I have been wrenching a long long time. This is THE BEST diy video I have ever seen. Keep up the great work. Your effort will help keep these cars on the road for a long long time.
Thanks man, I hope you are right! I had an annoying audio issue during the first half that I wasn’t able to fully correct on this one (sounds like I’m talking under water), but at least all the info is there! 🤣
I dont mean to be so off topic but does someone know a way to get back into an Instagram account..? I was dumb lost the password. I would love any tricks you can give me.
Less than 10 hours job for you... A job of a few weeks for most people !! As a new 1986 Porsche 944 owners, I'll begin with easier repairs (fuel pump, fuel tank strainer, starter, etc) than timing belt... hope I won't need to do head gasket before few years...... but willing to learn and do it.... your videos are a bless for Porsche 944 owners.......
That’s awesome man, congrats on the acquisition! These cars are really approachable to work on. Once you get going on the small jobs, the big jobs will begin to look easy. Best of luck!
@@NC944er your answer is really appreciated. I'm really excited about my new 944. In 2010, I learned my basic mechanics with a Suzuki Sidekick 94(lol)!! I didn't even know what a distributor was.... Some months later I was replacing the engine, and some more months later I knew about every sensors/relays, etc on that car.... My goal, the next few years is to know as much about that Porsche. So, I'm going to watch every of your videos about that car...... Last few weeks, I already watched many of those and learned A LOT of things..... Hope you'll keep posting about the 944, infos are amazing.....
Dude this channel is phenomenal and I'm so glad I found it. I'm military stationed in the UK and I just shipped a '95 968S that has coolant consumption and white, sweet smelling smoke coming from the exhaust. I have been terrified to DIY a job this extensive but this channel might just be what I need to tackle it. Subscribed.
Wow. This is one of the best 944 videos I've ever seen. Not just for replacing the head gasket, but for all of the things that you removed to get to that point. For example, I have an 88' turbo and was thinking of doing the timing belt but I just didn't have any clue how the tensioner worked. This video showed how it worked in so much detail. There are so many other things in this video that will be useful to me in the future. Can't wait for part 2!
My new water pump was non turbo specific so didnt need a block up plate used the bolt to secure the power steering pipe Cant beleive how clean your engine is WOW
This is so great! I’m doing a head gasket job on mine now and those rusty exhaust headers are a pain to get loose so at least I know you can get a wrench around 2 and 3 I’ve been trying to get those nuts off! Gonna try a 6 point wrench instead of 12 but this gives me hope and shows me I’m in good shape so far! Got the cam assembly off yesterday!! 🙂🙂🙂
Really, really good video. Awesome camera work, great lighting so I could see what you were doing. I've been fighting a couple of 944,s for a while and this video is a big help in its details and process. I love how clean you work. I have an 86 that is clean like yours, and an 87 that is a crusty, rusty mess that bleeds knuckles like it is its purpose in life. On my 86 I just removed the exhaust like you did to replace the collapsed motor mounts. I hoisted the motor up a little with the mounts loosened to easily pop the headers off. When I reinstalled, I tightened the mounts up early. I thought that it would be a problem to get the headers on. Surprisingly, with the new mounts raising the engine up a little, the headers slid on easily. Might check your mounts while you've got it apart? See if they are collapsed. Good work on the video, Ed
Hey Ed, thanks for the comments! I’ve definitely spent more hours cleaning the car than I care to calculate. It’s not super fun, but it makes the fun stuff a lot easier. Great tip on the engine mounts, thanks for sharing. The sharing of info like that helps keep more of these on the road and that’s good for everyone. Good luck with your repairs. Cheers!
@@NC944er They are very rare, the 911 are a little easier to find, but 944 are very rare, as soon as I can I will send you photos of my car. It is a project at 80%, I am now working on the engine, changing the distribution kit and detailing the engine head, Thanks for your videos, I appreciate them very much
Thanks man! That’s kind of how the channel kicked off, I couldn’t find a head gasket video for the 944 so I decided to film it for others. 😂 Hope everything goes smoothly for you!
just discovered your channel- hallelujiah! i bought a 924s sight unseen and it's rough. I'm having a bit of buyers remorse but your channel is making me feel better. I may be able to resurrect this thing!
Nice! With enough time and money, almost anything can be saved. 😂 I really like the 924S, slightly more affordable than the 944 with the same power train and it performed better in the wind tunnel tests than the 944, lots of fun to be had! Best of luck as you dig in, they are pretty approachable to work on and while there are a few “larger” jobs (clutch, head gasket, etc), they can all be broken down into a bunch of smaller jobs and taken step-by-step.
Excellent video. Comprehensive. That timing belt kit is neat. I am going to have grab that. I used other methods to do my timing belt and didn’t feel 100 percent great about it.
Thanks! Once you get the technique dialed in, it really pays for itself the first time you do a belt job. And resale prices for the tool are strong as well, should you ever hang up your 944 repair hat. 😂
Just started the process of changing my head gasket on my Turbo and this video has been super informative (I realize there are some differences with the Turbo cars, but lots of this lines up). The Pelican tech articles are great, but it's nice to see it done instead of just looking at pictures and reading words on a page. Would you mind sharing where you sent your head for rebuild?
Nice! I’m glad the content is helping out. I dropped my cylinder head off locally at King Machine Shop in Burlington, NC. They don’t specialize in Porsche stuff, but have a good reputation in the area. I had printed out all the specs/tolerances from the Factory Workshop Manual and given it to them, but I don’t think they really referenced it. I remember the owner being surprised that the valve seat pressure tested at 120 lbs, I guess it was a lot more than he was expecting. Here are the notes I took from the rebuild service… Cylinder Head Rebuild - $384 * Shaved 5 thousands off the mating surface * Replaced two freeze plugs (these later ended up seeping coolant, resealed with RTV) * Cut all valve stems to the original height * Had to ream out the guides because they compressed * Exhaust valve seats were in bad shape - pitted and egg shaped. * Springs tested at 120 pounds, most applications are 80-90 * Shims were reused * Leak down test performed on all cylinders and it tested great
@@NC944er Wow, thank you so much for the detailed response! I’ve been hoping to find a shop that specializes in our cars locally, but they seem somewhat hard to come by. Getting the specs from the Workshop Manual and providing them to a local shop seems like a great idea. Might have to give that a try.
@@connellydc Sure thing! The information is found in Workshop Manual Volume 1, Engine, pages 15-16a through 15-19. Here's a link to the free PDF manuals in case you don't already have it... Factory Workshop Manuals - p914-6info.net/944%20Manuals.html
@@NC944er Thanks for the link! I’d found another version online, but this will be great to compare against what I’d already found. People like you are what make the Porsche community so great!
Im about to do the same, belts, rollers, front seals, balance shaft bearings, upgrade to a turbo oil cooler, coolant hoses and new radiator. Plus whatever needs attention. Its a 89 NA 2.7, dont want that belt to snap on me.
Hi, great video. I'm attempting to do this myself this summer. Where can i find the nuts and washers for the head and the plugs for the camshaft housing? Thanks a lot in advance!
Awesome! There are a number of parts vendors that will have what you need. You should check out my video on locating and shopping for parts - ua-cam.com/video/ouPC6DuRpuE/v-deo.htmlfeature=shared
Great video! I’m going to attempt doing this after the summer since it’s hot over here in SoCal. What other parts/gaskets/seals do you recommend changing while do the head gaskets? Since I’m already in there with parts out. Timing belt has been changed earlier this year
@@gawsies Nice! Really, with the entire top half broken down, you could end up doing quite a few things depending on how far you want to go… but some things that make sense are the AOS seals, possibly the fuel lines if they are aged, have the injectors cleaned and rebuilt, the timing belt will be back off again so you could also do the front oil seals (balance shafts and crank shaft), also a good time to replace the vacuum lines, and if you have any plans to refresh the AC system, there are two o-rings at the firewall behind the engine block that are much easier to access with the head removed.
@@NC944er Sweet! Thank you for all this info. I’m actually will be adding a new compressor as well, have to convert to r134! How long do you think is okay to drive the car before changing the head gasket? I still need to do the compression test to really find out but I’m sure it’s the head gasket. Rough idle for 1min on cold start, sometimes white smoke but rare. Goes away once car is warm. Small loss of coolant . Luckily it’s my second car and I probably drive it 30 miles a week.
@@gawsies Depends on how bad off it is, but running it for long with a blown head gasket can cause contamination of the oxygen sensor and catalytic converter.
Thanks man, I’ve been working to fill some of the DIY gaps out there. Hopefully some people find it useful in keeping these cars on the road. Currently reside in the Burlington, NC area. Cheers!
Great video, I'm currently restoring my 1986 924s (2.5L) I have a question 22:36 do balance shafts need to be set in top dead center position as the flywheel and crankshaft ?
Yep, so TDC would be relative to the flywheel/crankshaft position. Once the flywheel marks are aligned, the cam gear and balance shaft gears would all be set to their respective timing marks to align with TDC on the flywheel.
Thank you so much for the vedio! I have just started the engine job on my car and following your vedio as a guide, appreciate it!!! I have a question on my car tho that I do not find normal on the others.. Appreciate it if you would answer it! so my car has a engine oil leak(basically drips, passanger side front end), I think it was leaking from where the head gasket is located(right above the coolant drain bolt on the block) but wasn't quite sure that was the place.. Would you have any thoughts on that? Thank you!!
Hey! As far as the right rear of the engine goes, there are oil passages running through the block on that side, that could be a source for a leak. The camshaft assemblies also commonly leak from any number of seals, front, rear, main gasket, and that could leak oil down the side of the engine.
I got this set from Pelican Parts, but they are available from a number of vendors. Here’s a link… www.pelicanparts.com/More_Info/95110590510.htm?pn=951-105-905-10-INT
@@acantor They are the same size as the NA springs, just a higher spring rate, but I had the machine shop install them when they completed the valve work. After lapping the valves and seats, they had to reset the valve stem heights. I sent in an excerpt containing the specs from the factory workshop manual, but they essentially just measured the initial height and matched it over after completing the work. The owner was surprised the seat pressure tested at 120 lbs. I guess he was expecting something lower for a 4 cylinder head. 😂
@@acantor Yep, one for each valve so 8 total. Each individual quantity comes with two springs for each valve, a smaller internal spring and a larger external spring.
After taking out the coolant flanges what or how do you apply heat to take off the 2 bolts where replacing them with bolts purchased from Belmetric was discussed at the 39th minute?
I used a 1100°F heat gun, but a torch works as well. Anything that can get the metal to expand a bit without causing damage to nearby rubber/plastic components.
@@NC944er Saw there are hoses or wires near by... Was a heat shield of some kind used to protect it, if so what do you recommend? Thank you for all the vids of the 944. Hope you make a career of doing these and stay on the 944 platform. The 944 community is all better for it. We can't thank you enough...
Hi Do you think I need to change the valve seals? I'm in the process of changing the cylinder head gasket and several other seals, but I don't have the tools to change the valve seals. Porsche 944 na 1983
A common symptom of failing valve stem seals is the presence of blue smoke from the exhaust at idle. Its quite bit work to remove the cylinder head, so if you have the budget for it, it’s generally a good idea to have it refreshed while it’s off the engine. You’d be looking at $300-$400 in machine shop costs to deck the surface, cut the valve seats, and lap the valves, and replacing the stem seals makes sense at that time. Compression or leak-down tests will help determine if the valve seats need attention.
Overall process will be very similar, yes. The early 944s will have the eccentric style timing belt tensioner instead of the spring tensioner and the torque specifications for the cylinder head tightening sequence will likely be different for steps 2 and 3, just check your engine number and hardware specs.
Yeah, all the same components need to be removed to access the head on the Turbo cars, there’s just some setup differences on the intake and air filter housing to account for. This is a good place to start - www.pelicanparts.com/techarticles/Porsche_944_Turbo/80-ENGINE-Cylinder_Head_Gasket_Replacement/80-ENGINE-Cylinder_Head_Gasket_Replacement.htm
Just a tip , when you replace the cam housing , put the sprocket mark in align with the aluminum cover then coat the lifters with a little grease. This will keep them from falling out , !!!!😎😎😎😎😄😄😄🇺🇸🇩🇪🍺 just saying
Yes sir, we are of like mind! 😁 That technique is demonstrated in Part 2 of the series during reassembly. I’ve seen people use a piece of sheet metal or cardboard to hold them in place while turning the housing, but that incorporates a foreign component. I agree with you that grease/lube is the way to go. 👍🏼
@@NC944er I didn't see pt2 yet but have done head gasket many times !😄😄😄😄😎 check out my hot rod if you like !!!🍺🍺🍺🍺 ua-cam.com/video/oaIYffwo1DI/v-deo.html
I'm starting on this job because my 89 NA 2.7l timing belt broke. Questions are what steps can be skipped? Since the belt broke, the timing is off, so no need to remove starting or be concerned with TDC. What about coolant removal and what's the best approach to the exhaust system? Do I need to bother with the accessory belts just to assess the possible cylinder head damage? Any help much appreciated!
Hey man, sorry to hear about the broken belt. That does change the approach a little and some items can be “deferred” until reassembly. You’d want to avoid turning the crankshaft for example to prevent further damage to the valve train, but TDC could be safely set once the engine block cleaning is done. Since the timing belt is gone, you could remove the cylinder head with the other belts installed, but they’ll all need to come off for reassembly to get the new timing belt on. Probably easier to go ahead and drain the coolant, not absolutely necessary, but would reduce the mess, as coolant would dump all down the side of the engine block if you just pop the head off, also in cleaning the gasket material from the block it gets down into the water jacket cavities. Everything on top will need to be removed - fuel rail, intake, cam tower. The head can be removed with the exhaust manifold installed, but it would at least need to be disconnected from the down pipe/catalytic converter. In the end, the manifold will need to come off for head servicing at the machine shop anyway. So a bit of work to be done, but certainly doable if you take it one step at a time.
@@NC944er That was very helpful. I removed the fuel rail and intake manifold, radiator fan and "drained the coolant", although not much came out. I searched high and low for the drain bolt on the engine and couldn't find it. I am in the process of removing the exhaust manifold so I can see that area better. When I took off the intake manifold, the intake valves looked unscathed - but are they in danger of damage when the timing belt breaks, or is that just the exhaust valves? Thanks!
@@benjyedwards7150 Yeah, the drain bolt on the block is pretty well hidden, I usually have to find it by feel rather than by sight. You should get a better idea of the valve train damage when inspecting the underside of the head. I’ve seen as many as all 8 valves get crushed with a tensioner failure, but you may get lucky and find only 1 or 2 bent valve stems with a belt failure because the cam stops turning.
@@NC944er So after a few more days of wrenching, I've got the exhaust manifold off, cam housing off and disassembled, the timing belt cover completely removed along with the idlers and removed the water pump (by the way, the 2.7L engines don't have the coolant drain plug on the block). I've also got the cylinder head off. From my untrained naked eye, the only damage I can see is to one valve, so I think I was pretty lucky. I've watched Part 1 of your video many times, and I just started on Part 2 - not only are your videos amazing, but the array of new and cleaned/coated parts you have is incredible. After I clean all of the removed parts, my question for you now is what do I do next? I need to find a machine shop, what do I ask of them? Do you have a list of all of the gaskets/seals/bolts/nuts that need to be replaced? Again, many thanks for your help!
@@benjyedwards7150 Great work man! There’s no turning back now! 🤣 And thanks for sharing the info on the 2.7L drain bolt. I wasn’t aware of that but after checking the factory manual it does indicate: “drain plug in the crankcase has been discontinued as from model 89. Draining facility from the auxiliary plastic connector on the water pump (for 944 turbo with thermostat insert only).” So many changes over the years. 😄 As for the cylinder head, I’d call around to some local shops to ensure they are comfortable working on Porsche stuff or get a referral, but try to track down a replacement valve and I would at least have them replace the seals as well (a set usually comes with the head gasket kit). The rest depends on your budget, but it’s a bit of work to pull the head so I proactively replaced the springs and valve guides on mine as well, since they can wear out over time. What can’t really be seen is the valve seats, mine were pitted, so cutting the valve seats and lapping the valves is common, along with resurfacing the bottom of the head for a flat, clean mounting surface. Here are my shop notes from the work I had done - Cylinder Head Refresh - Replaced valve springs with 951 part (+20 lbs. spring rate) - $130.09, replaced valve guides - $39.87, replaced valve stem seals, replaced 2 core plugs, resurfaced head - 0.005, set all stems to original height, set guides to 0.06, cut valve seats and lapped valves (exhaust seats were heavily pitted), shims reused, springs tested at 120 lbs., leak down test on all cylinders ok - $380. I had printed some of the technical specs that had all the head tolerances from the factory workshop manual and gave it to the machinist, but I don’t know that he referenced it. He measured everything beforehand and basically set the stem heights as they were prior.
@@khrystosyika Hey there, for the most part yes, these are the factory recommended steps for replacing the head gasket. Technically the cylinder head can be removed with the exhaust manifold connected, but it would have to be unbolted from the lower exhaust/catalytic converter. You don’t “have to” remove the starter, but if you don’t, the flywheel lock can’t be installed, which complicates the timing belt replacement. The timing belt has to be removed in order to remove the camshaft assembly. Half of the cylinder head nuts are hidden under that assembly. You don’t need to remove the camshaft gear and front cover unless you are doing a seal replacement on that assembly, which really you should if you’re already there. So in the end, a couple steps could be skipped, but nothing that would prove to be very impactful to overall time savings.
@@NC944er yea i think i might aswell just do all the steps, also I was wondering if I was just replacing the head gasket becuase mine blew, what would you recommend I buy just the cylinder head gasket set? or are there other seals I need.
@@khrystosyika The head gasket seal kit will include every seal you need to rebuild the top half of the engine. How far you want to go after that depends on your budget and goals for the car. If the timing belt has unknown history, that should be added in for replacement. You could also consider water pump, oil pump drive gear, and front engine seals if you’re over 100k miles.
Hey, yep... the rotor connector is no longer sold as an individual part and must be purchased in combination with a new ignition rotor. Check for part number: 944-602-901-01 and the description should indicate "with mount" or "with adapter." You can also tell because they run about $150 versus $20-$60 for just the rotor. Here are a couple links: www.pelicanparts.com/More_Info/94460290101.htm?pn=944-602-901-01-OEM www.lindseyracing.com/LR/Porsche/944-602-901-01.html
I have been wrenching a long long time. This is THE BEST diy video I have ever seen. Keep up the great work. Your effort will help keep these cars on the road for a long long time.
Thanks man, I hope you are right! I had an annoying audio issue during the first half that I wasn’t able to fully correct on this one (sounds like I’m talking under water), but at least all the info is there! 🤣
I dont mean to be so off topic but does someone know a way to get back into an Instagram account..?
I was dumb lost the password. I would love any tricks you can give me.
@Raul Crew Instablaster =)
One of the best head gasket walk-through videos for 944 folks. I've already done mine a year ago, but this is still great information.
Less than 10 hours job for you... A job of a few weeks for most people !! As a new 1986 Porsche 944 owners, I'll begin with easier repairs (fuel pump, fuel tank strainer, starter, etc) than timing belt... hope I won't need to do head gasket before few years...... but willing to learn and do it.... your videos are a bless for Porsche 944 owners.......
That’s awesome man, congrats on the acquisition! These cars are really approachable to work on. Once you get going on the small jobs, the big jobs will begin to look easy. Best of luck!
@@NC944er your answer is really appreciated. I'm really excited about my new 944. In 2010, I learned my basic mechanics with a Suzuki Sidekick 94(lol)!! I didn't even know what a distributor was.... Some months later I was replacing the engine, and some more months later I knew about every sensors/relays, etc on that car.... My goal, the next few years is to know as much about that Porsche. So, I'm going to watch every of your videos about that car...... Last few weeks, I already watched many of those and learned A LOT of things..... Hope you'll keep posting about the 944, infos are amazing.....
Dude this channel is phenomenal and I'm so glad I found it. I'm military stationed in the UK and I just shipped a '95 968S that has coolant consumption and white, sweet smelling smoke coming from the exhaust. I have been terrified to DIY a job this extensive but this channel might just be what I need to tackle it. Subscribed.
Yeah man, you can do it! Lots of resources out there, if you have the time and can take it slow, the reward is pretty cool! Cheers! 👍🏼
Wow. This is one of the best 944 videos I've ever seen. Not just for replacing the head gasket, but for all of the things that you removed to get to that point. For example, I have an 88' turbo and was thinking of doing the timing belt but I just didn't have any clue how the tensioner worked. This video showed how it worked in so much detail. There are so many other things in this video that will be useful to me in the future. Can't wait for part 2!
My new water pump was non turbo specific so didnt need a block up plate used the bolt to secure the power steering pipe
Cant beleive how clean your engine is WOW
This is so great! I’m doing a head gasket job on mine now and those rusty exhaust headers are a pain to get loose so at least I know you can get a wrench around 2 and 3 I’ve been trying to get those nuts off! Gonna try a 6 point wrench instead of 12 but this gives me hope and shows me I’m in good shape so far! Got the cam assembly off yesterday!! 🙂🙂🙂
Very cool! Best of luck to you! I just mounted my rebuilt head yesterday and am working on Part 2 of the tutorial. 👍🏼
Really, really good video. Awesome camera work, great lighting so I could see what you were doing. I've been fighting a couple of 944,s for a while and this video is a big help in its details and process. I love how clean you work. I have an 86 that is clean like yours, and an 87 that is a crusty, rusty mess that bleeds knuckles like it is its purpose in life.
On my 86 I just removed the exhaust like you did to replace the collapsed motor mounts. I hoisted the motor up a little with the mounts loosened to easily pop the headers off. When I reinstalled, I tightened the mounts up early. I thought that it would be a problem to get the headers on. Surprisingly, with the new mounts raising the engine up a little, the headers slid on easily. Might check your mounts while you've got it apart? See if they are collapsed. Good work on the video, Ed
Hey Ed, thanks for the comments! I’ve definitely spent more hours cleaning the car than I care to calculate. It’s not super fun, but it makes the fun stuff a lot easier. Great tip on the engine mounts, thanks for sharing. The sharing of info like that helps keep more of these on the road and that’s good for everyone. Good luck with your repairs. Cheers!
Appreciate everything you do. Thank you Greetings from Mexico
Thanks Luis! Are 944s pretty rare in Mexico?
@@NC944er They are very rare, the 911 are a little easier to find, but 944 are very rare, as soon as I can I will send you photos of my car. It is a project at 80%, I am now working on the engine, changing the distribution kit and detailing the engine head, Thanks for your videos, I appreciate them very much
You make the best vids for our 944's. About to do the same things here in the vid so this series will be a Godsend. Thank you!
Thanks man! That’s kind of how the channel kicked off, I couldn’t find a head gasket video for the 944 so I decided to film it for others. 😂 Hope everything goes smoothly for you!
Awesome stuff! Keep up the videos, this has helped immensely on my 89 944 N/A!
just discovered your channel- hallelujiah! i bought a 924s sight unseen and it's rough. I'm having a bit of buyers remorse but your channel is making me feel better. I may be able to resurrect this thing!
Nice! With enough time and money, almost anything can be saved. 😂 I really like the 924S, slightly more affordable than the 944 with the same power train and it performed better in the wind tunnel tests than the 944, lots of fun to be had! Best of luck as you dig in, they are pretty approachable to work on and while there are a few “larger” jobs (clutch, head gasket, etc), they can all be broken down into a bunch of smaller jobs and taken step-by-step.
Excellent video. Comprehensive. That timing belt kit is neat. I am going to have grab that. I used other methods to do my timing belt and didn’t feel 100 percent great about it.
Thanks! Once you get the technique dialed in, it really pays for itself the first time you do a belt job. And resale prices for the tool are strong as well, should you ever hang up your 944 repair hat. 😂
@@NC944er Man I have a lot of blood and sweat in my 83 haha.
@@P1983sche You’re just missing the “tears” part, which would probably come if you ever sold it. 😂
Amazing video. Appreciate everything you do. Thank you 👍
When’s part 2 coming out, really great vid btw extremely helpful!
Thanks! I just uploaded part 2... took awhile to sort through the the 3 hours of raw footage. 🤪
Just started the process of changing my head gasket on my Turbo and this video has been super informative (I realize there are some differences with the Turbo cars, but lots of this lines up). The Pelican tech articles are great, but it's nice to see it done instead of just looking at pictures and reading words on a page. Would you mind sharing where you sent your head for rebuild?
Nice! I’m glad the content is helping out. I dropped my cylinder head off locally at King Machine Shop in Burlington, NC. They don’t specialize in Porsche stuff, but have a good reputation in the area. I had printed out all the specs/tolerances from the Factory Workshop Manual and given it to them, but I don’t think they really referenced it. I remember the owner being surprised that the valve seat pressure tested at 120 lbs, I guess it was a lot more than he was expecting. Here are the notes I took from the rebuild service…
Cylinder Head Rebuild - $384
* Shaved 5 thousands off the mating surface
* Replaced two freeze plugs (these later ended up seeping coolant, resealed with RTV)
* Cut all valve stems to the original height
* Had to ream out the guides because they compressed
* Exhaust valve seats were in bad shape - pitted and egg shaped.
* Springs tested at 120 pounds, most applications are 80-90
* Shims were reused
* Leak down test performed on all cylinders and it tested great
@@NC944er Wow, thank you so much for the detailed response! I’ve been hoping to find a shop that specializes in our cars locally, but they seem somewhat hard to come by. Getting the specs from the Workshop Manual and providing them to a local shop seems like a great idea. Might have to give that a try.
@@connellydc Sure thing! The information is found in Workshop Manual Volume 1, Engine, pages 15-16a through 15-19. Here's a link to the free PDF manuals in case you don't already have it...
Factory Workshop Manuals - p914-6info.net/944%20Manuals.html
@@NC944er Thanks for the link! I’d found another version online, but this will be great to compare against what I’d already found. People like you are what make the Porsche community so great!
Very very good
Thank you
Im about to do the same, belts, rollers, front seals, balance shaft bearings, upgrade to a turbo oil cooler, coolant hoses and new radiator. Plus whatever needs attention. Its a 89 NA 2.7, dont want that belt to snap on me.
cleaning. i put grease between pistons and cylinder walls so dirts can't get lower in between
Great tip, thanks for sharing! 👍🏼
awesome, thanks so much for this well made, well explained video
Hi, great video. I'm attempting to do this myself this summer. Where can i find the nuts and washers for the head and the plugs for the camshaft housing? Thanks a lot in advance!
Awesome! There are a number of parts vendors that will have what you need. You should check out my video on locating and shopping for parts - ua-cam.com/video/ouPC6DuRpuE/v-deo.htmlfeature=shared
Great video! I’m going to attempt doing this after the summer since it’s hot over here in SoCal. What other parts/gaskets/seals do you recommend changing while do the head gaskets? Since I’m already in there with parts out. Timing belt has been changed earlier this year
@@gawsies Nice! Really, with the entire top half broken down, you could end up doing quite a few things depending on how far you want to go… but some things that make sense are the AOS seals, possibly the fuel lines if they are aged, have the injectors cleaned and rebuilt, the timing belt will be back off again so you could also do the front oil seals (balance shafts and crank shaft), also a good time to replace the vacuum lines, and if you have any plans to refresh the AC system, there are two o-rings at the firewall behind the engine block that are much easier to access with the head removed.
@@NC944er Sweet! Thank you for all this info. I’m actually will be adding a new compressor as well, have to convert to r134!
How long do you think is okay to drive the car before changing the head gasket? I still need to do the compression test to really find out but I’m sure it’s the head gasket. Rough idle for 1min on cold start, sometimes white smoke but rare. Goes away once car is warm. Small loss of coolant . Luckily it’s my second car and I probably drive it 30 miles a week.
@@gawsies Depends on how bad off it is, but running it for long with a blown head gasket can cause contamination of the oxygen sensor and catalytic converter.
Great video. It's challenging to find quality videos on the DIY side of things for these cars and yours is top notch. Where in NC are you located?
Thanks man, I’ve been working to fill some of the DIY gaps out there. Hopefully some people find it useful in keeping these cars on the road. Currently reside in the Burlington, NC area. Cheers!
@@NC944er I'm down in Charlotte - perhaps I'll catch you at a Cars and Coffee or PCA event in the future!
Great video, I'm currently restoring my 1986 924s (2.5L) I have a question 22:36 do balance shafts need to be set in top dead center position as the flywheel and crankshaft ?
Yep, so TDC would be relative to the flywheel/crankshaft position. Once the flywheel marks are aligned, the cam gear and balance shaft gears would all be set to their respective timing marks to align with TDC on the flywheel.
Thanks for fast replay.@@NC944er
Thank you so much for the vedio! I have just started the engine job on my car and following your vedio as a guide, appreciate it!!! I have a question on my car tho that I do not find normal on the others.. Appreciate it if you would answer it! so my car has a engine oil leak(basically drips, passanger side front end), I think it was leaking from where the head gasket is located(right above the coolant drain bolt on the block) but wasn't quite sure that was the place.. Would you have any thoughts on that? Thank you!!
Hey! As far as the right rear of the engine goes, there are oil passages running through the block on that side, that could be a source for a leak. The camshaft assemblies also commonly leak from any number of seals, front, rear, main gasket, and that could leak oil down the side of the engine.
@@NC944er Thank you so much! I'm now more confident this has to do with the head gasket...again thank you for the vedio!
Where did you pick up the turbo valve springs?
I got this set from Pelican Parts, but they are available from a number of vendors. Here’s a link…
www.pelicanparts.com/More_Info/95110590510.htm?pn=951-105-905-10-INT
@@NC944er Did you install them yourself or did you send them with the head to the machine shop? Is there any fitment adjustments I need to make?
@@acantor They are the same size as the NA springs, just a higher spring rate, but I had the machine shop install them when they completed the valve work. After lapping the valves and seats, they had to reset the valve stem heights. I sent in an excerpt containing the specs from the factory workshop manual, but they essentially just measured the initial height and matched it over after completing the work. The owner was surprised the seat pressure tested at 120 lbs. I guess he was expecting something lower for a 4 cylinder head. 😂
@@NC944er 8 orders correct?
@@acantor Yep, one for each valve so 8 total. Each individual quantity comes with two springs for each valve, a smaller internal spring and a larger external spring.
After taking out the coolant flanges what or how do you apply heat to take off the 2 bolts where replacing them with bolts purchased from Belmetric was discussed at the 39th minute?
I used a 1100°F heat gun, but a torch works as well. Anything that can get the metal to expand a bit without causing damage to nearby rubber/plastic components.
@@NC944er Saw there are hoses or wires near by... Was a heat shield of some kind used to protect it, if so what do you recommend? Thank you for all the vids of the 944. Hope you make a career of doing these and stay on the 944 platform. The 944 community is all better for it. We can't thank you enough...
@@RDjax78 Shouldn’t need anything like that, just apply the heat away from that area directionally.
Hi Do you think I need to change the valve seals? I'm in the process of changing the cylinder head gasket and several other seals, but I don't have the tools to change the valve seals. Porsche 944 na 1983
A common symptom of failing valve stem seals is the presence of blue smoke from the exhaust at idle. Its quite bit work to remove the cylinder head, so if you have the budget for it, it’s generally a good idea to have it refreshed while it’s off the engine. You’d be looking at $300-$400 in machine shop costs to deck the surface, cut the valve seats, and lap the valves, and replacing the stem seals makes sense at that time. Compression or leak-down tests will help determine if the valve seats need attention.
Same process for 84 944 ?
Overall process will be very similar, yes. The early 944s will have the eccentric style timing belt tensioner instead of the spring tensioner and the torque specifications for the cylinder head tightening sequence will likely be different for steps 2 and 3, just check your engine number and hardware specs.
Would this mainly be the same process for a Porsche 944 Turbo?
Yeah, all the same components need to be removed to access the head on the Turbo cars, there’s just some setup differences on the intake and air filter housing to account for. This is a good place to start - www.pelicanparts.com/techarticles/Porsche_944_Turbo/80-ENGINE-Cylinder_Head_Gasket_Replacement/80-ENGINE-Cylinder_Head_Gasket_Replacement.htm
Just a tip , when you replace the cam housing , put the sprocket mark in align with the aluminum cover then coat the lifters with a little grease. This will keep them from falling out , !!!!😎😎😎😎😄😄😄🇺🇸🇩🇪🍺 just saying
Yes sir, we are of like mind! 😁 That technique is demonstrated in Part 2 of the series during reassembly. I’ve seen people use a piece of sheet metal or cardboard to hold them in place while turning the housing, but that incorporates a foreign component. I agree with you that grease/lube is the way to go. 👍🏼
@@NC944er I didn't see pt2 yet but have done head gasket many times !😄😄😄😄😎 check out my hot rod if you like !!!🍺🍺🍺🍺 ua-cam.com/video/oaIYffwo1DI/v-deo.html
Nice build man, I like it! Love the wheels and Mexico Blue is my absolute fave Porsche color.
Also, thanks for all the free beer! 🤣
@@NC944er thanks man !!!! She runs well also , hop in for a ride! !!😎😎😎😄😄😄😄🇺🇸🇩🇪🍺 ua-cam.com/video/c7a9pwHLW5o/v-deo.html
I'm starting on this job because my 89 NA 2.7l timing belt broke. Questions are what steps can be skipped? Since the belt broke, the timing is off, so no need to remove starting or be concerned with TDC. What about coolant removal and what's the best approach to the exhaust system? Do I need to bother with the accessory belts just to assess the possible cylinder head damage? Any help much appreciated!
Hey man, sorry to hear about the broken belt. That does change the approach a little and some items can be “deferred” until reassembly. You’d want to avoid turning the crankshaft for example to prevent further damage to the valve train, but TDC could be safely set once the engine block cleaning is done. Since the timing belt is gone, you could remove the cylinder head with the other belts installed, but they’ll all need to come off for reassembly to get the new timing belt on. Probably easier to go ahead and drain the coolant, not absolutely necessary, but would reduce the mess, as coolant would dump all down the side of the engine block if you just pop the head off, also in cleaning the gasket material from the block it gets down into the water jacket cavities. Everything on top will need to be removed - fuel rail, intake, cam tower. The head can be removed with the exhaust manifold installed, but it would at least need to be disconnected from the down pipe/catalytic converter. In the end, the manifold will need to come off for head servicing at the machine shop anyway. So a bit of work to be done, but certainly doable if you take it one step at a time.
@@NC944er That was very helpful. I removed the fuel rail and intake manifold, radiator fan and "drained the coolant", although not much came out. I searched high and low for the drain bolt on the engine and couldn't find it. I am in the process of removing the exhaust manifold so I can see that area better. When I took off the intake manifold, the intake valves looked unscathed - but are they in danger of damage when the timing belt breaks, or is that just the exhaust valves? Thanks!
@@benjyedwards7150 Yeah, the drain bolt on the block is pretty well hidden, I usually have to find it by feel rather than by sight. You should get a better idea of the valve train damage when inspecting the underside of the head. I’ve seen as many as all 8 valves get crushed with a tensioner failure, but you may get lucky and find only 1 or 2 bent valve stems with a belt failure because the cam stops turning.
@@NC944er So after a few more days of wrenching, I've got the exhaust manifold off, cam housing off and disassembled, the timing belt cover completely removed along with the idlers and removed the water pump (by the way, the 2.7L engines don't have the coolant drain plug on the block). I've also got the cylinder head off. From my untrained naked eye, the only damage I can see is to one valve, so I think I was pretty lucky. I've watched Part 1 of your video many times, and I just started on Part 2 - not only are your videos amazing, but the array of new and cleaned/coated parts you have is incredible. After I clean all of the removed parts, my question for you now is what do I do next? I need to find a machine shop, what do I ask of them? Do you have a list of all of the gaskets/seals/bolts/nuts that need to be replaced? Again, many thanks for your help!
@@benjyedwards7150 Great work man! There’s no turning back now! 🤣 And thanks for sharing the info on the 2.7L drain bolt. I wasn’t aware of that but after checking the factory manual it does indicate: “drain plug in the crankcase has been discontinued as from model 89. Draining facility from the auxiliary plastic connector on the water pump (for 944 turbo with thermostat insert only).” So many changes over the years. 😄
As for the cylinder head, I’d call around to some local shops to ensure they are comfortable working on Porsche stuff or get a referral, but try to track down a replacement valve and I would at least have them replace the seals as well (a set usually comes with the head gasket kit). The rest depends on your budget, but it’s a bit of work to pull the head so I proactively replaced the springs and valve guides on mine as well, since they can wear out over time. What can’t really be seen is the valve seats, mine were pitted, so cutting the valve seats and lapping the valves is common, along with resurfacing the bottom of the head for a flat, clean mounting surface.
Here are my shop notes from the work I had done - Cylinder Head Refresh - Replaced valve springs with 951 part (+20 lbs. spring rate) - $130.09, replaced valve guides - $39.87, replaced valve stem seals, replaced 2 core plugs, resurfaced head - 0.005, set all stems to original height, set guides to 0.06, cut valve seats and lapped valves (exhaust seats were heavily pitted), shims reused, springs tested at 120 lbs., leak down test on all cylinders ok - $380.
I had printed some of the technical specs that had all the head tolerances from the factory workshop manual and gave it to the machinist, but I don’t know that he referenced it. He measured everything beforehand and basically set the stem heights as they were prior.
Hello just wondering if all these steps are necessary to just replace head gasket
Like is it necessary to take out the starter and exhausted manifold or Hydraulic Lifter and Cam Gear Removal. just wondering??
@@khrystosyika Hey there, for the most part yes, these are the factory recommended steps for replacing the head gasket. Technically the cylinder head can be removed with the exhaust manifold connected, but it would have to be unbolted from the lower exhaust/catalytic converter. You don’t “have to” remove the starter, but if you don’t, the flywheel lock can’t be installed, which complicates the timing belt replacement. The timing belt has to be removed in order to remove the camshaft assembly. Half of the cylinder head nuts are hidden under that assembly. You don’t need to remove the camshaft gear and front cover unless you are doing a seal replacement on that assembly, which really you should if you’re already there. So in the end, a couple steps could be skipped, but nothing that would prove to be very impactful to overall time savings.
@@NC944er yea i think i might aswell just do all the steps, also I was wondering if I was just replacing the head gasket becuase mine blew, what would you recommend I buy just the cylinder head gasket set? or are there other seals I need.
@@khrystosyika The head gasket seal kit will include every seal you need to rebuild the top half of the engine. How far you want to go after that depends on your budget and goals for the car. If the timing belt has unknown history, that should be added in for replacement. You could also consider water pump, oil pump drive gear, and front engine seals if you’re over 100k miles.
@@NC944er when im changing the fuel rail will it leak gas
I love you bro
Does anyone know where I can buy a replacement, ignition rotor adapter? Thanks.
Hey, yep... the rotor connector is no longer sold as an individual part and must be purchased in combination with a new ignition rotor. Check for part number: 944-602-901-01 and the description should indicate "with mount" or "with adapter." You can also tell because they run about $150 versus $20-$60 for just the rotor. Here are a couple links:
www.pelicanparts.com/More_Info/94460290101.htm?pn=944-602-901-01-OEM
www.lindseyracing.com/LR/Porsche/944-602-901-01.html
@@NC944er thanks
same process for the 924?
This would apply to the 924S with the 2.5L engines. The earlier 924’s with the 2.0L VW/Audi engines would be a completely different process.