Hakka NRW-H Cord Separation and strange Porsche story

[Bill Elliott]

I've sung the praises of Hakka NRW-H on the list for several years now
(though I am now completely in love with the Haka Q's). This weekend, I
rotated the set on the wife's SAAB 900T. (They've been on 3 years, year
round, and 30k miles. the rear tires still have 75% of their tread; the
fronts about 50%).

The first time I got the car up to speed I thought the front end was
going to fly apart. Heavy shaking, vibration, etc.  I dropped the car by
the local garage to have them balanced; he told me both the fronts (were
the rears before) we completely out of round and couldn't be balanced.
He put the old tires back on the front claiming they were out of round
as well, but not nearly as bad. Then he told me this was a known problem
with Hakkas and was the reason he quit carrying them.

Has anyone else heard of this issue? I'm now wavering on whether to
order a set of Q's for it.

The Porsche story... in the shop was a nice 928.  The owner said it
wouldn't start and was backfiring.  They towed it in and tried to start
it... backfired so hard it blew the top off the breather.  Then they
notice the engine is turning the wrong way!

They put it up on the lift... brand new starter. They check the part
number.. it's from a 911. Identical starter, reverse rotation,
Beck-Arnley. (They think the DIY owner must be an idiot...)  They can't
get a Bosch starter in quickly so they order the correct Beck-Arnley.
They put it on... still turning backwards.  They check the part number
on the starter... it's a 911 starter in a 928 box!  So the owner's not
an idiot, but someone at Beck-Arnley....

Oh, and the strange noise my UrQ was making...  Several people pointed
me in the right direction... it's a bad rear main seal... but making a
"whirring noise" vice a whistle at idle.  Guess I'll try to live with it
until I have to pop for a clutch...

Bill Elliott
Lake Barrington, IL