Good news or bad?

[kevin911]

Got the valve covers off the sc today.

One broken headstud....

[sirion]

How did you manage to get it out, it appears unmarked (except for the head missing that is )

[kevin911]

How did you manage to get it out, it appears unmarked (except for the head missing that is )

Just removed the valve cover and it fell out - characteristic of the problem. Apparently they occassionally stay loose in the holes when broken - but I checked - the others are all ok.

[andy miles]

very lucky i would say!,well done.

[jmgarage]

Bad news. Sorry

Time for a service rebuild, how's the piggybank?

If it makes you feel any better, we had a 3.2 Carrera in a couple of weeks ago with the same thing, the remains of the broken stud is still sat on my keyboard.. the rest of the engine is now in the process of a rebuild.

[kevin911]

Let's face it - if you own an SC you have to get them replaced anyway....so I was expecting the rebuld at some point. Actually quite pleased it was only one - there was a report on Pelican of someone finding SEVEN. My intention is to put it off until next year. The car has the original chain tensioners so by the time I get those done, new Dilavar studs all round, valve guides and piston rings I reckon it will be 5K.

Seriously considering doing it myself and saving 2.5K- anyone have any comments on that?

[kevin911]

Must admit I thought that was quite unusual on a 3.2 - as far as I can make out they always go on SCs

Bad news. Sorry

Time for a service rebuild, how's the piggybank?

If it makes you feel any better, we had a 3.2 Carrera in a couple of weeks ago with the same thing, the remains of the broken stud is still sat on my keyboard.. the rest of the engine is now in the process of a rebuild.

[jmgarage]

SC's they are reasonably common (more so in the past) but much more likely to actually not just break but pull out of the crankcase.

With the 3.2 and SC they break the odd one, it happens, not that common to constantly worry about, but it is one of the reasons some specialists recommend a top end rebuild every 130,000 miles, so at least new studs can get put in at the same time as a routine service item... however, now the cars on average are not covering reasonable mileages (most of the ones we service have done less than 1000 miles per year) that is less likely to happen.

Come to think of it.. .an interesting point is that the majority of 911 SC's and 3.2 Carreras we used to work on had on average 100,000 to 150,000 miles on them 10 years ago... now the majority have 50,000 to 100,000 miles on them... I have no evidence that all the higher mileage ones have vaporised... but it does make you wonder how many of them have genuine mileages now.. hmm