eichlerman

I was out shopping for a ’02 996 today and found a perfect low mileage C2 with less than 5000 miles on a new engine. According to the salesman the previous owner negotiated a new engine when the RMS blew. The salesman claimed the dealer installed a new 997 engine under warranty. He indicated the 997 engine is better designed and maybe a bit lighter. Is the 997 engine better? What are the pros and cons of replacing the 996 engine with a 997 engine? Thanks.

TT Gasman

I wouldn't believe ANYTHING a car salesman told me. I'm sure there are enough differences between the two engines that this would be a very challenging upgrade, I could be wrong but I doubt it.

mooty

i am skeptical as well.

Jerseybean

Porsche will only swap the same engine in and send the core back to be refurbished, it's highly doubtful this would ever happen.

Orient Express

If the car had an engine swap because of the RMS, the replacement engine has many of the engineering improvements from the 997 program, but it is not a 997 engine.

I had the same thoughts about my 996 replacement engine because its S/N said that it was manufactured in 2005, but it is really a 996 engine.

The seals are updated, it uses torx bolts instead of hex heads, and the manufacturing processes and materials are the latest, and the engine case is probably the same as the 3.6 997, but that is where the similarities end.

Here is a 2005 996 engine, which is what the car in question probably has.

nycebo

OE, that engine looks awesome.

By the way, after reading about how difficult putting a 3.6 into a 3.4 car, I can't even imagine how you cram a 997 engine in there. Doubtful as all can be.

eichlerman

Thanks for quick responses. I guess the previous owner could have been told that the new engine had the 997 “improvements” which may have been interpreted as a 997 engine. The dealer is local so I will give them a call and try to get some specifics. Based on some of the responses it sounds like we are talking about a round peg in a square hole. Is the engine that different?

Colvindesign

yep, there's your problem right there.

JJD996

You know you are really hooked when you look at that engine and think "That would look cool in my living room as a piece or art"

Riad

I was thinking the same thing.

Palting

Man, we are all part of the same fanatic club. I even had a specific corner of the living room in mind .

Colvindesign

You guys got it all wrong.

The people who think it would NOT look good as a display piece are the ones with the problem.