Absolutely fabulous! Your instructional videos are very high quality and not lacking in detail for the owner-mechanics of 944’s. Your camera shots, angles and narratives all combine for great step by step. Keep up the superb work!!!!
Great video thank you. Not ncessary to remove camshaft housing to do front cam gaskets. I have an offset 1 1/4 Snap-on wrench. Have someone hold that to counter the removal of the cam bolt.
I noticed after a 6 hour road trip in my 84, which did amazing until I started hearing what I thought was rod knock like noises from the motor, but after listening closely and pulling things apart I found that the cam gear 12 point bolt had somehow backed itself out and was finger loose slapping around. I tightened it down but it happened again, I was hoping you might have a clue on how this happened, thank you!
@@MrUglyDinosaur Did you torque it to spec? Should be 65Nm or 48ft/lbs. It doesn’t call for Loctite, but you could apply a little bit of blue if it keeps happening. Most people recommend replacing that bolt when rebuilding the cam tower.
So-I have a question regarding modifying the rear cam housing cover bracket, removing the tab that holds the TDC sensor. My car is an 87 944NA, so not sure (car not with me today) if my car has this or not. I also plan on restoring my brackets and would love to lose that tab for easier cam tower bolt access-but will I get an error message or other issues removing the TDC sensor? Is it not an essential part of the ignition? In your case, it must not be. Thanks for creating this excellent tutorials-Well Done!
Hey Stuart! The short answer is that it no longer serves a purpose and it’s removal won’t harm anything. The TDC sensor was used by shops back in the day to reference the TDC screw on the flywheel for diagnostic issues, but it’s not used anymore. It’s actually not even connected to the computer, just a stand alone sensor that diagnostics could plug into and read. The TDC sensor itself sits just below the speed and reference sensors on the bell housing. I cut the cable there and left the sensor bolted in place so that it wouldn’t leave an open hole for water and debris to enter, so I basically deleted the cable/port.
Your videos are fantastic. I am super jealous of how clean your motor is. One question that I couldn't tell in the video. How far away is the cam tower to the head when reinstalling? My cam tower seems pretty far away from my head. I am wondering if it has to do with top dead center being slightly off.
Thanks Seth! When installing the camshaft assembly on the cylinder head, the two mating surfaces will not be flush until the bolts are tightened down, this is completely normal and is the result of valve lifters 3 and 6 being slightly depressed when the cam gear is aligned with its timing mark. There will be a gap of about 1/4” between the two parts until you begin tightening the hardware. Just make sure the timing marks are correct and tighten down the bolts in small increments as you work back and forth / up and down so that the assembly goes down relatively evenly and you should be good.
When reinstalling the whole thing again what is the torque and the sequence that they go in? Also are you suppose to jam it in a little? Why do the camshaft cover not go on smoothly?
The torque value for the camshaft assembly bolts is 20Nm or 15ft/lbs. There isn’t a factory specified tightening sequence, but the general recommendation is to follow a similar pattern to the cylinder head, where you start from the center and alternate sides, working your way out on both sides. When you first place the assembly on the head, it will sit raised up because there are two lifters protruding out. These will essentially push those two valves down slightly as the assembly is tightened down, that’s by design.
Thank you for your videos! One question- I found removing my 40 year old paper valve cover gasket to be extremely difficult. Do you think there’s chances of oil leaks if I left small scratches into the head surface (can be caught by fingernail) from the razor blades? Also slightly chipped a couple of edges
@@nextgenpotato4525 If the scratches or chips pass through an entire section of the mating surface (from inside to outside), then a fluid leak is possible. I’ve had success leveling out small scratches using a block sander by hand with a high grit sand paper (600 grit) applied carefully to the mating surface. I’ve also seen people apply a Permatex Indian Head or Copper Spray-a-gasket to the paper gasket for a better seal that fills small gaps. Although, I’ve never personally used those products, so I wouldn’t be able to recommend it either way, but it may be worth some research.
@@NC944er Thank you for your response! That makes sense. I plan on re-assembling everything soon, and hoping for no leaks. Also abit hesitant to of usiing sealants due to fear of issues removing again later down the line.
It is common for the cam gear to move 1-2 degrees from the timing marks while tightening down the camshaft housing bolts as the valve springs push back on the two lifters that are partially extended. Once it’s all tightened down, you can use a wrench to move the cam gear back in time.
The benefit of the hydraulic lifters (cam follows) is they are self-adjusting by design and they are all manufactured to the same tolerances. So from a clearance perspective, they can be swapped around and the engine will operate. When reinstalling used lifters however, Porsche “recommends” they be returned to their original valve positioning and this is mainly to reduce wear on the mating surfaces between the outside of the lifter buckets and the inside of the lifter channels in the camshaft housing. Over the course of many miles, the parts wear together based upon their pairings and the idea is that the highest engine performance will be achieved by maintaining those partnerships.
Probably a stupid question…. Do the cam and balance shafts only go in one way? Don’t want to have them misaligned when I put them back together. I’m digging in deep this weekend. Without these videos I would lack the cojones to try. Thanks!
Hey ch, no worries. Can you please clarify for me what you’re trying to determine? Are you asking about camshaft installation into the camshaft assembly or the timing and balance shaft belts? Are you asking about how the parts fit together or the direction of rotation? Want to make sure I’m tracking correctly to give you the right information. 👍🏼
@@NC944er yeah, sorry. I’m going to reseal the cam tower and upper balance shaft. I just want to make sure I have them in the correct orientation when reinstalled. Especially the cam so I don’t slide it in there wrong and screw up the valves and/or have them hit pistons. Thanks! Chance Deason
@@ch-lx2fl Ok, gotcha! Yeah, the camshaft and balance shafts have super close tolerances, so there’s really only one way to reinstall them correctly and if they’re not in the proper position, the housing and front cover portions won’t align for mounting.
Sure, they can be problematic! Here is some information on removing the connector from the Head Gasket Tutorial: th-cam.com/video/1s0cSf_gas8/w-d-xo.html It basically involves heating the retaining collar a bit to expand the metal and then a drill bit can be inserted into the opening and locked down with the rotor set screw, which is just for extra leverage. You can then use some pliers, vice grips, or channel locks to wiggle and twist it out. I have used tape on the pliers, but you could also wrap a bit of towel around the connector or something else to pad it against scratches from the tools.
The surface of the shaft seal should be flush with the outer lip at the center of the rear cam gear cover where it’s installed. How does your seal look in its current position?
@@JoeHewlett-l6z There is a very small amount of front to back play in the camshaft, about 1mm. See if you can push the metal spacer collar in a bit and pull the camshaft out. When it’s in the right position there is about 2mm of clearance between the back end of the woodruff key and the front edge of the spacer.
Thank you! I have purchased both of these parts “pre-owned” in the past from eBay, it’s just a matter of waiting for the right conditioned item to come available. You could also check with Plyhammer’s Parts. I have seen them available “new” from a couple vendors in the past, but they are generally pretty expensive.
Are you referring to the M8x35mm hex head bolts that secure the camshaft assembly to the cylinder head? Check out part number: 900-067-214-01. They are still available from a number of vendors and typically come in yellow or white zinc from the manufacturer. You can save some money and go with an aftermarket option, but those usually don't feature the preinstalled wave washer like the OEM bolts. They would probably work fine, but the wave washers offer benefits of offsetting tolerance deviations and preventing loosening caused by movements and vibration. The zinc plating itself simply provides a protective layer against water and other elements in the air that cause corrosion. Here are a couple links to check out... OEM Bolts - www.pelicanparts.com/More_Info/90006721401.htm Aftermarket Bolt Kit - 944online.com/intake-manifold-bolt-8v-aftermarket.html
Hey buddy. Man I’m so defeated right now. I got my car back together and it’s running great idling great. First time running it for about five minutes. Everything looks good. Few mins in, oil is pouring out of the front cover. It’s the front cam seal absolutely pissing oil out.
Haha I am smacking my head right now. I don’t know how I even got this mixed up but I had installed a 32/47 seal on the front of the cam shaft instead of a 30/47. Obviously 5 bar of oil pressure will make its way out of a 2mm diameter mistake! I got the correct seal in (took about an hour now that I’ve done the job before)
Oh man! I felt the same way when the first head gasket job I ever did resulted in an external coolant leak. My first thought was, “I’ll sell this car before I do all that work over again.” 🤣 Those are some hard lessons learned, but make you a better wrench in the end. Glad you were able to regroup and push through. 👍🏼
I’d say there is a possibility of damaging the rear surface of the spacer sleeve with that method, and any irregularities in that surface would later damage the thin Mylar seal that sits behind it. Maybe a wooden dowel or PVC pipe of the proper diameter would work, which would reduce the likelihood of marring the metal surfaces.
Great work! This is on my list for my newly acquired 944. My list is becoming quite daunting.... What was the cost to get all the parts bead blasted and powder coated?
Haha! Yeah, 944 lists have the tendency to do that, just take it one bolt at a time. 🤣 The glass bead blasting for the Camshaft Housing and Intake Manifold cost $120 and the powder coat was $161.
Hey, nope… the intake manifold can remain in place, but the fuel rail/injectors would need to be removed as the assembly bolts to the camshaft housing.
I was replacing the cork gasket without removing the cam shaft and stripped the top bolt when tightening it. Is there any easy fix I could do that doesn't require a drill because there is barely any room back there?
Oh man, that’s bad news! You wouldn’t be able to complete a proper thread repair without removing the camshaft housing. How badly stripped is the top bolt? Does it tighten down at all? The torque value is pretty low on those bolts, you may be able to get away with tightening the lower two bolts to specification and the top one as best as it will hold, then test drive to see if it leaks. If so, you’d be looking at pulling the cam tower off to make it right again.
@@NC944er thanks for replying I appreciate it. It is not holding at all. I didn't try turning on the car to see if it leaks because I wanted to see my options. I guess we will pray for the best and see tomorrow morning. Thanks for making all these videos, they have helped me so much and gave me confidence to work on my car despite previously being scared to do things due to causing situations like the one I'm in now because I have little experience.
@@Nangado Yeah man, don’t give up! The best way to get that experience is through mistakes and it will make you a much better wrench all around. The stripped fitting is correctable one way or another, whether you pick up a timesert or helicoil kit and repair the threads on the housing or go the route of picking up a used housing (only $150-$200), it can be fixed. 👍🏼
Hey Rej! I don’t have all the camshaft assembly seals listed out as I basically just purchased and used everything from the head gasket kit. Ian at 944Online has a Camshaft and Front Engine kit that’s a good deal, maybe this will help - 944online.com/front-engine-seal-kit-1.html You’d just need to add the larger gasket for the main housing.
@@NC944er First off thanks for replying! It rarely happens! Thanks for the link. I am new to 944's and picked up 2 today. I want to make sure they are all sealed up properly so they don't leak. I will keep watching your videos as they are some of the best here.
@@smoothwood10 Wow, two at once… you are a bold man! 😂 The engines are quite reliable when properly sealed, so you are in the right track. Some of the other major items are caring for any soft rubber parts that have hardened and crumbled with age, along with any sensors that may fail as you start to drive the cars. Best of luck!
@@NC944er can I replace the front camshaft seals without removing the whole cam tower? Im really just getting in here to stop that leak. You didn’t specifically say that at around the 2:30mark but that’s how I understood it. Also, I am pretty sure I can break the triple square bolt loose with the timing belt still connected to the crank pulley. Thoughts on that?
@@tims_4x4_garage It is possible to do it that way. Pelican has a write up that I’ll include below. My experience has been, if one seal has failed in that area, the others are usually not far behind and it could be annoying to do all the work to get in there only to have to do it again in a few months. I’ve seen people use the timing belt in place when removing the camshaft bolt, but I would probably only do that if you’re going to be replacing the belt after, due to the stresses it could put on the belt. So, I would think of it more as a safety net in addition to the opposing force from a wrench on the restraining collar. pelicanparts.com/techarticles/Porsche_944_Turbo/78-ENGINE-Camshaft_Oil_Seal_Replacement/78-ENGINE-Camshaft_Oil_Seal_Replacement.htm
Do you think it would be alright to take that triple square bolt that holds the cam sprocket out while the timing belt is on? I feel like it would give a heck of a lot more security if the cam and the crank are still in unison instead of when they're separate. I don't see why I couldn't and that would make me much more comfortable doing it with the tower on the car.
I’ve seen people use the timing belt in place when removing the camshaft bolt, but I would probably only do that if you’re going to be replacing the belt after, due to the stresses it could put on the belt. So, I would think of it more as a safety net in addition to the opposing force from a wrench on the retaining collar.
@@NC944er Yup that's exactly what I was thinking. I'm doing front engine seals along with a water pump and belts and I just wanted some extra security. Thanks a bunch
@@Owl-ge9jl Nice! My free tip on the water pump (based upon past failures) is to not over-torque the nuts as the studs WILL snap. The factory recommended values are very low - first torque to 6nm and then 8nm (or 4ft/lbs, then 6ft/lbs). Best of luck!
What color powdercoat did you go with for the intake and camshaft housing? Also did you powder coat the camshaft gear covers or just bead blast them? Thanks
Hey Louis, the powder coat was actually just a satin clear coat, no color added. I was going for a fresh aluminum look, which was a bit brighter white after blasting, the satin clear darkened it up a little and resulted in more of a titanium look, but it came out good overall. The cam gear housing/cover is just bare aluminum, I replaced those with a really nice condition used one I found on eBay, as the part is no longer available from Porsche… but those could also be coated as needed. My old one was heavily pitted.
Did you put anything on the cam gear cover to protect it since it is bare aluminum? The reason I ask is my powder coater had a hard time powdercoating the cam cover and gear cover. The powdercoat was off gassing to much even after he vapor blasted the items and high heated them to get the oil contaminants out. Now the items are clean but just bare aluminum.
@@louislocchetto3164 The cam gear cover I left bare metal in this case, just replaced my old oxidized one with the nice condition used one shown here. The camshaft housing was extensively glass bead blasted before powder coating. They didn’t have any off-gassing issues with these parts, but they did have a tough time with my brake calipers, ended up redoing them a couple times and still have a few bubbles here and there. I think some parts are just too far gone and heavily contaminated to take a clean powder coat. You could use a high temp satin clear coat paint to seal it up.
Hey man. My rear engine hoist bracket hung up on some wiring and I tried to maneuver around it and every single lifter fell out of the cam tower except 1. How bad is this? I have no way of knowing which went where.
Ha! No sweat, and you’re definitely not the first, I’ve gotten hung up there myself. It’s recommended to keep them in order, but it won’t really “damage” anything if you don’t. As the lifters and cam lobes move together, they kind of machine themselves slightly for optimal mating, so there could be a tiny bit of wear that occurs as the new matches get to know each other. These particular parts are really well made though and not prone to failure (other than the lifters getting clogged for different reasons) so it’s not super likely that you’ll notice any difference in the long run. Just make sure there’s no damage to any of the buckets from falling and you’ll be good to go.
For this job I ended up replacing two of the valve lifters with some preowned ones I picked up from Plyhammer’s Parts, but it looks like they are currently sold out. Unfortunately the OEM lifters (928-105-311-08) can run $250-$350 apiece, which just gets insane if you’re replacing all of them. There are some INA ones available for a lot cheaper, but anecdotal evidence from the forums indicates they are not very good, I’ve not personally tried them though. Sometimes you can find full sets of used OEM ones on eBay for around $200. You can also check with 944barn and 944store to see what they’ve got.
@@NC944er Thanks for the information!I have a full set but do not know if they are any good? The previous owner tore the engine down due to a spun bearing. Is there a method on testing them?
Haven't you had a problem with the unsealed camshaft housing gasket? I have already mounted the seal without sealant, a friend too and both of us had the seal ejected by the oil pressure (but without leaks) Today I stick, but very lightly;) Forgive my English: p
Yeah, I’m not sure I fully understand what you’re describing here. 😂 If you’re referring to the large green paper seal with metallic ends used on the bottom of the camshaft assembly (in between the cylinder head and the camshaft housing), I have seen people use a copper-type sealing spray on that gasket before applying it. I’ve also seen RTV silicone gasket maker used here, but mainly as an exterior patch to temporarily stop oil leaks. Neither of these methods should be required if the factory procedures are followed however. To date, I have not experienced any ejected seals like the one you described. Hope this helps!
Absolutely fabulous! Your instructional videos are very high quality and not lacking in detail for the owner-mechanics of 944’s. Your camera shots, angles and narratives all combine for great step by step. Keep up the superb work!!!!
Awesome video. I just changed the front and rear seals on my 944 with the help of this video. Made it so much easier.
Nice! I’m glad it helped out. Your engine thanks you for making it cleaner. 😁
Incredible in both content and quality. Thank you!
I love the quality of your videos they are currently alot of help as I dive into my 942s.
Thank you so much for this video, just did this on my 85 this was very informative
Excellent, glad you got it done! 👍🏼
Great tutorial. Get rid of the cork gasket and get silicone
But then my engine will have one fewer commonality with a fine bottle of wine! 🤣
Great video thank you. Not ncessary to remove camshaft housing to do front cam gaskets. I have an offset 1 1/4 Snap-on wrench. Have someone hold that to counter the removal of the cam bolt.
@@checkmate1996 Yep, agreed! I didn’t have an extra “someone” on hand in this case, so I just removed the entire housing to be safe. Cheers!
Keep up the good work! What's the name of the music at 13:46 Thanks;?
Hey Dan, thank you! I believe that track is by Perfect Muse - “Black Goldie”
I noticed after a 6 hour road trip in my 84, which did amazing until I started hearing what I thought was rod knock like noises from the motor, but after listening closely and pulling things apart I found that the cam gear 12 point bolt had somehow backed itself out and was finger loose slapping around. I tightened it down but it happened again, I was hoping you might have a clue on how this happened, thank you!
@@MrUglyDinosaur Did you torque it to spec? Should be 65Nm or 48ft/lbs. It doesn’t call for Loctite, but you could apply a little bit of blue if it keeps happening. Most people recommend replacing that bolt when rebuilding the cam tower.
@@NC944er I'll get the proper torque specs and if that doesn't solve it I'll follow your advice on replacing the bolt, thank you!🙏
So-I have a question regarding modifying the rear cam housing cover bracket, removing the tab that holds
the TDC sensor. My car is an 87 944NA, so not sure (car not with me today) if my car has this or not.
I also plan on restoring my brackets and would love to lose that tab for easier cam tower bolt access-but will I get an error message or other issues removing the TDC sensor? Is it not an essential part of the ignition? In your case, it must not be. Thanks for creating this excellent tutorials-Well Done!
Hey Stuart! The short answer is that it no longer serves a purpose and it’s removal won’t harm anything. The TDC sensor was used by shops back in the day to reference the TDC screw on the flywheel for diagnostic issues, but it’s not used anymore. It’s actually not even connected to the computer, just a stand alone sensor that diagnostics could plug into and read. The TDC sensor itself sits just below the speed and reference sensors on the bell housing. I cut the cable there and left the sensor bolted in place so that it wouldn’t leave an open hole for water and debris to enter, so I basically deleted the cable/port.
Your videos are fantastic. I am super jealous of how clean your motor is. One question that I couldn't tell in the video. How far away is the cam tower to the head when reinstalling? My cam tower seems pretty far away from my head. I am wondering if it has to do with top dead center being slightly off.
Thanks Seth! When installing the camshaft assembly on the cylinder head, the two mating surfaces will not be flush until the bolts are tightened down, this is completely normal and is the result of valve lifters 3 and 6 being slightly depressed when the cam gear is aligned with its timing mark. There will be a gap of about 1/4” between the two parts until you begin tightening the hardware. Just make sure the timing marks are correct and tighten down the bolts in small increments as you work back and forth / up and down so that the assembly goes down relatively evenly and you should be good.
@@NC944er you’re awesome! If I ever meet you in person, I owe you a 6 pack or something!
Doing this today!
Very cool! Best of luck! 👍🏼
When reinstalling the whole thing again what is the torque and the sequence that they go in? Also are you suppose to jam it in a little? Why do the camshaft cover not go on smoothly?
The torque value for the camshaft assembly bolts is 20Nm or 15ft/lbs. There isn’t a factory specified tightening sequence, but the general recommendation is to follow a similar pattern to the cylinder head, where you start from the center and alternate sides, working your way out on both sides. When you first place the assembly on the head, it will sit raised up because there are two lifters protruding out. These will essentially push those two valves down slightly as the assembly is tightened down, that’s by design.
Thank you for your videos! One question- I found removing my 40 year old paper valve cover gasket to be extremely difficult. Do you think there’s chances of oil leaks if I left small scratches into the head surface (can be caught by fingernail) from the razor blades? Also slightly chipped a couple of edges
@@nextgenpotato4525 If the scratches or chips pass through an entire section of the mating surface (from inside to outside), then a fluid leak is possible. I’ve had success leveling out small scratches using a block sander by hand with a high grit sand paper (600 grit) applied carefully to the mating surface. I’ve also seen people apply a Permatex Indian Head or Copper Spray-a-gasket to the paper gasket for a better seal that fills small gaps. Although, I’ve never personally used those products, so I wouldn’t be able to recommend it either way, but it may be worth some research.
@@NC944er Thank you for your response! That makes sense. I plan on re-assembling everything soon, and hoping for no leaks. Also abit hesitant to of usiing sealants due to fear of issues removing again later down the line.
Is the camshaft gear supposed to move slightly when you are in the process of tightening camshaft bolts?
It is common for the cam gear to move 1-2 degrees from the timing marks while tightening down the camshaft housing bolts as the valve springs push back on the two lifters that are partially extended. Once it’s all tightened down, you can use a wrench to move the cam gear back in time.
Are the lifter buckets specific to each valve for clearance ?
The benefit of the hydraulic lifters (cam follows) is they are self-adjusting by design and they are all manufactured to the same tolerances. So from a clearance perspective, they can be swapped around and the engine will operate. When reinstalling used lifters however, Porsche “recommends” they be returned to their original valve positioning and this is mainly to reduce wear on the mating surfaces between the outside of the lifter buckets and the inside of the lifter channels in the camshaft housing. Over the course of many miles, the parts wear together based upon their pairings and the idea is that the highest engine performance will be achieved by maintaining those partnerships.
Probably a stupid question…. Do the cam and balance shafts only go in one way? Don’t want to have them misaligned when I put them back together. I’m digging in deep this weekend. Without these videos I would lack the cojones to try. Thanks!
Hey ch, no worries. Can you please clarify for me what you’re trying to determine? Are you asking about camshaft installation into the camshaft assembly or the timing and balance shaft belts? Are you asking about how the parts fit together or the direction of rotation? Want to make sure I’m tracking correctly to give you the right information. 👍🏼
@@NC944er yeah, sorry. I’m going to reseal the cam tower and upper balance shaft. I just want to make sure I have them in the correct orientation when reinstalled. Especially the cam so I don’t slide it in there wrong and screw up the valves and/or have them hit pistons. Thanks! Chance Deason
@@ch-lx2fl Ok, gotcha! Yeah, the camshaft and balance shafts have super close tolerances, so there’s really only one way to reinstall them correctly and if they’re not in the proper position, the housing and front cover portions won’t align for mounting.
@@NC944er thank you! I thought so; but only had the car two months. Erring on the side of caution!
my ignition rotor connector wont come out any suggestions
Sure, they can be problematic!
Here is some information on removing the connector from the Head Gasket Tutorial: th-cam.com/video/1s0cSf_gas8/w-d-xo.html
It basically involves heating the retaining collar a bit to expand the metal and then a drill bit can be inserted into the opening and locked down with the rotor set screw, which is just for extra leverage. You can then use some pliers, vice grips, or channel locks to wiggle and twist it out. I have used tape on the pliers, but you could also wrap a bit of towel around the connector or something else to pad it against scratches from the tools.
If I don’t have enough room to insert the woodruff key on the camshaft, do I tap the seal in a bit further?
The surface of the shaft seal should be flush with the outer lip at the center of the rear cam gear cover where it’s installed. How does your seal look in its current position?
It looks flush to me. Is there any play in the camshaft position? If so should I take it back off to shift it?
@@JoeHewlett-l6z There is a very small amount of front to back play in the camshaft, about 1mm. See if you can push the metal spacer collar in a bit and pull the camshaft out. When it’s in the right position there is about 2mm of clearance between the back end of the woodruff key and the front edge of the spacer.
Hi - Love your videos thank you. Where can I find a front and rear camshaft housing cover? thanks
Thank you!
I have purchased both of these parts “pre-owned” in the past from eBay, it’s just a matter of waiting for the right conditioned item to come available. You could also check with Plyhammer’s Parts. I have seen them available “new” from a couple vendors in the past, but they are generally pretty expensive.
944barn aka Elliott Grafton has some, no doubt. Great guy.
Where can I find new bolts with the plating for the camshaft housing.
And if the bolts don't have the plating, is it ok?
Are you referring to the M8x35mm hex head bolts that secure the camshaft assembly to the cylinder head? Check out part number: 900-067-214-01. They are still available from a number of vendors and typically come in yellow or white zinc from the manufacturer. You can save some money and go with an aftermarket option, but those usually don't feature the preinstalled wave washer like the OEM bolts. They would probably work fine, but the wave washers offer benefits of offsetting tolerance deviations and preventing loosening caused by movements and vibration. The zinc plating itself simply provides a protective layer against water and other elements in the air that cause corrosion. Here are a couple links to check out...
OEM Bolts - www.pelicanparts.com/More_Info/90006721401.htm
Aftermarket Bolt Kit - 944online.com/intake-manifold-bolt-8v-aftermarket.html
Hey buddy. Man I’m so defeated right now. I got my car back together and it’s running great idling great. First time running it for about five minutes. Everything looks good. Few mins in, oil is pouring out of the front cover. It’s the front cam seal absolutely pissing oil out.
Haha I am smacking my head right now. I don’t know how I even got this mixed up but I had installed a 32/47 seal on the front of the cam shaft instead of a 30/47. Obviously 5 bar of oil pressure will make its way out of a 2mm diameter mistake! I got the correct seal in (took about an hour now that I’ve done the job before)
Oh man! I felt the same way when the first head gasket job I ever did resulted in an external coolant leak. My first thought was, “I’ll sell this car before I do all that work over again.” 🤣 Those are some hard lessons learned, but make you a better wrench in the end. Glad you were able to regroup and push through. 👍🏼
Is there anything wrong with knocking the camshaft seal out from the back side of the housing with a socket?
I’d say there is a possibility of damaging the rear surface of the spacer sleeve with that method, and any irregularities in that surface would later damage the thin Mylar seal that sits behind it. Maybe a wooden dowel or PVC pipe of the proper diameter would work, which would reduce the likelihood of marring the metal surfaces.
Great work! This is on my list for my newly acquired 944. My list is becoming quite daunting.... What was the cost to get all the parts bead blasted and powder coated?
Haha! Yeah, 944 lists have the tendency to do that, just take it one bolt at a time. 🤣
The glass bead blasting for the Camshaft Housing and Intake Manifold cost $120 and the powder coat was $161.
@@NC944er Thank you so much.
How long is the extension for the hex
@@MHSYCB For the camshaft assembly mounting bolts? The one shown here is an M6 hex, 5 inches in length.
Your intake manifold is removed while you did this service. Is it required to be removed?
Hey, nope… the intake manifold can remain in place, but the fuel rail/injectors would need to be removed as the assembly bolts to the camshaft housing.
I was replacing the cork gasket without removing the cam shaft and stripped the top bolt when tightening it. Is there any easy fix I could do that doesn't require a drill because there is barely any room back there?
Oh man, that’s bad news! You wouldn’t be able to complete a proper thread repair without removing the camshaft housing. How badly stripped is the top bolt? Does it tighten down at all? The torque value is pretty low on those bolts, you may be able to get away with tightening the lower two bolts to specification and the top one as best as it will hold, then test drive to see if it leaks. If so, you’d be looking at pulling the cam tower off to make it right again.
@@NC944er thanks for replying I appreciate it. It is not holding at all. I didn't try turning on the car to see if it leaks because I wanted to see my options. I guess we will pray for the best and see tomorrow morning. Thanks for making all these videos, they have helped me so much and gave me confidence to work on my car despite previously being scared to do things due to causing situations like the one I'm in now because I have little experience.
@@Nangado Yeah man, don’t give up! The best way to get that experience is through mistakes and it will make you a much better wrench all around. The stripped fitting is correctable one way or another, whether you pick up a timesert or helicoil kit and repair the threads on the housing or go the route of picking up a used housing (only $150-$200), it can be fixed. 👍🏼
Any chance you have a complete parts list for what this video shows? I am trying to source parts and not finding everything I need.
Hey Rej! I don’t have all the camshaft assembly seals listed out as I basically just purchased and used everything from the head gasket kit. Ian at 944Online has a Camshaft and Front Engine kit that’s a good deal, maybe this will help - 944online.com/front-engine-seal-kit-1.html You’d just need to add the larger gasket for the main housing.
@@NC944er First off thanks for replying! It rarely happens! Thanks for the link. I am new to 944's and picked up 2 today. I want to make sure they are all sealed up properly so they don't leak. I will keep watching your videos as they are some of the best here.
@@smoothwood10 Wow, two at once… you are a bold man! 😂 The engines are quite reliable when properly sealed, so you are in the right track. Some of the other major items are caring for any soft rubber parts that have hardened and crumbled with age, along with any sensors that may fail as you start to drive the cars. Best of luck!
What is the part number or the name of the little clear Mylar seal and the little seal grommet? Looking for the parts to do this job while I’m in here
Never mind I found the whole kit at Lindsey racing!
@@tims_4x4_garage Nice! Yeah, the kits are really helpful in that area. In this case for mine, they all came with the head gasket set.
@@NC944er can I replace the front camshaft seals without removing the whole cam tower? Im really just getting in here to stop that leak. You didn’t specifically say that at around the 2:30mark but that’s how I understood it. Also, I am pretty sure I can break the triple square bolt loose with the timing belt still connected to the crank pulley. Thoughts on that?
@@tims_4x4_garage It is possible to do it that way. Pelican has a write up that I’ll include below.
My experience has been, if one seal has failed in that area, the others are usually not far behind and it could be annoying to do all the work to get in there only to have to do it again in a few months.
I’ve seen people use the timing belt in place when removing the camshaft bolt, but I would probably only do that if you’re going to be replacing the belt after, due to the stresses it could put on the belt. So, I would think of it more as a safety net in addition to the opposing force from a wrench on the restraining collar.
pelicanparts.com/techarticles/Porsche_944_Turbo/78-ENGINE-Camshaft_Oil_Seal_Replacement/78-ENGINE-Camshaft_Oil_Seal_Replacement.htm
Do you think it would be alright to take that triple square bolt that holds the cam sprocket out while the timing belt is on? I feel like it would give a heck of a lot more security if the cam and the crank are still in unison instead of when they're separate. I don't see why I couldn't and that would make me much more comfortable doing it with the tower on the car.
I’ve seen people use the timing belt in place when removing the camshaft bolt, but I would probably only do that if you’re going to be replacing the belt after, due to the stresses it could put on the belt. So, I would think of it more as a safety net in addition to the opposing force from a wrench on the retaining collar.
@@NC944er Yup that's exactly what I was thinking. I'm doing front engine seals along with a water pump and belts and I just wanted some extra security. Thanks a bunch
@@Owl-ge9jl Nice! My free tip on the water pump (based upon past failures) is to not over-torque the nuts as the studs WILL snap. The factory recommended values are very low - first torque to 6nm and then 8nm (or 4ft/lbs, then 6ft/lbs). Best of luck!
@@NC944er Oh wow that's way lower that I'd think. Thanks for the tip!
What color powdercoat did you go with for the intake and camshaft housing? Also did you powder coat the camshaft gear covers or just bead blast them? Thanks
Hey Louis, the powder coat was actually just a satin clear coat, no color added. I was going for a fresh aluminum look, which was a bit brighter white after blasting, the satin clear darkened it up a little and resulted in more of a titanium look, but it came out good overall. The cam gear housing/cover is just bare aluminum, I replaced those with a really nice condition used one I found on eBay, as the part is no longer available from Porsche… but those could also be coated as needed. My old one was heavily pitted.
Did you put anything on the cam gear cover to protect it since it is bare aluminum? The reason I ask is my powder coater had a hard time powdercoating the cam cover and gear cover. The powdercoat was off gassing to much even after he vapor blasted the items and high heated them to get the oil contaminants out. Now the items are clean but just bare aluminum.
@@louislocchetto3164 The cam gear cover I left bare metal in this case, just replaced my old oxidized one with the nice condition used one shown here. The camshaft housing was extensively glass bead blasted before powder coating. They didn’t have any off-gassing issues with these parts, but they did have a tough time with my brake calipers, ended up redoing them a couple times and still have a few bubbles here and there. I think some parts are just too far gone and heavily contaminated to take a clean powder coat. You could use a high temp satin clear coat paint to seal it up.
Hey man. My rear engine hoist bracket hung up on some wiring and I tried to maneuver around it and every single lifter fell out of the cam tower except 1. How bad is this? I have no way of knowing which went where.
Ha! No sweat, and you’re definitely not the first, I’ve gotten hung up there myself. It’s recommended to keep them in order, but it won’t really “damage” anything if you don’t. As the lifters and cam lobes move together, they kind of machine themselves slightly for optimal mating, so there could be a tiny bit of wear that occurs as the new matches get to know each other. These particular parts are really well made though and not prone to failure (other than the lifters getting clogged for different reasons) so it’s not super likely that you’ll notice any difference in the long run. Just make sure there’s no damage to any of the buckets from falling and you’ll be good to go.
Did you buy new lifters? If so where?
For this job I ended up replacing two of the valve lifters with some preowned ones I picked up from Plyhammer’s Parts, but it looks like they are currently sold out. Unfortunately the OEM lifters (928-105-311-08) can run $250-$350 apiece, which just gets insane if you’re replacing all of them. There are some INA ones available for a lot cheaper, but anecdotal evidence from the forums indicates they are not very good, I’ve not personally tried them though. Sometimes you can find full sets of used OEM ones on eBay for around $200. You can also check with 944barn and 944store to see what they’ve got.
@@NC944er Thanks for the information!I have a full set but do not know if they are any good? The previous owner tore the engine down due to a spun bearing. Is there a method on testing them?
@@SuperM1687 Sure, check out my other video that provides an overview on the lifters - th-cam.com/video/AVFOXIldlog/w-d-xo.html
Hello, pouvez vous me communiquer le couple de serrage des vis cache culbuteur, merci
Bien sûr, le couple spécifié pour les vis du cache-culbuteurs est de 20Nm (15ftlb).
Hey! What is the music in this/all of your videos?It’s stuck in the back of my head now…
I believe the track you’re looking for is Perfect Muse - Black Goldie - th-cam.com/video/i25fE-YFTas/w-d-xo.htmlfeature=shared
Dubstep massive
Haven't you had a problem with the unsealed camshaft housing gasket?
I have already mounted the seal without sealant, a friend too and both of us had the seal ejected by the oil pressure (but without leaks)
Today I stick, but very lightly;)
Forgive my English: p
Yeah, I’m not sure I fully understand what you’re describing here. 😂
If you’re referring to the large green paper seal with metallic ends used on the bottom of the camshaft assembly (in between the cylinder head and the camshaft housing), I have seen people use a copper-type sealing spray on that gasket before applying it. I’ve also seen RTV silicone gasket maker used here, but mainly as an exterior patch to temporarily stop oil leaks. Neither of these methods should be required if the factory procedures are followed however.
To date, I have not experienced any ejected seals like the one you described. Hope this helps!