right my first post. here it goes. my 2000 carrera 996 engine has completly gone bang. the car was a spare car anyway. what i wanted to ask was i want to get a project going and try to convert it to a 996 turbo. now being that they are both 996's how easy is the swap and will i need anything extra or not also the car will be getting a turbo kit conversion too being all the quarter panels bumpers etc. i would like it if someone could point me in the right direction. Btw I'm based in uk

 

Wow, this is a toughy, completely different cars. You could put a new turbo engine in it but that's about as close as you're going to get with out changing the suspension, adding AWD front differential, clutch, cooling, intercoolers, etc..... Not worth it.

 

hi

tbh i need a winter project and being a spare car i thought why not. in terms of 4wd i will be having it rwd instead. i am getting a very good deal on a 996 turbo engine and gt3 gearbox. just trying to gather as much info as i can to see what i need before i go ahead with the conversion.

 

RWD closer to a GT2. Put on coilovers, upgrade the clutch, add innercoolers, change rear side panels to turbo ones or GT2 because that's where the inercoolers will go, add third front radiator, upgrade the brakes to turbo or Brembo(you will need this due to the extra power) and put on wider tires.

 

That's great. Right the nitty gritty bits such as the dme etc what else do I have to do require to get it working. Any chance I can use the same dme on the carrera?

 

I would say you could but you'll need to get it re-tuned to match the engine. If that doesn't work you can always install a performance chip. Upgrade the sway bars to the GT2 (they're stiffer) and drop links. I say this because you want the suspension to be as close to the GT2 as possible. If you feel so inclined replace the exhaust to a performance one, and replace the rear bumper with one where the exhaust pipes are centered in the middle.

 

Just been having a look around a few different forums, apparently the dme on my car is 5.2 and on the 996 turbo it's I think 7.2 or .8 so I'm guessing the dme will also have to be changed along with the whole wiring loom of the car? Any one who has done a similar conversion or knows of anyone who has done the conversion could you tell me please. Thanks

 

My advice is to search out a used engine from a similar MY car and install it into your 2000 996 and get your car back on the road.

If you want a turbo-charged engine then sell your 996 and find a suitable 996 Turbo.

Ignoring the AWD feature of the Turbo -- which isn't really a necessity -- the fitting of the Turbo engine with its exhaust system, oil tank, and intercoolers would be a lot of work.

The intercooler air intake vents are positioned to enjoy some high pressure courtesy of the Turbo's wider shape. Air flow through these vents is helped by the front of the car and its rather low air dam to help keep air from flowing under the car which helps create a low pressure under/behind the car. The intercoolers have their exits under/behind the car.

The Turbo rear quarter panels are not bolted on but are part of the car's tub. If you wanted to duplicate these on your car you would have to resort to sheet metal work and then still wonder how close to the "factory" you managed to get the contour so air flow through the intercooler ducts was sufficient to provide the benefit these intercoolers are required to provide.

The correct functioning of these intercoolers is paramount to the proper and safe operation of the Turbo engine. These reduce charge temperature considerably which allows the engine to make up to 0.7 bar boost with higher boost, up to 0.9 bar, possible under some conditions. (My experience is hard acceleration at high (~9K feet) elevation.

The Turbo has three radiators, and a fuel cooler. Its power steering pump is plumped to provide power to the clutch fluid system to provide for a power boosted clutch.

There is the subject of the engine controller too. You would need to use the DME from a Turbo in your car. Not sure the DME is a drop in replacement. Additionally there could be the wiring harness issue as the Turbo DME is intended to control the VarioCam Plus -- intake valve timing adjust and intake valve lift control -- which your 2000 996 doesn't have. It just has plain old VarioCam.

 

Or... get a solid replacement motor and a TPC Single Turbo kit for $12k and you'll be there quickly using your stock DME. Granted, easier in the USA. Try Autofarm as well in the UK for advice.