The ultimate rebuild

[alex.powell]

Hi,

I recently swapped my 996 for a 3.2(probably the best motoring decision I have ever made!!!). It's a heap and I love it - 175k on the clock, no rebuild and numerous problems that have kept me busy in the garage and pouring over the internet with every spare second. I am literally just throwing away everything I touch in favour of new parts from either local dealer or pelican if it is superior.

So far have:
Given it a damn good service
Replaced rear shocks for Bilstein Sports
Replaced rear ARB with Weltmeister kit
Fitted Xenons
Tyres all round
H&S exhaust
Got ALL guages working

Just about to fit:
Complete front strut assembly
Bearings
Hubs
Monobloc calipers
Cross drilled discs
Turbo tie rods

Next jobs:
Front A-Arms with all fittings
Hollow torsion bars front and back

And then the reason for the post; the engine.
I've decided as confidence is high, space is available, i'm relatively mechanically minded and have read Dempsey's book that i'm gonna blow as much and possibly more on parts for my engine rebuild that I would have spent on labour alone at my local OPC, and do it myself....

So forget the money. What would be the ultimate rebuild?

My thoughts so far and please shoot me down if it's all rubbish(it's all theory from Internet/books):

Bottom end:
Bearings and so on
probably get the case pinned(was recommended by local engine rebuilder)
Carillo rods
Raceware bolts, so on
On the fence with boat tailing, fish knifing or whatever it is?

Top End:
Set of Nikkies with JE pistons
Valves
Guides
Polishing
964 Cams

Surrounding:
MAF
Bigger injectors?
A Mr Wong Chip
Automotive engine managemnt - TEC III

Finally:
If I get to the end of all this and still want more, then like the sound of Super Charging

I'm really looking forward to comments...

cheers
Alex

 

[burrow01]

Can I drive it once you've got it run in []

Sounds good, and blimey you sound confident [] I pat myself on the back if I give the car a good clean .....

I assume you've done this sort of thing before and have the space etc to do the work?

Have you thought about larger bore barrels? I've seen 3.4 conversions advertised

Enjoy it,

cheers

Pete

 

[alex.powell]

if it is all still working after the run in and performs well on the rolling road, it'll be off to opc for back to metal re spray!!! - i haven't got round to washing it yet!!! whilst it still looks the way it does, i prefer it dirty...

Never stripped a porsche engine but have other cars/generators/motor bikes with successful outcomes...

I reckon garage is big enough...just...still working on wife for the end of the lounge...

I've looked at larger cylinders and i'm not sure why but i decided aginst it... Guess I need to check with mr insurance man too...

 

[bones]

Whatever mods you make to the engine consider improving them further by fitting a Triad exhaust and a modern EFI system, forget carbs. Motec is very expensive, consider the one scrutinised in detail on the Pelican website.
http://www.bitzracing.com/
http://www.triadwestperformance.com/
http://www.triadwestperformance.com/images/CRANEY_TXT.htm

 

[Big_nige]

why not put a 3.6 in it?

 

[alex.powell]

bones: I've just put an H&S exhaust on which certainly made me spend a bit more time looking at the sky!!! Then promptly had to stiffen up the rear end...

big_nige: do you mean big bore or simply replace the current engine with newer one? Agreed it's a quick way to more power but does it then place a lot more stress on other parts of the engine?

I also quite like saying I have a 3.2....

maybe as burrow01 mentioned, a 3.4 is a good compromise...

 

[Big_nige]

fitting a later 964 3.6 will give you probably more bang for your buck than rebuilding a 3.2 to a higher spec, the stress would be no greater than what you propose to do with your current engine

 

[plhorner]

If you're going down that route, I'd go for the 3.6 Varioram from the 993, altogether a more sorted lump and the servicing costs are dramatically less than that of the 964. There was an article in 911 Porsche World where a chap had done this mod and it proved to be very sucessfull.

 

[nathan 1981 930 G50]

I have a 3.2 carrera sport coupe.
Been looking at upgrading it for years. Anyway, ended up buying a 930. Every mod on the 911 costs a lot of money for very little gain.
Porsche really made the 3.2 carrera very well IMO. Improving it is very difficult or expensive. The other problem I had was that my 911 has a 915 transmission and they do not cope with power very well at all.

What year is your car ? Do you have a 915 or G50 transmission ?

TECIII does not work on boosted engines. If you decided later to charge your engine the TECIII will be money wasted. Actually the 3.2 Motronic can be adpated to work with boost fairly well if you are on a budget.

You may as well boat tail the engine if you open it up. Supposed to help at higher RPM.

JE's are not that great supposedly.

Everything else you mention sounds good.
Have you ever had a chat with Colin Belton ? He knows alot about the 3.2 engine.

 

[paul kelley]

Hi Alex

Sounds like a great project.

Please have a word with Stephen Mummery the editor of Porsche Post as I am sure he would like to run an ongoing article on your rebuild.
It would be nice if you could post some pictures so that we can goad you on with our enthusiastic support!

Have fun

Paul Kelley

 

[alex.powell]

Guys,

I think once the decision to replace the engine with a newer one is on the table it always ends with a 993. And for good reason I guess. The problem I have is that I'm quite looking forward to the challenge of getting the most out of a 3.2 and make it a good quality rebuild too. I realise it costs but then I've just got rid of a 996 which cost just short of 30k for two years ownership!!!!

nathan: it's an 88 with a G50, Will do some more digging on the automotive site, I thought the idea was that I could program the thing any way I wanted...

Surprised at what you have said about the JE's, maybe I've been reading to many rose tinted posts!!!

Is colin/are you R24? I have been making more of an effort to get to club nights as it is usually an excellent source of information

Paul: Have been taking lots of photo's and keeping track of spend/dates replaced and so on. Will drop Stephen a mail...

 

[nathan 1981 930 G50]

Hi Alex.

I am in Cambridge. Not been to a club night yet, will have to change that when I get one of my 911's back together...

Colin belton is the Ninemeister in Cheshire. He knows alot about the 911 & 930 and the company was previously called 930 motorsport. http://www.ninemeister.com/

The Mahles are the best but they cost alot of £

As for the TEC3 just forget it on a boosted engine. Lot's of people have tried and failed with it. I'm sure it works great on a non boosted car.

The G50 is a much better box and should handle 500bhp if it is not abused.

 

[alex.powell]

Guys,

Finally managed to grab some time and update this thread with some pics...

 

[alex.powell]

at the opc for respray

 

[alex.powell]

meanwhile the engine being stripped

 

[alex.powell]

looking very bare

 

[Gary C]

Very good point on the amount lost on the 996, you could run a VERY nice 3.2 on a fraction of the cost of running a 996 for two years.

Loving the idea of this project, keep us updated.

 

[Beaky]

Have you though about going the supercharger route - there are a few in the US (rennlist) and John Bellringer (I think this is the right gentlemen) on this forum used to have one

Good luck, great idea, Steve Wong does combined MAF & chip for about $2700

 

[Signor]

Greetings
OK whats "boat tailing" an engine when its at home?
I'm intrigued.
Good luck on your rebuild Alex, my cars on 145k without a rebuild just shows with some care a rebuild can be put off for eons of light years[]
Cheers
Alex

 

[Gary C]

Think its the profile of the crank webs to reduce windage in the sump.

You can knife the leading edge so it moves through the oil/air mixture easier, though opinion seems divided on what to do on the trailing edge. Leaving it flat is meant to separate off the oil easier (!) but causes turbulance. Boat tailing should improve aerodynamics. Probably only any use in a very high RPM engine anyway.