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Gen 2, 2.9 engine


Chuckie66

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Looking to get back into the Boxster market again, missing the 3.4 S gen 1. I see the gen 2 introduced the new DFI engine with a 2.9,  but then they dropped it after a coupe years in the 981 and went to 2.7.

my question, is why did Porsche drop the 2.9? Was it emissions or reliability? 

Quite like the idea of going pdk with a 2.9. Thoughts? 

Btw loved the 3.4, but in danger  of losing my license to get the full engine note and maybe a smaller engine could be just as fun on our UK roads...

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The big change on the 2.9 was that they removed the IMS from the design and I've not heard of any problems on the 2.9, but then with only 2-3 years production you would not expect to hear much. Other common issues on the 2.9 are gear cables failing around 50k and coolant pipes corroding at the joints.

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Drive a few PDK's and see if it's for you. 

A daily in traffic or a 3rd car purely for rural blasts on a Sunday?

Divides opinion as to what is best, but personally I love it as it gives me a full lazy auto,  hooligan auto or ASBO manual without the clutch depress!

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11 hours ago, Chuckie66 said:

my question, is why did Porsche drop the 2.9? Was it emissions or reliability? 

I'd also be curious.  I'm guessing emissions, we never heard a reliability problem on here.

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I had a Gen1 3.4S manual Cayman, and switched to a Gen2 2.9 PDK.  I can't say I missed the extra horses, and the PDK made up for it in other ways (for me).  I don't think you would be disappointed, but you could only tell by trying both 2.9 and 3.4 Gen2's for a real comparison.  I don't believe there were any reliability issues with the non-DFI 2.9, and suspect that it was emissions related to change to 2.7 DFI for the 981.

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Not any more, but some years ago Portuguese car tax was heavily based on engine size (now it's more on emissions). There's a possibility that in a big market (looking at you China!) 2.9 took it over a certain tax limit, so they cut it back to 2.7 to get more sales.  Dunno, just a guess.

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Thanks guys, so I'd assumed wrongly the 2.9 was DFI, so instead is it  based on the old M97 found in the 987.1's? and with the improved IMS bearing? or a complete re-design with no IMS and not DFI? you guessed it i'm a bit confused on the 2.9?

I think PDK, as occasional commute to where ever work takes me, and w/e drives 🙂 

Maybe I'm steering away form the 2.9, as the newer DFI 2.7 ia more powerful and leaning  towards a:

- 981 2.7/3.4 PDK, black leather, in dark grey (Meteor or Agate) with dark roof. less than 60K miles

- may even consider a 981 cayman

- price seems to be mid twenties and higher, looking for a lower priced one if anyone knows anyone selling?

Cheers

Chuck 

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I think the history of the Boxster engines is very confusing to newcomers. I have a 2008 2.7 yet there are 2.9's older than mine - did they produce these engines alongside each other? I too had assumed the 2.9 in the .2 was DFI but apparently not. It would be really useful if someone could right up a BRIEF history and make it a sticky (sorry Araf - I know how much you love stickies!).

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32 minutes ago, entdgc said:

I think the history of the Boxster engines is very confusing to newcomers. I have a 2008 2.7 yet there are 2.9's older than mine - did they produce these engines alongside each other? I too had assumed the 2.9 in the .2 was DFI but apparently not. It would be really useful if someone could right up a BRIEF history and make it a sticky (sorry Araf - I know how much you love stickies!).

There's a wiki article listing the full history of the Boxster. Sounds like your car sat at a dealers for a while before being sold, maybe the result of a cancelled order and hence they couldn't shift it when new stock 2.9 cars arrived.

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21 hours ago, Richard Hamilton said:

The Gen2 2.9 is the MA.1 engine (no IMS) but with DME 7.8 injection.  So a simpler system than DFI.  I think it is a gem.

I certainly like my 2.9 it’s just coming up to 40,000 miles, only downside was the coolant pipes needed replacing earlier this year, not a good advert for a 60 plate car. ££££££ ouch 😊

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Snap same here -  “I certainly like my 2.9 it’s just coming up to 40,000 miles, only downside was the coolant pipes needed replacing earlier this year . .

I suspect the 2.9 retained the simpler port injection  was to maintain a degree of power separation between it and the S model. That differential was then again maintained on the 981 by fitting DFI heads and reducing the engine capacity to 2.7.

Other differences between the two 987.2 engines is that the DFI engine, is able to do away with the Secondary Air Injection Pump and plumbing, it has a significantly higher pressure fuel pump. The ECUs are from different manufactures with presumably totally different protocols.

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