Which engine to buy? - known or unknown?

[twobone]

I'm looking to replace my 3.0 ltr engine with one of two 3.0ltr engines.

If you were me....what would you do.

Current plan is to keep my SC for a few more years and keep an eye out for a really nice 964 or 993.


$4000 US installed - no known history - current owner is swapping it for a 3.6 with my mechanic. mileage unknown. no drips. "Believed" to have been rebuilt in the past. My mechanic will do a valve set and I'll get him to check the head studs.


$6750 US installed - my mechanics personal car engine. He bought the car for the engine. 30,000 miles since full rebuild. I've not had a chance to see the receipts, but I suspect the engine has had a very good quality rebuild. Tensioner upgrade has been done. My mechanic will do a valve set and I'll get him to check the head studs.


Am I being dumb to go the cheaper route?


I wonder if the "sale-ability" of the car will be higher with the documented rebuild versus a "mystery engine".

Also will the documented rebuild give me more peace of mind during my ownership?

If I sell - whats the mind set for folks looking to spend $15,000 on an SC - is the lack of engine documentation really going to freak them out?

Gentlemen...your wisdom?

[RLJ]

No brainer...........get the one from your mechanic, you must trust him by now or would have found another wrench!

Randy Jones
1971 911 "Iris"

[Shuie]

Not enough info....

How good is your mechanic? What kind of upgrades does either motor have? What kind of warranty will your mechanic offer with his documented motor?

Get compression and leakdown numbers on the $4k motor and check for broken studs. If its clean, Id go with it over a similar $6k+ documented motor that had not been significantly upgraded when it was rebuilt. These engines are pretty solid. If they are healthy, maintain them and keep oil in them and they will live for a long time.

good luck

[twobone]

Does a properly rebuilt engine basically mean that the clock has been reset and the engine is lets say 75% as good as new?

My thoughts are that if the more expensive engine has only 30,000 miles and the less expensive engine has maybe 60,000+?? miles since the rebuild, does it mean that I've got 3 extra years before something goes boom?

[gamma]

If the $4k engine has good numbers on compression/leak down, and does not leak, I would roll the dice on that one. If the $7k "rebuilt" engine had reciepts for all work done, and I knew exactly what I was getting I might go that way, but just rebuilt with 30k miles and that is all you know, would not make me spend nearly double the money on it. Kevin

[quattrorunner]

With the possable probems that "might" be, I would probably go with the more expensive one because 30000 miles on a modern rebuild is almost like new. Have them both tested and go for what your mechanic thinks as well as what you think.

[Elombard]

Id go cheap if the compressiona nd leak down check out...but that the way I am. Whats a Valve set?

[LvSteveH]

Do those prices include giving up your current 3.0L or do you get to keep it? $4000 installed is pretty tough to beat if the motor checks out and you get to keep your current engine.

[Elombard]

Whats wrong with the current motor?

[twobone]

B]Whats wrong with the current motor?[/B]


here is my prior link

Help - My engine was sabotaged! - need advice - rebuild or replace

[Elombard]

Ahh that was you.

[quattrorunner]

I agree, 4000 and you keep your motor? Might not be bad, but check it out first. You can scrap yours as a core for almost as much.

[gamma]

If these prices are Canadian $$$$$$ it is hard to wee where you could go wrong on either deal. Kevin

[Brian 162]

When I bought my SC the engine was very tired. 2 cylinders had poor compression because of cracked valves. I had a guy completely dis-assemble the motor and replace all the valves, install pressure fed tensioners and replace al the seals. Five years later the engine is bullet proof. Lots of DE's No oil burning and minimal leaks. From reading the earlier post why not re-build the existing motor. This way you wouldn't have to worry about engine documentation.

Brian

[twobone]

Brian 162 - what did the rebuild cost you and who did the work?

[Brian 162]

I paid around $7000 cash. The guy who did my re-build was a Porsche mechanic who did side work.

[Facey]

i would lean on the safe side, and go for the motor u know more about....


just to note...there is almost no differance bwteen canadian and american dollars at the moment... its killing canadian inudstires... that have to pay candian taxes and don't get a "canadian dollar advantage" anymore..


i did the adventure engine and when it came time to instal i was to uncomfortabkle with potential problems that i started a full rebuild....mind u...this was heavily modified..