'03 3.2 S engine into '06 3.2 S Boxster

[Biff]

2006 engine went bang and need to find a decent replacement. I found a reasonable priced 2003 3.2 but not sure if it would be a direct plug-n-play. I know I would be losing 30 hp but I'm okay with that. Will the harness, ecu, ect. adapt up? Let me know if its doable.
Thanks!

[Biff]

No one knows?

[CarGuyNeil]

Im sorry, I don't know if it would work. I know the IMS bearing is different because the 2006 had the largest IMS bearing and not serviceable without cracking the case, while the 2003 you could replace it with the clutch, but it's a much smaller bearing. So there are internal differences, but I'm not sure about external. Maybe call a place like Flat Six Innovations as they are likely to know. Any of the known Porsche engine specialists should know.

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[tonythetarga]

986’s generally don’t intermix with 987’s as far as ECU and wiring harnesses. Completely different. Then again, money can fix a lot!

[tonythetarga]

There is a 2006 ‘997 engine for sale in the 996-997 section. That will plug and play. While the engine is out, you remove the outside IMS seal before installing. Good to go. Use very good oil, not Mobil 1, and change it every 4000 miles or once a year.
More HP and a bigger engine.

[jamesjedi]

This may help:

https://www.pelicanparts.com/techarticles/Boxster_Tech/11-ENGINE-911_Engine_Swap/11-ENGINE-911_Engine_Swap.htm

[djnolan]

Use very good oil, not Mobil 1, and change it every 4000 miles or once a year.

I have a M97.21 3.4l with high copper/lead. What oil and what weight do you recommend?

[tonythetarga]

Oil brand can be a controversial topic, and I am not an engineer. I am a track guy with race shop experience. My opinion is oil like Motul 5-40, or the Driven brand that LNE recommends are better oils for Porsche.
With the AOS in our cars, commercial oils froth up and can suck in the oil foam into the intake.
Using a non-detergent racing oil means that you also need to change the oil more frequently than the 10k that the manual says. Nothing worse for the engine than waiting 10k. For some cars that can be five years with the same oil.
If you track heavily, then oil change between 1-2k. Normal driving should be annual changes with a max of 4K. Don’t let used oil sit in the engine if you store for the winter.

This is what I prefer to do. My decision is personal and, somewhat informed from my shop experience. There are lots of threads on oil. I think LNE’s website has a lot of excellent info worth reviewing.

Also should mention that I’ve been having my oil analyzed by Blackstone at every oil change on every Pcar I’ve had for the last 15 years. The results convince me what I’m doing works.

[djnolan]

Tony, your straightforward advice is appreciated. Any thoughts on 0w40 vs 5w40 vs 5w50?

[tonythetarga]

I think the weight you choose is less a factor than the brand.

[CarGuyNeil]

It depends on the climate where you live too.

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[obthomas]

OIL

I am an Engineer.

I use what the manufacturer says to use. If I deviate for some reason it goes like this:
1. Name Brand, often you get what you pay for.
2. Viscosity, 0 for cold weather ,5,10,15, for progressively warmer weather
3. W20, 30,40, 50 for progressively warmer running.

Last I change oil frequently. I think some of the new synthetics lose viscosity sooner than expected.

I'm in South Texas. My cars have Name Brand full synthetic 0W20 or 0W30 in them and I change oil and filter at 5K miles.

[tcora]

Ah, yes. It’s January, so time for the regularly scheduled Winter Oil Thread. (The Summer Oil Thread will be in May, this year, BTW).

Firing up the popcorn popper.

FWIW, I use Mobil 1 15W50. Change it at around 10k miles or every 12 months, whichever comes first. That’s typically done on mileage, although during the pandemic, it was done on time at least once.

03 986, a year round DD in northwest NJ. 198,000 miles on the clock - the last 178k of them mine - as of Thursday. Blackstone Labs samples pulled with every change and nothing untoward in any of their test reports, so that all works for me.

I, too, am (OK used to be) an engineer.

[jamesjedi]

What was the cause of the engine failure?

[Biff]

Engine dropped a valve seat on cylinder 6 probably from an overheat condition caused by reduced oil flow from a DOF IMS. The DOF IMS system pulls oil flow off cylinder 6 cam cover. This is just a guess on root cause analysis failure.

[jamesjedi]

Thanks for sharing.