DV 993tt

How are you setting up the twin plug? Are you using the Andial splitter?

pstoppani

That detail I don't know. You'd have to ask Kevin.

LA964RS

Is it running yet?

pstoppani

Not back in the car yet...

LA964RS

Like waiting for that first bit of ketchup to come out of the bottle.

LA964RS

Aaaaannnnnticipaaaation........

pstoppani

Alas, Kevin is swamped with some projects so it looks like it will be January before its done and in the car.

Patience, Grasshopper

BTW - I blew the motor last October... it will be quite the homecoming when the car is back! It's been a long wait, but it will be worth it.

JDHertz11

I understand that these things take some time, but I guess I'm baffled that it could take months to build a motor. The fact that many of the items are custom made explains a lot of it but I think that most of the mega $$ builds are justified at how long it took to build the motor. How long would it take RUF to build a car including a complete motor? I'm not picking on anyone or any shop here just trying to rationalize with myself. Big Bird seems to be like a pregnant elephant and I'd really love to see these mega motors complete.

LA964RS

Building anything takes 10x longer than expected....my car took 3 years...it was supposed to be 6-8 months. Try that one on...it was brutal...the waiting....Now sometimes, i just go out to the garage and take the cover off it and sit in it for fun....and of course drive it every chance I get!!!

Kevin had an excellent idea, he said a good way to do one of these builds is to go out on a limb and purchase a second motor or at least a case crank and heads and let a builder get going w/those so my car wouldn't "sit"....

bb993tt

Mine was at Pfaffenhausen for about two months - motor, bumpers, gauges, steering wheel and a few odds and ends. This was a couple of weeks longer than normal, caused by "issues" they had with the specialist company used for head work. Paolo (pmf) had his done around the same time as mine. He didn't do the bumpers, but did have his rain gutters shaved, headlight washers removed and aero mirrors installed. Took about the same time, but with a lot more paint work.

Jean

It has more to do with planning, prioritizing and experience with that particular build rather than anything else. There is nothing new for these engines, it takes 7-10 days for an experienced engine builder to comfortably put together a full spec 3.8TT twin plug race engine with the lastest tricks, provided he has been given time to order the parts, and that includes tuning. No need to go very custom, forget all the fancy porting, knife edging and using custom machined parts or what have you, it will not make any difference to most, if anyone at all, accurate tolerances and careful balancing of all the rotating parts are the fundamentals for a solid build, and good ECU tuning is obviously a must.

Problem is that building a custom engine does not bring the best margins for a builder and there are always customers who need a small job here and there urgently, so other projects have to go on in paralell, which is perfectly understandable. The good old FIFO is most often not possible!

LA964RS

Jean...so no porting or knife edging or custom machine parts.....I'd guess you could save a bit of $$ that way....and you are probably right, wouldn't be noticed cause you don't have it....

dbf73

FISH (first in still here) is often the order of business.
(comment about shops in general, not directed at Kevin)

Geoffrey

I agree 100% with Jean that the accurate tolerances (blueprinting) and component matching (including balancing) is key to ensuring the engine produces good power and stays together. I alter some of the factory specifications based on wear patterns, etc. when the engines are used in a racing environment. I will say that cleaning up the intake and exhaust ports do make a difference in power, however, making them larger does not.

vincentdds

I miss seeing in your car at the track. Best of luck to you.