I've inherited a 914 (see my sig for details) and am preparing to start it again after 8+ years of sitting. It's got 101,187 miles on the OD and 4 flat tires. Visible rust is minimal but I haven't dug under battery yet so still some unknowns. It's a SoCal car so there's hope.

It's on jack stands and I'm reading up on what I should do before I see if this runs again. My goal is to first make sure the engine doesn't become a money-pit before I move on and spend money elsewhere on the car. I figured with some basic parts I have a chance of seeing if this will run again.

Here are some details and questions:

• When car last ran, it had a fuel leak at one of the injectors. I likely know which one as there's a rubber glove tied around it... nice I know. I was planning on replacing the injector gaskets on all the injectors before I start. Don't want a fire.
  
• Fuel lines from tank to pump looks to have been replaced already. I'll prob replace them again but not till later.
  
• Replacing spark plugs (will replace other ignition parts to fix spark issues or sometime shortly after engine is running again)
  
• Replacing oil/filter
  
• Gas Tank: There is gas in the tank (about half tank).
  • How do I tell fuel is bad? It smells like gas. Do I just assume it is bad and empty it?
  • If I do, would it be good to use the fuel pump to do so as an opportunity to make sure pump is in working order?
• Pre-lubricate cylinders: I've read it's a good idea to pull the spark plugs add some Marvel Mystery Oil to the cylinders and let sit overnight before starting to prevent dry cylinder damage. The places I've read this were for V engines. With a flat-4, it doesn't seem I have gravity working for me like a V engine would. Should I still do it or is there a better way to prevent damage?

I expect to replace all other common wear/tear parts either for troubleshooting engine issues or once I get engine running and start investing time/money into the car.


Any additional thoughts or things I've missed would be helpful. Thanks!

I just ruined an engine by running it after sitting for years becasue I changed the oil and filter. The new oils contain much less zinc which helps the oil stick to surfaces like the cam, lifters and rockers. Make sure you use a high content zinc oil if you are going to change it before you run it or at least find an additive.

Thanks for the info Bruce, I haven't heard that. If you would do it over would you just top off the existing oil and add an additive? My thought was to replace with cheap oil to get it running. The car is undrivable so before I drove it and put any load on the engine I would change again with better oil.

Also, I was doing some ready on the gas leak and it looks like I have some homework on finding exactly where the leak is. The seals I assumed I would be replacing have nothing to do with gas leaks, just vapor. I'm hoping the leak is at the hose connections and not the injector body.

I suspect it may be the injector body and the primary reason the car got parked.

I just did this this month. Replace the injector O-rings, they were like $8 for the set and easy to do, i had to do the injector hoses from fuel rail as well but that was easy.
Replacing the fuel lines was cheep and easy too. I threw in an extra fuel filter just to be safe. Dump the gas, no question. The tank is easy to pull. Plugs. Put some oil down the cyls, put trans in 5th, turn the back wheel by hand just to free the rings. I was fortunate and mine fired right up. I highly recommend electronic ignition if you are gonna drive it.

Sitting for 8 years, with old gas in the tank, I'd replace ALL the rubber fuel hoses on that car, unless you like the risk of watching it shoot up in flames. Also, drain the old gas out of the tank. You can disconnect the supply line underneath the engine where it comes of the rear firewall and let it drain.

There are hoses all in the engine compartment and also under the fuel tank up front. Use high pressure 30R9 fuel hose only.

Down the center tunnel there are plastic fuel lines which may or may not need to replaced (they are usually ok in the center tunnel but they are known to crack once they come out into the engine compartment ).

The injectors can leak at the hoses/ or at the connections of the hoses to the injector/or fuel rail. They can also leak on the injector body (this means you need new injector(s) ).

And those injector O rings will have nothing to do with sealing fuel, they're for air/vaccum.

Looks like a nice find, btw.

Does the engine turn freely? If you haven't yet, put tranny in netral, take the black cap off of the fan housing, and stick a long screw driver in there to turn it, gently.
If the fan rotates, egnine is not seized or locked up.

8 year old gas is bad. drain it from access panel at steering rack. remove expansion tank from top of gas tank and visually inspect inside tank for large chunks of rust. if you see any loose rust, you will want to remove tank and have it boiled. Refinish it in VW satin black before replacing. Be sure the filter sock inside fuel outlet is also replaced, and outlet tubes are solid.

Replace fuel filter, and if its the square one, its hard to find correct replacement. You will have to stick a round filter in the sqaure bracket. Oh well.

replace every fuel line in the engine bay, clean and inspect fuel rails.

with all that, only then would i put a couple of gallons in and try to turn it over.

Not sure the gas is all that bad, when did they go to ethanol?.... can't hurt to change it, but definately the high pressure lines to the injectors and stuff, that's the source of most fires in the 914.

Regarding the oil. Old oil may have some moisture in it and it has to get hot to burn off. New oil is better but like I mentioned before about the zinc. I'd put fresh racing oil or standard stuff with a zinc additive.

Looks like a good find, with most of the original stuff there (even the period radio), with a bit of rust work etc. to do.

Before you start it, do as the others have said - change all of the soft lines in the fuel system, put the injectors in some degummer to clear the varnish/etc. & reinstall with new seals & rubber bits with correct clamps (these run at fairly hi pressure - 29 psi +/- ), check the fuel pump operation & check for leaks/pressure, & change the filter.

When you pull & empty the tank (use the old gas in a lawnmower if you dare), check it for the rust & have it boiled/resealed/restored & then change out the mesh filter "sock" & the rubber lines.

You'll probably want to do all the typical tune-up items and perhaps the ignition wire/boot sets, fresh battery & clean/check all connections. Then free the cylinders as others noted above. Check the plugs & regap or replace, new dizzy cap, rotor, points, condenser & oh yes - these also have a set of EFI points too, as well as checking the misc. relays, regulators & coil for proper ops. Also change out the air filter - unless it's a washable K&N too, so you get good air flow. Fresh hi-zinc oil appropriate for our vintage 914s & a new filter makes sense, as well as looking for any obvious leaks, since these are really air/oil cooled engines.

Don't try to run it until you've got it all set right, since the 8+ years of sitting has allowed everything to deteriorate, and you may cause more damage (read more cost to you) by being impatient or incomplete in your rejuvenation of the drivetrain systems, resulting in damage or a flaming hulk!

While you can try to start it up stationary at this point, don't try driving it until you change out all the brake soft lines, check MC & calipers' operation, change out the brake fluid & completely flush - & my guess is that you'll find that at least one caliper (or 4) & the MC will need replaced or rebuilt. Until you have good reliable brakes, don't even try driving it lest you prang it into worthlessness!

From there you can work on other mechanical & chassis/body issues to get her solid again.

Get yourself a few good repair books on the 914, 700 Tips for the 914 & Haynes manual are good starts, Auto Atlanta sells the factory manuals on CD for about $25 or so, & you can download the latest PET parts manual pdf for free from the Porsche website under their Classics section. Lotsa other resources on here - see the member vendors section too.

... errr, welcome to the madness that is!

Good Luck & Have Fun!