Porsche Enthusiasts Club Forum

Hey Peoples

Expecting the worst I handed over some crisp 20's yesterday to an old friend in the trade and hit the road for the 160 mile trip from Kent back to Derby in my 1st 944 (1983)

Armed with my RAC card, some tools and an ongoing joke with a pal back home about the thing not making it back and just selling the wheels and plate to re-coop the crisp 20's I'd spent on it I cautiously plodded along the motorways. I was a trader many years ago so wasn't phased in the slightest by the odd clicking noise coming from the front and the fact the temp gauge soon hit the 3/4 mark while sat in traffic, honest I wasn't phased at all

The old girl made it back and as an added bonus even started 1st time this morning for a quick blast around the lanes; holly f**k aren't these babies fun on the twisty turny stuff

She's now sat out the back for a couple of weeks while I tidy up a few scratches, oil change, plugs etc and sort a few niggly bits and try get hold of the previous owner to get some feedback on when the belts were last changed before she's used again.

Sorted the clicking thanks to a bit of digging about on the forums, some muppet had bent the disc backing plate while fitting new track rod ends doh.

I wouldn't mind some feedback on a few bits:-

1. What oil are you early 944 owners using and I've seen a few mention additives? Any suggestions there I use Ametech in my old Beemer E34 purely for prevention rather than cure, no idea if it actually does anything but the blurb makes it sound good lol.
2. Temp gauge never went above the 3/4 mark, it was a toasty hot day and did sit at the half way mark once I was out of the slow moving traffic. Is the 3/4 a bit high and if so where to look 1st to get it down.
3. She doesn't idle too well cold I know I've seen postings on the forums about this but can't find it again for the life of me, ticks over sweet as a nut once she's warmed up.

I'm sure I'll be back with a few more questions soon but for a 27 year old car I'm pretty pleased with it as a stop gap till the end of the year when I'll be hunting for a nice S2, so for the time being the Fuchs and plate will be staying firmly bolted to my new toy

Cheers
Paul

Firstly hi & welcome

1. What oil are you early 944 owners using and I've seen a few mention additives? Any suggestions there I use Amtech in my old Beemer E34 purely for prevention rather than cure, no idea if it actually does anything but the blurb makes it sound good lol.
Dependant on whether it uses oil you can go 10/40 or 20/50, mineral will be fine providing it is decent. I buy 15/50 Valvoline VR1 & it give great protection & good oil pressure. Best to change it every 6K or less with filter, it is hydraulic tappets so they need clean oil. I don't bother with additives as they don't need them.

2. Temp gauge never went above the 3/4 mark, it was a toasty hot day and did sit at the half way mark once I was out of the slow moving traffic. Is the 3/4 a bit high and if so where to look 1st to get it down.
1/2 way is good so sounds OK. If the coolant looks a bit dirty it might be worth flushing & cleaning out with a hose & then filling with fresh coolant. They are a pig to bleed worth searching here for bleed techniques.

3. She doesn't idle too well cold I know I've seen postings on the forums about this but can't find it again for the life of me, ticks over sweet as a nut once she's warmed up.
Sounds like Idle Control Valve (ICV) which is under the manifold & really needs the manifold off to get at it. It is worth a scan around the pipe work for vacuum leaks. This is quite common.

i use 10w40semi, needs topped up every 1000 miles or so with about half a litre, change it twice a year on a 5k mileage, OTT i guess but its all part of the love

Thanks for the input on the cold idle.

Started her this morning and walked away for 5 minutes and she was purring like a pussy cat, didn't stall at the end of the drive or do anything unusual so I'll see if it settles down over the next week or so once I've changed the plugs and dizzy before I go digging for anything else just yet.

In true 944 tradition one niggling thing might have sorted itself in exchange for a new one. Took me 24 hours to work out how to remove the roof which doesn't leak and now the damn thing won't lock back down lmao

Hi and welcome to the forum.

nice to keep another old girl on the roads as opposed to scrap. You'll have plenty of fun and it should give you many miles of happy motoring. You've done the best thing by posting to this forum - there are plenty of helpers out there, most of whom will have had similar issues.

Someone's bound to ask so it might as well be me - any pictures? It'd be nice to see it.
You could pop along to your local regional meeting too (yours would be East Midlands, meeting 3rd Tuesday from abiout 7-ish at the Field Head Hotel, Markfield just off M1 J.22).

Enjoy the ride.

Hi and welcome. I've only changed my oil once as the car has not been on the road much, buy I used the 10/40 semi too.

Hey Graham,

I've used forums for years for one thing or another they're a gold mine of information.

Did post some pics to the "pride and joy" bit earlier but not sure if I did it correctly so bouncing the pics here off my own website.

Sadly this one's not a keeper it's a stop gap till the end of the year, no history, totalled a few years ago etc etc never going to be worth much in years to come so not worth throwing real strong money at it as a proper resto project. On the upside she doesn't smoke, doesn't leak, sills have been sorted, interiors mint and it's got those wheels although I've yet to take them off to check the backs for the markings to see if they're genuine Fuchs or copys. If they are I've got a free car

Few pics below looking pretty on the drivers side after I attacked the wheels earlier.







I'll defo be making it to some of the meets but I think it's wise my girl won't be making another trip up or down the motorway until I've confirmed the situation with the belts so I know it's safe to drive or sort them pronto.

Cheers
Paul

Hello. Your in the right place. No brainer but you should join the club as a place to start. Well worth it for the price. Be careful you don't spend too much on your new toy. It's amazing how the little jobs mount up. No cheap parts anymore thanks to the exchange rate. (Dismantlers want all the money now too.) I wouldn't bust a gut to find an S2. You want a well looked after car thats had plenty done to it. Not many S2's have had a rebuild so keep your options open as all these cars have there attributes. It's unimportant what they were like 20+ years ago. Just what there like now!! Not saying don't get an S2. But look at everything interesting when the time comes. You will have to travel for the best cars.

Don't worry about turning up in the 944. Certainly through winter, hardly anyone turns up in the Pork, and some attendees don't even own one (you don't have to).

Saw Lindsay Brown (lindsayhbrown) today too, he's still selling his 1988 944S if you're interested? It's a very clean motor, in Guard Red. Dunno if you're interested but if so, pop him a PM - he's often on (2nd most prolific poster on these forums).

Looks nice and shiny. Certainly does not look like a shed. By your description, it has had money spent on it.

I assume that when you say it was totalled a while ago that it is a Cat C repair?

Good luck with chasing it's history, in the past when I have tried to contact previous owners, I have been mainly stonewalled.

David

Hi and welcome to TIPEC,

Car looks good sitting on the Fuch wheels. Once you get the belts sorted or confirmation they are ok, looks like you've got yourself a good runner. Plus there's a good wealth of knowledge on this forum as and when you hit problems.

Most of all, enjoy the 944 experience. It's like no other rollercoaster ride.

Ben

Looks nice, just reminds me of my first 944 a black lux, can i have first dibs on the fuch if they are 16"
i can trade a minty set of 17" early offset cup 1's.
Pretty please!

May start looking for a good early lux, there is one local to me was last on the road in 86, minty bodily but i suspect that it will be a money pit to get it right mechanically.

Good luck with it.

Wooooo lots of replies

JJ: I've been waiting for the nag re becoming a paid member, will tend to that at some point this week. I'm sure it will more than pay for itself with advice on fault finding and being pointed to where the problem might be rather than spend an hour or so scratching my head wondering which end of the car a problem might be so pennys well worth spending I reckon. With regards to not spending too much on the car, expense is only a problem when you think the next owner is going to give that back to you. I feel sorry for people that throw a grand at a car on small bits which is easily done thinking it's going to be worth an extra grand, 10% increase if you're lucky is nearer the mark. For me it's a hobby and I'm hoping to enjoy it for the experience good and bad of ownership. I must spend 400 quid a month on smokes of various type so well used to burning money for the pleasure and experience at the time.

Graham: Damn if I had known I didn't need to own a car to join the meets I'd have been down ages ago, obviously without the grin factor that comes with ownership, Tuesday's are usually good for me so might get down this month. My next toy has to wait until the end of the year 1st on my shopping list next is camera kit upgrade need to kiss tatty bye to 4/5k but it's work tools so has to be given priority over new toys.

David: Yup Cat C NS door has some micro blister and a bit of pudding just below the belly line so guessing that's where it took a hit and probably explains the new sill on that side for starters. I was going to strip the door back but I've managed to find another so think I'll go with an hour to strip and change the door over rather than a good few hours prep work on a door that's never going to be right, micro is a bugger to get rid of.

And no Frenchy you can't have my Fuchs just yet even though they are 16's, that's my get out of jail free card if the engine goes poop, they will be coming off when I move the car on later in the year though they deserve to be on a straighter car. Like you I've been very tempted by a few that have been laid up for a good few years but you just know everytime you drive 10 miles something else is going to fail and these cars aren't quite at the stage where the value is creeping up year on to make that a viable project. My 1st car passion was the XJ-S owned chassis number 13 when I was a wee lad of 17, prices for year 1 and 2 of those have gone mental in the past 5 years if you can find one that's even half useable. I don't think the early 44's are too far off going the same way once a few more get sent to the breakers and the economy is dragged out of the poop (unless it's black and taken a whack in the side at some point).

Out of interest does anyone know roughly how many 44's are still on the road in the UK? I did read somewhere worldwide they was down to around 40% of the orginal production.

I think I saw some MOT stats a while ago which suggested there are about 6,000 944's in the UK. Of course, that doesn't take into account the cars that are SORN.

Ben