Model 930 3.3 Year 1980 Acquired 2011
Regular readers will know that the 930 hasn’t been kind to me in recent times. Last month I replaced the front fuel pump and engine mounts after another roadside breakdown. After putting the car back together I checked for fuel leaks and started her with some trepidation. She was purring nicely at idle, but I’d been fooled before. I went on a short test drive in case the car betrayed me again, but she ran faultlessly. I ventured further afield and pushed the car harder and harder until it turned into a full-tilt blast around the Hills – I was in love again!
The next weekend was quite hot, so I decided to test the car and its fuel system with a long country drive to our nicest beaches at Aldinga and Port Willunga. It was about 80km each way in 35°C heat with the air-con flat-out, but it didn’t faze the car and the oil temp gauge sat steady just above the thermostat marker. After our beach swim the car restarted fine, but then stumbled slightly – probably due to heat soak – before settling down nicely and behaving all the way home. It was great to be able to enjoy the car again.
Back in the garage, I continued to chase the brake pull issue. A dynamic brake test at a local Subaru dealer had confirmed a left brake bias of about 22 per cent. As my previous investigations had revealed no problems with discs, pads or callipers, the flexible brake hoses were the only remaining suspect, even though I’d replaced them 10 years ago when rebuilding the brakes. I decided to upgrade the standard items and ordered custom braided hoses from a local manufacturer. Removing the old hoses showed them to be in fine condition without any internal narrowing or restrictions, so the new hoses haven’t fixed the brake pull. The good news is that the more rigid construction of the braided
hoses and fresh brake fluid has resulted in a much firmer pedal and a better pivot point for heel and toe downshifts. I’ll now replace the front pads just in case there’s some contamination on them, but if that doesn’t fix the problem it must be play in the front control arm bushes, which I suspect were traumatised during the flat-bed tow last year.
It’s that time of year when I give the car a service to get it ready for our annual road trip to Phillip Island’s historic races. I couldn’t travel there last year due to Covid and am looking forward to it this year, especially as my wife will be making the trip for the first time. We’ll add a day in each direction for some wine tasting and sight seeing. The service is a major one this year and I’ve already stripped down the engine to retorque head studs, adjust tappets and replace spark plugs. Hopefully, the car will reward me with a trouble-free 2,000km of motoring!