![]() |
Idiot needs help to hit build target
Have '85 3.2 that I'm going to rebuild (as soon as I can find space to work in.) Have experience rebuilding to stock but this time stock is off the menu (to some unknown degree.) It's typical to build for more HP, torque, etc.----not going there for this build. Instead, this build is dedicated to enhancing/optimizing engine's run-ability. Result should be an engine with emphasis on durability first---from this should come a measure of performance. My basic knowledge grasps reducing reciprocating/moving weights. Easing air flow in the case. Ultra balancing moving parts. But how? What more is there?
Time wise I can spend as long as it takes. In this regard, attention to detail is invited to go insanely overboard. Dollars... would like to think engine parts, machining, finishing services don't need more than $17k to reach the goal. (I have another $3k for suspension parts. Ultimately, these $s in combo are hunting a very fine street 3.2.) Outside-the-box thinking is welcomed. Am open to designing and machining new parts (keeping budget in focus... and so needing to avoid parts calling for professional/expensive engineering.) To some extent this is a creative platform to explore new ideas that focus on simplicity & functionality. Also to some extent, this is a sculptural endeavor so finished engine wants to have some unique, interesting appeal. I know enough to be dangerous given where this project is heading---into the unknown for me. Am also smart enough to seek guidance from you who have genuinely been there and done that. Am looking to rough out a project plan so $ budget has some basis. Help is requested... What to do? How? Materials? Resources? New ideas? |
As far as rotating mass goes. A GT-3 crank has more counterweights, thus smoother, and it has a longer stroke for more torque. Carillo or Pawter rods, light weight and stronger. Titanium rods? Pistons are a debate for others with more knowledge. In my current motor I used JE pistons. They are forged, so stronger and lighter than stock, plus you can optimize your CR.
If it was me, I would go dual plug, with a 12 cylinder distributor. That is the ultimate bling IMO. One would have to ask why go in this direction since stock Carrera motors are bullet proof and last for ever as is? |
I have some trouble imagining how the 3.2 Carrera's street suspension could be improved for street use. I have always thought, when rattling around in my street/track car, how I had adversely affected the balance between handling and comfort that Porsche had built into the car.
The only thing I can think of for an engine rebuild for street purposes beyond the usual you'd do for any rebuild would be to use aftermarket high strength rod bolts. Not that the stock bolts are a significant weak spot for street RPMs, though, but why not. And convert the CHT to the two wire system. On my wife's 3.2, we had the voltage regulator go bad (and the brand new replacement did, too, and in a rather short time for a new part). So I'd be inclined to pay the Porsche premium and replace that, need it or not. |
Quote:
Your dual plug idea… was initially thinking that being complete heresy where this build is concerned but maybe not. If there’s a better burn AND this can be done with EFI… is interesting. If pure bling… we’re back to heresy! (Have feeling you’re lusting after 12plugging it!) Think I’ve seen somewhere in PPF that going to 10:1 CR requires 12plug to work well. ??? You ask “why go this route since 3.2s are bullet proof?” Agreed that 3.2’s reputation is robust.That said, this build’s direction believes this: it cannot be that any engine is “completed.” In other words, Porsche---given 'for-profit' economics---left us space to explore and improve on what they created. In this case making their engine more resilient, durable, sustainable, efficient, etc. Much of the “void” left by Porsche deals with time-given value IMHO. For example, if you or I will spend 10 hours doing what Porsche’s bean counters forced their production person to do in 1… I’ll say we’re very likely to improve on what Porsche’s production person can do. That’s not to be critical of Porsche or to brag on us. Am seeing this as a simple reality. After time-given value comes the opening of Pandora’s box of new technologies. EFI by example---surly something to explore for this project. Quote:
High strength rod bolts… a fine---subtle---idea. Brand? CHT… why 2-wire? And does that include a sensor change? (Am azzuming CHT is Cylinder Head Temp.) VR… engine has 4 year (approximately) old Bosch alt with internal VR. (Replaced that alt due to VR failure.) Perhaps extricating VR from alt has merit. All input/ideas are going into a spreadsheet. Will consolidate everything and eventually share whole of it. (Distillation is likely in order to make budget work. Then on with build.) . |
I realize we are bench racing, as it were, however, as far as dual plugs go, Porsche went to that on their 3,6s. Why? Probably for two reasons, emissions and efficiency. They allow a higher CR to run safely. It also aids in preventing pre-ignition.
In a perfect world Mahle would sell forged pistons for the 95 or 98mm cylinders. But they don't. I and many others are using JEs with not issues. They are forged and considerably lighter than the stock Carrera units. There may be better pistons out there, but what? ARP has the rod bolts. Something else to consider would be a 3,6 or GT-3 intake manifold. Then add ITBs to that. Take a look at what Singer does to their motors for some more inspiration. Lets see what the gurus on this board have to say. |
Quote:
One bulletproofing idea I'd push is going with Paulter rods -- folks consider the smaller rod bolts used on stock 3.2 pistons to be undersized and a weak link -- Paulter uses the same size (larger) rod bolts as a 3.0 rod . . . . |
Quote:
Those Mahle sets are a great option if you have worn out cylinders and want to go to 3,4. They won't work with an aggressive cam however. |
It would be best just to talk on the phone, i know that doesn't have the benefit of every one seeing for all time and being able to pick apart BUT there is just to much to type on this subject. If you would like to talk on the phone i can quickly tell you what i know and also you can bounce ideas off me and ill tell you my real world exp. with them. I build these engines all day every day and most if not all of what you are talking about is integrated into race engines. Of cores we build them for the most power but also to run the whole endurance race, race after race. DM me if you would like and i will send you my Phone number
PS. As for some comments above we do live in a perfect world and you can buy Mahle Pistons from Mahle. I do it all the time. I run JE and Mahle just depends on the build and budget. |
Quote:
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1544292889.jpg ITBs... also very appealing. But, because system adds more moving parts to engine, that cuts against grain of build. Mission is to head towards increased simplicity---less maintenance. Am envisioning GT intake with single throttle plate config. http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1544292889.jpg Question... will GT intake drop onto 3.2/3.4? If so, can see pursuing this direction. . |
|
Quote:
Quote:
|
Quote:
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1544484043.jpg You can see in the pictures that the 964 intake manifold has a throttle body with two plates. Within the intake assembly is another passage that opens above 5400 rpm to change the effective length of the intake path. |
^^^ Thanks for notes Kev. I looked around for more info on 964 manifold. Found one for $25,000. EDIT: Found another 964 intake manifold listed for $3,300.
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1544634323.jpg What about 930 manifold? This can be had for build's budget. But does it fit 3.2/3.4? And does it add aspiration improvement value? http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1544634738.jpg |
umm. no. $25k? They are routinely on ebay for a few hundred.
the 930 manifold will not work for you. Too small volume and flow characteristics are designed around boosted air (pressurized flow) not vacuum driven flow. The issue with adding the 964 manifold is having an ECU to drive the plenum. The vacuum pod gets a signal from the ECU. YOur 3.2 Motronic ECU will not have this. And you can not add it. This can be done with a stand-alone ECU. |
Quote:
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1544637945.jpg |
Quote:
Some advice if you wish to take it. Disassemble the engine first and find out what is wrong and what needs to be repaired. This may take more $$ than you think. Then set a budget. Then ask yourself, what are my performance goals? The two are typically poles apart. You now have 3 numbers you can work on. "Design" your upgrade on paper, having researched all of the costs. You may have to compromise on your "wants" to fit the budget. You have to decide on what sort of build quality you want. I think $17K could be on the low side. The danger on these builds is to "go down the road" where you cannot return. |
That intake you first pictured isn't a 964 intake. Looks like a GT3 intake and must be a special one for $25K because an entire GT3 engine can cost that much.
Rothsport has developed an individual throttle body intake system using the 964 manifold and they typically manage it with a Motec ECU. It's very common to have a RPM triggered output with a fully programmable ECU. That intake assembly from FVD for $3300 is still highly overpriced. Like Jamie said, you can find them for much less. http://forums.pelicanparts.com/porsche-911-used-parts-sale-wanted/1005414-964-intake.html |
Article (Bisi commentary) supporting premise that ITBs offer more even air intake per cylinder than a TB on manifolds.
https://www.drivingline.com/articles/air-cooled-911-intake-revamp/ |
Quote:
Quote:
Link to $25,000 intake... 993/964 RSR Intake Manifold Am now finding them as you and Jamie mentioned... hundreds of $s. |
Quote:
a turbo manifold would be a poor choice for a n/a motor |
The benefit of itb's is primarily the freedom to use happier cams and crisper throttle response, air flow increase may or may not be useful it depends on all the other choices made
|
Quote:
Quote:
|
Regardless of installed piston assembly, cylinder, and rod part conditions… all these will be replaced by default. This is to reduce in-motion-weight, add in contemporary technology, and balance parts to a very tight delta. Since dollar difference between 3.2 and 3.4 parts is invisible, going 3.4 is no-brainer. Exactly what compression ratio (CR) to go with remains undecided. To serve build's endurance priority, high CR is definitely out. 2-plug is still in for combustion efficiency. Exactly how Megasquirt (MS) and related hardware will set up for 2-plug system is---at this moment---total mystery to me. Am digging into MS daily. Right now, these parts are slated…
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1544740297.jpg http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1544740297.jpg Mahle 98mm pistons, rings & pins (normal asp.) Have not yet priced this with rings and pins. Am wondering if there are optimal type/brand rings to partner with Nikasil bores? Will balance piston-pin-clip assemblies to 0.5 gm max delta. (If I can get crank balancer to go with me to a lessor delta, then I’ll go lower than 0.5 on assemblies I’m balancing.) http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1544740297.jpg Carillo H-Beams $1,840 set. Need to speak with Carillo about how to achieve a 0.5 delta or better. (Believe their spec is +- 0.5 which translates to potential 1 gm.) http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1544740935.jpg LN Engineering Nikasils 98mm $3,880. set. Will moon cut. Wonder if there’s more easing of air flow to be created at base of cylinders (aside from boat tailing.) Compared to Mahle’s cylinders, LNs have +2 fins. Also appears to me from product images that LNs are more carefully made than Mahle. Am wondering if there’s any concern with fitting Mahle pistons into LN cylinders---Cold fit? Hot/expanded fit? Crank will hopefully call for std bearings. Will knife edge crank, bobweight piston & rod assembly then balance crank (fly wheel attached.) For daily driver use, should fly get weight reduction? Again, case gets boat tailed. None of this is carved in stone. If you find anything wrong here… say so. |
Karl:
Believe the wedge-shaped mahles you pictured above are optimized for single plug use -- the wedge focuses the single plug's off-center combustion across the combustion chamber to more fully ignite -- don't think they would benefit from a twinplug setup. Many have used these successfully without detonation issues in single plug configuration. Would also suggest that you consider the Mahle motorsports' 98mm p&c sets, as they're built to work together expansion-wise, etc. |
Nice on line topic...
If I were doing this thinking, read been there done this, answering and or choosing/specifying these and you will have most if not all else answered... 1. Disassemble and inspect ALL = measure and magnaflux to make sure no cracks and then this really sets the rebuild direction and budget... 2. There is no replacement for displacement... 3. Camshaft profile determines 80-90% what other parts need to be 4. #3 also screams head flow needed = talk to bill at extreme in Florida... Doing these steps and your case mods and reading Bruce Anderson’s books will tell a lot of already found “improvements “ to do or consider... You could easily spend weeks researching this and that and never finish this build, SO, when does this need to be finished...? Keep this in mind too... Good luck and enjoy...! |
If you want light rods, get a set of Pauter’s lightweight rods. They take their standard 3.2/3.3/3.6 rod and go a bit lighter on it. Their rods also have the bolts “inverted” and that places the bolt heads away from the rods near the oil pump. Reason I mention this is because if you use a larger oil pump, the pump usually needs some clearance from the Carrillo rods
You’ll want to be cautious of the crank knife edging. Those counterweights are on there for a reason. Neil has a lengthy page on his website that gets into the dangers of knifing the crank weights You don’t need to moon the LN Nickies. They’re already mooned. You’re right they have more fins and they are billet cylinders, not cast like the Mahle cylinders. So the fins are actually machined/cut and not cast fins like the Mahls. If going with LN cylinders, their higher strength allows you to use thinner cylinder walls. That means you could use a 100mm cylinder that is a slip-fit (no machining of the case bore necessary) to make a 3.5. The typical Mahle 3.5 kit requires you to machine the case bores for the larger cylinder Look at all the 3.2 dyno plots (some 3.4 dynos in there too) on 911chips.com site and you’ll see the 3.2 intake hits a HP peak at 6200 rpm every single time. What that demonstrates is the tuning effect the length of the intake runners has on the engine’s power delivery. If you want to spin the engine higher than 7000 rpm to make power, that intake is a hindrance |
Quote:
Quote:
Quote:
3.5 program... No case adjustment... what about heads? As one moves away from stock config, 3.2 in this case, is there any issue with referencing "Porsche Technical Specs"---booklet data? For example, an increase in bore and CR, does that require a new head nut torque? Larger combustion chamber... does that demand larger valves? All of a sudden I'm in paranoiaville! ...Am data-overdosing! (Will embrace the horror for as long as it lasts! Morning coffee will help :eek: .) Neil... ? Looked at 'Chips' dyno sheets. Saw 3.2 run. Thanks for input Kev! |
Call Notes 12.10.18:
Rod - Pauter / Don forward to Brian / 619.422.5384 / “Light weight” rod = 550 gm. $1,776 set. Promised me they’d pluck to minimize deviation. 12.18.20 Brian said he could put forced feed pin (FPF) hole through rod. Wondered why given squirters. Reminded him of build's premise and he understood. Said journals would need to be drilled and main cross drilled. Bushings might get resevoir grove. Size of FPF bore yet to be determined. Need to consider system wide oil pressure doing this. Rod - Carillo / Richard / 949.567.9000 ext. 191 / Standard unit weight = 600 gm. Custom made is “low 500’s.” I confirmed = 525 gm. He said “probably less.” Custom = $2,070. set. Forgot to ask if it’s possible to flip bolts. They’d make small end fit custom piston---so need to know piston dimension beforehand. 12.18.18 They do FPL rods. Is straight bore into rod beginning at small end. Vid posted on page 3. 1.8.19 Spoke with Richard about boring rods for forced pin lubrication. $90 per rod to bore. Is beneficial in terms of lubrication. Downside for this build is mass needed to be added to rod to accommodate bore. Estimate is 25-30 gms per rod. JE does custom pistons. This suits build plan provided I can confirm there being absolutely no issue with JE---any piston for that matter---working in a non-matched cylinder. Being used to buying stock parts in matched sets, mixing is uncomfortable at this moment. Surly others have blazed this trail before me. Piston - JE Custom / Brian / 714.898.9764 / Profiled endurance (smooth engine) build goal for him including likely use of LN Nikasil cylinders. Said am working bobweight back from knife’d crank---so want to know what minimum piston weight JE can achieve for this build profile (911 3.4 endurance street application.) From minimum weight it’s possible to leave material in to satisfy bobweight. They’ll take existing part and mill to reduce weight rather than conceiving entirely new piston. $1,320 set including ring pack, wrist pin and retainer. Advised Brian of my research pointing to Moly or tungsten rings being suited to Nikasil. He did not say what JE ring composition is but advised JE rings being suited to Nikasil coated bores. Must be they’ve dealt with Nikasils before. He needs to calculate weight. Will get back to me on later today or Monday. Forgot to ask if JE does ceramic coating. Piston - Mahle / Zak / 888.255.1942 Ext. 2817 / Zak advises Mahle can make pistons in F1 form with coated skirts. Their ceramic top coating is coming online next year---exactly when next year was not asked. Windowing skirt's low thrust side of was not eagerly received. Comment in this regard was racers being the one's who typically push the envelop testing different ideas with windowing not having much interest. Did not discuss asymmetrical piston form. Custom piston estimates are $300 each and less than 400 gm. Pins and rings are additional cost and weight. After design and engineering is done, is 6 week production time. Printed plastic model = $100. each. He mentioned piston's metal alloy composition and oil ring being key factors relative to product running successfully in Nikasil bore. Cylinder - LN / 815.472.2939 / No issue mating their cylinder with JE piston---"...it's done all the time." Asked about best ring composition for Nikasil... no clear answer. Suggested that dedicated ring maker would be entity to speak with... Hastings, Total Seal, Goetze. ANDY 12.17.18 - No issue running F1 designed (short) piston with Nikasil. No issue with heat transfer from F1 design out through Niki cylinder. Crank - Ollies / Zak / 928.855.6101 / Said for my street application there's no need to knife but can do to improve case windage. If they do knife... Then they balance crank. Then they add fly and balance. Then add pressure plate and balance. Then add pulley and balance. 1 gm tolerance. Should cross drill main and upgrade squirters from 1mm to 2mm. Boat tailing. There is no bobweighting for boxer engines. Will update this post when missing info is had. 12.18.18 Status: RODS - Both potential suppliers can customize. Both can FPL bore. Carillo is the lighter weight---possibly below 500 gms. PISTONS - Comments do not bode well for JE. Mahle can customize piston to targeted F1 style. Keeping stock CR. Can 3D print piston proof. $100 per proof. Rings are Mahle's responsibility. They know cylinders are LNE Nikies. CYLINDERS - LN Engineering for 98 mm Nikies. PINS - still sourcing C300. BUSHINGS - Researching flow control hatching. ENGINE OIL FLOW - Need to determine how to sense and adjust flow to optimize system wide pressures based on change to squirters, FPL'ing for pins, and larger pump. . |
FWIW the rings that I received with my 95mm JE pistons were German Goetze. I imagine to be OE for Mahles.
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1544818763.jpg |
Quote:
PS Nice pistons! |
I used the original Mahles that were on the SC motor I bought years ago and rebuilt. The cylinders were in spec so I used the Scotch Bright method to de-glaze them.
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1544826779.jpg |
^^^ To my eye, that's an impressive crosshatch Gordon. Nicely done.
|
Ref from Trends Performance. Call them Monday to see what they can offer in C300 or H 13 in as thin a wall as they deem suitable to build.
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1544835031.jpg http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1544835031.jpg . |
Quote:
|
Quote:
|
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1545067553.jpg
Mahle F1 type. http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1545067553.jpg F1 with window'd skirt. (Looks like window's only on minor thrust load side.) Forced pin lube. Be interesting to see if Carillo or Pauter will do this. http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1545067553.jpg JE's asymetrical. Above are refs are for piston thinking---plan is to design & make a minimum weight, maximum durability piston based on F1 piston design. What JE (or CP) can arrive at without a budget for specialty metals (as I'm sure F1 teams have)... we'll see what can be accomplished. LN confirms a short skirt---F1 type piston design---not being an issue with their Nikasil cyls. Short piston's heat transfer through Niki cyls is also not an issue. 2nd opinion from piston maker on these points is due. |
Quote:
|
The direct pin oiling is available for the Pauters but you'd have to determine if it's really necessary. Rod Info - Pauter I'm guessing this pin oiling is typically needed in high rpm and high cylinder pressure applications. I don't know if you're planning on high rpm and I believe cylinder pressure is dictated by compression ratio, which I don't believe you're pursuing?
JE provides various coatings with their pistons as requested. They have a pretty good variety of them. See page 3 http://www.jepistons.com/PDFs/TechCorner/SCPDrawings/JE_Piston_terminology_and_features.pdf Note that several builders have started to switch to the CP Carrillo pistons. Apparently the ownership change at JE has not changed things for the better for the Porsche guys? I have no direct experience with that. But something rather telling to me is LN Engineering's website. They list CP Carrillo pistons and no showing of the JE pistons. JE was their common piston of choice for a long time in the recent past. Regarding the wrist pins, it seems the common upgrade for the Porsche pistons is to downsize from the standard 23mm pin to a 22mm pin. This is something Carrillo and Pauter commonly do and it's listed in their everyday listings of rods. https://www.cp-carrillo.com/files/porsche-flyeronline.pdf Note that of course you'd need to ensure your both your pistons and rods have the 22mm pin. The 22mm pins are used in the 3.0L rods as standard issue and therefore they're a sufficient pin size & strength. Ollie's has a great reputation for their machine work. But their service times can often be quite long if you catch them at the wrong time. If you're willing to send your parts all the way to AZ for service, you could have Marine Crankshaft in CA do your crank for you very easily and they have a great turnaround time. David Eden is a good person to speak with there. Pauter does crankshaft service too. Both Marine and Pauter make their own crankshafts as well. So they definitely have the qualifications. |
Quote:
Re forced pin lube (FPL), surly not necessary but with build's goal being to adopt ideas, materials, techniques that serve parts/engine longevity, if something is beneficial to goal's end, then it's a matter of economics whether to go with a given solution or not. Believe we'll all agree FPL being beneficial. Calling Carillo and Pauter tomorrow to discuss options & costs. This direction begs larger oil pump. Any info in this regard would be welcomed. JE's status is curiously noted. I've heard this from other makers. Allowing for sales propaganda that pizzes on competitors... such commentary is taken differently when there's no slaes & marketing agenda---I'm listening. Regarding pistons, just had interesting discussion with Mahle---they will custom make F1-type pistons for use with Nikasil bores to suit this build's direction. Carillo will make small end measures per customer specs. 22mm is doable. Am researching pins made in C300 metal. Idea being to minimize pin diameter/weight. Piston's boss area is not forgotten when pin shrinking. Delivery by Ollie's noted. Being in Miami and not knowing a local Porsche oriented machine shop here... I'm reluctant to ship to Ollie's. His Porsche rep makes it worthwhile if that indeed is end path taken. Thanks for options you mention---Marine Crankshaft in CA and Pauter. You're thinking this through---much appreciated. |
And keep in mind the rifle drilling through the rod beam is not the only FPL method. Though it is the only place you're going to get actual pressurized oil, from the rod journal, and that also begs the question of whether it's worth it to steal precious oil pressure from the rod bearings.
JE has a nice page that shows various pin oiling options they have and they're all splash oiling. Different Wrist Pin Oiling Styles Explained But keep in mind that pistons also have a squirt of oil directed at them. Some use notches in the rod thrust surfaces to direct a squirt of oil at the underside of the piston. Of course our engines have the dedicated jets in the engine case that squirt the piston. Speaking of squirters, if you're going up in size on the piston squirters? You may need to consider a larger oil pump since those squirters are going to steal some volume from your crankshaft oil. Going by memory here: Typical 3.2 Carrera pump = 1.5mm squirter jet 930 pump = 2.0mm jet 964/993 = 2.5mm jet I don't know off the top of my head what size jet is used with the holy grail GT3 pump. But its delivery rate on the pressure side is in excess of the 930 and 964/993 pump so I have to assume the GT3 squirters are also large. There's also the argument of reduced cam housing oil delivery (the infamous reduced orifice diameter within the camshaft & rocker banjo base/fitting) which in turn sends more oil to the bottom end of the engine and reduces the need for a larger pump. The argument is, is it truly advisable to take away oil volume from the top of the engine? Heads are the part of the engine that need the most cooling (and fan air is the primary means of cooling) but any help provided by oil is certainly welcomed? |
All times are GMT -8. The time now is 04:45 AM. |
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2025, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Search Engine Optimization by vBSEO 3.6.0
Copyright 2025 Pelican Parts, LLC - Posts may be archived for display on the Pelican Parts Website