964 distributors

[jr2015]

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Hi everyone,I`m new to the forum but not the club;I drive a 944, but am at the research stage in the plan to buy a 964C4.I`ve bought and read Mr Streather`s excellent work and would like some feedback from those who know on the following
1.dual distributors.
are they available on "exchange" from anywhere and how much?
Does anyone offer a refurb service and again how much?
2.lower front wishbone bushes.
are the bushes in the refurb kit that`s now available, an improvement over the factory bushes as I understand that they are stiffer.
Thanks in anticipation of your responses
jr

 

[Elliot Davies]

Exchange distributors are available somewhere !! cant remember where though.
Havent heard anyone need any.
What have you been reading about on the twin disi ?,
they are reliable and as long as its vented with the 993 kit and the disi belt is replaced every so often and checked occasionally you shouldnt have any problems.
See here for disi info http://www.porsche964.co.uk/technical/distr_vent_kit.htm

 

[Dave Wilkinson]

John,

I'm really not sure about the refurbished distributors. If Elliot can find the details I'm sure he'll be right. As he says, it's really the belt that's the problem and changing it is a bit of a PITA since you have to dismantle much of the mechanism to get to it. Some of the independents will do it but the labour charge is quite significant to change a £10 belt. OPC's will only offer a new distributor assembly - around £220 I think.

The suspension bush issue is one that I've been looking into lately. Powerflex produce a set of bushes for the front wishbone which are solid polyurethane rather than the OEM rubber compound. The OEM parts have slots cut within them to change the axial responses but the Powerflex parts do not. I was willing to give the Powerflex parts a try but (a) they had no stock available at present and (b) JZM reckoned about 4 hours labour to remove the old bushes and install the new ones. That takes the edge off the price advantage over the OEM parts. Given that the Powerflex bushes are £100 (as near as dammit), the 4 hours labour almost £200, JZM fit the whole new arms for £460. Still some saving - but not as much as you might hope.

There is also a possible issue with the Powerflex bushes letting in water and grit over time and introducing "creak" into the suspension. Powerflex suggest it's a lack of lubrication when the bushes are installed - but I have no facts or real evidence to back this up - just hear say really.

Regards


Dave

 

[jr2015]

thanks for the info guys!
I asked about the distributors , as the belt-changing operation looks as though its a real pain (reading the description of whats involved in Adrian Streather`s book)and I thought there may be an exchange system as its obviously a major (how many hours labour?)job for a main dealer (with all the special tools no doubt required)given the design of it.
As far as the bushes question,I had read that the labour for the job made it more or less the same price as replacement with completely new units,but may be a better way to go if the powerflex bushes gave an improvement over stock.
thanks again,any further advice will be gratefully received!
jr

 

[Elliot Davies]

If it helps any i had my disi belt and alternator/fan belts changed alongside a 6k oil/filter service.
Strip out disi, dismantle, fit new disi belt at £5.95 ! reassemble and fit back to car, oil and filter
Total price was £206.16 two years ago at an independants

 

[jr2015]

Cheers Elliot, That seems good value for money,and helps me a great deal.Obviously it doesn`t take long to change the disi belt if one knows what one is doing. Hooray for the independants!
thanks again
jr.

 

[Elliot Davies]

That was 3 hours labour all in at
http://www.northwayporsche.co.uk/

 

[jr2015]

cheers Elliot,Ray Northway`s in Reading isn`t he?I live near Cardiff , I have a good independant near me .I shall make enquiries with him.
thanks again
jr.

 

[RichardLW]

Whate are your requirements re the 964C4? - mileage, colour, price, condition etc.

Richard

 

[jr2015]

Hi Richard,
Thanks for your interest,I`m in no rush to do the deed as yet as I`ve only run water-cooled cars to date.I`m narrowing the field whilst doing the "knowledge" and at the moment it looks as though the spec will be as follows:
LHD,no cat, no computer, original spec engine ,wheels and suspension,
no sunroof,no mega sound system (air-con is the only must-have),Midnight Blue (solid)black leather interior ,around 100-120 thousand kilometres on the clock;and as all my Porches are bought as my sole means of transport,an absolutely unimpeachable provenance,backed up with bills.
As for price?a fair market value based on the above I suppose,what do you think would be a realistic price for the above spec
Hope this is of interest
cheers
jr.

 

[Elliot Davies]

There is a LHD here and a rhd guards red which looks very very nice
http://www.northwayporsche.co.uk/car_sales/car.asp?ModelName=911+Aircooled

Reading again im afraid []

 

[Melv]

Dizzy belt is a 1.5 hour workbench job.

Taking the distributors out, about ten minutes.

OPC will only fit complete new assembly.

 

[jr2015]

Thanks for that Melv,I`ve just had a word with my local guy and he says the same,he recommends changing the disi belt on purchase of vehicle to know where one stands from day 1.
thanx again any further info greatly appreciated!
jr.

 

[Elliot Davies]

ORIGINAL: jr

he recommends changing the disi belt on purchase of vehicle to know where one stands from day 1.

When you eventually have this done remember and get a 993 disi vent kit to suck out the nasty ozone from the new belt, less than a £10 at the OPC
http://www.porsche964.co.uk/technical/distr_vent_kit.htm

 

[jr2015]

Hi Elliot,Ta for the website, I checked out the cars and the red one seems well-sorted but red and the black has 18" wheels so may well have had the baseball bat to the wheelarches treatment as the factory don`t appear to have sanctioned 18" wheels; but the price is interesting.
I intend checking that the disi vent kit is fitted as I`ve read about the ozone thing.
As I said there`s no rush,and I`m currently sorting out why the 944 is running a bit rough when cold,my A/Vo meter tells me its the auxilliary air valve so it looks like I`ve got some spannerwork lined up for the near future.
once again thanks!
jr

 

[Guest]

4 Hours to change 4 bushes !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The problem with the standard bushes is that the only way to check them is to lever the wishbone with a bar and guess whether the movement is too much and if ,with 1.25 tons of car trying the same job its worth having alignment done at all!!!!!
With new factory wishbones fitted they still move about by nearly the same amount as your old ones.
I have run these bushes for about a year ( 10,000 miles ) with no noises or problems but better steering feel.
Powerflex dont sell these bushes direct .They come from Milford Microsystems 01865 331552.
This wobbly wishbone was a 964 concept , carried over into the 993 update and then quietly forgotten with the 996 intro.

 

[jr2015]

Thanks for that Red Rooster,Its always the same checking out bushes,how much is too much!I`d read about the problem and was amazed to find throwing the whole unit away was the factory solution!
good design or what?This goes against everything I stand for as "throw away" is not in my vocabulary.I saw a piece on the powerflex bushes and was immediately interested.I understand that there`s not the margin on price one would imagine, as it`s only bushes were talking about,I can remember when they cost a fiver and you did it youself with a nut and bolt, a bit of tubing and a couple of washers as a puller.How times change.
Still Porsche seem to be having problems designing oil seals these days.
cheers
jr