We've just finished buttoning up our first four-liter M96 build, and it's about to go into a 3.4 liter early 996 Carrera 2 we have been using as a shop test car for a while. We're calling the car "Project 1000" because it's a nine-nine-six plus four-point-oh.

While the engine was under the knife, we continued driving the 996, so the next step will be to get the car into the shop and remove the current engine so we can transfer the accessory components onto the new engine.

We'll be sure to follow up with more as the project progresses, so check back often for updates.



This is another engine we're currently working on, but to give you the visual of an M96 center section here is one fully disassembled.

We wanted to start a very strong package with a beefed-up and lightened center section. The crankshaft has been knife-edged and cross-drilled to remove some rotational weight. Of course, we've bolted everything back together with quality ARP fasteners (of which we supply our customers a full line catalog).

548-gram Pauter connecting rods are then added to the rotating assembly with our special GT3-style rod bearings.

Of course, this wouldn't be an M96 engine discussion without bringing up the intermediate shaft bearing. We have had good experience with the roller-bearing type retrofit for dual-row engines like this one. So, that's what we'll be using.



Moving outward from the center section to the piston and cylinder assemblies, we started with a 3.6-liter case and machined out the existing stock bores.



Once removed we were able to press in larger diameter cylinder liners to fit our four-liter pistons.

We're keeping the exact specifications of those pistons close to our chest for the moment. Just know for now that we worked closely with JE Pistons on this custom set of six, and they feature high-tech coatings, a bit higher-than-stock compression ratios, and obviously a larger outside diameter. Even the piston rings are trick custom-built units.



Moving further out to the cylinder heads, this is where the meat of the work has really been done. We wanted a large bore high-compression engine that could really breathe deeply. We don't want an engine restricted by how much the heads can flow.



The heads were sent off to an engine genius who custom machined and flow-tested each port individually. The intake runners, likewise, have been matched to the new openings for optimal airflow. You can see from the photo that the machine work is gorgeously accomplished.

A set of Schrick performance camshafts and a set of our EBS Racing V-Max valve springs have been added in an effort to beat the airflow into submission. With a big four-liter engine, we're going to need as much fuel and air flow as possible.

Like the center-section, we've used ARP's famous head stud kit to make sure everything is held on tight.



Oil is the lifeblood of any engine, and M96s generally prefer that oil to not only be kept on the cooler side, but also to flow uninterruptedly. We've added a few things in this department to help keep this engine happy and cool. We live in the high desert of Reno, Nevada, and it gets quite warm here. At elevation there is also thinner air, so we have to work a little harder to maintain the same temps the 'flat-landers' are used to.

In the photo above you can see the Brey Krause deep-sump spacer has been added, and on the inside is a deeper oil pickup, and our EBS Racing oil baffle kit. There is also a remote mounted engine oil cooler assembly that we'll discuss more in future updates.

In an effort to keep things running cooler, faster, we've also popped a 160-degree thermostat into the coolant system.



The 996 we're swapping this hot engine into already has been upgraded in the intake and the exhaust departments of the engine, which we will, of course, detail in future updates.

As the project progresses, we'll also be upgrading the brake components, installing larger and more efficient radiators, and installing a new short-shifter.

This will definitely be an interesting project car to follow, as we've got GT3s squarely in our sights for the finished product. If you want your project to follow in our footsteps, just give us a call and we can help hook you up with all of the parts you need to make it special!

For more information on any of the products featured here, or to place an order, call one of our EBS Racing Porsche specialists at 1-800-462-3774. To see more photographs or to process your order online, you can visit our site by clicking here.