The 3.2 Conversion Thread, got to git 'er done Options

[kdfoust]

I played with my 1.7 914 for a couple of years and really enjoyed it for what it was. It was a boisterous tart of a car, petite and tolerant. The 14 was anxious to please. Then I decided that I needed more power. You see I had purchased another Porsche during that time (impure thoughts, impure thoughts) and learned some things like they joy of power-on oversteer. The "other Porsche" was a brute. It would knock the wine glasses over at dinner and lear at the boss' wife. It insisted on shots of Jameson's for everybody before and after dinner. CHEERS! The twin-cam growl as the tach sweeps to 6400, the ability to drive the car with all the controls including the throttle is paradise. The logic, desire, no NEED for an LSD to keep everything hooked up on corner exit make it a must. That ripping up asphalt feeling of the enourmous four-piston calipers hauling it down from a buck-twenty is like heroin. I couldn't get enough of this new brute.

The 1.7 would never produce "power-on" anything much less oversteer. I had listened to the PCA AS class gurus talk about the joys of driving momentum cars and how much more skilled I'd become for the effort. The other Porsche's call was hard to resist. The 914 sat forlorn. It was starting to be in the way. I would be bleeding the brakes on the "other Porsche" and have to walk around the 914 to get a tool or a hose. I started to think crazy. Sell it as a roller, buy an RSA, trade it for a Ducati, swap it for a cage in the "other Porsche," remove the tags and VINs and park it on a street someplace where you wouldn't want to walk alone at night.

The 1.7 got to such a forlorn state through a series of missteps on my part. I had decided to put a stock 2.0 in the car which would have been a substantial upgrade in performance. I've seen a well prepared 914 with a stock 2.0 take TTOD on a tight AX course. As I got into the project I realized that I was NOT going to be happy with 94.7 BHP even in a light car like the 14. The "other Porsche" had already done it's damage. So the project became to build a hot 2.0. Then came carbs and heads and the other stuff to make this happen. 115.3 BHP that's the ticket. As I worked into the project my time in the garage became more and more precious to the point where I only had weekends to mess with the 14. Hey, I've already got a full-time job! I decided that spending all my spare time wrenching was sounding like a lot less fun that when I started. And all that work for 115.3 BHP, if I was lucky. No can do. So then I went to engine builders. Finding the best wasn't hard. Getting on the list wasn't hard. The waiting proved HARD. After a couple of delays that started lengthening the build to a year or more I grew despondant. I NEED an engine for the 14. I kicked the project around with the boys at work, I bored neighbors with mornful sobbing, I sat and looked into the open garage looking at the misserable POS of a car. I drove the "other Porsche" everywhere and loved it. Choices, choices. Build myself, hire an engine builder, flat bed the car to a shop and tell 'em to make 'er run, get a six. Of the things in the universe of my desire for the 14 a six turned out to be high on the list. So why was I waiting for a hyper-trick-4? Because I loved the idea of getting an engine that is so exclusive you have to wait a year and send a wheelbarrow load of Benji's to make it so. But the wait was killing my interest. FOOL! Desire meets luck meets a Pelican in VT. Send Benjamins, receive engine. 3.2 motronic, 20x HP. Order headers with megaphones that break windows at 6400 but this time it's in the 914.

The 1.7 version of the car was cute where the 3.2 version will be monsterous. The 1.7 version was frugal where the 3.2 will extravagant. The 1.7 vesion was OEM while the 3.2 is TUF. The 1.7 version is.....gone.

So here starts the project. I've sourced a 3.2 Motronic Carrera (magical words) engine from an '85. It's coming to me complete from exhaust tip to air cleaner. My goal is to shove that engine into the 14 as soon as it arrives. I want to go from the pallet to the engine bay with no garage storage time whatsoever. Parts are being sourced NOW. Electrical stuff is being sorted out NOW. The Bently Carrera manual has been ordered NOW. The engine will use the Motronic. The "other Porsche" has that. It will get headers, the heat will come from within. I picture the 914 becoming a brute as well, eating all the fillet in one gulp while reciting x-rated limericks from memory. I've got no great plan past all that. Well aside from a little power-on oversteer that I've got scheduled for November...

Later,
Kevin

[ArtechnikA]

QUOTE

power-on oversteer that I've got scheduled for November...

that is a fine goal. and it is a wise man who does not say November of what year :-)

[736conver]

Kevin,

Cool another 3.2 convert.

Check out my blog I started mine. I am in the process of waiting on parts.

[jim912928]

cool...I've got a donor carrera so I'm also starting a 3.2l conversion. I'm going to start accumulating parts, thing I haven't found anywhere is what to do about wiring this up. I'd like to remove the relay board...anybody have 3.2l conversion harnesses to bridge from the 3.2 harness to the 914 harness?

[rcarpen22]

What transmissions are y'all using with the 3.2? How much power can the stock trannies take? Also, I'm super curious as to what the "other" Porsche is in that story. Mine is an '86 944 turbo with about 320hp:) It's all about variety.

[kdfoust]

736conver I looks like you're way down the road in your conversion. What'd you do for electrical integration for the motronic to the fuel pump and other "stuff?" 914 relay board or something else?

rcarpen22: The stock 914 (901) is rated by Porsche at around 148 ft-lbs of torque. The stock 3.2 Motronic produces around 190 ft-lbs. I plan to run the 914/901 for a while just so I can get the car on the road quickly. A sano 915 swap is pretty spendy. I'm figuring around $3-3.5k. Since I've got a servicable tranny right now I'm going to defer that purchase til next year. I just won't batter 1st and hope for the best.

The "other Porsche" looks a lot like the one in your avatar (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif)

jim912928: I'm not sure how I'm going to handle the wiring yet. I too would like to eliminate the relay board. I hope when I get the Bently Carrera manual it'll have a decent wiring diagram.

There are two 3.2 conversions in my area that I know of. One of them lives less than 10 miles from me. I'm hoping to get a look at some of the details on those cars in the next week or two. I'll post the details as I sort them out.

Heck, the conversion can't be too hard can it? I'm thinking the motronic will want switched +12V connected here and there and there'll be a place or two to hookup some fuel lines.
(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/smash.gif)

[736conver]

The wiring is very simple. I got rid of my relay board when I had my 2.2.

Porsche didnt vary much from models and year when it comes to wiring.
Yellow still is starter
Black/violet is still tach
It just a matter of rearranging you 914 pins to the 3.2 pins.
There's a couple of sites if you get confused.
Also the Bentley manual is great and everything but the damn thing isnt even in color. I spent $80 for colorless diagrams, very dissapointed.
Here's a couple of sites with wiring. They are 911's but the same concept as colors dont change much


conversion site 1
conversion site 2

[ein 6er]

you guys need to read this thread. lots of good info and diagrams.

hope this helps!!

doug

[736conver]

I just read through that one a few days ago. Some good info. Most of it is in the Bentley. Always good reading can never get enough info.
Just put my 3.2 in this weekend. Hooking up a return fuel line right now. Back to work (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/smash.gif)

[buck toenges]

Guys, You can make or get somebody to make the connection harness so you can hook up the 3.2 engine harness to the 914 harness to eliminate the relay board. I think I got mine from Patrick motorsports. Jim Patrick was very helpful but then again I got most of my stuff including the 3.2 from him. I ran the motronic dme in where the center console is. I welded up a couple of brackets on the floor and under the dash to bolt the dme box up nice and snug. I cut out a hole in the firewall that was toward the pasenger side and slipped the dme harness through. I then ran the harness along the tunnel on the passenger side.

I also swapped out the oem maf with a pro m maf and steve wong chip. I am using a 901 that has a lsd,sportomatic ring and pinion and is a 4 speed. A 930 turbo 4 spped tranny or 915 is the best tranny to use but you can always use the 901 and forget to use 1st gear for awhile.
Buck

[Steve]

I built mine about 5 years ago.
Awesome conversion with no regrets.
The 3.2 with the stock DME is a very reliable motor.
I'm running the stock trans with a KEP adapter and I have not had any problems so far.
I baby first gear and beat the crap out of 2-5.
Unless your into drag racing the 901 is fine.
Check out my blog for pictures.

[kdfoust]

QUOTE (Steve @ Sep 26 2005, 06:30 PM)

I built mine about 5 years ago. Awesome conversion with no regrets. The 3.2 with the stock DME is a very reliable motor. I'm running the stock trans with a KEP adapter and I have not had any problems so far. I baby first gear and beat the crap out of 2-5. Unless your into drag racing the 901 is fine. Check out my blog for pictures.

Hey Steve! Member me? Metallic green 914 at the OCR AX a while back? I was hoping I could buy you lunch or sumthin and pick your brain on the conversion. I'm in Dana Point, not more than 10 miles from you.

Later,
Kevin

[kdfoust]

QUOTE (buck toenges @ Sep 26 2005, 05:34 PM)

Guys, You can make or get somebody to make the connection harness so you can hook up the 3.2 engine harness to the 914 harness to eliminate the relay board. I think I got mine from Patrick motorsports. Jim Patrick was very helpful but then again I got most of my stuff including the 3.2 from him. I ran the motronic dme in where the center console is. I welded up a couple of brackets on the floor and under the dash to bolt the dme box up nice and snug. I cut out a hole in the firewall that was toward the pasenger side and slipped the dme harness through. I then ran the harness along the tunnel on the passenger side. I also swapped out the oem maf with a pro m maf and steve wong chip. I am using a 901 that has a lsd,sportomatic ring and pinion and is a 4 speed. A 930 turbo 4 spped tranny or 915 is the best tranny to use but you can always use the 901 and forget to use 1st gear for awhile. Buck

Yeah, PMS. They've been "away" and will be back tomorrow. I'll talk to them about this wiring harness. I'm going to order a couple of Gs worth of stuff from him anyway so whats another wiring harness going to add?

Later,
Kevin

[rcarpen22]

So speaking of 3.2 liter conversions and hot rod 914s in general (with Porsche engines), about how much are the conversions worth? I know it varies from car to car, but ballpark, what is the range for a well-done converted six in good condition with no major issues? I know it's less than an authentic six but I'm not sure how much.

[ArtechnikA]

QUOTE (rcarpen22 @ Sep 27 2005, 04:39 PM)

...I know it's less than an authentic six but I'm not sure how much.

that may or may not be true...

"cars are original only once..."

an original /6 with the original tired 2,0 liter and 35-year-old everything may not be worth nearly as much as a freshly converted and restored car, except to the rare collector. if you replace the engine and uprate the transmission, suspension, and brakes of an authentic /6, it's no longer original.

there is the cachét of the VIN and the few subtle shell differences. but in the contemporary marketplace, nice well-done conversions seem to bring respectable prices that tired but all-original cars do not.

the very few museum pieces and high-dollar restorations are exceptions, of course, but they're sorare in the marketplace nowadays as to be noteworthy anomolies when they crop up.

[rcarpen22]

What subtle shell differences are there? I didn't know there were differences between the sixes and the early fours. I always thought the sixes looked better but I thought that was mostly due to the fuchs.

[ArtechnikA]

QUOTE (rcarpen22 @ Sep 27 2005, 06:23 PM)

What subtle shell differences are there? I didn't know there were differences between the sixes and the early fours.

motor mounts is the biggie that comes to mind...

[michel richard]

QUOTE (rcarpen22 @ Sep 27 2005, 02:23 PM)

What subtle shell differences are there?  I didn't know there were differences between the sixes and the early fours.  I always thought the sixes looked better but I thought that was mostly due to the fuchs.

I've got an original /6 on the rotisserie and stripped, as I write this. Anybody has questions on the subltle differences and want pictures, now is the time.

The enigne mount, i.e. the /6 mount on the bulhead and the lack of the /4 engine mount towers are indeed the bigger things.

Two more things I have noticed: the /6 has a support for the oil line that goes from the bottom of the tank to the oil cooler.

I also think that the mount for the steering column is different.

It's not actually part of the frame, but th steel sub-dash is different.

If there's other differences, they are indeed subtle.

Michel Richard

[Steve]

QUOTE (kdfoust @ Sep 26 2005, 08:53 PM)

QUOTE (Steve @ Sep 26 2005, 06:30 PM) I built mine about 5 years ago. Awesome conversion with no regrets. The 3.2 with the stock DME is a very reliable motor. I'm running the stock trans with a KEP adapter and I have not had any problems so far. I baby first gear and beat the crap out of 2-5. Unless your into drag racing the 901 is fine. Check out my blog for pictures. Hey Steve! Member me? Metallic green 914 at the OCR AX a while back? I was hoping I could buy you lunch or sumthin and pick your brain on the conversion. I'm in Dana Point, not more than 10 miles from you. Later, Kevin

I'm around on the weekend.
During the week I'm doing sales calls or at the office in Irvine.

[kdfoust]

I was thinking about the -4 motor mounts. With the -6 they become the automotive version of a vestigle organ. Or do they? What use could be made of them since they no longer have to hang on to the engine? Tie down point, lift point, ....

IT didn't look like too big a deal to remove them either. Any practical benefit to doing that?

Later,
Kevin