Rebuilding my engine this week...
#1
Rennlist Member
Thread Starter
![Default](https://rennlist.com/forums/images/icons/icon1.gif)
I've been planning this for six months and finally had time this week to get to work. With 138K on my car after seven years of ownership it was time to freshen it up and do some performance upgrades (more on that later). The shop you'll see in the photos isn't mine, but an old friend's who does some boutique 911 restoration work.
I pulled into the shop on Sunday afternoon and at 4PM disconnected the battery. The engine was on the ground by 8:30PM and by the next evening I had split the case.
Freeing up the lift....
![](https://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploads22/one1392777718.jpg)
![](https://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploads22/two1392778171.jpg)
We are underway.
![](https://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploads22/threea1392781881.jpg)
Found a few things during disassembly that weren't great. Both the stainless steel muffler brackets had broken close to where they bolt to the cam housings -- and were rubbing on the ignition wires. They hadn't gotten through yet, but they were very close.
![](https://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploads22/four1392778544.jpg)
![](https://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploads22/five1392778613.jpg)
Another problem I hadn't been sufficiently aware of was the seriousness of an oil leak that I believe was coming from the Varioram solenoid on the bottom of the manifold. The leak was dripping down the back of the shroud (out of view), much of it leaking inside the shroud and dripping down around the #2 and #3 cylinders, making it look like a cylinder base gasket leak (which is what I thought the problem was).
![](https://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploads22/six1392778918.jpg)
Here we are with engine removed -- my method was to roll a large stainless workbench under the car, lower the car/engine onto it, unbolt the engine, and then lift the car up and away.
![](https://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploads22/seven1392779000.jpg)
Top of a Vram 3.6 is a mess.
![](https://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploads22/eight1392779177.jpg)
Now we're down to the long block.
![](https://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploads22/nine1392779299.jpg)
Onto the engine stand. In the back right of this photo is the shop owner's car, one of the very last 993's ever made, an Arctic Silver '98 C2S.
![](https://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploads22/ten1392779424.jpg)
Look how nasty that oil leak is -- the other bank is dry as a bone.
![](https://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploads22/eleven1392779558.jpg)
Disassembly is pretty quick and easy. Most annoying is disentangling the accessories on top of the engine -- the Vram plumbing/ignition wires/fuel lines and injectors/cruise control/SAI system/etc. After the induction and exhaust is off, you remove the valve covers, rocker arms, chain housing covers, chain tensioners, cam sprockets, cams, and chain housings. Then you tap off the cam housings and unbolt the heads.
Amazing how little wear this engine shows at 138K. The first mod I made was an oil cooler fan switch and I've always used high-ZDDP oil. The piston skirts and cylinders, cam lobes, rocker faces, etc show virtually no wear.
![](https://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploads22/twenty1392781377.jpg)
![](https://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploads22/twelve1392780212.jpg)
![](https://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploads22/thirteen1392780228.jpg)
![](https://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploads22/fourteen1392780244.jpg)
Only appreciable wear is (as typical) on the smaller layshaft bearings.
![](https://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploads22/nineteen1392780627.jpg)
![](https://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploads22/fifteen1392780284.jpg)
Case split. Now comes a day and a half of cleaning parts. Worst part of the job.
![](https://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploads22/sixteen1392780440.jpg)
Here's a teaser of what awaits....hoping to have the job finished by the end of this weekend. Should have the case back together tomorrow night.
![](https://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploads22/seventeen1392780730.jpg)
I pulled into the shop on Sunday afternoon and at 4PM disconnected the battery. The engine was on the ground by 8:30PM and by the next evening I had split the case.
Freeing up the lift....
![](https://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploads22/one1392777718.jpg)
![](https://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploads22/two1392778171.jpg)
We are underway.
![](https://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploads22/threea1392781881.jpg)
Found a few things during disassembly that weren't great. Both the stainless steel muffler brackets had broken close to where they bolt to the cam housings -- and were rubbing on the ignition wires. They hadn't gotten through yet, but they were very close.
![](https://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploads22/four1392778544.jpg)
![](https://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploads22/five1392778613.jpg)
Another problem I hadn't been sufficiently aware of was the seriousness of an oil leak that I believe was coming from the Varioram solenoid on the bottom of the manifold. The leak was dripping down the back of the shroud (out of view), much of it leaking inside the shroud and dripping down around the #2 and #3 cylinders, making it look like a cylinder base gasket leak (which is what I thought the problem was).
![](https://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploads22/six1392778918.jpg)
Here we are with engine removed -- my method was to roll a large stainless workbench under the car, lower the car/engine onto it, unbolt the engine, and then lift the car up and away.
![](https://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploads22/seven1392779000.jpg)
Top of a Vram 3.6 is a mess.
![](https://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploads22/eight1392779177.jpg)
Now we're down to the long block.
![](https://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploads22/nine1392779299.jpg)
Onto the engine stand. In the back right of this photo is the shop owner's car, one of the very last 993's ever made, an Arctic Silver '98 C2S.
![](https://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploads22/ten1392779424.jpg)
Look how nasty that oil leak is -- the other bank is dry as a bone.
![](https://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploads22/eleven1392779558.jpg)
Disassembly is pretty quick and easy. Most annoying is disentangling the accessories on top of the engine -- the Vram plumbing/ignition wires/fuel lines and injectors/cruise control/SAI system/etc. After the induction and exhaust is off, you remove the valve covers, rocker arms, chain housing covers, chain tensioners, cam sprockets, cams, and chain housings. Then you tap off the cam housings and unbolt the heads.
Amazing how little wear this engine shows at 138K. The first mod I made was an oil cooler fan switch and I've always used high-ZDDP oil. The piston skirts and cylinders, cam lobes, rocker faces, etc show virtually no wear.
![](https://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploads22/twenty1392781377.jpg)
![](https://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploads22/twelve1392780212.jpg)
![](https://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploads22/thirteen1392780228.jpg)
![](https://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploads22/fourteen1392780244.jpg)
Only appreciable wear is (as typical) on the smaller layshaft bearings.
![](https://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploads22/nineteen1392780627.jpg)
![](https://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploads22/fifteen1392780284.jpg)
Case split. Now comes a day and a half of cleaning parts. Worst part of the job.
![](https://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploads22/sixteen1392780440.jpg)
Here's a teaser of what awaits....hoping to have the job finished by the end of this weekend. Should have the case back together tomorrow night.
![](https://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploads22/seventeen1392780730.jpg)
![](https://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploads22/eighteen1392780741.jpg)
Last edited by NP993; 08-11-2014 at 07:00 PM.
#7
Burning Brakes
![Default](https://rennlist.com/forums/images/icons/icon1.gif)
Most important question is... What color are you gonna paint the fan!? And, dont forget to have someone take a pic of you inside the empty engine bay, haha. Subscribed!
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#12
Three Wheelin'
![Default](https://rennlist.com/forums/images/icons/icon1.gif)
Wow, my Pistons had a good cover of protective carbon on them and I only had 90k on it. I bought at 64k, so I'll blame the other guys.
Where are you located?
Where are you located?