The Result: 1985.5 Porsche 944 For Sale $6,200

So it's been almost a year since I bought this car to fix up and sell on to a new owner and finally it is finished!

Great condition! This 25 year old beauty has about 154k miles which means it has done about 6200 miles per year since it was new. Good daily driver but better for weekends with the sunroof off. Very solid engine. It has been carefully restored by me over the past year including a full, proper paint job. It has lots of new and replaced parts and inspection is good through summer 2011. Clean history report.

Timing belt, balance shaft and rollers were all replaced at 149k miles. Clutch was replaced at 105k miles. Since I bought it, I thoroughly cleaned the idle control valve and fuel injectors and conditioned the leather interior for future protection. I also waxed the wheels to resist brake dust and grime and make it easier for cleaning.

If you own a car and you're looking for a second car my Geico insurance is only $200 per year and it's even less if you qualify for classic car insurance!

Options & Specs:
-Black leather interior with fold down rear seats
-Power windows, locks, mirrors, steering, removable sunroof
-5 speed manual transmission
-Rear wheel drive with RARE limited-slip differential
-30+ MPG highway
-CD player with upgraded speakers and Kenwood amp
-A/C not working, all parts have been replaced but still not working

New Parts:
-4 all-weather high performance tires
-Platinum spark plugs
-Ignition wires with lifetime warranty
-Distributor rotor
-Hood support struts
-Wiper blades
-Power steering belt
-Fuel injector seals & caps
-Vacuum hose to Idle Control Valve
-many more

Replaced parts:
-Front windshield
-Leather sunroof bag
-Tail light bulb holder
-Porsche emblem
-Leather center armrest
-Exhaust
-Rear hatch release switch
-Rear hatch release cable
-Rear bumper bads

Email me @ jeffreye.butler@gmail.com or call 201-315-5541

~M/o  "Stay up to Speed"

Episode 1 - Up to Speed

Sorry this video is so late and not-so-great quality. I had many technical difficulites getting it up and running but better late than never, right? After you enjoy the video I put together, please 
take a minute to add your thoughts to the link below or email me any of your ideas to customizing this thing. Happy holidays and a happy new year to all of you! Enjoy.

 http://www.zoomerang.com/Survey/?p=WEB22A2RA8GT4L

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Rear Turn Signal Troubleshooting

Although all bulbs were working properly when I first bought the car, soon after I had driven it home, both a rear side marker and rear turn signal went out. The rear side marker was a quick fix with a new bulb from Advance Auto but the rear turn signal was a different story.

I replaced the bulb in the rear turn signal and it still didn't work which probably meant one of two things, either the electrical system had a short to the turn signal or there could be a faulty wire or connection. I cleaned all connectors and connections with a wire brush and some fine grit sand paper and got no results.

So finally, I took out my Multimeter and tested each connection that went to the turn signal. You're checking for resistance when looking for a short which means a reading of more than 0.9 constitutes a short.

Turns out there was a short in the wire to the turn signal all the way up to the main connector. The problem is that nobody sells just the connectors with wires anymore so I was going to have to find a second hand one somewhere. I searched all over the place and finally got a response from Ian at http://www.944online.com/. If you need parts, have any problems or questions with your 944 you can ask them, they know everything over there.

He said he had a working bulb assembly that he would send to me for free and no shipping charge! It's a very rare thing that someone gives you anything for free these days so thanks a lot Ian. Even better, when I got the part in the mail he included all working bulbs and the case assembly for the tail light.

It was a quick installation and now it will pass inspection. Out with the old and in with the new(er).

--M/o

Idle Control Valve Cleaning / Vacuum hose replacement

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The previous owner gave me a list of the things he thought needed to be done to bring the car up to par and one of those things was cleaning the idle control valve which is pretty common in 944s and it's not such an easy job. The control valve stabilizes the idling of the car and it did idle a bit rough.

Some say you can get to the ICV (idle control valve) without removing the fuel rail and intake manifold which is true. You can remove the ICV but I'd say it's pretty unlikely that you'll get it back in. This is what I did...

I successfully removed the ICV without taking anything else apart which was a hassle due to small nooks and crannies I had to maneuver my hands around. You're lucky if you can even fit your hands between the intake manifold. If you have big hands forget about it. My girlfriend had to help with a few things because I couldn't get my hands in.

After removing the ICV, I cleaned inside and outside a few times with carb cleaner and lint free rags. Be sure to make sure the ICV is completely dry before reinstalling otherwise you could cause some expensive damage. When I looked into the little hole the ICV came out of with a flashlight I noticed a small vacuum hose that had completely dry-rotted. Aha! That was causing the rough idle!

Here's the quick list of the procedure:

1. Removed fuel pump fuse, and all hoses and cables connected to the fuel rail

2. Removed fuel rail, fuel dampener, and fuel pressure regulator

3. Removed a dozen nuts, bolts, and hose clamps to loosen intake manifold

4. Removed intake manifold

5. Removed fuel injectors, new caps, new o-rings, and cleaned

6. Removed dry-rotted vacuum hose

7. Installed new vacuum hose and cleaned ICV

8. Carefully scraped off old intake manifold gaskets

9. Installed intake manifold and new gaskets

10. Installed everything else I removed

11. Started the car and idled beautifully

If you do attempt this procedure on a 944, do have plenty of rags under the fuel rail when removing. Although the fuel pump has been disabled, there can still be plenty of fuel in the lines.

All in all, it wasn't that difficult of a job although it did take longer than expected. One thing to remember is, don't take anyone's word for things. Make sure for yourself. And as I've said before, keep in mind that there will always be additional parts you need to replace when taking them apart.

Progress pictures below...

Close-up of the engine with intake manifold in top of photo and fuel rail with fuel damper and fuel pressure regulator located between intake manifold and engine block. If you look closely you can see the idle control valve in between the two

center pipes of the intake manifold.

Removing vacuum hoses from fuel pressure damper and fuel pressure regulator. You can just see the bottom of the idle control valve indicated by the yellow arrow. There is just enough room to get a hand between the intake manifold.

Before removing the fuel rail you have to disconnect the electrical plugs from the fuel injectors along with all bolts holding the fuel rail to the engine block and the fuel lines to the fuel rail. Keep rags below fuel rail to catch any fuel left in the lines.

This is what the fuel rail looks like off the car.

In some cases, the fuel injectors come out with the fuel rail, but in this case only one injector came out. Just remove injectors one-by-one if this happens. Be careful when removing injectors, pull straight out or you could damage the caps or o-rings (red arrow pointing to injector that came out with fuel rail).

Remove all intake manifold bolts with care, they are very easy to strip since they are old, steel, allen-head bolts threaded into an aluminum intake manifold. Tap each bolt with a hammer and punch to "wake them up." Then remove all vacuum hoses attached to manifold and air box hose connector. Then you can remove the intake manifold from the engine (sounds easier than it actually is).

Right after you remove the intake manifold, shove some lint-free rags into the cylinders to stop any debris from falling into them. Then you'll need to carefully scrape off the old intake manifold gaskets with a putty knife or something similar. Be careful not to scrape the aluminum when doing this!

This is the famous idle control valve that the previous owner told me needed to be cleaned. It probably didn't hurt to do it but this was not causing the rough idling that I was experiencing. It was a small vacuum hose attached to the ICV that was cracked and needed to be replaced. To remove the ICV you'll need to unplug the electrical connector then remove the two vacuum hoses and nuts holding the ICV in place. To clean ICV, simply spray carburetor cleaner into both openings and drain several times. You'll notice the liquid coming out of the other end will become cleaner and cleaner.

Since I was removing the fuel injectors and cleaning them as well, I decided to get new caps and o-rings for them. The only kits for these (other than Porsche dealerships) are available from Rennbay.com for under $30.

The picture to the left shows 2 injectors side-by-side. The one on the right has been stripped of its cap and o-rings and the one on the left has been refitted with new caps and rings.

You can send your injectors away to get cleaned professionally if you feel they are not performing well enough.

Here is the fuel rail with the newly capped injectors attached. Be sure to insert injectors into injector holes at the correct angle so you don't bend anything out of shape. Reassembly is opposite of assembly so it's very straight forward. Just lightly grease new intake manifold gaskets, attach to engine block, and tighten intake manifold.

--M/o

Exhaust(ed) Replacement

Since I was on a tight budget and exhaust parts for this car are astronomical, I actually found a used exhaust on ebay for a good price.

It came in the mail and I began to work. To say the least, it was the toughest job I've ever performed on a car. The nuts and bolts all were rusted solid and already partially stripped. I ended up buying all kinds of tools and doodads and finally after about 20 hours the old exhaust was out and the replacement was in.

There was very little room underneath the car so I had to use small tools. Ryobi drills were the only drills that were small enough to maneuver. I had a cheaper Ryobi and bought a newer Lithium Ion drill shown below which came in a nice soft case to transport. I also used some pretty amazing cobalt drill bits from Rigid. After killing a few other drill bits I gave my pops a call and he said I needed some cobalt bits. Rigid were the only cobalt bits I could find and they worked great.

I looked all over the place for a small hack saw to cut the bolt off and the one I went with was a small Lenox with heavy metal blades. The salesman at Home Depot told me this brand was my best bet so I bought the saw and some blades and luckily it fit

In place of the old steel fasteners I installed stainless steel nuts and bolts so the next person who worked on the car would not have to go through what I did to get the exhaust off.

Seriously, I would like to never think about this again, I'm just thankful it's over. Here are some pictures of the process.

--M/o

Third Step: Body Work

When I bought the car, it had a small dent under the passenger headlamp that was ruining its appearance. Could I successfully pop this dent back out or would I need to fill, prime, and paint it? The answer turned out to be both.

I was able to pound out most of the dent with some mallets and clamps but there were still some areas that wouldn't pop out thanks to the solid sheet metal used on older cars.

So I sanded the area down with 320 grit sand paper and filled it with body filler. It took about 4 or 5 coats of filling and sanding to get the perfect surface I was looking for.

Since the nose panel and headlamp covers had so many stone chips I decided to sand down and prime them too. Luckily I had access to a spray booth because primer is highly toxic and should only be used in well ventilated areas.

I also filled and primed a few other areas of the car that needed attention including a spot by the passenger rear wheel and an area on the rear end. (There will be plenty more body work to come when I prepare the car for its new paint job.)

The results turned out great, especially given that this was the first bit of body work that I've done. Check out the results below!

--M/o

Second Step: Tune-up

It was obvious that the Porsche needed a tune-up based on some slight hesitation and lack of zip the car should have had. I went all over for the parts I needed based on price, quality, and convenience.

But before I could do any real work under the hood, I needed some new hood strut supports so it would stay open. I ended up searching on Ebay and found a pretty cheap pair.

Be careful when installing these on a 944 because there is very little clearance between the endpoints of the hood and the windshield. You'll see in the photo to the right how close the corner of the hood comes to touching the windshield (about 1/4 inch). When lifting the hood to install the hood supports, I cracked the driver side of the windshield without knowing. Terrible design Porsche! Luckily I had to replace it already so no worries. (click on any photo to enlarge)

For the tune-up, I started with Bosch Platinum +4 spark plugs which don't require gapping and have four ground electrodes for optimal access to the air and fuel mixture. They were not very expensive and I was confident that they'd do the trick.

Next, a new distributor rotor from PelicanParts.com. It was a quick and easy replacement and made a huge different in the car's performance.

Good ignition wires took some time to source. They are expensive but are vital to how the car
starts and runs. I found a link on one of the many member online forums to some good, cheap Magnecor 8.5mm racing ignition wires with a lifetime warranty. If they ever go bad, you can get a free replacement, what a great deal!

It's important to install ignition wires in the correct order so the car "fires" in the correct order. Other wise the car won't run right and possibly won't even start. Do this by removing one wire at-a-time and replacing that wire with the correct new wire. This way, there is no mix up.

After all was installed and ready-to-go, I started the car and heard a nice, healthy sounding rumble coming from the engine. I took it out for a spin and instantly I felt a better response to the throttle and much more power.

Tune-ups are completely underrated and should be done at the mileage stated in your owner's manual. All cars are different so refer to your owner's manual for all procedures. If your car isn't running like it used to, give 'er a tune-up! Any costs are worth it in the long run.

After the tune-up, I threw on some new windshield wipers because the car desperately needed them. Cost of two new blades was $10.68

Next, I replaced the cracked windshield. I was able to source 1 salvage windshield with the embedded antenna in the whole tri-state area. Apparently the windshields cracking from the hood is a pretty big problem with these cars. I drove all the way out to Medford Auto Wreckers on Long Island to pick up this $217 piece of glass and drove it home laid out over the passenger seat for an hour and a half drive. It was nerve-racking to say the least but luckily I was able to get it home in one piece.

I had NJ Auto Glass come to my place and install the windshield in about 40 minutes. They did a great job and took the old, broken windshield with them. Not many companies will install glass that you bought from somewhere else but they were happy to do it. They charged me $125 for the installation. Together the windshield cost me $342. Much cheaper than buying a new one for over $500 plus installation.



The totals so far:

$2500 cost of car
$417.55 new tires
$115.92 tune-up
$10.68 wiper blades
$342 windshield + installation
$3386.15 total

Tune in for the next 944 job: Body work!

--M/o

First Step: Tires!

If you remember, the 944 had some rotting tires when I bought it so the first and most important thing to do was to put some good shoes on it. I took it to STS in Fair Lawn, NJ (the town where I bought the car).
I had never been to STS and actually went there just because it was nearby. I dropped the car off during the day and picked it up later that evening.
I chose the Federal SS-657's high-performance and all-weather because this is the type of car that can be driven any time of year (aside from snow).
One great thing about this 944, it came with locks for the lug nuts so the wheels can't be stolen. I left the manager with the keys to a car that I didn't legally own yet and went to get the it registered while I awaited my brand new tires.
The Federals turned out to be a good choice, very little road noise and they fill the wheel well nicely. I've tried hard to get these tires to slip, spin, fishtail but they stick to the road all too well. That combined with the limited-slip differential this car handles like a charm and laughs at curves for even trying.

STS gave me a pretty good deal and some goodies came along with the purchase. I got a 10% discount coupon for my next purchase, free alignment check every 12 months, free flat repair for the life of the tires, and free rotation for the life of the tires. Not a bad deal!

After the car was home and parked safely, I went straight to the sink, filled a bucket with soap and water, and went at the wheels to get them nice and shiny. After drying them off, I applied some Turtle Wax to protect from brake dust and corrosion. It's a good idea to do this before winter to protect your wheels from sand and salt. It will also be easier to clean them later since brake dust and dirt don't stick well on wax.

I threw some Turtle Wax tire shine on the tires and they were good to go. When applying any wax, grease, or slippery liquids, be sure not to get any on the brakes or brake rotors if you'd like your brakes to work.
So the 944 has some new kicks for a grand total of $417.55. That plus the cost of the car I've already spent $2917.55!

Next: tune in for the 944's tune-up!

--M/o

Used Car Buying Tips

Those who have been through the process of buying a used car know there are some sketchy cars out there with some pretty sketchy sellers. In fact there are more sketchy cars than you could imagine. You could say buying a used car is a gamble.

Mileage: Anyone with the know-how can change the mileage on today's cars. A car with 165,000 miles can easily be changed to 65,000 miles and some older cars actually only have 5 spaces on the odometer so the car could have "turned over" multiple times.

Lemons: There are tens of thousands of "lemons" that major auto companies have bought back from buyers and illegally resold in other states.

Theft: In 2006 there were over 1 million cars stolen in the United States. A good percentage of these cars were, and still are, resold illegally.

Water Damage: Hurricane Katrina caused 571,000 vehicles to become "flood-cars" which are being found all over the country after they had been resold with irreparable damage.

Accidents: Cars that have been in accidents which are fixed up and repainted could be a safety hazard, could have damage to critical parts, or they could just not be worth a dime.

Warranties: Many used car dealers will be quick to sell you a warranty to make you feel more confident but it's very likely it won't cover major repairs.

Misuse: Cars are misused by neglect, abuse, and simple ignorance. If the car hasn't been well maintained there will always be problems with it. This can be a very difficult thing to detect since the car will probably be nice and cleaned up for you.

Bad Titles: Some cars have title issues including engine swaps, mismatching mileage, fake titles, and some cars have no title at all.

Inspection: My advice is to stay away from a car without an inspection sticker.

Recalls: Many models have factory recalls that can be fixed by the dealer free of charge, but some owners neglect or forget about the recall and never get it fixed. Failure to take care of recalls can cause serious injury.

Lemons: Many issues with used cars can be resolved with a vehicle history report. The popular websites Carfax.com and Autocheck.com are easy ways to find out if a car has been deemed a lemon, has been in an accident, has flood damage, has been reported stolen, or has title issues.

A much cheaper way to find this information is through a government site called www.add123.com which is available in 28 states and soon to be 11 more. Although they are helpful, history reports cannot tell you everything about the car. For example, the car could have been in an accident but just not reported.

Theft: When it comes to theft, you must check multiple vin numbers on the car to make sure they all match. Stolen car's vin numbers can easily be changed for a clean history report so checking as many vin plates as you can is important.

There's usually one vin number on the front door frame on the driver's side or passenger's side, one on the the dashboard near the windshield, one on the engine itself, one on the car's firewall, one on the left hand inner wheel arch, one on the steering column, and there's one on the radiator support bracket. All numbers should match the number on the title/registration and if they don't it could be an indication that the car has been stolen.

Stay away from cars that need to be started with a screwdriver or that look like the ignition has been tampered with. This could be a sign of a stolen vehicle.

Water Damage: Although a history report can uncover water damage, unfortunately if it hasn't been reported it is difficult to spot because water damage can easily be cleaned up. A car with water damage can have major electrical problems that aren't obvious.

Check the engine bay first for water damage. Look for mold and other residue left behind from dirt and leaves. Do the same inside the car and in the trunk in addition to smelling the interior parts for musty or moldy stenches. Also, check the history report for past locations of the car. If it was shipped from New Orleans in 2005 or 2006 it might be a good idea to steer clear.

Accidents: Again, the history report is a great place to start but all accidents aren't reported. To physically check for accident damage open the hood, doors, and trunk to make sure everything opens and closes properly.

A sticking door can mean the car has been hit. Look down the sides of the car to see how "straight" the panels are. When you open the hood, check to see that the walls of the engine compartment are all straight with no bends or welds that look like they were done recently. See that the front panel of the engine compartment is completely parallel to the side walls. If it isn't, it means it has been in a front end collision.

With newer cars, if it has been repainted it might mean it has been in an accident and the insurance payed for a paint job. Look for "overspray" on rubber seals, gaskets, and boots. Overspray occurs the painter sprayed an area that wasn't supposed to be painted. Areas that frequently get hit with overspray are in the door hinges, around the inside of the engine compartment, under the wheel wells, and in the trunk compartment.

Look to see that all body paint matches. If there are areas that don't match in color it means certain panels of the car were painted or replaced. Snoop around these areas to catch any problems. Another sign of accident damage is mismatching headlamps. If one looks new, it is possible that that side has been hit and replaced.

I'll say this over and over, take the car to a mechanic to be inspected. It will be worth every penny you spend. He will be able to tell you if the car has ever been hit.

Mileage: Unfortunately mileage might be the most difficult of all to diagnose aside from a history report. Cars built before 1982 don't have available history reports and many cars built before this time only had 5 number places on the odometer. So, did the odometer pass 99,999 miles? Once? Twice?

One simple way to judge the approximate mileage on the car is simple wear and tear. In what condition is the interior? If the seats, steering wheel, and shift knob have lots of wear and tear the chances are the car has done a lot of miles.

Again, take the car to a mechanic who will be able to tell the difference between a car that has driven 99,999 and 199,999 miles a matter of minutes.

The same goes for buying more modern used cars, if it doesn't run like a car that only has 60,000 miles on it, chances are that the mileage has been changed. You have to look out for this with dealerships and garages more than private sellers.

Warranties: When buying from a dealership the car salesperson will want to sell you a warranty. Don't waste your money! They'll tell you you need it because if something expensive goes wrong it will cover it. If something expensive goes wrong, chances are it'll still be coming out of your pocket. Warranties only cover certain items so make sure you read every word of the warranty to find out exactly what is and what isn't covered.

Misuse: I could probably write a whole book on car abuse and neglect but I'll keep it short and sweet. Bring it to a mechanic if you think the car may have been misused or not taken care of.

Bad Titles: If you're buying a car for an everyday driver and the car you're looking at has any title issues don't bother looking at it. There are plenty of other cars out there that are the same make/model/color without any title issues.

With all of these issues you should always be prepared. A few things you can do to slim the chances of getting stuck with a car with big problems are;

• Research! Before looking at anything do plenty of research on the car you're looking to buy. Find out problem areas, cost of repairs, general wear and tear, and cost of maintenance. Some cars have high maintenance costs some just have lots of problems. Also research recalls and ask the owner if the recalls have been fixed. If so, does he or she have proof.
• Bring a friend: Having a person with you while looking at a car is a huge benefit. It allows a second pair of eyes and ears to check the car. Have them start the car and rev it for you while you stand at the back and front of the car to listen to the exhaust and engine. You can also have your friend talk to the owner of the car while you pay attention to the car itself. Bring a pad to take notes on and if you're really ambitious, bring a camera.
• Look at more than one: If you have a car in mind, try to look at and test drive as many as possible. Go to a few private sellers and dealers even if the cars are over priced and aren't exactly what you're looking for. This way you'll have something to compare and you'll make the best choice possible.
• Take it to a mechanic: Ask the seller if you can take the car to a mechanic before you buy. If they don't approve then it's your choice, but I would walk away. A local mechanic would be happy to inspect a car for a fee of course, but the fee is well worth it when you think about the amount of money you might be spending on continuous repairs in the future. A mechanic will tell you exactly what's wrong and right with the car.
• Tires: A car should have all the same make and size tires. It is dangerous to drive with mismatching tires.
• Inspection: Make sure the car has an inspection sticker. If it doesn't you could be spending a lump sum to pass inspection. If the seller doesn't have it inspected as him/her to have it inspected this way you'll know what needs to be done.
• Service History: Ask to see the car's service history. Any receipts or proof that the car has been maintained is needed to see exactly what has been done to the car.

If you are patient and take measures to find a great car, you should find a car that is worth buying. Remember, the car is only as good as the previous owner(s) have kept it so if you don't trust the owner don't buy the car. If it doesn't feel, sound, drive, or act right then walk away. Good luck with your next purchase and drive it how it was meant to be driven!

--M/o

1985.5 Porsche 944: Next Steps

Next Steps:

Bringing this car back to 1985 is going to be a challenge to say the least. There is so much to do and so many obstacles that I face. This will be my first restoration plus the biggest challenge is not having a garage. Working on a car in a garage is priceless. Having a warm, locked-off area that shelters you from the elements where you can leave the car and your tools in pieces and not worry about theft, corrosion, and distractions is almost a necessity. But you make due with what you have and what I have is next to nothing, aside from the "drive" for cars, mechanical inclination, and the monetary need to sell this car.

Luckily, I do have a spot in a parking garage with shelter from rain and snow but it is technically still outdoors. So, for the sake of my reputation, my love for classic cars, and for the sake of the buyer, I will not take shortcuts nor short change any part of the car. Whatever this 944 needs to look and drive like new, it will get. Here's what I know it needs in order of priority:

• 4-tires
• front wipers
• windshield
• rear turn signal bulb
• rear side marker bulb
• exhaust
• power steering belt
• 2-hood support struts
• 4-spark plugs
• 5-ignition wires
• distributor rotor
• idle control valve cleaning
• inspection
• rear hatch release switch
• sun visor clip
• some body work
• a paint job
• center arm rest
• leather sunroof bag
• A/C blowing warm air

Following the paint job:

• rear lock seal
• Porsche decal (rear)
• reassembly

On a car this old there will be plenty of things that need attention that you can't predict so be sure to factor this into your budget. Old parts break during procedures, rubber seals need replacing, and things tend to stay hidden until uncovered.

You can never know everything you'll need before starting so it is a good idea to shop around for the best deals. You might be tempted to buy the first few items you find for an okay deal but be patient when it comes to ordering because chances are you'll miss something if you rush and you'll pay more for shipping in the end. Also, during certain procedures, find out if parts need replacement after removal. Sometimes you can't use a part after it has been removed, you'll need to replace brand new such as but not limited to rubber gaskets and rusty nuts and bolts. Normally it's a good idea to replace some parts that may need service during a procedure if they're cheap enough and difficult to get to later.

The good with the bad, I think I bought a good little car for little money and a lot of character. It's a hell of a challenge for my first project and the learning curve is going to be a slap in the face since it is German engineered but who's got the time to learn the right way?
First priority is getting this thing ready for an inspection. All bulbs have to be functioning properly, windshield needs to be flawless, and emissions need to pass so the exhaust is very important. I'll be posting updates periodically so check back soon and wish me luck!

--M/o