This Porsche Ownership Problem Will Scare You Away From Air Cooled 911’s
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- čas přidán 2. 06. 2024
- I've had my fair share of nasty surprises with my air cooled 911's, but the call I got from my mechanic about this Porsche ownership problem was the one I didn't want to get.
In this video you're going to get a look at why owners sometimes question their own sanity for loving these cars. The joy they bring when they're fully sorted and running well is second to none; however, the pain and aggravation of the typical Porsche ownership problems - not to mention the financial costs - of getting them there is really too much for many guys to bear.
I've owned this 1976 Porsche 911 for a few months and it recently developed really strange vibration whenever I got on the throttle. It happens whether the car is in motion, in gear, out of gear or sitting still.
I initially hoped that the root of this issue was nothing more than an exhaust resonance problem...but sadly this was not the case at all.
Instead, the root of my problem lies with the transmission in the car. And unfortunately, this requires a specialist to open up the 915 gearbox.
Along these lines, when you drop the gearbox out of a vintage 911, you need to also drop the engine. And, as the old saying goes, when the motor is already out of the car, you should address any other problems that it has.
This includes resealing the motor, replacing fuel lines and generally cleaning it up.
So, in this video we'll take you through the reality of life with a huge Porsche ownership problem...and hopefully get you hooked on joining me for the rest of the journey.
0:00 Start
0:07 Why this ice green metallic midyear 911 is special
0:42 Symptoms of the problem with the car
1:19 Overview of what this video covers
1:37 One of the scariest problems with air cooled Porsche motors
2:34 Porsche ownership problem: car walk-through
3:07 Mechanic's diagnostic process
3:24 915 transmission problem: symptoms
3:40 The biggest Porsche ownership problem potential: the motor
4:01 Broken or pulled head studs: the enemy of the air cooled motor
4:05 Cost of a 3.2 motor rebuild
5:13 Best practice for dealing with any Porsche ownership problem with the motor
6:00 Getting the motor "pretty" while you're at it
7:03 Footage of a freshly rebuild Porsche 911 3.2 motor built to a 3.4
7:48 Underside footage and mechanic's overall opinion of the car
9:40 The biggest Porsche ownership problem: engine rebuild - do I need one?
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This video features my mechanic, Charles Ruppert. He's fantastic and has done a ton of work for me, and he's done it well.
Here's his info:
Charles Ruppert
C&C Euro
Phone: (336) 297-9595
293 Edwardia Dr, Greensboro, NC 27409
Tell him you saw him on Rennthusiast.
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Get Your Air Cooled Merchandise: rennthusiast.myspreadshop.com/
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Porsche 911's I currently own or have owned:
- 1969 Porsche 911T Hot Rod in Ossi Blue (sold) - 1976 Porsche 911S in Ice Green Metallic
- 1977 Porsche 924 Martini Edition Safari Car
- 1986 Porsche 911 Carrera in guards red (SOLD) - 1992 Porsche 911 964 in Amazon Green metallic (SOLD)
- 1995 Porsche 911 993 Coupe in polar silver
- 1995 Porsche 911 993 in Grand Prix White
- 2007 Porsche 911 997.1 Turbo in guards red (SOLD)
- 2009 Porsche 911 997.2 C4S PDK (SOLD)
- 2014 Porsche Cayman S
- 2016 Porsche Cayman GT4
- 2016 Porsche Boxster Spyder
- 2017 Porsche 911 Carrera S
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FB: Rennthusiast Air Cooled Porsche Fans: / 251472282967671 - Auta a dopravní prostředky
A beautiful Porsche sportscar, every time I see it the more I grow fond of the Ice Green paintwork and the smooth lines, infinitely cool. May I add, very nice B-roll shots in this video, the angles and the light are just awesome. Thank you Sir for taking us along, although the reason was "not so good", still it's great to see the specialist mechanic at work in his shop.
Like left naturally👍When the occasion arises to check a 912E, I hope you'll find the time to shoot the car, a personal favorite. Not a request though, just a thought. Thanks again :)
The studs broke on my 84 3.2. Totally rebuilt the engine using Wayne Dempsey' book and loads of CZcams videos. Never did any engine work before. Fitted it back in and started first time. Running like a dream.
In the process of putting my 3.2 back in. First 911. No prior mechanical experience. Bought manuals and proper tools. Took my time. Relishing the experience of refurbishing this beautiful car. Did all new gaskets, valve adjustment and installing bisimoto exhaust. Every day I see it in the garage even on jack stands I pinch myself. Can’t wait to drive it again
So how did it turn out?
@@Xochi43 runs great. No oil leaks and new exhaust is a blast. Also just got rid of aweful H5 headlights and put in a new set of led headlights from 911HAUS. Wish I put them in sooner. Night driving is no different from any modern day luxury vehicle
Back in the '80s, I owned a 1976 Carrera 3.0 in that same gorgeous colour. I loved it and the only problem I had in four years of ownership was the failure of a timing chain tensioner which happily didn't result in any damage and was repaired under warranty by the dealership (AFN, Isleworth, UK). The 1978 911SC Sport I owned for four years after that never had any mechanical issues at all, despite being driven daily . . . I was a professional car photographer back then and did a LOT of miles.
Been through this as well, but I think you’re taking the right approach (I’m biased because I took the same approach) and at the end of this journey, you’ll have an even better “forever” 911! Keep us posted, sending all positive thoughts your way! 🤞🏻🙏🏻 👍🏻
Pretty sweet consider it an honor to have to do the work
Only means you have something special that deserves such attention
Your videos are growing on me
Good job
You have a beautiful car there. It reminds me of my metallic green '74 2.7 Coupe. I drove mine 140K miles over 9 years as main transportation. So just one more, "while the motor is out" item would be to look at the chain tensioners. The memory of that chain rattle still haunts me after all these years. Mine ultimately resigned from service with an engine fire, and went on to be the basis of a 935 build. Old Porsches never die. They just go faster and faster! Keep rolling!
Always enjoy a new Rennthusiast video for my Saturday morning cardio session, thanks Wil!
My pleasure. Thanks for the support.
I have a 76 too. 145k, drips a few drops only at night when sitting. Does not appear to burn any oil and runs strong. My mechanic says at some point need a rebuild or replacement but this was my dads 911 so a lot of legacy. Great blue metallic original paint. I too hold my breath and cross my fingers
Broken heads studs does not equal full rebuild.
Not what I’ve been told. And anyway, if you’re gonna go halfway, it makes no sense not to do the thing right and fully.
@@Rennthusiast Absolutely, while you're in there make sure you don't have to do it again for another 40 years.
@@linussphinx1353 depends who you get to rebuild it whether it'll be a disaster or not.
@@weareallbeingwatched4602 IPB Autosport in Sacramento CA, use TopLine Logistics to ship it there if you have to, it will be more than worth it. Ron Kain is the absolute best especially on classic 911/356's. Cannot rank them high enough.
You have a great shop with those two guys. You'll love the refresh on that 915 Will.
It’s going to be great- thanks for sharing your experience. Ooh that Baltic blue with a tea tray! Very nice!
Yes, his car is a good one.
Love the detail work Charles is doing on his engine.
Enjoy detailing the engine bay Will sounds like a good plan, doing that can be so satisfying even on stuff not really seen. Turn on some good tunes and enjoy the smell of Simple Green! Car will be that much better when done.
I have new gauges coming and a new set of custom Recaro’s going in. So, while the car being down is a bummer, should be enough gratifying work to keep me engaged with it. I’ll do some videos about this end of things as well.
Well done. Nice to hear an honest input on your car. Yea 110% is the best way to go with any build. Even if down the road something comes along that you'd rather have. Your very lucky to have a Great shop that you can trust. That learning curve is painful to say the least. I look forward to seeing a big old smile as your rolling down the road after all is said and done. But are cars ever done? GOOD wishes and smiles per mile.
Thanks for the support 🙏🏽
Hey Will, love the video and especially Charles. Did you see my 83 while you were there? Charles just finished the top end (head studs). He’s currently putting it through it’s shake down. He does great work and I’ve really enjoyed getting to know him. You are the reason I used him. Look forward to your continuing adventure with this car.
Hey there. I went by yesterday and he was out driving a gold SC so I missed him. Guessing that was yours?
Yep that was mine. Picking it up Thursday 👍
I can't help but comment on this beautiful color. My neighbor, also a Porsche enthusiast, wanted to take my 87 944 plus 8k for his 944 turbo. I did not go for the deal so he sold it to someone else. His main objective was that he knew of an identical car as the 911 in this video. I almost melted when I saw his silver 944 turbo gone and this beautiful ice cream green metallic 911 in its place...It was exactly like this 911 except it had white interior. The same problem with cracked head studs and a weak tranny were exposed. Today, it is very difficult to spend the time and money to restore one of these air-cooled beauties. The best motivation is that you will have a proper museum piece when you are done. Driving this car after completion will put a smile on your face worth a million dollars.
Enjoyed the video. Just rebuilt the engine and gearbox on my 1976 Carrera 3.0 due to 4 broken headstuds, now replaced with ARP but it took 18 months!
The wait sucks. There’s no other way to say it.
Great video. Really enjoyed it.
As a 38 year master mechanic I send you the positive energy that you deserve,great video. Thank you from San Luis Obispo,California. (Highway 1)
Thank you! Need your 38 years of experience sent to me in the form of good vibes. Can’t thank you enough!
@@Rennthusiast you got it. Good vibes sent from San Luis Obispo,California 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏
Looks like you have a really good person to work on your 911.
When I took procession of the Swedish Samurai ROW 3.2 I feared the same - had LMN in Virginia Beach do a valve job and head stud check , transmission/RMS check - a sigh of relief - considering a cam upgrade and displacement increase as well but given she’s a 3 continent original struggling with keeping her as OEM as possible
Tough call when you run into mechanical issues…rebuild it or sell it. I had a ‘79 SC with a 3.2 motor in it. Had fun with it for 4 years, took it to the track about 10 times and then the wheels came off, well not literally. AC needed repiping, lost compression in 1 cylinder requiring a rebuild, synchro’s needed fixed. Then as I removed some racing stripes, a patch of paint came off the size of my hand. Not something a rattle can could fix. So I was looking at $25 G at least to get it all renewed. And that on a non-matching numbers car. I sold it instead.
It was the dream car ever since I was 18 years old. While it was fun to take it to the limit on the track, it never was a reliable car and I don’t miss it. Now my na Miata race car on the other hand, that’s a thrill ride. But you can’t argue about taste, I get it.
Thanks for sharing this information always good to know about the older 3.2 motors and what to watch out for. Also, how fortunate you are to find a guy like this that knows and cares about Porsches. Not easy to find believe me. Good luck with your handsome ice cream Porsche. I’ll be watching from here in sebastopol California
3.2 engines don't have head stud issues, they have valve guide issues if anything.
nothing better than the journey beginning from the bottom side of your 'marvel'. a '91 saab black over gray california spg 900 did it for me. the journey smiled her wonderment back to missouri by way of LA. my garage machine shop got another ambition to build solutions as the partnership morphed into mutual development. congrats - liked & sub'd.
Thanks!
I had this exact car...color and interior so beautiful. Yes...studs broke. Huge disappointment because it's because of a bad design by Porsche. Of course, they take no responsibility for it. So 25K later, car was back to form. Then the thing almost killed me. Rear end stepped out on a reverse camber turn in a driving rainstorm and the car wrapped around a steal light post just behind the driver seat. Threw me out of the car and about 50 yards down the road. I was not speeding...the nature of these models was that the rear end is not only not stable, but completely unpredictable. So enjoy these air cooled Porsches but remember, they are not cheap to maintain, have some built in issues and if you are not very careful, especially in the rain, they can kill you.
First time viewer. Loving your content!
Thanks! 🙏🏽🙏🏽
glad to hear the head studs are ok. whew! hate you have to do all of this after just recently acquiring but i guess just a day in the life of a air cooled porsche. on the bright side it will be even sweeter when it is done.
I agree with everything you said 😄
I lived in a really bad and dangerous side of town with the only upside being the town homes had little garages attached. My neighbor had a 911 that was the love of his life. He was driving a very old Toyota Corola while he rebuilt the engine in the 911. He had let a buddy drive it and it had bent a valve or two.
My grail car would be a 911 930 in silver but they have gone up so much! Also, you should do a video on your watch collection ;-)
Will, you're a sharp guy, I fully believe you could do a rebuild, it's like the saying goes, "How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time".
Thanks for the vote of confidence. I have done some projects myself in the past.
This type of work blows my mind though:
czcams.com/video/QdnywPwGgR4/video.html
Great color on that 911. I found a broken head stud on a friend's 3.2 but my 3.0 ,driven hard, with 136,000 miles on it had intact studs.
Whoever owned my '85 before me did not know how to drive. The synchros for 1st and 2nd were shot, it was impossible to downshift into 1st unless the car was stationary. I had the transaxle pulled, 1st and 2nd gears were replaced along with all of the synchros, and while it was apart, I had the flywheel lightened and a new clutch installed. That was nearly 30 years and 50k miles ago. The 3.2 Carrera engine is one of the best that Porsche ever built. It would have been nice if my budget had allowed for a slightly newer car with the G50 gearbox, but I really cant complain. I just love the car.
With the transmission, clutch, and a full engine rebuild, you would be looking at 40.000 dollars from a reputable shop in my area (California, Bay Area). I don’t know if I would spend that money on a mid year. Especially with the non original engine. 915 trans is getting expensive to rebuild. You could get by with a top end on that engine. 3.2’s are pretty beefy on the low end, and studs can be done without splitting the case. I know that the 3.2 was pretty doggy in the Carrera,( I had one), plus it’s a lot heavier. My choice would be a well built hot rodded 2.7. I have. 2.7 short stroke, doing 245 horsepower. Just my opinion.
The problem with these cars, is they are (almost) always worth the investment to fix no matter how painful it may be at times. One of my turbos started leaking oil @ ~167K on my 993 that lead me to doing a full engine rebuild (turns out I had some bent valves too), also ended up doing the suspension and going to PSS10s. I am at ~175K now and think it drives better than it did new and is solid as can be. And the doors still thunk when closed like the day I drove it off the lot.
Buddy of mine just told me the phrase that’s used in real estate but that’s applicable to 911’s:
You never overpay, you just buy early 😂
So that’s how I’m looking at it. Car wasn’t cheap and these repairs are taking it to the next level but ***maybe**** if I ever sell I’ll get it back out.
But I think this is a keeper.
Great video.
That color!! Amazing
The 915 style transmission was introduced with the 2.4 liter cars of '72....and continued into the early 3.2's. Later 3.2's got the stronger G50 trans....but even here.....there were problems with that trans that weren't addressed until the 89 model year.....
Every model has issues, not just 996, 997.1. It's part of Porsche ownership, and THAT is the Porsche-tax. I got a chuckle when you said it would be a long-term car. I think I've heard you say that about some others that have left the coop. Sending you the good vibes you seek. Lord knows I need them for my cars.
😂
We’ll see.
I’m having a full rebuild on a 993 right now, it’s very expensive but needs to be done right., the unknown is the most scary part of taking engine apart
Just had mine done last year. Fresh engine w new clutch feels so much better. You will love it
Beautiful car. Love the lines and the colour although Guards red is still my favourite.
Thanks!
If you’re interested here’s a link to a playlist of videos about my guards red ‘86 Carrera: czcams.com/play/PLR0VqbBaNjTO6xehEZCJIwaVFAZzEtRRj.html
Saying that your "not one of those guys to work on his own car" is very short sighted. Of course you can. Working on your own car is one of the most satisfying things about owning an air cooled Pcar. So many of the items you covered here are really quite simple to do. Just need some patience and tools. The Porsche community has so many great people willing to lend their knowledge. I'll grant you, a trans rebuild should be sent out to the experts but you could easily drop your own engine, remove valve covers and inspect, rebuild CV's etc. If you get stuck you can always lean back on your mechanic so get in there and give it a shot. The connection you will develop with your cars will be so satisfying. Anyone can cut a check but not many can say they adjusted their valves lol. Good luck with that ice green beauty!
I agree that from an intellectual standpoint, almost anyone can learn the in’s and out’s of dealing with these cars.
That is a beautiful red 968 cab in that shop as well
a buddy in high school his father worked for Porsche in the 60s and 70s and even traveled to le-mans..he had some really cool stories..his son drove a v6 swapped 914/6..engine was from a 80s regal..fun little car but it was scary on wet pavement
I owned a July 76 targa that had a Euro spec 3 liter engine swap for 3 years. Fast, fun, pretty reliable after a new alternator, starter, exhaust and shift bushings.
Great to hear you’re going to get the car in perfect condition. I’d lov3 to see the engine detailed. I just had to swallow an engine rebuild for my 996, financially painful but the car is so sweet to drive now. I’m looking forward to the updates on the beauty 👍🏼 Best, Dav.
Huge cost difference between replacing head studs on a healthy engine, and a full rebuild. Comp test and leak down prior to pulling engine will most times let you know.
I rebuilt my 964 engine since it was burning oil due bad valve guides, no broken studs, in fact, they looked perfect. 10k miles later I found one that broke so I am going to tear down the engine again, luckily is not a full rebuild but to put in new studs, and gaskets, assemble, and ready to go.
PS, like you, I don’t do my own work and honestly I wouldn’t know how, so finding a good mechanic is totally important. And I’m actually fortunate to no one here in my area Cameron Waylon motorsports is a young genius, an air cooled master. So good luck
Congratulations on the car 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
The 76 I had, I went to adjust the valves, pulled cover and head stud nut was laying in the cover. Put it back on, started to tighten, and saw the stud move from the case. Pulled engine, had new case inserts installed, Davilar studs, etc. Put it all back together and ran like a top. Total was under $1k. As you all know, those cases were magnesiun, studs steel, different expansion rates = loose studs. When I talked to the guys at Andial, they gave me some tips, one of which was using Yamabond (from bikes) when sealing up the case. This was back in the 80's way before YT. Car was body shop owner's personal car, had 13 coats Emron black, color sanded 3 times. Flawless. So much so I hated to park it out in the public.
Ah..the good old days before air cooled costs got out of control.
First time watching here. I stumbled on this channel today. Wow! what happened to the air cooled prices? I must have pulled a Rip Van Winkle! And here I am, thinking that E-type Jaguars are crazy expensive. Seems to me a whole bunch of people want to pay big to live their glory days 50 years later! The good thing is these old guys don't live forever and one does have to invest in something that will hold its value. At least it's not the Porsche SUV, you know, new $130k, 4 years old $25k. Your car is beautiful! Hold on to it for dear life! Cheers!
Thanks for watching and commenting 🙏🏽
@@Rennthusiast My pleasure!
Sorry to hear about that Will but hats off to you for doing what it takes to put the car on the road at the highest standard. Since the car does not have its engine anymore, will you put her on a trailer with an electric winch and tow her home with the Bronco? 😅
Lol the Bronco doesn’t have a hitch but I do have a trailer and an F-250. I’ll either do a flatbed or grab it myself depending on schedule.
Bad engine mounts can cause vibrations too when accelerating. Newer ones now have dynamic mounts.
Sorry for the bad news, but sounds like it could have been worse. Another great, "boots on the ground" video. Are you going to upgrade the transmission? What about swapping a G50 in there?
Thanks! And I am flipping the script on this one. Yes it hurts, but I am excited to put the time, energy and effort into the car to get it 110% right and the way that I want it.
I have been asked about a G50 swap. I think it’s doable (expensive and requires some deep mods) but I actually prefer the 915.
I have a 1977 2.7 ltre magnesium case with time serts/case savers on the head studs. Luckily enough because of the time serts on the case that my head studs are great with no problems. One issue that I dislike though is I have to replace the valve guides as their average milage is around 100,000 miles.
In the early part of the video where the 911 is displayed in the parking lot, the one aspect missing there: No oil stains in the parking stalls. That parking lot looks like it was seldomly used.
Hope you get some break on the cost of repairs with the exposure you’re giving the shops. I’ll know where to go if I ever move back to Greensboro. Good luck with the transmission.
You get a break by doing the work yourself instead of writing checks. 🙄
I just built a shop and acquired a 2-post lift. The 86 Carrera hasn't been on the lift yet.
Can you describe the process?
Some of the common lift points aren't accessible and the car is too low to swing the arms under without putting it on boards or something else first.
Man, you really do have a talent for sniffing out broken transmissions. Sorry about your luck.
The other one was clearly damaged and in need of a rebuild. The seller hid it. I don’t think that’s the cass here. This one isn’t “broken” but is in need of servicing. Probably could have driven it on and on and no worries.
I do think we discovered (potentially) the actual cause of the vibration yesterday which I’m not ready to share yet.
@@Rennthusiast hopefully it not bad again. That would be really disheartening. Only transmission issue my 993 C2 has is a bit of buzzing out of the shifter sometimes. Its got Darin Fister's short shifter on it, and I couldn't get both spring washers to go back in. Think you might need a special tool or something, as I gave several friends of with hands like gorillas a shot at it, and they couldn't compress it by hand either.
Between 1974 and 1977, the exhaust system was close to the heads and ran very hot. It caused the valve guides to wear quickly. That and the head studs are its problems. I wonder if the valve guides were done when the heads were off. It looks like the original exhaust system was removed. That may have solved the hot exhaust problem. I believe that Porsche was still trying to figure out how to comply with US pollution standards during these years.
Looks good! Picked up my new 2023 992 GTS and on the way home the engine came apart! New engine on its way from Porsche.
That’s nuts!
The only scary part I’m thinking about is the mechanic keeps talking about making it look good it doesn’t matter how good it looks it matters how good it runs his focus should be on the way it runs not about clearcoat the engine and powder coating items that sounds like there’s things that he wants to do I’m more than sure he’s good mechanic but it should be more just about the structure integrity of the motor
We’re working on all of that. Valve adjustment, cam timing, correcting the rockers. Checked head studs. Leakdown test on the motor 3 months ago yielded 2% - 4% across all cylinders. Have identified signs of a rebuild. I hear you for sure, but we have motor health bases covered.
Good luck!
While the engine is out and you are cleaning everything, it is a great time to replace all the fuel lines on top. There is a kit you can buy that is handmade, I think on PP. prime cause of engine fires in old 3.2s is these going bad.
Cool color. I had a 91 Amazon Green
Glad I have both a spare 915 and 901 side-shift in storage. Dilivar sucks. Even rebuilding a 915 yourself isn't cheap. New sliders, etc. can add up pretty fast. Both of my air-cooled 911s have totally rebuilt 915s. I have turbo valve covers so I sold my old covers to dudes on the Pelican forum. "No rust we can find"? Did you pull the windshield? I am sending out my 79' Targa for a windows-out respray and I found rust on the driver side underneath the rear windshield gasket and at both bottom corners of the front windshield. It spent its life as a one-owner Seattle car and water just runs down and sits there. I TIG welded in inserts and etched them prior to epoxy. However, I didn't realize the bottom of the window frame was leaded in and the lead slumped so I had to use glass reinforced filler to fix that. I have an 82' coupe w/ 50K miles sold by Brumos and a 76' 914 that I'm building into an outlaw 2.0 turbo.
You could be right about channel rust but I prefer not to look right now 🫣
I had to repair some on my 993 so been there, done that.
Very Nice 911 and like your color. If you clean up your engine compartment and do some painting you should really paint the green color over that black sound deadening Matt, even though it may be hidden by the engine I can’t understand why people paint their engine compartments black when the car is a different color it just makes it harder to see in the engine compartment if there’s any black in there.
I’m one of those people that like to do as much of the work on my own 911 as I can.
Good video. While I understand your anxiety about working on the car yourself, having the work done by a good shop will push the cost of ownership for air cooled cars beyond the means of many, which is a shame.
I agree with what you’re saying. When I bought my first air cooled 911 - my 993 - in 2019 the car was far more attainable financially than they are today. So, while I don’t know that that’s exactly what you’re saying, I do know that it’s too bad these wonderful cars have gotten so expensive.
I want an air cooled 911 so bad. I’ve loved these cars since a kid. Now that im ol enough and in the financial position to purchase one. The expense of working on them keeps me with my stable full of classic American cars. I have a 67 Cougar 390GT. Minor horsepower bump to 450 Horsepower, 500 Ft of torque. Full coil over suspension with rack and pinion. Wilwood brakes, and many other upgrades. And im still about half the cost of just a Porsche engine rebuild.
Guess i’ll just drool from afar. 👍🏻
Just rebuilt my 3.6 for nearly $30k! Worth every penny though. Save some budget and get it dry-iced cleaned while the engine and trans are out!! So worth it! PS - dry ice the trans too!!
Hoping that this is all you have to worry about in life, if so, you are a fortunate man
I wish I had your mechanic and the means that you do. I have a 95 just like yours, same color but nowhere near the level of "sorted" as yours is. I would love to give it the care you give yours. I have a little rust bubbling around the rear window among other cosmetic issues. Also, I need to get the AC fixed properly, and my anti-lock idiot light keeps coming on....someday I will find a trustworthy place that will work on it. The local dealer told me they don't work on older cars. ...passed a little about that, but I wouldn't want them to work on it when they have that attitude. Do you have any suggestions for the western NY area???
Hey Jeff. Thanks for the comment and positivity.
Neither the mechanic nor the means came easily but I am someone who sets goals and keeps at them until they happen.
As far as trying to find a good mechanic in western NY, go join our Facebook group and ask there (if you’re on FB). Called Rennthusiast Air Cooled Porsche Fans: facebook.com/groups/251472282967671/?ref=share_group_link
@Rennthusiast Thank you Will, I've been enjoying your vids since the start
Thank you for the ongoing support! Content creation isn’t always easy and I enjoy seeing familiar names from the early days in the comments.
Probably not your problem, but I had a shimmy on take off with my 88 3.2- I was convinced it was the clutch- so dropped into the shop- they called me: No it's the injection ! ! ! The 1 into 6 injector harness in the engine bay had a bad connection and one cylinder was not getting fuel- Harness and replacement cost a lot less than a clutch and I got 20% more power after the fix ; ))
Broken cylinder head studs do not require a full overhaul. When I returned from Desert Storm, I popped three head studs driving to the ship I was assigned to. Took it Alan Johnson (now defunct dealer in San Diego), did a top end in 1993, and thirty years later, still driving the car. You do not have to split the case for cylinder head studs, unless you find something outrageous.
Maybe you don’t have to but I would bc where do you stop. It just makes sense to rebuild the motor with such a serious problem. Why do something only halfway.
@@Rennthusiast Popped head studs are really not that serious. If you haven't scoured either the heads or case, you really don't have to split the case. On my SC, I did a complete head job because the valve seats in SCs were suspect at best. The bottom end on these engines, as you well know, are absolutely bullet proof. Been racing my 914 with a 2.7 for a long time. It's holding up very, very well. Just my reccomendation.
Well, thankfully I can’t speak from experience on this issue but I have known guys with broken head studs who had to do a full rebuild. Maybe you can get away with not doing it but I know in my case, I would go 100% all the way.
put some new plugs in it and try autolite number 64 good old copper plugs nice fat healthy great spark with the Bosch's ignition
I’ll rebuild an engine, but my transmissions go to CMS. Those guys are great.
I had CMS build a custom short ratio 901 for me with all of their billet goodies and a wavetrac differential. They even tumbled the case. Top notch.
Looking to sell my Ferrari 430 and get a 1972 911E or 1974 Carrera. My Ferrari is a manual but it’s time for a more vintage sports car. In high school I loved the look of the early 911’s and the 264 Dino’s. My first choice is the 246 but cannot afford a Dino. They are selling at crazy high prices now. Just doing my research on the Porsche’s now. Do I go stock or hot rod? I am a Tangerine color fan. That is the color I prefer.
hopefully all goes well
it's a beaut
replace the metal to rubber gas plumbing segments....easy preventative while engine out
That’s the plan
The 76 and 77 engine didn't have broken studs but pulled studs because of magnesium case. The 3.3 and 3.4 engine had delevan studs and aluminum case and no problems.
Ok, thanks.
My 964 C4 munched its engine. Could have been my fault (240 km/h runs). I ended up ditching the car because my wife was so angry. I simply gave it to my mechanic. He finished the rebuild, and sold the car to a buddy of his for what he had into it. My first and last 911.
So if the rocker arm is off and protruding due to the cams being out before, I assume that will be fixed too?
Yep…just left the shop again and asked them to fix that as well.
@@Rennthusiast so how was it able to run in that condition?
Had the 915 rebuilt on my ‘77 and now it shifts really nice (not fast). Well worth the investment. It’s popular to trash talk the 915, but Porsche successfully raced them for years. The 915’s bad reputation is clearly a myth promoted by people who have either never driven one, or only driven one with decades of wear and tear.
The 915 is my favorite followed up by the 901. G50 is fine but doesn’t have the character the earlier ones do.
That blue 944…👍👍
I have a 74 911 Targa, it’s an endless money pit but I love the car.
Haha I hear you
Just did a complete rebuild of my 3.2
beautiful car, amazing colour. Jealous!
Sometimes is is just the clutch failure that causes that.
I have a 74 2.7 targa i need to know what its worth ?
If I practice those prices on my small workshop, I would be rich for a long time! The price to rebuild the engine, was enough to ship the engine on a crate to me and back, and save a lot of money… At the same time, knowing a little bit about 3.2 engines reliability, I don’t see any reason for a full rebuild in case one of the studs is broken…
Your mechanics seem to be really good.
Yep…I’m very lucky. It’s tough to find the genuine article…let alone 2. Erik at Sports Purpose Garage, who also does some of my work, is also a badass.
@@Rennthusiast and bonus when your mechanic is building his own air cooled 911 motor with those intakes!!! Lives and breathes it. Not just a business
Baltic Blue is a great name for that color because the Baltic Sea water is cold!
A rebuild on these should be 15-20K tops, not 25. And with the 3.2, you'll be able to leave the bottom end alone; the weak link are the valve guides. And if you find 1 or maybe 2 broken head studs, you can still drive the car, but you should obviously plan for a rebuild, but people do drive around with a couple of broken head studs without the engine blowing up.
I couldn’t drive the car with broken head studs. Would bother me. And $25K is the going rate these days as quoted by a couple of shops. Plus I wouldn’t want to rebuild back to stock. Would go 3.4. So, that’ll be more than $25K easily.
I'm looking for a Porsche shop in the High Point/Greensboro area. What is the name of this one? Thanks!
C & C Euro
If I still had my '88 targa super sport I'd be happy to have a nasty bill as it would now be worth 5 times more than I sold it for 20 years ago! It goes with exotic car ownership.
why are the wheels different when it was up on the lift?
I switched out the Fuchs with 16” campy’s. That was done shortly after I bought the car but never rolled it out on the channel officially.
@@Rennthusiast i prefer the fuchs, but hey it's your ride
I think I missed it: what did charles think was the cause for the vibration?
Something bad in the trans. Bad bearing perhaps. We need to open it up and see.
@@Rennthusiast curious to learn how that was established? IE, what tests were performed...
Listening through the stethoscope, physical vibration in the box when the car was up in the air on throttle in gear and out of gear. Metal shavings and chunks on the plug and also fine metal in the fluid. Fluid looked nasty nasty nasty.
@@mirks1111 For sure there’s a bit of a shady backstory here but I am not going to get into all of that in this video series. I am not a rookie buyer, and of course I got a PPI but some things happened in this transaction that have left me in this position.
I went through something similar with a 964 I bought and frankly I got really pissed, used the channel to squeeze the seller, etc. It was a really negative experience for me and honestly a big reason it was is because I focused more on the dude who burned me than enjoying the car.
I’ve decided I’m just not going to do that this time.
Does it suck that this happened? For sure. But is chasing around a seller, a shady shop, etc going to change anything at this stage? Likely not. Plus I’ll get all spun up.
So, perhaps this was more than you wanted to know but I do really love this car and it’s quite special so I am looking at this as a positive and I’m going to end up with a rock solid, known car.
Thanks for watching and commenting and I hope I’m not coming across as a dick. Not intending it that way. 😄
@@mirks1111 thanks for the lengthy response and the suggestions. I bought this car from out of state and had a shop recommended by the seller take a look at it to PPI it. Not best practice.
And to be clear, Charles did NOT PPI it. I live in NC…the car came from elsewhere.
Yes, I would have still bought the car but I would have negotiated harder. This car was represented by a broker for an owner and it could be that he didn’t know but the owner did.
In terms of ranking, I’m going in the opposite direction 😂
I like coupe, targa then cab, but it’s all a personal choice and is really about your use case. I like ripping backroads and love the motorsports nostalgia of the coupe. To each his own though.
Thanks again.
whats the blue car on the lift?
944 turbo
What’s the cost of the 915 rebuild?
I’ll let you all know in the wrap up video on the project
Cheers 🤙🏼
I wish someone would explain to me why I thought it was a good idea to sell my 964.
Hindsight is always 20/20
Don’t worry, you’re not alone. Have heard many, many say the same thing you just said.
Awesome