T vs E vs S

[Deschodt]

Just read the E vs S thread, what about T vs E ? I'd like to hear opinions of people who actually have owned or driven them all, not just read about them in a magazine...

I understand the T is torquier down low, the S peaky but faster, and the E in between. I just bought a 2.4T CIS as a commuter, [edited for stupid phrasing]. What I'd like to hear is stories from people who drove Ts and Es or even Ss and how they felt they compared, in their own words, I guess... The torque numbers are very close, HP is not...

The point is moot for me as Ss were too expensive, and Es rarer than nice 356As, so I ended up with the latest T I could find, maybe too late (CIS) , we'll see.. I can't find much on the 73.5 T in any of my books (and I got lots of them)... Any test drive report from big name car mags anyone can recommend ?

While there, what are the recommended pressures for stock tire sizes on that car ?

[deoxford]

I can't say anything about the "E" andthe "S" but I ahve drive lots of cars and I have lots of fun with my "T"

[jluetjen]

That question is begging some test drives. Where are you located? Some people love T's. Some E's and some can only have an S. You just got to try them and see which is the best go/$ for you.

[Tim Walsh]

I've driven both a T and an E(both MFI) and the T has a suprising amount of power. I don't belive that the 2.4T deserves it's reputation as a slug. The E is a little more rev happy and likes to live higher up in the power band, but that's not unexpected nor a bad thing. I enjoy them both equally well. (and just for the record I rebuilt my T into an E)
I haven't driven an S so I can't make any comparisons on it.

[RSBob]

the year of the model makes a huge difference in regards to hp. A 68 versus and 73 T is almost like the difference between a same year T and E. So what year are we talking?

[Sunroof]

I have been driving my 73.5T on a daily basis (no rain or snow though).
Its been totally restored by the previous owner and has been extremely dependable. The "T" stands for Touring and is probably the better city traffic car with its low torque range over the "E" and "S". NO doubt its the slower of the three, but very manageable on a day to day basis in all sorts of traffic conditions. If you get the five-speed, the gearing is set up such that its easy to start in second gear from a start, if your spacing out in bumper to bumper traffic from a dead start! BUT, do not sell it short on the highway at high speeds. It's fast, well footed and can handle itself quite well when passing at high speeds. One suggestion is to find a CIS model (73.5). By the way if you have an SC model (80-83)and are interested in a trade drop me a line.

Regards
Bob
73.5T

[zotman72]

I have a '72T, drove it with a MFI T motor several years. Got the track bug so I built a MFI S motor for it after full bare metal respray. My S motor takes awhile to warm up (my MFI wrench removed the cold start stuff) but after a couple of minutes warm up, the fun begins. This conventional wisdom stuff about an S motor not much fun to drive in town is all bull*****. You are just driving a tweaky motor, but if you work your gearbox right, there is no problem. Startups on inclines are a pain for folks with inept left feet (e.g. my 15.5 son). The drawback for me is that an MFI S motor is a gas pig in town. My SC is my preferred 911 ride for my in town stuff now. Here in Denver, my S powered T is sleeping but the SC is driven on clear days, such as today. HTH.
Get a T motor car and build it up to S specs. YMMV

[724doorE]

Why waste time building an S motor when you can build an RS 2.7 for about the same money? No offense intended!

If I wanted to keep 2.4, I'd find a nice set of 2.2 S or E pistons and make a high come 2.4 S. I belive thats is what Tim Walsh and others have done.

The 2.7 RS is fun toooooo

[zotman72]

Fair observation, truth be told, I did a parts swap with my wrench (Eisenbud in Denver). He was going to build a 2.7RS, and needed a MFI pump core. I got his S pump, 2.4S pistons and my heads & throttle bodies ported for my traded T pump and some cash. I scrounged the rest of S parts (cams, stacks, etc.) from Pelican/Rennlist members. An 2.7 RS motor might have been a better result but my 2.4S motor worked for me, and keeps me in my local PCA Challenge Series group. If I were to do it again, I would go to a MFI 2.9 twin plug, as another local PCA fella made that motor and my lord, that is a beast to have!

[RSBob]

That wasn't too mean, now was it? But back to the original question....

[Grady Clay]

I just need to get Bill (zotman72) to put in some RSR Mahle 92 mm and twin plugs to really light up his eyes. It’s the jump as 2.0S to 2.4S and more.

If Bill would reinstall the thermostat and cold start mechanism he could lean it to get reasonable gas mileage. I’ll bet it is set rich so it will start and run at all when cold. It should average about 15-18 MPG unless you have your foot in it all the time. An S-camed engine is very sensitive to driving style. Of course that is the fun – 7200 WOT 1-2-3 at every on-ramp.

I agree a 3.0SC is a more civilized daily, particularly dealing with in town traffic and the T-Rex parking lot. Life it too short.

I have a 2.8E MFI engine that is the best of both worlds.

Best,
Grady

[Todd Simpson]

On cars this old you have to consider condition. I replaced my 2.2 T motor with an S motor a few years ago. The S motor had more torque down low and was much easier to drive around town than the T.

That's because the T was tired and poorly tuned. The S motor's MFI was set up very well and I spent more time getting the right plugs, CD ignition and just fiddling with details.

When that S motor hits 4K or so, it's just a rocket. It breathes again at 5K and keeps pulling through 7K. Very sweet.

[Deschodt]

Ok guys, thanks for the answers ! The Sc was mentioned a lot: I actually had an SC, that was my first Porsche. Jsut last week while I was still searching for a long-hood, I test drove a 2.4T carburated that felt as lively as I remembered my SC to be, but memory can be tricky, it's been a while. I haven't driven my "new" 73.5 T yet, gotta go pick it up across the country first. 4 days and counting!

It's just that I always wanted an early one, and like I said Es are rare, S are too expensive (vs. say, an SC, in my book) so I picked the latest nice T I could find and that was a CIS one ! Just wanted to see if I was really missing out on a E or something... I figure I can always put an SC engine in the T if the engine needs rebuilding, I'd store the 2.4 instead of reboring it to 2.7 though, it's too nice/original a car to convert...

I am not too concerned about performance, I've owned a 993, a Boxster and got my share of police scares with those, I currently drive a 356A for fun and the T will replace my commuter Mini Cooper, so I think even a T can beat both of those 115hp cars, I was more concerned about driveability and reliability. Maybe I should get me another SC on top of that, or maybe my wife'll kill me first ;-)

Thanks for the tips and opinions! By the way nobody said anything about tire pressures on those skinny stock wheels (I ran 32/36 on the Sc if memory serves but on those I have no idea)

[724doorE]

I don't guess I have ever driven a T of any size. My first Porsche was my 72E which I bought when I was 19. It was a rocket to me then as a stock 2.4E. I could and did take the then new 5.0 Mustang guys in town as well as a yuppie snob dumba$$ with an early 80's SC(meaning this guy was an a$$, not all SC drivers!!). I think I really pissed SC dude off. Years later when it was time for a rebuild, I went the RS route, only I still have the E cams and E mfi. Although I never really have had it sorted out, its still pretty quick and easily faster than it was as a stock E.
The Rs pulls well even down low probably as good as any of the 5.0 stangs I've had. I guess, what surprised me was that the E cams would allow the engine to easily pull well past 7000RPMs. It has pulled 7500 in the first 4 gears and 7K in fifth and, well, thats not to shabby. Ths purple T I just go had a '74 2.7 in it so I can't compare T to E. I guess I'll be able to compare cis to mfi 2.7 if nothing else???!!!???

[JSDSKI]

Originally posted by Grady Clay
I have a 2.8E MFI engine that is the best of both worlds.

Best,
Grady

This would be 2.8 Mahle P&C's, E Spec cam, E Spec MFI pump and throttle bodies, with a twin plug?
I spec'ed out the same setup as a 2.7 - because I thought 2.8's wouldn't last long term.

Bruce Anderson recommended this for a "mostly" street car. I had the chance to talk with him at one of the Ventura shows and he admitted that after many discussions with Jerry Woods and others and driving a lot of modern 2.7 RS setups - he finally agreed that the RS with the S specs rather than the E spec cams was the way to go. He said this was probably due to the improvement in modern ignition systems which made the S setup easier to drive now than in the old days.

I'd like to read your feed back on this, Grady.

Sorry to hijack the post - I've got a MFI T and it is great fun - as many have pointed out. I drove it every day for a year or so in LA freeway commuting traffic and it never let me down. I may have let it down a couple of times (lazy maintenance "I'll get to that") but it was always fun, quick, and easy to drive in LA conditions.

I just want more now - more of that MFI fix! A 2.8 twin plug!! Yeah, that's the ticket....

[zotman72]

On 73T tire pressures, I recall 26 & 29 on 185/70 15 tires which at that size, as you can imagine, are quite non obtainable. I run 27 & 31 on 205/55/15 street radials and a lot of variations on my track tires depending on the brand. HTH

Grady, would you happened to have such a set of
forementioned 92 mm Mahle jugs and pistons in your garage? I might be convinced to do such the upgrade? Rumor has it that our man Grady has a storehouse of interesting parts. However your 2.8 motor alone sounds like fun. Do you keep your garage locked as well as Craig (Clubsport88)? ...
My cold start method with my MFI S motor is a can of ether and a hail mary! It does work, otherwise a 8.5:1 motor at Denver's elevation has trouble on 85 octane gas when it is cold.
This winter's project was just a clutch and tensioner upgrade on the SC. But this RS 2.8 idea is intriguing.... Lets talk.