What is the best 911 Engine Built?

[Wayne 962]

I'd thought I'd make a poll here, on what engines are the best ones built, considering all factors:

- Power
- Reliability & Longevity
- Weight
- Adaptability (to earlier / late cars)

My personal vote would be for the 1976-77 European Carrera 3.0L. It's powerful, extremely reliable, and it can be used with any 911 from 1965-1986 with minimal adaptation. Next on the list would probably be the 3.2 Carrera engine - good mix of power, reliability, and easily adaptable to any 1972-1989 911.

The 3.6 might be next, but it's not easy to adapt to the earlier cars (intakes are different, so you can't simply bolt carbs on), and they leak quite a bit too.

-Wayne

[Paul Franssen]

Hurrah for our side!
And, just look at the results: 100% Carrera 3.2 liter!
Winner takes all!
...BTW... Happy Christmas to all

[5axis]

More power and lots of it.
You left off the 3 last turbo generations.
3.6 single turbo.
993 3.6 TT
996 liquid cooled 3.6 TT

They would probably have to be way down on your list but way up on the fun factor.
Somewhere in my head I am seeing a 934 with the 996 3.6TT making good use of all those big openings in the front.

[SpeedracerIndy]

What about the Euro SC 81-83???? Same power output and reliability as the European Carrera, but parts are easier to find.

[NicolasW]

With Steve Timmons' 3.6 conversion kit, seems almost like a no-brainer to fit any 964/993 3.6 engine to an older 911.

http://instant-g.com/Products/36Conversion/index.html

So my vote goes for the 964/993 3.6 liter.

Wes

[dickster]

My personal vote would be for the 1976-77 European Carrera 3.0L. It's powerful, extremely reliable, and it can be used with any 911 from 1965-1986 with minimal adaptation

i understand where you are coming from but would you want to fit it to an '80's sc or carrera?

what? am i the only one voting for the 3.3? well, i aspire to owning one even if noone else does

[k9handler]

3.6 993 or 964...great powerplants!

[scruffy1]

The choices are way too coarse.. Early 3.6 suffered from teething problems, late US suffered from OBD2 problems. Euro 3.6 and 3.8RS are arguably the best air cooled.

Similarly there are varieties of water cooled that are very desireable. The new GT3 for normally aspirated and the GT2 for forced induction.

[chuckr]

All I can say is that I just went over 250,000 miles on my 1983SC !!
I'll be looking at a rebuild this year though, but still.... 250,000 miles of smiles !

[jazzbass]

Originally posted by NicolasW
With Steve Timmons' 3.6 conversion kit, seems almost like a no-brainer to fit any 964/993 3.6 engine to an older 911.

Unless the engine is an OBDII engine, then add more cost and the inability to chip...

[sammyg2]

I want to find one of those rare 1989 3.0 911 SCs

[on-ramp]

911SC should be between 78 and 83, not 78, 89

[beamonk]

Again, the Euro SC 81-83, takes a lickin' but keeps on tickin'

[MotoSook]

What!? only one vote for the Carrera 3.0! That's the engine I want!

[Early_S_Man]

Wayne ... you forgot the RS 3.0!!! Best of everything, even better than your own fav. ... because of the cams, MFI, & exhaust!

[Doug Zielke]

Call to action, SCWDP soldiers!

[Glasgow 911SC]

I think my vote goes to the '76-'78 3.0 Turbo just because it's the car I fell in love with in 1982 at the age of about 5 when I got a toy one. I actually thought it came out earlier than 76 though.

[old_skul]

I didn't know we were voting for popularity; I voted for the 993 3.6 since it represents the pinnacle of Porsche air-cooled engines. Even SC guys are putting them in.

[HawgRyder]

I happen to know that all of you suffer from MFI envy!! LOL
Bob

[Glasgow 911SC]

I can only vote on popularity. I have only ever owned my SC.