51 captured repliesDiscussion pagination complete · Source accounts, not a confirmed diagnosis
THIS DISCUSSION / SOURCE-DERIVED OVERVIEW
Discussion summary
YOUR RESEARCH997 3.8 carrera s motor swap into 996 possible
Leading reported evidence
Replace into a 996
Performed · outcome unconfirmed
No successful repair reported for this finding.
0
Reported fixes
0
Unsuccessful attempts
1
Discussions
Read evidence and context
Explicit resolution reports before identified causes, performed actions and suggestions. Within each level, matching component labels precede direct query mentions and inherited thread context; successful versus unsuccessful discussion counts, owner confirmations and independent discussion support determine order. This is not a probability of success.
Discussions that performed work without a confirmed outcome
1
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Leading evidence: 'Replace into a 996' (no explicit attributable resolution; this is a reported action or suggestion). Across 1 matching discussions, the most frequently mentioned possible cause is 'nothings been done (edit' (1 discussions; 0 report identifying it and 1 suggest it). The most frequently discussed action is 'Check oil pressure again just' (1 discussions). For that action, 0 discussions report a resolution and 0 report an unsuccessful attempt. No action has an explicit, attributable resolution report under the current rules. These are forum reports and suggestions, not a confirmed diagnosis.
Source reports, not a diagnosis or a success probability. Counts refer to discussions and can overlap.
Explicit resolution reports before identified causes, performed actions and suggestions. Within each level, matching component labels precede direct query mentions and inherited thread context; successful versus unsuccessful discussion counts, owner confirmations and independent discussion support determine order. This is not a probability of success.
Discussions that performed work without a confirmed outcome
1
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Performed · outcome unconfirmed · Original poster
Considerably less than the going rate for good used 3.6 996 motors
Explicit resolution reports before identified causes, performed actions and suggestions. Within each level, matching component labels precede direct query mentions and inherited thread context; successful versus unsuccessful discussion counts, owner confirmations and independent discussion support determine order. This is not a probability of success.
Discussions that suspect a cause
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Suspected cause
From the pics of the underside of your engine, I suspect nothings been done (edit:, but I can�t tell, and the article never mentioned addressing it, I don�t think).
Explicit resolution reports before identified causes, performed actions and suggestions. Within each level, matching component labels precede direct query mentions and inherited thread context; successful versus unsuccessful discussion counts, owner confirmations and independent discussion support determine order. This is not a probability of success.
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Suggestion
CHeck the oil pressure again just before you start straightening your steering wheel.
Explicit resolution reports before identified causes, performed actions and suggestions. Within each level, matching component labels precede direct query mentions and inherited thread context; successful versus unsuccessful discussion counts, owner confirmations and independent discussion support determine order. This is not a probability of success.
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Suggestion
I have a 997.1S 3.8 going in my 2000 996 as we speak to replace my blown engine at the track.
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Suggestion · Original poster
One of the main reasons I bought a 996 and not a later 997 was I could use the lower cost of the 996 to fund tweaking the performance of it rather than having a bog standard later car.
These are separate views of the same evidence. Frequency alone does not establish a fix, and these counts must not be added together.
nothings been done (edit
No successful repair reported for this finding.
0
Identified cause
1
Suspected cause
0
Reported fixes
Read evidence and context
Discussions that suspect a cause
1
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Suspected cause
From the pics of the underside of your engine, I suspect nothings been done (edit:, but I can�t tell, and the article never mentioned addressing it, I don�t think).
Counts describe captured discussions, not unique people or a diagnosis. Author identities are not reliably stored. Exact duplicate evidence is counted once across matching discussions; one discussion counts at most once per action/state. Multiple repairs reported together remain a combination. Suggestions and failed attempts do not establish a fix. Matches cover whole discussions and can include related faults, model variants and incomplete threads.
51 eligible posts · 0 unverified posts · 1 discussions match the subject in their title or opening post.
Rennlist: 1 discussions
0 evidence records excluded for query context · 0 excluded by outcome qualification · 0 adjusted by outcome qualification.
0 acknowledgements have no verified action link; they do not establish a repair result.
Generation: 20261026T222516Z · outcome-qualification-6. Deterministic extraction; no AI model inference. How we use sources
I've seen a 3.6 997 m97 motor swapped into a 996
I've got a chance to buy a 997 m97 3.8 motor .
Are there any show stoppers in swapping this into my 2004 996 c2 ?
I would venture to say that the biggest show stopper for most people is probably cost?
Otherwise do it and I'll eagerly await a chance to check it out up in Canuckland.
i was thinking more technical issues , like you can fit an early 3.4 996 motor into an early boxster but fuel and computer issues make a late 3.6 motor very difficult to put in the same car
I should note , my car currently runs great , I'm not just looking for a like for like replacement , it's the 3.8 that interests me for its power and design improvements .
You can install a 997 3.8l engine in your 996 3.6l. There are a few modifications required like: vacuum hoses, vacuum lines, air pump, ecu reprogramming. All of those add up on top of the engine cost and labor, plus you have to find someone who knows how to do this right.
Thanks
If I decide to do it I'll be in touch .
I put a v8 in my all road , even though it was an Audi to audi swap it was pretty involved but went well. Also put a turbo subaru motor in my VW syncro double cab .
Lots of challenges involved. Do a search and you will find several threads. What year is your 996? If it is a 2001 or earlier then it is a VariableCam car, later cars are VarioCam plus engines and the control systems for the engines are totally different and pretty much incompatible. And it is not easy to swap or upgrade the systems, different bus systems, fuel systems, instruments, etc.
If you are interested I can send you some after sale manuals that described the systems in good detail.
Just because you could do something does not mean it's a good idea to actually do it.
It appears you are technically proficient. If you just want a project, then go ahead and we wish you well.
However, adding 50 or whatever more horsepower to a 996 will not turn it into a Ferrari 488 GTB or a Corvette Z01.
If you're worried about an impending engine failure, replace your IMS, RMS and AOS and you should be good to go for another 200,000 miles.
if I have to explain it you wouldn't understand . I Love building things as much as driving them, comes with being an engineer.
People told me putting the guard limited slip diff in my c2 wasn't needed . But I did and it's amazing . Night and day a better car . I was thinking more 40th ae than ferrari or corvette . I had been thinking an x51 motor would be worth finding but 3.8s are more common.
My car is just fine , all that stuff is already done , not worried about impending engine failure as my car only has 40k miles on it .
I've a friend in the trade whose offered me a motor , a low mile factory replacement 3.8 motor in a written off car for a silly price . Considerably less than the going rate for good used 3.6 996 motors
I'm tempted to buy it and put it away for a future project . Maybe I find a 996 c4s with a blown motor and put the 3.8 in it . Maybe I swap it into my c2 and sell the 3.6 .
The same friend put a 964 motor in a sand rail .
All kinds of craziness can be fun.
One of the main reasons I bought a 996 and not a later 997 was I could use the lower cost of the 996 to fund tweaking the performance of it rather than having a bog standard later car.
they put the 3.8 in cayman, I don't see why you couldn't put it in the 996.
It is all a matter of how cheap you can get the expensive bits.
The make or break it are often a little computer box that should cost $200 but end up costing $3000 because it is just not a high volume item.
I believe BGM do a lot of cayman 3.8 swap, they certainly are a good source of information, they are in Ormond Beach Florida. They do M96 swap pretty often.
I ended up buying the whole car , We parted the remains out and I kept the motor tranny , looms computer etc. it had been in an accident , everything from the frount bulkhead / a pillar was flattened
The motor etc was prepped for storage is in a couple plywood crates in dry storage .
I'll hang onto it for a future 996 or 997 project .
Good choice, a 3.8 engine in a C4S body wow...Very cool project and we all hope that you can document it here for all of us to follow you along, like Ashai with his amazing engine rebuild thread. Cheers,
I have an '02 996 with a dead motor and I'm looking at shoving an X51 3.8L in there. It's such a lovely car, I'd hate to screw it up tho so I've been hesitant. But with the weather improving, it's time to get a move on - plus the Boss keeps asking me when I'm gonna get it back on the road...
I've been looking a wreck too but I keep getting outbid by I presume LAdismantlers etc. It's tough to buy a wreck!!
I have a 997.1S 3.8 going in my 2000 996 as we speak to replace my blown engine at the track. We are also doing some mods and expect the car to be about 400-420HP. Can't wait. I am looking for Turbo/C4S radiator assemblies to deal with the additional heat load if someone has those.
Agreed such a great article to read. I feel as time goes on, the 997 motor swaps will become more common. The article touched on things briefly, but it would be a great resource to have a detailed description on the hurtles you and the guys at Dundon had to work through on the build. Not a cost sheet, but something that would help encompass the timeline/ process of such a motor swap. I feel more people would do it if the land of unknowns did not exist.
Thanks for the kind words....Let me see what I can do about the timeline....I can do a real high level one but maybe I will work with Charles Dundon to get a more detailed description since he is the Genius that made it happen.
Charles is very open and has been providing other RL folks on even the harness mappings....Really a great guy which is why I was willing to do the project in first place with him.
couldnt find a c4s cabrio. Doing a 3.8 to 4.0 l&n nikkies build in the new year for a 997 track car project . W� bought a track car without a motor or tranny.
lowpue,
fantastically written article and great story. Now let�s fix the oil pressure problem. From the pics of the underside of your engine, I suspect nothings been done (edit:, but I can�t tell, and the article never mentioned addressing it, I don�t think). I�ve had a 996 (3.6L) and now a 997.1 (3.6L), both with the same oil pressure problems, despite installing a 1.2L Mantis Deep Sump pan. That�s not enough for the street let alone the track.
Edit, from the pics it�s hard to tell.. was there a 1� Deep Sump extension added?
To test oil control and pressure on the street:
Fully warm up the oil by driving it for 15 min at or near highway speeds (takes much longer to heat up than coolant, btw.). Then find a 270 degree highway on-ramp that *continuously* curves without any straight-ish sections at all. Find a speed you can take your car at where the rpms are almost 3000 rpm or above, and have 0.5 lateral G or greater.. so for me that means taking a 30km posted on-ramp in 3rd gear at 62-ish km/hr. Put on cruise control at that speed and rpm on the approach, not the oil pressure and keep cruise control on for the entire duration of the on ramp. CHeck the oil pressure again just before you start straightening your steering wheel. You will see an oil pressure drop, unless something is done.
-Pete Koepfgen
[email removed]
I'll have to try what you are saying and yes we did add a 1" deep sump. Thanks for the test process. My original engine died from oil starvation so i know this is an issue for sure.
harness was modified. Charles has been sharing the pinout to those who have asked.
