Let'™s play a game

[poprock]

I'm dropping my car off tonight at my usual independent specialist garage. It's one of those visits with a long list of little niggles to fix that have added up to the point where I want them all sorted in one go.

I thought it might be fun to see if anyone can guess the causes of some of the problems, or make a guess at the total bill I'll get at the end. I'll post the actual results when I get the car back.

Here's the list:

Door handles: Swapping for a set of nice scripted ones. The job has proved beyond me, because of the extra security panel inside the door on my model year. Swapping the lock barrels over, so that my existing key works in them, and repairing the central locking.

Window scrapers: Supplying and fitting new outside scrapers while opening the doors up anyway to do the handles.

Oil leak: I have a nasty oil leak. We've replaced just about every oil seal on the car, so this time the suspect is a small piece of pipe which turns out to be a main dealer only part.

Bushes: The oil leak has been dripping on one of them and the rubber has deteriorated a bit. If the damage is bad, it'll be time for replacements.

Gearchange: My gearchange isn't as smooth as it was. It's downright awkward; going into and out of the middle gears (third and fourth) is no longer one smooth motion, but requires a definite shove to the centre and then up/down into place. Not right at all. What's wrong there then?

Mystery rattle: I have an unidentified metallic rattle from the rear of the chassis. It's not a CV joint noise, more like something lightweight flapping about when driving over rough ground. I've been unable to locate the source. Any ideas?

Rear brake back plates: My last MOT included a note that they were in poor condition. Time to just take them off then, I can live without. Could it be one of these that's causing the rattle mentioned above? Or is that too convenient?

 

[FistsOfHam]

With the metallic rattle it could be the exhaust heat shield. Mine was rattly but I found that if I bent one of the parts that stretches out over the back box the rattle went away. A nice free fix

 

[poprock]

I'll be surprised if it's that, since I've had a new back box built on the car recently and the rattle wasn't affected. You'd think the exhaust guys would have noticed.

Still possible though!

 

[FistsOfHam]

I took the back box off mine without noticing, giving it a tap however made it rattle. It's a quick and easy test, just tap it with your knuckle and see if it rattles or not.

 

[sulzeruk]

Rattle will probably be the back plates. They rot around the fixings and flap all over the shop!
Door handles are not a bad job.
Oil leaks are usually the cam seals or at the back where the cork gasket is. Also can be from the pipe to the oil cooler just behind the filter. Get a local hose company to make you one up as it will be 1/4 the price of the porsche one!
Window scraper are 5 minutes to change, pull out and push in!
Bushes, half an hour to change, get some nice polybush ones, about £40!
Gearchange will be your back linkage starting to seize, thats why it is getting stiffer to change.
I would say £600 for that lot from an independant Tony, glad I can do it all myself as i grudge paying the cash for some other person to work on my cars!
Which garage is the car going into?
Alasdair

 

[poprock]

I thought you'd have some good guesses Alasdair. Let's see "¦

ORIGINAL: sulzeruk

Rattle will probably be the back plates. They rot around the fixings and flap all over the shop!

That's what I'm hoping. Makes it one job instead of two.

Door handles are not a bad job.

I've spent three weekends trying to do them myself and given up. I just can't spare that much time, so I'm happy to pay the garage.

Oil leaks are usually the cam seals or at the back where the cork gasket is. Also can be from the pipe to the oil cooler just behind the filter. Get a local hose company to make you one up as it will be 1/4 the price of the porsche one!

Cam seals have been done recently. I think it's the pipe to the oil cooler, but we shall see.

Window scraper are 5 minutes to change, pull out and push in!

Aye. May as well let the garage do it whilst they have the doors apart to do the handles.

Bushes, half an hour to change, get some nice polybush ones, about £40!

Only having that done if it's needed, and if so I'll probably go for Powerflex ones.

Gearchange will be your back linkage starting to seize, thats why it is getting stiffer to change.

This is the one I'm worried about. The back linkage is a custom job built by my car's last owner. I really don't want to be going backwards to a standard part if something's wrong with it. I'm hoping some adjustment and lubrication will be all it needs. It's not so much stiff as awkward "¦ feels as though it might be misaligned.

I would say £600 for that lot from an independant Tony, glad I can do it all myself as i grudge paying the cash for some other person to work on my cars!
Which garage is the car going into?

It's with Peter at Motortune. He's never charged me anywhere near that much for any work in the past, but there's a first time for everything "¦ I honestly have no idea what the total's going to be because a couple of the jobs are unknown quantities until he gets in there and diagnoses the issues.

Nearly forgot"”he's also putting new valve stems into all four tyres because my valve caps have seized on! Stupid thing to happen, I know.

I don't do any mechanical work myself, between a lack of time, experience, tools and space. Mostly time. I'm happy doing all of the interior, electrical, cosmetic etc stuff at home, but I leave the oily bits to Peter.

Some good thoughts there Alasdair, I reckon you're pretty close on most of them. We'll see!

 

[zcacogp]

ORIGINAL: sulzeruk

Rattle will probably be the back plates. They rot around the fixings and flap all over the shop!

... i grudge paying the cash for some other person to work on my cars!

Exactly what I was thinking, on both fronts.


Oli.

 

[mik_ok]

ORIGINAL: poprock

It's with Peter at Motortune.

The good thing with Peter is you can be assured that whatever you pay will be the right amount for what he has done. (My guess is £350).

I've never been anywhere before where the owner argues forcefully against carrying out jobs you've asked him to do because he thinks you'd be wasting your money. [8D]

 

[poprock]

I got my car back this morning and the bill came to £500-ish (including labour and VAT).

New valve stems on all the tyres. Door handles changed and central locking sorted. Window scrapers rescued from an old S2 and fitted, because new ones from Porsche are on backorder.

Full oil and filter change, new timing belt (oil had been dripping on it), new oil cooler gasket, full set of new engine seals "¦ and now it doesn't have any oil leaks at all. First time since I've owned it!

Belts checked and tensioned, rear brake back plates sorted (it was them that were rattling), and the rear gear linkage has been dismantled, lubricated, and refitted.

Timing and AFM adjusted because the car was idling high and running a bit lean.

It didn't need new bushes, they're in decent enough nick as they are.

The engine has had a thorough steam clean to remove all traces of the old oil leaks and then been dried and re-lubed where appropriate.

It's running like a dream and I've put a hundred and odd miles on it already. Very happy!

 

[DivineE]

Improved linkage available from both Hartech and JM Garage.

p.s. Lindsey Racing do one too and my car has one of theirs, nothing wrong with it it's a nice feeling gear change but I don't see the point of importing one now that uk options are available.

Well done on sorting all the oil leaks WUF has a crank rear seal leak that needs to be done with the clutch asap.

 

[poprock]

ORIGINAL: DivineE

Improved linkage available from both Hartech and JM Garage.

That'll probably be on the list of things to do next year. I think the small bit of care and attention it's just had will see me through until then.

I wouldn't replace with standard when there's something more interesting available "¦ besides, the standard Porsche linkage is now up to over a hundred quid itself!