ToSi

has this tensioner been updated again? Pelican suggests 996 105 180 59 should be used..

CDR-210 BE2282 s/n V5011389 Many thanks!

Do you have a photo of the 265 & 275 on a 10" wheel? How much (if at all) does the rim protrude for each tire size? Thanks!

yeah, I can understand the frustration since Porsche hasn't offered any real explaination other than 'don't do it'. I was fishing for a clearer answer when I posted that question on the PCA tech Q&A site a couple years ago. I was really hoping the reply would come from someone involved in chassis design or development at Porsche, not just speculation from the PCA rep's. My hunch says there were durability issues with the first-year design that were detected too late to revise in time for the launch of the car. This implies the design is marginal as-is to Porsche's internal requirements & the recommendation is intended to prevent additional stress from larger wheel / tire. My next hunch is that the durability cycle is more severe than most of us will encounter with the car (hence the cobble stone road comment from Peter Smith) & using the larger wheels will not result in failure under 'normal' use. Until the D&R activity speaks up, we'll probably never know..

What tire size are you guys using w/ an 18x10et47 wide rear wheel? I've been holding off buying since the wheels I'm considering (Wheel Dynamics LW replicas) only come in a 10" rear width. My car is a 2.5 so I'd rather not go wider than a 265/35 rear but worry that the 10" wheel will leave the tire too 'stretched'. I don't care for the euro-tuner look & would prefer to have some protection against the occasional curb bump while parking. Anyone have pictures of 265's or 275's mounted on 10" rear wheels? So far the best compromise seems to be a 275/35-18 rear, same overall size as a 275/40-17 which many people report works just fine. The effact on gearing are the only thing from making this a no-brainer. The 2.5 already lacks grunt & the heavier wheels + taller final drive would make this worse. Subjectively, how much perceived (or better yet, measured) performance is lost w/ the taller rear tires? The matching fronts would be either 235/40-18 or 245/35-18. Can anyone confirm or deny that these fit w/ no issues on an 18x8 ET50 front wheel? By 'no-issue' I mean absolutely no rubbing or contact w/ either the strut, liner, or outside fender. I'm hoping to maintain ~30mm stagger as this is for street use. Are the 245's wide enough to pelt the side of the car w/ road grit? For grins, I tried fitting the 255/40-17x8.5et50 stock rears in the front last spring - rubbed the front of the inner liner during turns & barely fit under the fenders while looking down from the top. Certainly would have cause lots of rocks to hit the sides of the car. Currently have the stock suspension installed & PSS9's in box waiting to go in. Ideally, the wheels would fit w/ both just in case the PSS9's don't work out & I change them out for ROW M030. Thanks!

sorry - meant 265/35-18. What aspect ratio 235 fronts? 40 or 45? I remember seeing 3.6 turbos w/ the speedline 3pc wheels - invariably the rim was always exposed. That may have been before rim strips were common though.

Graeme, What spring / shock combo are you using? Is that the ROW M030 ride height? Car looks nice. Others, Good thread, another "fit" question - Does a 265/30-18 rear fit a 10" rear well or is it "stretched" too far & leave the lip of the rim protruding (vulnerable to curb scrapes)? Does a 235/40-18 work in the front or will the extra diameter rub the spring perch? Can anyone confirm 245/35-18 fits (& clears at full lock) on 18*8et50 fronts? Thanks-

Anyone know if there is lighter factory single mass f/w (simliar to the GT3RS) available for these cars? Call me paranoid but I'd prefer a factory solution over aftermarket..

Just a (late) follow up for the archives - ended up being the water pump, not sure how I missed it in the initial inspection. Pulley had severe wobble & was beginning to drip - the undertray caught the fluid, hence no puddle under the car. Replacement wasn't too bad. Disconnect hoses, use clamping pliers to prevent draining the entire cooling system. Pump removal & installation is through the access panel behind passenger seat. Only "trick" is to cut the water pump section of the gasket free from the water inlet / t-stat housing portion & only replace that part.. otherwise you need to remove the pump inlet housing which is hindered by the front engine mount since they technically share a gasket - self explanatory when looking at the parts but basically the "gasket" is really 2 connected gaskets that serve both the pump & inlet. No need to remove the inlet to replace the pump. Aside from the typical difficulty of getting under the car, the entire project is very DIY'able. Bleeding / burping the system is the hardest part of the operation (needed to add ~ 1.5 gallons).. Thanks-

Thanks for the reply- I agree, rather change the pulley than the pump. I'll listen again to verify but the pump doesn't feel right. Looks like a pain in the car, there's no clear access to the bolts mounting the pump & the a/c compressor looks like it mounts to the PS bracket assembly. PM'd a fax #, appreciate your help. Also found today that my service manual CD is speckled w/ data errors that prevents me from opening the running gear chapter (group 4) - argh!! Anyone willing to make a copy to share? Willing to barter for beer :-)

Anyone replaced the pump with the engine installed in the car? Took another look at it today and it doesn't look fun. Lots of stuff in the way - a/c compressor, intake..

Got a good scare last weekend as I was pulling into the garage after a day of driving - heard what sounded like a timing chain knocking around from a failed tensioner or guide, dull metallic knocking somewhere from the front of the engine. Fearing the worst, I pulled the oil filter only to find nothing unusual. Removed both engine access panels, started car, & began poking around. Tough to pin point - seemed to be coming from the area between the crank damper & power steering pump. Next I removed the accessory belt & started the engine. NO noise - pleasantly relieved. Pulleys seem OK, PS pump has a noticable metallic clunk when turning the pulley back & forth by hand - I assume this is the problem. PS reservoir was about 1/4" low, added fluid hoping it was just the pump cavitating (a stretch, I know) & put the belt back on - still makes noise. Was hoping for some feedback before I order a new pump. Is this somewhat common? Anything else to replace while I'm at it? Belt looks perfect, tensioner feels good, upper idler pulley has a couple degrees of wobble - is this a sign of wear or intentional to account for belt alignment? Car is a '97 w/ 42k otherwise trouble-free miles. Thank you!