924Board.org

[xmcginness]

Reading this thread makes me feel like an idiot, a much poorer idiot. I've put in about $4k and counting in parts and labor into my 931 over the past 6 months. (Okay some of that was not engine, some was wiring) Could I really have had the whole thing rebuilt for a grand?

[CMXXXI]

A broken timing belt October last year started my rebuild project. I got the parts together from various sources over time, and the big delay was waiting on some parts that actually never arrived from Performance Products and had to resort to used parts. My total in parts was over $1100 and I did all my own labor. "Consumer shopping" saved me a considerable amount over single-source purchasing.

3 new valves ($92)
3 camshaft followers ($63)
valve guide seals ($26)
camshaft pulley seal ($6)
camshaft oil tube elbow ($2)
timing belt ($8 )
timing belt tensioner pulley ($18 )
replaced 2 pistons ($100)
new rings ($126)
main bearings ($64)
rod bearings ($23)
front & rear main seals ($26)
water pump ($50)
clutch disk ($23)
pressure plate ($75)
flywheel ($25)
throwout bearing ($97)
clutch fork shaft ($34)
clutch fork shaft bearings ($23)
pilot bearing ($10)
motor mounts ($194)
alternator bushings ($11)
Ported and polished head (ju$t my time and $hop $upplie$)
all new gaskets, studs, nuts, bolts, solvents, paint, chemicals etc ($100+)

All this is in addition to my tranny rebuild last spring, turbo rebuild and fuel system overhaul the fall before that.
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'79 Eurospec 931

[SpeedDemon]

Hey thanks guys
I'd be lost with out you on this one. Headgasket sounds really good at this point and I talked to a mechanic friend of mine today and that pretty much what he said. Hes going to do a blow down test on monday just to be sure. So I will keep everyone posted and let you know what i find out. I feel better already. I will post back on monday.
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"Never take ecstasy, beer, baccardi, weed, pepto bismol, vivarin, tums, tagamet hb, xanax, and valium in the same day. It makes it difficult to sleep at night." ---Eminem.


1977½ 924

[PeterW]

[quote="xmcginness"]Reading this thread makes me feel like an idiot, a much poorer idiot. I've put in about $4k and counting in parts and labor into my 931 over the past 6 months. (Okay some of that was not engine, some was wiring) Could I really have had the whole thing rebuilt for a grand?[/quote]


I don't think so - The N/A car and the turbo car are totally different when it comes to the cost (and availibity) of parts. It took 3 grand on my 80' 931, but that included new oversize pistons and custom made stainless steel valves, a mild port and polish and a stage 2 cam.

[John Brown]

$75/hr times the amount of time needed to rebuild an engine DOES equal several thousand.

Doesn't matter if it's a 924, a classic 917 or a Chevy SB.

One of the fellas here recently took his head in, already removed from the block. $850 later he got it back. Needed a couple of valve, seats, lifters, plus machine work and assembly. I know the shop, I know the mech. It's a good job. And that was JUST the head, off the motor.

That's why I have a large tool box in the garage.
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John
80 931 - #931 44Cup
99 Escalade - tows track cars
gone but not forgotten: original 924.org car - 82

[my77porsche]

75/hr is more than my dealer was charging when i took my bmw to the bmw dealer. If you go to a mechanic that charges more than a bmw dealer you deserve to spend a couple thousand in labor
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looking for a great one......

[1982Porsche924]

Most of the shops who can even spell "Porsche" around here charge over 125/hr.
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1979 Porsche 924 "S"
Engine: Euro pistons, Light Flywheel, Weber TB, Bursch Header, Cam Wheel
Suspension: Front coil-overs, adj sways, Solid bush. Thicker tors. bars, 5-bolt, BBS rims
Body: Fiberglass widebody kit, 931 Nose

[Neil924]

WOW! You guys are spending a lot for labor. We all know how much I pay.
Too bad you guys can't find a good mech that knows a little about the 924's.

[PeterW]

I think $60 is a pretty good deal for a Porsche mechanic on the west coast, with the good ones able to pull $100 or more. I can imagine in Cupertino the price being more, the bay area is so expensive to live in that they would have to charge that much to cover their overhead. Here in the Seattle area, you can find average mechanics for $45 an hour or so, but don't bring your Porshe in to them. When I was having problems keeping my 77 924 running, I had one of those low price mechanics try to tell me that the problem with a 77 924 was the "fuel pump" as he was pointing to the fuel distributor. He was feeding me this line about how there is this piece inside of it that spins around and controls when the fuel injectors get fuel that was probably sticking and that he had seen exactly this kind of thing before in a BMW. I told him I would rather have it towed home before I had it worked on. (In reality, it was a intermittent battery terminal, but it took charging the battery to figure out that it was loose.)

[jpab924]

you can always become an automotive technician, and save yourself the shop charges....I did. But remember, its not a job you will get rich doing, but you can make enough to get by. Shop rate here is at 80.00 hr.

[SpeedDemon]

I talked to my mechanic today he did the leak down test. Not Good. He said it was leaking everywhere. He says complete rebuild or he will put a 350 chev engine in it. I would prefer to keep this thing a porsche but how hard is it to get alll the parts and how many thousands of dollars do i need to steal to pay for it. I am definetly going to need some help on this one. Let me know what you think. thanks guys
_________________
"Never take ecstasy, beer, baccardi, weed, pepto bismol, vivarin, tums, tagamet hb, xanax, and valium in the same day. It makes it difficult to sleep at night." ---Eminem.


1977½ 924

[wdb]

the 931 ,924 n/a , and the 77-79 amc gremlin ,concorde,or spirit 2.0L , blocks are identicle , except for the pistons . a rebuild kit for a 78 concorde block is a little under $400 , since youll not need the pistons or connecting rods ,it should only cost around $200 for rod and main bearings and all the needed seals and gaskets and the machine shop should only charge around $200 to rebiuld your head (not counting parts ). you can rebiuld the engine for less than a $1000 the amc parts are only available from a machine shop , parts stores wont carry these old parts . make sure you get NEW connecting rod bolts ,old bolts are suspect in numerous rebiuld failures . bag and tag ALL parts , including which bolts came from which holes, maybe top right is # 1 then clock wise 2 3 4 etc. you can video tape the disassembly or take pictures to reference when assembling . or if your just want to be sure its done right you can drop off your engine and parts at a machine shop and they will check the specs and assemble it for around $200-$300 then you reinstall it into the car . the high labor is from the removal of all the FI ,cooling system , removal and reinstal of engine . the final tuning will add more, because they'll say you need an exstensive tune up , plugs wires etc. clean the under carriage and engine with a pressure washer or self serve car wash ,it'll make things alot easier , and keep dirt out of your eyes .
Do-It-Yourself... thats the price you have to pay , when you cant pay the price . oh 1 more thing , its possible that all you need to do is retorque the head bolts , and that will fix everything , so give it a try , and it could save you a great deal money and time .