I'm confused! need help with my jugs

Norm Faustino · Norm Faustino's Garage

Hey guys! I am still debating whether to rebuild my 3.0 liter stock or go with an upgrade. In the meantime I am trying to determine exactly what I've got here. I don't have a lot of information about my car or it's history due to the PO being out of country and having sold it to me by a 3rd party.

I have a 78 911 SC, It has no ac or air pump on it.
On the one hand I am told that I can re-ring my motor with the same P's & C's. as long as the cylinders have cast iron liners and can be honed.

my pistons are half domed with a nipple in the center and they measure 95 mm in dia. (why do I feel like a woman writing to penthouse...) anyway, I put a magnet on the cylinder walls and it sticks but not very strongly which leads me to believe that this is not a NIkasil cylinder since nickel is non magnetic as is silicon,
so I am wondering... what the hell?

I should mention that the cylinders do have some scoring which is noticeable with a fingernail and there are some on the piston sides as well. Now, I have a chance to pick up a set of used 3.2 P's & C's for about a grand(or less) with roughly 50K on them but I'm reading all the extra stuff that is required in addition to the cylinders such as different cams and so on and I am pretty confused about the whole thing. I dont need 220 hp if it is going to be such a PITA but I do want to do this right no matter what.

what I would like to know is if anyone has done this type of conversion without a lot of hassle.

Please help and thanks.
-Norm- SCWDP wannabe

Early_S_Man · 12-14-2001, 05:47 PM

Norm,

Nickel IS slightly magnetic ... that is one of the tests for a Nikasil cylinder! So, the Nik's are what you have! Much better than Alusils!

Foerget the 3.2 P/C's ... they won't fit on your rods ... wrist pins are too big at 23 mm!

Talk to EBS ... Nikasil cylinders can be replated.

Bill Verburg · Bill Verburg's Garage

Mahle has 98 mm pistons available with either 22 or 23mm wristpins. Each is availablle with at least 2 different c.r. and dome configs. they are very expensive!

Norm Faustino · Norm Faustino's Garage

Thanks Early S!
I had a feeling I might not have been looking at cast iron cylinders and thanks for enlightening me on the metallurgy part. (oops)! If I can re-plate with no problems I will likely go with that option and leave the engine blueprint alone.