Spiel

Learning from the fountain of Porsche knowledge, Allan Caldwell talking about his Sunflower Yellow 1973 Porsche 914-2.0 technicians and to get answers to the questions you'd always wanted to ask. The sessions were so interesting it was hard to move between the stations because there were so many interesting questions that continued during and after lunch. I sought out a Barrier technician to ask a question that I'd been curious about for a while. Internet "wisdom" suggested replacing 997 coils at 40,000 miles, with worrying reports of cracking and premature failure. Tim was surprised, apart from coil upgrades that are available for 996 models and the lower lifespan for coils on 997 Turbos, Barrier seldom sees ignition coil failures. You'd think there was an epidemic of premature failure from reading Internet forums. Here are a few more "I didn't know that's" from a tour of the stations: Tires Tire Tidbits: • Tires typically have a 6-year life span. Good luck getting them to last that long. • It is not uncommon for Barrier to reject a new tire when they mount and balance that tire on their "RFM" machine. • To get the most accurate balance when you are having your tires balanced, make sure the operator has the balancer tolerance set to ZERO! Most tire stores have the tolerance set high so they can balance tires quickly. • Tires have the manufacture date on the sidewall - useful to check when buying a used car. • Porsche certified N-rated tires are not necessarily the same as the brand and model that is NOT N-rated. You should install the same N-rated tires on all four wheels. • Emergency tire sealant has a shelf life of about 4 years. Replace it on that schedule. Fluids Oil - Starting in 2010 a Porsche measures its oil level continually using sonar. The sonar sensor is mounted in the oil pan and sends a JULY 2013 45 www.pnwr.org If you get a puncture, plan on replacing at least one tire. Porsche recommends that the wear on tires on the same axle be within 30% of each other. Since Porsche does NOT recommend repairing damaged tires, this means that if your tires are more than 30% worn, then you will need to replace both the damaged tire and the other worn tire on that axle. If you're fortunate enough to drive an AWD Porsche including a 911 Turbo, you'll get to enjoy four new tires every time you damage one! Also, if you use the tire sealant, you'll destroy the TPMS sensor, so that will need to be replaced also. Moral of this story: if you get a puncture, call Roadside Assistance. If you get a warning from the tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS), pay attention! Most blowouts are the result of low tire pressure. Low tire pressure or a flat tire can be difficult to spot on a Porsche without a tire gauge because most Porsche's come with low profile tires that have strong sidewalls. Note: TPMS batteries last about 4 years, Porsche dealers and owners of a Durametric diagnostic tool can check the remaining battery life of each TPMS sensor. Did you know that mounting a new tire isn't just about putting it on the rim and balancing it? Road Force Measurement is a way of measuring the load exerted on a tire all around the circumference. Deviations in tire construction and in the shape of the wheel can change the load on the tire and cause vibration. The "RFM" tool that Barrier Porsche uses to mount tires will determine the optimum placement of the tire on the rim to give even road force around the circumference. And there I was thinking that it was simply putting the tire on the wheel and balancing it!

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