914World.com > 6 engine work

ModPR3

Feb 23 2006, 12:22 AM

if i choose to do the 6 conversion im looking at using a 2.4 or 2.7 porsche 6 engine. im really looking into getting into engine building and rebuilding my own engine, so whatever i need to learn im willing to. ive heard that one should not even attempted at rebuilding a porsche transaxle because of the cost of tools to do it. is the 911 engine like this. what kind of special tools will i need to work on air-cooled porsche engines. i will have to send out to have any maching to be done but i would look at completely assembling and tunning the engine myself.

thesey914

Feb 23 2006, 02:14 AM

I would reccomend 2 very very good books for you to buy.

How to Rebuild and Modify Your Porsche 911 Engine 1965-1989 by wayne dempsey
Porsche 911 Performance Handbook by bruce anderson.
Both are available at amazon etc and will explain your questions fully

ArtechnikA

Feb 23 2006, 05:08 AM

QUOTE (ModPR3 @ Feb 23 2006, 02:22 AM)

...whatever i need to learn im willing to.

...what kind of special tools will i need to work on air-cooled porsche engines.

...i would look at completely assembling and tunning the engine myself.

Bruce Anderson's and Pelican Wayne's books are nonnegotiable; any /6 owner needs them. in addition, Bruce Anderson and Jerry Woods hold a weeklong engine rebuilding class onsite at JWE in Los Gatos. BTDT, it's worth the cost.

go here: Bruce Anderson's site and click on classes, or check Excellence or Panorama for the ad.

go here: Competition Engineering website for a description of services and prices. CE is probably the best place on the planet to have a mag-case engine remachined. If you see a price for something you don't understand, re-read Anderson and Wayne until you do.

Anderson (Jerry, actually, i think...) talks at length about the tools required. a 911 engine can be built by an accomplished amateur mechanic with the sense to STOP, THINK, and ASK QUESTIONS *before* making decisions. i would not recommend it as a first engine to rebuild.

there are no "kits" that come with easy assembly instructions. good parts and tools are expensive. there are many subtleties; the information is out there if you are willing to learn.

914Sixer

Feb 23 2006, 02:19 PM

Read everything you can. Bruce Andersons book and Wayne Dempseys book are very good. If you have ever built a VW engine it would help with the basics.

Tools are easy to come by.

lapuwali

Feb 23 2006, 02:37 PM

QUOTE (ArtechnikA @ Feb 23 2006, 03:08 AM)

QUOTE (ModPR3 @ Feb 23 2006, 02:22 AM)

...whatever i need to learn im willing to.

...what kind of special tools will i need to work on air-cooled porsche engines.

...i would look at completely assembling and tunning the engine myself.

Bruce Anderson's and Pelican Wayne's books are nonnegotiable; any /6 owner needs them. in addition, Bruce Anderson and Jerry Woods hold a weeklong engine rebuilding class onsite at JWE in Los Gatos. BTDT, it's worth the cost.

go here: Bruce Anderson's site and click on classes, or check Excellence or Panorama for the ad.

go here: Competition Engineering website for a description of services and prices. CE is probably the best place on the planet to have a mag-case engine remachined. If you see a price for something you don't understand, re-read Anderson and Wayne until you do.

Anderson (Jerry, actually, i think...) talks at length about the tools required. a 911 engine can be built by an accomplished amateur mechanic with the sense to STOP, THINK, and ASK QUESTIONS *before* making decisions. i would not recommend it as a first engine to rebuild.

there are no "kits" that come with easy assembly instructions. good parts and tools are expensive. there are many subtleties; the information is out there if you are willing to learn.

Has anyone asked Bruce or Jerry about the schedule for '06 classes? They don't have anything on the site, yet, and I'll ask if no one else pipes up.

The transmission class should apply 99% to the 914 gearbox.

ArtechnikA

Feb 23 2006, 02:40 PM

QUOTE

Has anyone asked Bruce or Jerry about the schedule for '06 classes? They don't have anything on the site, yet

i expect Bruce has been advised to back it down a notch as he recovers from his MI... so there may well be dates set but they haven't been in a panick to update the site. a question couldn't hurt, and if you do talk to him, tell him "Hi and speedy recovery" for me...

Bleyseng

Feb 23 2006, 02:47 PM

QUOTE (ModPR3 @ Feb 22 2006, 10:22 PM)

ive heard that one should not even attempted at rebuilding a porsche transaxle because of the cost of tools to do it.

nah, its pretty easy and not difficult.

lapuwali

Feb 23 2006, 02:50 PM

REQUIRED Tools to rebuild the 914 transaxle cost a lot less than many of the parts do. It's no harder to rebuild than any other gearbox, really.

Dr Evil

Feb 23 2006, 03:21 PM

Expensive tools for the tranny?

Hah, wait til you price the tools for he engine.

You will likely need the big crows foot for the cam nut, and the special socket for the cam (usually $78 each, but I found a place a while ago for $80 both). the engine stand or adaptor ring. Again prices will vary from $110-$450 (amazing, huh?).

I am not a novice, but I did let a shop assemble my top half because I didn't have the other required tools, nor the time to take the tiem to learn. these be different beasties.

As for Wayne's book, it is a good book, but do not take everything at face value. realize that he is a parts vendor and has avested interest in getting ou to buy things like a new oil pump becaue the old one is not as good

As with anything, do as much research as you can, get books, ask quesitons here and on the Pelican 911 engine building forum. I know a shop in San Dieog that does most of the /6 engines and they are not expensive at all. they did the rest of mine and rebuilt my buddies /6.

If you want to talk about it some time I can give you my number (only because I just did this) becuase to type up everything would take more time than I currently have.

........and now, back to renal clearance and the glomerular filtration rate