The Super 90 was Porsche’s way of giving driving enthusiasts more power, in a pushrod 356, without resorting to the complexity of the Carrera’s quad-cam engine. As its name implies, it was said to put out a sold 90 horsepower. In tests prior to its introduction, it easily put out more! With muffling for the street, that number went down, but the name “Super 90” stayed.
The Super was able to rev higher than other models, owning to a cooling layout that allowed in more air. Porsche’s redline was 5500 rpm for standard Bs, but stated that 6000 rpm was a safe maximum for the Super 90. Other engine improvements included a lighter flywheel, nitrided crank and cam-bearing surfaces, stiffer valve springs, alloy rockers, larger main bearings, three compression rings instead of two and feral-coated cylinders. These last few additions kept the more powerful engine from handgrenading. Oil pickup was improved with a system that allowed oil to be drawn from the full side during cornering, ensuring there was proper lubrication at all times.
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