Engine out of the car?

[dantm]

I'm communicating with sellers on a few vehicles and I find this mentioned quite often about 930s -- "engine has never been out of the car"?

Is this a positive thing? I would think especially for higher mileage vehicles that you would want the engine out of the car to address any issues. Is there any point I'm overlooking when I think of it in this manner?

Thank you.

[mark houghton]

IMHO when a seller uses that statement as a selling tool, he means it in a positive manner to elude to the fact that there have been no issues requiring engine removal. But on the other hand, in order to properly service certain areas of the engine (oil leaks, re-sealing, clutch replacement, etc) the engine must come out. I would much rather be told that the engine HAS been out "for the following documented reasons". That tells me that proper caring love has been spent on the car, vs. a high milage car that starts developing issues on your dime once you bring it home.

Personally I feel it's just good preventative maintenance to drop the motor every XXXXX miles to address the little issues that pop up with age. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

[Noah930]

I think the phrase is meant to convey that the car is so perfect, it has never needed to have the engine taken out for any sort of service. But like you said, that may or may not be a good thing. The bottom of my motor looked like an oily mess before I finally had my shop take it out and address the leaks.

[9Thirty]

Here is mine. Getting cleaned, powdercoated, new K27/29 turbo, intercooler, wastegate, exhaust, headers, Leask WUR.....it goes on and on.

[mreid]

IMO, this is good in a car less than 10 years old, but bad in a car 20+ years old, which includes all 930's.

[jsveb]

To put it short:

It is just a load of crap, a bad sales pitch aimed at someone whom does not know what kind of car he is looking at.

No offense.

When I bought my Carrera 3.0. The dealer was ths kind of guy. The worst!

But, what he didn't know, was what he had. He thought it was an SC, when it in fact was a slightly more desireable car.

Take your time, use this forum; a month of studying and then asking questions on top of that, and you'll be ready to go shopping.

Good luck

[dantm]

Great feedback thanks guys. The car I'm looking at has 95K miles and the seller mentioned this; along with the fact that it has the 'usual' Porsche oil leaks...

So to me the engine has not been out of the car is not a positive thing...

[fastfredracing]

Originally Posted by 9Thirty

Here is mine. Getting cleaned, powdercoated, new K27/29 turbo, intercooler, wastegate, exhaust, headers, Leask WUR.....it goes on and on.

I don't think I have ever seen a turbo motor without turbo lower valve covers.

[JFairman]

95,000 miles?
I've never heard of a clutch lasting that long. Guess it's possible but if thats true it will need it real soon I think.

Look at the motor and transaxle mount bolt heads, etc, for wrench marks and corrosion. I bet it's been out before.

[JohnJL]

Originally Posted by JFairman

95,000 miles?
I've never heard of a clutch lasting that long. Guess it's possible but if thats true it will need it real soon I think.

Look at the motor and transaxle mount bolt heads, etc, for wrench marks and corrosion. I bet it's been out before.

Exactly. Either its a true claim and at least the clutch will need replacing, or it BS and you need to question every single thing that seller tells you.

[Tippy]

Cosmetically, something always gets banged up or scratched unless they spent a week gingerly pulling it out and back in.

Never touching also means no tool marks on nuts/bolts or disturbed "set" rubber and plastics that may induce a future failure.

[930cabman]

never been ......... before, is that automatically a good thing?? you fill in the blank

[RarlyL8]

"Engine never been out of the car" means "engine has never been serviced" to me.

[jwasbury]

Originally Posted by fastfredracing

I don't think I have ever seen a turbo motor without turbo lower valve covers.

The early turbos like my '79 came with these lower valve covers. They are, in fact, "turbo" valve covers because I believe they were made from aluminum, while the NA 911 at the time had magnesium lower covers. The heavily braced lower valve covers we all know as "turbo" valve covers came out later...not sure exactly when.

To the OP..."engine never out of the car" = I haven't spent any money maintaining this car.

[porche]

Originally Posted by fastfredracing

I don't think I have ever seen a turbo motor without turbo lower valve covers.

Originally Posted by jwasbury

The early turbos like my '79 came with these lower valve covers. They are, in fact, "turbo" valve covers because I believe they were made from aluminum, while the NA 911 at the time had magnesium lower covers. The heavily braced lower valve covers we all know as "turbo" valve covers came out later...not sure exactly when.

jwasbury is correct. The same aluminum covers were OEM on all 930's (and 934 and 935's) through 1979. The "reinforced" Turbo valve covers started in 1980. But, while the ones pictured are original to all the early 930 derivitives, the later 1980 onward covers are more effective at stopping oil leaks.

[Speedy Squirrel]

This is probably the exact wrong place to ask if "engine has never been out of the car" is a good thing. Several 930's in the club in my area have never had their engine dropped. They are in the 70K to 80K miles range. I know of no regular maintanence that requires removal of the engine. The clutch probably is lucky to make it to 80K if you do some drag racing, but otherwise, these are Porsches, not china dolls.

In any event, I take everything a seller says with a grain of salt. Let the car do the talking.