Porsche Newbie: Please Advise

[f50nut]

Hello all,

This is my first post. I'm also considering my first Porsche. I'm nowhere near new to cars, but feel free to tell me exactly what I need to hear.

I need to ask for some expertise on this 934 look-a-like turbo, which will essentially become my long term project. It started life as a '76 Euro 3.0 Carrera. Now it's a street-legal track car with a 3.2L, K27 Turbo, Electromotive Distributorless Ignition and CIS. It also has twin plug heads on it, and big red brakes.

All sounds good to me, however it has a fuel issue as well as a wastegate issue. I'm thinking the car was built and never set up properly. It's certainly not running perfectly right now.

I need to find out a bit more about the car, but maybe there are a few things you guys can help me with up front.

First: Is it typical to turbo (K27 seems a bit big) a 3.2 twin head motor, with CIS? What do I need to look for? What needs to be done when turbocharging a 3.2L? I need to see if the work was done properly.

Second: Should I remove the turbo and carb it?

Third: It's been turbo-ed, and it shouldn't have...STAY AWAY?

Thanks all, happy holidays.

[barney911rs]

While not an expert, hopefully some others will chime in on this. I hope they lowered the compression ratio to allow for the turbo. If they did, then you'll have very low power if you take the turbo off. It would help if you updated your profile to show where you live. Then possibly someone could help you out in person. Someone on here may know the car you are looking at.

Do you already have the car, if so, it's customary to post pictures.

[f50nut]

I'm in Long Island NY.

Is it common to turbocharge 3.2's?

I stumbled across a bored 3.0 930 motor tonight which worked out to 3.2...and it got me thinking. I suppose I'll have to check for numbers on the block.

It's a looker. A lot of nice bits on it and the body is mostly glass. Here's a pic:

[f50nut]

bump*

[Zeke]

Originally Posted by barney911rs

While not an expert, hopefully some others will chime in on this. I hope they lowered the compression ratio to allow for the turbo. If they did, then you'll have very low power if you take the turbo off.

While no expert either, it seems whoever did the conversion was thinking about it. Twin plugs for instance. The turbo pressure could be low as well so as to not build too high of compression.

I would recommend taking this car to an expert to sort it out. On the West Coast, that would probably be Bruce Canepa. The EC must have someone equal.

[gsmith660]

Check the case numbers and the engine number, engine number is on the fan support on the pass. side. case number is on the bottom side of the case and might be hard to see. 930 had 2 sizes 3.0 liter and a 3.3 liter.

[Gogar]

Finding out the case type will also tell you if it started as a turbo motor or if it's the original 3.0 motor with lots of work done to it.

[SCOTITUDE]

I knew the car. It was a cool car. a local build. I haven't seen it in a couple of years so I cant tell what was done to it since then. Looong story I'd rather not air out here. Id strongly suggest a PPI, maybe even 2 from very independant reliable sources.

[Wayne 962]

Any time you mess with custom stuff that you didn't build yourself, you're inheriting other people's mistakes. If you want a car that will be difficult to work on and a challenge down the road, then this one is for you (some people like that - not meant sarcastically). If anything breaks, it's all custom, so you'll have to start from scratch, or look at the notes from the previous builder.

I would consult the Engine Rebuild book - lots of good info on what to avoid in there: http://www.101projects.com

-Wayne

[kuehl]

Originally Posted by f50nut

Hello all,

I'm also considering my first Porsche. I'm nowhere near new to cars, but feel free to tell me exactly what I need to hear.

You may want to take another approach, find a good 87-89 911, drive it for awhile, and then pump it up the way you like. Or, if your budget and patience allows, look at a stock 930, same vintage if practical.

AND, buy both the books, it will save you a heck of a lot of "oh, sugar, I coulda, shoulda's"

http://www.101projects.com/Porsche-101/index.htm
http://www.101projects.com/911-Rebuild/index.htm

[gsmith660]

What did you find out?

[kuehl]

Originally Posted by gsmith660

What did you find out?

edit: With regard to my 3.2, had I read some books before hand I would have found out earlier that ......A noisy valve sounds like a broken head stud.

[gsmith660]

Originally Posted by kuehl

A noisy valve sounds like a broken head stud.

I was talking about what type of motor he has, what do mean a noisy valve where did he mention that. I had a lot of stud issues on my motor I have on the shelf right now but I didn't have a noisy valve because the cam tower and the heads were still securely fastened but I did have compression problems and oil leaks.

[crustychief]

huh

[aigel]

If it were easy to get it to run right, it would have been done. If it doesn't run right, it probably is FUBAR and needs some sort of reboot. Looks like some decent money spent - unless the owner ran out - why stop short of a good running car?

If you can pick it up for dirt cheap (roller price + core engine price) after a PPI, you may have yourself a fun project.

I personally like to buy things that run right if it comes to more expensive cars. On the beater side, I have bought many that were dragged home ...

George

[f50nut]

Welp.

Right side of the case says: 930 101 104 5R

Left side: 930 101 103 6R

Timing cover: *68600665*

Turbo is a K29, not a K27 like I thought. Car has all the right parts, but who knows if it's built? I couldn't get it into boost without spitting flames and breaking up. Someone will buy the car and have fun with it. It's got all the right parts, just needs someone to love it, and go THROUGH it piece by piece. I don't want to get into all of the intricacies - it'll be up for sale publicly soon and like I said - it's got a ton of money in parts, just misguided.

Anyone know what this motor is based on the numbers?

[kuehl]

Certainly sounds like someone has done their homework. Maybe you could help the owner and post the car in the for sale section of the Pelican forum; noting what you know about the car and the VIN, a few good pics too. If you have any notes about who worked on the car that might be helpful too.

[gsmith660]

Isn't that a short stroked 3.2? what is the compression ratio any ideas? I would say you should go for it and despite what others say if you go through it then it is your own not someone elses problems and you can fix them to suit you, the car looks good and has potential to run good, go for it.

[gsmith660]

Originally Posted by crustychief

huh

Sorry that didn't make much sense left a period out. I had a motor that when I took it apart it had only 4 studs out of 24 that had torque on them and 2 that had the nuts backed all the way off the rest were in various stages of loose on the stud but I had no valve noise, but it did wear a nice groove in all 6 heads and believe it or not MM repaired them and they have run good for 15 years.

[f50nut]

Originally Posted by gsmith660

Isn't that a short stroked 3.2?

I have no idea - what makes you say that?