Preventative Maintenance for the Long Haul

[spooltime]

My CTTS is currently showing around 86K on the odometer and knowing that I plan to keep this beautiful vehicle "forever", I'm wondering what things I should do now to get and stay ahead of the preventative maintenance curve. It's already had virtually all of the usual items like coolant pipes and cardan shaft already done.

I've read somewhere that the water pump and thermostat are candidates for planned replacement, and it would make sense to install new "T" hoses at the same time, and then cap it off with a coolant refresh. I'm not having any issues now, but is there a "recommended" mileage for doing a preventative water pump replacement and related item?

Any other items that typcially fail in the 85K - 100K mileage range that I should consider replacing?

[wrinkledpants]

On top of what you've listed, I'd do the coolant reservoir cap, coolant temp sensor, primary oxygens sensors, water pump, thermostat, power steering flush (and all fluids, actually). It's what I'll be doing and I'm at 100K miles. Most oxygen sensors start to decay and reach their life expectancy at 100K miles. They could go another 50K miles before throwing a code, but Bosch states that their usefulness is up around 100K miles, and it's what I've experienced on other cars. You could probably check your long term fuel trim numbers to check, but it's a wear item. So, do it now or do it later - you'll need to replace them at some point. I'd rather do it ahead of time before getting a misfire and having to start down a lengthy troubleshooting process.

[Pkscheldt]

Congrats! I'd start looking after 100K at all of the Rubber bushings in the suspension - upper and rear control arms front and back, engine torque arm. Gas tank vent line, brake booster air line.(all of these plastic lines will end up failing eventually) Mine made it past 175K and needed all I have mentioned plus CV's all the way around as well as a few wheel bearings.

Cheers!

[spooltime]

Congrats! I'd start looking after 100K at all of the Rubber bushings in the suspension - upper and rear control arms front and back, engine torque arm. Gas tank vent line, brake booster air line.(all of these plastic lines will end up failing eventually)

Good points! I wasn't thinking about suspension related items, but should have been. I've already replaced the engine torque arm. Those things are lucky if they last 50K miles.

[hahnmgh63]

All good ideas but....most of the items mentioned are things that start to go slowly and give you signs of failure, and most don't hurt the motor. O2 sensors are a replacement item and will default to a rich rather (safe) rather than lean condition on failure and throw a specific code (which is not to say don't replace by 100K, I have all 4 in my shop waiting to go but only 70K on my CTTS so I'm going to wait). Coolant cap-replace the whole resevoir as they tend to be a common failure after 7 or 8 years (new one comes with a new cap). CV's & Wheel bearings and suspension bushings almost always give signs of failures (Clunking or groaning CV's. Groaning/wining for wheel bearings, squeaks or clunking for suspension bushings). Now Water pump and thermostat can be one of those things that go on and on or can fail in short order and leave you stranded. But the sooner you do them the sooner the clock is ticking for next time along with something as simple as the Serpentine belt (always replace the tensioner or no more than two belts to one tensioner replacement) can leave you stranded.

As for longer life in general. Change your oil on a regular interval (shorter than 10K in my opinion with a top quality Porsche approved A40 synthetic, also change the fluid in both differentials, transfer case, and transmission. You've had the Coolant pipes done which means you have fresh Coolant, how long since you've had the Brake Fluid flushed? Porsche says every two years (one of the most important and most overlooked components). These items above will lengthen the life of the major parts, the items in the first paragraph are regular wear and replacement items. Also, always use a Top Tier gasoline, Shell, Chevron, etc... Also, enjoy your Pig, drive it hard sometimes, but after a hard drive always go easy for a few minutes before shutdown or let it idle for a minute or two to let the Turbos and engine cool down a little before you shut it off. The Turbos have an electric waterpump to help on a shutdown as I just described but you are doing them a further favor by idling them down, we call it a Cool Down Lap at the track. You will find varying opinions on both.

Edited April 10, 2014 by hahnmgh63

[wrinkledpants]

The idea of preventative maintenance is to replace before you get indications of failure, or at the very least, or a long ways from home with a check engine light. All the parts I listed - in total - might be $600. And, they'll all last another 10 years or 100K miles, if not more. For me - I much prefer to replace items when they're still good, but nearing the end of their life, rather than develop a coolant leak, run rich for 20K miles, or have some other problem develop. But, much of my maintenance ethos stems from the aviation world. YMMV

[Pkscheldt]

Congrats! I'd start looking after 100K at all of the Rubber bushings in the suspension - upper and rear control arms front and back, engine torque arm. Gas tank vent line, brake booster air line.(all of these plastic lines will end up failing eventually)

Good points! I wasn't thinking about suspension related items, but should have been. I've already replaced the engine torque arm. Those things are lucky if they last 50K miles.

I went through a few of the torque arms on my first Pig. Do keep an eye on the Suspension Bushings, they really caused me a bit of a hassle as they didn't show any obvious signs of failure until I started seeing bad tire wear, and the wear was almost immediate. I took it in for an alignment and that's when at just after 100K I discovered nearly all of the bushings were torn or deteriorated. They weren't plain to see until it was up in the air and the adjustment bolts were being turned and the rubber could be seen separating.

[hahnmgh63]

What Pkscheldt said about the Torque arm on top of the engine is spot on. On both of my Turbos the bushing had failed by 65K. Didn't make any noise but under close inspection you could see the deterioration in the bushing.

[mudman2]

Since no one mentioned then I would look at replacing the fuel pumps because they will eventually fail

[hahnmgh63]

Fuel pumps is one that I haven't done on my '06CTTS with 65K so far. I had 98K on my '05 and they were the original, I was probably traveling on borrowed time on the '05. Fuel pumps will probably be a project this year. With two of them it may or may not leave you stranded I guess if you know what fuses to pull to kick the other one on but who wants to chance it.

Seems like Bosch parts in older Porsches, Audi's, Beemers lasted forever but nowadays they sure don't. I know BMW has had a big recall in much of their 3 series cars for bad fuel pumps. At least O2 sensors seem to still be fairly reliable.

Edited April 24, 2014 by hahnmgh63