engine ID help!

benjoys02 · 07-05-2006, 12:12 PM

hi everyone,

i recently bought this motor and i can't seem to track its' exact ID.

here are the details:

engine # 1201306
casing # 930 101 104 OR
head #930 104 329 2R
cylinder liner: mahle 95ZN1 + W12

the engine came with two weber 40 IDA 301 carbs

the pistons don't look stock as they are high dome.

the cyl. head ports are large...ported? and so are the valves.

also, is the flywheel stock?

unfortunately, it came without a one piston, one mahle liner and a head. i'm guessing that the PO did not have the correct timing w/c may have caused the number 1 cylinder to go bad.

anyone has any idea where i could get the missing parts to complete the motor?

benjoys02 · 07-05-2006, 12:16 PM

by the way, the piston diameter is 95mm

Grady Clay · 07-05-2006, 01:03 PM

The “engine number” isn’t any help as it doesn’t fit any Porsche “System” that I can find.

Looking at the parts it is (sorta) a ’78 (possibly ’79) 911SC with big valves and very high compression race pistons (not Porsche). What are the cams? If you can’t identify them, contact Pelican camgrinder.

The crankshaft has six flywheel bolts, not nine. So the case & crank may be a ’75-’77 930 Turbo.

Post some images of the pistons off the engine. Someone will be able to identify them. Once you know the manufacturer you can send him one piston so it can be matched. (You should clean, measure and weigh all five.)

You should be able to find a matched cylinder to have the new piston fitted to.

The head will be more difficult. Contact Pelican Henry Schmidt or other top rung engine builders for recommendations. You need to match all the characteristics – valve size & profile, port size & profile and (very important) combustion chamber shape if modified or cut. You should carefully document the dimensions and volume of the five heads.

Aah, nothing like figuring out some old undocumented race engine. Everything is suspect.

Best,
Grady

benjoys02 · 07-05-2006, 01:20 PM

hi grady,
i just came from the garage again to double and triple check the engine number and yes it is 1201306. i have a copy of the porsche 911 red book but the series does not fall under any of the engine numbers provided in the book.
i will have to pull a piston out to check the manufacturer. i also need to pull the cam out. i will post pics. as soon as i get them out.
thanks for the info.!

Huh · 07-05-2006, 02:05 PM

Benji....can you photograph where you are looking for the engine number? I checked a site I have that give engine numbers from '64-'89 and nothing looks like the one you give not even close.

benjoys02 · 02:38 PM

facing the engine, i looked on the right lower side next to the fan shroud and the oil temp sending unit? it that upright part where the engine number would usually be located.

benjoys02 · 07-05-2006, 02:36 PM

[QUOTE]Originally posted by benjoys02
[B]facing the engine, i looked on the right side next to the fan shroud and the oil temp sending unit.

how do i attach a pic. to this thread?

benjoys02 · 07-05-2006, 02:43 PM

here are a few more pics...

benjoys02 · 07-05-2006, 02:46 PM

it has the carerra tensioners and valve cover, early 911 heat exchangers...oil cooler is still attached.
are the bolts that hold the barrels and the heads stock?

Grady Clay · 07-05-2006, 03:11 PM

Here are the locations of the numbers.

The Serial Number (S/N) should have
a star before and after the numerals.

The Type Number (T/N) should be
something like “930/51” or other.

There should be a 4-digit number just below the
Type Number that is of interest.

I can’t tell from your S/N only image. Try without flash
and with incandescent side lighting to highlight the
numbers. You may have to carefully remove the red
paint to see what is underneath. It may be possible
to raise the original S/N.

It may turn out you bought everything except a case
that possibly belongs to an insurance company.

Best,
Grady

Grady Clay · 07-05-2006, 04:08 PM

Benji,

Don’t let my prior post alarm you (or anyone else). Altered serial numbers are a fact of life dealing with stolen cars and parts. Porsches are expensive and (unfortunately) not immune from the crooks. The key is to get them cleared up and properly documented forevermore. (The crooks even know this ploy.)

In your case this may have been previously done and you are the clear owner. It behooves you to document that for the day you want to sell your nicely built engine on that case.

If it turns out to belong to some insurance company, they will willingly take some bargain amount of money and give you clear title. They are not interested in recovering some Porsche engine crankcase that they couldn’t sell for $10. If you have done any work on it (measuring and such), you can possibly have a “mechanic’s lien” on it that the insurance company would have to pay to regain ownership.

The mistake you made was not asking these questions before you bought the engine. You may have been able to get a prior bill-of-sale from an insurance company and a police statement. Certainly a cheaper price.

What to do next?

Certainly remove everything else you bought from the case. Chances are these were never part of the original engine. You bought a collection of used race car parts that additionally included the crankcase.

You should document your purchase. Do you have a bill-of-sale? Do you have the name and address of the seller?

Contact your local police/sheriff and have a NCIC check on the apparent engine number. Have their (or your State Police) forensic team attempt to raise the original number. You will be amazed what they can do. Document everything.

It may turn out that it is a new spare part case and someone poorly numbered it. In any case you have through documentation so you can comfortably build an expensive good engine out of it. When the day comes to sell it, you have no apologies for the numbering and you will get full value.

I am not an attorney and this is not legal advice. If you have any legal questions, you should consult your attorney.

Best,
Grady

benjoys02 · 07-05-2006, 04:27 PM

OUCH!
i bought the engine from a carpenter who said that he installed some cabinets at a porsche shop and in exchange he was paid part cash and part motor. i saw his ad on craigslist and just responded to it. i still have his name, address and tel. number. unfortunately, i paid him in cash and did not ask for a receipt. it never cross my mind that it could have been a stolen motor!
he had it sitting inside his old VW van as he had intentions of installing the motor on it.

aside from the engine number, there is no other number at all next to it or even close to it.

benjoys02 · 05:24 PM

sorry for all the blurry pics. i just can't get my camera lighting to work correctly. the numbers look legit and does not look like they were just stamped on there by ?? the metal surrounding it does not appear to have been grinded down so a new set of numbers can be punched in. it looks like the original casting.
as i recall, i almost purchased an alfa romeo motor a few years back that did not have any numbers stamped. the owner mentioned that it was a special factory casting as the motor was intended to be used for racing purposes only.