944 Turbo S Engine Rebuild Thread

[Eldavo]

Had a knock from the steering shaft as it had some play on it.

Justin Webb (www.944spares.com) has just started to get the original shafts refurbished with new UJs and properly staked fittings. A new one from Porsche is now £300+ and the D911 ones appear to have taken a nosedive in quality.

I was a willing guinea pig to try one and it arrived looking brand new!





A couple of heat shields to remove and then 4 bolts to drop the steering rack followed by a bit of faffing to get it all lined up and back on. Could’ve done with a helper to hold the steering wheel straight, it’s either bang on or a spline out - I’ll have to check when it’s back on its wheels and can just clock the steering wheel round one spline if it’s out:

 

[Eldavo]

Had an overheating issue as the fans weren’t coming on or if I wiggled the plug they were permanently on full power.

Ran through the Clark’s Garage tests and ordered a new fan switch.

Quick test before fitting (I chose the most appropriate setting on my meat thermometer):



Before fitting the sensor back into the radiator I plugged the sensor in and held a lighter under it to double-check it went through the slow then fast cycle as it heated up. I got it to turn on the slow cycle and it blew my lighter out so I’ll take that as a good sign, fitted everything back together and now just need to run it up to temperature before going for an MOT next week.

 

[marty]

Lovely job on the door cards
Too nice for a track car

 

[Eldavo]

Well it needs using

 

[TTM]

Good work. Looking forward to hearing how you find throttle response with the new intercooler, which in my case improved it noticeably over the standard unit, with a far better breathing engine up top.

 

[MarkK]

I'm sure there was a steering shaft recall a few years back..

 

[blade7]

I'm sure there was a steering shaft recall a few years back..

I asked an OPC about that years ago, and they knew nothing about it.

 

[MarkK]

I asked an OPC about that years ago, and they knew nothing about it.

Not suprised..Unless you get a real knowledgeable old school person (rare) they don't know alot about the old generations of cars now sadly,if they look up a chassis number they can see anything outstanding. I was using Leicester Porsche until a few years ago, all the old guys have left now, i use a local specialist run by ex Leicester Techs now feel safer when they have the car, the Porsche centre is now rammed full of Taycans.

 

[blade7]

Not suprised..Unless you get a real knowledgeable old school person (rare) they don't know alot about the old generations of cars now sadly,if they look up a chassis number they can see anything outstanding. I was using Leicester Porsche until a few years ago, all the old guys have left now, i use a local specialist run by ex Leicester Techs now feel safer when they have the car, the Porsche centre is now rammed full of Taycans.

Very true. All Porsche seem interested in now, is ramping up the price of 944 parts. Want turbo TPS, lube up and touch your toes.

 

[Eldavo]

Came to the realisation I’m a bit too big for the seats I’d bought so started to put the old ones back in. I put the wider passenger seat in the driver’s side for a bit more comfort but now with that and the different door card I can’t reach the handbrake so may have to fit the narrower seat when I get it down from the loft.



Had some pre-MOT work that needed doing, things like a steering arm and track rod end so just had everything on both sides replaced with new while they were in there. One of the ball joints was knocking too so I got the garage to swap in the spare arms I had and fit the Flo Flex poly bushes that were sat in the box with them too.

HUGE mistake - there’s a reason Flo Flex don’t make them anymore, they’ve started to disintegrate within a 100 miles of use. Going back to the garage today to fit some Powerflex ones and I’ll pick the car up at the end of the week:



Car’s driving great though, done an oil change and started to get up the rev and boost range. 6k and 18psi feeling great:

 

[Eldavo]

I picked up these RS-style doorpulls from SDG Industries too and they’re a neat little finishing touch to the door cards.

Focal 2-way speaker setup in the doors sounds really good too.

 

[MarkK]

Those door cards! droool!!!

 

[ExAudiSi]

I got all the remaining “underneath” bits done today - A/C compressor and belt on, power ateeeing pump and belt on and zip tied all the extra oil lines, etc out of the way too. Will need to run it before I lock the tensioners off though:

View attachment 3377

You do know that power steering belt is too wide don't you?
Should be a 9.5 x 950

That extra 0.5mm will make it noisy

 

[Eldavo]

No. It’s the correct belt. And even if it was slightly noisy I wouldn’t hear it over my awesome engine and exhaust

 

[TTM]

2 months without an update... Isn't that a little insulting?

 

[Eldavo]

2 months without an update... Isn't that a little insulting?

Nah - been too busy driving it and having fun!

 

[Eldavo]

Although I quickly realised that the carbon fixed back buckets were too small for my frame so swapped them out for some base-mounted recliner seats from D911 that are very comfortable and super supportive too!

 

[Eldavo]

Tested them on track at Croft circuit and they held me in place very well while I passed everyone - including my mate in his 981 S Boxster, all those hours he spent in his driving sim meant nothing compared to experience:




And the car was driven home and put away with not even an oil top up before going spent to Harewood Hill Climb for a few runs of the course the week afterwards too:



Had a slight issue on the way home where the throttle adjustment screw on the aftermarket 50mm throttle body had wound on a bit so the throttle was permanently open 10%. Sorted it once I got home and a dab of blue locktite on the adjustment nuts means it won’t happen again.

 

[Eldavo]

I’ve been tinkering recently trying to get the switchable maps and sequential ignition working on VEMS so have been having lots of fun with electronics and tiny surface mount components:





Not quite there yet but getting close.

 

[Eldavo]

Also had a visit from Mike - 944 RS in his S2 cab and took him out for a spin in the Twbo. He declined having a go and told me he’d driven some of the roads we went on in his S2 . . . just never at the speeds we attained