Hallsy's Heroes - 944 & S2K
Discussion
Thought I'd put a post up about our most recent additions.
A couple of months back Mrs Hallsy decided she fancied a new car, and it was to be a roadster. I already had a Roadster, my Eunos, but I had that for a few years so decided I would let her go to make way for something else.
After consdidering the usual suspects (NC MX5, Boxster, Z4 & S2000) we settled on an S2000. Finding the right one wasn't easy, especially as my other half was fond of the Nurburgring blue, but not the blue interior!! After viewing a few that failed to live up to their adverts (with one highly regarded Merc dealer being the worst), we stumbled upon one just up the road (comparatively) - in the right colour, facelift, good history - but, it had the blue interior. By this time my other half had decided to look past this (I offered to swap it out for her to black), but once viewed and bought, it was no longer a problem. It definitely grows on you, and now I'd pretty much say I prefer it to the more run of the mill black interior. It's certainly not as bright as it often looks in the pics.
Since buying her we've been very busy and have just got back from a holiday, so I've not had much chance to snap any pics other than this one:
2004 Honda S2000 by Hallsy01, on Flickr
So far we've both been very happy with her. I think the facelift looks great and love how the dash is simple but driver focused. It's surprising how big the car is considering it's lack of space inside, parking in our garage takes some gymnastics to get in & out!!
This is my first VTEC and after a number of turbo and larger capacity cars I was worried about the lack of torque. IMO this is hugely exagerrated, for normal day to day driving, these engines pulls just as well as any other 2.0 petrol N/A engine from low down - but when you want to press on, yes, you need to be starting at around 5k. That's the only thing that catches me out coming from a turbo (my old Newage Impreza for example), where you could short shift 1st to 2nd, then still get a nice surge from low down - with the VTEC it just feels like a really long 2nd gear if you short shift from 1st!
I've not really pushed the handling yet (my other half uses it as her daily driver so I've only really driven it a handful of times), early impressions are that is doesn't give anywhere near the feedback that the Eunos did, which gives a little less confidence, but it does feel like it had plenty of grip. It does seem to move around more mid corner with throttle than other cars I've had, but this could be down to the average rear tyres (due to be replaced), after which I will get the geometry checked.
Don't have any immediate plans for the car other than fluid replacement (engine, gearbox & diff), a set of rear tyres and some new mats! The clutch release bearing is a bit noisy, so I will factor in for a clutch at some point, although the clutch feels fine in operation. Just need to get out and drive....enoying what's left of the summer!
Before we bought the S2k I had already sold my Impreza to help fund it. I loved the car, and pretty much regretted it as it drove up the road - but with them being plentiful I knew I could always go back. By the time the S2k was bought we had sold out 330ci and the Eunos as well, so for a little while I was on my push bike!! I had said we wouldn't go back to three cars, so I had to find a practical performance car that was a bit nicer inside than the Impreza. A B5 S4 Avant was on the cards, but in the back of my mind the 944 kept chirping away. I had fancied one for years and always said when the Eunos went, I would buy one. But two rwd sports cars, not the most practical - especially come winter time.
But after a month or so of looking around and seeing very few S4's I fancied (or them all being in Scotland!!) I started looking at 944's again! I didn't have enough left in the kitty for a good Turbo, so from that point on I decided I would be happy with any model, as long as it was a nice straight example.
So on Friday I bought this lovely 1988 944S in the fastest colour, Guards Red. Since I've had her home it has been miserable, so all I have managed is a quick wash and a compromised pic from my driveway:
1988 Porsche 944S by Hallsy01, on Flickr
And a quick snap of the Porsche script handles which please me
944S Porsche Script by Hallsy01, on Flickr
Back in the day I always said I'd buy an 'S' as I always liked an underdog. I had a good look around a PCGB members S that is in great condition, and he took me for a spin - maybe they do lack a little in the lower revs, but once wound up they still pull nicely.
Mine has a Promax chip fitted and feels like it maybe pulls better still, but difficult to tell. It certainly revs well once you pass 3.5k.
Future plans for this one include replacing the cam chain slipper pads and checking the chain for peace of mind, then I'll probably turn my attention to the suspension. The car rides and turns in nicely, but does feel a little soft at times, maybe a little vague - as if the dampers could do with replacing, maybe some of the bushes also. Will probably go with a subtle drop in ride height as well. I've been advised 968 caster mounts are worthwhile, especially with the 17's. I'm not 100% on the wheels, I'm considering going back to some D90's, but they can stay for a while yet.
Other than that, I have a small amount of water ingress to sort out, and some of the headlining could do with replacing - and I'm itching to give the slightly faded Guards Red a proper polish - just need to wait for the rain to clear!!
No doubt there will be lots of bits & bobs to attend to with the 944 as I get to know it better, but that's par for the course for an older car, but on the whole I consider this one to be a nice one!!
Thanks for reading
A couple of months back Mrs Hallsy decided she fancied a new car, and it was to be a roadster. I already had a Roadster, my Eunos, but I had that for a few years so decided I would let her go to make way for something else.
After consdidering the usual suspects (NC MX5, Boxster, Z4 & S2000) we settled on an S2000. Finding the right one wasn't easy, especially as my other half was fond of the Nurburgring blue, but not the blue interior!! After viewing a few that failed to live up to their adverts (with one highly regarded Merc dealer being the worst), we stumbled upon one just up the road (comparatively) - in the right colour, facelift, good history - but, it had the blue interior. By this time my other half had decided to look past this (I offered to swap it out for her to black), but once viewed and bought, it was no longer a problem. It definitely grows on you, and now I'd pretty much say I prefer it to the more run of the mill black interior. It's certainly not as bright as it often looks in the pics.
Since buying her we've been very busy and have just got back from a holiday, so I've not had much chance to snap any pics other than this one:
2004 Honda S2000 by Hallsy01, on Flickr
So far we've both been very happy with her. I think the facelift looks great and love how the dash is simple but driver focused. It's surprising how big the car is considering it's lack of space inside, parking in our garage takes some gymnastics to get in & out!!
This is my first VTEC and after a number of turbo and larger capacity cars I was worried about the lack of torque. IMO this is hugely exagerrated, for normal day to day driving, these engines pulls just as well as any other 2.0 petrol N/A engine from low down - but when you want to press on, yes, you need to be starting at around 5k. That's the only thing that catches me out coming from a turbo (my old Newage Impreza for example), where you could short shift 1st to 2nd, then still get a nice surge from low down - with the VTEC it just feels like a really long 2nd gear if you short shift from 1st!
I've not really pushed the handling yet (my other half uses it as her daily driver so I've only really driven it a handful of times), early impressions are that is doesn't give anywhere near the feedback that the Eunos did, which gives a little less confidence, but it does feel like it had plenty of grip. It does seem to move around more mid corner with throttle than other cars I've had, but this could be down to the average rear tyres (due to be replaced), after which I will get the geometry checked.
Don't have any immediate plans for the car other than fluid replacement (engine, gearbox & diff), a set of rear tyres and some new mats! The clutch release bearing is a bit noisy, so I will factor in for a clutch at some point, although the clutch feels fine in operation. Just need to get out and drive....enoying what's left of the summer!
Before we bought the S2k I had already sold my Impreza to help fund it. I loved the car, and pretty much regretted it as it drove up the road - but with them being plentiful I knew I could always go back. By the time the S2k was bought we had sold out 330ci and the Eunos as well, so for a little while I was on my push bike!! I had said we wouldn't go back to three cars, so I had to find a practical performance car that was a bit nicer inside than the Impreza. A B5 S4 Avant was on the cards, but in the back of my mind the 944 kept chirping away. I had fancied one for years and always said when the Eunos went, I would buy one. But two rwd sports cars, not the most practical - especially come winter time.
But after a month or so of looking around and seeing very few S4's I fancied (or them all being in Scotland!!) I started looking at 944's again! I didn't have enough left in the kitty for a good Turbo, so from that point on I decided I would be happy with any model, as long as it was a nice straight example.
So on Friday I bought this lovely 1988 944S in the fastest colour, Guards Red. Since I've had her home it has been miserable, so all I have managed is a quick wash and a compromised pic from my driveway:
1988 Porsche 944S by Hallsy01, on Flickr
And a quick snap of the Porsche script handles which please me
944S Porsche Script by Hallsy01, on Flickr
Back in the day I always said I'd buy an 'S' as I always liked an underdog. I had a good look around a PCGB members S that is in great condition, and he took me for a spin - maybe they do lack a little in the lower revs, but once wound up they still pull nicely.
Mine has a Promax chip fitted and feels like it maybe pulls better still, but difficult to tell. It certainly revs well once you pass 3.5k.
Future plans for this one include replacing the cam chain slipper pads and checking the chain for peace of mind, then I'll probably turn my attention to the suspension. The car rides and turns in nicely, but does feel a little soft at times, maybe a little vague - as if the dampers could do with replacing, maybe some of the bushes also. Will probably go with a subtle drop in ride height as well. I've been advised 968 caster mounts are worthwhile, especially with the 17's. I'm not 100% on the wheels, I'm considering going back to some D90's, but they can stay for a while yet.
Other than that, I have a small amount of water ingress to sort out, and some of the headlining could do with replacing - and I'm itching to give the slightly faded Guards Red a proper polish - just need to wait for the rain to clear!!
No doubt there will be lots of bits & bobs to attend to with the 944 as I get to know it better, but that's par for the course for an older car, but on the whole I consider this one to be a nice one!!
Thanks for reading
Thanks Ved!!
It's a 1988 944S 2.5 16v, 128k, 6 previous owners iirc. Full porsche/indy history up to around 100k, then lots of receipts for regular maintenance after then. Standard car other than a Promax chip and the Boxster wheels.
I bought it from a PCGB member who hadn't really advertised. He had it up for £2700 but offered it to me for £2300, which is what I paid. I felt it was a good price as generally it was in very good condition, history good and things like belts were up to date - the amount of 944's out there being sold with 10 year old belts is unbelievable!
I looked at a lower mileage 2.7 with full porsche history before this one and it felt nowhere near as tight (and this one can be improved upon I'm sure). I also had a good look around a very well maintained S from a PCGB member not far from me, so I had an idea of what to look for!
Inner sills look pretty good, one side has been repaired previously, and the other side shows some minor bubbling, but these will get nipped in the bud sooner rather than later.
The photo is kind to the paint, it is good, but up close you can see that it's faded a bit, so when I get chance I'll machine polish the car and do my best to protect it from the sun!!
It's a 1988 944S 2.5 16v, 128k, 6 previous owners iirc. Full porsche/indy history up to around 100k, then lots of receipts for regular maintenance after then. Standard car other than a Promax chip and the Boxster wheels.
I bought it from a PCGB member who hadn't really advertised. He had it up for £2700 but offered it to me for £2300, which is what I paid. I felt it was a good price as generally it was in very good condition, history good and things like belts were up to date - the amount of 944's out there being sold with 10 year old belts is unbelievable!
I looked at a lower mileage 2.7 with full porsche history before this one and it felt nowhere near as tight (and this one can be improved upon I'm sure). I also had a good look around a very well maintained S from a PCGB member not far from me, so I had an idea of what to look for!
Inner sills look pretty good, one side has been repaired previously, and the other side shows some minor bubbling, but these will get nipped in the bud sooner rather than later.
The photo is kind to the paint, it is good, but up close you can see that it's faded a bit, so when I get chance I'll machine polish the car and do my best to protect it from the sun!!
Thanks! The red looks better in the photos than in the flesh, hence me wanting to cut the paint, but it's not anywhere near bad enough to call it Guards Pink yet!!
Ved - it was really a matter of right place at the right time, I'd been looking around for a while, been to view a couple then stumbled across this one quite locally via PCGB. The seller just wanted to recoup some of his ownership costs (he'd spent £2k in 4 years, which is pretty good imo) and wanted it to go to an enthusiast - which I am!!
I'd like to get to a PH meet, I'll check it out!
Ved - it was really a matter of right place at the right time, I'd been looking around for a while, been to view a couple then stumbled across this one quite locally via PCGB. The seller just wanted to recoup some of his ownership costs (he'd spent £2k in 4 years, which is pretty good imo) and wanted it to go to an enthusiast - which I am!!
I'd like to get to a PH meet, I'll check it out!
Certainly the previous owner didn't have the geometry checked, and I have no records for it.
When I was looking you would find that not many peeople had had it checked, unless a petrolhead or enthusiast - and lets be honest, a fair proportion of S2K's were bought by people who wanted a nice looking soft top!
I'll get it checked and if it's out and the adjustments are siezed I'll try my luck at plus gassing for a week, but if not I'll bite the bullet and replace whatever needs doing. Need to find someone a reputable geo/suspension specialist in the South East really. CG always get a good rep, but they are some distance from me.
As for the 944, I had a little bit of water getting in, finding it's way to the rear passenger footwell. So I stripped the carpets & seats out and got my other half to run a hose over the car. Usual suspects are windscreen/scuttle, rear quarter glass, sunroof seals/drains, rear lights or rear hatch. Funnily enough mine seems to be coming in on passenger side of rear hatch seal. Seems like the seal has grown a little and also the vinyl headliner that tucks underneath is a little messy which allows the water to run in under the headlining. I've silicone greased it for now as I suspect it was getting wet from washing rather than rain (it was only really coming in with quite a bit of hose pressure/flow), but will fit a new hatch seal soon.
While I had the interior out I took the oppurtunity to give the carpets, etc a good clean. Also fitted a nice Becker DTM High Speed headunit, had a Becker in my Eunos and love the understated looks and quality sound/build. Looks great in the 944. Rather than putting the GPS antenna up on the dash, I have hidden it inside the dash, on top of the glovebox, so will be interesting to see how well it picks the GPS satelites up.
Other than that I am waiting on service bits from Berlyn Services, and I also have a pair of cam chain slipper pads on order so I can replace those for peace of mind.
After that I want to spend some time/money on the suspension - 968 caster blocks, maybe new bushes & balljoints if worn, and new dampers/springs. Hopefully this will help to sharpen the handling up a little.
When I was looking you would find that not many peeople had had it checked, unless a petrolhead or enthusiast - and lets be honest, a fair proportion of S2K's were bought by people who wanted a nice looking soft top!
I'll get it checked and if it's out and the adjustments are siezed I'll try my luck at plus gassing for a week, but if not I'll bite the bullet and replace whatever needs doing. Need to find someone a reputable geo/suspension specialist in the South East really. CG always get a good rep, but they are some distance from me.
As for the 944, I had a little bit of water getting in, finding it's way to the rear passenger footwell. So I stripped the carpets & seats out and got my other half to run a hose over the car. Usual suspects are windscreen/scuttle, rear quarter glass, sunroof seals/drains, rear lights or rear hatch. Funnily enough mine seems to be coming in on passenger side of rear hatch seal. Seems like the seal has grown a little and also the vinyl headliner that tucks underneath is a little messy which allows the water to run in under the headlining. I've silicone greased it for now as I suspect it was getting wet from washing rather than rain (it was only really coming in with quite a bit of hose pressure/flow), but will fit a new hatch seal soon.
While I had the interior out I took the oppurtunity to give the carpets, etc a good clean. Also fitted a nice Becker DTM High Speed headunit, had a Becker in my Eunos and love the understated looks and quality sound/build. Looks great in the 944. Rather than putting the GPS antenna up on the dash, I have hidden it inside the dash, on top of the glovebox, so will be interesting to see how well it picks the GPS satelites up.
Other than that I am waiting on service bits from Berlyn Services, and I also have a pair of cam chain slipper pads on order so I can replace those for peace of mind.
After that I want to spend some time/money on the suspension - 968 caster blocks, maybe new bushes & balljoints if worn, and new dampers/springs. Hopefully this will help to sharpen the handling up a little.
Fat Albert said:
Lovely 944, and yes it is the fastest colour!
Both of my Porkers were in the same colour:
Just keep it washed 'n' waxed regularly as once Guards Red starts to fade it is a bu**er to keep shiny
Very nice FA Both of my Porkers were in the same colour:
Just keep it washed 'n' waxed regularly as once Guards Red starts to fade it is a bu**er to keep shiny
I love the 968 and hope to own one one day, although I suppose you have to ask yourself whether it is worth spending the extra for what is pretty much a newer, slightly more powerful 944 S2. They look great though!As for Guards Red, I plan to keep on top of it. I have washed and clayed the car yesterday, and will start machine polishing today. It needs it, although far from being 'pink' the paint does look a little dry/oxidised in places - just a hand polish will bring it up as the oils will add the gloss, but really it needs cutting back. I've got a free weekend so will hopefully get it all done!
Service parts from Berlyn have finally turned up so I can do that as well over the weekend, as well as gearbox & diff oil on the S2K!
Mark Benson said:
The S2000 has passive rear wheel steering, slightly lifting the throttle mid turn causes a slight increase of toe-out & turns the nose in. The effect should only be slight though, if it's pronounced, check the geometry as the S2000 is quite sensitive to poor setup (both mine came with terrible geometry from the dealer, so few know how to do it properly).
If you wish to reduce the RWS effect, slightly increase the static toe-in. But beware as it'll offer less progressive breakaway on a car that's not famed for it's exploitable oversteer.
Ah - so that's why they're so steerable on the throttle. I must admit, initially I wondered if it was me as I used to notice it with normal driving just changing gear, so wondered if I was pulling on the steering wheel a bit - but I've tried it on/off throttle mid corner and it's definitely there. If you wish to reduce the RWS effect, slightly increase the static toe-in. But beware as it'll offer less progressive breakaway on a car that's not famed for it's exploitable oversteer.
It does make the car feel like it is twitchy when you're not used to it, even though you know the car has plenty of grip. Just without the feedback that my Eunos gave you, you can't fully sense what is going on.....until you're sideways! Which hasn't happened yet, I'm no drift king!!
I test drove one that was pulling left & right just going in a straight line, possibly geo or possibly the s
te mis matched tyres - but I walked away from that one!So nothing too exciting lately - I've not even driven the S2k in a while, but I've put a few more miles on the 944 now. Starting to get a better feel for the car now, and still really happy with it. I do find the pedal layout a bit awkward as the foot rest is high as is the brake pedal, but the clutch & throttle pedals have quite a long throw. And with the throttle being quite heavy, in my preferred seating position it was a bit of an effort to get full throttle!! So I do have to sit forward a bit more than I'd like, but once you do find full throttle and get above 4000 rpm it does pull quite nicely. It will never be a traffic light grand prix car, but once it stretches it's legs a bit, it is more than adequate.
I did machine polish the car a couple of weeks ago, although it did look quite good straight after a wash, you could see that it was looking a bit faded. This photo shows it up a bit:
IMG_1740 by Hallsy01, on Flickr
Unfortunately the rest of the car didn't come up quite as well, with a few areas being quite stubborn, and my light cut pad wasn't quite up to it - so I've brought back the colour and gloss a but, but it does need some more attention when I find the time. Some of the car has been painted (expect that on a 25 year old red car) but only really the bonnet shows up as a 'could have been better' job. Although there are a number of deep scratches around the car that look like rubbing down marks, but not really sure what has caused them.
As above, I got the Becker fully installed and managed to get a Nav CD for it. Tested it out and it got me into central London without any dramas, which is better than my internal sat nav would manage!!
I think it looks just right as well:
IMG_1734 by Hallsy01, on Flickr
IMG_1737 by Hallsy01, on Flickr
Shame one of the rear speakers is nackered as it will mean glass out to get the inner trim panel off, but one of them could do with being replaced anyway.
Fitted some 968 caster mounts at the weekend, could be placebo, but steering feel feels better for it already, next up will be some new dampers, ARB stiffeners and bushes, and maybe a slight drop - nothing major, 30mm max. I seem to have a small amount of play in the steering shaft as well, so will be fitting a JMG recon/uprated one this month hopefully. This should help with the slight vagueness the steering can have at times.
After seeing a lovely 2.7 on original Teledials the other day, it got me thinking about the wheels again - whether to stick with what I have, or go for some D90's or even just some original Teledials. If late offset 16" tele's came up, I'd probably go for a set, but they're not too common!!
I did machine polish the car a couple of weeks ago, although it did look quite good straight after a wash, you could see that it was looking a bit faded. This photo shows it up a bit:
IMG_1740 by Hallsy01, on Flickr
Unfortunately the rest of the car didn't come up quite as well, with a few areas being quite stubborn, and my light cut pad wasn't quite up to it - so I've brought back the colour and gloss a but, but it does need some more attention when I find the time. Some of the car has been painted (expect that on a 25 year old red car) but only really the bonnet shows up as a 'could have been better' job. Although there are a number of deep scratches around the car that look like rubbing down marks, but not really sure what has caused them.
As above, I got the Becker fully installed and managed to get a Nav CD for it. Tested it out and it got me into central London without any dramas, which is better than my internal sat nav would manage!!
I think it looks just right as well:
IMG_1734 by Hallsy01, on Flickr
IMG_1737 by Hallsy01, on Flickr
Shame one of the rear speakers is nackered as it will mean glass out to get the inner trim panel off, but one of them could do with being replaced anyway.
Fitted some 968 caster mounts at the weekend, could be placebo, but steering feel feels better for it already, next up will be some new dampers, ARB stiffeners and bushes, and maybe a slight drop - nothing major, 30mm max. I seem to have a small amount of play in the steering shaft as well, so will be fitting a JMG recon/uprated one this month hopefully. This should help with the slight vagueness the steering can have at times.
After seeing a lovely 2.7 on original Teledials the other day, it got me thinking about the wheels again - whether to stick with what I have, or go for some D90's or even just some original Teledials. If late offset 16" tele's came up, I'd probably go for a set, but they're not too common!!
Hi Mikey, yes, mine has a small amount of play in the top uj. I was going to get one from JMG as they uprate the bearings to deal with the heat from the exhaust, and aren't too expensive.
Did you fit yours yourself? Did you have to move the rack forward to get the shaft our?
As for the teledials, I'm still undecided!
Did you fit yours yourself? Did you have to move the rack forward to get the shaft our?
As for the teledials, I'm still undecided!
Cheers Mikey.
The only thing I have heard about in terms of upgrade is a better quality uj to deal with the heat of the exhaust better, although I expect any modern equivalent would be the same.
I was looking at the JMG one, which with exchange works out about the same as ECP.
http://www.jmgshop.com/rhd-944968924s-steering-sha...
The only thing I have heard about in terms of upgrade is a better quality uj to deal with the heat of the exhaust better, although I expect any modern equivalent would be the same.
I was looking at the JMG one, which with exchange works out about the same as ECP.
http://www.jmgshop.com/rhd-944968924s-steering-sha...
Not much to update here really, the S2k has been plodding along as reliably as you'd expect, the weather has been failry mild but I've personally not had any trouble with it in the poorer conditions. Certainly you can provoke it at low speeds eixiting a junction or roundabout, but it's never felt out of shape once on the move - I do drive to conditions though!
My missus had her first experience of a 'touch of oppo' though!! Not really sure what happened, either black ice or something on the road, as she tells me it happened in a straight line - either way, she was fine, probably felt worse than it looked! She can be a bit 'binary' with her throttle control though!!
The 944 has kept me amused, as I had no record of the lower cam tensioner pad being replaced, I decided to replace both the lower & upper - even though the upper pad had been done fairly recently, the upper one is the cheap one, so I just replaced it again. Funnily enough, even after 10k miles or so, it was showing a fair amount of wear - but I suspect with these they wear a small groove quite quickly where the chain runs, but then deteriorate slowly over time, eventually failing due to getting brittle.
The thing is with this job, is to be very careful when removing J-tube oil feed pipe, it's too easy to drop the banjo washers. You guessed it, I removed it OK and wondered what the fuss was, but when replacing I thought the oil stiction had one washer held, to find it didn't!!
I spent some time trying to prove that it had found it's way to the sump (there is an oil gallery diretly below where it would fall), before deciding that I was pretty certain it was in the sump and come the better weather I would remove it whilst tidying a few other bits (PAS rack, engine mounts).
When I went to take the car for a run again, the clutch hydraulics failed!! After some delays with RM, I finally had all of the bits I needed, so resealed the slave cylinder and replaced the master, flexi hose and reservoir hose. It wasn't the easiest of clutches to bleed for some reason, but got there in the end.
By this time it was now due an MOT, and it sailed through!!
Glad to have her back on the road again. Still got plenty of bits I want to refresh, but will wait for the xmas period to pass first. Hopefully get chance to give her a well deserved wash tomorrow (not that she's too dirty), and maybe get out for an xmas photo shoot!
My missus had her first experience of a 'touch of oppo' though!! Not really sure what happened, either black ice or something on the road, as she tells me it happened in a straight line - either way, she was fine, probably felt worse than it looked! She can be a bit 'binary' with her throttle control though!!
The 944 has kept me amused, as I had no record of the lower cam tensioner pad being replaced, I decided to replace both the lower & upper - even though the upper pad had been done fairly recently, the upper one is the cheap one, so I just replaced it again. Funnily enough, even after 10k miles or so, it was showing a fair amount of wear - but I suspect with these they wear a small groove quite quickly where the chain runs, but then deteriorate slowly over time, eventually failing due to getting brittle.
The thing is with this job, is to be very careful when removing J-tube oil feed pipe, it's too easy to drop the banjo washers. You guessed it, I removed it OK and wondered what the fuss was, but when replacing I thought the oil stiction had one washer held, to find it didn't!!
I spent some time trying to prove that it had found it's way to the sump (there is an oil gallery diretly below where it would fall), before deciding that I was pretty certain it was in the sump and come the better weather I would remove it whilst tidying a few other bits (PAS rack, engine mounts).
When I went to take the car for a run again, the clutch hydraulics failed!! After some delays with RM, I finally had all of the bits I needed, so resealed the slave cylinder and replaced the master, flexi hose and reservoir hose. It wasn't the easiest of clutches to bleed for some reason, but got there in the end.
By this time it was now due an MOT, and it sailed through!!
Glad to have her back on the road again. Still got plenty of bits I want to refresh, but will wait for the xmas period to pass first. Hopefully get chance to give her a well deserved wash tomorrow (not that she's too dirty), and maybe get out for an xmas photo shoot!
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.
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