Porsche Enthusiasts Club Forum

Hi

The belt tension light on my 928S4 '87 came on once a couple of weeks ago, but didn't repeat. As of Friday it's come on permanently so I have stopped driving it, as that seems to be the general advice!

I'm in Dorset, wondering if anyone has any ideas of what I should expect to pay for getting the cam belt and water pump replaced, and recommendations for someone to do it?

Need to get it done in the next couple of weeks as I use it daily.

Thanks!

Hi. Can't help with recommendations I'm afraid. I would suggest that you do not start the engine until someone has looked at it. That may mean getting the car lifted to the garage. If you start this car and the belt fails it could completely kill your engine. If you know when the belt and water pump was changed then it may just need inspected and re-tensioned. If it is beyond the service life of the belt and pump then these would need to be replaced and probably a tensioner rebuild. Also I have been reading about camshaft sprocket wear as I suspect mine may need doing at the next belt change (very soon). Basically if they are worn then it is recommended to change these too which unfortunately would add a chunk onto the bill. You need to get it to a specialist, hopefully someone will be able to recommend one. Just to repeat. Do not start the car until it has been looked at.

After a quick google I see that you are not far from http://www.jmgporsche.co.uk/. Give these guys a phone. The owner posts here regularly and this is who I bought the parts for my cambelt/waterpump job which I am still to do.

Hi Harry

When was belt last changed? Do you know if pump changed on that occasion? Only needs replacement every other change normally.

A distance from you, but the most reasonably priced and definitely most experienced (= less labour) guy would be Paul Anderson in Stroud. I would think belt and new pump would be around £500, depending on what other parts need replacing. Tensioner should always be rebuilt as standard part of change (it's likely dry anyway).

Unless the belt has only been on for a few hundred miles, you shouldn't defeat belt warning by retensioning. The belt warning is telling you something awry, hopefully just normal belt stretching.

You can check how worn your cam gears are by removing the belt cover on RHS. If they are shiny then they should be replaced. Porsche jacked up the price a few years back so they are around £250 each I think. Roger Tyson in US has cheaper version same quality. With cover off you can retension belt so safer to drive to replacement, but you will need the "Kempf" tension tool to set this.

Don't take this as a recommendation but I've driven after belt warning and was just careful not to snap throttle open too fast (which usually triggers warning with worn belt). It's a lottery though. Before driving you should really retension (not as solution but interim till belt can be changed and also warning system checked).

Thanks for the comments.

The cam belt & water pump were last changed at 72K miles in August 99! The car has only done 35K since then, however I know from reading around that there's no doubt whatsoever that the belt has to be changed. I've just had a quote for £375+VAT for that which seems pretty reasonable.

Question remains over the water pump (esp. at this time of year) which I've been quoted as another £400-ish and also whether engine seals should be replaced for another £300-ish. This is the price with a new water pump. I feel these to be a bit high, and would appreciate any input on that.

How safe is it to put off the water pump until the next cam belt change (which will be a lot sooner than 14 years this time) ? (or maybe do the water pump and seals next year as a separate job)

Does anyone have any stories good or bad about having a recon water pump rather than new - to my mind reconditioned would be fine.

Do I need the seals, or do I wait for a weep first? I haven't heard anyone saying in the "replace cam belt and pump" articles that the seals should necessarily be replaced and it's an expense I could do without this time of year. Again, any comments are very welcome. Obviously I don't want to risk anything catastrophic with the engine, and I'd assume water/oil leaks would be nowhere near as bad as a cam belt - so is it safe to wait for problems on those before replacing?

Those quotes seem very high.

That belt and water pump definately need changing. The rule of thumb is every 4 years or 48000 miles for belts whichever comes first. And every other belt change for the pump.

JMG seem very highly regarded, why not give them a bell and see what they think. It really is an engine not to take a chance with.

You wouldn't want to do the water pump as a separate job, since most of the work to get to it is the same as changing the cambelt, so it's always a question of getting it done as part of the cambelt change (or if there's a problem with the pump and it needs changing you would probably pay to have a new cambelt, rather than put the old one back on). You could always ask the garage doing the work to inspect the pump and see if it's weeping or running unevenly etc. before taking the decision on whether or not to change it, but as it's been so long since either the belt or pump were changed I would personally get it replaced regardless. The price quoted for the pump seems a bit high, should be around £300 for a new one.


As you say, there aren't any "engine seals" that are routinely replaced along with the cambelt (apart from the water pump gasket), so I would get some clarification on which ones the garage are quoting for.

Who to get to do the work, only you can decide, but I think of the two suggestions you've already had either go to JMG for convenience (they are highly regarded on the list but I don't know how many 928s pass through their doors) or to Paul Anderson for someone for whom it is routine as he works on almost nothing but 928s (assuming you can get hold of him and are prepared to risk driving the car that much further).

After I posted this I wondered if the quote you had for £400 included the cost of replacing the coolant - if you haven't had that replaced recently you should consider getting it done even if you don't have the water pump changed.

Thanks for all the helpful comments.

After a bit of deliberation I am taking it (or rather having it recovered) to JMG Porsche to have the work done and hopefully put my mind at rest for a few years on the cambelt.

I have also joined TIPEC so I hope to meet with some of the Dorset membership over the next 12 months and see what goes on!

Welcome Harry

Look forward to meeting you and seeing your 928 in the flesh,Tipec southern has 5 928s including yours now so plenty to chat about.
We meet up at the Angel pub in Ferndown on the 1st Tuesday of the month ....so next Tuesday

Steve

Harry's 928 is safely here.

Cam belt price includes tensioner/rollers.

The price of the waterpump includes thermostat and coolant change, all new hose clamps and is inclusive of all the parts including all the new fasteners and provision for broken studs/fasteners.

The oil seal price is removing all the front pulleys/sprockets, replacing all the front engine oil seals, o-rings, complete degrease of the front of the engine, new keyways for all the pulleys and putting it back together like it just left the factory.

Also as a tipec member he gets all the prices reduced by 10% and all the parts are genuine, not worth taking risks on a 928, waterpump, belts, oil seals can all lead to premature belt failure and the loss of 32 valves at "how much!!" each.

One of 4 928's here at the moment, so in good company (one of those is my 86 S2 though)

Hi Harry,

How is your 928, what did the bill come to please (or please can you advise)

I have just taken ownership for a 928 S4 1989, 161,000 on the clock and last recorded change was 100,000 in 2000

So I bet I need the full works, I live near to Gatwick/Brighton

Is there anyone recommended in my area of Surrey/Sussex. Bournemouth is a bit of a Journey, especially as I have no idea on my cambelt condition.

cheers

Neil

Hi Neil

I don't know if someone else can recommend someone nearer to you. JMG have been very helpful but unfortunately my MOT run out so the 928 has ended up needing more work with the brakes.

I think it would be sensible to aim to get your cambelt done as soon as you can - just read Sean's comment: 4 years or 48K.

I made the mistake of putting off the service on my 944S and lost the engine as a result. So I'm looking forward to having a car with less worry now the belt etc. has been done.

I'd be budgeting around a K to get the job done, depending on how much you want doing and in case more turns up. But it can be half that or less if you want to just get the belt done.

Good luck with the car. Don't put it off too long!

Harry

Hi Harry,

My plan is for the full works

- Cambelt
- Waterpump - New not refurbished
- Tensioner rebuild
- New roller bearings
- Oil pump seal if required
- Crank seal if required
- Oil pump cog if required and is showing signs of wear (remember 161,000 miles on clock)

If I can get done for 1,000 inclusive or below I will be very happy if anyone can advise, not sure what JMG charge

At the same time will get Power steering pipes replaced as they are leaking

cheers

Neil