Easy V8 Power for Your First-Gen Boxster, Thanks to Audi
If your 986 or 996 needs a new engine, there are some intriguing options from Porsche relatives Audi and VW.
The 986 and 996 are both fantastic sports cars. And I say that as someone who has spent his own money buying and maintaining them. The biggest bugaboo about both (aside from the irrational hatred of the headlights) is the IMS bearing failure. That seems to be all anyone wants to talk about regarding these wonderful machines. The positive side to that is it has held values down and these cars are some of the best values on the market currently.
And although I am a huge fan of these cars, even I must admit that engine failure is a possibility. And when that happens, what do you do? Well, you can get a replacement Porsche engine of course. Maybe even go with something a bit bigger with more power and a better IMS bearing solution. But there are more intriguing options out there. Audi V8, anyone?
We have seen plenty of examples of Porsches running around with an LS V8 bolted in. But what if you want to keep things in the family? There are some interesting options from the Volkswagen Group. If you want to go big, there is the Audi 4.2L V8. If you want to get your car on the road again for the least amount of cash, you might consider a 1.8t that saw duty in plenty of VW and Audi vehicles over the years. And as noted by the folks over at The Autopian, these engines will bolt up surprisingly easily to a 986 or 996 looking for a new powerplant.
Project Six
Project Six has a shop located in the beautiful Lehigh Valley area of Pennsylvania. And while they will do traditional Porsche servicing, they also perform engine swaps on the 986 and 996. They have a belt-driven Audi 4.2L V8 in a 986 Boxster that they call Storm S. At 370 horsepower the Storm S has nearly double the power of an early Boxster.
And while nothing in life is free, the Audi engine bolts right up to 986 Boxster transaxles. That keeps the cost of the swap down to $8,000 if you have Project Six do the work. You will need to add to that the cost of the engine, which depending on the mileage and condition will set you back another couple thousand dollars. So, for maybe $10K – $12K you can be ripping around in a powerful, first-generation Boxster that makes lovely V8 noises.
If you have a 996 you can go the same route and for $12,000 plus the cost of the engine, Project Six will build you what they call their Typhoon S model. Of course, if you are mechanically inclined, you could buy the engine, and do the swap yourself.
The 1.8t
One of our very own Rennlist members, with forum name xoo00oox, started a thread a few years ago called 1.8t Boxster, in it he described how he fitted a 200 horsepower 1.8t VW engine into a 1999 Boxster that lost its original engine due to IMS bearing failure. These 1.8t engines may not give you the power boost like the big Audi V8.
But the 1.8t is generally quite reliable and can easily be found for less than $1,000. The other nice thing about these engines is that they can make significant power fairly easily if you want to go that route. It is a great option to get your Boxster back on the road.
Other Options
The 1.8t and 4.2 V8 are not your only engine choices from the VAG family. There are several more that will bolt up to the standard Boxster 5-speed transaxle. Some will require more fabrication than others, but if you do your research, you will find plenty of options out there. Hopefully your stock engine runs beautifully for many years. But if things go south, look at it as an opportunity to do something special.
Photos: Project Six Facebook; Rennlist Forum
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