996 engine conversion
 

ok, so im new on this site and was hoping you guys might be able to shoot me in the right direction. i have just found a line on a "good" 996 motor. its out of a 02 with 16,000 miles on it. im figuring i shouldnt have anything to worry about with that low of mileage. or should i? what should i be looking for with this motor. any known major flaws? so anyway on to the real subject, are there any transmissions that will mount to this motor that allow it to be mounted to a front engine rear wheel drive car? any conversion kits? like i said, i found a good lead and thought it would be an interesting swap.

thanks jason

RE: 996 engine conversion
 

I never assume any used engine is okay. I'd check it carefully and now is the time to do anything you even suspect is not perfect. If it is from a wrecked vehicle, particularly one that was totalled, it may have been shaken up a bit, or a lot.

I know of no transmission/bellhousing made for the converison you want, but there probably is some, somehere.

But I can't really see why you would want to put this engine in a front engine, rear drive car. Its a great engine, but a flat six, particularly a Porsche flat six, is made to be low, but wide: remember it is going behind the rear axle in its stock position so it has all the width of the car to use, just not much height back there. On almost all front engine cars, the engine goes between the front wheels and suspension: narrower is better and there is room for more height. Of course, it can be done -Suburu does it (but with only four cylinders). I think this would be particularly difficult project to do.

Out of curiousity, what car are you thinking of putting it in?

RE: 996 engine conversion
 

a volvo 960. my wiring is crap so i was thinkin about a swap. i got the 3.0 liter straight 6 in there now

RE: 996 engine conversion
 

A Volvo 960 - yeah, everyone I know who owns one is pissed off at it, and usually wiring or control /ECM problems

With enough time, and money, you can do anything, but I imagine this would be very difficult and costly, and you'd end up with an oddity rather than a cool car. Based on nothing but intuition and 50 years of doing crazy car projects, I'd rate this as about as difficult as you could get.

If you want to pursue this, I'd start by measuring the width of the 996 engine and the width you have to work with in the Volvo's engine bay. I think you will find the engine is wider than the space you have for it.

My advice, for what it is worth, would be to trade or sell the Porsche engine: its a great engine but made to fit only a Porsche.
As to the Volvo, two engine swaps come to mind, either of which strike me as both do-able and very practical.
1) Drop a Chevy LS-series engine in it, like the LS2 in the current Corvette. Despite its 400 HP, this is a very compact, easy to convert motor. A 400 HP Volve 960 would be interesting.
2) A V8 out of a Lincoln LS or Jaguar sedan (they are the same basic motor). In the Lincoln I think it is 4.2 liters or so and about 280 HP. This would keep the engine in the same family lineage (Volvo is a Ford company now), and be a bit more in keeping with the buttoned down, smooth image of the 960.
In either case, I'd trasfer the transmission with the engine. this leaves you only having to make a custom driveshaft to fit the engine to the drivetrain. You still have a bunch of work (like getting the engine in the car, fitting the accesories, etc.), but this is straightforward stuff.

RE: 996 engine conversion
 

thats what i figured about the engine bay space. i just figured if it was dooable, i might go at it, but that motor seems to be wider than i can afford. i do know they ahve 351/302 swaps and 350 conversions for it. maybe ill persue that route.


thanks jason

RE: 996 engine conversion
 

by the way, is 1600 a good price for this motor?

RE: 996 engine conversion
 

I would think you could sell it for a lot more than that, but then I haven't priced used Porsche engines at all.