ir_fuel

Hi guys

Just wondering if you have any first-hand experience on this. I start hearing quite a lot of stories about the 3.8 GT3 engines being a lot less reliable than the 3.6 counterpart, when used intensively on the race track

Anyone care to share some insights?

TRAKCAR

No evidence of that in these parts. If anything they fixed the RMS leaking.

deputydog95

Peter has been drinking way too much RS kool aid Doesn't seem like we can go an entire weekend without a 3.8 RS ****ting the bed. Every single RS owner I know that uses them regularly at the track has had an issue with their transmission and/or engine. Fortunately Porsche had been very lenient with the warranty claims.

I even know of a 3.8 non RS right now that has an oil leak that would challenge the valdeze. I know of another RS that has the transmission out for repairs as I'm writing this.

M3EvoBR

Mine still unmolested, looks like the 3.6 are def. more reliable than the new higher output 3.8

deputydog95

Which is ironic considering your driving style.

tcsracing1

both engines are not without failures on select examples.

deputydog95

3.6's dribble oil. 3.8's stop running or munch trannies. With that being said, I wish I had a 3.8

M3EvoBR

Funny enough I don't beat on the car/engine and tranny.
Yes sometimes I push further than I supposed to, but not on the equipment.
Never EVER had a miss shift, over rev, in any car that I had, raced or drove.
Had engine failures, but for fatigue and once for a stuck injector on a turbo car.
GT2 sold with roughly 25K miles, and still running the stock clutch to these days.
Again, yes it happens, and they are not as reliable as the 3.6... even on race trim.
higher the output higher the stress, so it happens.

tcsracing1

me too

TTurbine

3.6 no vario cam problems

TRAKCAR

I've only had transcooler valves, thermostats and throwout bearings, clutches and PP go bad. All was warranty.

ChrisF

3.8 with16k miles. Throw out bearing at 12k; left bank water jacket leaking coolant and oil at 14k due to case porosity. Both covered without question by dealer. Happy I have CPO.

NJ-GT

The only problem with the 996 and 997 3.6 Mezger is the RMS, and some shops claim to have found the fix. \

Both 3.6 and 3.8 have isolated instances of crankcase porosity.

The 3.8 and 4.0 don't suffer from RMS, but when they fail, they go to non-running status. If you have made upgrades to your car, or your dealer has issues with you running a GT3 3.8/4.0 at the track, it might be difficult to get the $45,000 bill covered under warranty. Pretty soon, these cars will be out of warranty, and I would expect to read horror tales in these forums about kaboom 3.8 engines and PCNA asking for repair money.

The 3.8 is not that much more powerful than the 3.6 in the 997.1, a 3.6 with some upgrades reaches better than 3.8 power levels, and if you want to challenge the 4.0, a powerkit like the 3.9/4.0/4.1/4.2/4.3 out there would easily do it.

I'm updating my list of failed 3.8 and 4.0 engines, and all of the 3.8 engine failures are on RS. Of course, PCNA has a much longer list as they have access to the warranty claims but they would not disclose anything.

Izzone

Clutch / PP every 6-8 k track miles on a 3.8 RS

they will warranty once....then you pay

its not too expensive

sfo

surprising that no 7.2 GT3 failure ...

or may be RSs are tracked by more owners and more aggressively?