Which engine upgrade for SC ?

[Soko121]

hi all, have a 1982 SC that needs an Engine and Gearbox, not quite ready to pull the trigger yet, but wanted to get some more educated input on what to source. I have driven it with the 3.0 liter and would like within reason to get the most hp i can normally aspirated. Will a 3.4 or 3.6L complete assembly ‘drop in’, if not what type of mods are needed, or how much can you bore a 3.0 liter ? Car will be street with occasional track day

[mikesarge]

Welcome to the forum.

There is more information on this in the archives than you could ever imagine- try the search function!

[Soko121]

Probably should have started there… thanks for the tip, im up for some late night reading i see.

[mikesarge]

No doubt- I know I spent months reading the archives before I landed on a mild 3.1 with 9.5:1 compression and a 964 cam. Not the hottest engine out there, but plenty of fun for my purposes.

In the meantime, let's see some pics of your 82 SC, show that thing off!

[Schulisco]

Depends on your (deep) pockets and what you want to achieve. A slightly displacement increase will still work with the CIS. But 3.4 or more definitely not. Then we're talking about a fully new setup with free programmable ECU, ITBs etc. This will cost at least 10k just for the parts.
Depending if the cylinders and pistons need to be replaced or not I personally recommend to stay with CIS as this can deliver enough fuel up to 7-8% displacement increase.
My SC is mainly stock aside WebCam 20/21 cams, Dansk exhaust and a programmable 123ignition, still with the lambda controlled CIS. No struggle on cold start, excellent throttle response and mileage and still passing the emissions here. Pull strong in the mid range. The torque is what you feel when accelerating. Against modern supercharged petrol and diesel cars you won't have any chance on speeds lower than 120mls/200km per hour...

Probably have a look in the other forums here. Mainly the engine rebuild ing forum and the supercharging forums...there you'll find also tons of tuning knowledge.

If money won't play a role I personally would supercharge the SC engine with two small turbochargers and a digital ECU with Knocking control...with the 9,3 compression ratio and really low boost it's probably easier and cheaper to get the max power out of it...but this must be very careful tuned...too big is the danger of destroying the engine...

Thomas

[darrin]

soko121 -- to help you narrow your searches down -- sounds like your SC is a "roller" that is missing both its engine and transmission and that you're looking for something a bit beefier than a stock 3L sc engine. If that's the case, here are my thoughts:

1) An SC was designed to use a type 915 transmission. Due to power handling limitations, the 915 transmission was not used in the 930 turbo (it used a different 4 speed transmission until 1989) and 1987 and later 911s used a g50 transmission (subsequently used in the 1989 and later turbos as well) that could properly handle additional power. The 915 can handle a fair bit more power than a stock 3L engine, but is a limiting factor with additional power. One cannot install a g50 in a SC without suspension/strut tower modification.

2) The 3.2l engine introduced with the 1984 Carrera is a very nice engine and, with stock induction, is, more or less, a drop-in upgrade for an SC. Unless recently (and properly) rebuilt, many used 3.2l engines are going to benefit from some level of rebuild prior to installation, with a top end rebuild (replacing worn valve guides, etc.) being the most common. While the engine is apart, it's relatively straightforward to bore a 3.2l engine's cylinders to 3.4l capacity and substitute in slightly higher compression pistons -- this provides a nice bump in power / drivability above the stock 3.2 (or 3l engine) -- one can similarly hotrod a 3L engine by boring it to create a 3.2 Short Stroke.

3) with the introduction of the 964 (and carried through with the subsequent 993), porsche increased the engine capacity to 3.6l -- the 3.6 engine is a "different beast" than the 3L used in the SC (or 3.2l used in the Carrera) and, while 3.6l conversions were relatively common upgrades, they're more involved than swapping in a 3.2 (requiring additional cooling solutions and exhaust solutions among other complications). Further, 3.6l engines are similarly going to generally require some level of rebuild prior to installation. So, generally speaking, a 3.6l conversion will be more expensive and involved than a 3.2l upgrade. Further, the additional power produced by a 3.6l (especially a modified 3.6l) will further strain a 915 transmission.

4) another consideration is whether your SC will be subject to (need to pass) emissions tests. In Colorado, my Carrera is subject to semi-annual "rolling road" emissions testing and needs to retain the emissions equipment necessary to meet rather stringent state requirements. Retaining stock exhaust and motronic induction allows me to comfortably pass Colorado emissions requirements -- other states (especially California) have additional hurdles that are even less mod-friendly.

Finally, I've found the pelican search function to be rather limiting and have found general google searches to be a more effective way to find responsive information from pelican (and other resources).

Hope the foregoing helps frame thoughts/ideas/searches for you. I have a 1986 Carrera and upgraded my 3.2 to a 3.4 using mahle "max Moritz" style pistons. I've found the upgrade to provide a noticeable improvement to acceleration and overall drivability

[Timothyvroy]

It's great to hear you're considering options for your 1982 SC! When it comes to engine swaps and upgrades for the 3.0L engine, there are a few factors to consider.

1. **Engine Options**: The 3.4L and 3.6L engines can be good choices for more horsepower. The 3.4L is a more common upgrade and can provide a noticeable increase in power.

2. **Fitment**: The 3.4L engine can be a relatively straightforward swap, but it might not be a direct "drop-in" without some modifications. You may need to adjust motor mounts, wiring harnesses, and possibly the exhaust system. The 3.6L engine is a bit more complex due to the additional factors like engine management that may require more significant modifications.

3. **Boring the 3.0L**: If you’d like to stick with the existing 3.0L engine, it can generally be bored out to a certain extent, usually up to 98mm (from the stock 95mm), but this will depend on the cylinder walls' condition and the engine's overall integrity. Boring can give a slight increase in displacement and power, but it's not as significant as swapping to a larger engine.

4. **Performance Enhancements**: Besides displacement increases, consider performance upgrades like higher compression pistons, improved camshafts, and better intake and exhaust systems. These can help maximize the horsepower without necessarily changing the engine.

5. **Budget and Goals**: It’s important to consider your budget and performance goals as well. More extensive modifications can increase costs significantly, so weigh the performance gains against the investment required

Sent from my SM-A155F using Tapatalk

[Bill Douglas]

It certainly would be easiest to just put a 3.0 and 915 gearbox in it, and it would immediately go. The other engines you need to do a lot more work with the motronic engine management system.

The 1982 and '83 engines are particularly good, and debates go on about as to whether they are faster than a 1984 to '89 engine. A smokin' hot build is a SC engine with bigger pistons making it a 3.2 short stroke. But again that's more money spent.

I like my fairly much stock '82 engine and I just rev it more to keep up with the big boys.

[Bill Verburg]

Originally Posted by Soko121

hi all, have a 1982 SC that needs an Engine and Gearbox, not quite ready to pull the trigger yet, but wanted to get some more educated input on what to source. I have driven it with the 3.0 liter and would like within reason to get the most hp i can normally aspirated. Will a 3.4 or 3.6L complete assembly ‘drop in’, if not what type of mods are needed, or how much can you bore a 3.0 liter ? Car will be street with occasional track day

believe it or not all 3.0 through 3.8 engine blocks are exactly the same size and use exactly the same mounts,

they also use the same exhausts and heat, though the bigger the engine the larger the pipes need to be, when spec'ing headers 1/5" IOD are good for 2.7 - 3.0 and less picky 3.2s, most 3.2s will want 1 5/8" OD and most 3.6 up 1 3/4" OD, the heats setups will be the same for all 3.0 to 4.0


The 3.3 and 3.6 use Motronic which needs a notch in the trans bell housing, easily added if not present, the 3.6s need a conversion harness(though Steve Timmons used to an may still sell a direct wire harness

the 3.6 and late 3.2 will need a flywheel compatible w/ 915 225mm clutch

the 3.6 intakes are also larger and can make fitment of engine mounted heater blower and stock air cleaner more difficult

I'd say any engine purchased these days is likely to need at least a top end refurbish, cost to rebuild or refresh will be comparable for any 3.0 -3.6