924Board.org

[bobbo23]

I just bought my first Porsche, an '87 924S. It's in good condition runs solid, seems pretty good. I bought the car from a dealer friend and don't have any maintenance info.

Do any of you veteran owners have any words of advice? Any tips or tricks?

I understand the timing belt and water pump can be an issue. Is there any way other than visually inspecting the timing belt to determine when it should be changed?


Any other words of wisdom will be much appreciated.

Rob
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'87 924S Red with black

[cgalyon]

As was told to me, if you don't know when the timing belt was last done, go ahead and get it done. It costs a good bit (was about $1300 for FOE service for me), but it's worth it in the end and you can start your own record from there.
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1988 924S Navy Blue - Phone Dials

[ideola]

Ditto what cgalyon said. If you don't know when the FOE was last performed, you really shouldn't drive the car until you have it done by a competent mechanic...that is, unless you enjoy spending thousands of dollars on fixing bent valves and damaged pistons. FOE service should include at minimum the timing belt, water pump, balance shaft, and the tensioners and related pulleys. 944online.com even provides pre-configured "repair kits" with all of the common parts and pieces you'll need for routine maintenance items, such as the FOE service.

In addition to this forum, Clark's Garage is a decent resource for the 2.5L platform, although it appears that new registrations for the discussion forum are not being taken. I've tried three times now and never gotten an ID approved.

Also, here is a good FAQ for the 2.5L platform (most of the early [pre-87] 944 info will apply to your 924S).

Tips and tricks: not much to be done in the performance department. You can chip it (Autothority and FR Wilk are the best options here) for marginal power increase, and you can modify your throttle cam for improved throttle response (no impact to power, just more fun to drive). You might get other marginal gains by installing a 944 sport exhaust, and possibly headers. That's about it...maybe a 10% power increase at best.

As with most of the NA 924/944 family, your best option is not to try turning the car into a drag racer, but to optimize it for what it is: a reliable, great handling car. That said, your time and money would probably be better spent on reducing weight and suspension upgrades rather than trying to increase power output.

In conclusion, may I suggest a gander at my performance modifications thread? Be aware, most of the engine info pertains to the 2.0L platform, but the general approach to project planning is still germane, and pretty much all of the non-engine related info is adaptable if not directly applicable to the 924S.

Good luck, and welcome aboard!
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erstwhile owner of just about every 924 variant ever made

[bobbo23]

Pardon the ignorance. What does FOE stand for?
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'87 924S Red with black

[cgalyon]

FOE = Front of Engine Service. When I first came to this board, I believe my first question pertained to the timing belt. Do a search for "timing belt" in the Search feature, then look for a thread started by me in the 924S forums. Read through that for tons of good info from fellows on the board.

Edit: In fact, here's the thread I'm thinking of, http://www.924board.org/viewtopic.php?t=25505
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1988 924S Navy Blue - Phone Dials

[bobbo23]

Thanks a lot for your info. I found a great local mechanic (former lead at a Porsche dealership who opened his own gig at his house/garage) who is going to help out.
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'87 924S Red with black