924Board.org

[Haven]

OK guys.. need your help once again..

It's a good thing I didn't wait by the phone the whole time, as I just now got an estimate on recommended repairs....

All I can say is

They checked out everything on the car and were pretty thorough about it. I'm glad, but I know now firsthand why most people work on these cars themselves.

Good news is the engine is pretty sound.. they did a compression test and got readings of 155 on cylinders 1,2 & 4 and a reading of 150 on cylinder 3. They didn't see any signs or symptoms of a failing headgasket.

But.. the recommended repairs they did suggest really add up $$$$$$

The FOES comes to about $1400, which is what I expected.. so no biggie. As I mentioned above, I also have a power steering leak and that repair I think is pretty steep, or is it?

Here is a snapshot of the estimate in 3 chunks. (only way I could get it on here)

Please help me decipher it.







To do the FOES alone.. it is ~$1400 + tax. To do the FOES + the power steering issue, I was quoted $2363.83 (tax included) ..out the door.

Obviously, there's no way I'm paying them to do all of these repairs. I can do some of it myself, I'm sure.

I'm definitely gonna let them do the FOES. But my questions are these:

The Camshaft Housing Gasket s part of the FOES, right? Also, If I were to rebuild the P/S myself and only let them do the FOES, would the leaky P/S be enough over a 50 mile drive home to screw up the new belts? If so, then I'm kinda stuck paying them to do the P/S too.

Rasta mentioned the control arm bushings and sway bar bushings... Sure enough, they caught that too.. but I'm confident I can replace those myself.

They also mentioned engine mounts, but I have the receipt from the PO where this was done just a year ago.. would they need to be done again already? There is not much vibration as it is. I figured new balance belts would take care of what is left.

I've also re-packed wheel bearings, etc. before.. so I can do that part too.

I guess, overall, I just would like opinions on what you would do in this situation. What would you do yourself, what would you let them do?

Overall, this car is in good shape.. It could be a lot worse, I'm sure.
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1987 Porsche 924S Auto

[gohim]

The power steering leak will not screw up the belts because it isn't anywhere near the timing and balance shaft belts.

But the PS fluid will eat anything made of rubber, like the engine mounts, and the lower control arm bushings.

I would not replace the engine mounts unless they are flat. I'd repair the leaking power steering leak, clean the PS fluid up, and wait to see if the engine mounts are damaged before replacing them.

The paper camshaft housing gasket between the cylinder head and the cam tower (sits ontop of the head and houses the camshaft) can leak, and it is not part of the FOES, although you have to release the tension on the timing belt to get the cam tower off the cylinder head to replace the paper gasket. You do not have to remove the head to replace the cam tower gasket, just release the tension on the timing belt, and remove the mounting bolts. FOES time is a great time to replace this gasket.

Did you get this estimate from a Genuine Porsche Dealer? $1400 for a FOES seems low from a Dealer, and it's strange that all of the part numbers for the parts to be supplied are not listed on the estimate.

[John_AZ]

haven,

Did you ask the shop to check the specific items on the list or did they do a standard PPI----PrePurchase Inspection ---on the Porsche?

I do not see that the shop checked the condition of the struts or shocks or suggest an alignment. They do mention the normal rubber bushings that are usually all bad. Be prepared for another $1000 or so with the prices they posted for the other work.

Did they remove the transaxle inspection plate to check the gear wear?

Did they inspect and check the clutch disc for remaining lining?
Clarks DIY:
http://www.clarks-garage.com/shop-manual/clutch-03.htm

They charge $76 for a compression test. No mention of a leak down test. You can get the equipment at Harbor Freight do do both for about $80.
http://www.dietersmotorsports.com/Compression-leakdowntest.htm

I do not know what you paid for the car but can only suggest that your read all of www.Clarks-Garage.com to save some money.

GL
John
_________________
'88 924S 67K
'87 924S 122K -DD
Past: 1970 914 1.7, 1977.5 924, 1979 924, +++== Gone, Past tutors

[Rasta Monsta]

Much of this already stated:

Rebuild, don't replace power steering pump. . .much easier than it sounds!
Do bushings yourself.
Do motor mounts yourself.
Do wheel bearing service yourself.

Is the cam box gasket really leaking that much?? Even if it is, the quoted labor cost seems excessive. Make sure they aren't charging you double labor for stripping the front of the motor.
_________________
Toofah King Bad

• WeiBe (1987 924S 2.5t) - 931 S3

[Haven]

Thanks for the replies guys!

gohim:

This estimate is not from a Porsche dealer, it's from a shop called EuroHaus in Knoxville. About the most highly recommended import shop in Knoxville. The $2363.83 price they quoted me was for the FOES (including camshaft housing gasket - i called to confirm), the power steering issues, compression test and plugs. $1400 + tax is what they want for FOES + Cam housing gasket if I were to only do that. I also double checked on waterpump brand and was told it was OEM rebuild w/ warranty. How much warranty.. I don't know, but they are supposed to let me know. Thanks for your advice. I'm going to wait on the engine mounts like you said.

John_AZ

I haven't paid for anything yet. It wasn't a pre-purchase inspection, I've had the car for a couple of months. I specifically asked them to check everything out, the estimate is for what they recommended I repair/replace. I'm not quite sure if they checked for gear wear in the transaxle though, but i'll find out. Transmission seems sound, but it would be nice to know nevertheless. Alignment was done last year by previous owner, (have receipt) .. I can change the bushings myself. Car also has new radiator, new exhaust, so those things were fine too.

Also, thanks for the advice about the power steering and for the video link. I think I'm gonna tackle that one myself. I have Clarks Garage bookmarked and half-printed .. so I refer to it a lot. I just wanted to take the car to a shop for the first FOES and check-up. I plan on buying the tools and figuring out how to do it myself over the next 3yrs/30k miles. I've done a lot of work myself in the past, (radiators, thermostats, distributors, alternators, fuel pumps, vacuum leaks, even a couple straight forward engine swaps.. albeit none were Porsche.. but hopefully I can tackle most of the ordinary stuff myself in the future.

I buy and sell domain names on the side.. I basically paid $100 for a domain name last year and sold it for around $4000 a few months ago. I paid less than $3000 for the car after everything was said and done with part of that money. I could have probably paid less, I know now.. but the car is in great shape inside and out for a 24 year old car. Really, in my mind, I got the car for $100.. since that's all that came directly out of my pocket to start with.

Rasta:

Thanks for your advice as well. I am going to do as you say and do all those things myself. I think it will be around $1500 tax and all for the FOES, which seems to be the range everyone has mentioned. I'm going back to pay/confirm everything tomorrow.
_________________
1987 Porsche 924S Auto

[John_AZ]

Hmmm, why are all the good domain names taken?
rastamonsta.com =gone.

www.goDaddy.com (AZLocal)
_________________
'88 924S 67K
'87 924S 122K -DD
Past: 1970 914 1.7, 1977.5 924, 1979 924, +++== Gone, Past tutors

[Haven]

[joecitizennn]

do

it

yourself
_________________
87 924s
88 924SE gone
447 hp cgt clone
87 924S gone
84 944 sold
83 944 sold
89 turbo S LSD, ABS etc
86 951 white rocket
85 944 sport everything.
84 944 sold.
87 944 sold

[Haven]

Just an update and the last post I'll make to this thread. Have the car back and it runs like a champ.

I definitely recommend the guys at EuroHaus Motorsports, if anyone happens upon this thread looking for shop/garages in Knoxville, TN. Jay and Robert are great guys and really helpful. I worked with them on the time frame, (Robert is also on a race crew) and they worked with me on price.

Now on to the other things on my list... bushings, wheel bearings, etc. I'm sure I'll be starting more threads soon.

Thanks for all the help in this thread guys.
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1987 Porsche 924S Auto

[headstrong2740]