944 Turbo S Engine Rebuild Thread

[Eldavo]

Will look into it in the future.


In the meantime I was made aware of a Technical Service Bulletin relating to different blocks and associated waterpumps.

My thermostat always seems a bit loose in the housing and it turned out that there are different shims that go behind them depending on year, etc. Ordered the right one from Porsche (always handy when OPC is 2 mins round the corner from your Indy’s) and it’s snug as a bug in a rug now.


Got the Cam Tower back from coating too, just got to wait a couple of weeks before I can put something back in it!

 

[Eldavo]

No massive progress, some heat shields fitted, the torque tube bolted up, exhaust fitted and managed to fit my giant Wastegate in with plenty of room too.

 

[Eldavo]

Still waiting . . . On my Vulcan Cut Ring head gasket, now going to be Feb at the earliest. The guys at the garage are (understandably) keen to get my car finished and out the door so I’ve ordered a Cometic from the ever helpful guys at PartBox. None available in the U.K. from any of the usual suppliers and being quoted 5-8 weeks to get one, Paul at PartBox is having one sent direct from Cometic USA within a week.

With the new rods in and the block being decked, the pistons now protrude 0.25mm so have gone up a thickness of head gasket to 0.051” (1.3mm) to keep the required 1mm squish/quench. The piston protrusion does mean my compression ratio drops a little but not as much as it would’ve done with the 1.6mm Vulcan Gasket.


Also got Newman Cams on the case making me a Sport profile Cam from a fresh blank at considerably less than others charge for just a regrind. I’ll post up the details and price, etc. once I get everything confirmed and sorted.


Wistfully thinking about trackdays later in the year I picked up a couple of shin-cracker folding towing eyes and trimmed the threads down to size. I can’t understand why the VW "scene” boys keep things like this permanently attached, they’re lethal []

 

[James0]

I'd have no skin on my shins in seconds with that on my car.
My shins are like magnets, forklift blades being the most painful so far.
Not heard of PartBox, I'll have to take a look.

 

[Eldavo]

Haha - they haven't stayed in don’t worry, I’m pretty clumsy sometimes too.


Partbox/Coordsport sponsor some of the classic race series, the owner Paul Dolan is very helpful. I’ve had my Ferrea oversized inlet valves, BW conrods and head gasket from him. Really knows his stuff and always happy to help over the phone. With the gasket he checked the live stock checker for Cometic in the states, gave me a price and a delivery date right there and then.

 

[Eldavo]

Head Gasket turned up last week and is being fitted Monday along with all the other associated ancillaries, etc. Cam should be here midweek, looking forward to seeing that!

I‘ve got ARP head studs, new OEM washers (the ARP ones are too thin) and ARP Nuts. Interested to know what the consensus is on tightening the head nuts to final torque, either going to 90ft/lbs in 3 steps OR 15 ft/lbs, 90 degrees and then 90 degrees?

 

[PSH]

Don't follow Porsche for torquing the head bolts David...follow whatever ARP states...they will most likely give angle and torque settings, angle being more accurate that torquing down. Be sure to use the correct oil as reccomended by ARP. Personally I would stick with the ARP washers, they will be specific for the bolts.

Pete

 

[Eldavo]

Nah, the ARP washers are pitiful - they are 1/3rd the physical area too and nowhere near as good as the OEM in this instance.


ARP say 100ft/lbs in 3 stages. That’s crazy tight for steel studs in an aluminium head and significantly higher than Racewear or OEM. Guys at the garage have got a fancy calibrated wrench that does digital torque and/or angle so will aim for 90ft/lbs but see where that gets us in angle too.


I have the correct lube for my nuts too []

 

[PSH]

100lb???...no way.. I haven't used ARP but that sounds too high to me. Mine are Racewsre, IIRC they are torqued to 65lbs...it's been a while but I seem to recall the nuts need to be torqued a number of times to settle them before the final torquing..Also IIRC racewsre washers are much thinner too, the reason was explained in the instructions.

 

[blade7]

I remember having to use a length of pipe on the wrench when I pulled down the head on my 87 Cosworth 30 years ago. Think it was torqued to a certain force, then another 90 degrees or something in the official Cos workshop manual.

 

[PSH]

I remember having to use a length of pipe on the wrench when I pulled down the head on my 87 Cosworth 30 years ago. Think it was torqued to a certain force, then another 90 degrees or something in the official Cos workshop manual.

I think it's two 90 degree turns after the initial torque setting... I'd have to dig out the instructions to be sure for Raceware, no idea what the others do?

 

[blade7]

Also seem to recall an experienced 944 engine builder saying new standard studs were more reliable than some of the well known aftermarket versions.

 

[PSH]

Also seem to recall an experienced 944 engine builder saying new standard studs were more reliable than some of the well known aftermarket versions.

I've also read that when compared with ARP and one other which I can't recall....Raceware are better but then they cost a fortune...I'd have to dig out my notes to be sure but I recall a figure of somwthing like £1800 for my Raceware kits about 8 years ago. To be fair I don't think that there's anything to worry about aftermarket studs/bolts...any failers will most likely be down to poor installation, not inferior product.

 

[Eldavo]

I had a look at the Raceware website, it’s certainly different. Their entire business model seem to revolve around slagging off ARP for having a marketing budget

 

[PSH]

I had a look at the Raceware website, it’s certainly different. Their entire business model seem to revolve around slagging off ARP for having a marketing budget

Well, if inferior products are trying to pretend that they are as good, well I wouldn't blame them for stating the facts.... Not that I noticed ARP being mentioned when checking the 944 details. As they say.. quote: RACEWARE™ is often imitated but never duplicated!

Full details for our cars is here http://raceware-fasteners.com/head-stud-kits/ I don't recall ARP or any other company getting mentioned directly?

 

[924Srr27l]

I remember having to use a length of pipe on the wrench when I pulled down the head on my 87 Cosworth 30 years ago. Think it was torqued to a certain force, then another 90 degrees or something in the official Cos workshop manual.

That boat anchor 1970's (T88 series metric) Iron block Pinto 2.3 / 2.0 probably needed a lot of force !
It was used in a lot of models from Trannies to Grannies to Scorpio, Cortina , Capri's etc.. even a stroked version (2.5L) in the Ford Ranger....

R

 

[blade7]

I've also read that when compared with ARP and one other which I can't recall....Raceware are better but then they cost a fortune...I'd have to dig out my notes to be sure but I recall a figure of somwthing like £1800 for my Raceware kits about 8 years ago. To be fair I don't think that there's anything to worry about aftermarket studs/bolts...any failers will most likely be down to poor installation, not inferior product.

I couldn't believe a couple of sets of studs/nuts were £1800, so checked on Lindseys site. If I'm looking at the same thing, they're about $800 now? You may be right about a couple of 90 degree pulls on that Cosworth head Pete, I'm twice as old now as I was then and my memory isn't what it was [].

 

[PSH]

I've also read that when compared with ARP and one other which I can't recall....Raceware are better but then they cost a fortune...I'd have to dig out my notes to be sure but I recall a figure of somwthing like £1800 for my Raceware kits about 8 years ago. To be fair I don't think that there's anything to worry about aftermarket studs/bolts...any failers will most likely be down to poor installation, not inferior product.

I couldn't believe a couple of sets of studs/nuts were £1800, so checked on Lindseys site. If I'm looking at the same thing, they're about $800 now? You may be right about a couple of 90 degree pulls on that Cosworth head Pete, I'm twice as old now as I was then and my memory isn't what it was [].

I would have to dig out my invoices Paul... I just checked Lindsey and the set works out at $1194.85...then you need to add P&P and of course import duties... perhaps it may have been $1800? and not £'s? or my memory could just be playing up...

Pete

 

[blade7]

I didn't include the rod bolts in the $800, you had those as well I seem to recall?

 

[PSH]

I certaining did...to me, they are the most important part of all. With higher boost and higher RPM, the rods are under extreme stress changing direction many times in milliseconds A thrown rod is a destroyed engine, hence the rod bolts which are far superior to OEM and stronger wrist pins too.

Pete