What upgrades/safety things does a new owner do? Options

[Super90]

HI all, when my new car gets here I want to go thru it for safety upgrades and eliminate as many roadside breakdown possibilities. It has led a sheltered life, a 2.0. 74 with a lot of great options (less a/c which is ok by me).It has not been driven a lot in the past couple of years.

I was thinking:
1. It has all the original red & green hoses in the engine compartment. Replace all that stuff?
2. Fuel lines replace with SS kit. (who sells?) at same time take out tank & clean it & get new fuel filter. Is there a recommended upgrade filter?
3. Move fuel pump to front. (Could not find a how to type article, any help appreciated) Any recommended upgrade pump?
4. Clutch cable
5. Fan belt
6. Check brake parts & replace/rebuild as necessary.

I want to keep the car pretty much stock so not looking for big brake upgrades or such. But should I use a bigger Mastery cylinder like the one on the early 911?

Any other recommendations appreciated. I've been reading up on the car via a number of threads here & thru the Haynes shop book.

Oh yeah, any other 914 guys/guru's in the Augusta,GA area or in nearby SC or other places reasonably close by? Couldnt figure how to search the memebr list by area.

Thanks,
George

[Cupomeat]

Ok, My thoughts;

1. It has all the original red & green hoses in the engine compartment. Replace all that stuff?
- REPLACE ALL THE FUEL LINES with Ethanol friendly lines

2. Fuel lines replace with SS kit. (who sells?) at same time take out tank & clean it & get new fuel filter. Is there a recommended upgrade filter?
- Chris Foley at Tangerine sells them. Others do as well, Check the vendor section here.

3. Move fuel pump to front. (Could not find a how to type article, any help appreciated) Any recommended upgrade pump?
- Not immediately needed but a good thing to do!

4. Clutch cable
- Good move, not immediately needed.

5. Fan belt
- Yes, but not a killer as your car can run without it until the battery dies (the engine fan is directly driven off the crank)

6. Check brake parts & replace/rebuild as necessary.
- #1 thing to do. Go through the brakes and replace any original flex lines, bleed the system a few times (you'll need to anyway) and inspect it carefully.

I also recommend looking closely at your seat belts to make sure they are in good working condition.

Also, replace your wipers as many of us use our cars only in sunny conditions, but if you need them to clear mist kicked off an 18 wheeler while traveling at 85mph on the highway, YOU NEED THEM TO WORK.

Good luck!

[Cupomeat]

Oh and (IMG:style_emoticons/default/welcome.png)

POST A PICTURE OF THE CAR!!!!

[realred914]

the rubber fuelhoses should be repalced with modern SAE rated 30R9 (not 30R7) hose, 5/16 inch works for most of them, use only solid fuel clamps, notthe serrated type. the new fuel formulations will attach plain hose, the 30R9 has a teflon like liner and is made to resist todays fuels.

the colored hoses are for vacuum signals, test them for leaks, with you mouth, or just replace them, they are not a big safety issue, but leakers will make your car run bad.

the platic hard fuel lines should be fine, they usualy only get replaced if they are damged or attcked by battery acid. so this can wait unless you find broken line

the brake hoses can clog over time, and the fluid should be flushed with at least two full quarts of fresh fluid,

check the alternator belt, if craked or such replace, else run it more, not a safety item, and ulike the VW bug, a failed belt wont kill the fan, you will simply lose the alternator output.

clean up of the fuse panels of dirt / corrosion , this will help assure full voltage to the lights. besure to test all your signals and brake lights

movement of the fuel pump to the front is hardly ever needed, I have not know any of mine or friends cars needing this, and i live in a fairly warm climate where vapour lock would be an issue, so dont bother with that, in my opinion it is a butcher thing to do.

really the main thing is to make sure your old style rubber hoses are replaced with modern hose that is compatible with todays oxygenated fuels, and your brakes are inspected and flushed.

have fun, enjoy!!! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/cheer.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/cheer.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/cheer.gif)

[Cupomeat]

A few last things, Automobile Atlanta is in the Atlanta area and the owner, George, is certainly known to be a 914 GURU!

The 19mm master cylinder "upgrade" is a reasonable change that will reduce the pedal travel while increasing the pedal force needed to stop the car. On Stock brakes, it is a nice "feel" upgrade but not needed. Do not go to the 23mm replacement unit with stock brakes.

AND, with a screen name like "SUPER 90" Post the picture of your 356 as well! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

[Drums66]

Ok, My thoughts;



6. Check brake parts & replace/rebuild as necessary.
- #1 thing to do. Go through the brakes and replace any original flex lines, bleed the system a few times (you'll need to anyway) and inspect it carefully.

That's the right 1 ....... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/tunez.gif)
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/14.gif) .........popcorn 1 & all

[JimN73]

The throttle cable housing wears/breaks where it goes thru the firewall. It still works (for a while) but is very stiff to operate.

Keep one handy, they're fairly easy to replace.

[dr914@autoatlanta.com]

answers after the questions:

HI all, when my new car gets here I want to go thru it for safety upgrades and eliminate as many roadside breakdown possibilities. It has led a sheltered life, a 2.0. 74 with a lot of great options (less a/c which is ok by me).It has not been driven a lot in the past couple of years.

I was thinking:
1. It has all the original red & green hoses in the engine compartment. Replace all that stuff?
only on a need to replace basis. The colorful hoses are now all grey and black and if yours are still good do not replace. The original cloth vacuum hoses are fairly expensive as well. It is a testament to your 914 that you still have the originals installed
2. Fuel lines replace with SS kit. (who sells?)
not in a million years unless you have had welding done in the tunnel for clutch tube or floor board. The original factory lines have been well protected all of these years and are usually just fine. They are also a hassle to replace
at same time take out tank & clean it & get new fuel filter. Is there a recommended upgrade filter?
Fuel tank screen replacement, fuel tank clean out, and replacing the lower cloth fuel lines is a good move, replacing the filter is always good
3. Move fuel pump to front. (Could not find a how to type article, any help appreciated) Any recommended upgrade pump?
Do not! We have sold the factory engineers approved fuel pump relocation kit for years, but these days as 914s are not driven much on long hot trips, we see less and less vapor lock. It is a hassle to relocate and I would not do it if yours is still firmly secured to the bottom of the engine shelf. Keep that original car original!!!!

4. Clutch cable
Always a good idea, make sure you grease the new cable before installation and replace the pivot bushing in the front the fork and clevis, the 7mm nyloc nut, the boot and the banjo clip, clean the roller, lightly grease it , and make sure there is a steel wedge at the back
5. Fan belt
probably has never been replaced because it is hidden away. Good idea. It is 10x965
6. Check brake parts & replace/rebuild as necessary.
Absolutely do not take the brakes apart unless there is a problem. Only flush the system with ate blue brake fluid

I want to keep the car pretty much stock so not looking for big brake upgrades or such. But should I use a bigger Mastery cylinder like the one on the early 911?
no 17 mm cylinder is just right for the car. 19mm increases pedal effort

Any other recommendations appreciated. I've been reading up on the car via a number of threads here & thru the Haynes shop book.
valve adjust oil change transmission oil change distributor service and front wheel bearing repack and change the air filter. Check the car over in general including lights and tire pressure.

And lastly, buy the book 914 tech tips 700 and read it cover to cover.

Oh yeah, any other 914 guys/guru's in the Augusta,GA area or in nearby SC or other places reasonably close by? Couldnt figure how to search the memebr list by area.

Thanks,
George

[Super90]

Great site fellows and great guys giving good info. Thanks very much. Keep any comments coming---ALL information happily soaked up.

Look forward to becoming a member of the 914 group. I have been a 356'er for decades but had some 914's in the earlier years. Here are some pics in response to the requests. The S90's & the 2.0.

These are NOT trailer queens. They are driven all the time. I just did a 4400 mile round trip in the green car to Park City, UT & back to GA.

Looking forward to meeting some of you folks and driving my car. Thanks guys. All the best, George

[Bleyseng]

I would replace all the rubber hose fuel line with the Porsche rubber coated high pressure fuel injection line and the clamps with the OEM style ones. I hate using the 5/16s stuff when you can get quality stuff still.
The red and green vacuum hoses I would check for hard ends and just cut off a little bit to ensure its a good tight fit. You can get the German grey colored hose at a Porsche dealer in all the right sizes, don't use some crappy rubber stuff.
Replace the big hose pieces on the intake manifold to runners.
Replace the injector seals
Pull the gas tank and clean it and replace all the fuel lines there plus the tank screen.
Replace the rubber connection hose at the fuelpump
Replace the clutch cable and grease the wheel and bearing
Replace the accel cable as they do snap with a Terry cable
Replace the shifter bushings with a kit so its shifts right and the little cone screws and order a couple extra to keep in the car as they do fall out.
Replace the alt belt
Change the oil to Brad Penn and filter
Change the rubber brake lines and bleed the system several times to get all the air and old fluid out. Pvalve is a bitch to clear out. If the brake calipers are rusty and sticking send em to Eric Shea to rebuild properly and restore.
Clean the grounds on the engine, tranny strap and FI grounds...
Go thru the heating system to make sure its all there and sealed or you will smell exhaust....best to find Stainless Steel Heat exchangers if its doesn't have em....tons better heat.
Check the front wheel bearings for adjustment, regrease and adjust.
Once you get the 914 in good driving shape, take off!
I perfer to have good shocks (Konis) and 205x50 high quality tires as it makes for a nicer driving experience especially at Freeway speeds. These cars love cornering and freeway driving.
Geoff

[brant]

Pull the rocker covers off
clean out the mud that is packed into the jack points
this is an annual necessity
you may want to treat or address any rust that has already started in there.
(most new 1st owners find out that there is a ton of fram rust they didn't know about before they bought the car... hopefully you don't find that)

brant

[McMark]

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif)

There's a ton of stuff to go through and check, but #1 and #2 would be all new fuel lines and PMB rebuilt calipers, new rubber lines (not SS braided), and a new MC (check out the Member vendors section. GPR has 17mm master cylinders on sale).

[Super90]

The concensus so far is if it aint broke don't fix it?

Would most agree then:
-To nip the ends off the orig hoses and reinstall.
-Clean tank & tank filter.
-Flush brake system & consider replacing stock rubber hoses with OE if needed.
-Clutch cable & throttle cable, fan belt - all new
-Bell crank service
-Front wheel bearing service

George, I may just bring it over after some initial checks & just have you do a full service, get a few pointers & small needed parts after I spend some time getting to know it here. I want to do some beauty work like put the Fuchs back to the alu wheel colored lip as orig, a little cleaning, and maybe a set of tires.

-Dunlop195/60's should be OK on the stock Fuchs wheel?

-I run Brad Penn 20/50 and Swepco 201 in my S90's...no problems in the 914?

Thank you all very much. Any other tips---keep them coming.

Regards,
George

[realred914]

The concensus so far is if it aint broke don't fix it?

Would most agree then:
-To nip the ends off the orig hoses and reinstall.
-Clean tank & tank filter.
-Flush brake system & consider replacing stock rubber hoses with OE if needed.
-Clutch cable & throttle cable, fan belt - all new
-Bell crank service
-Front wheel bearing service

George, I may just bring it over after some initial checks & just have you do a full service, get a few pointers & small needed parts after I spend some time getting to know it here. I want to do some beauty work like put the Fuchs back to the alu wheel colored lip as orig, a little cleaning, and maybe a set of tires.

-Dunlop195/60's should be OK on the stock Fuchs wheel?

-I run Brad Penn 20/50 and Swepco 201 in my S90's...no problems in the 914?

Thank you all very much. Any other tips---keep them coming.

Regards,
George

first off you have some sweet cars there!!!! I got a C Coupe myself, but had the 914's first, (actaully a Bug first, did you ever have a Bug?)

yeah wheel bearings, test for tightness look for dirty discolored grease, if the grease looks fine and adjustment is correct, I'd not fell the immediate need to relube them, unless I had some spare time, else it can wait. if they are too tight of loose, or grease looks old, then for sure time to do them.
Rear bearings are sealed, maintanece free, plus they are near impossibel to remove without destroying them, and they are expensive, so leave the rears along unless you know there are bad.

For nipping off the ends of the hoses, ok for the vacuum lines, that often works, and since the colored hose is hard to find, if only the ends is bad, then thats a good idea (I have done that many a times on my cars)

For the fuel hoses, if they are original, forget, it, replace them, you want this to be a driver, the new fuels will rot out even new hose unless it is of the lined type (30R9) and it will rot out old original hoses much faster no matter how pretty they look on the outside, get rid of the near 40 year old original lines for safety sake!

the plastic hard fuel lines are often fine, unless physically damaged or contaminated with battery acid (reason for an early factory recall)

since this is a driver and will be getting wet, be sure to have an Optima sealed battery installed, these 914's make the 356 battery tray rust seem like a nice dream, the 914 battery induced rust can be a nightmare car killer. the acid flows into the lower portion of the enigne bay (the hell hole) and eats into the firewall and rocker soon the car falls in half! an Optima battery will prevent this from ever happening. Since it is unknown if acid is already down in the hell hole or not, rinse that area and everything below the battery in a baking soda wash.

note the nylon hard fuel lines under the battery. if sulfuric acid hits them, the nylon is quickly weakened, very suseptable to cracking under low stress.

Brakes, well same rule for any old car, at minimum on a new to me car, i flush them, if black gunk flows out, i know I will need to dig deeper, if the fluid was maintaned by prior owners, then a full rebuild is not warrented failing to find any leaks or poor braking perfromance. the rubber hoses are an item that age, inspect for cracks, replace if any exterior defects, note they can (like on the 356) swell on the inside, acting as a check valve when brakes are applied, dragging and over heated brakes are a symptom of this.

I would not bother cleaning the fuel tank if you got clean fuel filters and inspection with a flashlight shows no problems, if the filter is full of rust, AND subsequent new filters rapidly fill with rust, then that is a thing to do, why make more work if it aint got a probelm? I have run cars that had rusty tanks, I go thru a half dozen filters each taking longer to fill up with rust. I would periodicaly run some of the gasoline dryer (anhydrous alchohol) in that tank to remove any water, hence stopping further rust. So if it is not bad rust, you can still live with it for some long time so long as youremove the water that is causeing it and keep he filters clean. the pump is after the filter, so the pump is protected.

check all your lights for function, specially brake lights, the switch is at the pedle cluster, not at the master cylinder like the 356, clean the fuses much as you would on the 356 note two more fuses are in the engine bay in the black box behind driver firewall


clear drain holes for water in the headlight buckets, often clogged with leaves.
remove the lower outerrocker screws to allow outer rocker to swing away so you can remove any debries caked up mud that is caught there this is a rust issue, a few times a year run the hose up behind the outer rocker to keep it clear of mud buildup.

Lube all the hinges and locks, graphite in the key holes.
make sure you fans work, dash and engine bay heater fans) if noisey or is speed control dont wwork (dash fan only) then report back and we can assisst in repair advice.

these cars are really pretty reliable, and short of the fuel lines going bad or brakes failures, i would not worry too much, they are fairly well made.

Of course on a new used car, an oil and filter change is a good idea and get the valves adjusted, plugs and plug wires checked, timing checked, all basic tune up stuff.

but as for any old car I highly recommend an emergency kit containing at least the largest fire extingusher you can fit, flashlight, flares or reflectors, jump suit or carpet to lay on, spare bulbs, fuses, oil, the round relays used through out the car, the Haynes 914 repair book, gloves, basic metric tools, wire and jumper cables, Vee belt, abiling wire, tape, spare scews and nuts, etc... I even carry spare gas. and remember channel 9 is your emergency channel. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/av-943.gif)

DRIVE IT!!! and HAVE FUN!!!

ps those tires will fit fine, and I run 20W-50 brad penn in my 914's and VW's and 356, redline in my tranny.

[qa1142]

My list went like this

Brakes - make sure it will STOP - just do all 4 corners

Fire extinguisher - keep one handy

Rubber fuel lines - cheap insurance

Start driving it and work from there (IMG:style_emoticons/default/aktion035.gif)

[Drums66]

...& make sure you use a rubber (IMG:style_emoticons/default/poke.gif)
I mean that you are riding on good rubber!
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/flag.gif) good tire's make a big difference(on the overall ride)
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/boldblue.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/thumb3d.gif)

Super90........some fine 356's

[914 shifter]

check your tires, and put out fires [extinguisher] on board (IMG:style_emoticons/default/unsure.gif)

[Tom_T]

The concensus so far is if it aint broke don't fix it?

Would most agree then:
-To nip the ends off the orig hoses and reinstall.
-Clean tank & tank filter.
-Flush brake system & consider replacing stock rubber hoses with OE if needed.
-Clutch cable & throttle cable, fan belt - all new
-Bell crank service
-Front wheel bearing service

George, I may just bring it over after some initial checks & just have you do a full service, get a few pointers & small needed parts after I spend some time getting to know it here. I want to do some beauty work like put the Fuchs back to the alu wheel colored lip as orig, a little cleaning, and maybe a set of tires.

-Dunlop195/60's should be OK on the stock Fuchs wheel?

-I run Brad Penn 20/50 and Swepco 201 in my S90's...no problems in the 914?

Thank you all very much. Any other tips---keep them coming.

Regards,
George

George, with all of the great suggestions above - the true test of what's really needed will be a hands-on inspection & check-out by you as you go through & initially test drive the car. Also check back through the PO's service records too as a first step, so you can ascertain what was done in what timeframe, then go from there with your inspection results.

I'd check for rotted fuel lines before you fire it up first though, as they can get pretty crusty & then it's engine fire time! ... ditto for the brake lines (rubber hoses). However, even some driving in recent years may indicate that they're relatively fresh replacements & even occasional use helps keep them good a little longer.

As for tires - depending upon how original you want to be, & how much you want to thin out your wallet, but 195/60's will give you a larger speedo/odo error than others available out there, such as -

> 195/65HR15 would be the most readily available & economical "modern size" tire with the least speedo/odo error (1.6% IIRC),

> but Vredestein & a few others still sell 165(/80)HR15 - which was the original factory recco size (Zero error - Vreds are about $107 & tubeless, Michi XAS are $250+ with tubes),

> or you can really thin out the wallet with the old school/back-in-the-day Porsche high performance tire option on the 914-6 & 914/4's of Michelin XWX 185/75VR15 tubeless (0.8% error IIRC) at $400+ apiece! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif)

There's more good info in the Wheels & Tires nailed topic in the Originality & History forum here, & a tire error calculator in the 914 info section link at the top of the page.
Lastly - unless I missed it, nobody mentioned battery check/replacement, which should be at least a good sealed lead/acid wet cell (I've had good service out of Interstate), or the Optima gell cell, or dry cell types - whenever they need replaced.

A full battery top cover & acid absorbing pad are good ideas, as well as regular checks & immediate attention to any leaks, since acid leaks can wash over the fuel lines & cause fuel leaks onto the hot motor, which equals engine fire!

You can call PCNA's Customer Care dept. & check if there was ever the HO Recall done on your 914 & if not, then they'll do the cover & change out all engine bay fuel hoses for free as part of that recall - yes, even today (I've got my letter from PCNA to do my 73 2L when it's up & running again). Same for anyone else out there, since it applies to all years & models/engines (except conversions I would presume), so long as it wasn't done before.

Also absolutely carry an extinguisher to avoid (IMG:style_emoticons/default/yikes.gif) moments!


(IMG:style_emoticons/default/welcome.png)

.... and BTW, it looks like somebody took a yellow spray can to the back of your new 914-2.0 buddy! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

[r_towle]

new rubber flexible barke lines is a must safety issue.
they are cheap.

Rich

[Madswede]

Look forward to becoming a member of the 914 group. I have been a 356'er for decades but had some 914's in the earlier years. Here are some pics in response to the requests. The S90's & the 2.0.

These are NOT trailer queens. They are driven all the time. I just did a 4400 mile round trip in the green car to Park City, UT & back to GA.

Looking forward to meeting some of you folks and driving my car. Thanks guys. All the best, George

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/cool.gif) George, did you perchance just buy and pick up that 914 in New Mexico? The plate sort of looks like our older plates, and I think I saw a car very much like that for sale in Las Cruces, down south by El Paso, TX. Just curious.

The S90's look great! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/drooley.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/shades.gif)

Cheers, Nelson