Hey Guys,
This is my first post so please forgive me if I don't know what I am doing. Anyway, I have a 1986 944 automatic that has been sitting in my garage for about the last six years. I would love to get it running again but I first want to do some maintenance before I go ahead and fire her up. Any suggestions? I know at a minimum I have to do and oil change but what else should I look at. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

Hi
Here are the things I would do if the car has been unused for 6 years, and this is based on a lot of restoration projects on older cars.
1) Change the Oil and Filter.
2) Drain down the Coolant. Flush the system with fresh water. Replace Rubber Hoses and Clips. Refill Coolant.
3) New Battery.
4) Drain the fuel system the best that you can. If you can manage it take off the Fuel Pump and clean it making sure it functions with clean fuel. Rinse out the Fuel Pipes with clean fuel and replace any rubber connecting hoses. Replace clips etc. The reason for this is the old fuel left in the system becomes very thick and almost laquers the bits it is in contact with. Refill the tank with lots of fresh fuel. This will clean up the tank too! Add some fuel system cleaner to the fresh fuel in correct ratio to fuel fill.
5) Remove the Spark Plugs clean and reset or better fit new. Pour a little upper cylinderlubricant like Redex or equivalent into each cylinder, and turn engine over by hand using a wrench to get lubricant to penetrate the rings and lubricate the cylinder bores. keep turning the engine over like this for a number of revolutions to ensure it frees up. Do not replace Spark Plugs yet.
6) Clean all other Ignition System Componentconnections, using a spray on electrical cleaner and wet,n,dry if required.Repeat for fuse box if necessary.
7) Clean starter motor/solenoid connections and check starter motor rotates by hand. Not electrically yet.
8) With Spark Plugs still out, spin up engine on starter motor. Pour in a little more upper cylinder lubricant and spin up again. This will blow the excess oil out of the plug holes, and at the same time be getting some oil pressure in the engine.
9) Check all drive belts are OK, and that Alternator is clean using spray on electrical cleaner.
10) Replace Sparking Plug connect up ignition leads, and then fire up for real.
11) Let the engine run for 2-3 minutes no more. Then switch off and check for water leaks etc. Tighten as required etc. Then restart and allow to idle. Check oil pressure, and water temperature, and that alternator is charging.
12) Check if clutch disengages. If necessary you may need to get the clutch plate unstuck from the flywheel and/or pressure plate. If this is a problem I can give you some tips on that later.
13) Strip out Brake Pads. Clean Pads and Discs etc. Replace Brake Fluid at an early opportunity as well as . Check out brake lines for corrosion, and brake hoses for cracks etc.Do some static brake applications, with engine off and then engine running. Check for leaks. (NOTE I would seriously think about replacing thingslike brake lines and hoses as a minimum. If the discs are bad they may need reskimming as well as new pads etc)
14) If you are happy that the brakes work, and the engine is oil and water tight, the battery is charging, take the car for an exploratory slow trip around the block, and inventory the issues.
Sorry its a bit long, but it is a process that has served me well on a lot of cars that have not run for a number of years.
Regards Big Bob

 

Hey Big Bob thanks a million for the tips. I do have some more questions for you though if you dont mind:

1) How can I get the gas out of the tank without taking apart the fuel lines? Can you syphon it out?

2) I'm not really sure how to crank the engine by hand (or by wrench). Do I turn the crankshaft of something?

3) I think the belts are still good on the car.......... is it safe to say that if there isnt that much cracking then they are still good?

4) The rotors are rusted to say the least but I think they are still good seeing as though I didnt replace them too long before I stopped using the car. Whats the best way to clean them off ...... can I just simply push the car back and forth while applying the brakes to allow them to scrape themselves?

Again thanks so much for the help

 

Pleased to be able to help Starcraft
Answers:
1) The best you can do is to try and siphon through the Fill Point. Or little more effective disconnect at the fuel pump (supply side) and draw it off there by sucking to get it flowing and then it should siphon off.This action will get a lot more fuel out.
However as long as you refill for start up with at least 5 gallons + a little fuel system cleaner, you should mitigate against any residue left in the tank.
2) That's it exactly. Get a socket on the Crankshaft Pulley Bolt and with a decent length ratchet wrench and turn clockwise.This is just a gentle way of freeing up the Pistons in the Bores in case they are "stuck". Put in the Upper Cylinder Lubricant well before you do this so that it has time to penetrate into the rings and free up the stiction. Ideally put it in the night before and leave it overnight before you start to move the crank.
3) As long they are not obviously cracked before you start the engine that is the main thing. However after the engine has run a bit if the belts have become brittle it will show up then. So check them once the car is running properly. All my suggestions here come from past disaters of my own, where once having got the engine started, water hoses split, and belts break, causing a mess and bigger problems[sm=drlove.gif].
4) For the rotors if badly rusted (or discs UK speak) take out the Brake Pads, then with an electric drill fitted with a medium grit sanding disc gently take of the worst. You will find that the spinning sanding disc will get the rotors turning especially on the front andhelp you to take the worst off evenly. Remember to to theinner faces as well as the outer. This is a light sanding operation nota disc maching job. Clean off the pad faces by rubbing them on carborundum paper on a flat block. Make sure you clean away the crap say using methalayted spirit orother alcohol washthat fully dries after evapouration.
If the rotors are lightly rusted your method will work, but will take a lot longer, and the temptation is to drive the car to do the job - but this can be frightening if you need sudden stopping power.

The key is the car has been stationary for 6 years, spend a bit of time getting it going again and you will save money in the long term.

Regards Big Bob[sm=signs007.gif][sm=signs003.gif]

 

The car has been sitting for 6 years? First thing you do before you ever hit the key on a 944 is to CHANGE THE TIMING BELT (balance shaft belt and rollers as well). It is an interference engine, and a rubber belt that sits in one position for 6 years, will likely break when you turn the engine over. Then the repair becomes very expensive.

 

There you are Starcraft if you dont do anything else you know what you have to do.
Regards Big Bob

 

They are all good things you need to do, but the belts take good priority.

To drain the fuel tank, pop the lower cover off the tank that houses the fuel pump, then you can unplug the rubber hose from the pump to the tank, and drain the tank like that. Have a big bucket ready, it will come out fast.

The engine can be cranked over by hand using a 24mm deep well socket (or 15/16) and a ratchet on the front crank bolt (feel for it inside the front crank pulley, from the front of the engine)

 

You have gotten MUCH better advice than I did when I asked the same question about 5 months ago. I just got back to the states and was very ready to get my 944 running again. It also sat for about 6 years. Luckily, it was in a garage, but it was not "stowed" properly for storage.

Like PorscheDoc said, CHANGE THE TIMING BELT!! Mine was in horrible condition and most certainly would have snapped had I not changed it first. The other belts were fine so don't use them as an indicator as to whether or not the timing belt is OK. I replaced the following stuff (some necessary and some precautionary)

Timing Belt
Coolant and hoses
Flushed radiator
Battery
Ignition Coil
Cap and Rotor
Spark Plugs and wires
Oil and Filter
Fuel filter
unfortunately, my fuel pump also needed to be replaced
drained fuel through fuel pump hose (I got MUCH more out this way than when I just used a pump through the fuel filler tube)
Tires

Oddly enough, my brakes and disks were fine.

I also drained and replaced the manual transmission fluid and repacked my CV boots.

I got it running on Wednesday April 16th and then began a cross country drive the next day. I took it easy from Virginia Beach, Va to Detroit (to catch a Red Wings playoff game). Drove a little faster to Iowa and then Kansas (very flat and straight). And really let her go in the mountains of Colrado and Utah. Made it to Las Vegas with no trouble and it has been my daily driver since I got here a few weeks ago.

Hope this helps
Jon

 

Sorry Jon, I'll do a "Back to the future IV" and get you a decent answer this time. Regards Big Bob

 

you learn something new every day.