Porsche 944 - Head Gasket Replacement Tutorial - Part 2: Reassembly / Installation

[@Owl-ge9jl]

Man more people need to see this video. Your steps are extremely thorough and you leave no questions unanswered. Too bad you weren't able to drive the car in this video but it's great that nothing else seems to be wrong with it. Can't wait for part 3!

[@rangerdanger9672]

This is one of the clearest and in-depth vehicle repair videos I've ever seen, and I've seen a lot (because I own a subaru) I just got my 944 and I'm glad your channel exists and you have a super clear and chill voice

[@NC944er]

Thanks man and welcome to the 944 club! This one was definitely a pretty big undertaking and I had well over 3 hours of raw footage when the job was done, but got it trimmed down nicely. Glad you enjoyed it! 👍🏼

[@autobreza7131]

53:24 - I think you made an unintentional mistake saying "...the coil sends a 12 volt current to the center of the cap...". Actually 12 volts is sent to the low side of the coil, where it is transformed (yada yada technical explanation...) to high voltage of about 12k-25k volts and sent to the center post of the distributor which routes it to the appropriate spark plug. Great video overall with excellence all around. I'm thinking you are an engineer and possibly even a teacher on the side. Edit: There is no physical contact between the rotor and the distributor cap terminals. There is a very small air gap which the current jumps on it's way to the plug. [1985/2 944 Base, Alpine White/Black]

[@NC944er]

Good catch and thanks for sharing your expertise! There was indeed a flub when explaining the coil. 😃 My understanding was that the rotor “shouldn’t” be making significant contact with the cap terminals and that the wear comes mainly from the repetitive spark, but on most of the ones I’ve seen, there are directional wear lines in the plastic just before and after each terminal. Could this be from the cap being slightly misaligned after installation and then after a few rotations (and contact from the rotor), the cap gets pushed into optimal alignment? It seems like, to your point, that the air gap is so small and because the hook screws don’t allow for precise application, that the alignment could easily be off. Appreciate your insight! Thanks. 👍🏼

[@autobreza7131]

​@@NC944er While it is possible for slight misalignment and contact between the rotor and the cap terminals due improper installation, physical contact should never occur. Such a condition could result in a broken part, cracked insulation, or metal flakes inside the distributor cap, all of which have potentially negative effects on the intended path for electricity. Thinking back on prior experiences, I don't recall ever having seen signs of physical contact between the cap and rotor, and with our Porsches it seems unlikely to occur given the geometry and indexing design of the cap. I believe the "wear lines" you observed were carbon tracks from many miles of use. Keep in mind that the spark gap between rotor and cap is not static - it move forward with rotor rotation as the spark is advanced with RPM, making oxidation tracks longer and more visible over time.

[@NC944er]

@@autobreza7131 Good stuff, thanks! The one in recent memory had a heavily aged and compressed foam gasket, which may have impacted the fitment of the cap, and as you said might happen, that was one where the metal arm on the rotor was slightly bent upward, albeit on the trailing side. 🧐 With all these cars have been through, sometimes it’s hard to discern “normal” behavior. I’ve made some updates to the technical descriptions in my Distributor Cap & Rotor Tutorial video and reposted it based upon our discussions here, so thank you for contributing to the channel! 👍

[@oscarruiz3426]

I’m crying, I’m gonna have to do this job and it’s so much to go through idk what I would do without your vids

[@NC944er]

One bolt at a time and you can get it done! Best of luck! 👍🏼

[@fcimports9823]

I just want to say thank you so much for these videos! I was able to get my 84 944 N/A up and running after bent intake valves by watching these meticulous crafted videos. I have quite a few 944 videos of my own on KZbin, but I had never performed a head removal before. I just want to say thank you so much for your effort. Years later it is still bring greatly appreciated! ❤

[@NC944er]

Hey man, thank you! I’m glad the content has helped out. I’ve checked out some of your videos as well, appreciate your conversational storytelling approach. Good stuff and happy to hear from an equally passionate 944 owner. Cheers!

[@MrStroller4u]

very nice, 944online has injector services too, with core exchange. They are in SFL. Victor reinz has a p/n for a head that had been "decked".

[@smoothwood10]

Another amazing video! Quick question, did you replace the head studs? I always assumed they were not supposed to be re-used.

[@NC944er]

You’ll see differing opinions on whether or not they “should” be replaced, but the general consensus I gathered from the community is that they can be safely re-used a couple times. They can be problematic to remove and a broken stud wasn’t something I wanted to deal with at the time, so I opted to re-use them. If you decide to replace them, this kit may be useful - www.powerstream.com/944-head-stud-repair.htm

[@sethallgaier2485]

Question that’s kind of unrelated. But how do you take off the crankshaft pulley? I try to take it off but the crankshaft will just spin so I can’t

[@NC944er]

You need to install a flywheel lock so that the crankshaft is held in place while removing the crankshaft bolt. This is about the cheapest one available - rennbay.com/Porsche-944-Flywheel-Lock.html

[@JVR_Funwithdesign]

The most expensive yet satisfying replacement 944 things are new expansion tanks and brake reservoirs.

[@NC944er]

Agreed! Although I was just yesterday quoted $1,300 for an OEM Sekurit windshield with the built in antenna. 🙄

[@JVR_Funwithdesign]

@@NC944er Yeah I managed to find a used 968 windshield that was removed carefully as they are very elusive new and expensive.

[@kennethsuire8213]

Where are you located,,,,,,i,m in southern Louisiana

[@NC944er]

Hey Ken, I’m in central North Carolina. Cheers!

[@SuperM1687]

Where did you get your fuel injectors rebuilt?

[@NC944er]

RC Fuel Injection out of California, pretty quick turnaround and comes with a warranty - www.rcfuelinjection.com

[@squeakychairproductions6813]

@NC944er Where did you get the jumper cable to prime the fuel pump? I can't find one anywhere. Thanks for posting these videos they are outstanding!

[@NC944er]

Hey, the jumper was a homemade tool using some old copper wire and a couple of flat blade connectors crimped on the ends. I keep a couple of those in the fuse box in the event of a failed DME relay, you can jumper it and drive.

[@squeakychairproductions6813]

@@NC944er Awesome thanks for the response!

[@944LS]

Where did you get your parts zinc coated? Love the build, I’m picking up a 944 this weekend 🎉

[@NC944er]

Hey, congratulations! They are really fun cars to work on. For the zinc plating, I used Parker Metal Finishing out of Greensboro, NC. The mainly so large industrial jobs, but one of the owners does small batches on the side. It was about $100, parts need to be stripped or blasted before the plating process so it adheres well.

[@944LS]

@@NC944er Thank you! The one I’m getting is not running so I’m sure I’ll be using some of your videos to diagnose it! I appreciate the information 🤙

[@944LS]

@@NC944er Is the yellow zinc color what it was from factory? If not, do they provide different color coatings?

[@NC944er]

@@944LS Yes, yellow was the standard used for most parts on the 944 from the factory. The options are yellow or white (clear), which basically just looks silver or bare metal. Yellow provides the best corrosion resistance and has a nicer look. There are also blue and black zinc colors, which weren’t used to my knowledge.

[@944LS]

@@NC944er okay awesome! Thank you for the info 👍

[@andrewpuck1568]

where can I get the hardware and plug for the cam housing end cap near the distributer?

[@andrewpuck1568]

the cam gear cover.

[@NC944er]

The belt inspection hole plug is available from a variety of online vendors. Search for part number: 944-105-131-01

[@NC944er]

@@andrewpuck1568 The aluminum cam gear covers are NLA, I picked up a nicely conditioned used one on eBay. Or you could have your current one powder coated.

[@davidkaehele8910]

Did you use oe turbo valve springs? How did you come up with the 120 lb seat pressure? A machine shop should adjust spring height to achieve factory spring seat pressure. Lots of controversy over actual seat pressure, just trying to figure it out. I used Isky springs on my turbo rebuild set around 145 lbs.

[@NC944er]

Yeah, the springs came from Pelican Parts, part #: 951-105-905-10-INT, listed as OE Supplier. Assuming the shop used a gauge to test after installation, but they didn’t specify if it was seat pressure or open pressure, just said “they tested at 120lbs.” I gave them excerpts from the Factory Workshop Manual for stem height and guide installation specs, but they basically measured and mirrored the factory height set on the NA springs. I don’t hang out above 5,000 RPM too much, so while the reduced valve float was a bonus, cost was the main factor for me in switching - $15 per set on the Turbo springs versus $50 on the NA.

[@GenFool]

Amazing, keep up the good work! Did you choose not to replace the head studs? Anything to look out for there?

[@NC944er]

Hey, thank you! Yes, based upon a previous experience with water pump studs snapping off in the engine block, I opted not to touch the head studs. The stock head studs are designed to stretch when torqued, but can generally be reused once or twice, unless you’re assembling a high performance or track build, the best results would probably be to replace them in those cases. If you decide to replace them, consider taking a dose of recommendations from the forums, the double nut method has a tendency to fail, but a stud extractor tool or large pipe wrench typically works. It’s recommended to first heat the engine block to loosen the loctite on the studs, although some people have still omitted this step with success. If any of the studs end up snapping, you’re then looking at drilling then out and installing a Timesert to repair the threads. There are some kits available such as this one that can make that repair a little easier - www.powerstream.com/944-head-stud-repair.htm

[@pritambissonauth2181]

@53mins 27 seconds, the coil sends a high voltage of around 30,000 Volts, but the current is very low. Anyways I like your videos. Keep it up

[@NC944er]

Yes, thank you! There was indeed a mistake in the way that process was described. The hours of working on the car, while filming, and trying to explain things had taken its tole on my brain at that point. 😂

[@pritambissonauth2181]

@@NC944er Just found your channel last night, you have made some great content and its very informative too.

[@djm7channel139]

Hi.. I like how you work...... but why you didn't replaced all hydraulic lifters?

[@NC944er]

Hello! The original hydraulic lifters generally don’t wear out or break and they should last for the life of the vehicle. As long as the oil is clean and regularly changed, the valves inside the lifters won’t get clogged. In this case, all but two of the lifters tested good.

[@djm7channel139]

@@NC944er 👍 Good work you have done on that car!

[@cometdude6789]

Don't forget that the head nuts are either 12mm or 10mm, different torques for different nut sizes

[@NC944er]

Good to call out the nut heights, originally determined by model year/engine designation, but these cars are so old there’s no telling what parts people have installed over the years. Probably safest to confirm part numbers for the proper height/torque. The ones I used on this ‘88 were the 12mm variety. Thanks for sharing! 👍🏼

[@davegilmore8281]

your videos are GREAT

[@NC944er]

Thanks Dave!

[@squeakychairproductions6813]

Any idea what the original factor specification was for the valve stem height? I just got my head back from the shop today but never mentioned I needed my valve stems cut.

[@NC944er]

What services did the machine shop perform? The valve stems would only need to be cut if the valve seats were cut and the valves lapped. Removing this material from the valve opening area would cause the stem height to increase slightly. The specs are listed in Factory Workshop Manual, Vol. 1 Engine, Sections 15-16 through 15-19. I printed this and gave it to the shop when I dropped off my head for service, but he didn’t really cite the specs, he just measured my setup before and mirrored the measurements after the other work was completed. Here’s a link to some free online manuals - p914-6info.net/944%20Manuals.html

[@squeakychairproductions6813]

@@NC944er Here is what the shop told me. Thanks for the refrance also! "Your head is done, we leak tested the ports, installed your 5 guides that's all it needed and ground your 8 valves and seats, surfaced .011 off of the head, pressure washed, shimed the springs to 120lbs installed, and reassembled. Your bill comes too $287.26 Sorry we don't accept cards for payment. Check or cash will work. Thank you for your business!"

[@NC944er]

@@squeakychairproductions6813 Oh wow, that’s a pretty good price for all that. 👍🏼 The terms “ground” and “cut” are used interchangeably, it sounds to me like they did what was needed to complete the work the right way, but it couldn’t hurt to ask them just to be sure. All that work is pretty standard and done together at reputable shops.

[@squeakychairproductions6813]

Yeah agreed and I was very shocked with that price also! Thanks for entertaining my questions man! This guide has really been incredible! Do you have anything setup if I wanted to make a donation?

[@NC944er]

@@squeakychairproductions6813 Absolutely, happy to help anytime if I can. 944 knowledge is a dying art. 😂 Here are a couple donation links if you felt so inclined. Cheers! PayPal - www.paypal.com/paypalme/NC944er Patreon - www.patreon.com/NC944er

[@user-qf8lv6so5s]

When bolting on the cam housing, did your cam move a little from the TDC cam marking?

[@NC944er]

As I recall, it moved by a very small amount, maybe a millimeter. You can keep an eye on it as you tighten the bolts down, but once there is pressure on the valve lifters, it’s pretty steady. Any slight deviation from the timing marks can be corrected with a 1-1/4” wrench on the retaining collar.

[@user-qf8lv6so5s]

@@NC944er mine moved quite a bit. Im a little worried about correcting it. My timing lock didn't move, so I know that not the problem. It appears to have move a full 3 teeth on the cam. Hopefully it won have any problems when I line up the marks and put the belt on

[@NC944er]

@@user-qf8lv6so5s My guess is that you’ll be ok in terms of not having damaged anything. The cam gear can be off by ~10° before the valves would be pushed down far enough to contact the pistons. I’ve seen someone claim a timing belt was off mark by 4 teeth without damage once, although I’m surprised the engine would even start at that point. 😂

[@daddajinx4036]

Who sells rebuilt heads?

[@NC944er]

944Store and 944Online can hook you up - 944online.com/engine-cylinder-head-parts-80/rebuilt-cylinder-head-2-5.html

[@SAMMYJR00777]

man i need you as my mechanic. you are killing it

[@NC944er]

Haha! Thanks! If you’re local to the central North Carolina area, I could easily do some stuff for you…

[@SAMMYJR00777]

@@NC944er i will dm you . i have 944s 1987 and 928s4 1987 very good conditions. need someone like you bec u care about these cars. i will pay well etc. i hate the mechanics that i take bec i have no clue what the helll they are doing sometimes. i rather pay that to you bec your work is unreal clean and you care etc. thanks man will let u know.

[@not_afina2395]

@@NC944erwhere in Nc?

[@NC944er]

@@not_afina2395 Burlington area…