Porsche 3.2 rebuild compared to Ford 4.6
 

Why is it that a 911 3.2 engine rebuild is $15,000 and a Ford 4.6 modular OHC V8 is $5000 to rebuild? Both are great very famous long lasting motors. Is it because the Porsche parts cost so much. Nick

Its a PORSCHE! A friend of mine had an LS-1 in his 944, he blew it up and dropped in a New LS-6 engine with a GM warranty for something like $3500.

It's like my pontoon boat, the whole thing is worth 17k, 12k of that is the outboard ;-)

Todd

I rebuilt mine far less than $5000. Luckily, almost all of the hardware was in specs minus the expendables like cam sprockets, IMS sprockets, etc.

Parts cost is a huge chunk, especially if you need new P&Cs. Even if you don't, it's easy to blow $5000 on a home rebuild ($1800 for heads, the rest in gaskets, bearings, bolts, rings, and whatnot)
And the parts count is probably double if you ignore the heads ... so it's fairly labor intensive.

Well, those just are not good answers. Just because it is a porsche motor why should it cost $10,000 more in Porsche shop compared to a Ford shop? Really, when you take everything off both motors they are just a case full of parts. And the 4.6 OHC is probably more complicated. I just wonder why. Are you really just paying for the name? Nick

i think a good answer is that any shop can rebuild a V8 as common as that, but porsche specialists are harder to come by and know it.. and charge for it.

I can assemble a for 4.6 in one day, It takes me a few days to button up the longblock of a 911 if I have to check deck, piston to head, piston to valve, measure the main/rod clearances, and set the cams. What does a set of oem pistons cost for a 4.6? Compare to that to the cost of new mahle's. And as stated above, almost any body with a decent mechanical background can build an american v8 motor.An air cooled flat 6 is much more complicated, and there are a hundred more ways to screw one up. Parts cost more, just because of the laws of supply , and demand, and the fact that a lot of the stuff comes from across the pond. I could order a crankshaft ,and bearing kit for a 4.6 right now, and have it sitting in my shop tomorrow morning for less than $250.00. Try that with a 911 .

Part prices are directly related to parts produced...Porsche just doesn't make that many cars...I think the total SC Coupe production in the USA in '83 was 5k plus.
Low volume = higher prices.
The motor is very complex compared to the avg V6/8.
And yes, even those prices are bumped up by the Porsche snoot factor. Just is.

Welcome to the world of Porsche tax.
I got my wheel alignment done a few weeks ago and cost $100.00
My mate got his Audi done a week later and took the same amount of time and he paid $60.00.
Same place, same amount of time,sameguy,different badge.

OK thanks, I just did not know the facts. My car still runs very well but I think I will start looking for a 3.2 extra motor so I can install that some day. Next thing I am going to buy is a 930s steering wheel from Pelican for my 85 coupe!

Nick,

I may be wrong but I remember you living in San Diego (?)
My mechanic quoted me 8 grand to rebuild my spare 3.0 engine and it is a complete mess. I believe that included pistons and cylinders. I can point you in his direction if you like.

If you think they are the same then you should go with the Ford! Cooler cars are usually more expensive.

I've never rebuilt a Ford 4.6 but I can assure you, the cam timing is more complicated on the 911. Sometimes it's quick, sometimes it takes hours.

Second, a 911 has a lot of peripherals to the engine that take a lot of time to put on.

I wouldn't consider a 911 engine to be difficult though, you just have to know the odd intricacies here and there.

because Ford makes about x times more engines of a given type per year then Porsche does????
So less people know em, less suppliers and aftermarkt for em = more expensive.

I can rebuild a 351 ford for less than the cost of the oil pump on my 944

If you think a 911 engine is expensive check out a 6 cyl Lycoming airplane engine. Very simple design, air cooled. Very low RPM and it can cost 35 grand for a engine swap. And by LAW you have to replace them when they get a certain number of hours on them. They make Porsche engines look cheap!

The 4.6 has been around for how long? I had one in my 94' T-Bird and it was pretty new to the world then.

Shop time for an A/C 9eleben motor rebuild is around 80 hours. That would be @ 100 bucks an hour or more. Why 100 an hour? Because 911 engine builder tell ya it is rocket science. It is painstaking but not rocket science. Anyone with a decent mechanical background can do it. For $8k it's worth getting some or using what you have. Parts ARE expensive tho.
Special tools are needed & likewise expensive. I bought them 10-12 years back & sold them recently for about what I paid new.

Wait, hang on a sec.. Paul sold his 911S?:rolleyes::rolleyes: