Engine Longevity 911sc or Carerra

[John se]

I am seriously wanting to purchase SC or Carerra within say three months. Thinking 78-87 10-15K. If I get a 120K miles Car Am I living on borrowed time? How much mileage can I get before I need a rebuild? And as these engines get toward the end of life what symptoms do they display?? burning oil, leaks, poor compression and power?
thank
JLS

[livi]

John,

Try doing a search. This has been discussed many times.

Generally, both the 3.0 SC and the 3.2 Carrera are very reliable engines. If well maintained they will go well into 200k territory. It has to do with how it was driven and maintained by previous owners (easy on the throttle till hot, regular oil changes etc..). As with any car of course.

I would not be afraid buying a 120k miler if it carries a documented history and drives good.

Best insurance is to have a proper PPI done by a reputable specialist.

Good luck !

[oneblueyedog]

I bought mine at 135K drove it to 205K and rebuilt it. I found that the bearings were decent for another few years but the cyls were worn and oval but again, the mechanic said it could have lasted for a few more years fine. It was burning a quart every 3 tankfulls of gas apprx. The bearings for the intermediate shaft were not so good. I could see the brass. Chains were replaced as a matter of course. The crank had a factory flaw and the corresponding bearing of main had an imbedded shard of machining tailing. Small and completely surrounded by the bearing material. My mechanic said it was probably assembled that way.

Sorry to ramble, but for an SC at 125K miles that has been driven kindly, You can probably get up to 6 years of driving or 100+ k miles without sweating. Good luck.

[TWork]

As said above, both are very solid motors. However, I'd buy a Carrera if only to get away from CIS. BTW, is there a reason you're only searching through '87. I believe the Carrea went through '89.

[CarreraDan]

John,
My 88 Carrera has just under 143k and it still screams to redline like there is no tomorrow. Sure I get a nice big puff of blue smoke if I let it sit for a few days and I do burn about a 1 qt every 1000-850 miles depending on how much I abuse it. I had a compression and leakdown test done two years ago at 120k and everything checked out great. Make sure your PPI does a compression and leakdown test--mine didn't and I didn't know any better then. Check records for a new clutch I am going to need another one around 150k I think. A good PPI is the key and don't be afraid to ask questions here.

[defcon65]

If well-maintained, a 3.2 Carrera should last to 200K or more. The leakdown test will be the best measurement of wear. Good luck finding a 78 with 10K! I thought my '85 with 50K was a low-mileage find.

[81 911 SC]

I've got 176k and counting on my SC

[jester911]

I think he was talking price at 10k not mileage.

[rdrr]

My SC had 265000 km on the clock when I sold it. It was never rebuilt, ran strong and did not consume or drip oil. If well maintained, I think SCs and Carreras can do a lot more. It's all about how well the motor has been maintained.
Buy the best condition car you can find/afford - that's how I bought my first Porsche. Even though it was high mileage I got 5 years of fairly trouble free driving pleasure.

[Zeke]

Originally posted by rdrr
My SC had 265000 km on the clock when I sold it. It was never rebuilt, ran strong and did not consume or drip oil. If well maintained, I think SCs and Carreras can do a lot more. It's all about how well the motor has been maintained.
Buy the best condition car you can find/afford - that's how I bought my first Porsche. Even though it was high mileage I got 5 years of fairly trouble free driving pleasure.

My newly purchased '88 has 235K on the clock. Looking through the old receipts, I see that mechanics started writing down that it needed a valve job at about 125K. Even low compression was noted way back then. Nothing was ever done (I bought the car off price) and it just passed smog with flying colors. I'm not saying it doesn't need to be rebuilt, it does. But, I could get some more months out of it as is. Change the oil every 3K. '88 manuals say 7500 miles. Do it at 3K. They'll last a long time.

Personally, I'd rather have an original engine than a rebuilt one. I've heard too many tales about how things get done nowadays. Just heard one last night about a couple of motors that wouldn't stay together after a rebuild. And yet, we are talking about cars that survive to 300K with regular and frequent service.

[defcon65]

Originally posted by jester911
I think he was talking price at 10k not mileage.

Oh, I get it. My bad, I thought he meant mileage.