Getting top end on 3.2

[hankgaines]

I am putting my ole girl in the shop next week for a top end at 200,000 miles. It will be done to stock except for heavier duty rod bolts. Any advice from veterans of this experience?

[earossi]

You're fortunate to have probably the most "bullet proof" motor that Porsche ever put into a 911. Having said that, at 200k miles, you are approaching the end of life for the bottom end of these motors. So, your dilemma is to decide whether to go the extra mile and rebuild the bottom end of the motor. To do the upper end, you are probably at more than the 50% spend point for the labor to do the entire motor. It's the parts costs that will drive things higher.

So, if the body of the car is fine and your disposition is to keep the car long term, I suggest you investigate the incremental cost to do a total rebuild of the motor.

If you decide to stay just with an upper end refreshen, you should also give consideration to the clutch assembly. And, with the motor out of the car for the upper end, there are low cost ways to fix a majority, if not all, of the oil leaks that may exist.

Most other things can be repaired/replaced with the powertrain in the car, such as motor and transmission mounts, exhaust hardware, etc.

[hankgaines]

I'll discuss that with shop. We will know more when the engine is opened up.

[AlfonsoR]

There are several 3.2 builds, do a search and look through a few and see what others do.

There are other reliability upgrades besides ARP rod bolts (or similar) that are popular like cross drilling crank, oil pump upgrade, upgraded head studs and steel layshaft gear.

You will probably also want to replace valve guids & springs and exhaust valves.

If your engine has run 200,000 without ever being opened, I would be inclined to not do too much machine work on the bottom end.

If you can, post pictures of your engine internals. It would be really interesting to see what it looks like after 200,000 miles... that's a pretty good run.

[Sboxin]

Have you/tech done a hot leak down test - what are the numbers?

By removing and replacing the rod bolts you/tech will also inspect and replace the rod
bearings. This rod bearing inspection may tell you/tech if the case needs to be opened.

The only other thing inside the case that seems to need replacing are the intermediate
shaft bearings - I have read many threads that show this abnormal
wear when the crankshaft bearings are still in very good condition. Is it that important
to replace IM shaft bearings -- I don't know that answer - maybe Steve or Bruce could
answer -- or your own local tech.

Best of luck with your rebuild,

Regards,

[hankgaines]

The shop is going to call when they crack the case so I can see what she looks like. I'll take pictures and post. Hoping the "exploratory surgery" comes out OK!

[CaptainCalf]

Originally Posted by hankgaines

The shop is going to call when they crack the case so I can see what she looks like. I'll take pictures and post. Hoping the "exploratory surgery" comes out OK!

Good luck and beware of the slippery slope

[hankgaines]

Stopped by Ed Mullinex's shop and he had just pulled the engine. They were removing the exhaust system and cleaning the engine up. I will not need a new clutch! Good news, but the shaft boots will need replacing. So far so good. North Hollywoods invoice for my Speedometer was not nearly as bad as earlier quoted. Hard to believe I have had this car for five years, longest I have ever own a car. I guess I like it.

[88911coupe]

I was in your shoes about 2 years ago. I called some Dallas shops and was told $8-10K for a top end only. I'd been toying with doing it myself and when one of the guys I s/w told me about 80% of the cost is taking crap apart and cleaning so I decided to just jump in. I'd done pretty much everything else myself up to that point but a rebuild scared the hell out of me. Wayne's book made it fairly straightforward...could NOT have done it without that. After I got it apart I fell into the "while you're in there" mode and just took it down to the crank. I was pleasantly surprised how great a condition everything was but obviously went ahead and replaced anything that was worn at all. I had all the critical parts inspected by Zims and sent the heads off to Competition Engineering which came back looking too pretty to put on the car. My only "issue" is a couple of oil leaks which I may attack at some point.

[hankgaines]

Stopped by the shop last night to see progress. Enclosed are photos. Took them in a hurry in bad light. Will get better shots next time. Ed said every thing was looking good except the cylinder walls are scratched and have carbon buildup. Recommended I have them redone. $200 per cylinder and adds two weeks to the job. Showed me the exhaust ports, lots of burnt oil build up. That's why we are here!

[CaptainCalf]

To weeks and $1200 should make the rebuild last a while...

[hankgaines]

Stopped by Ed's to give him the Speedo and temp gauge from North Hollywood. He had removed the rods and the barrels and send them off for redo. Picture enclosed. Now I just wait.

[Smoove1010]

The cylinders look like Alusil. How are they being re-done, and what rings will you be using?

My project is pretty much where yours is now, but mine's a DIY. 87 Drop Top - Drop-n-Top End
My cylinders are being felt-pad honed with abrasive paste, and I'll probably go with the Goetze rings that our host carries (and keeping my fingers crossed.)

Good luck!

GK

[hankgaines]

Your speaking past my expertise. Are Alusil what the factory would have installed? My mechanic is pretty active in our local club and writes tech articles for the monthly magazine. He preaches using original Porsche parts so I assume thats what he will use. I will ask him though. He said the cylinder linings needed to be redone due to wear and also build up. Used to be you would have to replace with new but he said there was a place that restores them. I am not mechanically inclined so its kinda fuzzy. I read Bentley just to put gas in the car.

[Smoove1010]

Alusil are pretty common in our cars, but alas not as desirable as Nikasil. Search for either term on the forum, and you'll have a few evenings worth of reading to do. The conventional wisdom is/was to discard Alusil cylinders, but it seems that the wisdom on this is evolving (fortunately for us.)