Running a 3.3 Turbo without an intercooler. Possible?
 

I recently read a magazine article about a mid-year 911 like mine, but with a 3.0 Turbo engine shoehorned in. Being non-intercooled, it fit well under the stock engine lid but it got me wondering if the 3.3 unit could be used in the same application without its intercooler. Of course there would be a horsepower deficit in doing so but even slightly neutered, it would be an improvement over a stock 2.7L.

Thoughts?

The first turbos had no intercooler. Yes, it can be done and was done by the factory... back in the day.

Not the best formula for trying to cool down the forced air into the motor but DSPTurtle is right. You could always do no IC and then add air/meth injection (I think I'm saying this right)... it would cool down the air significantly almost like a IC. You would just need to refill the tank along with the fuel.

I think you could make up for the loss of intercooler by running a water meth injection kit. This would be a great way to keep from running lean and cool your intake charge down tremendously. I like the Snow Performance kit on my 79 930 turbo.
Cole wrote up a great article here on his set up, which inspired me to install the kit.

Yes it would work, you will get faster turbo respond but less HP at high end.

How about an expansion manifold like the new GT2RS? If the turbo is big enough to activate the wastegate then there is "excess" boost that can be put to use by compressing the air more than needed, then expanding it again and cooling it a bit in the process? This could just be a small tube tapering into a large tube.

How about an intercooler in the left rear fenderwell? I believe several members here have done that with good success.

There is also some that have modified the stock IC to make it fit under the lid with no wing
Someone made a thread about it in this forum

found some
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/911-930-turbo-super-charging-forum/466764-no-silly-wing-intercooler-project.html
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/911-930-turbo-super-charging-forum/414498-pics-wanted-intercooler-under-lid.html
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/911-930-turbo-super-charging-forum/425318-intercooler-vs-no-intercooler.html

Thanks for the replies and various ideas! This is only a pie-in-the-sky plan at the moment since my 2.7L is still running like a racehorse, but it can't last forever! :D

Possible does not equal advisable

The original 930 3.0 was non-intercooled(but the engine was designed from the get-go not to need one(hence the difference in about 50HP, down from 282 to 234HP(of course the 3.2L crank and the .1L displacment didn't hurt the 3.3L either).

As far as the original plan of a non-intercooled, non-turbo 3.0L, then turbocharging that motor with no intercooler.

These engines are very tricky that experimenting with the route you are thinking and could hole pistons or much worse. Sounds like a major headache project.

If I were to go the 3.0L turbo route, then I would find a true 3.0 turbo engine from a 1975-77 930. This way...NO surprises if it's tight from the start, or it your a DIY'er, then rebuild the engine.

As far as neutering a 3.3L with no intercooler...absolutely not.

Good luck!:D

The 3.0L 930 engine is a half point lower compression than the 3.3L 930 engine. Many ways to compensate: run best fuel or lower timing on boost or lower boost level to 0.6bar or add a small intercooler under the duck or add H2O/MeOH injection, or etc. etc. The 3.3L intercooler is not the best so easy to compensate.

yes, and I would go with a WMI kit before trying to make an intercooler fit under a stock lid. Besides the cooling effect there is also an octane benefit