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The Master Cylinder Porsche 944 Tips: Index  I have a 1986 944 that I can't get to start. My 944 smells like exhaust when I drive it and I sense my brain cells dying. I bought a 1986 944 and I love it! Clutch Pedal is Very Hard to Push
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Q - I have a 1986 944 that I can't get to start. I recently put a clutch in it and my leadfoot daughter drove it for about 300 miles then it died . . . as if someone turned off the key.
Now I can't get it started. I have replaced the coil, distributor cap, the DME relay, the
computer and both crank sensors but still it won't fire up. I even jumped the fuel pump and
coil, still nothing. It was working fine until I let my daughter drive it. Help! A - Joe, don't blame your daughter. It is probably not her fault. Since it sounds as if you have already fired the "parts cannon" at it, take it back to basics. I too would have started with the main relay after verifying basic mechanicals. A Bosch Motronic equipped car needs a signal from pins in the flywheel. Since you just did a clutch, did you check the signal from the crank sensors? If the computer does not "see" a strong signal from the sensors, it can get flaky. The odds of this are rare but how is that signal and how do those pins look? MC |
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Q - Bingo. When I checked the output of the sensors, it was about half of the required
spec. Apparently when the flywheel was at the machine shop, they damaged the pins. I jury
rigged a temporary pin and now it runs. Can you replace the pins without removing the flywheel? A - If it were my choice, I would sure try to find a way. Pulling it apart may be the hard way but experience is the best teacher. MC |
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Q -
My 944 smells like exhaust when I drive it and I sense my brain cells dying. I have looked
under the car and the exhaust system looks fine. What gives? A - The 944 and 924 have very large rear windows and over time, the locking pins wear out which causes the hatch to leak exhaust into the car. If it were a simple matter of tightening the pins, that would be great , but usually they are not only worn, they are also SIEZED in place. For this, judicious use of heat and force are needed to keep from breaking that large expanse of glass. Once the pins are replaced and adjusted, the smell will be gone and your brain cells won't. MC |
| Q - I bought a 1986 944 and I love it! It is the best car I have ever had and I only
paid 5 grand for it. I want to keep it up but I am confused. I saw an ad for a timing belt
replacement that seemed reasonable. It was from a dealer but I have always been a little leery
of them so I asked my buddy. He recommended a shop that wanted TWICE as much to do it! I was
shocked. Aren't dealers the most expensive place around? A - I see what you mean and it is confusing. First consider that you have a 19 year old car. Then realize that advertised prices are there merely to attract your attention. NO one gets a comprehensive service for a bargain basement price. The reality runs somewhere in between. But the ad DID get your attention. The dealer will actually do it for the advertised price and if that is all you can afford, I recommend having the dealer do it. Getting a good deal on a timing belt is better than ruining your motor while you save up the cash for the whole enchilada. If you plan to keep the car however, you may want more things looked at than just the timing belt. As reasonable as 944s are to buy, many people who can afford to buy the car are shocked at how expensive they can be to keep up. Timing belt work on old cars usually costs more than it did the first time around. Leaky seals, rotted hoses, dry idler bearings and corrosion are factors that make it more complicated and expensive. Even if a 944 looks great with it's full galvanized body, they still wear out and our climate is not kind to the chassis of any car. First things first . . . have the car inspected by someone who knows the car. If your car is normal, the belly pan needs to be removed and the whole front of the motor should be washed then inspected to see if anything is leaking. That will be money well spent to see what you bought. Do 944s tend to leak oil? Yes, they tend to when they get to be 19 years old, but any car or that age would, but 944s just look so good even if they leak. If the car was "like new", with no leaks, no immediate needs . . . you would have paid a lot more for it. Plan to spend an average of 25 to 50 percent of the purchase price of a used 944 in repairs and maintenance within the first year. Plan to spend 20 percent each year after that. The purchase price was just the cost of admission. Don't even get me started about 928s! Did you get a good deal? Well if it checks out well, and you can afford a 7 to 10 thousand dollar Porsche, you have yourself one fine driving, stylish sports car. I have had a number of 944s and I love the car. The best part is that you have joined the club and this is where the Porsche nuts can be found. Consider us your motorhead support group. One way to benefit from a club resource is the tech inspections required prior to driver education events. A well kept secret is that you can get a free tech inspection even if you don't actually go to the track. This is an excellent way to find out about the car and it's free. (Don't tell anyone you read it here.) MC |
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Q - I just bought a 1989 944 Turbo with only 27,000 miles.
I love the car but the clutch pedal is very hard to push. My
wife has a hard time driving the car. Is this normal for a turbo
or will I need a new clutch? A - Cross your fingers, you may be in luck. Rarely does a clutch fail at 27,000 miles. The clutch linkage probably dried up from sitting around in storage. Fortunately it can be accessed once you remove the starter. Once the starter is out of the way, the “clutch operating shaft” and most of the linkage parts can be lubed. You can get a good look at the clutch slave cylinder as well. At the conclusion of this process, I bet your clutch will feel better and your wife will like it too. If this doesn’t help, consider you wife’s taste in jewelry. The price of a clutch can really raise an eyebrow when the credit card statement arrives MC |