Build me an engine...

[Geronimo]

First, I love my 911SC, I just want to turn it up.

I am trying to get my head around what paths to power are available. There are so many knowledgable people around here I wanted to see what paths people suggest.

So I have an 82SC, thinking about a rebuild in a few years. The engine seems solid and runs great.

I currently have 46mm PMO's and SSI's, carrera oil tensioners, and Turbo valve covers... what path would you take to make as much more power for a fun street driven car, with a budget of say $15K or less.

My first thought was to shoot for a 3.2SS with a good set of cams, but I don't know the ins and out of finding those great Porsche parts combos and secret build tricks that people in the know seems to know.


I'm trying to use this thread to pull out lots of great Porsche engine data that I know people have.

Thanks guys.

[speeder]

This question should really be on the tech forum, half the people here haven't even owned a 911 in this life.

That said, the expensive PMOs are probably making this car a lot slower than stock. Why was the CIS jettisoned? Throwing big carburetors on a stock SC motor is a ticket to nowhere, in my experience.

[speeder]

And throwing a 3.6 in it and selling your present motor is by FAR the cheapest and best driving solution for added power. Anywhere from 280 to 300hp depending on year of 3.6 and great torque. Modifying your present engine for that kind of power will cost $$$ and you'd probably lose a lot of drivability on the street.

[mepstein]

3.6 is the best way to get big hp and you can still sell your existing engine for good money.

[Geronimo]

Yea I wasn't sure, thought off-topic might find lots of traffic. *shrug*

The CIS was in bad repair and the cost to fix was excessive, so the PO swapped in a set of PMO's I'm sure cam's and some compression would really wake the motor up.

A 3.6 would be amazing, but man people are asking crazy money for well used motors... I figure that would cost me well over 20K a deal on a 3.6L would be 15K, plus another 12-15K for a rebuild, minus the sale of the 3.0 for what maybe 6-7K...

It's so frustrating, it might be the case that my want and my budget are not going to come together.

[Sooner or later]

it seems to me you have the wrong car. To turn it into the rocket ship you want will cost cubic dollars.

[Geronimo]

I have the right car, just the wrong income. lol

I love the way the 3.0 freely revs, the way the car feels, I just want the pull to pull ya know. Sadly the cost for that has sky rocketed in the last several years.

[look 171]

Yeah, they are asking for huge money for a POS that bearly turns. I am in the hunt for a 3.6 (just looking and thinking really) if one comes along that need a complete rebuild then I am going to jump on it. No matter what condition, I am going to go over it. I like 300-330hp for the street and few track days. When I grow up, I just need to have someone teach me how to drive it properly on the track. Car has a 2.7 with all the bells and whistles and Weber 40s on it. It dyno at 260 hp at 7500 rpm. Cams, Pistons, Carrillo rods shuffle pin and on and on with all the goodies. Its a 3V motor. having a change of heart and don't want to play at the track too much, so looking for a 3.6 and build that. Sell the 2.7L to someone who will really use it on the track. Its has less then 30 min of shake down time on it. I am not sure how to even sell this thing or should I just keep it and tool around town with it and be a hooligan. Car is about 2300lbs

Not sure if 15 k will get you much these days on a rebuild?

[Sooner or later]

They have always been expensive to modify..

Here are a few old pics of mine. Pulled the smog, AC, and vent blower. Otherwise stock.

Let me try again on the pics

[Jeff Higgins]

Yeah, this would be better asked on the tech forum. But, since you asked...

I'll chime in against the 3.6 conversion for a couple of reasons. Number one, the torque of the 3.6 is a 915 killer. I've seen far too many 915's eaten up by 3.6's. Number two, the conversion is not as cheaply accomplished as some would think. Lots of things need to be altered or replaced altogether. There will be some clearance machine work required on the 915 bell housing, all of the engine tin is different, the wiring harness is completely different, and on and on. "The devil is in the details".

It would be far cheaper to to rebuild your current 3.0 into something with a bit more power, but power that is more "915 friendly". Go with 98mm P&C's and appropriate cams, like GE or DC 60's (and proper springs), maybe even bump the compression up to 10.5:1 and twin plug it. That would make for a very entertaining motor at about half the cost of a 3.6 conversion.

My own motor is much like that. I kept it at 3.0 liters, though. I'm running JE 10.5:1 pistons, Dougherty GT2-102 cams, and reworked MFI to run with that motor. Exhaust is SSI's and a Dansk RSR muffler. Ignition is Electromotive crank fire, twin plug. This combination made just under 220 hp and 215 ft lbs on a chassis dyno. My 2,200 pound '72 hot rod is a very fun car with this motor in it. Something similar to it would really wake up your SC, and you already have almost all of it already.

[Sooner or later]

[Geronimo]

Jeff, this is where my head has been. I think that I can drop 200lbs fairly easy, i'm still running steal bumpers and OEM seats... so at 2250 and 220ish HP it should be a pretty fun car.

I was thinking that a set of 98mm P&C's (have to research the most cost effective way) 10-10.5 comp and good cams and maaaaybe a lil head clean up.

That might be the best meet in the middle solution for my desire for umph.

[HardDrive]

Sell your SC.

Buy an early model Cayman S, immediately have the LN bearing upgrade put in to deal with IMS. Put the extra $10k+ in the bank. Enjoy.

[pavulon]

would recommend an LS swap but the reaction to my G-50 remark in your transmission thread already got me an appointment with the home security system people.

So maybe a Buick V6?

[Jim Richards]

Originally Posted by HardDrive

Sell your SC.

Buy an early model Cayman S, immediately have the LN bearing upgrade put in to deal with IMS. Put the extra $10k+ in the bank. Enjoy.

^^^if you don’t need the rear seats, this suggestion has merit.

[Jeff Higgins]

Originally Posted by Geronimo

Jeff, this is where my head has been. I think that I can drop 200lbs fairly easy, i'm still running steal bumpers and OEM seats... so at 2250 and 220ish HP it should be a pretty fun car.

I was thinking that a set of 98mm P&C's (have to research the most cost effective way) 10-10.5 comp and good cams and maaaaybe a lil head clean up.

That might be the best meet in the middle solution for my desire for umph.

I hate to say it on this site, but EBS Racing pairs JE's with reconditioned Mahle cylinders. I've run a few sets in different motors. By far the best bang for the buck. They will supply either 10.5:1, which would require twin plugging it, or 9.5:1, which can be run with your stock single plug ignition.

Oh, and just to be clear - that's rear wheel horsepower and torque, so add the customary 15% or so for crankshaft numbers. That doesn't put you all that far behind a stock 3.6, but it's not going to tie your poor old 915 up into a knot, either.

[Chocaholic]

Small block V8. Store your engine and reinstall when it’s time to sell.

[piscator]

Originally Posted by Jeff Higgins

Yeah, this would be better asked on the tech forum. But, since you asked...

I'll chime in against the 3.6 conversion for a couple of reasons. Number one, the torque of the 3.6 is a 915 killer. I've seen far too many 915's eaten up by 3.6's. Number two, the conversion is not as cheaply accomplished as some would think. Lots of things need to be altered or replaced altogether. There will be some clearance machine work required on the 915 bell housing, all of the engine tin is different, the wiring harness is completely different, and on and on. "The devil is in the details".

It would be far cheaper to to rebuild your current 3.0 into something with a bit more power, but power that is more "915 friendly". Go with 98mm P&C's and appropriate cams, like GE or DC 60's (and proper springs), maybe even bump the compression up to 10.5:1 and twin plug it. That would make for a very entertaining motor at about half the cost of a 3.6 conversion.

My own motor is much like that. I kept it at 3.0 liters, though. I'm running JE 10.5:1 pistons, Dougherty GT2-102 cams, and reworked MFI to run with that motor. Exhaust is SSI's and a Dansk RSR muffler. Ignition is Electromotive crank fire, twin plug. This combination made just under 220 hp and 215 ft lbs on a chassis dyno. My 2,200 pound '72 hot rod is a very fun car with this motor in it. Something similar to it would really wake up your SC, and you already have almost all of it already.

Jeff, this sounds like what I should do with the spare 3.0 I picked up years ago to rebuild. I'm making notes. Thanks!

[Jim Richards]

Originally Posted by Chocaholic

Small block V8. Store your engine and reinstall when it’s time to sell.

If a 3.6L flat-6 is a bit much for the 915, as Jeff Higgins mentioned above, wouldn’t a SBC be as bad or worse? Will the SBC install require cutting up the tub to plumb a radiator? I’m really in the replace your car camp, Geronimo..

[Scott Douglas]

My old '78 SC, fwiw, had a Jerry Wood's built engine in it. A PO had it done with euro pistons and they put 964 cams in it. It surprised a lot of people even though it was running thru a Sportomatic trans too.
I forget what it dyno'd at but do remember it was over 200hp.