Favorite 911 engine?

[Hi_Fi_Guy]

Of the 911 engines you have driven which was your favorite and why? I’m not talking about ultimate horsepower but driving enjoyment on your favorite roads or on road trips. Bonus question, which engine did you find most reliable?

[Hi_Fi_Guy]

Personally I love the flexibility of the 2.2 in my 911T as it feels very relaxed when cruising but can hustle when needed on fun canyon and mountain roads. That said the 3.2 motronic was maybe less characterful but also more reliable and less needy in the maintenance department.

I’ve never had the pleasure of driving any other aircooled 911 motors and I look forward to reading others thoughts on them.

[mepstein]

3.0 race motor in a lightweight 69-911. Nothing much to talk about under 4K but then WOW!

Stock 3.2's are - turn the key - reliable.

[wayner]

Originally Posted by mepstein

3.0 race motor in a lightweight 69-911. Nothing much to talk about under 4K but then WOW!
.

Ditto!!
Works well in. 73 also

At 5 grand all hell breaks loose

[piscator]

Great thread! I'm interested in this as well. I have a spare 3.0 motor and often wonder what to make out of it. This will help.

[hienz]

I like my 1992 964 engine. So reliable and no problem so far 280,000 miles and still pulling as strong as new. Original AC is long dead after 5-yr because I do not want kill the ozone layers.

[mepstein]

Originally Posted by piscator

Great thread! I'm interested in this as well. I have a spare 3.0 motor and often wonder what to make out of it. This will help.

This car would have been terrible for driving your wife to dinner. Loud and needed to rev but as a play toy, it was a hoot. Sadly, not my car.

[lvporschepilot]

3.2 Motronic is hands-down the most reliable 'stock' motor. Any 911 engine rebuilt using EFI is just as reliable when set up correctly though. Most flexible stock motor with 'fun factor' for any and all occasions? That would be the uber rare 1974 3L RS. Non-stock? 2.7 or 3L with ITB EFI. EFI with both fuel and ignition control adds a lot to general drivability as you can throw tons more ignition timing at part-throttle and transition phases etc, makes them far easier to putter around in when required. The early engines just sound and rev far better than the later stuff.

[piscator]

My knowledge of the various iterations of 911 engines is limited, so I hope you'll forgive my ignorance -- but if I'm reading correctly, the favorites here are not the largest displacements or turbo-charged. That surprises me.

Over the years, I've read and inferred that the 3.2 is kind of a 'sweet spot' for Porsche engine guys, but beyond the fact that it's between 3.0 and 3.6, I don't exactly know why. I suspect the reason is reliability, as Iv states. If anyone wants to elaborate on why they favor a certain displacement or induction system, I would be an eager learner!

[piscator]

Originally Posted by mepstein

This car would have been terrible for driving your wife to dinner. Loud and needed to rev but as a play toy, it was a hoot. Sadly, not my car.

Mep, I am unencumbered in the spousal area! ;-)

[cosmicedsel]

I went out and bought the 911 3.2 because everyone raves about them. When they were introduced using light weight materials such as magnesium in 84. The company had to fudge the figures so they could still sell the turbo at the much higher price but the naturally aspirated 3.2 had better 0 to 60 figures. Ive driven both in stock and carrera 3.2 motronic is so sweet. Rob

[Sboxin]

1972 911T 2.4 MFI stock original engine . . . 50K miles and 5 years old . . .
Why = throttle response and acceleration, cruse at 90 all day . . .

Regards,

[30westrob]

Since no one has mentioned, 1972/73 2.4 E with MFI. I had a stock 72 E many years ago. It had the perfect balance of low end torque, drivability, and power. Rob

[Jeff Alton]

Originally Posted by cosmicedsel

I went out and bought the 911 3.2 because everyone raves about them. When they were introduced using light weight materials such as magnesium in 84. The company had to fudge the figures so they could still sell the turbo at the much higher price but the naturally aspirated 3.2 had better 0 to 60 figures. Ive driven both in stock and carrera 3.2 motronic is so sweet. Rob

What?

[brighton911]

Oh my, maybe too much wine made the claims by cosmicedsel not quite right. I'm guessing he has not driven a 930. First post so ??

[safe]

Originally Posted by piscator

Over the years, I've read and inferred that the 3.2 is kind of a 'sweet spot' for Porsche engine guys, but beyond the fact that it's between 3.0 and 3.6, I don't exactly know why. I suspect the reason is reliability, as Iv states. If anyone wants to elaborate on why they favor a certain displacement or induction system, I would be an eager learner!

The 3.2 was the first to have a modern and reliable fuel injection, all mechanical "bugs" was ironed out.

The 3.6 had a few issues when it came, primarily leaking heads but those have been fixed by now in 95% of all engines. The 3.6 in any form is a really good engine, the pinnacle of the air cooled engines. Nice noise, good power (300 with easy mods), lots of torque, as reliable as they gets.

I have both but in modified forms (intake, exhaust, EFI, cams) and both as very good. I like my 3.2 more even though it lacks ~60hp to the 3.6. But that is just because it has ITB induction, the noise and throttle response is incredible.

[manbridge 74]

Can’t get a lightweight car without a lightweight engine so I like the 2.7RS. Not the carbs “RS spec” either, but MFI with RS space cam. MFI, not really for outright power which is great but for increased torque to pull out of the corners, very tractable unlike earlier S engines. Engine assembly is 402lbs. The last 3.6 I pulled had 50-75lbs more I bet.

[lvporschepilot]

Originally Posted by manbridge 74

Can’t get a lightweight car without a lightweight engine so I like the 2.7RS. Not the carbs “RS spec” either, but MFI with RS space cam. MFI, not really for outright power which is great but for increased torque to pull out of the corners, very tractable unlike earlier S engines. Engine assembly is 402lbs. The last 3.6 I pulled had 50-75lbs more I bet.

I tell ya, I was 100% on the MFI bandwagon until I built two identical 2.8 engines, one MFI and the next EFI ITB nearly a year later. I cannot tell you how much nicer and tractable the EFI motor is, and with even better throttle response. Dialing in a bunch of timing at part throttle improves the experience and flexibility of the engine just a massive amount, cannot be understated. Yes, it's a pain to set up and get going, just like MFI can be, but once it's done, wow.

[manbridge 74]

EFI is superior in every way but one. Mastering MFI (easier in 2019 with portable wideband), a unique piece of Porsche history, is just dang cool IMO.

[lvporschepilot]

Originally Posted by manbridge 74

EFI is superior in every way but one. Mastering MFI (easier in 2019 with portable wideband), a unique piece of Porsche history, is just dang cool IMO.

+1 much truth