I owned a 1990 guards red 928GT 5-speed manual for 7 years and 120,000 miles. Truly a wonderful car. One time, the alternator failed and the control screen told me the battery wasn't charging. A little later it told me it was shutting off the electronic traction control to save power. A bit later it told me it was shutting off the air conditioning and temperature control to save power. It got me to a place where it could be repaired. 959 traction control; rear wheel steering, etc. Amazing technology for 29 years ago.
For someone like me who is not so mechanically inclined but interested to learn, listening to you talk about all the bits and bobs is so fascinating. It's always engrossing to listen to someone talk about stuff they are proficient in. I'm eager to see how you're going to approach fixing up these beauties.
I am Mechanically inclined. Been under a Shadetree most of my life. Even turned wrenches for Uncle Sam for a while. I can tell you right off the bat, get a Shop Manual, or have access to, whatever you're working on. YT will be your best friend and your worst enemy. I don't know everything and forgotten most of what I did know so I will typically watch 4 or more videos of people actually doing the work before I tackle anything. ESPECIALLY on a system I am unfamiliar with, which a Newer car is just about everything.
Awesome video Casey. The 928 is an amazing car, thank you for giving it its due respect. I will share this to the Rennlist group, check them out, your best resource repository for 928 diy experts.
AWSOME!!! Thank you, Ive been wanting to buy a 928 or a 944 to work on but nobody talks about how reliable they could be so I have been a little skittish
The 911 cars from the same era were primitive by comparison. The 928 still looks like a futuristic car. Right out of a Stanley Kubrick movie. I had a clapped out 928S 5 speed that I bought in Compton. Bruised and battered but it ran like stink. I drove it like I stole it. Put a smile on my face every time.
My room mate had a '78 928 back in the early 80s but not much money so we did quite a bit of repair work to it. The charging system was one of the things we had to address. The alternator brushes we replaced using AC delco parts. LOL Much less expensive than a replacement alternator as IIRC we couldnt get just the brushes from Porsche. The absolute ton of wiring in these cars makes troubleshooting electrical problems a real labor of love Good luck bringing this one back to its former glory.
I always liked the 928, it’s a real grand touring car and way under appreciated by the Porsche community. I am looking forward to your series on both cars.
Love what you're doing with the 928. I think a lot like the ways you do about cars, and I relate to your perspective. I appreciate that you're out here exposing people to it. Excited for the rest of this!
4.5L is non-interference , 5.0 and up is interference. And in between there was the 4.7L that might have the valves just barely kiss the pistons when your belt breaks.
I own a 84 928s. These cars turn heads anywhere you go. They do have electrical gremlins but most of them can be solved by either cleaning all of the ground wires throughout the car or replacing the main wiring harness. Looking forward to your future videos on this car.
Casey thank you for defending the Bosch K-Jetronic! It’s a great fuel injection system. I have owned several cars with it, mostly old P cars and I love it. It’s a simple and elegant system. Sure you can’t plug some fancy computer into it and have it tell you what’s wrong. But with a little simple diagnostic work it’s usually easy to track down the issues. And the best part is a lot of the parts on the system are rebuildable! No throwing away old air meters or idle are valves, you can actually take them apart, clean and repair them which I think is great. Plus with a piggyback ECU it’s a very tunable system as well. My built 944 Turbo was still on the K-Jetronic but with a piggyback and a MAF conversion and it ran great. It’s a great old system for sure.
I highly recommend a short shifter and solid bushings for all the shifter parts. I just put one in mine from 928sRus and it transformed the car. I dont want to drive my 944 anymore. haha
Yeah the 924 i mentioned before that was at my uncle's shop was interesting because it only has just over 100 miles on it. Had an odd story but most of what my uncle had to do was clean sensors and other odd things from a car that has been sitting for 30 years since new.
Casey, if your volts are reading low from your dash gauge, it could be an alternator charging issue, but it also could be the wiring to the gauge. The harness for these is 40+ years old and it runs through the engine obviously. The heating and cooling over the years can make the wiring brittle. This increases the resistance and makes the gauge read low. Those older 928's have a manual calibration tab in the gauge. I would check it with a mm before tearing anything apart. Awesome car. I just acquired a '91 S4 in amazing condition. You'll love it!!
Crap, I forgot I was using my office acct. It's Darren and your welcome. There's a really cool Porsche mechanic, old school dude in Atlanta. I can't remember his name, but I bet Edd knows who I'm talking about. A small independent shop in kinda rough area, but this guy has forgotten more than most guys know. He told me about the wiring when I was there at an event this summer. Good luck.
YES do the white black ceckboard! My only regret in my 924 is that it doesnt have it, looks great on those cars! Is funky and ''NoT eLeGaNt'' but really looks fantastic
This is my dream car and has been since it was first released. I love the spider plenum, even as a weaker engine than the later ones. I am so excited to see this! And Pasha seats? Be still my heart! It even has the dream "phone dials."
No need to order stuff from Germany and pay for expensive shipping. You can get 928 interior materials and the missing hood insulation mat at classic9leathershop in Detroit. The dash can be replaced or recovered with vinyl/leather. Before you replace the shifter boot, try original German NIVEA cream to soften the leather (only the one in the blue tin jars work). For the mechanics, the best resources are Jim Doerr at 928classics and Greg Brown from Precision Motorwerks. Check the ground strap from battery to body, and consider upgrading the little sealed beams with the larger Euro H-4 headlights - they make a world of a difference! Phone dial wheels were always silver. It was the flat dish style that came in bronze tones. Best of luck!
Rewiring the engine bay preemptively is cheaper and easier than people would have you think. The PVC harness insulation breaks down with heat and atmospheric oxidation causing many gremlins. Unfortunately all the wiring behind the floor pan mounted fuse and relay panel is white spaghetti, but if you can read a pin out it's not that bad. I've built two of these cars, one back to stock; The other with a MegaSquirt2 conversion and centrifugal supercharger. The later euro spec engine really turns into a different animal when converted to sequential injection, and coil near plug ignition. Such a fun vehicle if you have the knowledge and patience to make it perform reliably.
Years ago I heard that every computer/module cost $1200 and there were several of them. A foreign car shop owner I knew told me they always have a ghost in the machine.... Still love them.
@@scottpers Was a while until they got the Jetronic? Anyway, neighbor downstairs had a business fixing these things and always warned me off getting one even though it was a childhood dream car.
Can't wait to see this build. As a 928(S) owner of 2 years, my experience is that they are solid if maintained well and driven regularly. And who wouldn't want to drive them regularly!
@@pickleslurper6792 Absolutely bullet proof if maintained correctly and driven regularly. When they're stored for too long, hoses etc start to deteriorate so it's better to give them a good run at least once a month. I'm in Australia so the weather is good all year round for driving
@@josephpole im 17 and im trying to get my 1st car but the problem is i know nothing about cars where do you think is the best place to learn about cars and how to work on them?
@@pickleslurper6792 Follow channels like this, there's a good series on Donut Media as well. Buy a cheap low-tech car you can drive and work on yourself. After a couple of years of ownership and fixing issues on your daily driver, you'll be ready for progressively more complex cars but start cheap and simple. There's nothing like the necessity of having to drive the car you're working on to accelerate the learning curve. Good luck
My doctor is a Porsche guy.He now drives a 911 on the weekend and a panamera daily. Told him I was working on a 928.He said that he had 3 928s. A 79,a 84 and a 95. He had been driving Porsches for 50 years and the 928s had always been his favorite.
Well good looking 928 and 944 the 928 remind me of a old E type jag and it runs that a big plus in it self getting the high idle fix should be easy enough can't wait to see back up to it former glory I'm going to look at a early RX7 it been setting for years so I'm hoping that the floor boards are OK the windows been left cracked for some time I know the carpets done for maybe the seat to but as long as the floor are OK I'm may buy anyway can't wait to see the rebuild Casey
The ground is in the correct place. However originality it was a braided flat ribbon cable. They are known to have issues with breaking in small places and increasing the resistance. It looks like someone replaced yours with a more traditional round cable to help with that. There are a number of grounding points on these cars. Find them all, clean them all, then pull every fuse and relay (there are many) and clean. Also, many of the switches are ground side for some reason.
The 928 design has aged really well. The 944...not so much. Looks like a Mazda. I liked it better than the 928 back in the day, but now I think the 944 just looks exactly like what it was, the Porsche for the masses. They were like Irocs or Trans Ams. A 928 still looks like a European car. And I think it's really timeless. It looks better than most new cars, yet has the same form factor. Watching Matt's One Take in one was especially revealing. You can tell that Porsche spent a lot of time trying to get the handling you expect from a Porsche. Now you could tell it wasn't quite on that level, suffering from some lean and body roll, but it did pretty good. You do some suspension upgrades and a 928 would be a great track car. And being a front engine V8 leaves a lot of room for any crazy ideas you might have involving an LS drivetrain. ;)
Awesome Casey love your attitude. I too have some old Porsche's (928, 944, 911 and even 924's) Love them all and feel the same way about haters/snobs.. Great era for car lovers. Keep the videos coming
Your intro of you in the hatch like a gun nest reminded me of something I used to do. An FC RX7 can, in fact, fit a fully inflated twin air mattress. My car was gutted, which helped a little, but if you put both seats full forward and full tilt, then fill the space behind them to create a flat (I'd put the spare across one of them with beer under it, and fill the rest with another partially inflated mattress). I'd put fabric on the windows, hang a fitted sheet by the sun visors, and lay a sheet across the hatch. When you popped the hatch you had a little space to chill, and the sheet hung down to the spoiler providing privacy. I really cannot imagine that there is a smaller car on earth that you can fit a twin air mattress in, and lay out full length.
Being a 79 it is definitely non-interference. All of the 4.5L 16V engines are this way. The 80+ year models are where it gets iffy. 4.7L Euro models can be either interference, or non-interference and all 32V US are interference. Now, you can still bend valves if the timing breaks and you have weakened springs, a lot of carbon buildup, etc. The clearances are rather small. Timing belts are pretty easy on these cars even for a novice mechanic, and there is a ton of room to work once you have the ducts and cooling system out of the way. The torque-tube system can be a pain. Removing the shaft and replacing the bearings will only benefit you. A quiter ride, less drivetrain loss and it's an easier job with the manual transmission. The only other major issue with the 928's is the grounding. If you're having issues with any gauges, a couple pencil erasers to clean contacts and a few strategic solder touch-ups on the rear of the cluster will cure most issues, and perhaps a new speedo gear. The plastic ones are brittle at this age.
There's one local 928 that's been sitting on the exact same spot for since I can remember, it's in perfect condition, it only really need a paint job. But I'm pretty sure that it has almost never been driven. I'm thinking about trying to get in touch with the owner but I don't know how safe it is to buy a car that's literraly been sitting at the same spot for years even during the winter it was almost never moved... But I'm pretty damn sure it's the olny 928 in my entire country.
Timely video series. I bought an 87 S4 last mo from an estate. Hasn't run for several yrs. In the process of cleaning the gas tank and replacing 30 yo fuel lines in the engine compartment. Plan is to get it running / driving w/ fluid & belt replacements and then sell it on. Unless, of course, she tugs on my heart...
I got a 4.5 928 as my second car so far I would say if your getting one try to get one that is working, don't get a non runner it's a pain to figure out what is wrong.
The factory states that all 16V engines are non interference. However there is some contesting this regarding the euro 1985/86 dual distributor 16V 928S2. Some have seen valve damage but have not confirmed if their engines have been previously opened. I have tested one stock 85 S2 mysekf and confirmed it was a non interference engine.
Bought one of these that had been sitting 11 years. Coolant had gone bad and eaten through the radiator and one of the cylinders, which made the head gasket go poof when i started it. It is a bit more difficult to get to things than most cars, most fixes start with "remove the engine" :P
Man, I wish I could find one like that for $4500. I dig the early cars sans spoilers with the phone dials. The Pascha interior will be perfect as well. They've started shooting up in value the last 2-3 years. I bought an '88 928 S4 with 63k miles in very very nice condition for just $8,000 back in 2008. Same car today is high teens or low twenties it seems... some far more expensive.
Casey, How is the 928 driving now after you have had it over the past year? Have you done the work on it that mentioned in the video? Would love to see a follow up video.
Always preferred the checkerboard upholstery. We had an 82 VW Dasher ....terrible plastic throughout. Never understood why German plastic has always been so brittle and short lived. My buddie's 924S was an interference engine. Belt broke right as he turned off ignition in driveway...he ended up replacing 4 valves.😉
Go to 928 International ..you will be surprised how many used or after market 928 parts they have available at reasonable prices.. They also can direct you where to get them if they they are out. Porsche Auto Atlanta is another good source and they have a lot of helpful schematics. The mechanical choke valve device is almost impossible to outsource but may be available as used.
HEY!!! Casey!! For the leather gearstick gaiter, Use Hide Food...It will nourish the leather and make it supple again, it's fantastic stuff!!! Equestrian shop will have it tho amazon are cheaper...Maybe pay a little extra to keep the horse shop in fine stead! Greetings from London, UK.!!
Anyone that has ever had to drop a gas tank to replace a fuel pump would be happy to know in a 928 that there’s an access panel in the trunk so you don’t have to remove the tank. If engineers had to work on cars they would design every car to have easier access to certain components like the fuel pump.
My 92 talon had a stupid cold idle valve that would shoot the rpm to 3000 cold and rev up and down crazy. I screwed it down and eliminated it and now I have a perfect 1500 rpm cold and smooth running.
I owned an 82 Euro grey market S and an American version of a 1984 928s. Mechanically fantastic cars, but oooooh....the electrical system on the 84. I bought them in the 1990's and they were my dream car, but reality caused me to sell them and admire them from a distance.
My first car was a black on black one owner 1983 928s 5 speed I loved it 73k miles. That car started my passion for cars, wish I never sold it. Currently v12/6speed swapping a e30! (M73/420g getrag)
I can't recall if the 4.5 was an interference engine, however I do believe the 4.7, 16 l jetronic was an interference engine (edit ground cable is correct, fuel pump and filter are behind access panel under H in Porsche at the back of the car there is a in tank screen as well ) (edit edit replace the vent tube that routes thru the unibody on the gas tank-filler! Requires dropping tank I suggest looking at a parts diagram to get a better understanding of what tube I'm talking about.
Mink Oil those side bolsters. Use the spray type to start with. Work it in by hand. May need to be gone over a couple of times. Let it soak in. Then go with the paste kind if you want.
I fell in love with the 928 coming down I-5 at 120+ when I bought my 89 S4 in '99. 20 years and almost 300K miles later, I'm still in love. I've done 40+ 928 timing belt jobs over the years. Need help? I'm available. Careful when removing the water pump. The corroded bolts like to snap off. Give them a smack, some penetrant and maybe some heat for any that don't feel right (ie. don't give cleanly). Other than that, it's a tedious all day job dealing with the longest timing belt of any production car. Rebuild the tensioner. Most of the other wear components (gears and rollers) might not need replacement considering only 30K miles. Crank and oil pump seals are a +/-. Definitely do them if there is any seepage, of course. The timing belt job is a rite of passage with this car. Good luck. Oh, I got the impression you might be taking it to a Porsche dealership for the timing belt. It would be a very rare shop that has anyone who has ever worked on one of these cars. You can get the factory manuals online. That's all the information and experience they would have.
The light silver phone wheels look good on that color. My neighbor had a brand new one back in the day. Came sliding in one night drunk broke all 4 wheels in pieces. He ended up putting silver lip gold webs back on it that didn't look too bad. At the time 2 of the factory Porsche wheels would've bought my mom's Oldsmobile! 🤣
Your going to have a good time with building your cars. I am working on a 86 iroc z28 with my son and a 1951 international L110 pickup truck that was my dad's. A couple years ago we built a 13 fiat 500 Abarth into a cool little autocross and daily driver but it met with an unfortunate end. Someone hit the front end hard while it was parked and left the scene.
I had a '79 928 back in the day. That battery is definitely not correct. That exhaust is a replacement as well. Chances are it is an Anza exhaust muffler. I miss that car. This video makes me want to get another one.
Be careful in auto Car washes in the 928. When I was a kid in the 80s I watched a 928 rear window explode when the turning brush head caught the rear window wiper pulled it off 😬!! Owner went nuts !! Cool cars and looking forward to watching. May get me a 944 as well 👍🏻
@@CaseyPutsch Oh, yes, they did! This car was never 100% Porsche when it was new! Breaking the perception of owed fealty to Porsche is what motivated you in the first place. The 944 is a 100% badge-engineered car built from a mix of parts that belie any perceived pedigree bestowed upon it by the same snobbery you detest. Casey, I am a huge fan of your channel, and you have been making Scarface references lately, so say 'ello to my leetle friend! Porsche 944 spareparts and cross reference www.alanara.fi/Possu/ENosat.html BTW, cocaine is covered by a patent held by a German company. So, fake.
If anyone is looking for a 928 I would advise them to look no further than a very clean S4.928s were at their pinnacle at that time yet they weren't the over burdened cars that came later...long story short:S4s are awesome,GTSs good cars just not as good...the only other piece of advice is stay away from automatic transmissions!The five speed manual makes the car come alive!!!
Alternator not charging... If you do not have a low voltage light and If you do not see the volts register on the gauge in the pod try popping the RPMs over 3k and see if jumps to life. If it does could just be as simple as a burned out charging bulb or a failed parallel resistor...
Is there anything from the 80's that wasn't prone to the dashes cracking? German brands seem to be the most prone my E23 BMW included, but a lot of american stuff did as well.
Actually when I was 17 years old in 2004 S and s isn't really for speed as you already know that Casey I even thought it might be something to do with sport,anyhow it was a beautiful brown the leather interior was like a tan or much lighter brown it had everything both power seats work the passenger one word eight way it was it was really loaded with technology back in 1985 this is when I was 17 in 2004 itin a few years later Porsche 911 came out with a GT3 and the Flat 6 for 400 to 500 horsepower naturally aspirated And ofcorse GT2 twin turbo was around 580 HP And now 700 from a 3.8 flat 6 I know some GT3 had displacing up to 4.0 internals giving it though it is DOHC back to 928 it was Automatic Which was smooth first 4 speed automatic The one like yours if automatic Only 3 speed but your's is 5 speed manual And in stock form that 16 valve spider shaped intake manifold Which looks cool But at only 240 to 260 hp and maybe a little more torque like all V8 back any day usually make more torque and horsepower which is a good thing for acceleration but you're 928 might do 0 to 60 in 6.5 to 7 second's BTW My 2 door 6 speed manual Jeep Wrangler 3.6 V6 with a tune! Only then puts down around 300 hp to rear wheels in 2 wheel drive 0 to o 60 6.0 seconds flat but starts slowing down after 95 100 mph because it's a box drag limited but the 85first year of the 32 valve dual overhead cam 4 valves per-cylinder of course being Automatic and weighing almost as much As my Jeep around 4000 lb loaded with gas did 60 in also around 6 seconds And do every bit of 160 mph And floats but in 1987 The 928 S4 became almost 500 lb lighter than 86 and below especially Automatic 87 5 speed manual 3500lbs and said 180 now on the Speedometer And stock was supposed and could do 174 mph at that time And even over 30 year's later the final in point that I'm really trying to make about the that my dad's friend only wanted Only $4,000 the beautiful 1995 Brown 928's with 140,000 miles which was kind of high but in 2004Porsche 928 even went that high mileage was worth around $12,000 they were going for no AutoTrader any other websites which would have been a great deal but in 2004 and I'll send a team I didn't have $4,000 cash when I was 17 so we ended up selling it to his brother-in-law for only $3,000 because he owed him a thousandso this guy my dad's best friend was pretty dumb for that because he just waited you could have got easily 10 $12,000 that carso he basically threw away something that he had for a very long time that was very rare for only three grand next nothing even in 2004 a new Yamaha dirt bike 250 was at least$4,000and even though it was automatic and heavy and have the mileage on it everything else is in great condition all the power stuff works man if I would have had that money back when I was 17 I probably still have that car today if I didn't wreck it or tear up the automatic transmission I might still have it today and I would have rebuilt the engine and put a supercharger to put out a good maximum 700 horsepower to the wheels that was my dream that never it could have been my first car
I had a 928 and i got it cheap because it didn't run. The only problem was the ground strap from the battery and a small wire that whent to the ecm. Looks like your battery area need attention.
It looks like you have a nice example. Congrats. The 928 interior is always the most difficult and expensive thing to bring up to snuff, simply because of its age and how it was done. Have you priced Pasha fabric yet? You're in for a shock. Those original radios are in demand, so you want to keep or sell that. Classic9 has a pre-shaped dash covers (an interior shop that is highly regarded in the 928 community): www.classic9leathershop.com/928-928s-928s4-928gt-928gts/dash-cover-porsche-928/ Yes, the 16v motors are NON-INTERFERENCE. (The later 32v motors are interference motors.) You can adjust the air/fuel mixture and idle setting with the intake on. You can put in a cheap, reliable Chevy alternator rather than rebuilding the stock alternator. Yes, that is the proper ground wire connection. I'm looking forward to watching your progress, and remember that you can find the answer to pretty much any 928 question or problem on Rennlist Forums. Good luck!
Hey Casey. I am going to get my first car in about 3 months, and am looking at the 928 as a possibility. I would want to work on it with simple things at first, then maybe put some very light mods like suspension, brakes, etc later. I’d be daily driving it all 4 seasons here in Minnesota, taking care of it as well as possible. Would love to know your thoughts on the possibility. Thanks!
Wasn't sold on the 928 until seeing this walk through. Cars like your 928 are exactly what make driving so fun and memorable. Newer cars are good and reliable but just can't make the same unforgettable memories older cars can. Nothing can top an older car and its quirks!
I need to take you when I buy my next car - I get too emotionally attached during the buying process. I’d get home from buying a 928, and a friend would say “Did you notice the back half of the car is a VW Beetle?” Doh!
So I found one on Facebook, they want $1800 it doesn’t start and definitely needs non-mechanical, asthetic work that I don’t mind doing. It’s an auto, 130k paint is rough but almost zero rust. I don’t know much about them but I did an internship for a classic auto shop so I know some guys that are probably close to experts who would be willing to help, should I buy it?
I owned a 1990 guards red 928GT 5-speed manual for 7 years and 120,000 miles. Truly a wonderful car. One time, the alternator failed and the control screen told me the battery wasn't charging. A little later it told me it was shutting off the electronic traction control to save power. A bit later it told me it was shutting off the air conditioning and temperature control to save power. It got me to a place where it could be repaired. 959 traction control; rear wheel steering, etc. Amazing technology for 29 years ago.
For someone like me who is not so mechanically inclined but interested to learn, listening to you talk about all the bits and bobs is so fascinating. It's always engrossing to listen to someone talk about stuff they are proficient in. I'm eager to see how you're going to approach fixing up these beauties.
I am Mechanically inclined. Been under a Shadetree most of my life. Even turned wrenches for Uncle Sam for a while. I can tell you right off the bat, get a Shop Manual, or have access to, whatever you're working on. YT will be your best friend and your worst enemy. I don't know everything and forgotten most of what I did know so I will typically watch 4 or more videos of people actually doing the work before I tackle anything. ESPECIALLY on a system I am unfamiliar with, which a Newer car is just about everything.
Love seeing the 928's getting love.
Awesome video Casey. The 928 is an amazing car, thank you for giving it its due respect. I will share this to the Rennlist group, check them out, your best resource repository for 928 diy experts.
AWSOME!!! Thank you, Ive been wanting to buy a 928 or a 944 to work on but nobody talks about how reliable they could be so I have been a little skittish
The 911 cars from the same era were primitive by comparison. The 928 still looks like a futuristic car. Right out of a Stanley Kubrick movie. I had a clapped out 928S 5 speed that I bought in Compton. Bruised and battered but it ran like stink. I drove it like I stole it. Put a smile on my face every time.
It is infact non interference, the later 32 valve models were interference engines.
No, only the one's with timing chain.
928s do not have timing chains. All years had belts.
@@scaloi 928's never had timing chains, only belts
@@scaloi what chains ?
@@tarnowek1 Sorry I made a mistake, no chains only belt.
My room mate had a '78 928 back in the early 80s but not much money so we did quite a bit of repair work to it. The charging system was one of the things we had to address. The alternator brushes we replaced using AC delco parts. LOL Much less expensive than a replacement alternator as IIRC we couldnt get just the brushes from Porsche. The absolute ton of wiring in these cars makes troubleshooting electrical problems a real labor of love Good luck bringing this one back to its former glory.
That bottle shaped rubber thing near the front air intakes is the manual pump to raise the headlights
I always liked the 928, it’s a real grand touring car and way under appreciated by the Porsche community. I am looking forward to your series on both cars.
Love what you're doing with the 928. I think a lot like the ways you do about cars, and I relate to your perspective. I appreciate that you're out here exposing people to it. Excited for the rest of this!
“ the machine gun turret is extra”
Said the Car salesman from Scarface
Walter White approves!
Don't forget SCANNERS to pick up UFOs ; SAYS scarface to the salesman...
4.5L is non-interference , 5.0 and up is interference. And in between there was the 4.7L that might have the valves just barely kiss the pistons when your belt breaks.
With carbon build up there’s a risk the 4.7 will do more than kiss the pistons :-) The high compression Euro 4.7 is definitely interference
@Jay Barker yep high compression are 21/22 post 84 I was referring to
I own a 84 928s. These cars turn heads anywhere you go. They do have electrical gremlins but most of them can be solved by either cleaning all of the ground wires throughout the car or replacing the main wiring harness. Looking forward to your future videos on this car.
Man, this channel is booming Casey got three projects running and a whole lot to come for genious garage
Casey thank you for defending the Bosch K-Jetronic! It’s a great fuel injection system. I have owned several cars with it, mostly old P cars and I love it. It’s a simple and elegant system. Sure you can’t plug some fancy computer into it and have it tell you what’s wrong. But with a little simple diagnostic work it’s usually easy to track down the issues. And the best part is a lot of the parts on the system are rebuildable! No throwing away old air meters or idle are valves, you can actually take them apart, clean and repair them which I think is great. Plus with a piggyback ECU it’s a very tunable system as well. My built 944 Turbo was still on the K-Jetronic but with a piggyback and a MAF conversion and it ran great. It’s a great old system for sure.
I highly recommend a short shifter and solid bushings for all the shifter parts. I just put one in mine from 928sRus and it transformed the car. I dont want to drive my 944 anymore. haha
Yeah the 924 i mentioned before that was at my uncle's shop was interesting because it only has just over 100 miles on it. Had an odd story but most of what my uncle had to do was clean sensors and other odd things from a car that has been sitting for 30 years since new.
I always loved how the 928 looked, always wanted one.
Casey, if your volts are reading low from your dash gauge, it could be an alternator charging issue, but it also could be the wiring to the gauge. The harness for these is 40+ years old and it runs through the engine obviously. The heating and cooling over the years can make the wiring brittle. This increases the resistance and makes the gauge read low. Those older 928's have a manual calibration tab in the gauge. I would check it with a mm before tearing anything apart. Awesome car. I just acquired a '91 S4 in amazing condition. You'll love it!!
Wake Forest Awards thanks for the tip!
Crap, I forgot I was using my office acct. It's Darren and your welcome. There's a really cool Porsche mechanic, old school dude in Atlanta. I can't remember his name, but I bet Edd knows who I'm talking about. A small independent shop in kinda rough area, but this guy has forgotten more than most guys know. He told me about the wiring when I was there at an event this summer. Good luck.
YES do the white black ceckboard! My only regret in my 924 is that it doesnt have it, looks great on those cars! Is funky and ''NoT eLeGaNt'' but really looks fantastic
Stoked on the builds. Can't wait to see them both running and ripping.
Can’t wait to see a Porsche rally car on the channel
This is my dream car and has been since it was first released. I love the spider plenum, even as a weaker engine than the later ones. I am so excited to see this! And Pasha seats? Be still my heart! It even has the dream "phone dials."
No need to order stuff from Germany and pay for expensive shipping. You can get 928 interior materials and the missing hood insulation mat at classic9leathershop in Detroit. The dash can be replaced or recovered with vinyl/leather. Before you replace the shifter boot, try original German NIVEA cream to soften the leather (only the one in the blue tin jars work). For the mechanics, the best resources are Jim Doerr at 928classics and Greg Brown from Precision Motorwerks. Check the ground strap from battery to body, and consider upgrading the little sealed beams with the larger Euro H-4 headlights - they make a world of a difference! Phone dial wheels were always silver. It was the flat dish style that came in bronze tones.
Best of luck!
Rewiring the engine bay preemptively is cheaper and easier than people would have you think.
The PVC harness insulation breaks down with heat and atmospheric oxidation causing many gremlins. Unfortunately all the wiring behind the floor pan mounted fuse and relay panel is white spaghetti, but if you can read a pin out it's not that bad.
I've built two of these cars, one back to stock;
The other with a MegaSquirt2 conversion and centrifugal supercharger.
The later euro spec engine really turns into a different animal when converted to sequential injection, and coil near plug ignition.
Such a fun vehicle if you have the knowledge and patience to make it perform reliably.
Years ago I heard that every computer/module cost $1200 and there were several of them. A foreign car shop owner I knew told me they always have a ghost in the machine....
Still love them.
no ECUs in early cars like this one.
@@scottpers Was a while until they got the Jetronic? Anyway, neighbor downstairs had a business fixing these things and always warned me off getting one even though it was a childhood dream car.
Can't wait to see this build. As a 928(S) owner of 2 years, my experience is that they are solid if maintained well and driven regularly. And who wouldn't want to drive them regularly!
Since you've owned one are they reliable also is the engine non interference or is that a lie?
@@pickleslurper6792 Absolutely bullet proof if maintained correctly and driven regularly. When they're stored for too long, hoses etc start to deteriorate so it's better to give them a good run at least once a month. I'm in Australia so the weather is good all year round for driving
@@josephpole im 17 and im trying to get my 1st car but the problem is i know nothing about cars where do you think is the best place to learn about cars and how to work on them?
@@pickleslurper6792 Follow channels like this, there's a good series on Donut Media as well. Buy a cheap low-tech car you can drive and work on yourself. After a couple of years of ownership and fixing issues on your daily driver, you'll be ready for progressively more complex cars but start cheap and simple. There's nothing like the necessity of having to drive the car you're working on to accelerate the learning curve. Good luck
@@josephpole so don't start with the 928 right? What cars would you recommend to begin with?
Hell yea casey! I think both cars are awesome. They were great cars in the 80s. Everyone wanted them that could afford them back then.
My doctor is a Porsche guy.He now drives a 911 on the weekend and a panamera daily. Told him I was working on a 928.He said that he had 3 928s. A 79,a 84 and a 95. He had been driving Porsches for 50 years and the 928s had always been his favorite.
Well good looking 928 and 944 the 928 remind me of a old E type jag and it runs that a big plus in it self getting the high idle fix should be easy enough can't wait to see back up to it former glory I'm going to look at a early RX7 it been setting for years so I'm hoping that the floor boards are OK the windows been left cracked for some time I know the carpets done for maybe the seat to but as long as the floor are OK I'm may buy anyway can't wait to see the rebuild Casey
The ground is in the correct place. However originality it was a braided flat ribbon cable. They are known to have issues with breaking in small places and increasing the resistance. It looks like someone replaced yours with a more traditional round cable to help with that. There are a number of grounding points on these cars. Find them all, clean them all, then pull every fuse and relay (there are many) and clean. Also, many of the switches are ground side for some reason.
The 928 design has aged really well. The 944...not so much. Looks like a Mazda. I liked it better than the 928 back in the day, but now I think the 944 just looks exactly like what it was, the Porsche for the masses. They were like Irocs or Trans Ams. A 928 still looks like a European car. And I think it's really timeless. It looks better than most new cars, yet has the same form factor.
Watching Matt's One Take in one was especially revealing. You can tell that Porsche spent a lot of time trying to get the handling you expect from a Porsche. Now you could tell it wasn't quite on that level, suffering from some lean and body roll, but it did pretty good. You do some suspension upgrades and a 928 would be a great track car. And being a front engine V8 leaves a lot of room for any crazy ideas you might have involving an LS drivetrain. ;)
Awesome Casey love your attitude. I too have some old Porsche's (928, 944, 911 and even 924's) Love them all and feel the same way about haters/snobs.. Great era for car lovers. Keep the videos coming
Your intro of you in the hatch like a gun nest reminded me of something I used to do. An FC RX7 can, in fact, fit a fully inflated twin air mattress. My car was gutted, which helped a little, but if you put both seats full forward and full tilt, then fill the space behind them to create a flat (I'd put the spare across one of them with beer under it, and fill the rest with another partially inflated mattress). I'd put fabric on the windows, hang a fitted sheet by the sun visors, and lay a sheet across the hatch. When you popped the hatch you had a little space to chill, and the sheet hung down to the spoiler providing privacy. I really cannot imagine that there is a smaller car on earth that you can fit a twin air mattress in, and lay out full length.
classic 9 leather shop is a great option for 928 (and 944 for that matter) interior restoration and they are pretty good on price as well
Loving these videos, Casey!
It will be interesting to see this car restored. I’m planning to do one of these myself.
Rennlist has a Great 928 owners forum and they have a TON of resources for all your electrical issues
I love the old front engine Porsches! Had a 944, a 924S, still want a 928...one day
Im getting one of these sunday as my first buy. Never thought id be looking at something before the mid 90s and on top of that its still a porsche
Being a 79 it is definitely non-interference. All of the 4.5L 16V engines are this way. The 80+ year models are where it gets iffy. 4.7L Euro models can be either interference, or non-interference and all 32V US are interference. Now, you can still bend valves if the timing breaks and you have weakened springs, a lot of carbon buildup, etc. The clearances are rather small. Timing belts are pretty easy on these cars even for a novice mechanic, and there is a ton of room to work once you have the ducts and cooling system out of the way. The torque-tube system can be a pain. Removing the shaft and replacing the bearings will only benefit you. A quiter ride, less drivetrain loss and it's an easier job with the manual transmission. The only other major issue with the 928's is the grounding. If you're having issues with any gauges, a couple pencil erasers to clean contacts and a few strategic solder touch-ups on the rear of the cluster will cure most issues, and perhaps a new speedo gear. The plastic ones are brittle at this age.
There's one local 928 that's been sitting on the exact same spot for since I can remember, it's in perfect condition, it only really need a paint job. But I'm pretty sure that it has almost never been driven. I'm thinking about trying to get in touch with the owner but I don't know how safe it is to buy a car that's literraly been sitting at the same spot for years even during the winter it was almost never moved... But I'm pretty damn sure it's the olny 928 in my entire country.
Looks to be in great shape, considering that it sat for so long, this will be an awesome project!
Timely video series. I bought an 87 S4 last mo from an estate. Hasn't run for several yrs. In the process of cleaning the gas tank and replacing 30 yo fuel lines in the engine compartment. Plan is to get it running / driving w/ fluid & belt replacements and then sell it on. Unless, of course, she tugs on my heart...
Big fan of the channel as well as older cars. Living in Columbus there is a huge car enthusiast scene. Keep the vlogs going!!!!!!!!!!
I got a 4.5 928 as my second car so far I would say if your getting one try to get one that is working, don't get a non runner it's a pain to figure out what is wrong.
928 is my Obtainable "Dream Car"... We have 2 kids still at home but, one day I will have a Manual 928!
The factory states that all 16V engines are non interference. However there is some contesting this regarding the euro 1985/86 dual distributor 16V 928S2. Some have seen valve damage but have not confirmed if their engines have been previously opened. I have tested one stock 85 S2 mysekf and confirmed it was a non interference engine.
Bought one of these that had been sitting 11 years. Coolant had gone bad and eaten through the radiator and one of the cylinders, which made the head gasket go poof when i started it.
It is a bit more difficult to get to things than most cars, most fixes start with "remove the engine" :P
Did yours have an issue with starting? Did it only crank?
@@nathankwok2040 This was the first attempt, I only changed the oil and put a new battery in it. th-cam.com/video/wxuD5wA8JWg/w-d-xo.html
Man, I wish I could find one like that for $4500. I dig the early cars sans spoilers with the phone dials. The Pascha interior will be perfect as well.
They've started shooting up in value the last 2-3 years. I bought an '88 928 S4 with 63k miles in very very nice condition for just $8,000 back in 2008. Same car today is high teens or low twenties it seems... some far more expensive.
The pliers and zipper trick ! haha Casey I like it
Casey, How is the 928 driving now after you have had it over the past year? Have you done the work on it that mentioned in the video? Would love to see a follow up video.
Always preferred the checkerboard upholstery. We had an 82 VW Dasher ....terrible plastic throughout. Never understood why German plastic has always been so brittle and short lived. My buddie's 924S was an interference engine. Belt broke right as he turned off ignition in driveway...he ended up replacing 4 valves.😉
Go to 928 International ..you will be surprised how many used or after market 928 parts they have available at reasonable prices.. They also can direct you where to get them if they they are out. Porsche Auto Atlanta is another good source and they have a lot of helpful schematics. The mechanical choke valve device is almost impossible to outsource but may be available as used.
HEY!!! Casey!! For the leather gearstick gaiter, Use Hide Food...It will nourish the leather and make it supple again, it's fantastic stuff!!! Equestrian shop will have it tho amazon are cheaper...Maybe pay a little extra to keep the horse shop in fine stead! Greetings from London, UK.!!
Another great one take. Hope you have a great weekend Casey you deserve it!
had my 79' 18 years. This is going to be expensive.. ;)
Anyone that has ever had to drop a gas tank to replace a fuel pump would be happy to know in a 928 that there’s an access panel in the trunk so you don’t have to remove the tank. If engineers had to work on cars they would design every car to have easier access to certain components like the fuel pump.
My 92 talon had a stupid cold idle valve that would shoot the rpm to 3000 cold and rev up and down crazy. I screwed it down and eliminated it and now I have a perfect 1500 rpm cold and smooth running.
I owned an 82 Euro grey market S and an American version of a 1984 928s. Mechanically fantastic cars, but oooooh....the electrical system on the 84. I bought them in the 1990's and they were my dream car, but reality caused me to sell them and admire them from a distance.
What electrical problems did you have?
My first car was a black on black one owner 1983 928s 5 speed I loved it 73k miles. That car started my passion for cars, wish I never sold it. Currently v12/6speed swapping a e30! (M73/420g getrag)
I can't recall if the 4.5 was an interference engine, however I do believe the 4.7, 16 l jetronic was an interference engine (edit ground cable is correct, fuel pump and filter are behind access panel under H in Porsche at the back of the car there is a in tank screen as well ) (edit edit replace the vent tube that routes thru the unibody on the gas tank-filler! Requires dropping tank I suggest looking at a parts diagram to get a better understanding of what tube I'm talking about.
Every 928 I have workd on and driven has always read low voltage on the dash.
whats the reason for the low voltage? and can it be corrected?
Mink Oil those side bolsters. Use the spray type to start with. Work it in by hand. May need to be gone over a couple of times. Let it soak in. Then go with the paste kind if you want.
A great and informative video. I am really keen to get into one of my bedroom poster cars, either a 928 or 944!
Some little pixy told me you are gonna build a Lykan with a bunch of geniusses....congrats! It will be great to see that develop.
I fell in love with the 928 coming down I-5 at 120+ when I bought my 89 S4 in '99. 20 years and almost 300K miles later, I'm still in love. I've done 40+ 928 timing belt jobs over the years. Need help? I'm available. Careful when removing the water pump. The corroded bolts like to snap off. Give them a smack, some penetrant and maybe some heat for any that don't feel right (ie. don't give cleanly). Other than that, it's a tedious all day job dealing with the longest timing belt of any production car. Rebuild the tensioner. Most of the other wear components (gears and rollers) might not need replacement considering only 30K miles. Crank and oil pump seals are a +/-. Definitely do them if there is any seepage, of course. The timing belt job is a rite of passage with this car. Good luck. Oh, I got the impression you might be taking it to a Porsche dealership for the timing belt. It would be a very rare shop that has anyone who has ever worked on one of these cars. You can get the factory manuals online. That's all the information and experience they would have.
I read an article that stated the shop manual doesn't explain timing belt change.
The light silver phone wheels look good on that color. My neighbor had a brand new one back in the day. Came sliding in one night drunk broke all 4 wheels in pieces. He ended up putting silver lip gold webs back on it that didn't look too bad. At the time 2 of the factory Porsche wheels would've bought my mom's Oldsmobile! 🤣
Your going to have a good time with building your cars. I am working on a 86 iroc z28 with my son and a 1951 international L110 pickup truck that was my dad's. A couple years ago we built a 13 fiat 500 Abarth into a cool little autocross and daily driver but it met with an unfortunate end. Someone hit the front end hard while it was parked and left the scene.
I had a 86.5 for many years. Wonderful car.
I had a '79 928 back in the day. That battery is definitely not correct. That exhaust is a replacement as well. Chances are it is an Anza exhaust muffler. I miss that car. This video makes me want to get another one.
“How am I supposed to fix a Porsche if I can't fix my jacket"- that's literally how I feel everyday!
LOL... I'm still looking for my recipe for making toast. ;-)
I wish I could like this video twice I'd love to own one of these.
Mobil 1 in the transaxle will smooth out that 2nd gear, battery should have a ground strap and not a cable. Fellow '79 owner...Cheers!
Loving this. Early cars are non-interference. Great call on the pasha! I would go with silver for the phone dials.
Be careful in auto Car washes in the 928. When I was a kid in the 80s I watched a 928 rear window explode when the turning brush head caught the rear window wiper pulled it off 😬!! Owner went nuts !!
Cool cars and looking forward to watching. May get me a 944 as well 👍🏻
Great video 👍
I've owned my 1985 for 10 years and do my own work.
As soon as he said 'as original as possible,' I knew the Porsche MIB paid Casey a little visit.
Nope! :)
@@CaseyPutsch Oh, yes, they did! This car was never 100% Porsche when it was new! Breaking the perception of owed fealty to Porsche is what motivated you in the first place. The 944 is a 100% badge-engineered car built from a mix of parts that belie any perceived pedigree bestowed upon it by the same snobbery you detest. Casey, I am a huge fan of your channel, and you have been making Scarface references lately, so say 'ello to my leetle friend!
Porsche 944 spareparts and cross reference
www.alanara.fi/Possu/ENosat.html
BTW, cocaine is covered by a patent held by a German company. So, fake.
Love the Corvette "punisher" flag above the door...
The Corvette Racing team's mascot is Jake. His eyes are the vette emblem.
Very cool car 👍. Top Gear UK used a Porsche 928 as a camera car for a while. The camera man sat in the car similar to how you just did.
If anyone is looking for a 928 I would advise them to look no further than a very clean S4.928s were at their pinnacle at that time yet they weren't the over burdened cars that came later...long story short:S4s are awesome,GTSs good cars just not as good...the only other piece of advice is stay away from automatic transmissions!The five speed manual makes the car come alive!!!
Alternator not charging... If you do not have a low voltage light and If you do not see the volts register on the gauge in the pod try popping the RPMs over 3k and see if jumps to life. If it does could just be as simple as a burned out charging bulb or a failed parallel resistor...
Is there anything from the 80's that wasn't prone to the dashes cracking? German brands seem to be the most prone my E23 BMW included, but a lot of american stuff did as well.
928; the man’s Porsche.. love it
this looks like a steal @ that price - i think you might still be able to get some new parts - that paint looks super nice for sitting outside
I love the 928.. this is a nice example.
Love the AirVenture hat!
No way, one of my favorite you tubers with my own car 😂
Thanks for this video! Looking for a 928 currently
Actually when I was 17 years old in 2004 S and s isn't really for speed as you already know that Casey I even thought it might be something to do with sport,anyhow it was a beautiful brown the leather interior was like a tan or much lighter brown it had everything both power seats work the passenger one word eight way it was it was really loaded with technology back in 1985 this is when I was 17 in 2004 itin a few years later Porsche 911 came out with a GT3 and the Flat 6 for 400 to 500 horsepower naturally aspirated And ofcorse GT2 twin turbo was around 580 HP And now 700 from a 3.8 flat 6 I know some GT3 had displacing up to 4.0 internals giving it though it is DOHC back to 928 it was Automatic Which was smooth first 4 speed automatic The one like yours if automatic Only 3 speed but your's is 5 speed manual And in stock form that 16 valve spider shaped intake manifold Which looks cool But at only 240 to 260 hp and maybe a little more torque like all V8 back any day usually make more torque and horsepower which is a good thing for acceleration but you're 928 might do 0 to 60 in 6.5 to 7 second's BTW My 2 door 6 speed manual Jeep Wrangler 3.6 V6 with a tune! Only then puts down around 300 hp to rear wheels in 2 wheel drive 0 to o 60 6.0 seconds flat but starts slowing down after 95 100 mph because it's a box drag limited but the 85first year of the 32 valve dual overhead cam 4 valves per-cylinder of course being Automatic and weighing almost as much As my Jeep around 4000 lb loaded with gas did 60 in also around 6 seconds And do every bit of 160 mph And floats but in 1987 The 928 S4 became almost 500 lb lighter than 86 and below especially Automatic 87 5 speed manual 3500lbs and said 180 now on the Speedometer And stock was supposed and could do 174 mph at that time And even over 30 year's later the final in point that I'm really trying to make about the that my dad's friend only wanted Only $4,000 the beautiful 1995 Brown 928's with 140,000 miles which was kind of high but in 2004Porsche 928 even went that high mileage was worth around $12,000 they were going for no AutoTrader any other websites which would have been a great deal but in 2004 and I'll send a team I didn't have $4,000 cash when I was 17 so we ended up selling it to his brother-in-law for only $3,000 because he owed him a thousandso this guy my dad's best friend was pretty dumb for that because he just waited you could have got easily 10 $12,000 that carso he basically threw away something that he had for a very long time that was very rare for only three grand next nothing even in 2004 a new Yamaha dirt bike 250 was at least$4,000and even though it was automatic and heavy and have the mileage on it everything else is in great condition all the power stuff works man if I would have had that money back when I was 17 I probably still have that car today if I didn't wreck it or tear up the automatic transmission I might still have it today and I would have rebuilt the engine and put a supercharger to put out a good maximum 700 horsepower to the wheels that was my dream that never it could have been my first car
I had a 928 and i got it cheap because it didn't run. The only problem was the ground strap from the battery and a small wire that whent to the ecm. Looks like your battery area need attention.
Great car Casey. The air filter is upside down.
I think I saw you yesterday driving on 270 around the Easton area! It was 928 in the same color!
The Porsche PACER is what I called it. I owned one 2000.
It looks like you have a nice example. Congrats.
The 928 interior is always the most difficult and expensive thing to bring up to snuff, simply because of its age and how it was done. Have you priced Pasha fabric yet? You're in for a shock. Those original radios are in demand, so you want to keep or sell that. Classic9 has a pre-shaped dash covers (an interior shop that is highly regarded in the 928 community): www.classic9leathershop.com/928-928s-928s4-928gt-928gts/dash-cover-porsche-928/
Yes, the 16v motors are NON-INTERFERENCE. (The later 32v motors are interference motors.) You can adjust the air/fuel mixture and idle setting with the intake on.
You can put in a cheap, reliable Chevy alternator rather than rebuilding the stock alternator. Yes, that is the proper ground wire connection.
I'm looking forward to watching your progress, and remember that you can find the answer to pretty much any 928 question or problem on Rennlist Forums. Good luck!
Hey Casey. I am going to get my first car in about 3 months, and am looking at the 928 as a possibility. I would want to work on it with simple things at first, then maybe put some very light mods like suspension, brakes, etc later. I’d be daily driving it all 4 seasons here in Minnesota, taking care of it as well as possible. Would love to know your thoughts on the possibility. Thanks!
I suggest a 944 instead for your first sports car
Casey Putsch I’ll keep an eye out for a 944 as well then. Thanks!
Wasn't sold on the 928 until seeing this walk through. Cars like your 928 are exactly what make driving so fun and memorable. Newer cars are good and reliable but just can't make the same unforgettable memories older cars can. Nothing can top an older car and its quirks!
I need to take you when I buy my next car - I get too emotionally attached during the buying process. I’d get home from buying a 928, and a friend would say “Did you notice the back half of the car is a VW Beetle?” Doh!
That means you screwed up and picked up one of those awful Uber-Beetle 911s...
I have a 1978 euro spec 928. 5 speed,yes none interference motor. Mine slipped on my drive home.
So I found one on Facebook, they want $1800 it doesn’t start and definitely needs non-mechanical, asthetic work that I don’t mind doing. It’s an auto, 130k paint is rough but almost zero rust. I don’t know much about them but I did an internship for a classic auto shop so I know some guys that are probably close to experts who would be willing to help, should I buy it?