Newbie-just bought 1986 2.5 lux

[fulvia]

ORIGINAL: sc0tty

I don't get this at all, you saw 6 cars and then bought this?! (maybe it was a 'bargain price?)

Yep - cheap as chips. Even if I have to spend £1500 on it would make it cheaper than most of the 944s I was looking at.

There must have been a better option than to buy a 944 in this condition? and now you are going to swap the engine too? (which means the numbers won't match)

There were other options, but they weren't necessarily better options. I looked at a 2.7 which had been poorly resprayed down one side, and had a rotten O/S sill, and tatty interior, and flabby gear shift. I looked at a 1988 S, which had bad knocking sounds in the front suspension and electrics which didn't work. I looked at an excellent 83 Lux, very impressive, but I didn't want to pay £3000. I also looked at a dog of 83 Lux which was £1500. I also looked at a £3500 88 Lux, which looked gorgeous, with a fantastic interior, but when driving the brakes were binding, and the car was pulling to one side.

Although the picture painted of the car bought doesn't look pretty, there are some good points. The car is very straight, good history, very good interior, all the electrics work. It feels tight when driving, gearbox is excellent, good colour (metallic black), no modifications and no leaks in the sunroof or tailgate!

Why did you not ask anyone here on the forums if they knew of a good Lux for sale in the first place? Even the best ones need regular money thrown at them, but it is never advisable to buy a bad car and try and make it sound.

I did a fair bit of research and studied the forum closely, and looked at a range of buying guides- and I wouldn't say it's a bad car - although I'm a bit peeved about the exhaust smoke under high revs, which admittedly I didn't test for properly when buying.
-the matching numbers doesn't bother me at all; it's not like its a 1950s 356! The aim wasn't to win concours competitons, but to get into a good solid car, which, with a bit of sorting could last me 3 or 4 years, and provide some good fun!

 

[fulvia]

ORIGINAL: 944Turbo

Its getting a new engine because the oil pressure sender is faulty?

Of course not!
I'm finding that my intelligence is really being questioned here!

what colpur is the smoke under load?

Blue

 

[944 man]

ORIGINAL: sc0tty

ORIGINAL: 944 man

Mtching numbers? James; youre deluded.

So you endorse someone buying a car and then replacing the engine?? I have never read that one in a car buyers guide. And I am deluded?! No wonder there are so many crap 944s around, it must be down to people you and your forum regulars who have nothing else to do in life play with your toolset and parts catalogues. And what car do you actually drive?

Wind you neck in. Suffice to say that I drove cars superior to yours fifteen years ago.

 

[stjohnsmythe]

I've spent over 2k on my Lux since purchase (belt changes, etc) and it came with full service history and is in very good condition for the year. I certainly wouldn't want to buy a car that needed a whole heap of work doing - these cars are cheap to buy but can easily turn into a total money pit.

 

[edh]

Let's all calm down....

These cars are 20+ years old, and are fast moving into the "classic" realm. They will all need money spending one them. If you compare them to most cars of that era, you'd marvel at their robustness and resistance to rust. Check out most classic forums and you'd see that the work we complain about on here is all part & parcel of running an older car for most folks.

My first 924S cost me £900, and was a bit of an old nail - although it was totally reliable. I learnt a lot about these cars working on that one & sorting out all the minor ( and some major) issues. My second 924S was a good one, and cost me almost nothing to keep running. I've spent a lot more maintaining my turbo, which is a very nice, albeit high mileage, example.

 

[944Turbo]

ORIGINAL: fulvia

ORIGINAL: 944Turbo

Its getting a new engine because the oil pressure sender is faulty?

Of course not!
I'm finding that my intelligence is really being questioned here!

what colpur is the smoke under load?

Blue

Just trying to get back on topic - do you know what oil is in there?
might be worth a compression/leak down test before swapping the engine out on the other hand lots of diagnostics will soon add up so if its a known good engine with a guarantee, might be the best option,
Tony

 

[Peter Empson]

ORIGINAL: 944 man

Someone talked about making a CF part a few years ago.  Im not sure that Id retro-fit a substitute though, when you consider that a torque tube is actually a massive driveshaft running alongside you, turning at 6,000rpm...  I saw a picture of a failed TT on an Alfa Romeo Guilietta and itd cut the cabin in half!

To be fair the guy who's talking about making one he doesn't sound like he wants the responsibility of selling them to anyone else, and I dread to think what the cost would be anyway...

Apologies to the OP for the OT, and even then it's still more constructive than some posts here [8|]

 

[edh]

still OT - sorry

http://www.bactechnologies.com/torque_tubes.htm

 

[pauljmcnulty]

So you endorse someone buying a car and then replacing the engine??

I certainly would if the price was right. I'd far rather get a solid car that's had a belt failure or something, than a lovely engine in a body that's going to cost £5K to restore.

 

[fulvia]

ORIGINAL: 944Turbo

ORIGINAL: fulvia

ORIGINAL: 944Turbo

Its getting a new engine because the oil pressure sender is faulty?

Of course not!
I'm finding that my intelligence is really being questioned here!

what colpur is the smoke under load?

Blue

Just trying to get back on topic - do you know what oil is in there?
might be worth a compression/leak down test before swapping the engine out on the other hand lots of diagnostics will soon add up so if its a known good engine with a guarantee, might be the best option,
Tony

Apologies Tony - I was starting to feel a bit defensive.
It was being topped up with 15/40 semi synthetic (Halfords) by the previous owner. The last couple of services, Magnatec has been used. I wondered myself if the issue was thin oil.
I've been quoted £650 for refitting an engine, and have the choice of three which I can hear running. I agree, a compression test could be worth while, but even if it will require a top end job, (which incidentally was done 17,000 miles ago, (new valves, seals, and a head gasket)), then it would still mount up. If it's rings, then wouldn't it make sense to undertake a full rebuild? I was quoted £2000, by EMC, for a rebuild, which I think is good value, but my budget has to be spread a bit to pay for other things.

 

[944 man]

Spot the difference and guess which one is worth worrying over about original numbers... For those too enraged to read, my current cars are listed in my signature. James: had you bought that car when it was reasonably new and worth something, then Id understand your attitude now, well: to some degree at least. As its only worth £5,000 tops, I think that you make yourself look unbelievably foolish when you make such pretentious remarks. You need to add £20,000 to your budget, in order that your car can match your aspirations. With regard to your suggesting that Im lying about owning a number of these cars in the early - mid nineties: you make me laugh, you silly little man.

Im glad that Im going on holiday: two weeks without a phone or the interent. []

 

[edh]

Smoke under load is going to be rings - in which case a replacement engine is a cheaper option unless you can do the work yourself. £650 isn't the end of the world, and if you can get them to do the belts while it's going in (or if there's a history of a recent change) then the cost reduces even further.

 

[Peter Empson]

ORIGINAL: edh

still OT - sorry

http://www.bactechnologies.com/torque_tubes.htm

Phwoar!

 

[pauljmcnulty]

£650 isn't the end of the world, and if you can get them to do the belts while it's going in (or if there's a history of a recent change) then the cost reduces even further.

And the clutch unless it's pretty new.

 

[Mike_Pollock]

Hi

Seems like your post has got them going again!

PH know there stuff and are very reasonable on the costs, so I'd say your choices are ok.

As far as originality, the majority of our cars are never going to be that special, especially a 2.5 (Lux or not!) that they need to kept original or standard.

(I swapped my engine a few weeks ago, on the drive, on my own 'cos I DO enjoy working on my car with my nice set of spanners spending my time on the car I bought as a hobby.)

Anyway, I'm looking forward to seeing you and the car on the road.

Also, been meaning to ask why "Fulvia" do you have one of those too! I've always loved them and my first 3 cars were Lancia Beta series. 1976 1600 HPE, 1980 1600 Berlina and 1982 2000HPEie very muched loved but 2nd daughter = sensible car.

Cheers

Mike

 

[944 man]

My first car was an HPE 1600 and my second a HPE Volumex. []

 

[fulvia]

ORIGINAL: A9XXC

Hi

Seems like your post has got them going again!

PH know there stuff and are very reasonable on the costs, so I'd say your choices are ok.

As far as originality, the majority of our cars are never going to be that special, especially a 2.5 (Lux or not!) that they need to kept original or standard.

(I swapped my engine a few weeks ago, on the drive, on my own 'cos I DO enjoy working on my car with my nice set of spanners spending my time on the car I bought as a hobby.)

Anyway, I'm looking forward to seeing you and the car on the road.

Also, been meaning to ask why "Fulvia" do you have one of those too! I've always loved them and my first 3 cars were Lancia Beta series. 1976 1600 HPE, 1980 1600 Berlina and 1982 2000HPEie very muched loved but 2nd daughter = sensible car.

Cheers

Mike

Thanks Mike,
and many thanks for your offer of help in the message you sent.

Good to see someone picked up the Lancia reference!
I ran a S2 Fulvia between 1996-2001 as a daily car. I loved it to bits and the handling was superb - like it was on rails. I did a lot of my own maintenance replacing ancillaries etc., but I've always shied away from doing the big jobs. Eventually with rust and various other things wearing out, (it must have done over 200,000), I got rid.

Then bought a Lancia Beta Montecarlo, S1, 1977. Great car, but parts were getting scarce, I had to have shock absorbers built for it, you couldn't even get them.

 

[fulvia]

ORIGINAL: 944 man

My first car was an HPE 1600 and my second a HPE Volumex. []

Drove through Ripley the other day and there's a pale blue skeleton of an HPE on a garage forecourt - not sure if its a volumex though.

 

[edh]

My first real car was a Beta 2000 IE Coupe - still a beautiful car, and a lovely noise on the overrun [] - Always wanted a Fulvia as well - one day....

 

[PSH]

Hi fulvia and welcome to the forum,

Seems that I've missed all the action being away the last week..lol. Honestly guys be friends and try not to fight in a newbie's thread, it tends to send the wrong image don't you think?

Anyway back on topic , I've read all the posts and wonder if changing the engine without investigating the cause is the right thing to do, smoke can be caused by more than just a naf engine. I see you say it has magnetec in it , I've never used this oil but know that engine builders have many horror stories to tell when stripping down an engine that has.

I would advise to do as has already been suggested and get a leak down test done, it takes a lot to cause wear on these engines, rings yes can be an issue after going to the moon and back but other things can make an engine smoke a lot sooner. Check all breathers, and get the oil sender checked as this does worry me.
Not saying that it's the case here but if the engine was badly damaged( broken rings,scored bore , failed oil pump ,etc) then a way to hide this may be to rig the sender and put in something like manetec in an attempt to hide it! If that is the case then perhaps best to change the engine anyway if it has magnetec in it , contact Jon Mitchel( sry forgot his details) to hear his views on magnetec.

All the best and good luck with the car , one thing I can say is once you have it running and set up properly you'll learn to love it and fully appreciate what a wonderful car the 944 is....[][]


Pete