jetrainor

Just to re-cap.....my 87 euro motor dumped bearing material into the oil filter and knocks so loud it sounds like someone inside trying to get out....at 110000 kms, it seems unusual but the mechanic says because its a euro import, maybe it spent its formative years doing 150 miles a hour on the autobahn....anyway i'm considering my options...rebuild or replace....i got a line today on a 1990 engine in Canada...kthe wrecker...strictly Porsche, not junkyard...says with the digital dash he can't tell the mileage but just sold the pristine interior for $4000 US and shipped it to the States....rest of the car is very good condition...problem was AC bearing caused fire in enging cmpartment and scortched things...wires etc, but he has done compression and leakdown and both are good. Having just done wires, tbelt, wp, valley service, etc on mine, these parts should swap over i'm thinking.....apparently this is a GT motor not S4, but i havn't veriffied this. Question is if all this is true, are there any issues swapping a 1990 S4 or GT motor into my 1987 car...i can pick it up for $5000 cdn plus shipping which i think is cheaper than rebvuilding my engine.
any thoughts?

87 euro auto (pooched)

Richard S

I think Tony purchased a motor that had been in a fire, he can clue you in on what to expect. Also, you should be able to sell off some of your parts from the S4 motor....cams, heads, etc. to offset the cost. Most will tell you to do a lot of "while you are at it..." maintenance on the new motor, so budget for that as well....(2/6 rod bearings, re-gasket, etc.)

Rich

jetrainor

That's what i was thinking as well Rich....wondering a bout the brains....i had just chipped mine.....would i need to get the '90 controllers along with the engine or would mine work with the newer motor?

John
87 euro auto

Vilhuer

GT cams might not work so well together with automatic gearbox as it requires certain amount of vacuum to work. At least idle speed should be increased to 775 rpm and possibly GT engine fuel and ignition maps added to LH and EZK boxes.

You're much better of just by selling GT cams to me for few $ and using S4's.

Chris

Be sure to flush your oil cooler too.

Chris

Tony

My fire damaged motor was pristine on the inside....ugly on the outside. All the damage was to rubber and wiring. The metal mechanics of it are just fine. Its gutted down to nothing at this point. When a fire happens in a engine , the first thing people tend to do is turn off the motor and this will prevent a good part of any debris getting in side.

jetrainor

Chris...good point about the oil cooler.....hope to know more Monday...will verify whether GT or S4....if its GT, will the cams swap out easily or does it change the specs on everything else...eg..springs.

jt

FlyingDog

If it's a GT, contact John Speake or Rich Andrade(sp?) about changing the programing in the chips. You should be able to add the idle settings for an S4 auto to a GT map. Also, you'd be better off getting the 90 computers since they have diagnostics (88+). Your car should have all of the diagnostic wiring, but your (87) computers aren't compatible.

GT cams should be an easy swap and the price you can sell them for would more than pay for the price of the swap and a few extras. If possible, I'd recommend keeping the GT cams. If you read Mark Kibort's thread about the Holbert car eating cam teeth, you'll see that 85-86 cams are basicly GT cams retarded a few degrees. You should be able to retard those GT cams a few degrees to make them work with an auto tranny.

aaron3

I sent my LH to John Speake for a checkout. It was not the original LH brain and not the right one for my GT. He changed some (Eprom ?) to the GT one for me. Cost $25 I think.

jyoon

there are some motors on ebay occasionally. you might check there. last i remember there was an 86 dohc 32 valve for sale for $1300ish. not by me or anyone i know.

Chris

Cams swap out very easily, I would keep them too ... I just paid good money for GT cams, sure liven the car up.

Springs are the same except with GT cams evidently stronger inlet ones are recommended, not a problem if you are going in the other direction !

Hope the engine swap works out OK.

Chris

Garth S

It's dead simple to upgrade the EZK and LH to GT spec chips .... at least it works in a S4 auto: likely better with GT cams ....

Rich9928p

At least on my '87 S4 there is no diagnostic plug so I don't see the benefit of upgrading the existing '87 LH to a '90 LH.

All '90 5-speeds were GTs. If a '90 GT LH is used in an A/T S4, I suggest swapping ROMs and using the code designed for an automatic transmission.

DFWX

The $1300 32V didn't sell. They come up fairly often in the $1200 to $2500 range - and one of the big 3 had a fire damaged one for sell. I bought an 85 32V whole parts car instead for $2500 to get the motor (and a curious surprise on picking it up - trailer - when the seller asked if I also wanted to take "that stuff over" there for it for free - a Gambella front end kit, ie hideaway headlight fenders and components plus front nose/spoiler.
For those who push their 32Vs, it might be a good idea to round up a spare. Not that many were made and in old performance parts the prices fall and fall and fall - and then skyrocket forever after.
Mark

slate blue

Very very true, lots of parts for our cars will become like gold maybe 10 years on. It has already happened with old muscle cars.