I've seen a number of you 6 guys cut a hole in the rear firewall for reaching the engine for timing. Is this necessary? not necessary but nice? not needed? Doing the rustoration on my teener right now and the 6 is forthcoming. Now would be the time to do it.

Is your 3.2 Motronic? If so, there is no adjustable timing.

However, an access panel in the firewall would be a good thing if your belt were to ever break.

Replacement of the belt in the car would be a nightmare. I would probably drop my engine to do it. I never have cut a hole for the access plate. I change the belt every time I have the engine out regardless of condition.

just my humble opinions.

I would just drop the engine, but then again, I don't race wheel to wheel, and if you have a race day and you're out there and your belt breaks you may need that access panel.

just a good idea......
i cut one this year
after trying to tighten a belt with the engine in.....unsucessfully
twice
and wrecking the pulley from undertightening
there may be a couple of guys who will say not to....
but trust me it is just
a good idea.....

Boxsters have one... why not?

I put one in my teener for access to remove my belt.

I also had to modify my mount so the belt would easily slip on and off.
It is now relatively painless to carry a spare belt and to change it out.

Ron

You're all wierd. 18 years I have owned like 7-9 converted sixes and never had to cut holes anywhere to change a belt. I agree not the easiest thing in the world to do, but go spend $25 on a couple of hand tools that work and fit in the space provided. I have had to change my fair share of belts too.

I have only one comment on this thread....

IT IS CALLED A FIREWALL FOR A REASON! IF YOU HAVE AN ENGINE FIRE, YOU WILL NOT WANT A HOLE IN THAT PANEL!!!!!

I really think its only needed on race cars
I have had my panel off multiple times at the track
of course I've also had my tranny out and my motor dropped multiple times at the track... (Once I dropped the motor 3 times at the track and still finished the day)

but seriously its a race thing...
If I had an original -6 I wouldn't cut it

Crumbs -how often do belts break?

On this subject, Clay and I agree 100%. Besides, I remember seeing only ONE broken 911 fan belt in all the years I've been servicing them.

I repeat...
BOXSTERS HAVE ONE, WHY NOT?

Here is another view of an access window...

Click to view attachment

Just because it has an access hole does mean it cannot still be a firewall. Look at Brant's for example. Fire isn't going to shoot through there just because a cover is screwed on vs. an uncut wall. Leaving the hole open might be silly, but an appropriate cover isn't dangerous.

It's not just when a belt breaks.....................what about preventative maintenance? If you want to chasnge your belts once a year you can either drop the engine,struggle with limited access or cut the access panel. I know which one I'm going to do.........................

I'll drop the engine + do the valves at the same time. clean behind the tank etc

I cut the hole and made a stainless cover for it. Belts break man. It would be very foolish to leave it open.

I got tons of tools - a shop full of them. Please point me to the $25.00 tool that will allow me access to the belt without dropping the motor.

I just figured - damn, why not. It's better safe than sorry. I may never pull that cover off, but if I need to, I will be glad its there...

oh yes one more........

I cut one .... guess I'm not a professional Porsche mechanic ....

By the time the fire burns through the plate, backpad and reaches the location of my body, I will have been out of the car for a LONG period of time with a fire extinguisher in my hands.

Oh, and long before it burns through the plate the back window is gonna shatter and flames leap in the cabin.

Not that it's all that hard, but some of you are saying you would pull out both seats, a backpad and a cover to change out a belt? If a belt got hosed up on the road, please no offense intended, I wouldn't want 2/3rds of my interior laying around for others to see. Emabarassing enough to be working on a car broken down with on-lookers (Traffic), worse to have it look completely torn appart.

Track car folks, sure go ahead. Street car dudes, again, you're wierd.

If you actually have the correct pulleys (Like NOT ones for AC or Air pumps with dual channels), the Porsche tool kit comes with what you need to change it out.

Ok I am considering doing this as well. It will be a dual purpose track/street car, but most likely without having the back pad installed.

So this gives you...

* Easier to change belt
* Easier to set timing on non-motronic engines.

Anything else?

On non-motronic engines you mark your flywheel and use that for timing. There is a notch in the top of the 901 for viewing the timing marks.

I'm not sure the access panel makes setting the timing easier, you can't reach the distributor from inside, and I'm not sure I would want to rev the engine to 6000+ with my legs near the shifter while facing backwards.

When I set my timing, I can reach the distirbutor (carefully), I can see my timing marks on the flywheel, and I have access to the throttle linkage to rev the engine all from within the engine bay. With the access panel, I would think it would require two people, or a lot of back and forth.

-Justin

I'm weird.

Umm, yeah! Too funny, I was waiting for you to post something like that.

Of course there's not a six behind there

1/8" aluminum is quite a bit stronger than the stock firewall, so no worries