Question for Carrera Engine Experts

[MattAlpha]

This may seem stupid, but this is where I'm at.

My 911 had a 3.2L engine transplant performed before I purchased the car. The bar with the engine number stamped onto it was also removed (physically cut out).

I believe it is a 1984 3.2L, due to the arrangement of the spark plug wires, but I'm not sure.

I have several items that I would like to replace (wires, etc.) so I need to know exactly what year engine I have.

Here's a picture.


Thanks in advance,
Matt

[Zef]

It look like a 3.2 from a cab for me...

[Esel Mann]

I believe the 3.2L was in 911s from 1984 - 1989, possibly 1990 - 1992?

Fortunately the 3.2L engines and larger are all DME computer controlled. You could get the part number on the DME and then perform a reverse look-up to see exactly what car and thus engine it is matched to. The idea here that whomever performed the transplant, likely did so with the engine and DME as a pair.

Also, there are part numbers and casting numbers stamped all over the engine (parts). You could write these down (plus their location(s)) and again do a reverse look-up to see what car/engine each is matched to.

Carlton

[Joeaksa]

Looks the same as my '85 3.2 except for a Cab with the shock absorber.

Why would someone cut the engine number off of the block? Is this legal and are you sure the engine is not stolen?

[DonMo]

Looks like my 84.

If the DME has a 24 pin EPROM inside, it is an 84 or 85 (assuming it is original), they put the 28 pin in later on.

[MattAlpha]

Thanks for the responses guys.

Joeaksa:
"Why would someone cut the engine number off of the block? Is this legal and are you sure the engine is not stolen? "

Yeah, once I couldn't find the bar the engine number is supposed to be stamped on I started to wonder the same thing. There are a lot of possibilities I guess, but nothing that I can do to actually determine. It would have been nice if the PO told me about this particular item, but he probably didn't know. He told me that there was an '87 3.2L in it. Absolutely not the case though, so maybe the PPO lied to him. I can't determine that though either.

Carlton,
"Also, there are part numbers and casting numbers stamped all over the engine (parts). You could write these down (plus their location(s)) and again do a reverse look-up to see what car/engine each is matched to."

I think this is a great idea, but does anyone know of any parts that would only be on a '84 or an '85 3.2L that I can use to determine the year. The only thing I knew of was the ignition wires, are there any others?

Thank,
Matt

[Esel Mann]

Hi Matt,

If you want to pursue the DME approach, I would write down the DME part number. Then, try the following:

- Type the part number into the pelican parts "search our site" and see what pops up for the DME as it may provide details on what model year it is good for.

- Crossing it using the Porsche PET program. There are copies of this floating around somewhere....

- I also know that periodically the DME part number cross is resurrected on the BBS so you may try searching for this too (for some reason the search function is locking up on me at present).

Hope this helps.

Carlton

[Steve W]

That's an engine from an 84 cab - the spark plug wires and the engine shock is the giveaway. There should be an engine type number stamped on the block to the right of the engine fan, about a couple of inches behind and to the left of the oil pressure sender. A U.S. engine would be stamped 930/21, a Euro 930/20. An 84 also used a flathead screwdriver adjustment for the idle adjustment speed, the subsequent cars used a 7mm nut driver.

You can also look at the date stamps on some of the engine parts such as the air flow meter. It should have a manufacturing stamp with a month an year, which could be month/'83 or '84.

[movin]

Anyone know which brand of air filter cone and inlet is shown here?

[MattAlpha]

Steve,
I just checked out the adjustment for the idle adjustment speed and its a 7mm nut (that has a cylinder sticking out from the nut in the middle of it).

Here is a pic (sorry its a bit blurry):


I think I'm going to have to follow your's and Esel Mann's advice and check the stamps on other engine parts and the DME. The intake maybe from a newer engine. I can't really tell. Another thing in the future that I would like to purchase is one of your chips, but I need to make sure I know what I have.

Thanks for the advice gentlemen,
Matt

[MattAlpha]

movin,
Its a K&N offroad cone filter. If you want more specifics, I can try and find the box. I installed it about 15 months ago.
-MAtt

[movin]

Matt,
Yes I am interested because the type I now have isn't tucked under the body as yours is. Mine makes a right turn so the filter is under the deck grill, and it gets wet when it rains or I wash the car.
Let me know where I can get it. Thanks!

[MattAlpha]

movin,
I bought it off of Ebay and I do not have the seller's name anymore. I did a quick search on ebay and this kit is no longer listed. The filter is a K&N RU-3570 (Offroad racing type of conical filter).
Here's a picture of the kit:


All I think you need though is the rubber joint (its in the engine picture, not the blue reduction one, which I couldn't use), the stainless clamps and a 45 degree bent piping section. You can buy all of those for less than $25 at Advanced Auto, that's were I bought the black rubber joint from the intake mount to the 45 degree bent pipe. Some of the things in the kit I didn't use because they didn't work together.

-Matt

[MattAlpha]

Guys I'm still drawing a blank here.

I've followed your advice and pulled some part numbers from around the engine.
Here are some of the ones I've run searches on using our host's new parts catalog:

Case Half: 930 101 103/4 5R (Right side was 4 and left 3)
-No match.

Motronic Case: 911 618 111 20
-Came up with a match but didn't specify year number, re-built unit was for '84-'86.

Fan Housing: 930 106 102 2R
-No match.

Spark Plug wires: 911 607 311 00 (BERU W. Germany)
-No match.


So I'm stalled right now.

Does anyone else have any ideas?
-Matt

[Determined]

Like everyone says, you have a 3.2L Carrera engine. I have the K&N filter but without the bend. What else are you planning to do with it? Oh, I'm not too far from you...I'm in Hollister. My engine is currently coming back together finally. The large case numbers you identified won't tell you the year, maybe a range but your smaller numbers that were cut-off is what Bently uses to identify years. What did you pay for it?

Regards,

Alex

[Rot 911]

Do what Steve W has already suggested. Remove the air flow meter (not all that hard) and it will have a month and year stamp on the bottom side.

[Early_S_Man]

Matt,

The easiest component to remove and find the date code on is the oil temp sender!

[MattAlpha]

Guys,
The engine came in the car when I bought it. The PO told me it was an '87. I've owned it now for almost two years and as I've worked on it I've realized that it is not an '87. All I want to do to the engine is a full tune-up before I drive it cross country in Sept. So I need to determine the engine's year so that I can replace the wires especially since '84 has its own set of wires and '85-'86 have their own as well.

I found a 10/83 stamp on the muffler. It have been added later, but its making my feeling that this is an '84 motor stronger.

Early_S_Man if I have to, I will pull the oil temp sender but I'm hesitant because it isn't leaking.

Kurt V I could give that a try, but the idle adjuster is a 7mm nut, not the screw type as on a '84. So I think the intake might not be the original. I'm not trying to say you and Steve are not right about the date stamp (I appreciated you both letting me know about it), but right now I'm trying to concentrate on the engine itself.

Alex,
Let me know when you're putting the engine back in. I'd love to help.


Does anyone know if the engine number is stamped anywhere else?

Also, does it matter if an '84 engine does not have '84 spark plugs?

-Matt

[Esel Mann]

Matt,

From the part number of the DME you gave,911 618 111 20 , it appears that this DME is from a 87-89 car.

My sources of information are the following threads:

Please verify part#

DME info please

The second thread has a chart which details the various DMEs.

This came from purusing just a couple of the search hits for "DME part number" on the PP BBS. Taking information from just two sources can sometimes be hazardous. If you feel uncomfortable with just two sources, please puruse the other hits on the PP BBS 911 technical forum using "DME part number" as the forum search item. I know that I have seen charts in at least a few threads over the years.

I sense perhaps some frustration in the situation. Please, and kudos to you for being diligent as well as patient. This will pay off as the more you know about your car, the more likely it is there will be up-time. Up-time means you can drive your car and have fun. Down-time, well, you can't drive your car and thus how on earth can anyone even begin to have fun if they can't drive their Porsche?

You may ask well WTF did all of the earlier parts come from? Well, if you puruse the PP BBS in the parts catalog, you will find that many parts are compatible for the 84-89 years. Some are even over a longer time span! Thus, due to age, it is entirely possible that parts were replaced using compatible parts. Thus no cause for alarm (so long as the part is compatible)!

Now I wouldn't go off and say well Carlton found the DME to be from a 87-89 engine so therefore it must be a 87-89 engine. Try to get a couple of other data points so that a level of confidence can be built up.

I did a search on the 930 101 103 number and it appears that this is a casting number and not a part number. Thus I do not believe that it is possible to infer model year of the engine using the casting number.

Hang in their, you are doing fine!!!

Regards,

Carlton

[MattAlpha]

Carlton,
Thanks for the information and search the tech forum. Yeah, obviously I didn't think to do that. So the DME is 87-89 range. Interesting.

My current guess to the age of engine is that it was built of spare parts laying around a shop and the engine nujmber was cut off so someone (like me) wouldn't think it was actually of some single year because it has all different year parts on it. Just my geuss though.

Does anyone know what the difference between the spark plug wires between the '84 and '85-'86 year? If its not significant, then I'm sure I could probably use anyway them. It seems to me the difference is simply in the way the wires are routed.

I will pull the oil pressure sender at my next oil chnge (I'll be adjusting the valves then too), that will not be for at least 3 months.

If any else has any ideas I'm open to suggestions,
Matt