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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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

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