944s2 Timing Belt DIY

[djtalon]

Working on bringing a 944s2 back to life. Any good DIY on replacing the timing belt?

Thanks
Dave

[neilschelly]

I did the same a few years ago when I bought my S2 from a coworker after sitting in his driveway for years. I just followed the Clark's Garage how-tos. I do think there were some differences with regard to the cam gear area and counting turns to find TDC (probably for any 16V engines), but ultimately, I think I settled on using the marks on the flywheel for a more reliable mechanism anyway. Those instructions do a good job of telling you when there are multiple ways to do things (like find TDC or tensioning belts), so you can choose your own adventure as to the best method for you.

Glad to see another S2 getting more life!
-N

[djtalon]

where is best place to buy timing belt kit?

[Zirconocene]

This is the tutorial I used, I think it's pretty great:



For buying parts you can look at Pelican, 944online, Paragon, or some of the dealers. Sunset, Gaudin, and Delaware often have competitive prices.

Cheers

[Latitude48]

Working on bringing a 944s2 back to life. Any good DIY on replacing the timing belt?

Thanks
Dave

If you don't know the history of the car, I'd be inclined to replace all the rollers and tensioners, along with the balance belt.

I buy all my Porsche parts from Delaware Porsche Parts. You can buy kits from the vendors listed but there's no guarantee you'll get genuine Porsche parts, and the pricing may not be much different.

And if you are new to the S2 and don't have maintenance records, you really should pull off the cam cover and check the cam chain tensioner pads. The top one can wear and break (it's easy and cheap to replace), and if it does break you can kiss your head goodbye since the chain will get caught on the tensioner and break its mount and usually crack the head.

[O875]

+1 for the rollers etc and seals. The seals are relatively cheap and keep the belts free of oil.

The other part usually on the list, especially if no history, is the water pump. The belts have to come off anyway so it's a useful "while you're there" item.

Definitely recommend having a look at the tensioner pads. I've recently bought a 944 S2, about 80k miles with little history, apart from belts being done in 2007. Pads and chain are getting replaced, especially given the cost of the parts vs the consequences of failure.

The people who have done the video in the link posted by Zirconocene also have one for the S2 chain and pads.

[Latitude48]

...
Definitely recommend having a look at the tensioner pads. I've recently bought a 944 S2, about 80k miles with little history, apart from belts being done in 2007. Pads and chain are getting replaced, especially given the cost of the parts vs the consequences of failure.

Are you replacing the chain with one from Porsche or OEM type? The latest p/n is 944-105-501-11 and is only $41.10 from Delaware Porsche Parts. My S2 has about 155K miles. I've replaced the tensioner a couple of times since purchased in 1997, so doing the chain soon would be a good idea for piece of mind.

[O875]

Are you replacing the chain with one from Porsche or OEM type?

Yes, both the chain and pads are Porsche. Cheap peace of mind.

@djtalon Not sure what else you might be doing to the car but one item worth considering is replacing the fuel hoses in the engine bay above the exhaust pipes, especially if the history is unknown. Fuel under 40-odd psi spraying on hot exhaust might not end well...

[Latitude48]

Are you replacing the chain with one from Porsche or OEM type?

Yes, both the chain and pads are Porsche. Cheap peace of mind.

@djtalon Not sure what else you might be doing to the car but one item worth considering is replacing the fuel hoses in the engine bay above the exhaust pipes, especially if the history is unknown. Fuel under 40-odd psi spraying on hot exhaust might not end well...

I agree with replacing the fuel hoses. I replaced my fuel and damper hoses in 2015 with braided lines from Lindsey Racing. The pricing is still the same, $136.95 for the fuel lines and $189.95 for the damper lines. One of my original damper hoses developed a big bulge, so it really needed replacement.

[michael2e]

I second all of the above. It will be expensive but you'll have peace of mind that these critical engine wear parts that have caused problems with many S2's won't keep you off the road.