Front radiator grills and OPC Warranty

[tscaptain]

Mark, could you not get a mobile air con chappie to recharge before you put the PU back on? When you fit the mesh make sure it will not snag on the "elephants ears" on the outer edges of the black radiator surrounds (you can see them clearly in your photo). I seem to recall there are corresponding slots on the PU? We had a bit of a fiddle getting the PU back on before we realised what was stopping it sliding back into place! Look forward to seeing the finished photos[]

 

[blueSL]

I've removed the side ducting - you need to to change the air con rads - and when you offer it up to the inside of the PU, you can see clearly where you can and cannot go with the mesh and also where you can use self-tappers and still keep the channel clear. My preference is to use self-tappers, then cable ties, then glue, simply because my track record of using glue is not good...

Stupidly, the off-side ducting has got the antenna for the VTS glued on the front and it would be difficult to remove so hopefully if I do one side, the other can just be a mirror image.

The two rads with O-rings from the dealer are £494 with discount though you can buy pattern parts for rather less though I am disinclined to do that at the moment. Good idea to find a mobile aircon man to pressure test and refill - when I undid the connectors, precisely nothing came out.

So it's really two projects, fixing the aircon and clearing out the water rads -- just spent an hour straightening fins with a small diameter screwdriver - and fitting the grilles.

 

[Orangers]

Interesting reading here......renewed my Porsche warranty today on the RS, 111 point carried out and passed with Zunsport grilles fitted, happy days![]

 

[geoff lane]

One thing that this thread has told me is that there is an inconsistency with Porsche dealerships.

My experience with 2 OPC's is that having asked about grilles I got 1 x OPC to fit design 911 grilles having agreed it would not invalidate the warranty on my Turbo.
OPC no2 has twice confirmed that a front Paintshield wrap would not invalidate both the original warranty and also the extended warranty on my previous Turbo S and my current RS.

I have not as yet had to claim but so far have no complaints about my OPC.

They also are fitting 2 new tyres I purchased over the internet from Tyreleader and are fine when I supply my own oil, they allow me PCGB discount on both parts and labour so no complaints from me.

Geoff

 

[tscaptain]

Presumably the only thing that a Paintshield wrap could invalidate would be the bodywork/paintwork warranty - however long that lasts for? My PC have just fitted two tyres that I bought via the internet, filled with N2 for free, while they were fitting non OE brake pads for me....very nice people[]

 

[blueSL]

I have no complaints about my OPC either - they give me club discount and are happy for me to supply my own oil. To their credit, there was no drawing in of breath through clenched teeth when I told them I was putting grilles in so maybe sense is prevailing.

Haven't gone there with tyres. I did try for a moment to undo the centre locks because I thought it would make access easier but they are done up so tight the front wheels turn even with the car on the ground. Centre locks remain a royal pain.

 

[Lancerlot]

ORIGINAL: blueSL
Haven't gone there with tyres. I did try for a moment to undo the centre locks because I though try would make access easier but try are done up so tight the front wheels turn even with the car on the ground. Centre locks remain a royal pain.

Mark,

Take a look in next month's Porsche Post, there'll be something there to help you with your centre locks. If you can't wait 'till then there's this thread http://www.porscheclubgbforum.com/tm.asp?m=804343.

It's great fun! []

Regards,

Clive.

 

[m33ufo]

Very much enjoyed your article and it did put the whole process into relative perspective.

When the Porsche centre lock system was first announced, I made the assumption that the key benefit would be to speed up wheel replacement on their more sporty models. Given that that doesn't appear to be the case, what are the benefits apart from the obvious aesthetic ones? They do look fantastic.

 

[Lancerlot]

Thanks Mark,

As you say they're aesthetically pleasing, they save a modicum of unsprung weight, the engineering principle is advanced and emphasises the high performance, sporting ethos of the model - and you don't have to mess around with 5 individual fasteners per wheel. []

Regards,

Clive.

 

[tscaptain]

.....and you need an assistant to press the brake pedal..........[]

 

[geoff lane]

Have to agree with Alan given the choice I would not have them and my gold wheels do look the business.


As stated above given the sporty nature of the vehicles one may wish to try the odd track day "Ha Ha" Count the miles and replace all moving parts !! not necessary on 5 stud non sporty vehicles after a track day.!!!!

I don't know of any other vehicle that is more restrictive especially a vehicle designed for the track.

Geoff

 

[tscaptain]

Finished putting it all back together, Mark?[]

 

[blueSL]

Geoff, perhaps Porsche are regretting the day they sidelined the guy who designed the centre locks wheels to designing con-rod bolts...

Alan, working at a snails pace I'm afraid, collecting the aircon parts from the dealer today plus replacements for the rusty screws; also waiting for a mini torque wrench to torque the connectors correctly. Lots of cleaning still to do, wondering if I need to get to the back of the water radiators, probably not. The aircon rads have taken the brunt of the damage.

On the grille side, I'm taking Clive's advice to keep the recess which mates with the rubber ducting completely clear - those side vents are going to be tricky. I'm quite new to this stuff, so the overriding requirement is not to screw up!

 

[tscaptain]

Yes, that slot where the PU mates up with the rubber ducting is the bit we messed up first time around. Any mesh in that area will stop it sliding back into place. Have you found a mobile air con man yet?

 

[blueSL]

OK, all done and sorted. Since my air-con was already completely empty due to the holed radiator, it was easy to replace the two radiators and the filter dryer without the need to capture the remaining refrigerant which does nasty things to the atmosphere. A total of 6 connections, new O-rings, 14 Nm tightening torque, verified as gas-tight by a surprisingly lengthy process at a local air-con specialist and then re-gassed for £70 in total. Ice cold air coming out, so all fine.

To try to preserve the pristine condition of the new radiators, grilles in the front bumper. Thanks to Clive (Lancerlot), Alex and others for their previously documented efforts but it was still difficult. The centre one is a breeze, the two outers are devils with changing levels and the final result for these was not the first effort! You can see from the pictures I used black cable ties positioned so as not to be visible from usual viewing angles plus self-tapping screws (No 4 & 6, 3/8 and 1/2 inch) with cup-washers where possible to hold the grille in place. The secret is to have a cardboard template of the rough shape, fasten the basic shape in place with cable ties and then work round each section of the rim to trim and fit keeping it clear of the groove which will mate with the rubber ducting. Even so, mistakes are easy, including in my case mounting one upside down which has a different appearance. Much bad language and start again.

The front went back on pretty well; the top holes align perfectly but the bottom screw holes are perhaps 2mm forwards of the marks left by the originals which suggests the ducting has not mated perfectly. It's good enough for now, nothing is being forced and I will revisit before putting the car to bed for the winter.

Out on the road, both oil and water temperatures are entirely normal. The thermotstat set point may have changed due to any reduced cooling effect but there's clearly plenty in reserve. The Porsche position is so much baloney...

 

[tscaptain]

Nice job, Mark. Look great.[]

 

[blueSL]

Thanks Alan, I should have done it much sooner. I might then have avoided £550 in parts...

 

[lowndes]

Mark

That looks great and is an impressively neat job.

Though I doubt I could achieve anything like the same quality of finish myself, I would like to have similar system installed on the 991. However before I do so I have raised one or two technical points which have been sent on to PAG. They have yet to reply but I am holding off from any mods until I have drawn out from Porsche their reasons for what prima facie appears may be an inconsistent position model to model.

Off topic, I have made a partial response to your question about whether a 991 T S is worth the price.

Cheers

Nick

 

[blueSL]

Thanks Nick, I will be interested to hear what Porsche say but my thought is they will not allow them. Seems to me the 991 will then suffer in just the same way.

How they allow the GT3 to have grilles, when you'd expect them to be the hardest working, I do not know.

 

[geoff lane]

I think this whole issue is verging on the ridiculous there is no consistency between OPC's surely it is time common sense prevailed.

GT3's have grilles fitted as standard, no problem the warranty and extended warranty also fine.

Some OPC's say not acceptable, not standard fitment to all other vehicles therefore warranty invalid !

When I owned my Turbo I asked my OPC at the time their view and they said it had got to make sense as it protected the radiators so I asked them to fit my design 911 grilles which they gladly did. Warranty fine !!!!!!

I have heard OPC's have said fitting grilles has an effect on air flow what planet are they on ?

If grilles can protect radiators and save warranty claims why would you not encourage fitment in fact why not fit them as standard ?

So when we move from 997 to 991 do we fit grilles as standard to save radiator warranty claims NO !

Make sense of that.

Geoff