1983 911 SC 3.6 First driving impressions...

[Moses]

I got my car back with a fresh CV joint and went for a nice drive out near Pleasanton and Livermore.

About the car: 1983 SC Targa. 1997 993 Varioram. Cyntex chip. PMS lightweight flywheel. PMS throttle cable. Sachs Powerkit clutch. 20" B&B front mounted oil cooler. Elephant Racing Widemouth fender cooler. Stock 993 headers with custom muffler.( Loud and free flowing.) GT Racing RS (IROC) front and rear bumpers. No A/C. No heat.

The car pulls like it's jumping off a launchpad. The read squats hard and the hood lifts when you hit 1st gear. This is controlled violence. No other way I can explain it. You are at the redline in a flash-searching for a new gear. Alarmed by how fast I hit the redline, I shift clumsily into second and put my foot into it. Oh man, it pulls like a freight train. Now I'm grinning like an idiot. Senseless. I feel like a schoolkid after his first... well, you get the idea.

In second gear, the speedometer races the tach to vertical. WooHoo! This is it. This is the "E" ticket. Daddys home.

The light flywheel makes the motor spool up and down like a motorcycle engine. Fantastic. Even after hard driving at high RPM's, the temp rises only a blip above the first mark. The car runs cooler that the 3.0 did when driven "politely".

Strangely, my favorite thing bout the new motor is not the new acceleration off the line. With the old 3.0, my favorite kind of driving was uphill. Big wide sweeping uphill turns. Let the motor spool up to about 5000 RPM and carve up the road with the motor howling when you push the accelerator. If you like that kind of driving, you will love the 3.6. The torque band is huge. The spool up is nearly instant.

Uphill in 3rd gear at 5000 RMP is Porsche nirvana. The car is much the same but it's heart has been replaced by that of a screaming angry beast. WOOHOO!

[Bill Verburg]

[k9handler]

torque...it's all about the tight great ratio and torque!
My grin has not departed as of yet...so you might need to take something for the muscle pain in your cheeks! ha ha
Enjoy.

[Adam]

You're making us 2.7 guys sick!

I've always wanted to ask: If you're rolling at 25mph in 2nd and you stand on the gas... what happens in a 3.6?

Do you smoke them like crazy in most gears, with that much grunt?

[Moses]

Originally posted by Adam Chaplin
You're making us 2.7 guys sick!
Do you smoke them like crazy in most gears, with that much grunt?

Don't know about the other guys, but my tires don't break loose. The rear really squats. I'm sure I could roast my tires with a clutch drop in first, but I don't want to break anything.

[cary]

Sounds like the wait has been worth it. Yeah, Baby ..............

[stealthn]

Niiiiice!

Congrats ("bstrd") it must be alot of fun to have a project come together in the end ("bstrd").


Now where'd I put that Arc?...

[Jack Olsen]

Yes, the wheels break loose.

[DonDavis]

Congratulations Moses!! I'm very happy, yet jealous for you. I love to read engine transplant stories. I can't wait to get my next car and dive into all that awaits. I've been set on a 72 w/3.6 for some time. However, those 2.7 stories from the R Gruppe made me stop and think. I have plenty of time to decide so keep all those posts comin'!!

[Jim Smolka]

Congrats on the project.
I wish I had the extra funds to put my 3.6 motor into a early 911. However, I need to sell it

[RoninLB]

Originally posted by Moses

The torque band is huge. The spool up is nearly instant.

what would happen to the mid range torque w/carbs? .............Ron

[Kevin Stewart]

Moses congrats, eventualy all the planets will line up and my car will run, Kevin

[slammed1000]

kevin, 6 months and stil not running...whats the hold up?

[JonT]

speaking of holdups slammed--where's your car at? you teased us a few months ago with some beautiful pics after the paint job and nothing since!

[JK-81SC]

Hey Moses,

Congratulations on the new beast! I know you will be driving it every spare moment you have.

Some time in the future on a rainy day, would you consider doing a short write up on the 3.6 transplant? What were the tough hurdles to overcome, wiring changes, fit problems...

It'll help the rest of us considering a 3.6 transplant.

Jeff

[Moses]

Originally posted by JK-81SC
Hey Moses,

... would you consider doing a short write up on the 3.6 transplant? What were the tough hurdles to overcome, wiring changes, fit problems...

It'll help the rest of us considering a 3.6 transplant.

Jeff

I'd be happy to, but I'm not sure what I can cover that others haven't already. Thom (widebody911) has a great website that gives a lot of detail. Bill Verberg is also a great source of information.

Jack Olsen has provided a ton of good info, particularly if you are modding an earlier car.

Basically you have to find an engine, the address problems with engine cooling and exhaust. Lots of elegant solutions to be found on this board. I went overboard on motor cooling and my exhaust may be too free flowing.

After you tackle the cooling and exhaust issues, most people make changes to suspension and maybe brakes.

[ttweed]

Originally posted by RoninLB
what would happen to the mid range torque w/carbs?

From my experience, the mid-range with carbs is terrible. It is very difficult to jet them perfectly for the whole rev range- they are a dull blade, to say the least. The problem seems to be that right around 4,000 RPM when the mains really kick in, the mixture goes way rich and there's a big dip in torque. If you try to go with smaller main jets, you get too lean at the top end.

The solution seems to be in the emulsion tubes, which control your "fuel curve", but try to find someone who really knows this stuff- they are few and far between and they guard their knowledge well. Trial and error on the dyno is an expensive proposition.

Modern Motronics/EFI has it all over carbs in many ways.

TT
(still struggling with the PMOs on my 3.4)

[RoninLB]

Originally posted by ttweed
From my experience, the mid-range with carbs is terrible.

Tom... thank you very much...........Ron

[Groesbeck Hurricane]

Moses,

I am VERY happy for you!!!

Maybe I can write such a thing if I get the motor back in this weekend and the oil leaks are taken care of...

[pbs911]

"controlled violence"

The good part about it is the feeling doesn't wear off shortley. I remember when I got my 78SC, it felt so damn fast. After a few months that feeling subsuded. The car ran just as well, but the initial impact was no longer there. For me, that feeling you describe still exists after over 3 months.