140202_0005 by Hallsy01, on Flickr
The repaired cowling was refitted and I was quietly confident that the leak was fixed........nope!!!
After yet more detective work I traced it to the bulkhead drain area on passenger side. This just drains down inside the wing cavity, reading around on the internet I found a couple of cases where people have removed the front wings to find corrosion around the inner wing & chassis that was allowing water ingress....
So, off with the wheel arch liner in readiness for removing the front wing. Had quick look around and all looked quite tidy, no obvious signs of corrosion. I then noticed that the seam sealer between inner wing and body had cracked right at the bottom - this has to be it!!
I have rust treated the area, etch & zinc primed, and once home from work will re-seal the joint.
I am now 99% certain this is the cause of the leak - but I've said that before, lol!
I ended up sealing up the whole seam between the inner wing and door hinge support panel, I am almost certain it has to be getting in there. With the nice weather this weekend I decided to stop worrying about the leak for a few days and clean both the cars up.
I'm yet to do the hosepipe test, but after washing, the 944 was still dry inside - so fingers crossed she is now sorted!!
So with two clean cars, and a nice sunny day, it would have been rude not to go for a drive and take a few snaps!!
1988 Porsche 944S by Hallsy01, on Flickr
1988 Porsche 944S by Hallsy01, on Flickr
1988 Porsche 944S by Hallsy01, on Flickr
1988 Porsche 944S by Hallsy01, on Flickr
Honda S2000 & Porsche 944S by Hallsy01, on Flickr
I'm yet to do the hosepipe test, but after washing, the 944 was still dry inside - so fingers crossed she is now sorted!!
So with two clean cars, and a nice sunny day, it would have been rude not to go for a drive and take a few snaps!!
1988 Porsche 944S by Hallsy01, on Flickr
1988 Porsche 944S by Hallsy01, on Flickr
1988 Porsche 944S by Hallsy01, on Flickr
1988 Porsche 944S by Hallsy01, on Flickr
Honda S2000 & Porsche 944S by Hallsy01, on Flickr
...and a few more
2004 Honda S2000 by Hallsy01, on Flickr
2004 Honda S2000 by Hallsy01, on Flickr
2004 Honda S2000 by Hallsy01, on Flickr
2004 Honda S2000 by Hallsy01, on Flickr
First sunny day in a while, looking forward to the spring/summer now!!
2004 Honda S2000 by Hallsy01, on Flickr
2004 Honda S2000 by Hallsy01, on Flickr
2004 Honda S2000 by Hallsy01, on Flickr
2004 Honda S2000 by Hallsy01, on Flickr
First sunny day in a while, looking forward to the spring/summer now!!
So today I double checked the water ingress issue I had been having on the 944, and am happy to say I seem to have sorted it!!
As mentioned above, the water was pooling in the rear passenger footwell, no signs of damp from the front of the car, just appearing from the gaps beneath the seat runner mounting points.
In the end I had traced the water leak to the passenger side bulkhead drain by running a hose straight into the drain, so no water in the bulkhead area - just straight down the drain. After some minutes, the water started appearing inside the car.
After removing the arch liner this is what you have, the bulkhead drain exit is just out of shot here, but it's further up on the inner wing, and the water ends up running down the corner between the inner wing & the A pillar panel (if that's the correct terminology - the panel where the door hinge is mounted and the outer wing return bolts to):
IMG_1871 by Hallsy01, on Flickr
There is seam sealer between these two panels where they are joined, and also brushed along the seam between the a-pillar panel and the outer wing panel return. If you look a bit closer at the bottom you can see that the seam sealer has broken up:
IMG_1870 by Hallsy01, on Flickr
And there was bare metal exposed:
IMG_1873 by Hallsy01, on Flickr
So I dried this area out, treated it with some rust killer, then etch & zinc primed, before brushing this area over with seam sealer:
IMG_1874 by Hallsy01, on Flickr
Unfortunately a quick water test afterwards and I still had water getting in. Giving the whole the inner wing area a good cleanup and looking again, I could see that the seam sealer running down the inner wing had a number of cracks in it. I brushed seam sealer over this complete seam to cover any minor cracks and am now pleased to say I seem to be leak free from that area!
I left a hose running it that area for 30 mins or so, and the rear footwell stayed dry.
I still have some minor leaks around the car that I'm in the process of sorting (hatch latch seals and hatch seal), but this was the main one. With all of the heavy rain we'd been having, or a cleaning session, it would have the rear footwell soaked through.
This 944 will be watertight by the time I have finished with it!! With all of the heavy rain we had been having I was getting really annoyed with it, I can sleep easy now, lol!!
As mentioned above, the water was pooling in the rear passenger footwell, no signs of damp from the front of the car, just appearing from the gaps beneath the seat runner mounting points.
In the end I had traced the water leak to the passenger side bulkhead drain by running a hose straight into the drain, so no water in the bulkhead area - just straight down the drain. After some minutes, the water started appearing inside the car.
After removing the arch liner this is what you have, the bulkhead drain exit is just out of shot here, but it's further up on the inner wing, and the water ends up running down the corner between the inner wing & the A pillar panel (if that's the correct terminology - the panel where the door hinge is mounted and the outer wing return bolts to):
IMG_1871 by Hallsy01, on Flickr
There is seam sealer between these two panels where they are joined, and also brushed along the seam between the a-pillar panel and the outer wing panel return. If you look a bit closer at the bottom you can see that the seam sealer has broken up:
IMG_1870 by Hallsy01, on Flickr
And there was bare metal exposed:
IMG_1873 by Hallsy01, on Flickr
So I dried this area out, treated it with some rust killer, then etch & zinc primed, before brushing this area over with seam sealer:
IMG_1874 by Hallsy01, on Flickr
Unfortunately a quick water test afterwards and I still had water getting in. Giving the whole the inner wing area a good cleanup and looking again, I could see that the seam sealer running down the inner wing had a number of cracks in it. I brushed seam sealer over this complete seam to cover any minor cracks and am now pleased to say I seem to be leak free from that area!
I left a hose running it that area for 30 mins or so, and the rear footwell stayed dry.
I still have some minor leaks around the car that I'm in the process of sorting (hatch latch seals and hatch seal), but this was the main one. With all of the heavy rain we'd been having, or a cleaning session, it would have the rear footwell soaked through.
This 944 will be watertight by the time I have finished with it!! With all of the heavy rain we had been having I was getting really annoyed with it, I can sleep easy now, lol!!
Thanks 
Since I've had my 944 it has suffered from a poor cold idle (almost stalling when maneuvering, etc) but recently it started playing up when warm, and stalling in traffic. I came home to sunshine on Wednesday afternoon so decided to remove the inlet to have a good look around. Apologies for the phone pics!
I had already identified a cracked breather pipe between the AOS (air/oil separator) and inlet, so had a new one of these ready to fit. Once removed I found that the TB was quite dirty on the manifold side, and the inlet manifold runners had quite a thick coating of oily residue in the runners. The injectors were very stubborn, but once removed it gave me a chance to give the inlet a good clean, as well as the TB.
Inlet & TB cleanup by Hallsy01, on Flickr
Inlet & TB cleanup by Hallsy01, on Flickr
I had also tested the TPS, the idle switch was working fine, but it seemed that the WOT switch was not. However, after removing the cover I found that both switches were in fact working OK, so either it had miraculously cured itself, or I had slipped with my meter probes!! I did find that the throttle stop was not actually contacting the throttle arm and the plate would bind a little when closed. I adjusted the throttle stop until it just contacted the closed plate, and then wound it on another 1/4 turn. Re-adjusted the idle switch and the TB was good to go.
I then pressure tested the intake pipework (had to get inventive with the bungs!) and found it was holding pressure fine at 5psi, so in terms of vacuum, it should be OK:
20140228_093945 by Hallsy01, on Flickr
The small more pipework that runs under the IM tested OK as well, but I replaced the elbows & T-pieces anyway while I had the opportunity.
The ISV (Idle Stabiliser Valve) was fairly dirty inside, so I cleaned that up and tested operation - all OK. Also replaced the ISV mounts.
The AFM had had the wiper arm moved before, but I still wanted to give it a proper bench test. The voltage output was nice and smooth, and the air temp sensor resistance was within spec:
20140227_122014 by Hallsy01, on Flickr
While I had access I also tested the knock sensors and DME temp sensor, again, resistance was within spec for both.
The AOS seals are a common leak point, and sure enough, mine were showing signs of leakage with oil around the ports. Once removed it I had some cleaning up to do!
944 AOS Clean by Hallsy01, on Flickr
944 AOS Clean by Hallsy01, on Flickr
Now nice and clean (apart from some staining), lid seal was greased, port seals were replaced. I also fitted a new oil filler cap:
944 AOS Clean by Hallsy01, on Flickr
Today I put it all back on the car with a new inlet manifold gasket. First start up and the idle still sounded a little rough, maybe there is still a problem, or maybe it was down to the initial lack of fuel and DME reset. Once on the road there was a big improvement, part throttle and overrun was much improved. Previously the car felt like it had too much engine braking on overrun (or a bit like the handbrake was sticking), now it feels much better. Feels a little more free revving as well, and pulls well up top. Once warm the idle was spot on, it would quickly return to ~1000rpm before gently dropping to ~800rpm.
I'm not sure whether the DME would have gone through any adaption process as I only had time for a quick 15 minute drive, but will give the car a good run tomorrow and have a better idea of whether the cold idle is improved.
Hopefully it's not placebo effect, lol!!
Since I've had my 944 it has suffered from a poor cold idle (almost stalling when maneuvering, etc) but recently it started playing up when warm, and stalling in traffic. I came home to sunshine on Wednesday afternoon so decided to remove the inlet to have a good look around. Apologies for the phone pics!
I had already identified a cracked breather pipe between the AOS (air/oil separator) and inlet, so had a new one of these ready to fit. Once removed I found that the TB was quite dirty on the manifold side, and the inlet manifold runners had quite a thick coating of oily residue in the runners. The injectors were very stubborn, but once removed it gave me a chance to give the inlet a good clean, as well as the TB.
Inlet & TB cleanup by Hallsy01, on Flickr
Inlet & TB cleanup by Hallsy01, on Flickr
I had also tested the TPS, the idle switch was working fine, but it seemed that the WOT switch was not. However, after removing the cover I found that both switches were in fact working OK, so either it had miraculously cured itself, or I had slipped with my meter probes!! I did find that the throttle stop was not actually contacting the throttle arm and the plate would bind a little when closed. I adjusted the throttle stop until it just contacted the closed plate, and then wound it on another 1/4 turn. Re-adjusted the idle switch and the TB was good to go.
I then pressure tested the intake pipework (had to get inventive with the bungs!) and found it was holding pressure fine at 5psi, so in terms of vacuum, it should be OK:
20140228_093945 by Hallsy01, on Flickr
The small more pipework that runs under the IM tested OK as well, but I replaced the elbows & T-pieces anyway while I had the opportunity.
The ISV (Idle Stabiliser Valve) was fairly dirty inside, so I cleaned that up and tested operation - all OK. Also replaced the ISV mounts.
The AFM had had the wiper arm moved before, but I still wanted to give it a proper bench test. The voltage output was nice and smooth, and the air temp sensor resistance was within spec:
20140227_122014 by Hallsy01, on Flickr
While I had access I also tested the knock sensors and DME temp sensor, again, resistance was within spec for both.
The AOS seals are a common leak point, and sure enough, mine were showing signs of leakage with oil around the ports. Once removed it I had some cleaning up to do!
944 AOS Clean by Hallsy01, on Flickr
944 AOS Clean by Hallsy01, on Flickr
Now nice and clean (apart from some staining), lid seal was greased, port seals were replaced. I also fitted a new oil filler cap:
944 AOS Clean by Hallsy01, on Flickr
Today I put it all back on the car with a new inlet manifold gasket. First start up and the idle still sounded a little rough, maybe there is still a problem, or maybe it was down to the initial lack of fuel and DME reset. Once on the road there was a big improvement, part throttle and overrun was much improved. Previously the car felt like it had too much engine braking on overrun (or a bit like the handbrake was sticking), now it feels much better. Feels a little more free revving as well, and pulls well up top. Once warm the idle was spot on, it would quickly return to ~1000rpm before gently dropping to ~800rpm.
I'm not sure whether the DME would have gone through any adaption process as I only had time for a quick 15 minute drive, but will give the car a good run tomorrow and have a better idea of whether the cold idle is improved.
Hopefully it's not placebo effect, lol!!
Edited by Hallsy01 on Sunday 2nd March 18:43
Well, I've given the 944 a good run since the work above, as before, part throttle and general stop/start traffic type driving is much improved, and once even a little warm the car quickly returns to idle, almost like it hits 1000rpm then gently damps to 800rpm.
Unfortunately it still stumbles from cold, it holds idle OK, but as you are on/off the throttle it will struggle to hold it at 800rpm and start surging a bit. However, it does improve within a couple of miles so all is not lost!
I went over to see a local chap that has a 944 S just like mine (except in black!) as he offered to lend me a set of HT leads to eliminate them from the problem list. Even once warm and idling steady you can still see the odd hiccup from mine, but his engine after a few seconds of starting is nice and steady - no vibrations or stumbling - so at least I know it's not a case of 'they all do that sir'!
Next on the list is to check the ignition side of things thoroughly. Should really get the interior back together as well, I think the passenger seat in the spare room is wearing thin with the other half, lol!
Unfortunately it still stumbles from cold, it holds idle OK, but as you are on/off the throttle it will struggle to hold it at 800rpm and start surging a bit. However, it does improve within a couple of miles so all is not lost!
I went over to see a local chap that has a 944 S just like mine (except in black!) as he offered to lend me a set of HT leads to eliminate them from the problem list. Even once warm and idling steady you can still see the odd hiccup from mine, but his engine after a few seconds of starting is nice and steady - no vibrations or stumbling - so at least I know it's not a case of 'they all do that sir'!
Next on the list is to check the ignition side of things thoroughly. Should really get the interior back together as well, I think the passenger seat in the spare room is wearing thin with the other half, lol!
Well - as before, both cars have been plodding along fairly drama free.
New boots for the S2k - went for Goodyear F1 Asymmetric 2's, so far they seem great, not driven it in the rain myself though - either way, they will be far better than the Maragoni's that were on the rear before!!
As for the 944, still haven't solved the stumble at idle - maybe I am looking for something that isn't there, as I have replaced plugs, swapped leads, rotor/dizzy are as new, plugs correct colour, fuel pressure OK. I replaced the DME temp sensor just in case, but no change, and the old one was within spec when I bench tested it. Tbh, on the open road it drives A1, it's just in stop/start traffic, on/off throttle at low revs the little stimble is noticeable. Outside chance it is down to worn engine mounts, I know they need doing as the exhaust is very close to touching the steering shaft - so these are one of my next jobs - shame they are pretty pricey and not the nicest of jobs!
Another possibility is that the Bosch M2.1 DME needs an idle/system adaptation running (I have heard of many 964's with same DME having similar issues that is fixed by running adaptation) - the 16V cars have a different diagnostic connector to the 8V cars, and information on a diag lead is thin on the ground. After about of digging around though, I managed to make one up that should work..
944 Work Pics by Hallsy01, on Flickr
Quickly tried it with my OBDII tool, I knew it wouldn't work as Torque doesn't use the correct protocols, but it at least checks it powers up OK before I plug it into my friends expensive Bosch interface, and fire up the Porsche PIWIS software...
944 Work Pics by Hallsy01, on Flickr
Hopefully get over to my friends garage after Le Mans.
In other news, one of the rear calipers stuck on as I got to work today - I noticed it had been dragging over the weekend, but didn't get chance to have a proper look today, other than working the piston and lubricating the sliders.
Nevermind, that's a job for next week, refurb the rear calipers!
New boots for the S2k - went for Goodyear F1 Asymmetric 2's, so far they seem great, not driven it in the rain myself though - either way, they will be far better than the Maragoni's that were on the rear before!!
As for the 944, still haven't solved the stumble at idle - maybe I am looking for something that isn't there, as I have replaced plugs, swapped leads, rotor/dizzy are as new, plugs correct colour, fuel pressure OK. I replaced the DME temp sensor just in case, but no change, and the old one was within spec when I bench tested it. Tbh, on the open road it drives A1, it's just in stop/start traffic, on/off throttle at low revs the little stimble is noticeable. Outside chance it is down to worn engine mounts, I know they need doing as the exhaust is very close to touching the steering shaft - so these are one of my next jobs - shame they are pretty pricey and not the nicest of jobs!
Another possibility is that the Bosch M2.1 DME needs an idle/system adaptation running (I have heard of many 964's with same DME having similar issues that is fixed by running adaptation) - the 16V cars have a different diagnostic connector to the 8V cars, and information on a diag lead is thin on the ground. After about of digging around though, I managed to make one up that should work..
944 Work Pics by Hallsy01, on FlickrQuickly tried it with my OBDII tool, I knew it wouldn't work as Torque doesn't use the correct protocols, but it at least checks it powers up OK before I plug it into my friends expensive Bosch interface, and fire up the Porsche PIWIS software...
944 Work Pics by Hallsy01, on FlickrHopefully get over to my friends garage after Le Mans.
In other news, one of the rear calipers stuck on as I got to work today - I noticed it had been dragging over the weekend, but didn't get chance to have a proper look today, other than working the piston and lubricating the sliders.
Nevermind, that's a job for next week, refurb the rear calipers!
And then there were two.....
I had decided that I was going to keep an eye out for a sensibly priced Turbo, and had enquired into a few, with a deal almost set - when one a fair bit closer to came popped up for sale. So a couple of weeks ago I went down to London to take a look and a deal was struck on my second 944, a 1987 Turbo in Diamond Blue metallic - bought from a Tipec forum member. All went well, and car was as described - she survived a trip home from rush hour London on the hottest day of the year, and tomorrow she will be loaded up ready for a weekend away camping down on the Jurassic coastline.
Managed to get a few photos today (needed some for insurance agreed value submission), so thought I'd share them...
'87 Porsche 944 Turbo by Hallsy01, on Flickr
'87 Porsche 944 Turbo by Hallsy01, on Flickr
'87 Porsche 944 Turbo by Hallsy01, on Flickr
'87 Porsche 944 Turbo by Hallsy01, on Flickr
'87 Porsche 944 Turbo by Hallsy01, on Flickr
So far I'm pretty happy with the car mechanically. The sellers indy suggested that one of the front shocks needed replacing, so I will have a proper look as soon as possible - but certainly on the road, it's not immediately obvious that anything is wrong.
Cosmetically it needs the passenger wing & lower rear quarter sorting, a dent in the sill and rear panel repainting (some minor rust around tail light) - as well as the awful non original rear Porsche sticker replacing.
I'm going to take it over to a friend of mine who has a spray booth to have a chat about what the plan of action will be. Being fussy, the front bumper has a few marks, and the bonnet has some bird poo etching - so possible it may end up getting a full repaint, but the wing & rear panel are priority for now. The rear rubbing strip has been painted body colour, then black again - but I have picked up a good used original one today to replace it.
First little job I did was to swap the Becker DTM over from my S, a Becker just suits the 944 interior so well imo. That lead onto a bit of cable tidying, but I still have some redundant alarm wiring to remove as well. Next interior job will be to investigate the aircon, as it doesn't work. I suspect the aircon side is non operative due to loss of gas, but before I get to that, the normal climate control is not working correctly. Looking at the servo's for temp control under the dash, when the temperature knob is turned, there is no movement - it is always on cold (or maybe almost fully cold), not the classic stuck on hot!! If I press the quick demist button, the servo moves to full hot, so that works OK - maybe there is a fault with the temperature control pot, or maybe the interior sensor. Will have to have a better look.
As for the drive, it feels good to be back in a turbo car again, I'd missed the satisfying surge you get from forced induction. Driving my S and the Turbo back to back, it's hard to judge one against the other - they are just different, and both have their merits. The Turbo is quicker, and for my driving style, easier to make progress - but where the Turbo is stiffer and corners a lot flatter, that little bit of extra give that the S has, almost makes it feel a little lighter on it's wheels somehow. I will certainly get to know the Turbo a lot better over the weekend, as I have a few miles to cover!
Early days yet, but so far - I'm very happy
As for the S2000, that is still plodding along doing what it does best!! Great this time of year especially!! Next on the list for that is gearbox & diff oil replacement - that and an alignment check I keep promising. Nothing out of the ordinary, but it does feel like it needs too much correction over rough roads - but some say that is just how an S2000 is. I now when I was test driving them, I certainly encountered cars that were far twitchier - so maybe there is nothing wrong, but I'd stil like to take down to someone like CoG anyway for peace of mind. Best start bathing the adjusters in Plus Gas then!!
I had decided that I was going to keep an eye out for a sensibly priced Turbo, and had enquired into a few, with a deal almost set - when one a fair bit closer to came popped up for sale. So a couple of weeks ago I went down to London to take a look and a deal was struck on my second 944, a 1987 Turbo in Diamond Blue metallic - bought from a Tipec forum member. All went well, and car was as described - she survived a trip home from rush hour London on the hottest day of the year, and tomorrow she will be loaded up ready for a weekend away camping down on the Jurassic coastline.
Managed to get a few photos today (needed some for insurance agreed value submission), so thought I'd share them...
'87 Porsche 944 Turbo by Hallsy01, on Flickr'87 Porsche 944 Turbo by Hallsy01, on Flickr'87 Porsche 944 Turbo by Hallsy01, on Flickr'87 Porsche 944 Turbo by Hallsy01, on Flickr'87 Porsche 944 Turbo by Hallsy01, on FlickrSo far I'm pretty happy with the car mechanically. The sellers indy suggested that one of the front shocks needed replacing, so I will have a proper look as soon as possible - but certainly on the road, it's not immediately obvious that anything is wrong.
Cosmetically it needs the passenger wing & lower rear quarter sorting, a dent in the sill and rear panel repainting (some minor rust around tail light) - as well as the awful non original rear Porsche sticker replacing.
I'm going to take it over to a friend of mine who has a spray booth to have a chat about what the plan of action will be. Being fussy, the front bumper has a few marks, and the bonnet has some bird poo etching - so possible it may end up getting a full repaint, but the wing & rear panel are priority for now. The rear rubbing strip has been painted body colour, then black again - but I have picked up a good used original one today to replace it.
First little job I did was to swap the Becker DTM over from my S, a Becker just suits the 944 interior so well imo. That lead onto a bit of cable tidying, but I still have some redundant alarm wiring to remove as well. Next interior job will be to investigate the aircon, as it doesn't work. I suspect the aircon side is non operative due to loss of gas, but before I get to that, the normal climate control is not working correctly. Looking at the servo's for temp control under the dash, when the temperature knob is turned, there is no movement - it is always on cold (or maybe almost fully cold), not the classic stuck on hot!! If I press the quick demist button, the servo moves to full hot, so that works OK - maybe there is a fault with the temperature control pot, or maybe the interior sensor. Will have to have a better look.
As for the drive, it feels good to be back in a turbo car again, I'd missed the satisfying surge you get from forced induction. Driving my S and the Turbo back to back, it's hard to judge one against the other - they are just different, and both have their merits. The Turbo is quicker, and for my driving style, easier to make progress - but where the Turbo is stiffer and corners a lot flatter, that little bit of extra give that the S has, almost makes it feel a little lighter on it's wheels somehow. I will certainly get to know the Turbo a lot better over the weekend, as I have a few miles to cover!
Early days yet, but so far - I'm very happy
As for the S2000, that is still plodding along doing what it does best!! Great this time of year especially!! Next on the list for that is gearbox & diff oil replacement - that and an alignment check I keep promising. Nothing out of the ordinary, but it does feel like it needs too much correction over rough roads - but some say that is just how an S2000 is. I now when I was test driving them, I certainly encountered cars that were far twitchier - so maybe there is nothing wrong, but I'd stil like to take down to someone like CoG anyway for peace of mind. Best start bathing the adjusters in Plus Gas then!!
Well, the Turbo got it's first proper run out this weekend with a 500 mile trip to Osmington and back for a bit of camping!
Just enough room for all our stuff....and a space for the dog!!
20140731_164149 by Hallsy01, on Flickr
She didn't miss a beat there and back, only slight annoyance was smell of exhaust fumes with windows/sunroof open, so getting dragged in somewhere. Real hatch seal is new but could be that the hatch pins need adjusting, that or the inner rubber boot on gearstick is another place to check.
With the dog in the car it was a steady cruise, but amazingly I got almost 500 miles to the tank which equated to 34.2 mpg!! Amazing!!
Will be interesting to see what it manages with shorter, more spirited journeys!!
Just enough room for all our stuff....and a space for the dog!!
20140731_164149 by Hallsy01, on Flickr
She didn't miss a beat there and back, only slight annoyance was smell of exhaust fumes with windows/sunroof open, so getting dragged in somewhere. Real hatch seal is new but could be that the hatch pins need adjusting, that or the inner rubber boot on gearstick is another place to check.
With the dog in the car it was a steady cruise, but amazingly I got almost 500 miles to the tank which equated to 34.2 mpg!! Amazing!!
Will be interesting to see what it manages with shorter, more spirited journeys!!
Thanks
They are not too bad to work on in my opinion, most jobs are relatively simple, just some jobs are time consuming due to access or the amount of bits that need removing.
I recently replaced the engine mounts on my red S, in simple terms it is a case of removing the front arb, loosening the bolts on the crossmember and undoing the three fixings per rubber, then wiggling them out, and wiggling new ones in. In reality, it took me about 8 hours under a ramp!! Just because it is awkward, and typically the bolts that are awkward to get to will be seized and need cutting off!!
But the workshop manuals are available, there is a great resource called Clarks garage online, and also lots of info on Tipec or PCGB forums.
There are a few jobs that are expensive due to parts & labour (such as clutch), but quite often the parts prices are reasonable. Obviously, tin worm is a concern, but imo, if you're handy with the grinder/welder, it's not too bad if nipped in the bud early. Although there are cars out there that have needed extensive welding once you start prodding!!
I'd say if you want one, now is a time to look out for a good one as there seem to be less for sale than a couple of years ago, and the prices are starting to firm up a little.
They are not too bad to work on in my opinion, most jobs are relatively simple, just some jobs are time consuming due to access or the amount of bits that need removing.
I recently replaced the engine mounts on my red S, in simple terms it is a case of removing the front arb, loosening the bolts on the crossmember and undoing the three fixings per rubber, then wiggling them out, and wiggling new ones in. In reality, it took me about 8 hours under a ramp!! Just because it is awkward, and typically the bolts that are awkward to get to will be seized and need cutting off!!
But the workshop manuals are available, there is a great resource called Clarks garage online, and also lots of info on Tipec or PCGB forums.
There are a few jobs that are expensive due to parts & labour (such as clutch), but quite often the parts prices are reasonable. Obviously, tin worm is a concern, but imo, if you're handy with the grinder/welder, it's not too bad if nipped in the bud early. Although there are cars out there that have needed extensive welding once you start prodding!!
I'd say if you want one, now is a time to look out for a good one as there seem to be less for sale than a couple of years ago, and the prices are starting to firm up a little.
Lovely Turbo! still pine for mine! They are so practical too, I could take my mountain bike with me when I dropped my daughter off for Hockey Goalie practice to ride around Grafham Water whilst I waited.
Some jobs are very easy on them as they are basically a 1970's design and it is mostly very well engineered, my lad was 8 when I had mine and would enjoy helping out on some jobs, he could change the pads himself once I got the car in the air. There are some simple/cheap jobs that make a massive impact to the driving experience, re-bushing the Anti-Roll bars and replacing the gearstick were two I did on mine
8 year old mechanic does my Brakes....
...and ARB Bushes
Difference between worn and new gear lever:
£38 and 25 minutes to do, all from inside the car - makes a massive difference to gear-change tightness and feel
Some jobs are very easy on them as they are basically a 1970's design and it is mostly very well engineered, my lad was 8 when I had mine and would enjoy helping out on some jobs, he could change the pads himself once I got the car in the air. There are some simple/cheap jobs that make a massive impact to the driving experience, re-bushing the Anti-Roll bars and replacing the gearstick were two I did on mine
8 year old mechanic does my Brakes....
...and ARB Bushes
Difference between worn and new gear lever:
£38 and 25 minutes to do, all from inside the car - makes a massive difference to gear-change tightness and feel
I bet you miss it FA!! Simon has it now, is that right?
You're right, a lot of the jobs are just standard nuts & bolts jobs - even the awkward ones are just that, time consuming or awkward for access.
Luckilly the Turbo has had a lot of mechanical attention in the last few years, but there are still a few areas I need to look at. Gearshift, as you mention, is one arear - it's fine, but it could be tighter. Brakes are another, they work fine, but squeal like mad - could be a sign of plate lift I guess. Possible I need to get the m030 front struts rebuilt as well, the PO's indy suggested that one was a little softer than the other, and possibly leaking. I am yet to get it up in the air and have a proper look, but after 600 miles of use, I can't really notice it. Although I've not had it out and pushed really hard yet, the journey home was in heavy traffic on a very hot day, so I was just happy to get home without any overheating issues! Then the weekend jaunt was a cruise down the motorways really.
Must get out and give it a good shakedown!!
You're right, a lot of the jobs are just standard nuts & bolts jobs - even the awkward ones are just that, time consuming or awkward for access.
Luckilly the Turbo has had a lot of mechanical attention in the last few years, but there are still a few areas I need to look at. Gearshift, as you mention, is one arear - it's fine, but it could be tighter. Brakes are another, they work fine, but squeal like mad - could be a sign of plate lift I guess. Possible I need to get the m030 front struts rebuilt as well, the PO's indy suggested that one was a little softer than the other, and possibly leaking. I am yet to get it up in the air and have a proper look, but after 600 miles of use, I can't really notice it. Although I've not had it out and pushed really hard yet, the journey home was in heavy traffic on a very hot day, so I was just happy to get home without any overheating issues! Then the weekend jaunt was a cruise down the motorways really.
Must get out and give it a good shakedown!!
Yes, Simon has custody of the old girl now, I let her go at 231,000 miles and I believe she is still going strong!
I bought her at 194,000 miles and she had been driven and maintained properly through her life and I had a lot less work to do on her than when I got my garage Queen 968 and started using that in anger and had a constant stream of bearings, disks and other little jobs to sort out - I had just about done that (£2k of work) when the unfortunate accident happened
I bought her at 194,000 miles and she had been driven and maintained properly through her life and I had a lot less work to do on her than when I got my garage Queen 968 and started using that in anger and had a constant stream of bearings, disks and other little jobs to sort out - I had just about done that (£2k of work) when the unfortunate accident happened
Been a little while - so time for a few little updates - nothing too exciting - I'll split my posts into three!!
So, for my red 944 S - after the Turbo purchase I really couldn't merit keeping two 944's, so I had to put this one up for sale.
Before I did this I had had a feeling that the engine mounts were past their best, so decided to replace both of them. Thankfully I had the use of a friends ramp at his garage, and even then it took me the best part of a full day, lol!! Access is pretty tight, and you can always guarantee when you can just about get to a bolt, with 1/16 of a turn on a spanner, it will be rusted solid!! Even then, once your old collapsed mounts are out wiggled out, the new, taller ones seem like they will never get into place!! Anyway - it was done, and the car felt a bit better off/on throttle for it.
With that, the car was given a good clean inside & out, polished, photgraphed and put up for sale. Oh, and given another oil service.
I had had some interest, but a few time wasters also. As the MOT was due mid December, I thought for peace of mind, I would get the car freshly MOT'd.
Sadly, the MOT inspector managed to prod a hole through the nearside outer sill - I was quite surpised as when I last had it up on a ramp, then underside looked pretty good, better than some other road going 944's anyway, but it's his job to prod & pick.
A few pictures:
Nearside -
NS1 by Hallsy01, on Flickr
NS2 by Hallsy01, on Flickr
NS3 by Hallsy01, on Flickr
NS4 by Hallsy01, on Flickr
NS5 by Hallsy01, on Flickr
NS6 by Hallsy01, on Flickr
NS7 by Hallsy01, on Flickr
NS8 by Hallsy01, on Flickr
Offside -
OS1 by Hallsy01, on Flickr
OS2 by Hallsy01, on Flickr
OS3 by Hallsy01, on Flickr
OS4 by Hallsy01, on Flickr
OS5 by Hallsy01, on Flickr
OS6 by Hallsy01, on Flickr
OS7 by Hallsy01, on Flickr
It's not too bad, the inside of the rear sill section looks solid when viewed through the B pillar vent - so I'd imagine it will just need some localised repairs rather than a complete sill - but of course, you can't tell until you start cutting away. Sadly I have no time to do the work at the moment, so asked a friend who runs a Porsche/VAG specialist to help me out - he gave me a reasonable quote to repair & paint, but to add insult to injury, I nackered my shoulder this weekend so have not been able to drive all week to get the car over to him!!
With that in mind, and the fact that after a week off I'm still struggling to lift my left arm, I have now amended my advert with a reduced price to account for the repair work. Looking on the gov site it says that even after a failed MOT, the existing MOT's expiry date is still valid, but if the car is unroadworthy, you could be prosecuted if the police pulled you up. Sounds contradictory!!
So for now, she is tucked up in the garage again. Had a couple of people interested at the new price, but no firm bites yet!
So, for my red 944 S - after the Turbo purchase I really couldn't merit keeping two 944's, so I had to put this one up for sale.
Before I did this I had had a feeling that the engine mounts were past their best, so decided to replace both of them. Thankfully I had the use of a friends ramp at his garage, and even then it took me the best part of a full day, lol!! Access is pretty tight, and you can always guarantee when you can just about get to a bolt, with 1/16 of a turn on a spanner, it will be rusted solid!! Even then, once your old collapsed mounts are out wiggled out, the new, taller ones seem like they will never get into place!! Anyway - it was done, and the car felt a bit better off/on throttle for it.
With that, the car was given a good clean inside & out, polished, photgraphed and put up for sale. Oh, and given another oil service.
I had had some interest, but a few time wasters also. As the MOT was due mid December, I thought for peace of mind, I would get the car freshly MOT'd.
Sadly, the MOT inspector managed to prod a hole through the nearside outer sill - I was quite surpised as when I last had it up on a ramp, then underside looked pretty good, better than some other road going 944's anyway, but it's his job to prod & pick.
A few pictures:
Nearside -
NS1 by Hallsy01, on FlickrNS2 by Hallsy01, on FlickrNS3 by Hallsy01, on FlickrNS4 by Hallsy01, on FlickrNS5 by Hallsy01, on FlickrNS6 by Hallsy01, on FlickrNS7 by Hallsy01, on FlickrNS8 by Hallsy01, on FlickrOffside -
OS1 by Hallsy01, on FlickrOS2 by Hallsy01, on FlickrOS3 by Hallsy01, on FlickrOS4 by Hallsy01, on FlickrOS5 by Hallsy01, on FlickrOS6 by Hallsy01, on FlickrOS7 by Hallsy01, on FlickrIt's not too bad, the inside of the rear sill section looks solid when viewed through the B pillar vent - so I'd imagine it will just need some localised repairs rather than a complete sill - but of course, you can't tell until you start cutting away. Sadly I have no time to do the work at the moment, so asked a friend who runs a Porsche/VAG specialist to help me out - he gave me a reasonable quote to repair & paint, but to add insult to injury, I nackered my shoulder this weekend so have not been able to drive all week to get the car over to him!!
With that in mind, and the fact that after a week off I'm still struggling to lift my left arm, I have now amended my advert with a reduced price to account for the repair work. Looking on the gov site it says that even after a failed MOT, the existing MOT's expiry date is still valid, but if the car is unroadworthy, you could be prosecuted if the police pulled you up. Sounds contradictory!!
So for now, she is tucked up in the garage again. Had a couple of people interested at the new price, but no firm bites yet!
As for my Turbo, that has been pretty reliable - I say pretty reliable........
the day I bought the car it was one of the hottest days of the year, and I had to drive through central London back to Suffolk. I stopped part way at a service station and when I went back to it, it wouldn't start!! After leaving it a while, it started up, so I just put it down to the heat and it never did it again.....
...until a few weeks ago, when out shopping with the other half - it did it again, and then again, and again - until it got harder and harder to start. The last time it played up, I noticed that the boost gauge was reading vacuum, then it shot to midway on the gauge - sure enough the car started. So I was pretty sure it was the DME relay, common fault on a 944.
Fast forward to the day after and we'd had an SOS call from my dad who had walked from town to ours as he had took my brothers 9-3 out (with a know battery fault) to get a new battery........without his phone!! No prizes for guessing why he had walked 30 minutes to mine!! He got some stick for that.
Well, later that day I was doing the oil service on my red 944 and couldn't get the filter off by hand, so went to borrow my dad's three prong filter tool. I didn't walk, I didn't take my phone....no, I took my iffy 944 Turbo! Needless to say I got stranded as well, lol! Luckilly my dad was passing and pulled over to give me a lift to his. Bridging the DME relay contacts proved it was at fault, and I got the car back home. So a new DME relay was ordered from ECP for around £30, new Porsche part number and half the price that OPC were asking!!
Other than that, I gave the Turbo an oil service also. Oil pressure is good, but it does use a little oil, so I decided to ditch the Mobil S 10w40 and try something thicker. Have gone with Total Quartz Racing 10w50 - so far oil pressure seems a little better, but too early to say whether consumption is reduced.
Other annoyances include a noise from the transmission with the clutch out at idle, I assumed it was clutch release bearing (clutch was replaced not long ago, but can't assume bearing was), but I guess it could well be the TT bearings, so will have to have a better listen from underneath. Only really does it at idle.
Then I seem to have a rattle at idle from the rear of the car, clutch in or out - no matter. It seems to be getting a little worse, and from having a good listen in the back of the car, I think it is the exhaust blowing a bit - yet sounds more like a rattle inside the car!! Something else to look at when I can !!
the day I bought the car it was one of the hottest days of the year, and I had to drive through central London back to Suffolk. I stopped part way at a service station and when I went back to it, it wouldn't start!! After leaving it a while, it started up, so I just put it down to the heat and it never did it again.....
...until a few weeks ago, when out shopping with the other half - it did it again, and then again, and again - until it got harder and harder to start. The last time it played up, I noticed that the boost gauge was reading vacuum, then it shot to midway on the gauge - sure enough the car started. So I was pretty sure it was the DME relay, common fault on a 944.
Fast forward to the day after and we'd had an SOS call from my dad who had walked from town to ours as he had took my brothers 9-3 out (with a know battery fault) to get a new battery........without his phone!! No prizes for guessing why he had walked 30 minutes to mine!! He got some stick for that.
Well, later that day I was doing the oil service on my red 944 and couldn't get the filter off by hand, so went to borrow my dad's three prong filter tool. I didn't walk, I didn't take my phone....no, I took my iffy 944 Turbo! Needless to say I got stranded as well, lol! Luckilly my dad was passing and pulled over to give me a lift to his. Bridging the DME relay contacts proved it was at fault, and I got the car back home. So a new DME relay was ordered from ECP for around £30, new Porsche part number and half the price that OPC were asking!!
Other than that, I gave the Turbo an oil service also. Oil pressure is good, but it does use a little oil, so I decided to ditch the Mobil S 10w40 and try something thicker. Have gone with Total Quartz Racing 10w50 - so far oil pressure seems a little better, but too early to say whether consumption is reduced.
Other annoyances include a noise from the transmission with the clutch out at idle, I assumed it was clutch release bearing (clutch was replaced not long ago, but can't assume bearing was), but I guess it could well be the TT bearings, so will have to have a better listen from underneath. Only really does it at idle.
Then I seem to have a rattle at idle from the rear of the car, clutch in or out - no matter. It seems to be getting a little worse, and from having a good listen in the back of the car, I think it is the exhaust blowing a bit - yet sounds more like a rattle inside the car!! Something else to look at when I can !!
And for the S2000 I have a really boring update, but it may of interest to other S2k owners.
In Feb I bought some new mats from a trader on S2ki, I must admit, when they came through the post I was a little disappointed in what my £80 had bought me. The carpet was very thin, and the back looked very cheap, but they were a good fit. Thing is, a set of OE mats for a 944 are similar price, but the quality is night and day different.
Anyway, my other half was moaning that within a few months they were getting ruined and they were, so decided I needed to fit the orginal mat anchors.
In fairness, they did move around far too much without:
20140831_163325 by Hallsy01, on Flickr
So I had spoken to my local Honda dealer about getting some mat anchors, but they do seem next to useless, often not returning calls and being left with the phone ringing.
Whilst cleaning some crap out of the boot one day, what did I spy?? Some OE floor anchors!! A little bent up, but I managed to straighten them.
Much better:
20140831_170746 by Hallsy01, on Flickr
And they have stayed in place ever since!! I will say though, in hindsight I would pay the extra for proper OE ones, as they seem much better quality, even if they are double the price.
After that, I turned my attention to a minor corrosion issue.
When we bought the S2000 last year, it had a small scab on the offside arch and I had read that the arch lip protectors can cause some rust, not to mention the fact I had seen far worse - so I wasn't too worried at the time, but it was now time to take a better look.
For anyone unfamiliar, Honda use a protective strip on the rear arches:
S2000 rear arches by Hallsy01, on Flickr
These are great, providing the arches are kept clean, and the strips are removed occasionally, to be cleaned & greased. If you don't, they will likely corrode.
This is the offside:
S2000 rear arches by Hallsy01, on Flickr
and underneath the protective strip it looked a bit worse:
S2000 rear arches by Hallsy01, on Flickr
So for now it has been rust treated, and when I get the time and can keep it in the dry for a little while, it will be better dealth with and painted.
Weird thing is, I looked at the nearside arch and it was pristine!
S2000 rear arches by Hallsy01, on Flickr
Now, as I had had a clean around under the arches, I noticed that the seam sealer was different from side to side. The offside, that had the rust, has clearly had some extra non OE sealer added, as it's a bit messy:
S2000 rear arches by Hallsy01, on Flickr
Yet on the clean, nearside, the seam sealer stops short of the lip:
S2000 rear arches by Hallsy01, on Flickr
S2000 rear arches by Hallsy01, on Flickr
So, it got me wondering - is either side correct? If so, why did Honda only seam seal part of the inner arch?? With the relatively clean inner and outer arch lip on the nearside, it got me wondering whether the arch skin had been replaced, and not fully seam sealed afterwards.
I'm guessing with the offside, the extra seam sealer is where someone previously has tried to clean up a bit of corrosion - so look forward to seeing what's underneath that, lol!!
So does anyone know what the factory seam sealer was like on these? Is the nearside arch as it left the factory??
Once my 944 S has been sold, that will give us room to fit a winter/dump run/daily driver estate on the drive, so my other half will be able to use that and I will take the time to clean up and protect both rear arches. I'm hoping I can touch in the little scab that is not covered by the strip, and wet flat/polish, rather than repainting the complete quarter, but we will see.
Need to get this bloody shoulder sorted first!!
In Feb I bought some new mats from a trader on S2ki, I must admit, when they came through the post I was a little disappointed in what my £80 had bought me. The carpet was very thin, and the back looked very cheap, but they were a good fit. Thing is, a set of OE mats for a 944 are similar price, but the quality is night and day different.
Anyway, my other half was moaning that within a few months they were getting ruined and they were, so decided I needed to fit the orginal mat anchors.
In fairness, they did move around far too much without:
20140831_163325 by Hallsy01, on FlickrSo I had spoken to my local Honda dealer about getting some mat anchors, but they do seem next to useless, often not returning calls and being left with the phone ringing.
Whilst cleaning some crap out of the boot one day, what did I spy?? Some OE floor anchors!! A little bent up, but I managed to straighten them.
Much better:
20140831_170746 by Hallsy01, on FlickrAnd they have stayed in place ever since!! I will say though, in hindsight I would pay the extra for proper OE ones, as they seem much better quality, even if they are double the price.
After that, I turned my attention to a minor corrosion issue.
When we bought the S2000 last year, it had a small scab on the offside arch and I had read that the arch lip protectors can cause some rust, not to mention the fact I had seen far worse - so I wasn't too worried at the time, but it was now time to take a better look.
For anyone unfamiliar, Honda use a protective strip on the rear arches:
S2000 rear arches by Hallsy01, on FlickrThese are great, providing the arches are kept clean, and the strips are removed occasionally, to be cleaned & greased. If you don't, they will likely corrode.
This is the offside:
S2000 rear arches by Hallsy01, on Flickrand underneath the protective strip it looked a bit worse:
S2000 rear arches by Hallsy01, on FlickrSo for now it has been rust treated, and when I get the time and can keep it in the dry for a little while, it will be better dealth with and painted.
Weird thing is, I looked at the nearside arch and it was pristine!
S2000 rear arches by Hallsy01, on FlickrNow, as I had had a clean around under the arches, I noticed that the seam sealer was different from side to side. The offside, that had the rust, has clearly had some extra non OE sealer added, as it's a bit messy:
S2000 rear arches by Hallsy01, on FlickrYet on the clean, nearside, the seam sealer stops short of the lip:
S2000 rear arches by Hallsy01, on FlickrS2000 rear arches by Hallsy01, on FlickrSo, it got me wondering - is either side correct? If so, why did Honda only seam seal part of the inner arch?? With the relatively clean inner and outer arch lip on the nearside, it got me wondering whether the arch skin had been replaced, and not fully seam sealed afterwards.
I'm guessing with the offside, the extra seam sealer is where someone previously has tried to clean up a bit of corrosion - so look forward to seeing what's underneath that, lol!!
So does anyone know what the factory seam sealer was like on these? Is the nearside arch as it left the factory??
Once my 944 S has been sold, that will give us room to fit a winter/dump run/daily driver estate on the drive, so my other half will be able to use that and I will take the time to clean up and protect both rear arches. I'm hoping I can touch in the little scab that is not covered by the strip, and wet flat/polish, rather than repainting the complete quarter, but we will see.
Need to get this bloody shoulder sorted first!!
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