THE PROBLEMS
Engine The extra capacity of the 5.4-litre V8 was achieved with a longer stroke, introducing a significant wear issue, according to Paul Anderson of leading 928 specialist 928Spares in Gloucestershire. ‘The pistons have a shorter skirt length, which causes them to be less well supported,’ he says. ‘They rock at top and bottom dead centre, resulting in “hourglass” type bore wear and rounded off piston rings, and this results in heavy oil consumption.’ The camshaft drive pulleys wear if the belt has been over-tightened, causing the belt to wear through the hard anodising of the pulley.
The engine mounts, if the originals, will be worn out by now. ‘The engine should rock when revved – not the whole car,’ Paul says. ‘Totally knackered mounts will cause a harshness through the pedals and steering when the car is started, and also at cruising speed.’
Suspension
The GTS wears out suspension dampers quite quickly, especially at the rear. ‘This can be felt by the car see-sawing as it hits bumps or undulations,’ Paul explains. ‘And if the front dampers are worn, you’ll have to constantly make steering inputs.’ The front upper wishbone inner bushes may be starting to separate from the wishbone. ‘Replacement is possible using poly bushes,’ Paul says.
Bodywork
Rust is likely to have developed under the plastic side sill covers at their rearmost edge. ‘Hold this area and flex it,’ Paul advises. ‘Normal resistance should be felt – if rust flakes fall out, then there is probably a lot of rust underneath. If rust spreads too far, it enters the sill and then works its way along.’ Corrosion on the aluminium parts of the car (bonnet, doors and front wings) are common and caused by an untreated stone-chip, while trim attachment points can corrode.
Electrics
Water leaks play havoc with the electrics. ‘Water ingress can affect the alarm module under the driver’s seat and the “active” differential accelerometer under the passenger seat, so it’s worth checking that the floor is dry,’ Paul reveals. A lot of electrical issues are caused by aftermarket alarms, he feels. PW