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Engine Builder recommendations. Broken head stud found!
Well,
Unfortunately, a broken head stud was found on cylinder 5 exhaust side. It's not there, so I presume it was discovered by a prior owner and I lucked out... I am driving the car sparingly until summers over for the next few weeks and plan to start gathering parts for a nice 3.8 build. My car is an RSR clone with 3.6, lots of RS stuff, PMO 50mm carbs, MSD ignition, some sort of cams. I am thinking of stock or gt3 crank, Xtreme cylinder heads, cams, 3.8 or stay a 3.6 and pauter rods. Costs are astronomical in today's market. I've spoken to a number of people already, who at least reassured me that I won't kill the car provided I'm not beating on it.
Any recommendations for shops to build? I'm in the northeast. I thought about just doing the top end, maybe just the studs, but I have no history on the car, so may as well save up and do it right.
Lots of really good shops in the Northeast. What state are you in?
NY. Car is currently at Potzinger. Have talked to a bunch. I may consider Jae Lee. I thought about leaving it where it is, or even doing myself, but I have two little twin boys and with work, even winter coming, time is so limited.
Would you be sending the whole car out west? I'm always nervous about the idea of having one shop build an engine and another shop install it, too many opportunities to point fingers if/when there's an issue.
Would you be sending the whole car out west? I'm always nervous about the idea of having one shop build an engine and another shop install it, too many opportunities to point fingers if/when there's an issue.
That's why you ship them the motor and install it yourself!
That's why you ship them the motor and install it yourself!
Same problem, really. When you put it in and something is wrong, what do you think the builder is going to say?
"It ran great on the dyno here" and/or "It must have been damaged in shipping" and/or "You clearly didn't install it right."
While it's not typical, its not unheard of for a newly rebuilt engine to have issues. I recently saw a $$$$ build where the rings didn't seat properly... it was drinking oil by the quart.
The shop that did the whole job stood behind their work, but I wonder if they would have been as generous if they hadn't done both the build and the install.
With the amount of money these builds now cost, I'd say it's worth giving the whole car to the engine builder to be sure that when you sign that 50k check you're getting back a running, driving car.
It's kinda tough to screw up a engine install so I wouldn't be concerned about that at all.
Honestly, if you have the wrenching skills, you could do the engine assembly yourself. Find a good machine shop to evaluate the engine components (pistons, cylinders, crankshaft, ect.) and do the machining and tougher sub-assembly work (like the brass gear on the intermediate shaft, for example). Remember, these engines were not built by magic elves in the Black Forest. You would need some special tools and a Porsche specific engine stand (all available from www.sirtools.com) and Wayne Dempsey's "How to Rebuild and Modify Porsche 911 Engines".
Last edited by Metal Guru; 08-26-2022 at 06:26 PM.
It's kinda tough to screw up a engine install so I wouldn't be concerned about that at all.
Honestly, if you have the wrenching skills, you could do the engine assembly yourself. Find a good machine shop to evaluate the engine components (pistons, cylinders, crankshaft, ect.) and do the machining and tougher sub-assembly work (like the brass gear on the intermediate shaft, for example). Remember, these engines were not built by magic elves in the Black Forest. You would need some special tools and a Porsche specific engine stand (all available from www.sirtools.com) and Wayne Dempsey's "How to Rebuild and Modify Porsche 911 Engines".
I'd love to build it, but time is a factor too, I just don't have as much as I'd like to spend in the garage anymore.
I have no idea about availability and timing but Peter Dawe and his boys at Dawes Motorsports Development in Stroudsburg PA is one of the finest engine builders in the country with a heavy focus on air cooled engines.
I have no idea about availability and timing but Peter Dawe and his boys at Dawes Motorsports Development in Stroudsburg PA is one of the finest engine builders in the country with a heavy focus on air cooled engines.
Check out the June Panorama magazine.
+1 don't waste your time anywhere else just go here. I wasted over two years at a “highly reputable” shop only to pull the car out in pieces and send it somewhere else. I should have been at Dawes from the beginning.
Thanks for all the replies. Dawes looks like a nice facility as does Patrick motorsports. I was thinking of Jae Lee also, surprised to not hear his name here.
Thanks for all the replies. Dawes looks like a nice facility as does Patrick motorsports. I was thinking of Jae Lee also, surprised to not hear his name here.
I’ve heard good things about Jae Lee but have no first hand experience where I know a couple dozen Dawes motors and have first hand experience with Peter.
Unfortunately, a broken head stud was found on cylinder 5 exhaust side. It's not there, so I presume it was discovered by a prior owner and I lucked out... I am driving the car sparingly until summers over for the next few weeks and plan to start gathering parts for a nice 3.8 build. My car is an RSR clone with 3.6, lots of RS stuff, PMO 50mm carbs, MSD ignition, some sort of cams. I am thinking of stock or gt3 crank, Xtreme cylinder heads, cams, 3.8 or stay a 3.6 and pauter rods. Costs are astronomical in today's market. I've spoken to a number of people already, who at least reassured me that I won't kill the car provided I'm not beating on it.
Any recommendations for shops to build? I'm in the northeast. I thought about just doing the top end, maybe just the studs, but I have no history on the car, so may as well save up and do it right.
- signed, scorned/saddened 911 owner.
Sorry to hear about this. I think you are the guy that bought this from a guy in Baltimore iirc? I had a bad experience with him. I took a red-eye flight from Seattle and almost bought his Nardo gray forward dated to SC car. When I arrived it was misfiring, the engine lid wouldn't latch, and was leaking gas. It was an amazing waste of time and money. I ran, didn't walk from this car to buy my 964.
Sorry to hear about this. I think you are the guy that bought this from a guy in Baltimore iirc? I had a bad experience with him. I took a red-eye flight from Seattle and almost bought his Nardo gray forward dated to SC car. When I arrived it was misfiring, the engine lid wouldn't latch, and was leaking gas. It was an amazing waste of time and money. I ran, didn't walk from this car to buy my 964.
That's him. I'm thinking he was the one who found it, as I got the car with a full engine gasket top end kit so I'm sure he spotted it and then buttoned it back up. Car did appear to have been sitting for some time. Not sure how much he used it. Otherwise it was like this when it was sold to him. I knew the car from many years prior and the price was still right all things considered. The car has some history, so I was willing to gamble. I liked that Nardo car, didn't know he was selling. Small world.
08-16-2022, 01:31 PM
Engine Builder recommendations. Broken head stud found!
You would need some special tools and a Porsche specific engine stand (all available from www.sirtools.com) and Wayne Dempsey's "How to Rebuild and Modify Porsche 911 Engines".
