Confused about cylinder numbering and staggering
 

The diagram which is glued on to the engine bay of my 930 shows the cylinders staggered differently than what it actually looks like when I look from the rear of the car. Now I'm confused that maybe I'm looking from the wrong end and everything is backwards. Can someone clear up why the diagram is different than what I'm seeing? #1 should be lower left looking from rear and #4 should be lower right, correct?
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1396537167.jpg

One and four are the rearmost cylinders, just like your diagrams.

Engine orientation.......
 

jwakil,

Viewing from the rear of the car, the correct engine orientation is the diagram on the left (above). Where cylinder #4 is the closest to you. Look at an engine on an engine stand and you'll see diagram on the left.

Tony

Part of my question is answered, but I think there is still misunderstanding of what I'm trying to say. From the responses, it sounds like 1 is definitely lower left and 4 is definitely lower right. I'm still confused why in the diagram the left bank of cylinders appear further towards the front compared to the right side. However, when I physically look at the engine, the spark plugs for the left side are closer to me than the right side??? This is what I was trying to depict with the two different schematics and what is still confusing me.

Objects in mirror are closer than they appear.
These things are done for illustration purposes.
The important information is lefty 123, righty 456, and you got that.

Maybe when Porsche designed the sticker they wanted you to be able to identify where each of the cylinders was located. I would reccomend you take this question up with the graphics dept. at Porsche.

The graphics are correct
 

Follow the number four spark plug wire carefully, compare it to where the number one plug wire goes, and I think your question will be answered. Easier said than done in a 930, I'm sure.

The other alternative is that you are under your car looking up. ;)

Remember...the oil cooler goes behind #6....so there has to be room for it.
Bob

Optical illusion...sort of. Spark plugs are splayed to the rear of the head on the left and front of the head on the right. Not centered over the top. Makes it seem like the right side is offset forward. At least I think I'm saying it right. Look at the intake runners. They are centered. -J

ETA best photo i could find quickly but it's from the bottom.

http://www.automobileassociates.com/...ebuild_640.JPG

Need to examine your visual.......
 

jwakil,

If you are physically viewing a 911 engine from the rear looking into the engine bay or an engine (sump plate below) mounted on an engine stand, you'll see diagram on the LEFT of your post. You are just over analyzing this simple visual test.

Tony

Don't flip out when you look at a diagram depicting an overhead view of the car only to realize the side view "flag" mirrors are also staggered.

The cylinders cannot be opposed to each other exactly the same symmetrically left and right because the connecting rods would hit in the middle and only one or the other ,left or right would be able to mount on the crank , so the cylinders are staggered.

Apples vs Oranges
 

OK, this should explain the confusion...

In the picture below, the air intake (thus the cylinder) for # 4 is 2" more rearward than # 1.

But if you look at the spark plug, it's the reverse which make sense as they don't make passenger side and driver side heads.

Since the spark plug holes are angle (forward on # 1), if you rotate #1 to position #4 the spark plug lead cap goes from being the closest to the rear to the 2nd closest when in #4 position.

The label on the back of the car shows the cylinder arrangement not the spark plug one.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1396649292.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1396649565.jpg