thanks for the info.
part of why i ask - is that *IF* I do get a used boxster, and I just "accept" that i might get an IMS failure and need a new motor - I can know what my options will be.
what is the general cost - to get one of these large motors put in?
you are looking at anywhere from 3-10K for the engine, with the low end being a used 2.7 to the 10K being a pristine rebuilt 3.6... then you can add anywhere from 20-50+ hours of shop time depending on the engine and what has to be done to make it work... you can then add another 2K for misc. stuff if you are doing a 911 swap....
lets say I don't go crazy and get a RUF motor - but just go to the dealer and say "put in the newer engine from the 911".
Ruf swaps are VERY expensive... A simple 3.4 swap into a 986 will probably run you 20+K
is it going to cost me a lot more than what it would cost to put in the same boxster engine? my dad is offering to sell me his 2000 base. it has the 2.7 motor with 73k miles. i coudl pick it up pretty cheap - like 13-14k. if i drove that around for a year or two, and it made it that far - i'd either get my "money's worth out of it" and eventually sell it - or I'd wind up another victim of IMS failure and have to put in a motor.
Any 911 swap is going to cost you much more... a 3.4 swap into any 986 up to 01 will not be that much more, but you can count on having to buy headers and other misc on top of the rest... if you go the 3.6 route into a 02+ it would be the same... the reason for this is electronics... if you try to mix those engines and years (e.g. 3.6 into a 99) then you are looking at switching from a 7.2 to a 7.8 Motronic... thats not an easy task, and many shops will not even try.
if I were to take that car, walk into the porsche dealer and get a quote for either the same 2.7 motor OR the larger 911 egnine - is it basically the same cost? can the dealer put in the larger 911 engine? or do I pay big time through the nose to "upgrade" to the larger engine and do I have to find custom shops to do it?
big time through the nose at a custom shop... and odds are that shop wont be that close to you..... I wouldn't even start to pay dealer price anyways.... you could always try to do the swap yourself....... like i have
do you get any kind of warranty on these porsche motors? are they truly NEW or are they rebuilds?
the 3.4 and 3.6 you find are rebuilt by porsche... others are just pulled from junkers.... the rebuilt engines have some kind of warranty, but Ive never bought one
i can imagine a boxster that weighs around 2900-3000 lbs would be a frickin rocket with a 300+ hp motor.
from my quick research, it looks like the 3.4L 911 motor that would go into a 2000 base Boxster - is rated at 300 hp, 258lb torque. that's pretty powerful...but any more so than a new boxster S? i don't think so...so I"m guessing that for tha tminey, essentially my 2000 boxster would perform similarly to a new boxster S....in terms of raw acceleration... excpet my car would have a 5 speed, not a 6.
Actually the older boxster would be considerably quicker given it weighs a few hundred pounds less and the close ratio of the 5 speed when compared to that of the 6 speed
is that good or bad - to have a 5 speed that was meant to go with a 2.7 mated up to a large rmore powerful motor vs having the S's 6 speed??
Thats debatable, but Ive never heard of a 5-speed going out after a swap... but the 6speed is more powerful... a guy in australia is running the same unit mated to a MKI GT3 engine... and Tholyoak is running a 5-speed mated to a 3.6x51
does all that power upset the balance of the car? like others have said - the balance of the car is what is so fun. when I drive my dad's car, it's only rated at 217 hp. it feels quick, but by no means is it "FAST". but when an onramp comes up, or a set of twisties - OMFG. the combo of 18s, M030, and balance - the thing is FLAT, and just goes through the turns like nothign I"ve ever driven before. it is literally glued to the road...i love it. i'd hate to make the car into some spin out prone type of car because the power overwhelmed the car..
or does the car drive just the same, only way faster.
Of course its going to change how the car drives... it emphasizes the boxster;s need for a LSD, but the cars balance, turn in, and grip will not change.... its only putting more power down that matters... also if you are seriously going to run a early boxster at the track with a big 911 swap, you should upgrade to 986S brakes