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DIY Servicing

keith

Well-known member
Joined
26 Oct 2002
Messages
56
I can see me becoming the forum Phillistine with this one!

Does anyone do there own servicing, what is best to leave to the mechanics and what could be done myself? Does the engine have to come out to adjust the tappets or change the plugs? (mentioned by my local garage)

Surely air/oil filter and oil change I could do btw which oil should I use? the car is a 1986 3.2 Carerra. 97000mls.It doesn't have any real service history so I would not be compromising its history. Id be most grateful for any advice on this one.

Thanks

Keith


Migration info. Legacy thread was 375
 
Your local garage said they would have to remove the engine to do a plug change and valve adjustment?

Change garages NOW!

With a few tools and the right directions you can do a full service on a Carrera 3.2. The first few times it is bound to take a while but I am sure you would soon get up to speed.

If you fancy doing the work yourself buy a copy of Wayne Dempsey's 101 Projects for the 911 and get stuck in. I haven't done anything myself but I understand it is all pretty simple

You DEFINITELY do nothave to drop the engine to do any service work (although you might have to remove the exhaust to get to the exhaust valves for adjustment)

Cheers, James


Migration info. Legacy thread was 377
 
PS Don't use a garage other than a Porsche specialist or an OPC - these cars are just too different, even for servicing

James


Migration info. Legacy thread was 378
 
Thanks for the encouragement,I will get the book. Silly thing is when I moved last year I chucked out a 911 Clymer and Haynes manual along with all my other 911 mags and brooklands books thinking I would never get to own one! One question, why is the 911 so different that the garage can't service it if its ok for me to.

Cheers

Keith

PS I could be posting all day if the rain doesn't let up


Migration info. Legacy thread was 379
 
For a start, when you are working on your car you are likely to pay more attention than any garage, so arugably it would be better for you to do the work than anyone.

Secondly, when you do the work it doesn't cost you anything. When a garage does the work you pay for labour. If had asked your garage (who don't know 911s) to do a service you would have paid say £45 per hour for every hour it took them to drop the engine (maybe 3 hrs). In doing so God knows what they would have done. On the otherhand, an experienced 911 specialist knows exactly what to do, what the pitfalls are etc. Also a specialist is much more likely to quickly and correctly diagnose problems. There are aspects of a 911 flat 6 that just don't apply to a Japanese 4 cylinder. E.g. do they even know to check the oil with the car warm and running? I bet not. You probably would have driven off with 1 litre too much oil in the car, have fouled the airbox and have to have taken it back to have the engine cleaned, airfilter replaced and oil level re-checked.

In the long run paying a few extra quid an hour for a 911 specialist will save you loadsa money (and probably in the short run too)

Chees, James


Migration info. Legacy thread was 380
 
What you say makes good sense, any thoughts about the best oil to use, mineral?Synthetic?

I've ordered the book and am considering ordering a service kit too.

Keith


Migration info. Legacy thread was 381
 
There is a theory that, in older engines which have always had mineral oil, the build-up of oil around seals actually helps the seal. If you then start using synthetic oil it will "wash away" this build up and may cause oil leaks.

So general opinion has it that mineral oil is better and Castrol GTX 20W50 seems to get a lot of votes by American 911 owners.


Cheers, James


Migration info. Legacy thread was 382
 
<Sorry image not available after migration>
Hi Keith,

I like to work myself on cars. I have a 993 and a BMW525i. On the BM I do everything by myself because I have a good book! That car is approaching 400000km (250000Mi) and still riding at 200km/hr +! So I imagine my servicing is not so bad! But on the Porsche...no book available for my model except expensive workshop manuals (which I think I will finally buy) and so I do not touch it! I have the service done by a Porsche specialist. OPCs are too expensive ( they charged me 4 times the price of my specialist for a simple clock lighting bulb!)

I've heard of people going to simple garage for "just changing the spark plugs". And it was real cheap, but what they noticed later, the "technician" just changed one plug per cylinder (where there were 2) not to move the engine! And I have a sad story about one who didn't know he has to check the oil level with engine running!

So I would say : do it yourself with a good reference book or let it be done by a specialist.

Cheers

J.P.


Migration info. Legacy thread was 416
 
Thanks for the advice, I am waiting for the book I've ordered to be delivered. I will probably have a poke about myself and then give up and hand it over to a Porsche specialist.

Cheers

Keith


Migration info. Legacy thread was 418
 
Just spoken to the local specialist who has worked on my car and did the gearbox rebuild last year. He knows the car well. Seems ideal as he runs a 911 himself and has so much work on that he cannot service mine till the end of the month. He cuts in metal and uses leading where appropriate, he said it may be possible to repair rather than replace the wings, he will probably take them off the car to establish the extent of the rot. I asked why the previous owner hadn't used him to have the paint work which had been done, he explained that he wasn't the cheapest and that whilst the gearbox had to be done properly the paintwork didnt. BTW the copy of the bill I have for the gearbox rebuild shows £450 labour charge. The guy said that they charge £20 an hour. Sounds just right for me, what do you think?

Keith


Migration info. Legacy thread was 421
 
£20 an hour seems very cheap. If the guy knows what he is doing this sounds like a great deal. Porsche specialists normally charge £30-£40 an hour.

James


Migration info. Legacy thread was 422
 
Had a good feeling about the guy on the phone but you never know. I have booked portia in for a full service including tappets for the 27th. The company is called 'RM Classic sports car renovations and servicing' near me in Colchester. I spoke to Ralph (presumably at least the 'R' in the name) who sounded alright. Bodywork wise he reckons a ball park figure of around 2K to get the car in AI condition. I have taken a fancy to the idea of replacing my tea tray spoiler with the later electric job. That way you get the clean lines of the 911 plus the stability and gadget value of the spoiler. If I do have the body repairs and paint done the electric spoiler will add only about £100-150 to the bill as I could sell my existing spoiler/lid. I'd be interested in your thoughts.

Cheers

Keith

BTW My next door neighbour,a former 911 owner is looking to buy a 993 turbo 98 ish. Yes I have a neighbour with 50k to spend!


Migration info. Legacy thread was 425
 
I think fitting a 964 retracting spoiler is a great idea - apparently all that is needed is a change to the hinge mountings. You might want to think about keeping the original spoiler, however, because when it comes time to sell the next buyer might want the original look. Also the original spoiler has some value in that it is original to your car. Of course I understand the cost saving for you though.

James

PS Lucky old neighbour!!!


Migration info. Legacy thread was 429
 
Yes maybe I should hang on to the old spoiler till I get down to my last £250. The Wayne Dempsey book has just arrived so I shall bury my head in it.

Cheers

Keith


Migration info. Legacy thread was 431
 
I was also toying with the idea of a 964 spoiler on my currently whaletailed 3.2 but have rather been scared off it. My car has air con and the condensor sits directly under the engine lid grille. The 964 had the condensor at the front of the car, and obviously there are more moving parts in the 964 lid as it is retractable, so I really don't think it is doable on my 3.2 (as do the couple of specialists I spoke to at the time. It might be ok on one without aircon, but either way there is a certain amount of wiring needed to sort out the 964 spoiler. If you want to go the whole hog with the speed sensor I'm sure it will be stupidly expensive - you may get away with a simple up or down switch.

Either way I'd really like to know if you get this done, and particularly if anybody has any ideas about my aircon dilemma.

Jamie


Migration info. Legacy thread was 433
 

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