sidehatch

Hello to all my best friends on the list how are you? A mechanic told me the 944 is easier to work on than the 928,does anyone no why this would be true? Im thinking of looking at one to go along with my 928.

blown 87

Yes, they are IMHO, less complex and less cramped. but they do have more stuff to go wrong with the timing belts.

DR

I bought Jeannie a 944 Turbo years ago, I still remember to this day cussing that dang thing every time I had to work on it. I got more skinned knuckles just doing routine maint. on it than all the 928s I have ever owned. I am sure it is all about familiarity, but I HATED doing anything uder the hood of that "thing". Don't know if the NA version is easier, not gonna find out. I put up with it for 6 months and sold it.

sidehatch

Is the 944 forum as helpful as this 928 forum with rite ups and stuff?

DR

Yes, I have always heard they are a great bunch of guys over there, and very helpful.

blown 87

That has to be it David, I work on a lot more 944's than 928's and Neither really bother me.
Now if some one drives up in a twin turbo Z car, I start to hate them before I even meet them. (not real fond of the RR owners either)

sidehatch

Dr. how many 928's have you had come and go? Also do you like the ob better than s4? For some reason it seems the ob is built alot better like more solid.

DR

Sidehatch,

As far as how many I have owned "personally" (not to sell and or part) I don't really know, I would have to think on that for a while.

Concerning pre-S4 vs S4 I think they both have their strong points and weak points. I like them both the same.

StratfordShark

Interesting point Dave makes about skinned knuckles! Was reading an owners' guide to 944 in current '911 and Porsche World' and it makes the specific point that the turbo version makes things very tight for maintenance.

RKD in OKC

My local Porsche garage says that from their 50 years of experience 944 Turbos are the most expensive Porsche to maintain. I don't think the 944 would be any more difficult to work on that a 928 as long as you have patience and a set of workshop manuals. You can pull the head on a 944 without dropping the motor though.

DR

Don't forget to add SMALL HANDS :-)

I had the manuals but was missing the section about how to shrink your hands to make them fit where it said to put them. I usually ended up calling Jeannie to reach something.

sharknoob

It really depends on what you would be working on ....

SeanR

Motor mounts on a 951 suck to do. Unless they have that nice 3 piece cross pipe. Still takes 2x as long as a 928.

Familiarity is the big thing, I feel more comfortable working on the '87+ than I do the early cars. I just know them better.

hacker-pschorr

I thought only the 85/86 cars had this issue due to head studs?

RKD in OKC

I fondly remember spending an entire weekend replacing the thermostat on my 944 Turbo. There was only one way to snake my arm up in there to get to it after removing lots of stuff and then I ended up buying 3 sets of snap ring pliers to just get it out. Once I got it out I couldn't get the rear seal to seat and ended up taking to a garage anyway. After that, if the work wasn't obviously easy, I took it to the shop.

One 944 mechanic I talked to made the comment that the 944 was all heat shields.