Re: Michael Sherman's query on windshield replacement.

I replaced the windshield on my '87 Carrera in April. I had originally intended just to replace the seal because the old seal leaked badly. After looking into prices for new windshields I decided to go the whole way and have a nice, pit free screen through which to view the road ahead. I obtained four quotes from four different glass shops. The most expensive was $1200. I went with the lowest quote--$403 installed for a factory windshield. This was through Harding Glass in Omaha, NE. Don't know if they're a national chain. They claimed to have installed several 911 windshields for a local used Euro car dealer, which I verified with that dealer. I dropped off the car and four hours later had it back. It's German Sigla glass w/ integral antenna and tint strip. Cost broke down as follows: glass-$389.42; labor-$25.00; urethane kit-$13.91. The new seal was $55.00 from Stoddard. Unfortunately, my insurance didn't cover it, but it wasn't nearly as expensive as I thought it would be. BTW, the glass guys said that this is not something you'd want to try at home. They claim it's a real bear to get the new seal/glass back in the car w/out cracking it and takes 2 to 3 people to do.

Dave Andersen
ande157@ibm.net

I don't know what a "weathered" windshield looks like but I use the Griots glass polish occasionally. It is only effective in removing stubborn dirt that otherwise cannot be removed with any glass cleaner. The only stubborn spots I get are those left by stuttering windshield wipers after several days of rain and wiper use. I believe the Griots catalogue makes reference to the windshield pits and leads us to believe that those are actually dirt spots removable with this product. This is not the case.

1. What should my engine oil consumption be?

Answer: a good rule of thumb is between 1-1/2 and 2 quarts (1.5 to 1.9 liters) every 600 miles (965 Km).

This varies with age and condition of engine. If consumption is greater, we recommend a full leak-down test.

2. In what range of oil pressure should my 911 run?

Answer: with a warmed-up engine running 175-200 degrees farenheit (79-93 degrees Celsius); pressure should be between 80-105 lbs (5.5 to 7.25 atmospheres) at 5000 rpm.

Thanks to Terry Morris
from the Automotion web site

Note: The 84-87 911 Carrera technical specifications handbook (factory publication) notes that the oil consumption should be approx. 1.5 litres for every 1000 km (1.59 quarts every 621 miles).

Call Pegasus racing @ 18006886946 for a battery cutoff switch with little rubber cap. You can place the switch in an unobtrusive spot and remove the key when parking the car. With the little rubber cap on it it looks very unlike a switch. Cost is about $50 with alternator protection.

Summit Racing @ 18002303030 has a battery disconnect at the battery for $15. Remove the knob and you have no battery. However, you might want to go with the one from Performance products 18004233173 because it will maintain your radio and clock when you remove the knob. Cost $20.

You can also install a small hidden cutoff switch somewhere in the car.

It sounds like a couple of our compatriots have dissimilar opinions, but my philosophy about engines (and things mechanical in general) is to avoid thrashing them whenever possible. An engine will unavoidably be subjected to higher working stresses when driven harder or spun up higher, so why do this unless you have need? If you're racing, or autox'ing or whatever, fine, and the 911 engine is certainly designed to be able to withstand more of this than the average engine, but in normal daily driving, It seems foolish to pound the snot out of it and redline it on every shift 'because it likes it'. Rebuild a 911 engine and see what a famous dent it puts in your pocket book and you get a different outlook on things... Don't get me wrong, I certainly go for the occasional excursion up past 5K, but not as a matter of course, and my 80 3.0 is perfectly happy pulling between 2K and 3K. I think you're really only into the 'lugging' scenario you describe when you ask the engine to pull hard below 2K; you can feel it vibrating and protesting, like when those bad drivers you know are too lazy to shift into first as they roll through stop signs. When I'm cruising along, I often ask myself if I really need the revs I'm pulling for passing or something, or could I just as easily go up a gear. As for the technical aspect of skipping 4th gear, there should be nothing wrong with this; the synchronizer's task is to mate speed between the gear teeth to allow them to mesh without clashing, and it has no idea what gear you've just been in. Run cooler, run longer...

Ian 80 SC Targa

Pelican Parts has a technical article on installing a switch that will disable the coil. Might be worth a look: www.pelicanparts.com/techarticles/Mult_ignition_cutoff/Mult_ignition_cutoff.htm

Hope this helps,

Robert Herbert 1977 911S WideBody Coupe 1985 308 GTSi/QV

Here's a few of other useful 84-89 carrera tidbits that others sent me while going through my recent diagnosis.

No-start Diagnosis (84-89 Carrera)

1. Remove a spark plug wire and insert a test plug into the wire, place it next to the engine, have someone crank the engine and look for a spark (or remove one of the plugs and do the same). I didn't have a second person to crank the ignition, so I clamped vice grips on my key, ran a wire from the end of the vice grips through the door handle (with the door open). This allowed me to pull the wire and crank the ignition while standing at the back of the car looking at the spark. Crude, but it works. You could, of course, get a remote starting tool to achieve the same, and there are also special long coil wires available that allow you to see the spark while sitting in the driver's seat (just a long wire from the coil that has a spark plug socket on the end).

2. Remove the air cleaner cover and air filter, and spray some fuel into the intake. You will have to hold open the little "door" inside there with something. If it starts briefy then dies you probably have a fuel problem.

3. You can jumper a hot wire to the fuel pump and listen to it whir to prove that it's working. Run a short wire from the fuel pump fuse (#6) to an adjascent fuse (#5 or 7) at the bottom of the fuse terminal, the pump should whir. BTW my car didn't have the fuse info on the fuse cover (I think the old one broke), so Jim Bauman gave me his info from his '86 (#21 is closest to the front of the car):

        1. window winder, seat heater, sun roof
        2. booster fan, seat adjusters
        3. headlamp washers, electric cabriolet top
        4. clock, radio, interior lights
        5. locking system
        6. fuel pump
        7. brake light, cruise control
        8. electric mirror, heating control
        9. fresh air blower, cig lighter, rear window defrost
        10. wipers
        11. rear blinkers, back up light
        12. front left blinker
        13. front right blinker
        14. left high beam
        15. right high beam
        16. left dim
        17. right dim
        18. parking left
        19. parking right
        20. fog lamp switch, rear fog lamps
        21. foglights

4. If the fuel pump whirs (when jumpered), try starting the car this way (this overrides the DME control of the fuel pump). If it runs, it probably indicates some kind of DME problem (the DME is not sending power to the fuel pump). If still doesn't run, it's probably not a DME problem. Thanks to Jim Bauman for sharing this tip.

5. If it is a DME problem, replace the DME relay, which sends power to the fuel pump. This is another one of those parts that is known to be flaky. The relay is under the driver's seat next to the DME computer. It's highly recommended to carry a spare DME relay anyways (a $40 part), so go ahead and get an extra just in case.

6. If the relay doesn't fix it, it could be the DME computer itself, faulty sensors (flysheel speed and position), or faulty grounds. Try disconnecting the DME computer and cleaning the contacts.

7. Check all ground connections (brown wires) for corrosion. Disconnect them, clean them, and replace. Check especially the ground points in the engine tin. There's on on the manifold pipes, and another on the left side of the engine tin behind the fuel filter. There is apparently another one on the bottom of the car coming from the flywheel area.

8. Check all fuses for corrosion. Remove each fuse and replace. All DME-related fuses are up front, but there are three fuses under the plastic cover at the left rear side of the engine compartment.

9. If you have one available, swap in a known working DME computer from a 911 friend. Be careful that you have the right production year and part number because there are differences in the pin mappings.

10. If you need a new DME computer, parts heaven will trade your old one for a rebuilt unit for $650. You can find them at http://www.partsheaven.com. I have also heard of a source in Stanton CA, rebuilt DMEs for $550 with one year warranty (714-995-0081). Also, C&R Automotive Center in Los Angeles, CA sells rebuilt DMEs for $350 (not sure about warranties), you can reach them at 310-538-8605 or 310-538-8233.

11. If the DME is okay, you can listen to the injectors with a stethoscope, if they click, then power is getting to the injectors.

12. At this point you probably want to have a shop check the fuel pressure and flow rate in the system. This requires special tools. In my intermittent problem, this test unveiled a faulty fuel pressure regulator ($75 part).

13. Finally, Chuck H sent me some detailed info on the DME system. I didn't get this far (thankfully), but if you want to get down to the nitty gritty, here's the DME connections. Note that NTC stands for Negative Temp Coefficeint sender (meaning as temp goes up, resistance goes down).

        1  coil ground (1)
        2  micro switch (throttle, idle)
                closure to ground at idle position

        3  micro switch (throttle, wot + throttle valve) test connection b
                closure to ground at wot

        4  t54, starter active
                +12 volts while cranking engine

        5  gnd
        6  gnd, air flow sensor, ntc I
   
        7  air flow sensor +
        8  speed sensor +
                0.6 to 1.6 kohms between pins 8 and 27

        9  air flow sensor -
        10 plug for exhaust data (ground)
        11 t54, speedo
        12 test connection a
        13 ntc II
                1.4 to 3.6kohms at 70oF
        160 to 210ohms at 212oF

        14 t55, injector control signal
        15 t55, injector control signal
        16 gnd 
        17 gnd
        18 +12v
        19 gnd
        20 control signal, dme relay
        21 t54, goes to speedo
        22 air flow sensor, ntc I +
        23 .75ohm connection to pins 5, 25, 26, 8 & 27
        24 oxygen sensor
        25 ref mark sensor +
                0.6 to 1.6 kohms between pins 25 and 26
        26 ref mark sensor -
        27 speed sensor -
        28 altitude sensor
        29 a/c compressor clutch 'on'
        30
        31
        32
        33 idle speed positioner +
        34 idle speed positioner -
        35 +12v

        pinout, looking at the DME connector, NOT the DME...

           +----------------------------------+
           | 35                            19 |
        +--+ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -+--+
        | 18                                   1 |
        -----------------------------------------+

Cheers,
Doug (87 Carrera Targa)

Just finished getting my newly rebuilt transmission into the the correct condition....namely it shifts smoothly up/down, without any histrionics of any sort. Now, a few confessions are in order....before the advice at the end. Please humour this slightly demented Canuck.....

The original transmission was rebuilt by the PO and was the only component not restored in a complete rebuild of my car which spanned 12 years. The PO, in his wisdom, rebuilt the transmission and forgot a shim on the mainshaft....things eventually hammered against each other enough that another shim shattered....result was like a hand grenade went off inside the transmission. Ended up getting a new core transmission with 7:31 (off of a '74), added a Quaife limited slip (that Kremer 3,2 pumps out the ol' ponies) and all was well....sort of.

The C.O. reassembled the transmission/engine, put it in the car, had intermittent shifting problem (not going into first/reverse without grinding slightly)...in spite of umpteen linkage adjustments/clutch adjustments and significant taking of the Lord's Name in vain. Took the engine/transmission out, found out that the idiot who put it together the previous time had forgotten a lock washer on one of the retaining studs....it was jammed in there, caused a small misalignment between engine and transmission, which in turn caused the pilot bearing to spin the input shaft slightly even with the clutch disengaged. Problem fixed, with appropriate sobbing, hair pulling, gnashing of teeth etc, engine replaced and all was supposed to be well in Porscheland. NOT TRUE!!

The first gear/reverse grinding had gone, but things were still not smooth...not perfect, not the buttery smooth up/downshifts we all dream of. Again the C.O. was blamed, needed his head/arm/coordination examined. Linkage was appropriately played with, clutch clearance was checked, rechecked, rerechecked etc. No avail.

Finally in desperation the C.O. consulted the manual. Carefully went through all of the setup from the beginning.....and wonder of wonders. The wretched thing shifts like a dream, no grinding, no baulking, no fuss, no mess, no bother.

So for those who have trouble with type 915 transmissions and shifting, based on a broad statistical sample of 1....I conclude the following which is of no validity nor supportability. Given that the synchro's are in good shape and they are adjusted right....the suckers are not hard to shift at all. Yes they baulk on forced shifts....but that is what they are supposed to do. If you shift smoothly and crisply there are no problems...no need to run it through other gears at stop lights etc. The key is proper shift linkage adjustment.

So for those who are having problems, here is the "trick"

1. Check the bushings in your shift linkage. This includes the 2 at the coupler between the rear seats, the one under the housing which is in the hoop retained by the 2 smaller bolts on the shift housing and the cup at the bottom of the shift rod. Make sure they are in good shape, they are cheap and easy to replace.

2. Make sure that if you have a later housing, that the longitudinal pivot pin is nicely snug, not too loose. You can tell if you have this housing as it will have a lock nut on the front (visible when you peel back the rubber boot around the shift lever. Consider upgrading to the later (post '78) housing and factory short shift kit if you haven't already.

3. Make sure your clutch is adjusted right. It should engage about 1/4 to 1/3 up from the floor board (IMHO) and have about 20mm of free play, measured by pulling the clutch pedal back...as there is a spring which is pressing it towards the floor board, hence the bit of tension.

4. Follow the factory shifter adjustment procedure. It is as follows:

a) Take off the cover between the rear seats which exposes the shift coupler. Pull up the shifter boot, particularly so you can see the lower part of the shifter lever where it bends from "angled back" to more vertical.

b) Loosen the retaining bolt which pinches the shift rod on to the spline on the shift coupler. Let it be very loose.

c) WITH THE TRANSMISSION IN NEUTRAL, rotate the shift coupler clockwise when viewed towards the front of the car. You should be able to feel the coupler rub against the various shift stops as you rotate it back and forth. Rotate it to the furthest clockwise position, as seen when you are facing forward. Don't pretend you are Tarzan and turn it with huge force....lightly is all that is necessary..

d) Keep your hand on it and hold it there. Don't let it wiggle, if it does, turn it back to the furthest clockwise position.

e) Move the shift lever so that the more vertical part of the lever is vertical (ie 90 degrees to the level...sticking straight up so to speak). Move it so that it lightly touches the side of the shifter housing which is on the 1st/2nd gear side.....closest to the driver. Again, gently.

f) They should now be properly aligned.....lever closest to the driver with bottom part vertical, coupler clockwise in the neutral plane.

g) Carefully tighten the pinch bolt. Make sure it is quite tight.

h) Check things out. You must be able to engage reverse clash free (give the gear a little bit of time to stop after you stomp on the clutch), shifting should get to all the gears easily when driving.....things don't work as smoothly when stopped and lastly, there must be a little bit of rotational play when 5th gear is selected. This is checked by shifting into 5th, and feeling whether you can wiggle the shift coupler with your hand. It should just click back and forth slightly...not much, but clearly discernable play.

i) Assuming all is well, put all the covers back. If it is not well....my fervent suggestion is that you START OVER at b. ....I have never had any luck fiddling with the linkage.

Drive and be happy.

Dennis Kalma
'75 911S with Kremer 3.2 --- 1. remove cover plate under carpet behind seats. (Phillips Head Screw Driver) 2. Apply "white-out" dot to shifter and linkage pieces to denote 'start' position. 3. Shift car into neutral 4. Loosen shift linkage clamp (2 - 13mm wrenches) 5. move gear shift knob to drivers side 6. rotate shifter in tunnel to passenger side. ( looking down on it move a point on the top of the shifter to the passenger side ) 7. Hold everything in position and clamp back together. 8. Test it by rowing through the gears. Make sure you have all 6 gear selections possible. Then test drive if able. 9. Repeat steps 3-8 as required. If not satisfied the results, return to your white dot from step two. Realign it as it was. 10. Replace cover. John Harris --- If I remember my 1971 911S transmission (901) correctly, there are two allen plugs on the side of the tranny. The lower one is for draining the oil and the upper is for filling. Tips from a novice: 1) Loosen the top first. You don't want to drain the oil and then find you cannot open the fill plug. 2) I think the plugs require a large allen key to open (17mm?) 3) You'll need a cheapo pump from your car parts store to pump the oil from its plastic container to the top fill plug. 4) Apparently the tranny isn't sensitive to overfilling. Just stick your finger in the hole and check that the fluid level is just below the filler hole. 5) Transmission oil has a long lasting distinct smell. Do this job near you wife's laundry and she'll remember you often during the next few days. --- Michael, You have experienced one of the 915 mysteries. i don't know what causes this but the solutionis not too bad. Sometimes I can get them unstuck by manipulating the shift lever but you could do more harm than good here. First, drain the tranny fluid, then remove the inspection plate on the bottom of the transmission. I believe there are four small nuts that hold this on. You will know what I mean when you get under there. once the cover is removed you will see the shift rods and notice that one is out of the shift gate range. i don't know why this happens but it does. simple manipulate it back into place, between the shift forks and replace the inspection cover. Remember to put the fluid back in and you will be on the road in no time. Someone once told me that this is caused by taking the car out of reverse too quickly/sloppily. i was told when taking it out of reverse to go straigh up toward 5th, then into nuetral instead of a diagonal motion. --- Once the engine and transmission is out of the car, four bolts allow them to separate. Then the clutch pressure plate is exposed. Removing the pressure plate, frees the clutch disc. The throw-out bearing is easily removed from the fork. The pilot bearing is harder, but a special tool is available. You may want to change the flywheel as well, or at least remove it and have it machined. Use new bolts and the correct torque for replacing the flywheel. You will need an alignment tool to center the clutch disc while installing the new pressure plate. The clutch on the Porsche is basically similar to most standard transmission vehicles, but the parts are more expensive. --- I drove a few 911's with racing clutches. IMHO if you drive the car on the street and especially, if you drive in traffic, you will regret it. The racing clutch is very heavy and if lots of shifting is required (in traffic) it can get very tiring very fast. Either put in the stock clutch or go one step up to the aluminum flywheel. Engine will rev a bit quicker but otherwise drive normally. I've been tracking my car for 6 years and have had no clutch related problems (2 clutches total in the last 8 years). My 2c. --- I was looking for something to fiddle with at the weekend :) - the car's basically running fine, and I get bored sometimes. Anyhow, my gearshift ('83 SC Targa - 915 'box) is a little notchy, particularly 1st to 2nd. I followed the adjustment of the shift rod piece in the w/s manual (also written in long hand at various sites, so I won't repeat it here). 10 Mins work. I won't pretend my shift is miles better, but it is noticeably smoother, particularly going from neutral to 1st and 1st to 2nd. For such a little investment of time, this is the best bit of spannering I've ever done. I would suggest that anyone with a notchy 915 makes sure their shiftrod is adjusted right before they look any further. (you can even do it in the rain without getting wet - no Targa jokes please!) --- Shift Linkage - Adjustment 1. Remove the cover plate on the tunnel, behind the front seats. 2. Place gearshift in neutral. 3. Loosen the shift rod clamp. Turn the shift rod (by grasping the coupler) to the right, as seen in the direction of driving. 4. Move gearshift lever to the left until it touches the stop, and move it fore-and-aft until the lower section is vertical when viewed from the side (the fore-and-aft adjustment can be modified to suit the driver, provided sufficient length of the shifter rod remains inside the clamp). 5. Lightly tighten the clamp. 6. Check if equally long travel is evident in gears 1-4, and that 5th and reverse can be easily engaged. Correct as necessary. 7. Tighten the clamp securely. 8. Shift into 5th gear, and check the shift rod for rotational play. A definite (slight) amount of play must be evident. This is also a good time to inspect the shift coupler bushings. Be aware that some fore-and-aft play in the coupler bushings is required. Bob Tindel btindel@gte.net

Scott Galaba asked for a street pad recommendation for his 1987 911. I put OEM pads on my 86 Carrera (either Textar or Jurid, I forget which) and have been very pleased with them. They are quiet, don't produce a lot of dust, and stop good enough for me, even on the track. They also cost $42.00 total for all four corners from Don McGill Porsche in Houston (mention their ad in excellence and get a 20% discount). I couldn't justify more expensive pads given the stock nature of my car and my rookie status on the track.

Regards,

Al Cabrera
86 Carrera

Beau wrote "Does anyone know what the degree numbers that are equivalent to the two bars on the guage in my 84 911 are?"

I looked at my 87 911. It took my flashlight, reading glasses and a magnifying glass but here's what I saw:

       Temp (C)     Bar               Location of gauge face
       ----------   ---------------   -------------------------
        150         Wide red          Top 
        120         Narrow white      First one below the red
         90         Narrow  white     Second one below the red
         60         Wide white        Bottom

I recently upgraded my cylinder head temperature sensor as part of an intermittent diagnosis. It turns out that the sensor was okay, but it's one of those parts that is known to be flaky on the 911 carreras (1984-1989), so I'm glad I did it now to avoid problems in the future. Also, a reputable p-mechanic recommended upgrading the sensor to avoid being stranded in the future. Following is how I upgraded the sensor with no special tools.

-- Doug (87 Carrera Targa)

Upgrading Cylinder Head Temperature Sensor (84-89 Carrera)

The cylinder head temperature sensor measures the temp from clinder head #3 and sends it to the DME computer. The original part (911.606.405.00) got its ground from the cylinder head and had a single wire going to the DME. Apparently this method of providing ground is unreliable, so the updated part provides its ground from a second wire (964.606.405.00). Interestingly, on my car (87 Carrera), there already was a second ground wire in the car (two wires running to a 2-pin connector), even though the original sensor had only one wire (1-pin connector) and didn't use the ground. This was good news, because it meant that the upgrade didn't require any new wiring.

On the left side of the engine compartment towards the back, you'll see a bracket with three wire connectors on it, the top one is for the head temp sensor. If you try disconnecting the sensor while the car is running, you'll see that it does run but very roughly (and overly rich). I have heard some differing opinions on whether a faulty sensor could cause no-start conditions, but my car it definitely will not start with the sensor unplugged. It's easy to check if you have the upgraded (964-style) part in case you're wondering. If you disconnect the sensor at the bracket in the engine tin, you'll notice that the left side (wire to DME) has two wires going to a 2-pin connector. The right side (wire to sensor) has a 1-pin connector if it's the orginal part (911.606.405.00), or a 2-pin connector it's the upgraded part (964.606.405.00). The upgraded part also has a thicker wire going to the sensor because it's really two wires (additional one for ground) under the insulation instead of the single wire on the original part.

If you are diagnosing a no-start condition and have the original sensor, you might want to test the sensor's resistance to ground with an ohmmeter. Put the positive probe on the single pin in the connector coming from the sensor (the connector on the right which is fixed to the bracket) and the negative probe on a known good ground. If the sensor is working properly, it should read in the 1-2k ohms range. If it reads zero or infinity the sensor is probably bad. Interestingly, I can't seem to get a proper resistance reading from the new sensor, but it definitely works.

Okay, here's the procedure for upgrading the sensor without using any special tools. Jack up the car (rear) and secure it on jack stands, remove the left rear wheel. Inside the wheel well you'll see an oval-shaped grommet in the engine tin with a wire coming out, then the wire runs through another grommet up higher in the wheel well (along with two other wires). Remove the lower grommet by prying it out with a screwdriver. You'll see the head temp sensor in cyclinder head #3 inside the hole in the engine tin. Normally a special tool would be required to remove and replace the sensor (a slotted socket that fits over the wire), but it's not needed.

Instead, cut the wire off the old sensor (as close as possible to the sensor itself), then extract the old sensor with a deep socket. Thread the new sensor in by hand and tighten it with some needle nose pliers (it's a bitch to get in there but works). Now pry out the top grommet with a screwdriver (this was very difficult, I actually had to cut out my old one). Feed the new wire through the bracket inside the wheel well (you'll need to remove and replace the little bracket). You'll notice that there are two additional wires that run through the top grommet (back into the engine compartment) along with the head temp sensor wire. Fortunately, the new grommet is slotted so these extra wires slip in easy. Slip the two extra wires into the new grommet and feed the wire through the hole. Don't replace the grommet till you've installed the wire in the engine compartment.

You should be able to reach into the back of the engine compartment and grab the new sensor wire. You'll see that it runs around the manifold pipes and through a bracket in the middle of the engine. This bracket can be easily removed with a 4" socket extension and wrench to feed the new wire through. To install the new wire on the bracket at the left side of the engine compartment, you need to take apart the bracket. You'll notice that there are two little screws on the face of the bracket. Remove these screws and the bracket slides apart. It's easier to get at these screws if you uplug all three wires (be sure to label them appropriately). Slide the old plug out, the new one in, replace the cover of the bracket.

You should see two pins in the connector on the DME end (left side). The top pin is for the temp signal, and the bottom pin is for ground. You may want to check that you are in fact getting a proper ground by reading the bottom pin with an ohmmeter. You'll notice that the connector on the sensor end (right side in the bracket) now has two pins instead of the original single pin. To complete the job, don't forget to reinstall the top grommet in the wheel well. This part is difficult, so be prepared to let a few profanities fly ;-)

That's it, head temp sensor 101, for the DIY mechanic. Thanks to Darrin Sacks for explaining how to do this with no special tools.

You can remove the engine with just a floor jack and some jack stands. It helps to have another jack as the engine/transmission combination can be tough to balance on just one jack. If you have never done it before, figure on it taking the better part of a day. Once you've done it once, it is fairly straightforward. Drain the oil from the tank and the engine. Disconnect the oil line from the tank to the engine. Disconnect the electric cables at the left side of the engine. Disconnect the throttle linkge and the fuel lines. Inside the car at the shift linkage inspection area in between the rear seats disconnect the shift linkage and the electrical connections. Disconnect the CV joints at the transmission and tie the half shafts up out of the way. Position the big jack at the engine/transmission joint and loosen the four bolts (two on the transmission mount and two on the engine mounts). Remove the engine mounting bolts first, and then the transmission mounting bolts and lower the unit out of the chassis. Once clear of the engine cavity, you may have to jack the chassis higher to get the engine out from under the car. Simple to write, a little harder to do; but, significantly easier than some cars to remove the engine/transmission

Below is a check list I use when removing a 911 engine. It is *not* a detailed "how-to", but rather a list of reminders to be checked off. It is handy if you are frequently interrupted, and need to reflect back on where you were. It may save you from forgetting where you left off and trying to let the engine down when, for example, the fuel lines are still hooked up. --- 911 Engine & Transaxle Removal Checklist Applies up through the 915 transaxles, G-50 will differ. Assumes access to hydraulic lift. Prior to start: _| Car on lift (need to modify below instructions if car jack only is available) _| Remove battery cable at battery (-) negative terminal _| Loosen rear wheels _| Raise car slightly, remove rear wheels _| Shift transaxle into third gear for 5-speed, (first for 4-speed) (or whatever gear moves the transaxle shift rod into the transaxle the farthest). _| Disconnect shift linkage in shift tunnel at the allen-head screw _| Prop up clutch pedal for easier removal of clutch cable _| Penetrating oil on: Oil line connections, Rear roll bar brackets, Transaxle bracket bolts, Rear engine mount bolts, Other _| With warm engine, drain oil overnight (engine and oil tank) _| Remove oil lines at rear of engine, allow to drain Engine compartment _| Disconnect air conditioning compressor (or bracket with compressor if easier), swing to one side on fender using protective pad _| Disconnect electrical wiring at engine - rear 14-pin connector, front connector on some models, lambda connector, etc. _| Disconnect fuel lines in engine compartment ( supply line, return line, accumulator) _| Disconnect brake booster vacuum line _| Disconnect cruise control _| Disconnect throttle linkage to transaxle _| Disconnect crankcase breather hose Underside of car _| Disconnect throttle linkage at transaxle bell crank, put aside _| Disconnect accelerator linkage at transaxle bell crank _| Disconnect axles at transaxle, wire up out of way _| Disconnect ground strap at transaxle _| Disconnect starter cable _| Disconnect heater hoses from heat exchangers to body _| Disconnect clutch cable _| Disconnect speedometer cable or electrical sensor _| Remove rear anti-roll bar _| Place jack cradle under engine _| Loosen engine mounts, transaxle mounts _| Lower engine and transaxle Engine out _| Replace oil pressure switch, o-ring on thermostat as a matter of course while engine is out. This list cannot cover all the year models, but has all of the needed steps included for most of them. Disclaimer - "Safety" type steps have been left out. --- >Sounds good, but if you don't have a full vehicle lift, >what is the prefered method? Can you put a jack under >the bottom of each rear trailing arm? How 'high' do >you have to get the bumper to clear the engine when it >comes out? Put the engine stands under the rear torsion bar end covers. My jack stands are set at 21" height, which is just sufficient to allow the engine to be lowered onto a floor jack, and rolled out with the rear panel removed.

You might want to add somthing about upgrading pre 87 cars headlamps. I have an 86 Targa and was quite unhappy with the factory lighting. I was able to upgrade to the Euro H4 which not only look a hell of a lot better but give off much better lighting. They were $220 for the pair from Vertex and $80 for the paintable trim rings. I had John Paterek (Paterek Bros) paint the trim rings and installed the lights myself. Very easy job.

Marc Gelefsky
86 911 Carrera Targa (50K Miles)

I purchased a midnight blue 964 about 2 months ago. It was beautiful, excepting the unusual amount of "spiderwebbing" (very small scratches, probably from washing), which became especially apparent in direct sunlight. I used exactly what you describe, the 3M Handglaze, and Blitz Wax, and was amazed at the result. I really hadn't expected the car to look as fantastic as it did.

P21-S makes something called Total Auto Wash, which is a citrus-based degreaser that is powerful, yet safe enough to use on your paint. I used it on my 88 Carrera's engine and it easily removed 10 years of engine dirt. Also worked wonders on the wheel wells, which had never been cleaned. Cover your distributor and air intake with some baggies to protect them from water. Spray the P21-S full strength onto an engine that is just warm enough to hold your hand on comfortably. Allow it to soak in for a few minutes, then gently rinse it off and reapply until you're happy. Then drive the car until the engine is dry (it will steam quite a bit).

You can get P21-S Total Auto Wash at www.carcareonline.com, along with more detailed instructions for cleaning your engine, and just about anything else you can think of for your car. Great site, and the owner, Larry Reynolds, is a nice guy.

I'd bet that most of the 911 owner out there have noticed the difference between the actual speed and the speedometer. Someone on the list gave this information to me : for my 1984 Carrera 915 tranny. Speeds at 1000 RPM 1st - 5.8 mph 2nd - 10.4 mph 3rd - 14.7 mph 4th - 18.5 mph 5th - 23.6 mph Hope this helps. When I'm going fast (over 90) I can't see the speedo anyway because it is hidden behind the steering wheel. I just do the math in my head.

Steve, I just had this fun last weekend. I took the door panels off to restore a shotty speaker installation from the PO. It is not difficult to remove the paneling, but it is difficult to wire stand alone tweeters (if you are doing this). To remove the panel start with the top panel (where the door lock rod is). There are two screws, one kind of in the door jamb and one near the back (you will see a small black patch covering the hole, remove and you will see the screw) After these two screws are removed this upper leather piece pulls right up and off. Then remove the map pocketing at the bottom of the door. It is all straight forward and you will see the screws (they are a bit buried in the carpet). Then take the door handling off with an allen wrench.(two at the top, two deep holes to get to the bottom ones) To remove the handle that actually opens the door you just pop the little metal tube up, hear the pop, and it is loose. It then swing free. You must also remove the round knob that locks and unlocks the door from the inside. To do this take a small regular screwdriver and pop off the face. You can see what will come off by looking close. Once the face is removed a phillips screwdriver will remove it. Pull the window switch out of the socket, label where the wires go, and disconnect. Now you are ready to carefully pop the leather panel from the door. There are only about 3 pegs to pop off, two at the front side and one at the back. While you have the door apart, you might as well lithium grease your power window workings (preventative maintenance). Check the bottom of the door with a flashlight for debris and rust, and tighten up anywhere you see screws, etc. to keep rattling down. 911 doors are know to rattle from within usually from the power window tracking. Installation is the reverse and have fun with the wiring. Alex 82SC Targa --- There may be some minor differences, but this is how I did the door panels on my 83: 1. Remove door lock button and window sill. The sill is held by two screws, one on each end. The rear screw is under a small plastic plug. 2. Remove the rotary unlocking knob. Pry the cover off the center of the knob and remove the phillips screw. 3. Disconnect the main door latch. This little linkage is under the door pull handle, and snaps into a small plastic coupling. 4. Gently pry the window switch from the door panel (stiff putty knife works well--be careful not to bend the little metal bezel in the panel that the switch snaps into). Disconnect the wires, after noting which wire connects to which terminal. 5. Remove radio speaker grills. 6. Remove door pockets. On my car, there are three machine screws along the bottom edge of each pocket, one sheet-metal screw on each end, and one sm screw in the center under the pocket lid. Also remove the small plastic door-pocket bracket near the front of the door. 7. Remove the door pull handle. Mine were held by four allen-head screws, two at the top and two unside holes near the bottom. 8. Make sure all remaining screws/bolts holding the panel are removed. Then carefully pry the plastic retaining clips loose. Again, a stiff putty knife or scraper works well. 9. This is a good opportunity to inspect the inside of the door to make sure the drain holes are clear, and that there is no rust. Also a good time to lubricate all of the mechanical linkages in the door. There is a much more detailed description of this procedure by Allen Caldwell in Volume IX of Up-Fixin, page 300.

For tire pressure I run about 23-24 in the front and 28-32 in the back

My '87 did similar things. I found a thread on this list that suggested cleaning the idle stabilizer valve. When you open the engine lid, above and to the rear of the fan, where the various hoses are looping around the air intake, there's a metal cylinder, about 3 inches long. I cleaned mine with a silicone cleaner and saw some improvement. The big improvement was cleaning the throttle body. It's a bit of a hassle to get to. I've been warned strongly against just spraying chemicals down the intake, they could do bad things to whatever sensors are there. What I found here was a bunch of oily dirt. I traced the various hoses and found they are breathers for recirculating vapor from the oil tank back into the motor to keep them from going straight into the atmosphere. At least, that's my read. After 11 years, there was significant accumulation. I wiped off the gunk from around the butterfly valve, both sides and all around and cleaned the mass air flow sensor as well. I didn't use any chemicals here, just a rag. Big improvement. It felt like a new car afterward. Good luck. --- There has been a string of inquires regarding hesitation of 911s, especially with reference to the 3.2 models with DMEs (mine is an 87 coupe). The mileage is 75k miles. I use fuel stabiliser in the winter when storing the car and have used 'fuel system service' which is essentially an injector cleaner. I had the oxygen sensor replaced, I noticed the car was running rich and wasn't getting the fuel mileage it should. I also had the original head temperature sensor replaced with the new two-pronged grounded unit. The car runs like a top and doesn't have any further hesitation and runs much smoother now (like a 911 should at speed!). For those list members who have been experiencing intermittent hesitations, I would recommend replacing the Oxygen Sensor and get the updated Head Temp Sensor with the dual ground pins.