Dana,

Dang! I didn't want to modify the suspension! Darn this extra power and torque. Darn!:D

Hopefully my weight lost will offset the extra speed (as my buddy Newt would say, F=ma).

Beamonk,

No problem. Sorry I didn't have time to get into details w/ the pix I sent. Glad you got it going. No go drive. Go 27230 Go!

OK not to give Rich a hard time, but what is the true weight difference between a 2.7 and a 3.0 (true diff., not approximate with crate and such).

Souk H

I don't know the exact difference in weight exactly between the two motors and gearboxes, but just on how they feel to move around the garage there is a big difference. I have to do some work this weekend, and if I can get a hand, I can put the 2.7 longblock and the mag 901 on the bathroom scale and give you an accurate number.

I was amazed primarily at the difference between the 901 magnesium versus 915 aluminum transmissions -- there is easily a difference of 50-60 lbs. I would estimate that the differences in the engines is about 80 lbs, so combined I would bet there is at least 150 lbs difference. I was going to use the 915 but swapped it for a 901. If a 901 trans can handle the torque of a V8 converted 914, it will certainly handle anything a 2.0-2.7 motor can dish out. Plus, I like the shift pattern of the 901 better.

For my car which is largely a fun car, the longevity of the 3.0 liter motor (which I think is a great engine by the way) is not really a factor. If a 2.7 lasts 40,000 miles (which would be very short even for a 2.7), that should take me about 10 years to use up. I will want to change it and modify it a million times before it actually dies of overuse. However, if your car is a daily driver and you can get a 3.0 for cheap versus spending $4-5K to rebuild the 2.7, you would be crazy not to use it.

But I still think there is an argument to be made for the earlier lighter stuff, especially with the narrower tires available with stock bodywork. When it comes to winding roads, the lighter weight will always win -- just try keeping up with a Lotus 7 with a 100HP engine on a winding road. [Or you can ask the guy in the new 996 that I passed on the inside of the hairpin this morning on the way to work with my zillion mile 2.0 motor.] Of course he blew me away once we were onto the straight away, but then again so would a Lightning pick-up truck (or even a Cayenne?).

Rich

Rich,

Without getting my books out, I think that the 2.7 motors were all mated to the 915 transmission. The early 915's were magnesium cased and the later ones were aluminum, the aluminum being more robust.

If that is correct, then the weight difference would be in the motors.

Someone with this info in there gray matter chime in.

Souk