Pic: spark plugs from higher mileage 3.2
06-02-2005, 11:42 AM
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Pic: spark plugs from higher mileage 3.2
Hey all. For those thinking/worrying about buying higher mileage 3.2, I thought I'd share these photos with you.
I just changed the plugs in my 1987 Carrera -- my daily driver now with 145,000 on the clock. I usually change plugs in all my cars every 15K, but neglected to do so this time with this one. What you see here are the plugs after 20K of use.
You can see a larger image here.
Except for the accumulated crud, which I assume is from gas additives, etc. they look pretty good -- especially for an engine with almost 150K miles on it. They are dry and tan, although #2 seems to have gray fuzz on it. Not sure exactly what it is.
You can see a larger image here.
FYI: this engine still has the original valve guides. It never smokes at start up. It starts, runs and idles smoothly. It passes emission tests with flying colors. The only time the engine has been out was for a new clutch at 90K. I've had plenty of other 911s, but this one seems the most reliable.
I've put most of the miles on it since it was new. Oil (20/50W Castrol or Valvoline Racing -- no Mobil 1) use has always been difficult to gauge exactly, but it's consumption has been consistent, using a quart about every 750-1100 miles or so. It doesn't seem to tolerate the first half of the first quart, and gets rid of it quickly, but after that, the oil use seems to slow down. In other words, I'd say oil use has always been within the factory estimation of 1 liter every 1000 kilometers. No real oil leaks to speak of either.
I am not a plug guru, but from what I see, a well-maintained, non-abused 3.2 engine still has lots of life in it as it nears 150,000. Or is it ready for a top-end rebuild? I'd say if it ain't broke, don't fix it. How about you?
Great engines, these 3.2s. Your mileage may vary.
I just changed the plugs in my 1987 Carrera -- my daily driver now with 145,000 on the clock. I usually change plugs in all my cars every 15K, but neglected to do so this time with this one. What you see here are the plugs after 20K of use.
You can see a larger image here.
Except for the accumulated crud, which I assume is from gas additives, etc. they look pretty good -- especially for an engine with almost 150K miles on it. They are dry and tan, although #2 seems to have gray fuzz on it. Not sure exactly what it is.
You can see a larger image here.
FYI: this engine still has the original valve guides. It never smokes at start up. It starts, runs and idles smoothly. It passes emission tests with flying colors. The only time the engine has been out was for a new clutch at 90K. I've had plenty of other 911s, but this one seems the most reliable.
I've put most of the miles on it since it was new. Oil (20/50W Castrol or Valvoline Racing -- no Mobil 1) use has always been difficult to gauge exactly, but it's consumption has been consistent, using a quart about every 750-1100 miles or so. It doesn't seem to tolerate the first half of the first quart, and gets rid of it quickly, but after that, the oil use seems to slow down. In other words, I'd say oil use has always been within the factory estimation of 1 liter every 1000 kilometers. No real oil leaks to speak of either.
I am not a plug guru, but from what I see, a well-maintained, non-abused 3.2 engine still has lots of life in it as it nears 150,000. Or is it ready for a top-end rebuild? I'd say if it ain't broke, don't fix it. How about you?
Great engines, these 3.2s. Your mileage may vary.
Last edited by Bob Prosser; 06-02-2005 at 12:08 PM.
06-02-2005, 11:57 AM
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Bob: Good info, and very typical for the 3.2s I cared for when I still had the shop. This was especially true for cars that always used Kendall GT-1, and were driven conservatively when the engine was cold. Sure, we had to do valve/guide repairs on some of the cars we maintained (large majority had been run initially on Castrol or Penzoil), but I don't remember valve work being needed on any of the cars that we started caring for very early in their life. Leave your car alone until you have a cam/rocker wear issue, a sudden consumption problem, or...
Pete
Pete