[OldTee]

with out snow. Today, while pulling valve covers to do a valve adjust prior to finalizing the engine, Michelle said whats this. Well this..... is a factory head stud, barrel nut and washer. Everymans Porsche 911 engine nightmare.

So the engine will have to come down and the decisions and compromises begin, big time. I don't even want to think about all of what they are.

Damn....
ARF

[Rick V]

John, please don't hesitate to call me if you need a hand.

[OldTee]

How many hand$ do you have?

Got to thunk on it. Thanks.

ARF

[Dr K]

John,
If you're going to do it yourself, please call me to help. Just remember that my inexperience hands to not rate even 1 "$" yet.

Peter

[cmartin]

Sorry for the bad news. It's a great time for a valve job though. How many miles?

[OldTee]

Originally Posted by cmartin

Sorry for the bad news. It's a great time for a valve job though. How many miles?

Timely question. I just posted the following over on Pelican to see what I get back.

Have at me boys and girls.

"Head stud broken, now what?
I am interested in the advisability of several "while you are in there" decsions I must make. I realize they are highly personal but there must be some common $ense logic about the way to go.

Background. The car is a 87 Targa with 97K miles of uncertian history. It was running fine except the clutch was shot. We are refurbising the whole car with new bushings shocks etc. and planned to refresh the engine with new hoses, some new sensors, gaskets, etc. When the valve cover came off to adjust the valves the head stud for #2 fell out. Leak down on all cyls was good as was the compression. (Ie) no symptoms. The engine is out of the car and on the engine stand. When finsihed the car will be a 'keeper' used for semi daily transportation and occasional DEs. I Don't plan to break the case.

Now the questions.

With this many miles is it advisable to just replace the stud?

Valve job now?

If I remove the heads to do a valve job must I also remove the barrels to replace the lower gaskets?

What is the going engineering cost to do the valves. Labor and parts?

Valve springs?

This is a lot to decide, but some of the experts here have faced this delimma. A road map would be appreciated."

ARF

[cmartin]

If it were me...

Send out the heads for a valve job. While the heads are off inspect the other head studs for any corrosion. The decision to make is if you want to replace all the studs, or just the bad one. Not a bad job, heck, I'm in the middle of it myself.

[hoophead]

Replace all the studs, or you'll be doing it all again same time next year...when I tore my SC motor apart due to 2 broken studs, I found that the PO had replaced only one of the lower studs

[Jase007]

John:

Sorry to hear of your troubles. If you are gonna pull the heads [gotta] then I'd send them out to. [as per C Martin]. ARP studs are nice but $$$. [same goes with race springs, titamium anything, etc...]

I'd start a spreadsheet for cost projection and if you don't have Wayne's engine rebuild book, pick up a copy. There are cost estimates in there as well though a little out of date.

3.2L weak points? Not much besides valve guides [not really a weak point] and rod bolts. Gonna have to decide how far you / Michelle want to get into it.

Good luck and let us know if you need a hand R&R'ing.

[markwemple]

Jase mentioned the "rod bolt" issue. That's where my focus would be. Any concensus on whether 1 broken stud, depending upon location, necesitates a tear down or a close eye. Just wondering if he can wait a while or if he's better off jumping in.

Sorry about the bad news. Now we know that Carreras are vulneable to this, the worst of 911 maladies ('cause they ruin an otherwise very healthy engine!).