924Board.org

[SouthBay]

I just acquired a 924S from a family member, and reading this forum has provided invaluable insight (You've scared me into not driving it until I get it serviced) I know my cousin hasn't done any mantenance on it in the 7 years and 20,000 miles he's driven it, and the odo currently reads 60,000.

Two things I noticed driving it to my place:

•The temp tended to climb into the red any time I wasn't on the highway, then a fan would engage and bring it back down, rinse and repeat.

•The oil pressure gauge maxes out the instant I turn the key.

Does anyone have any thoughts about these two behaviours and what they might mean as far as deeper problems?
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1987 924S

[edh]

Oil pressure sender probably faulty - if it goes to max before firing up the engine

Water temp is a bit worrying - or maybe the sender/guage is faulty
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current - '90 944S2, '00 986S,
ex - '90 944 turbo '86 924S, '88 924S

[gohim]

Sounds like the car may need to have the thermostat and the thermofan switch replaced. The temperature gauge cycling up and down as the fan goes on and off is normal. You just want it to move between two lower points if the temperature gauge needle is moving all the way into the red before the cooling fans switch on.

If you are saying that when the engine is cold, when the engine fires up, the oil pressure gauge pegs at maximum pressure, and after the engine warms up, the oil pressure drops (1 bar per 1K rpms is about right), then everything is fine. If you are saying that the oil pressure needle pegs, before the engine starts, immediately after the key is turned, and does not drop, you either have a short in the wiring, or a defective oil pressure sender.

It is best if you have the front of engine service performed every 30K miles, or 3 years. There have been a number of belt failures reported above 30K miles, and below 40K miles. Seven years is a long time between belt services, regardless of the miles.

[SouthBay]

Thanks for your responses, taking the car in for service (belts, waterpump, etc) in the morning, I'll ask him about checking the oil pressure sender, as it does indeed max itself out and stay maxed as soon as I turn the key.

Can't wait to let her spool out fully: )
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1987 924S

[SouthBay]

It would seem that the 30,000 mile service has done nothing more than make the car run hotter than it did before. $2300 and in essentially the same position. This does not make a person happy.

"If it can go wrong, it will go wrong; and if it can't go wrong, it will anyway, just to spite you."
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1987 924S

[gohim]

The "front of engine " service will do nothing to make the engine run cooler (unless the thermostat was replaced, and a lower opening temperature part was installed). But that usually doesn't happen. Most shops replace the thermostat with the "standard" temperature part, which appears to be hotter than the old part in some/many cases.

The "front of engine" service is required every 3 years or 30K miles (which ever comes first), to ensure the health of the timing and balance shaft belts. While replacing the waterpump is a good idea (to avoid having to go in again to have it replaced immediately following the belt service) it should not affect the running temperature of the engine. The thermostat is housed in an opening on the water pump. Some shops automatically replace it when the water pump is replaced, but it is not necessary, since the thermostat can easily be replaced at any time since the thermostat can be reached at any time by removing the radiator hose.

Check your invoice. Is a new thermostat listed? If so, is the temperature rating of the part listed? Did you specifically instruct the shop to replace the thermostat? Did you instruct then to use a lower opening temperature part? May be you can take the car back and complain about the engine operating temperature, and the shop will go back in and replace the thermostat with a lower temperature opening part.

[Sleykin]

Sounds like you need to bleed the cooling system. The 924S is notorious for having air trapped. There are several methods to remove the air. You can elevate the front slightly and run the engine with the vent plug backed off a bit (Hex head plug on top of the goose neck). Or you can open the vent and fill the tank to the top and then put the cap on and squeeze the hose to force the air out. Tighten the bleed and take the cap off and release the hose. Repeat the "pumping" action untill you can't get anymore air out. It frequently takes 3 or 4 tries to get it all out. I had the same symptoms on mine untill I bled it for the fourth time.
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Glenn Neff
Medford, OR
87' 924S