Thermal Reactors ?

Skytrooper · Skytrooper's Garage

More than likely my car is of the vintage ('76) that these would have been installed on originally.
My question is;
What do they look like ?
and
What would happen if I removed them (if they are still installed) ?

This is my first 911 so I might seem to have a lot of questions.

Thanks

racer · 10-01-2009, 04:40 PM

It would be good to remove them. They are part of the problem of the 2.7 motors. They expose the engines to too much heat, which causes them problems. No pic to share though.

Upgrades to your motor would be
1) remove the smog stuff
2) upgrade to SSI heat exchangers and a sport muffler
3) if you have the 5 blade fan, replace with the 11 blade cooling fan
4) Be sure to put a "pop-off" valve in your CIS Airbox.

Skytrooper · Skytrooper's Garage

Already have

SSI heat exhangers and sport muffler, pop-off valve.

I have the 5 blade fan, but I am looking for an 11 blade.

So, basically I have the thermal reactors and smog stuff to clean out of the engine bay

Flat6pac · 10-01-2009, 05:28 PM

The 76 is not suposed to have a 5 blade fan

longhornchris04 · longhornchris04's Garage

There's a reason Thermal Reactors have the nickname "Thermal Destroyers"

While having the car "factory stock" typically increases a car's value, those things definitely do not.

If you have them - get rid of them. If you don't have them, then thank whoever got rid of them. The extra heat load (in conjunction with other factors) led to the weakening and premature failure of a number of magnesium cases.

kolies · kolies's Garage

So what you are saying is no one would be interested in a set that came off my car? : )

Karsten

beepbeep · 10-01-2009, 10:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kolies

So what you are saying is no one would be interested in a set that came off my car? : )

Karsten

Correct. They are great if you want to pull the studs out of the case though...

longhornchris04 · longhornchris04's Garage

Well... there's an outside chance someone in California (where 76 and later have to meet smog, to include visual inspection) would want a spare set to hollow out to pass the visual check while minimizing the detrimental effects of the reactors.

Of course, it seems that most Cali 2.7s get replaced with 3.0s and their corresponding equipment.

Skytrooper · Skytrooper's Garage

Looks like all of the crap has been previously removed....and I do have a 11 blade fan (not sure how I miscounted that...let's see, ten fingers, is a stomp the next or do toes count like fingers ?)

Porsche-O-Phile · Porsche-O-Phile's Garage

I'd personally like to see every single set of thermal reactors ever made sitting at the bottom of some ocean trench.

litning · 10-03-2009, 09:46 AM

FYI - I just dropped a 3.2 into my '77. Took the SSI headers off the old 2.7 (done on the east coast) and put them on the 3.2, took off all the other smog gear, added an exhaust to the right side of the muffler, and put on a cone air filter. Car runs like a champ and sounds twice as good as new! I had already figured out a way around CA smog, but just for grins, I took it to my smog guy to see if I might have any problem in the future with CA smog if my 'way around" ever failed. Smog check came back at the bottom of all readings - passed with flying colors without any adjustments (the 3.2 obviously operated much cleaner than the original 2.7), and he said that, other than the cone intake filter, no random smog checker could ever tell that the new 3.2 was not a 2.7. So Im keeping the original box air cleaner in case I ever need a smog check!

litning · 10-03-2009, 09:52 AM

PS My '77 was an "other 49" car, and did not come with thermal reactors. I got it in MO and eventually took it to CA. If you dont see a big (2ft long x 6 inch diameter) chunk of heavy metal attached to your heat exchangers, you probably never had one! Im away from home or Id send you a picture.

jjrowe · 10-20-2009, 02:27 PM

Quote:

FYI - I just dropped a 3.2 into my '77. Took the SSI headers off the old 2.7 (done on the east coast) and put them on the 3.2, took off all the other smog gear, added an exhaust to the right side of the muffler, and put on a cone air filter. Car runs like a champ and sounds twice as good as new! I had already figured out a way around CA smog, but just for grins, I took it to my smog guy to see if I might have any problem in the future with CA smog if my 'way around" ever failed. Smog check came back at the bottom of all readings - passed with flying colors without any adjustments (the 3.2 obviously operated much cleaner than the original 2.7), and he said that, other than the cone intake filter, no random smog checker could ever tell that the new 3.2 was not a 2.7. So Im keeping the original box air cleaner in case I ever need a smog check!

I know that my smog guy has the air injection pump on the list of visual items to check. That is the only thing keeping me from going to SSIs.

Jesse
76 911S

Flat6pac · 10-20-2009, 05:48 PM

3.2 doesnt have air injection...
Bruce

jjrowe · 10-20-2009, 06:05 PM

Quote:

3.2 doesnt have air injection...
Bruce

Hence a problem when smogging a 77 that is supposed to ...

.

My point is that regardless of how clean your exhaust is if the ref doesn't see that pump you won't pass.

longhornchris04 · longhornchris04's Garage

I know California has some strange smog rules for importing a car from outside of California. I'm not sure what they are, but I do know there are loopholes.

That said, I think you have to get the exemption (similar to the pre-75 exemption) when you get the car titled as part of the process... otherwise you have to get smogged.