Replacing 2.7 with a 3.2
 

Hello all.

I am new to the 986 forum.
My brother in law and I purchased a 2003 boxster with a blown engine. A small piece of ferrous metal got into the bank 1 oil scavenge pump, caused the shaft to shatter and those pieces got into the timing chain causing the gain to jump, the exhaust valves to bend and the valve cover to blow open. I have torn down the engine partially. The oil had no contaminants in it. The cylinders have no scoring. The IMS bearing looks and feels like new. The engine looks well maintained. I have found the bullet, but no smoking gun.

I bought a used 3.2 engine to put in. So far, I have checked the IMS bearing and it also looks and feels new. I will be dropping the oil pan and filter next week.

I will post photos once I figure how to get them from this iPad onto the forum.

John

Welcome to the forum.

You should seriously consider installing the LN Engineering IMS bearing since you have the motor out. If you search this forum (and others) you will find many threads related to the IMS bearing issue. The LN Engineering bearing is a much better bearing than OEM. If you replace your bearing now you will have less concerns later.

I have been reading the forums and been to LN's site and FSI's site. The hybrid bearing is much better. They, however have had failures. LN recommends changing their bearing every 40,000 miles. I think you can get the same reliability changing a generic bearing every 30,000 miles. That is an unfortunate reality with the 986, 996 engine. I will continue changing the engine oil every 5,000 miles. Doing those things, I hope will be enough preventative maintenance. If not, I will be one of the few rotary powered boxsters around.

I am half tempted to sell this 3.2 before installing it, and going for the rotary conversion instead. It is just easier to put this engine in. I think, if someone offered me $7,500 for it, it would be down the road.


John

According to Charles Navarro of LN, they have seen a total of four units fail out of over four thousand installed; of those four, three either were poorly installed (replacement snap ring not seated), failed due to an outside event/source (bearing was full of debris from another type of engine failure, etc.); which leaves only one out of four thousand installs that appears to have acutally failed.

LN says otherwise: "suggest that bearing replacement (or inspection at bare minimum) should be considered as part of the normal maintenance every 4-5 years or 50-60k miles".

Your idea is great. Many would like to follow your installation. Good luck.

4 rotor...

The engine bolts in and uses all the current wiring and such, but.. but.. you need to flash the 2.7 computer for 3.2. Otherwise, you'll end up with an anemic turd :cheers:

2.7 and 3.2 share the same intake,exhaust..etc..

The 3.2 in front of the 5 speed is a GREAT combo :)



B

If you are serious about selling it? post up some pictures...

I got the 3.2 computer with the engine. It also came from an automatic. It should be a perfect match. I am thinking of selling the 2.7 as is. I know the crank and case is perfect. I am going to wait for Wayne's IMS kit for the 3.2. He said it will be ready any day.

John
P.s. I will start posting photos

You still have to reprogram the computer to work with your key and immobilizer.. it's easy to keep the stock computer and push a stock 3.2 tune to it. It will run on the 2.7 tune..

I'd be interested in the 2.7.



B

Oh.. doh.. its an Automatic? They are dime a dozen around here with blown engines.. $3500 cars.


B

I have a cable from FVD. How do I get the tune and load it into the 2.7 computer?

John

I use a PIWIS to push stock tunes, otherwise its Softronic/Durametric.


I know who FVD is, but not sure what their cable is capable of.



B

Thank you,
John

No worries. I know the FVD cables works for pushing their tunes to the computers..

Up and Running!!! I have not reprogrammed the ecu yet, but it is running with no codes. When we first ran it, it looked like we were running sea foam through it. I thought it might be the AOS, but after a few minutes, it started to clear up. I have been driving it around and the smoke is almost gone. We are figuring it got in the intake during shipping or was in the exhaust from the old engine. The smoke was coming out of the bank 1 side of the exhaust.

John

It will end up throwing O2 codes and MAF codes :) Just takes 100 or so miles.