engine life span
at what point can i expect to replace parts or the entire engine. currently has 130K miles,
1987.
thank you
ive asked the same question except it was about when will my heart give out. the answers were all over the board, so ill assume their is no real answer keep on trucking!
I have seen these with well over 300,000 miles on the original engine, without a rebuild. As long as you look after it and use it properly, you shouldn't need to rebuild it soon. Of course, you have no idea how previous owners may have treated it.
Do a compression and leak-down test. If they check out good, then give it the best oils and fluids, change them regularly and keep it tuned, you can easily get 300k miles. Don't forget timing belts at each 50k miles or so.
1987 is a very good year for the 944......and I totally agree with Smitty22.
every engine is different, but given a good maintenance they give full performance and life. just take care and look at what the manufacturer recommends. don t have to get fancy or expensive stuff, just take good care.
Porsche factory recommendation 65K on timing belts for a 2.5 liter 944 engine. Replace the water pump at the same time is standard recommendation at most shops when replacing timing belts. @130k your right at replacing the timing belt. It's not too hard to do just you need a special belt tension measuring device. If the timing belt breaks figure on spending a LOT of money to fix that problem. My 90 944S2 has 190K miles on it, runs great, I changed the timing belt as a matter of insurance when I buy used vehicles. Over the last 4 years of ownership the only thing I replaced out of the ordinary was the fuel pump. Maintenance and maintenance records are very important.
The 3.0 dohc engine on the S2 should have the plastic cam chain tensioner blocks replaced by now. They get brittle and shatter over time. When doing them, replace the cam chain also. I've got the 3.0L 968 engine in my 83 944 and the HP difference really shows. Great engines and engineered to last with care.
Service Records and Oil Lab testing will give you a better idea of where your starting point regarding life span of the engine. I test every oil and filter change...minor cost compared to replacing an engine. Driving correctly will also extend the life of the engine...
