Which engine to choose Poll

[axvel]

I can't decide on the engine upgrade, hoping you guys can help.

I want a bit more power. I go to an autocross Once a month.

Option 1 Make a 3.4 Turbo out of my 3.2 $20,000
Option 2 Buy a 3.3 Turbo motor for $35,000 (will require 930 trans)
Option 3 Buy a 3.8 RSR motor for $25,000
Option 4 Leave 3.2 as is and just do P/C's and heads? $8000

I have a 3.2 currently in my 1977 car. It began smoking a bit.
3.2 came back with 2 cylinders with bad leak down numbers.

leak down numbers
Cyl 1 - 50%
Cyl 2 - 5%
Cyl 3 - 5%
Cyl 4 - 5%
Cyl 5 - 5%
Cyl 6 - 50%

What i don't get is that the car pulls strong and last dyno it did 217hp out of the wheels with 964 cams. I get poping out of the exhaust on deceleration but thats about it. Another shop gave me a thinner oil before and my indy said that this engine needs 20w-50 for it not to smoke. But as soon as the oil will wear out it will start smoking again.

[aston@ultrasw.c]

How about a bone stock 993 3.6 motor?

[axvel]

Originally Posted by aston@ultrasw.c

How about a bone stock 993 3.6 motor?

I already bought a bone stock 993 engine, for 12k for another project. And then it turned in to additional $8000 worth of conversion parts from Patricks motorsports.

[DanielDudley]

Why would you let your oil ''wear out'' ? Run 20/50, and change your oil every 3000 miles.

Keep thinking about what you want to do.

[darrin]

seems to me that any option beyond a bone stock 3.6 will make your 915 transmission the next point of failure. How much more power are you after? Another option is to bore your 3.2 out to 3.4 (cheaper version from here is to stick with single plugs, more pricy to twinplug, but lets you get more power) or replace p&c with 3.5l (and get case spigots bored). This will not provide as much torque as the turbo option and will be (more) doable with a 915. Sal (scarella) has a lot of experience with injectors, MAF and software if you choose to go this route

[axvel]

Originally Posted by DanielDudley

Why would you let your oil ''wear out'' ? Run 20/50, and change your oil every 3000 miles.

Keep thinking about what you want to do.

Sounds about right, but the leak down kills me. And plus the need for more power is what drives me, forget about the slippery slope, i'm in mid flight already.

[axvel]

Originally Posted by darrin

seems to me that any option beyond a bone stock 3.6 will make your 915 transmission the next point of failure. How much more power are you after? Another option is to bore your 3.2 out to 3.4 (cheaper version from here is to stick with single plugs, more pricy to twinplug, but lets you get more power) or replace p&c with 3.5l (and get case spigots bored). This will not provide as much torque as the turbo option and will be (more) doable with a 915. Sal (scarella) has a lot of experience with injectors, MAF and software if you choose to go this route

My 915 just received a rebuild 1 st and 2nd synchros and dog teeth and new synchros on other gears, as well as LSD a new everything including new clutch and shift fork. If i stick to N/A engine i might get away with 915 i already have, or look for a 930 short bell housing tranny.

[Sboxin]

Very nice looking 911 . . .
I would say it all depends on your budget . . . and future use of the car . . .
The 3.4 Turbo or 3.6L option will give you a lot more power - but this leads to other things $$$ . .

I vote for rebuild 3.2 and enjoy the car . . .

Regards,

PS: Also, use some really good 15/50 ( oops ment 20/50) race oil - we use Amsoil . . .

[axvel]

Originally Posted by Sboxin

Very nice looking 911 . . .
I would say it all depends on your budget . . . and future use of the car . . .
The 3.4 Turbo or 3.6L option will give you a lot more power - but this leads to other things $$$ . .

I vote for rebuild 3.2 and enjoy the car . . .

Regards,

PS: Also, use some really good 15/50 race oil - we use Amsoil . . .

Thats the oil another shop put in, and i guess it started to slip through the rings, thats why this shop recommended to stay with 20w-50

[darrin]

see you're in LA, what are your emissions requirements?

[axvel]

Originally Posted by darrin

see you're in LA, what are your emissions requirements?

Emissions are very strict, as you already know. The car is going out of state.

[GH85Carrera]

You can find someone eases project car for less than it would cost to do a monster engine. Just buy a 997 or 991 and have that much performance and an car that has the brakes, suspension and other goodies needed to make an entire car package. Sell the 911 as is and move on to a car that was designed for that much power.

[axvel]

Originally Posted by GH85Carrera

You can find someone eases project car for less than it would cost to do a monster engine. Just buy a 997 or 991 and have that much performance and an car that has the brakes, suspension and other goodies needed to make an entire car package. Sell the 911 as is and move on to a car that was designed for that much power.

I was thinking the same thing, but having put 6k into suspension from elephant racing, installing 930 brakes for 5k, and rebuilding the transmission for 5k i was thinking that the engine is next.

I'm afraid of 997's because of IMS, buying a car and towing it to a indy to do IMS retrofit right away.

And 997 turbo and gt3's are in 100k's

[Sboxin]

You might check with some of the POC race guys - they have a C 3.2 Race class the run Turbo wide bodies like yours and stock 3.2L engines - - they are pretty fast at the big Willow track.

A lot of their engines are built at Asse Motorsports in Fullerton - our race car came with a stock spec 3.2L built by them and it raced for 4 years and we sold the engine in good condition to another Pelican in Wisconsin.

Regards,

[quattrorunner]

Any turbo option will end up needing 930 or g50 gearbox. The torque will kill the 915. Unless you use low boost

[88-diamondblue]

Go to a 3.4 or 3.5L. I did the 3.4L and am getting 260Hp. SteveW did the tuning on the engine and it pulls strong to near redline. If I did it again I would have gone to the 3.5L.

[sugarwood]

Originally Posted by axvel

I want a bit more power. I go to an autocross Once a month.

Maybe just shift into 3rd ?

[darrin]

axvel -- are you sure you need work done on your engine? Specifically, what's its oil consumption like? Unless you're below, say 500 miles per quart, there may be another cause for your poor leakdown numbers -- also looks like you're running a premuffler instead of a cat (a cat will mask a LOT of oil burning). My point here is that if you're not burning through too much oil, you might be able to drive it for a while longer as-is while you determine best next steps for your car. That said, I'm in a similar boat in that I want more power for my carrera. In my case, I want to stay NA and am leaning toward a 3.5l twinplug conversion on my 3.2 and a ~20% increase in power. These will be some pricy horses, but I plan to keep my car (also need to pass colorado smog) and enjoy them for at least another 150k miles . . . .

[axvel]

Originally Posted by darrin

axvel -- are you sure you need work done on your engine? Specifically, what's its oil consumption like? Unless you're below, say 500 miles per quart, there may be another cause for your poor leakdown numbers -- also looks like you're running a premuffler instead of a cat (a cat will mask a LOT of oil burning). My point here is that if you're not burning through too much oil, you might be able to drive it for a while longer as-is while you determine best next steps for your car. That said, I'm in a similar boat in that I want more power for my carrera. In my case, I want to stay NA and am leaning toward a 3.5l twinplug conversion on my 3.2 and a ~20% increase in power. These will be some pricy horses, but I plan to keep my car (also need to pass colorado smog) and enjoy them for at least another 150k miles . . . .

Not really sure, Spoke to Jeff at the Place someone mentioned above, and he noted the following....If it smokes on acceleration then it's the Piston rings, if it smokes on Deceleration than it's the exhaust valves. I will double check today again. Right now like i posted earlier the engine puts out 217 hp out of the wheels. So it is pretty ok for 3.2. I heard people get like 230 hp. I'm also keeping my car for a long time. I heard that it is more safe to do 3.4 turbo out of 3.2, as appose to 3.5.

[kent olsen]

Everyone talks about more horsepower but what your looking for is power/weight. It's a lot cheaper to reduce weight than add horsepower. I removed 250 lbs from my 72 911. Then what kind of driving are you primarily doing. Autox? Then your just looking at tires and low speed torque. A gear change will take care of that. Track days, well now horsepower is an issue but before that torque pulling out of the corners. I had a special cam ground for my 3.0L that lowered the torque peak while still making horsepower on my twin cam engine. Like I said power to WEIGHT. Mines 8.9:1 with only 245 hp.