Slipstream - December 2013

Five Speed Chatter: 21st Century Tool Kit
By Ash Seidl-Staley
Times are a
changing.
Our cars
are becoming
more complex
with the release of
each new model
year. It is a “no
brainer” to stick to the warranties
provided on our newly purchased
vehicles, but what about when
the warranty expires? What about
the brutal repair costs at import
shops? For those of you who find
yourselves in this situation, or for
those who enjoy tinkering under
the hood, I have compiled a list of
basic tools you will need to service
your car. The tools listed will not
only help in the garage, but will be
very useful out on the open road.
Right off the line, most of our cars
came with some sort of factory tool
kit, although the older Porsches or
restored ones rarely have this tool
kit intact. Purchasing an authentic
numbers-matching tool kit for
your car can get expensive, and
more than likely you won’t need
everything that comes with it. So
what do you need? To answer this
puzzling question, let’s look at what
Zuffenhausen sent over with our
cars and then add on from there.
Typically an early 911 kit came
with the bare essentials an owner
would need to perform basic
maintenance on the vehicle: a
spark plug wrench, a Tommy
bar for that wrench, a 19mm lug
wrench, a red-handled combo
screwdriver set, a set of open-ended
wrenches ranging from 8mm to
17mm, a 10mm Allen wrench, a
fan belt wrench with fan belt, a tow
hook, and a set of pliers. Early 914s
Photos by the Author
had these items plus a tool, code
P208, which was the wrench used
to hold the engine pulley in place.
As model years became newer
and mechanically more complex,
the tool kits did the opposite and
got smaller. With all the “bells and
whistles” that came with a standard
997, the only thing Porsche wanted
the home mechanic to mess around
All the essentials, plus a little extra
www.fifthgear.biz
Performance
• Track Set-up
• Exhaust Upgrades
• Performance Alignments
• Suspension Modifications
• Performance Maintenance
Maintenance & Repair
• 100+ Years of Technician Experience
• 11,000 sq Feet of the Top Technology
• Comfortable Waiting Area with WIFI
• Fully Air Conditioned Shop
• Green Building, Eco Friendly
Sales
• Trade your old Porsche
in for a newer model!
• Consignment Sales
• Accessories
Specializing in: Porsche • We service all models
Set up an
appointment today! 1975 Archer Way • Lewisville TX, 75077 • 972-317-4005 1 mile West of I-35 behind Sonic!
10 December