My stock 3.2 Motronic rebuild

[Dadofour]

I started getting interested in rebuilding my 140,000 Carrera engine when my mechanic told me that it was leaking oil, potentially from a broken head stud.

While he was diagnosing the engine I came across a deal I could not refuse to buy an engine that was absolutely complete, machined and ready to be assembled.

As everyone (but me) knows any deal that seems to good to be true, usually is, to good to be true.

Since then, I have purchased more parts to replace missing pieces than my ego cares to admit or type, but I am coming to end of my long road rebuilding this 85 Carerra engine that had 180,000 miles on it.

My mechanic was able to stem the flow of oil from the oil cooler on my engine, so the rush to complete the rebuild of the newly acquired 85 engine was eliminated. This gave me the ability to take my time doing every step right on this engine.

Every step I was presented with things I did not understand, from cleaning, to sealing, to timing and on an on.

The board, Henry Schmitt, my mechanic, friends and my machinist all were willing to share their knowledge.

These pictures summarize where I started and where I am now in the process. My plan is to mate this 85 engine to a 73 transmission after I go to VIR for two track days in July.

This was day one arriving home with the pars that were air freighted:




My first major mistake was leaving a washer on one of the case half studs. Since all of the nuts and bolts for the engine came in a plastic bin mixed with dirty engine oil and assorted parts and springs, I had to sort through, clean and identify every part. I matched a washer and nut for each case stud before I started to get ready to seal it up and placed them on the stud. In the process I left a single washer on a stud when I sealed the case (the first time).

The first symptom was the fact the crank would not turn freely. After I cracked the case open I found the washer.

Henry was a great support Christmas eve responding to my panic emails within minutes (Thanks Henry!).



The second time assembling the engine:



I got very good squeeze out, so I am hopeful the engine will be dry.

The Cam Timing process was part of the rebuild that I could not comprehend well from the book came into sharp focus within five minutes of beginning and with a couple of pointers from my mechanic was a very enjoyable step in the process.








Last night I installed the intake system and started playing around with routing the sparkplug wires.

I still have a number of engine odds and ends and still have to prep the transmission and car for the retro install of the 73 transmission (mechanical speedo and different clutch cable), but July is looking very close.

Thanks!!!!

[88-diamondblue]

Looking good. Glad to see evrything is coming together. Looks like I will be firing up the engine tomorrow if all goes well.

[JohnJL]

Than,
Looks great! Looks we've got the same intake, both powdercoated too! Mine is in a dupont color "Citibank Silver!"

[Dadofour]

John,

I was looking to "compliment" the color of my car and experiment with Powder coating in my garage. As I do more parts the quality is gettig better. The intakes came out nice, whereas the fan is a little discolored.

Your engine reminds me of the Denvire Bronco's. Can't wait to hear when you hit the track with it.

[Dadofour]

I am scheduled to install the engine in my car this weekend. Here's to an easy start-up.

[Dadofour]

Link to Video Clip

I have never dropped an engine and I suspected issues with the intake as many of the parts I had gotten with the engine were either not a match or in poor condition. I arranged with my Porsche mechanic to use his lift and tools as well as his expertise to drop the existing engine and re-install the new motor.

We started around 10am and all went well dropping the engine. My mechanic Will pretty much directed the show and my buddy Scott and I wrenched. His wife Anna took pictures and handed the tools to us initially.

Once the engine and transmission were out we separated the transmission from the engine and I noticed the first problem. I had no starter ring on my new engine. Just another part I did not get. No biggee, we removed the starter ring from the old engine and re-installed it on the pressure plate on the new engine. Of course it never occurred to me that I would need to re-insert the clutch alignment tool. More on that later.

We started working on the transmission and discovered the throttle linkage post was sheared off in the transmission. Will was not concerned. He drilled down the center of the broken bolt, and removed it without a glitch. Will decided he preferred to update the clutch linkage on the �72 transmission instead of replacing the entire clutch cable. He cut away the bell housing to make room for the motronic sensor.

We used the snapon stud remover and Scott backed out the four longer studs to transplant onto the older transmission so we could mount all the required clutch springs etc.

When we went to mate the transmission to the engine, we could not get the transmission to seat. It turned out I got the clutch out of alignment when I installed the starter ring, so we had to back out all of the clutch bolts and re-align the clutch. The transmission mated, and we were ready to start installing.

We rolled the engine under the car and started to lower the lift and the car down on top of the engine. Will and Scott positioned the engine and I worked the lift.

The engine was installed, connections made under the car, and the car was lowered to attach everything under the hood.

We poured in 8 quarts and went to start the engine, and we discovered a gushing fuel injector on cylinder #4. We fixed the rolled o-ring and then checked all the lines and went to start the car again.

Eventually (seemed like forever) the engine started to run. After only a few seconds it started to sound down right healthy.

The video does not show you how very loud the Stingers are, but they scream. They sound great under heavy acceleration and load, but they will not work at Limerock!!

Thanks for the help. Now I am researching the rebuild of the 3.2 I removed.

[Wayne 962]

Looks great - congrats!

-Wayne

[Dadofour]

Thanks Wayne. Your book was great, and has become part of my daily reading on the commute as I refresh for round II.

Than