3.4L vs. 3.6L

What are anyone's thoughts on the early 3.4L cars, versus the later 3.6L cars? Worth the extra money for the 3.6L? Either one more durable than the other? Anything to watch out for in particular, one over the other? Bearing in mind that I'm going into this expecting to do the LN IMS upgrade, RMS, water pump, the orange cap upgrade, the 3.6L exhaust hack/mod, magnetic oil drain plug, and LN spin-on oilfilter upgrade with filter magnet as soon as possible after getting the vehicle... anything else I should expect/plan on doing? Oh, and anyone know of any good deals or looking to sell a 996 sometime around late Jan/early Feb next year? Should be getting back from Iraq around then... (so I'll finally be able to and drive a nice car again... although not at the same time, obviously... LOL ) Thanks in advance for the help/tips/info!

Spend the money to get the newest you can. You will end out with factory updates and owner updates that you wont have to perform yourself/pay for. I have a 2004 996 Aero (3.6L) with 75,000 and have never replaced a single thing other than oil and a clutch at 45k miles. and...THANK YOU for your service!

Agree with poster above, buy the newest you can afford. I've been very pleased with the 3.6

There are still lots of 3.4s around (I own one) that are great cars, but if your budget allows, buy the newest one you can realistically afford (including upgrades as mentioned). I haven't driven a 3.6 so I can't advise you on that, but either 911 is a keeper in my book. Do a search on this forum for comparisons of the MK1 and the MK2s and you'll find plenty of good reading. Thanks for your service and stay in touch so we can follow your Porsche choice early next winter.

I would have to agree that the 3.6 is the better choice. I have driven several 3.4L and they always make me feel like I made the right choice. Nothing wrong with the 3.4 engines, they are fine cars. I just prefer my 3.6. I may be biased though my car has the X51 3.6L

I agree. Get the 3.6 if you can. I've owned a 99, which had no problems. I also have read to stay away from the 99 3.4's (there are no official stats, but many believe these were the most prone to grenading). I think the market prices all this in accordingly. 99's are generally cheaper than 00's, all else equal, and MKI's are generally cheaper than MKII's - and IMO not just because of the age of the car. You could also getting a 3.4 and then the IMS upgrade with the savings. Others have mentioned this. Although there are many other non-engine upgrades that go along with the 3.6s models.

I have a 3.4 manual and a 3.6 Tip. I like driving the 6spd better, but am spending a fair bit of money on exhaust, and intake to recover some extra Hp which is already there on the 3.6. I have also gone with the IMS upgrade for piece of mind.

Hey, What is your budget? If you have 30K to spend then get a newer car with the 3.6. If you have 20K I would recommend a really nice 3.4 over a later but more beat up 3.6. Take your time, there are lots of cars to choose from. Barry

I beat up 3.6's including X51's all the time on the track with my little 3.4 (270 rwhp). It's basically stock with just a GIAC street flash and 3.8 manilfolds. Very torquey motors, I get out off the corners faster than them though the 3.6's pull me at the top end. The transmissions are beefier from 02' on....

Correct me if I'm wrong but the 3.6 makes more power everywhere, and they also respond better to modifications... I personally have enjoyed my MK2 car, but the engine is hardly the only reason to go for a later car. That said if I were doing it over, I'd probably either go for MK2 or if that wasn't in the budget, find an LSD equipped 99 car.

3.4 vs 3.6 ? If you get the 3.6 and then Schofield or Kaneohe I'll help you figure out if the 3.4 is better

LOL @ Pac996... I actually almost got a slot at Schoefield last year... A buddy of mine dropped his retirement paperwork and got me slotted to replace him... Sweet job, totally sham, right on the beach... but then DA rejected his retirement paperwork, so the job went away... Oh, well...

The reason to buy the 3.6 over the 3.4 is the drink holder. Duh. Agree with the advice about buying the newest you can afford but I have a 99 that I bought almost two years ago with 60K. I now have 75k and have only bought a cab top actuator (or something like that). All the other work has been at my option so based on MY experience I wouldn't fear a '99 if that's what's in your budget. I also fashioned a drink holder solution.

The glovebox in the 3.6 adds 8 Horsepower

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Yes, but that's only if you get the X51 glovebox or if you use the hack to connect it to the center console...

STOP! thats a common rennlist misconception! If you use the hack to connect it to the center console, you'll get the P0993 CEL code every time you shift into 7th. Its a real pain to get it cleared all the time. But..if you connect it to the Auto-Inflation/tire pressure check system, you'll bypass the 7th gear detent warning and gain that 8HP...That comes straight from the guy at the factory!

Yeah, but I had them flash the ECU when I added the Cold Air Ashtray (+3.3 bhp, +4.1 lb.ft.) and had them lower the sun visors (for less drag), so that took care of the CEL. The only problem now is that I think the bearing on my headlight is going bad and I'm afraid if I don't fix it soon it's going to leak headlight fluid all over my driveway... does anyone have a DIY for the LN headlight fix?

Skip the LN headlight fix and go straight to the LED headlight mod. Less wattage pulled increases torque by 4% depending on blue or white LED's. Since you're in there you might as well crack open the console and do the solid mounts, that reduces the twist when accelerating hard right.

Yeah, but I heard that the transfer of torque to the chassis through the solid mounts can lead to problems with the trunk latch unless you update/upgrade to the same latch as the Carrera GT... Although, it has to the be latch design as used on the 4th, 7th, and 19th CGTs made, or it won't interchange with the 996 without some serious modification... Anyone got a part number for that??

You guys are absolutely wrong. Under inflated tires contribute to RMS failures, that are associated with blinker fluid failure, caused by stock 17" wheels, using pagid brake pads. The fan mod creates undue stress on the AOS which in turn creates pressure on the sunroof weatherstrippng, causing the short shifter to short out the pumpkins, ending with catastrophic water pump siezure.RTFM!

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Weather stripping can only affect alignments in C2 models. Anyone with remote awareness of the variocam shim deviations knows that. And you got it back asswards, next time you have your water pump seize look into the front control arms, I'll bet my torsion bar on the 996 that the previous owner installed GT3 control arms with the polarity reversed.

Unless of course you have a C2 Aero...in which case the down force on the rear wing reduces unsprung camber and relieves pressure off the front drop links eliminating alignment problems all together. I agree with the previous post...reversed polarity of GT3 control arms is a common install mistake, but if you do the omni-directional voltage regulator mod...polarity works in either direction, which reduces internal engine friction extending oil change intervals to 20,000 miles or 5 years.

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Stop No more

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Hmmm I thought it was 20,000 miles or every other steering wheel rotation....? OK I'll stop now too.

3.4 guys get laid twice as much as 3.6 guys.....no kidding...it's a fact !

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Is that because you already have the omni-directional voltage regulator and therefore your polarity works in either direction giving you twice the action?....

Why yes it is, did you see that in the manual? What did you do about your 3.4 engine, have you replaced it with something else?

I'm kinda glad I have the 3.6L... my polarity works in one direction ONLY and I like it that way!

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I looked at several alternatives but chose another 3.4 to stay in the NASA and POC classes I've been running. Auto Strasse, who built the original motor, had another sitting on the shelf so it was relatively simple to move my performance parts (X51 pan, 4" pulley, LWFW) over and plug it in. Broke the new motor in at Las Vegas Motorspeedway weekend before last then raced Sat & Sunday winning class both days. New motor felt just like the old one, I made a serious attempt to keep the revs to 7k and water temps below 210. The 3 new radiators acomplished that easily.... Robert of Auto Strasse is building a 3.8 out of a 3.4 with all the right stuff so I may well end up with that motor depending on where it dynos. I have some HP room to spare so we'll see....

How many hours(or miles) did you have on your expired engine, and do you know what it was specifically, that faied? Just curious, thanks.

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Pretty sure it was this rod which then took out the cylinder wall. Approx 55 hours all track. I got hot in the previous qual race the day before and slowed down a little, but it stayed up around 230. Shifting at 7500 probably didn't help anything (GIAC flash), but pretty sure it was caused by the 45mph hot winds right in my face and radiators that desperately needed to be replaced.....

wow....that looks like it was....violent!

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It went on a upshift to 4th and wasn't the least bit violent. I actually turned it off then said bleep it and turned it back on and let out the clutch. It ran albeit missing and I drove it off the track. Here's the video of that race, scroll forward until the end and you'll see what I mean. I thought I had just blown a coil pack or plug it seemed so benign..... http://vimeo.com/15561197