Notices
993 Forum 1995-1998

400 lb ft. torque from NA 3.8...Really?

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 01-22-2016, 08:34 PM
  #1  
FLYT993
Rennlist Member
Thread Starter
 
FLYT993's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Posts: 2,168
Received 94 Likes on 57 Posts
Default 400 lb ft. torque from NA 3.8...Really?

i have to have a sanity check here because i just picked up the jan 2016 issue of 911& porsche world, and on page 54 where they are describing two beautifully modded 911's----one a 964 and the other a 993---the article describes the 964's 'Cup Spec' 3.8 motor as "...good for 320 bhp and a stunning 400lb ft of torque."

huh?

that's more than a stock 993 twin turbo (398 lb/ft.)...and generally on NA engines the torque figures are almost always well below the hp figures. professionally, i work with computers so i'm out of my 'fish tank' here, but with everything i've read, and learned from reading RL threads, and moreover, from the cats that have rebuilt their engines to 3.8...i've never heard of torque figures that high. granted, there is no dyno chart to substantiate the claim in the article but i thought i would see what the gurus who live and breathe here think. are these torque figures even within the realm of possibility, or has the author simply gone off the deep end with exaggerations?

Last edited by FLYT993; 01-22-2016 at 08:45 PM. Reason: content
FLYT993 is offline  
Old 01-22-2016, 09:04 PM
  #2  
jstyer
Rennlist Member
 
jstyer's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Temple, TX
Posts: 1,063
Received 3 Likes on 3 Posts
Default

No way.
jstyer is offline  
Old 01-22-2016, 09:07 PM
  #3  
Steve Weiner-Rennsport Systems
RL Technical Advisor
 
Steve Weiner-Rennsport Systems's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2001
Location: Portland Oregon
Posts: 11,871
Likes: 0
Received 64 Likes on 48 Posts
Default

Having done a LOT of dyno testing in my time of all kinds of Porsche motors from 2.0 to 4.0 litre ones, I can say without reservation that's just not possible without forced induction.

My opinion of automotive "journalists" is that they never facts get in the way of writing to sell magazines.
Steve Weiner-Rennsport Systems is offline  
Old 01-22-2016, 09:37 PM
  #4  
FLYT993
Rennlist Member
Thread Starter
 
FLYT993's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Posts: 2,168
Received 94 Likes on 57 Posts
Default

Originally Posted by jstyer
No way.
agree

Originally Posted by Steve Weiner-Rennsport Systems
Having done a LOT of dyno testing in my time of all kinds of Porsche motors from 2.0 to 4.0 litre ones, I can say without reservation that's just not possible without forced induction.

My opinion of automotive "journalists" is that they never facts get in the way of writing to sell magazines.
thanks steve. i knew it was a load of bovine excrement.
FLYT993 is offline  
Old 01-22-2016, 09:45 PM
  #5  
Texas RS
Rennlist Member
 
Texas RS's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Republic of Texas
Posts: 1,191
Received 13 Likes on 6 Posts
Default

My "built" 3.9L air cooled NA engine is only good for 420hp and 320lb-ft of torque... I want this engine.
Texas RS is offline  
Old 01-22-2016, 10:36 PM
  #6  
FLYT993
Rennlist Member
Thread Starter
 
FLYT993's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Posts: 2,168
Received 94 Likes on 57 Posts
Default January

cover shot...
Attached Images  
FLYT993 is offline  
Old 01-22-2016, 10:40 PM
  #7  
Steve Weiner-Rennsport Systems
RL Technical Advisor
 
Steve Weiner-Rennsport Systems's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2001
Location: Portland Oregon
Posts: 11,871
Likes: 0
Received 64 Likes on 48 Posts
Default

Originally Posted by Texas RS
My "built" 3.9L air cooled NA engine is only good for 420hp and 320lb-ft of torque... I want this engine.
Yours is a real dandy as I saw that one on the dyno.
Steve Weiner-Rennsport Systems is offline  
Old 01-22-2016, 10:45 PM
  #8  
FLYT993
Rennlist Member
Thread Starter
 
FLYT993's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Posts: 2,168
Received 94 Likes on 57 Posts
Default hyperbole

...
Attached Images  
FLYT993 is offline  
Old 01-23-2016, 01:00 AM
  #9  
ilko
Agent Orange
Rennlist Member
 
ilko's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 16,180
Received 532 Likes on 194 Posts
Default

The 997 GT3RS 4.0 was rated at 339 torques. Yeah, some bloke in a shed in Brackley squeezed an additional 61 lb/ft from an air-cooled motor with lower displacement. Sure! Hey, I've also got a bridge over the East River to sell ya!

Man, I wonder how some of these magazines are still in business. Don't they have people on staff to proof-read the articles? And this applies especially to the UK publications, can you please, please make the editorial read less like an infomercial? No wonder you're selling hardly any copies these days.

ilko is offline  
Old 01-23-2016, 01:39 AM
  #10  
IainM
Rennlist Member
 
IainM's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Santa Cruz, CA
Posts: 2,107
Received 302 Likes on 233 Posts
Default

Originally Posted by ilko
Don't they have people on staff to proof-read the articles?
no they don't.
And worse, their writers don't understand what they're writing.

It's a simple typo.

some wise dude once said "Never suspect malice when stupidity will do."
IainM is offline  
Old 01-23-2016, 05:54 AM
  #11  
Juha G
Rennlist Member
 
Juha G's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Finland
Posts: 2,527
Received 60 Likes on 30 Posts
Default

320hp and 400Nm would sound realistic
Juha G is offline  
Old 01-23-2016, 06:51 AM
  #12  
m_a_saunders
Advanced
 
m_a_saunders's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Zug
Posts: 65
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

Also agree that there must be a typo and the writer probably meant to refer to NM. Boat tailing the crank cases combined with mooned cylinders and a high compression ratio may help in achieving 400NM of torque.
m_a_saunders is offline  
Old 01-23-2016, 12:20 PM
  #13  
FLYT993
Rennlist Member
Thread Starter
 
FLYT993's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Posts: 2,168
Received 94 Likes on 57 Posts
Default

yep, you guys are right, i just did the conversion ...typo. case closed.
FLYT993 is offline  



Quick Reply: 400 lb ft. torque from NA 3.8...Really?



All times are GMT -3. The time now is 02:05 PM.