Urgent buying advice needed 944 s2

[test789]

Hi,

Just been to look at a 1991 s2. 80000 miles and in really nice condition. (seen 4 so far at its light years better) Car has been sitting for 3 years and just moted. Porblem being.. oil pressure is reading 5 constantly even when turned off (says its always been like that) and the engine sounds tappety. Also... the revs are going up and down say 300 revs idling and when the engine is switched off and restarted it will sometimes run normal perfect revs (sometimes not) Not burning oil and goes quick with plenty of pull. Why would it be tappetey ? and would you buy it ? I wouldnt mind spending a bit on car as its in real good condition just dont want something with a 2 grand rebuilt needed. Help!

 

[homesea]

Has it been used much since it has been sat for 3 years? Hydraulic tappets can drain down and sound a bit tappet if the car not has been used a lot. If it needs new ones it's not a massive job, when you price them up remember you have 16. As to the oil pressure reading 5 just look at the other post on here not long ago. Bad idle could be a bad ISV, again not a big job. If it doesn't have a oil problem and the price is right for the rest of the problems than why not??

 

[Alexw]

Theres a post on a front page here about the pegged oil pressure.
Are you sure it tappets your hearing? The injectors can be quite loud.
If it is tappets, maybe it just needs an oil change and a good long drive to thoroughly warm the engine. Or maybe the oil is a bit too thin and has drained out over the 3 years its been sat. Also I've read an oil flush helps a lot with noisey tappets.
Idle could be a few things, maybe the ISV is clogged?
Most of the problems will be because the car has sat for so long! I can tell when I havn't driven my car for 2 weeks!

 

[test789]

The tax disc is 2007 so been sitting 3 years and done nothing since a journey to mot. I have a feeling it might of been tappetey before this though but no way of knowing. What do you mean if it doesnt have an oil problem ? Its just, I was thinking the oil pressure guage might of been disconnected to hide some issue with the tappetey sound .. or maybe im being paranoid ? The car was only used for short journeys apparently. What do yous reckon ? It really is in nice condition and dont think you would get one much better.

ps.. oil was just changed and was clean as a whistle

 

[ukmastiff]

I have looked at a lot of 944's and bought a couple. Based on my own small ammount of experience I would say walk away 100 percent. But thats just my opinion. I bse this on the fact that there are a lot of good 944's out there with no real problems , I just sold one of them.

Regards Mas

 

[test789]

Thats the thing.. im not in mainland uk and there arent any good ones. This is the 4th one ive looked at and its clear its been looked after miles better than any others I seen. Just dont know what to do...

 

[morris944s2john]

To be honest the car doesn't sound that bad from your description as long as it is tapety and not a serious rattle!

Why not get it inspected, the AA or RAC will give you a second opinion.

 

[ukmastiff]

Not any good ones ???? thats just not true how much are you looking to pay for one. I just sold a sound Turbo for 3,500. If you are looking to pay less than 3500 for a turbo or an S2 then you may have a point.

Regards Mas

 

[Northern924]

As he just mentionewd Mas he's NOT in the UK!!

Where about are you test, and what service history does the car have?

 

[test789]

Im not in UK so these cars dont turn up very often thats the thing. ive looked at 3 others and they cant compare to this one. What I was worried about was the oil pressure was deliberatley disconnected to hide some engine problem.. but it seems the wiring is broken to il pressure gauge (thats why its at 5 all time even when off) or something and they can just be tappetey from lack of use. I have a bmw 7 series and it will tap when left sitting.. how you fix it is by keeping revs held at 3000 revs for 2 mins or something (keep repeating until fixed) and it does work.. mine sounded like a tractor and after that was silent, but it will go that way again if left standing. The car was his wifes and he has a 911 twin turbo so I dont know if he would be bothered monkeying around with oil guage wires.. guess its a bit of a gamble? What would you lot do ?

 

[pauljmcnulty]

Poor bodywork could cost far more than a top-end rebuild on the engine, even if it's the worst case, so I'd not be as worried about this as if it was rusty.[8|]

They can easily be very tappety if they've sat a while, it should clear with a decent run. The MOT should have given it a chance to warm up properly and get the oil circulating, but then I'd have expected the MOT station to refuse to test the emmisions if they thought the engine had a major issue? Bear in mind that the belts will be either due, or nearly due, and there will be the possibility of hardened oil seals here as well. At only 80K it's likely to need the cam chain and a water pump as well.

If the rest of the car is good, and the price is right, I'd say it's got to be worth getting it checked out by a mechanic. Any half-decent mobile guy should be able to give an opinion for an hour's money?

 

[test789]

Thats the thing.. the bodywork on this car is superb and i dont think i will get one this good for quite a while. Question is really ..is it worth a punt with those few issues..

 

[pauljmcnulty]

Thats the thing.. the bodywork on this car is superb and i dont think i will get one this good for quite a while. Question is really ..is it worth a punt with those few issues..

Sounds like you've answered your own question! I'd still ask the owner if you could get it checked though, the response might be telling if he's hiding something horrible.

 

[ukmastiff]

I never suggested he is in the U.K however the world is a small place these days. I had enquiries re mine from Holland and Australia so it must be I suppose
I just dont believe in getting desperate and lowering your standards unless you are looking for a cheap project which is different. I offered him 'my' opinion to be helpfull and explanation marks or capitals dont make an opinion any more valid by the way.

Mas

 

[Northern924]

Mas that wasn't a dig or anything, more questioning whether you'd seen that he wasn't in the UkK no offence intended there big man [8D]

Test you don't actually say where you are, but it all depends on whether the price is sensible and as Mas does say it depends on what you are looking for in the car, BTW you don't say what the milage is.
Mine is at 162k and there is very little noise from the engine, but if that is all your worried about with the car and its at the right price then go for it I say []

 

[robwright]

Just a thought mate are you sure it was tappets? The Bosch injectors on these cars are very noisy and could be mistaken for tappet noise.

 

[peanut]

if it hasn't been run regularly for several years the oil and oil filter are going to like sludge.
Erratic idle is easily solved if you systematically check the Bosch troubleshooting guides and Clarks garage manuals etc.

You are going to need to replace every fluid ,filter and rubber seal/bush in the car at least. so budget for that. Flush the fuel tank, fuel lines and clean the injectors.

Then theres the brake disks ,pads and brake hoses /lines calipers

You need to make a list and a provisional costing for the necessary work and then negotiate the price on the basis of whet the work is going to cost.

I'd be tempted to get an MOT for £50 to show up any other nasties .

 

[test789]

The mileage is 80,000 and i would say its genuine judging by condition. I dont know if it is tappets and its not really bad just sounds like a medium strength tick/tap sound. Are the injectors hard/expensive to change and how would you know which it is actually is ie tappets or injectors? Car was moted a few days ago and was serviced but probably only oil (oil definately was - seen it) and oil/air filters - had new discs - fitted and tyres for mot. I noticed its a bit lasy to start.. was thinking it was because battery was low but seen there someone on internet whos injectors needed cleaned that made it slow to start so im wondering is it them making the tapping noise. Thanks.

 

[sawood12]

If it is tappets then they should only rattle when the engine is first started. The tappety noise should disappear once the oil system gets upto pressure - that is the purpose of hydraulic tappets, to expand and take up the gap. If they are still making a noise when the engine is running then it could be something else - or a problem with the cylinder head oil feed to the tappets. The injectors do make a noise but not loud enough for you to hear in the car with the bonnet down.

If the body is in good nick and the only issue is the tappety noise then if the price reflects the risk of any potential problem then it might still be worth a punt. Though one of the first jobs you should do with the car having been left idle for 3 yrs is to replace the timing and balance shaft belts and give her a damn good service.

 

[pauljmcnulty]

I noticed its a bit lasy to start.. was thinking it was because battery was low

S2 is always slow to start by modern standards, it's a big old lump, and needs the engine to spin before the fuel pump kicks in. A slow start and a few seconds to fire is normal.