2.7 - Drive It?

[lbbdoc]

Would like your honest opinions from those of you who know these cars. My 76 has the original 2.7 that was r & r'd a couple of years ago (chain tensioners, 11 blade fan, upgraded heat exchangers). When I had the valves adjusted I asked the mechanic to check if anything had been done to correct problems with the head studs. He said it didn't seem so, but that they looked fine and he torqued the nuts to factory specs. I recently added an external oil cooler and engine temp is a constant 180 (was 210 before). I really love the way this car looks and drives, but I'm worried about having problems with the engine later. Are my worries justified? I only drive it on car club cruises of 50 miles or so and short runs to town, but I don't want to have that slight tinge of worry every time I drive. I've decided my options are to sell it and spend more money for a later air cooled car, or just drive it. What would you do?

Thanks,
Mike

[RSTarga]

Drive it, sounds like the original problems have been taken care of.

[sean m]

My 77 has over 246,000 miles on it and I drive it every day.

Why trade for another unless you just enjoy the "journey" of fixing it up?

The grass is not always greener.......

[rwest]

These cars love to be driven, babying it and hardly ever driving it will destroy it much faster.

Drive it? Yes!

[Ian Comerford]

Drive it, they work better when you do

[Showdown]

Drive it like you stole it, if something breaks fix it and then continue to drive it like you stole it

[drtyler]

Drive it, enjoy the 2.7.

[mepstein]

Drive it. If you like the car, why save it for the next guy. If something breaks, it can be fixed.

[fanaudical]

Drive it.

EDIT: I've got a '75 with a 2.7 that I built starting with a 2.4L 7R mag case and all the upgrades (big oil pump, external cooler, oil bypass mod, stud inserts, line bore, etc). Everything people note here about driving it to prevent trouble appears true from my experience. They do like to be run. Another piece of advice I received was to avoid 5th gear unless you're going to be at or above 60mph. (Two reasons were given for this: 2.7's love to rev and the 5th gear lubrication is dependent on the differential flinging oil to the front of the trans case.)

[AndreasK]

From what I have gathered, there was a real problem with the US 2.7´s. Mostly due to a combination of heat, from thermal reactors and reduced cooling from the 5 blade fan, causing the threads in the mag case to crumble. Most engines failed prior to hitting 50k. Most engines that survived past the 50k, and had their thermal reactors removed and the 11 blade fan installed, has lived long and happy lives. At least thats what I´m telling myself and my 129k 1977 2.7.

[T77911S]

drive it like you stole it.

[06C2S]

Drive it, they love to be run and the more I drive mine (74 2.7) the less issues and the better it runs! I even AX it once a month and I don’t nurse it. by the way the cooler was a great move.

[colingreene]

I would say drive it but always have a little bit of money set aside for if something does happen.
Its such a great motor the way it is but if it ever needs anything its best to be prepared.
Also post some pictures!

[targa72e]

Another vote for drive it. All cars have potential problems. If something breaks fix it.

john

[Martinlassmann]

Drive it !
Enjoy the engine 👍

[chrisbruck]

Another drive it vote. You'll be putting money into anything newer aircooled just as likely. Enjoy what you have. Plus they don't instantaneously self destruct unless really neglected or you do something dumb.

[kach22i]

Originally Posted by AndreasK

From what I have gathered, there was a real problem with the US 2.7´s. Mostly due to a combination of heat, from thermal reactors and reduced cooling from the 5 blade fan, causing the threads in the mag case to crumble. Most engines failed prior to hitting 50k. Most engines that survived past the 50k, and had their thermal reactors removed and the 11 blade fan installed, has lived long and happy lives. At least thats what I´m telling myself and my 129k 1977 2.7.

My impression is that the 2.7L gained a poor reputation from being stuck in west coast traffic.

While other cars turned up their air-conditioning, the air-cooled 911 owners opened all the windows and turned up the heat to remove heat from the engine bay (sounds misguided but witnessed it in person in 1978). Those in 911's that turned up the A/C when stuck in traffic overheated their engines and pulled head studs.

Dec 13, 2021
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https://www.dlawgroup.com/la-freeways-ranked-as-having-highest-traffic-congestion/

Interstate 405 (California)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interstate_405_(California)

I-405, heavily traveled by both commuters and freight haulers along its entire length, is the busiest and most congested freeway in the United States

Originally Posted by lbbdoc

...........and he torqued the nuts to factory specs.

I re-torqued my head studs 18 years/40,000 miles ago (one nut so loose it had fallen off) when I first bought the car and they have never needed it again. I verified by checking a nut or two when doing a valve adjustment. Huge risk in doing this as they are designed to be torqued during initial assembly and not constantly re-torqued. I did mine at a pound or two less than spec to reduce the risk.

Drive your car and enjoy it, 3.0L and above displacements also pull head studs, doesn't seem to accumulate the same amount of attention though.

Originally Posted by fanaudical

...... Another piece of advice I received was to avoid 5th gear unless you're going to be at or above 60mph.

Good point, 55 MPH speed limits of the day killed a few 911 engines if the owners used 5th gear under 60 MPH.