What is the trickiest part of your first 911 engine rebuild

[Krieger914]

You should buy that 3.0 mepstein has for sale on the world site.

[tdskip]

Originally Posted by Krieger914

You should buy that 3.0 mepstein has for sale on the world site.

Yep, but just doing planning now unfortunately.

Thanks for touching base.

[flightlead404]

Originally Posted by Walt Fricke

Flightlead - you know Pelican sells the Stomski tool, right? Isn't aluminum a better material for a holder? One of the good things about the Stomski tool is that it comes with a Sterret proper length straight edge. That's top of the line.

I used to try doing this with a metal carpenter's square with the short leg cut off. You can hold it against the intermediate shaft housing and, by being careful, get it true (though it is very easy to have it rock a little and still feel like it is square). Using the depth caliper with one hand is the challenge. My readings were very hard to repeat. A holder does away with all this. Maybe the carpenter's square was true enough for this work (you only need to be as close as the shims allow), or maybe not.

The stomski tool is expensive and suitable for someone who does a lot of engines. I'll sell my tool with a dial gauge holder, piston stop, and flywheel phone adapter for less than one stomski tool

printing in abs is fine for someone who does an engine here or there.

[Speed Buggy]

For my 3.0L from the SC it was cam timing and trying to figure out WTH I was taking a picture of...

Make sure you have GOOD pictures, not just pictures.

[tdskip]

Thanks - wondering if taking video on disassembly would be a good idea?

[911 Rod]

That would be one long video. I took hundreds of pictures and used most of them. Each part I took off I immediately took it to my parts washer and then labeled it. So many more hours cleaning than disassembly.

[Tippy]

Reading about timing the cams was the most intimidating at 1st.

If you blindly follow the Bentley manual, it will work without a hitch.

Don't 2nd guess what it's telling you to do. It makes sense after you've done it.

[Mark Henry]

My first build (2.2) came in a couple of apple baskets and it was early 90's so not much info on the net back then, all I had was a photocopied part of a Porsche manual.

[tdskip]

Originally Posted by Mark Henry

My first build (2.2) came in a couple of apple baskets and it was early 90's so not much info on the net back then, all I had was a photocopied part of a Porsche manual.

Brave / talented man!

[Henry Schmidt]

"Too many minds"......conflicting input from inexperience sources.

[Rich76_911s]

Another suggestion. I did a turbo engine so there are more vacuum lines, and things to keep organized. But I videoed where all the vacuum lines, hoses, wires, oil lines etc went. Pontes my finger at one end, traces the path with my phone videoing it, then showed where it terminated. This helped me a lot when I put it all back together. Better than still photos too because I could see the whole continuous route instead of trying to decipher 8 photos from different angles.

[tdskip]

Originally Posted by Rich76_911s

Another suggestion. I did a turbo engine so there are more vacuum lines, and things to keep organized. But I videoed where all the vacuum lines, hoses, wires, oil lines etc went. Pontes my finger at one end, traces the path with my phone videoing it, then showed where it terminated. This helped me a lot when I put it all back together. Better than still photos too because I could see the whole continuous route instead of trying to decipher 8 photos from different angles.

That was kind of what I was thinking-I bet that saved a bunch time.

[Geronimo]

I would love to see local groups, perhaps use this sight to organize engine build gatherings to have one or a few knowledgeable folks hold a rebuild session.

I would totally pay for that knowledge in person. I would think PCA would help facilitate this kind of thing, but it seems mostly they like extravagant dinners. lol

[Mark Henry]

Originally Posted by Geronimo

I would love to see local groups, perhaps use this sight to organize engine build gatherings to have one or a few knowledgeable folks hold a rebuild session.

I would totally pay for that knowledge in person. I would think PCA would help facilitate this kind of thing, but it seems mostly they like extravagant dinners. lol

Problem is a 911 engine isn't a weekend job and no two builds are the same.

I've hosted two Dr. Evil 901/911/914 transmission clinics and I build them, it's easy for him to do a clinic because he brings a bunch or new and used kit, many participants bring 2 or more cores and trade sell/parts, you don't have any machining, etc.
Dr.Evil has done this many times, has a DVD and is good at teaching.
In one weekend everyone goes home happy with a rebuilt tranny.

A 911 engine workshop would have to be a several weekend course, with several builds for hands on training with machining in between.
Maybe observing assembly instruction, but then you need someone that knows what they're doing and is a good and prepared instructor.

Raby does it for the M96/97, IIRC aimed at pros, but it's not cheap because a lot of prep detail and a lesson plan goes into it.

[Trackrash]

Originally Posted by Mark Henry

Problem is a 911 engine isn't a weekend job and no two builds are the same.

A 911 engine workshop would have to be a several weekend course, with several builds for hands on training with machining in between.
Maybe observing assembly instruction, but then you need someone that knows what they're doing and is a good and prepared instructor.

I guess the assembly portion could be a class. But then, if someone can disassemble, clean, check or have everything checked for tolerance, have everything machined, and purchase all the correct gaskets bearings and parts, they probably know how to put it back together.

[kent olsen]

Cam timing, I chickened out and sent it to Mike Bruns when he worked for J&B Racing in florida.

J&B did all the machining for my twin plug 3.0L. I used Wayne's book, step by step, marking off each step as I was putting it together slowly after being gone from home for 18 days at a time.

After it was completed I took it to J&B racing to run on their engine dyno. Mike ran it for two days tuning it first with single plugs and then the twin plugs.

I got what I wanted, a little over built for the streep but safe to run on track days.

[tdskip]

Originally Posted by Mark Henry

Problem is a 911 engine isn't a weekend job and no two builds are the same.

I've hosted two Dr. Evil 901/911/914 transmission clinics and I build them, it's easy for him to do a clinic because he brings a bunch or new and used kit, many participants bring 2 or more cores and trade sell/parts, you don't have any machining, etc.
Dr.Evil has done this many times, has a DVD and is good at teaching.
In one weekend everyone goes home happy with a rebuilt tranny.

A 911 engine workshop would have to be a several weekend course, with several builds for hands on training with machining in between.
Maybe observing assembly instruction, but then you need someone that knows what they're doing and is a good and prepared instructor.

Raby does it for the M96/97, IIRC aimed at pros, but it's not cheap because a lot of prep detail and a lesson plan goes into it.

Related side note - I tried to organize this exact thing for a 914 engine rebuild and the logistics on that proved to be challenging. Love the idea - but pulling it off isn't easy.

[Neil Harvey]

Have been following this thread with some interest.

First off, I do this for a living having been involved in building mostly race engines since the mid 70's. I can say without hesitation that building engine is a mental thing, not a labor thing. Building the most complicated engine does not take huge amounts of physical energy but does drain your mental energy. This drain is something we put upon ourselves, not the engine.

Building these 2V air cooled Porsche engines is easy, if you do not allow the fear of the unknown take over. I think the hardest part of rebuilding one of these engines is the cost. I cannot think of one part that is hard. It may be easy for me to say this, but in fact, there is no part that is difficult if you understand what you are doing and do not let the unknown take over your mind.

Cam timing or Valve timing as it should be called always comes up. It is the easiest part of building these engines. You have 1 cam to set in place on each side, not two. That's at start right there. Simplest way, you set the cams at a certain amount of intake lift at engine TDC. The only real thing you must remember is to rotate the engine 360 ° when timing the other side. I won’t go into how to time here, but stress only that this is not difficult work. Do not allow fear to take over.

I try to avail myself to offer any suggestions on how and why here. Its my opinion and our way of doing things, certainly not saying ours is the only way. Over the years, you find short cuts and “best ways” in doing tasks. If you have any questions fire away.

[Discseven]

Originally Posted by stanglife

Explaining to my wife why Porsche parts cost so much.

.