Help w/ Engine Swap: 3.2L into 1999

[insite]

Originally Posted by blue2000s

you've got the option of using a Motec ECU

Motec is an interesting, albeit expensive, proposition. probably will save it for another day for two reasons: cost, and emissions compliance. not sure whether Motec can handle a legal OBD II compliant output. maybe you know? for now, this car needs to remain street legal since it will be a weekend toy as well as track beast.

[23109VC]

keep us posted on your progess and decision.

while I am NOT yet in your boat, my 2000, and anyone else here, could be at ANY time. It would be nice to know pretty much whatk ind of hard costs one is going to be looking at to do the various options.

my thoughts are that if you are going to keep the car and fix it - it makes no sense to put in the stockmotor - IF you can upgrade to the 3.2 or 3.4 for only a marginal extra amount. given the high costs of even a stock replacement, it makes sense to do the upgrade.

the question is which way to go. check with Raby and see what his engine choices/costs are like.

i would think that if you could find a low mileage used engine - that might seriously cut down on costs - and that will simply depend on what is out there on the market right now.

then you have to assess the labor costs to install the various swaps.

keep us posted on what you find out. good luck

[insite]

Originally Posted by 23109VC

the question is which way to go. check with Raby and see what his engine choices/costs are like.

spoken to Raby a couple of times now. his 2.9L (created from my own 2.5L) is one of my top options. it's expensive, but that's because the build really spares no expense. i'm going to go take a tour of his shop sometime; they're doing some really interesting development work.

Originally Posted by 23109VC

then you have to assess the labor costs to install the various swaps.

fortunately i used to work as a mechanic, so i'll do the installation tasks myself.

[Blue-S]

I suppose that you would use non-egas 3.4L ECU programming. Would that be "close enough" for a 3.2L? I dunno. I don't know if the VarioRam on/off parameters are similar for a 3.2L vs a 3.4L with its longer intake runners and greater displacement.

You might have a problem with using a 2003-04 3.2L engine, though. If I understand the situation correctly, the 2003-04 engines use a cam phaser sprocket system to vary cam timing instead of the "variable chain tension" system used on the 1997-2002 Boxsters. I would be very surprised if the control strategy was compatible between the two systems. I suspect that a 2000-02 3.2L engine would be easier to adapt to your car if you want to retain the non-egas ECU.

Of course, you'd really be set if you could find an affordable non-egas 3.4L engine...

[tholyoak]

I helped a guy on Renntech do just this. You can use the cable throttle body but you want one from a 3.4, the 2.5 one is too small. Then just treat the motor like a 3.4, use the 3.4 program in the 5.2.2 DME etc. No you can't use the later 3.2. As mentioned by Blue-S, the later PWM adjustment on the variocam is not compatible with the earlier DME without custom programming.

-Todd

[insite]

Originally Posted by tholyoak

I helped a guy on Renntech do just this. You can use the cable throttle body but you want one from a 3.4, the 2.5 one is too small. Then just treat the motor like a 3.4, use the 3.4 program in the 5.2.2 DME etc. No you can't use the later 3.2. As mentioned by Blue-S, the later PWM adjustment on the variocam is not compatible with the earlier DME without custom programming.

so that means an '02 or earlier? good deal. Todd - can you still program the DME's?

[tholyoak]

Originally Posted by insite

so that means an '02 or earlier? good deal. Todd - can you still program the DME's?

yes, pre 7.8 ECU will work with the 5.2.2 ECU in the '99. If you provide the codes I can help you out with programming.

-Todd

[angman]

How expensive is expensive? This will always be an option for myself as well but if it gets anywhere close to a 3.4/3.2 swap than it doesn't make sense to me as I would rather go with bigger displacement first.

Originally Posted by insite

spoken to Raby a couple of times now. his 2.9L (created from my own 2.5L) is one of my top options. it's expensive, but that's because the build really spares no expense. i'm going to go take a tour of his shop sometime; they're doing some really interesting development work.





fortunately i used to work as a mechanic, so i'll do the installation tasks myself.

[blue2000s]

Originally Posted by insite

Motec is an interesting, albeit expensive, proposition. probably will save it for another day for two reasons: cost, and emissions compliance. not sure whether Motec can handle a legal OBD II compliant output. maybe you know? for now, this car needs to remain street legal since it will be a weekend toy as well as track beast.

Emissions, bummer. I don't think Motec has OBDII outputs. It seems like it would be an easy thing for Motec to add that plug and the needed signals to their ECu. I wonder why they haven't.