It's been 3 weeks so I'm over the angst, anger and the headache from banging my head on the wall...
We love the car so we're in for the long haul. Porsche is looking for more than the car is worth to replace the motor.
Suncoast quoted me $18300 for the motor plus $9700 for the core plus whatever labor I'd have to do... and there's currently not one in stock...


I've been scouring all of the related treads for background so here's my basic questions:

Can I put the 3.8L motor in? (mine was a 3.6L). I know some have rebuilt their motor to 3.8L but my motor seems to be toast...

What variants or questions should I be asking about the motor I'm going to buy?

What year cars should I be looking at that used the 3.8L? I'm thinking to find a salvadge/wreck and then part out the remainder...

Worse case, if I don't find a donor in the next couple of months, I'll look seriously into the LS swap. that could be a fun fun car... I'm planning on getting this baby back on the road one way or the other...

oh, and I'm one of those long time lurkers learning all kinds of great things about these cars...

 

Sorry to read about your engine troubles.

Regarding a replacement engine...

I would advise you to not put a 3.8l engine in your car.

You are better off, the car is better off, if you replace the failed engine with one from a similar MY.

For your 2002 then I think that's a 2000 to 2002 MY engine.

The engine will be a drop in replacement. You will not need to worry about the engine wiring harness, the DME, etc.

Sticking with a 2000 to 2002 engine does not change the emissions requirements the car must then adhere to.

 

Noted, particularly the smog thing. I'm researching that one too. Hoping to hear back from a referee next week. I'll keep you posted how that conversation goes...

 

Well, You can always buy an awesome upgraded 3.8 engine from Flat6Innovations. You would have basically the best 996 aspirated engine possible. I think they even do 4.0 m96 engines.

http://flat6innovations.com/index.ph...rts-a-services


That or an RND engine with they developed made with Jake Raby.

Don't know how much you're looking to spend but those are really good options.

They probably can rebuild your engine to a 3.8

 

Thanks for that info. I intend to call them tomorrow... I like the look of the stage 2, depending on cost of course...

I do have a line on a salvage 2001 70k miles for $8500; if I part it afterwards, I should make back all of my costs...

That may be my best option right now...

 

My advice to avoid a 3.8l engine was to avoid an engine from a newer model year.

If you have the means you can of course have a 3.6l engine built to increase its displacement to 3.8l or even possibly 4.0l (and maybe more...).

The engine still is a drop in engine and should need nothing -- I think -- done to the DME, though of course the engine builder might offer a "tune" to perhaps deal with the larger engine's fueling needs or other things.

 

yes, still can't quite figure that one out. I know the VarioCam makes some kind difference on later engines but I haven't been able to figure out why exactly. Something about mapping the intakes? But that can be resolved with a mod to the ECU?

I like the old days when one could pretty much stuff anything in regardless of model year... Way too much electronics on these cars... but of course, I do know the electronics has saved my *** on a few DE and fun runs...

Thanks for the info.

 

Sorry to hear.

I also have a 2002 and have continued to skip on the IMS replacement issue. Hoping that mine will make it to the clutch service at which point I'll change out the bearing, RMS and IMS bearing.

If you live in CA, I'd say go with the same model year vehicle or newer. CA has some stringent rules. A few I've read and are worth asking the referee.

1. Engine can't come from a truck and only a car (this is easy to comply with)
2. Engine must come from same year or newer vehicle (easy to comply)
3. All smog related equipment from original car must be transferred (might be tough depending on packaging)
4. This is the one I'm least sure about but have read in a few places, the engine direction must remain the same including the exhaust. This is obviously impossible with an LS

"2001 70k miles for $8500" - These are 3.4L engines vs. the 2002+ 3.6L engines. This could impact you on the resale end if you decide to sell it.

 

well, fingers crossed yours make it to the clutch change...

Thx for the info. I'll certainly ask about them specifically. Obviously the first 3 are easy - and I like about the engine being newer, that could mean a 3.8L...

The direction thing is odd and I'll ask... but don't the flat six and the V8 rotate the same direction? There's no reversing set up with the LS motor, just (basically) bolt it on and go...

I'll keep y'all posted as I go forward with this adventure...

(I think it's an adventure, right?)

 

With regard to engine and exhaust direction, picture how the engine is oriented in the Corvette and now that same engine in the Porsche 911, you have to rotate it to face the other way in order to bolt it to the transaxle. That is what "Violates" the rules (again this is what I've read and will agree have not confirmed.) The engine internally will rotate the same way no change there.

If true this is the dumbest rule of them all.

 

Also your engine failure has me on alert. I subscribed to the "most of the failures have already happened so the rest of us are in the clear" mindset.

Also - can you get anything from the class action lawsuit? Or had you looked into it? I have absolutely no affiliation with the info below but it just crossed my mind that Porsche settled up to some extent on this.

From rennlist:

"Note, the info about the class action suit was provided to me by a law firm who would be happy to represent anyone needing help with a claim. "

Grace N. Corsini
Paralegal
KNAPP PETERSEN & CLARKE
550 N. Brand Blvd., Suite 1500
Glendale, CA 91203
Phone: (818) 547-5020
Fax: (818) 547-5329

http://rennlist.com/forums/boxster-a...-mar-12-a.html


This link suggests their settlement was more or less a sham. 10+ year old cars excluded. Pretty much meant most 996s with failures.

http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/201...-my-boxster-s/

 

996_911C2_Dhru
I had the same mindset based on reading everything I'd read before buying the car...problem now is we love the car so dumping it is not (yet) an option...

didn't know about the lawsuit but I'll definitely be calling them tomorrow...thx for that info...

Reversing the motor would seem to be a stoopid law but then it is California...

 

There are several options and it depends on what your goals and priorities are.

Check out all the options including 9XX Motorsports, Vertex, MB Motorsports, LA Auto Dismantlers, Quality Porsche,ls tech website, etc.

Basically you have used, refresh, rebuilt, rebuilt with taking out all the weak components(flat6), used Mezger gt3 conversion, Mezger TT conversion, LS conversion, and yes Ford conversion, lol.

Good luck

 

The goal is to get the car back on the road ASAP cos it is one of the all time best road /track cars I've ever driven. Love it. And what's much more important, my much better half loves it too...

Budget is obviously important too.

 

The newer engines come with VarioCam Plus which still have the variable intake valve timing but adds low lift/high lift switching. Low lift is enabled at cold start to reduce pumping losses and reduce cold start emissions and fuel consumption.

The point at which the intake cam timing is changed can be different from the older MY engines vs. the more recent engines.

There can be other differences as well. These are (probably not) insurmountable but would require a knowledge of the inner workings of the Porsche DME that is beyond a handful of people outside of Porsche/Bosch.

Unless one has access to one of these knowledgeable individuals or can buy an "off the shelf" tune that can adapt an older DME to work properly with the newer engines -- there is the issue of the extra wiring too -- one is better off staying in the same model year span as his car when it comes to choosing a replacement engine.

The replacement engine just "drops in" and everything connects right up and the engine just runs. Essentially the car is as it came from the factory, or probably more accurately the car is as it would be had a factory replacement engine been installed, albeit in this case the replacement engine was probably not "re-manufactured".

The car is still emission compliant and servicing is not a problem and best of all one doesn't have to deal with a "Frankenstein" car which can be -- no pun intended -- a real horror to deal with.