'81 911 SC Oil leak question / Looking for mechanic Options

[rjames]

Sorry if I've posted this in the wrong forum, admins please move if necessary.

I have a cousin who's husband just died of cancer. He owned an '81 911 SC Targa that has just under 100k miles on it. He drove it sparingly up until about 10+ years ago when he parked it in the garage and it sat. Last November he had the engined 'worked on' so he could start driving it again. He then drove it regularly for 6 months up until May when he passed away.

In the last 6 months it has sat without being driven, ~90% of the oil leaked out. Upon quick inspection it looks like it had oil leaks from the pushrod tubes and the valve covers, but the bulk of the leak looks like it was coming from the front of the engine. I only had a vew minutes to crawl under it with only the light from my phone. Oil tank and cooler were clean.

I'm trying to help my cousin assess it's value (in part to detirmine if I should buy it). I've told her to find a good mechanic to get an asessement before moving forward on anything and if possible, try and find out what the last mechanic did to it.

Questions:
Would a bad main seal cause that much oil to leak in 6 months?

Anyone know a good Porsche mechanic in Spokane, Wa I can refer her to?

[Jeffs9146]

If it has oil feed chain tensioners I would check the nuts where the hoses bolt together! The one by the distributor was loose on mine! It is behind the distributer so it is kind of tough to see!

[barefoot]

Sorry if I've posted this in the wrong forum, admins please move if necessary.

I have a cousin who's husband just died of cancer. He owned an '81 911 SC Targa that has just under 100k miles on it. He drove it sparingly up until about 10+ years ago when he parked it in the garage and it sat. Last November he had the engined 'worked on' so he could start driving it again. He then drove it regularly for 6 months up until May when he passed away.

In the last 6 months it has sat without being driven, ~90% of the oil leaked out. Upon quick inspection it looks like it had oil leaks from the pushrod tubes and the valve covers, but the bulk of the leak looks like it was coming from the front of the engine. I only had a vew minutes to crawl under it with only the light from my phone. Oil tank and cooler were clean.

I'm trying to help my cousin assess it's value (in part to detirmine if I should buy it). I've told her to find a good mechanic to get an asessement before moving forward on anything and if possible, try and find out what the last mechanic did to it.

Questions:
Would a bad main seal cause that much oil to leak in 6 months?

Anyone know a good Porsche mechanic in Spokane, Wa I can refer her to?

By the front, do you mean front car wise, or fan belt end of engine ?
My SC had a leaking oil pressure sender which is mounted on top of engine behind fan and all the CIS injection stuff.
Of course you can't get to this thing without dropping the engine. However I don't think oil would leak out there with the car just sitting, but mine was an easy fix

[rjames]

Sorry if I've posted this in the wrong forum, admins please move if necessary.

I have a cousin who's husband just died of cancer. He owned an '81 911 SC Targa that has just under 100k miles on it. He drove it sparingly up until about 10+ years ago when he parked it in the garage and it sat. Last November he had the engined 'worked on' so he could start driving it again. He then drove it regularly for 6 months up until May when he passed away.

In the last 6 months it has sat without being driven, ~90% of the oil leaked out. Upon quick inspection it looks like it had oil leaks from the pushrod tubes and the valve covers, but the bulk of the leak looks like it was coming from the front of the engine. I only had a vew minutes to crawl under it with only the light from my phone. Oil tank and cooler were clean.

I'm trying to help my cousin assess it's value (in part to detirmine if I should buy it). I've told her to find a good mechanic to get an asessement before moving forward on anything and if possible, try and find out what the last mechanic did to it.

Questions:
Would a bad main seal cause that much oil to leak in 6 months?

Anyone know a good Porsche mechanic in Spokane, Wa I can refer her to?

By the front, do you mean front car wise, or fan belt end of engine ?
My SC had a leaking oil pressure sender which is mounted on top of engine behind fan and all the CIS injection stuff.
Of course you can't get to this thing without dropping the engine. However I don't think oil would leak out there with the car just sitting, but mine was an easy fix

Front as in towards the front of the car.

[SLITS]

When an assdragger engine sits, the case fills with oil as the supply is at a higher level.

So, it could be the rear main seal

And when you say it leaked out 90% of the 8+ quarts in the system ... how did you measure that? That would be a LOT of oil on the floor. Pour a quart on the floor and see how far it spreads.

[rjames]

When an assdragger engine sits, the case fills with oil as the supply is at a higher level.

So, it could be the rear main seal

And when you say it leaked out 90% of the 8+ quarts in the system ... how did you measure that? That would be a LOT of oil on the floor. Pour a quart on the floor and see how far it spreads.

Was thinking rear main seal myself. Good question on the amount of oil. I only know that the drip pan used to catch the oil had a lot of oil in it and the dipstick had zero oil on it. BTW, I of course dropped the dipstick in the oil tank. What a horrible design that thing is.

[SLITS]

The dipstick will show a very low level. As stated the oil drains into the engine sump.

You can only check oil level in a 911 engine up to temp, at idle and on level ground. Oil from the case is pumped back into the oil tank.

I changed oil in my six once and forgot to drain the sump .... put 8 quarts in the tank and came out about 3 - 4 quarts overfull after starting the engine and it hadn't sat as long as you are talking about.

Just food for thought.

[rjames]

Good info. Thanks, everyone.

Wish I had easy access to the car. It's 5 hours away and I don't have plans to be out there anytime again soon, but I can pass all of this info along.
I have first option to buy it, should my cousing deside to sell. I only get one old car to dump money into though, and I'm not sure I want to give up my affair with the 914 just yet, or the $ I would have to spend to buy it. $18-$22k seems to be the going price for an '81 SC in very good condition.

Any left-coasters have a recommendation for a mechanic in spokane? Longshot, I know....

[r_towle]

call Emory Motorsports in Portland, they should know who is around Spokane.

Also, ask about a mechanic on the pelican parts 911 board.

Rich

[cary]

http://www.alpinemotorcarsllc.com/porscherepairspokane.html

These are the guys that most folks have done business with on Pelican.
Never used them when I lived in MT.
But heard good things.

[rjames]

Thanks for all of the info, everyone!