Technical

Brakes are not stop on a dime.
924/944/968 (1987-on) | Brakes

Model: 944, Year:1987, Mileage:167000, Type of use:Street use only
My newest 944 brakes were never stop on a dime brakes. I have two 87 944's with ABS. I recentley changed rotors, calipers, brake pads, brake fluid and put braided lines on. There is no change to the braking distance with this car. The other 944 has always had stop on a dime brakes so I know it can happen. Could this be the brake booster?

Lynda Sobus
8/18/2010 12:57:12 PM
If the brake booster is literally the last remaining item to replace, that might be it but intuition tells me there's probably something else. Starting with the basics, I'd consider the difference in the friction between the pad and rotor on both of the cars. We've done so much testing on those components alone I can tell you there are wild deviations in braking power based upon the pad/rotor combination. Most pad compounds are a compromise anyway, trying to balance dry stopping power with wear, dust, squeal, fade and wet performance - and to a lesser degree the same goes for the rotor. If you're really committed to finding the difference, try the 'good' pad/rotor set on the other car and see how it changes the braking performance. I'd do that before committing to a new booster, which isn't likely to make the change you're hoping for.

Q. I purchased my 1995 993 six years ago when it had 72k miles. It’s now at 105,000 miles, it runs great, is used only on the street and I have had no mechanical problems. Several weeks ago, however, I noticed a vibration or 'chatter' in the clutch in 1st gear, reverse, and sometimes downshifting to 2nd. The vibration occurs often, but not 100% of the time. I've reviewed the PCA data base Q&A, but I'm not sure what is going on. Do you think the problem is clutch related, dual mass flywheel, or both? J L 5/16/2010

With Porsche Parade looming and one of the favorite member events there being the Tech Quiz, we thought we would exercise your knowledge with a little Tech Quiz of our own. Here are a few questions that even the most astute Porschephile will find challenging. The answers are on the bottom of page (no cheating).

1. Who was the American importer of foreign cars credited with helping Ferry Porsche design the famous Porsche crest emblem?
A. Erwin Komenda
B. Karl Rabe
C. Ed Hugus
D. Max Hoffman

2. The first mid-engine 911 was:
A. The 935
B. Porsche would never put the engine in
the middle of a 911
C. The 959
D. The GT1

ATLANTA - May 12, 2010 - The time: seven minutes, 18 seconds on the Nürburgring-Nordschleife.The power: 620 hp. The weight: 3,020 lb (1,370 kilograms) in road trim with all fluids on board. The car: the new 2011 Porsche 911 GT2 RS.

Courtesy of Porsche AG

The latest 911 is the fastest and most powerful road-going sports car ever built in the history of Porsche. With horsepower (hp) up by 90 and weight down by 154 lbs (70 kilograms) in comparison with the previous 911 GT2, the new 911 GT2 RS has a power-to-weight ratio of just 4.9 lbs (2.21 kg) per horsepower, by far the best power/weight ratio in its class. These are the ideal ingredients for an ultra-high-performance sports car with supreme agility and truly blistering performance on the road.

Ron and denise Lewis watch from separate vantage points as Preston Rasmussen demonstrates the NAJA system. (Photo by C Kugler)You have probably heard stories from friends or may have even experienced it yourself: your right rear tire is wearing strangely but the alignment appears to be okay; or your car looks fine but it just doesn’t feel or drive right. In the past the tools the repair industry had to work with forced shops to “guess” whether suspension or frame components were within original “spec”. With the rapid improvement in computer capability, manufacturers began modeling all the key frame and suspension points and created chassis databases for each car. This allowed for perfect measuring locations and the data has now filtered down for use at the repair shop level.

On display, a set of factory tools worth “big money” for use on the latest Porsche engines. (Photo by C Kugler)Piggy backing on the New Member Breakfast, we took advantage of the hospitality of Porsche of Reno’s Service Manager, Jeff Leathers, in providing our members with the first tech session of the year. The subject matter was certainly “technical”, featuring Porsche’s DFI and PDK technology. Seated with more than 40 members and guests in the Porsche shop area, Jeff introduced the program with a few announcements regarding his service department’s capabilities and interest in supporting our members. Jeff introduced Service Writer and long time Porsche tech Dolf Van Kesteren and Porsche Certified Master Technician Jess Lattin, Jess has attended all the Porsche Service schools and has been rated at the top of his class – good news for local members.

Exactly 110 years after Ferdinand Porsche developed the world’s first car with hybrid drive, the Lohner Porsche Semper Vivus, Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, Stuttgart, is once again taking up this visionary drive concept in production-based GT racing: During the Geneva Motor Show, a Porsche 911 GT3 R with innovative hybrid drive is making its debut, opening up a new chapter in the history of Porsche with more than 20,000 wins in 45 years scored by the extremely successful Porsche 911 in racing trim.

The innovative hybrid technology featured in the car has been developed especially for racing, standing out significantly in its configuration and components from conventional hybrid systems. In this case, electrical front axle drive with two electric motors developing 60 kW each supplements the 480-bhp four-litre flat-six at the rear of the 911 GT3 R Hybrid. A further significant point is that instead of the usual batteries in a hybrid road car, an electrical flywheel power generator fitted in the interior next to the driver delivers energy to the electric motors.

Recently J.D. Power & Associates released the results of its Vehicle Dependability Study for 3 year old cars and the public opinion survey of 52,000 original owners ranked Porsche # 1. A great result no doubt but one years in the making. In the premium car segment, Porsche has long had a reputation for build quality but the recent move to the head of the quality standings had its modern roots almost two decades ago. In 1991, Wendelin Wedeking, an engineer by training, was named to replace Arno Bohn as Porsche Managing Director. Wedeking immediately began planning the complete reorganization of Porsche’s production methods. His goal was not only to achieve higher productivity (necessary for Porsche’s survival) but also to improve build quality for every car. In this he looked to Japan’s Kaizen Institute to help implement the concept of continuous improvement.