911 servicing question - Page 2 - 911/Carrera GT - PistonHeads UK

I bought my 997.1 seven years ago and it's been serviced regularly, but it doesn't do many miles, I've done about 40k in it and it's at 115k now. I'm about to book it in for a major service at an indy nearby. My question is re additional service items that are needed after X miles or Y years - specifically plugs, need replacing every 60k or 4 years. Also drive belt, 60k or 6 years. I had the plugs done 4 years and 20k ago and drive belt done 5 years and 25k ago. Obviously I'll ask the garage what they recommend, but what's the general consensus here on these items. I don't want to get them done unnecessarily, not least because it'll add at least £400 to the bill.

Both items are time dependent as well as mileage because the plugs can seize in the heads and the belts can perish. For the sake of £400, and to keep the car in top fettle, why would you not do them?

Of course I'll do them if they're needed, I'm just curious as to why belts, for example, might perish after relatively few miles on a car that's kept garaged and generally only driven in dry weather. I'm also expecting that other items will need attending to, the suspension being one of them, and the costs overall will be mounting up.

Rubber deteriorates with age, regardless of storage conditions or mileage, that's why there's a time limit on the belts. They crack and can then fail.

Twinfan said: Rubber deteriorates with age, regardless of storage conditions or mileage, that's why there's a time limit on the belts. They crack and can then fail. It varies between manufacturer. Some modern belts have a service life of 10 years and/or xxxx miles. Plus these are not belts under significant stress and load, unlike a timing belt found in other engines.

Twinfan said: Both items are time dependent as well as mileage because the plugs can seize in the heads and the belts can perish. For the sake of £400, and to keep the car in top fettle, why would you not do them? Because if they don't need doing, why would you chuck the planet's limited resources into landfill?

Define "don't need doing" if Porsche say every 4 or 6 years and the OP says they were done 4 and 5 years ago respectively? The plugs are metal and can probably be recycled. If you're running a petrol 911 sports car are you really concerned about a couple of belts in landfill?

TwinExit said: It varies between manufacturer. Some modern belts have a service life of 10 years and/or xxxx miles. Plus these are not belts under significant stress and load, unlike a timing belt found in other engines. That may be the case, but Porsche say 6 years and we're talking about a Porsche 911 here.

Twinfan said: The plugs are metal and can probably be recycled. If you're running a petrol 911 sports car are you really concerned about a couple of belts in landfill? Surely if I'm running a petrol 911 I would be even more careful to waste as little as possible. I never understood the excuse '...it's only one xxx it won't make any difference.'

Quite apart from the landfill question, I have to admit that I'm not your typical Porsche owner, ready and willing to throw endless bundles of cash at the car on a whim, or because I fancy a different exhaust note this week. I'd like to keep the car in as good a condition as I'm able to, however if a component isn't even half way through it's lifespan, it doesn't make sense to me to replace it. Anyway, thanks for all the comments, no doubt the garage will look at the belts and tell me whether or not they're about to dissolve into shreds.

Bluesgirl said: Quite apart from the landfill question, I have to admit that I'm not your typical Porsche owner, ready and willing to throw endless bundles of cash at the car on a whim, or because I fancy a different exhaust note this week. I'd like to keep the car in as good a condition as I'm able to, however if a component isn't even half way through it's lifespan, it doesn't make sense to me to replace it. Totally. I only wish more people shared your view.

I would probably get the belt changed. But more likely with less use and the age you might find other things need sorting ie water pump or tandem pump. Along with a coolant change & hoses. Mine is a 2007 and the coolant hoses certainly play on my mind for sorting along with suspension / chassis parts and brake lines. Our cars are old by todays motors tbh. Even if its been driven in sunny days during summer parts eventually fail.

I guess if you don’t do them this year, how long do you plan to leave it? 1 more year, 3 more years, 5 more years? Is the delay worth it? For me if it says it needs doing AND the risk of a failure is disproportionate to the cost of the maintenance then it’s a no brainer to do it for peace of mind and a delay to spending money I’d hope you’d be considering spending anyway in the next 1 or 2 years. Anything that means I’m less likely to be left with a steaming mess by the side of the road due to a bust belt or a plug that has donated some fragments of itself to be ingested into my engine makes me spend the cash to avoid that outcome. Especially as my car gets older and generally more prone to failures.

Bluesgirl said: Quite apart from the landfill question, I have to admit that I'm not your typical Porsche owner, ready and willing to throw endless bundles of cash at the car on a whim, or because I fancy a different exhaust note this week. I'd like to keep the car in as good a condition as I'm able to, however if a component isn't even half way through it's lifespan, it doesn't make sense to me to replace it. Anyway, thanks for all the comments, no doubt the garage will look at the belts and tell me whether or not they're about to dissolve into shreds. I'm with you on the not throwing endless bundles of cash at the car however, keeping the engine in rude health is one of the most cost-effective things you can do to any car, let alone a 911 so be wary of skimping now and paying for it later. I bought my '05 997 on just over 70k miles in 2011 and when I sold her in January (sniff sniff) she was just coming up on 113k. In that time she wanted for nothing service-wise, and I even went so far as to have the oil changed as close to yearly as possible. Mainly because while the mileage was accrued at a fairly low rate, I did drive her pretty hard once warmed up and my indy always inspected the oil for particles, which can warn on impending IMS / Scoring issues. I reckon you could skip the Spark Plugs this year and get them done next year (you say 'serviced regularly' - do you mean yearly, or 'on schedule' which is every two years?) but get the belt done. It's already a year overdue, and not much on top of the major service cost in terms of either parts or labour, plus it might alert issues with either tensioners or auxiliary pulleys, which might not otherwise be detected until it was too late.

Check the condition of the coils (corrosion/splitting) - they will lead to poor running and misfires eventually Check emissions readings - old lambdas lead to poor running and misfires - also they become impossible to remove if left too many decades Engine mounts - are your exhaust tips central in the bumper cut outs? If sagged they are due, and will improve gearchange feels. Good time to uprate.. Oil fill tube - Lift off air filter housing and check for perishing underneath the bellows - will cause very bad running and can fail abruptly, and they don't last very long - cheap part too. ACF50 the front to rear coolant hose joints - they corrode eventually and require steering rack etc removal to replace.. (expensive labour hours) - this is good preventative action. Time for a low temperature thermostat if you haven't already (assuming it's a gen1) HH Source: my one. Edited by Pistonsquirter on Wednesday 19th April 10:29

The car gets serviced every 2 years, but I do an oil and filter change every year in addition. It's had a partial rebuild at Hartech (before I bought it) and so has had a low temp thermostat fitted. Oil filler tube, brake pipes and clutch replaced last year. Incidentally the belt isn't a year overdue (Stig?). Anyway, I'll let the garage do their thing and see what's what. I know the suspension needs work as that was an advisory last year. I suppose that could be a short list or a long list.

Bluesgirl said: Incidentally the belt isn't a year overdue (Stig?). Crikey, you're right - I was sure it was every 4 years. Guess that's because mine was replaced at both the Major services I had during my ownership due to wear, but checking the schedule it says 'Inspect every 4 years, Replace every six unless wear', or some similar yada yada...

Orangecurry said: Twinfan said: The plugs are metal and can probably be recycled. If you're running a petrol 911 sports car are you really concerned about a couple of belts in landfill? Surely if I'm running a petrol 911 I would be even more careful to waste as little as possible. I never understood the excuse '...it's only one xxx it won't make any difference.' I think you might possibly be on the wrong forum

Charlie_1 said: think you might possibly be on the wrong forum Whoops sorry. Do you work for the Daily Mail?

Orangecurry said: Charlie_1 said: think you might possibly be on the wrong forum Whoops sorry. Do you work for the Daily Mail? LOL I dont think I have read one of those for about 20 years but from what I understand they are as far as you can get from what I believe , im going to guess it would be the same for me and you but thats fine because free world etc but tone of your original post was very hectoring and I dont agree with anyone being told what do based on someone else's beliefs

Charlie_1 said: ....I dont agree with anyone being told what do based on someone else's beliefs So why did you tell me I was on the wrong forum?

Orangecurry said: Charlie_1 said: ....I dont agree with anyone being told what do based on someone else's beliefs So why did you tell me I was on the wrong forum? Well this is a forum to discuss cars whether good/bad/cheap/expensive and perhaps find out info , not to be lectured on the earths limited resources , there must be forums for people interested in that wouldn't you feel happier there & not feel you need to try & tell people what to do

...whooooooosh......