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There were just enough marginal things needing attention when we broke the motor down, I have decided to split the case and rebuild; no sense leaving it to the daughters to do down the road. Car will be off the road for some months, good machine shops are backed up and it takes time to assemble the parts as well as get things like the cams back from outside vendors. The clutch/flywheel and all related will be done, as well as rebuilding the Koni shocks and I bought some 18 inch Kerscher Fuchs to ice the cake.
I have read all the rebuild threads (vs reseal, overhaul, 'redone') and have done this before several times on early cars, it may disappoint some but the motor will be mostly stock along with the DMF/clutch. I have learned over the years that a weekend with a top notch driving coach is far more valuable than a $5,000 go faster upgrade :cheaper and longer lasting way to go faster is to tighten the nut behind the wheel.
I think that you are on the right path. Get it done right the first time. A good, healthy 3.6 is very capable and few are able to squeeze everything out of one on the street!
Mine is almost ready to go back in the car. Even with 140,000 miles the valve gear is in excellent shape with no contamination issues. Valves, rings, seals, belts, hoses, bushings and clutch done! Back in the car soon !
It seems we will regrind the cams, crank is fine and will be polished, oil pump will be checked along with the P&Cs at the machine shop. Thing is, I have had several notable engine builders tell me they would prolly buy new Mahle P&Cs, that 163000 miles may be too much for Walt Watson at Competition Engineering to correct. New DMF clutch/flywheel, new Konis, engine pad. I already have all new fuel/oil lines
I have heard so much about a "reseal", "overhaul", "recondition"; I am REBUILDING this motor and I would like to think that the factory would approve, would do the same, I am going mostly stock. But rebuilding not reconditioning..
Car is at Arredondo Motorsports and in great hands, they tell me they are restoring more than a few 964s these days. I am always interested in what some of the brain trust here may recommend as we are all doing this for the 1st time, unlike a 73 CIS which may be on its 3rd rebuild. Any input welcomed, Anthony? If anyone has a new set of P&Cs let me know.
I remember when Brian Redman retired, his last race a spin on the final turn ended in the wall in a cloud of smoke, he lifted to see what was what but John Paul Jones on the outside (in a Porsche) stayed flat and won (by a nose). Brian said he was no longer willing to stay flat into a blind crash scene, neither am I, I am grown old so no need for a "race motor", happy to coax my 29 year old car, and my daughters, around a few cones. Plus Benedict Canyon to Laurel, don't bring your B game.
FWIW I have the complete breakdown from the machine shop (Competition Engineering), 4 pages, detailing what is and what is not useable again and the costs to repair. Once I get the costs to reassemble from Arredondo Motorsports I will have a pretty complete and up to date cost to rebuild a 964 motor, which I know from searches, many of us were trying to get a price on. Disassemble, machine as new, assemble with all needed new parts. Bear in mind, not all motors are the same, some will need heads, oil pumps, P&Cs, cams and more. Some of the rebuild threads over on Pelican have kept me awake nights, I have been very lucky.
Not refresh, not reseal, a proper rebuild to stock factory specs, all stock. A lot of time and research went into the decisions made on the motor; turns out, the factory know a little bit about building 964 motors, there really isn't a lot of room for improvement unless you want to spend big money. Heads have terrific flow, cams are at the best all around setting, there are some small gains from LWF and a chip at reasonable prices but much more than that will cost much more. If there were some easy gains I am pretty sure the factory would have figured them out. The best speed enhancements are suspension/weight related as has been discussed here in some detail already.
As many of us start to face the reality of 25+ year old cars, a rebuild starts to look like a sooner rather than later decision, I hope to have a definitive west coast option to the dollar and from reliable, honest suppliers. Just a word to the wise, my car ran superbly, no inkling of what the teardown revealed; if it wasn't for the oil on the floor, I would be blissfully ignorant. A poor running 964 motor is still a great running motor.
Thanks! I think I am done with suspension for now.
I am maybe 2-3yrs away to get to my pending queue of items. Mostly a few cosmetic (fix rock chips, 1 door ding I caused, remove and reinstall rocker panel with new seal and clips), and then I focus on some more interior, then engine mods. Really satisfying and enjoyable ownership experience so far.
04-14-2021, 08:24 PM
