Wicked Mods

[srivers33]

Hey yall, i'm new here. Just thought i would get some new ideas. First off. can i get an lsd anywhere for my 84 944? Second, whats the cheapest route i can go to drop an 8 cylinder into my car. Wat kinds of engines can i go with. I know about the ls1 but i dont know what it costs. Any info would help. Thanks

S.Rivers#33

[930guy]

Buy a mustange if you want a V8-don't molest a 944

[beatdown944]

I agree with the statement above.

[zzpza]

i agree too, only i'd suggest a 928 if you want a v8.

[eohrnberger]

Agreed. Why not open up the intake and exhaust flows of the car that you have? I'm sure that that would free up some performance.

I fail to see the fixation on installing a small block V8 in such a finely balanced car. If you want more performance in the same package, start looking for a turbo 944 that you can trick out. I hear that they'll take goodly amount of boost over the stock setup.

Now I myself am wondering if there is a supercharger that would work ob S2. At the same time I'm thinking that it's already at 10.1:1 compression, and if the supercharger stuffs even more fuel mixture into the cylinder this would go higher, and in order to prevent pre-ignition, I'd have to what? Runing 110 octane racing gas or something?

Hmmm. Tell me I'm wrong.

[srivers33]

There is so little you can do though with the 4 cylinder. Its older and less reliable. The v-8 has more you can do with it. How much would it cost to beef up a porsche 4 from 120bhp to 350bhp? How reliable would it be>? Alot less reliable than the v-8 and more pricey too.

[eohrnberger]

Why on earth would you need that much HP in a 944? If you want to go drag racing with it, you'd be better off with a GM F-body or a Mustang or Chrysler equivalents. These cars do well on the drag strip, and there are a multitude of reasonably priced modifications to increase HP even beyond what you've stated your are looking for.

The philosophy and design goals behind the 944 is handling, and it does exceedingly well in this area even in just stock trim. It is one of the best handling, best balanced cars that have ever been designed and built, giving the user a precise handling balance between the front and rear traction limits, as well as balancing the HP needed to perform well. Granted, the base 944 could use a little more HP, and the result of this was the 944 Turbo and S1 and S2 series. But all in all the 944's handling capabilities exceeds that of most drivers skills in using it. At this point, it makes the most sense to upgrade the driver with skills rather than modifying the car for an skill limited driver. If you are going to autocross or drive road courses with the car, and still feel that the car is underpowered and uncompetitive, then you need to learn better driving technique to take better advantage of what the car car give you.

Why do you want to go an ruin that existing harmony of balance by over powering the chassis? Why do you feel that you need to? Wouldn't it make more sense to just enjoy the near perfection that has been achieved by the Porsche design engineers rather than muck it up?

There are some engine swap ideas that I've heard around that would make a more synergetic sense to me. One of them is to drop a VW VR6 engine in. This make sense once you understand the history of the 944. The 944 was designed by Porsche under contract by VW using many of the parts from the VW parts bin. When VW didn't want to produce the car, Porsche bought the contract back from them, and decided to manufacture the 944. So there is some history that would support this type of an engine swap. The VW VR6 was designed to put a 6 cylinder engine in a 4 cylinder engine bay. This is precisely what would be done if the VR6 was swapped into a 944, so there is some technical foundation for this swap. It's also in line with current corporate realities, as VW, Porsche and Audi are all now part of a larger corporate entity.

Before you go and decide to do this, I think that you should consider these points that I've raised, and perhaps re-evaluate your motivations for wanting to do the engine swap that you mentioned.

[930guy]

Well, I must vent on srivers33: OK you state that there is so little you can do with a 4 cylinder engine but so much you can do with a V8. Things to consider Mr. reinventer of the wheel-V8 chevy in stock form produces, lets say 180hp but weighs more than twice what a Porsche 4 cylinder weighs. Buy the time you spend the money to build a small block chevy that really makes 350 HP(not chevy's claim that their crate motors make) you've spent $2500.00 Now anyone that even considers this swap is obviously lacking in the cranium area, so now you have to pay someone to create all the brackets, mounts, clutch housing, exhaust, ect. Now you've destroyed a perfectly good german auto, spent all your money, and have a car thats slower than a stock turbo, handles like a 5.0 mustang(which is like crap, Mr rocketman). You'll have NO respect in the Porsche world and be laughed out of the muscle car world. So, if you want a tire smokin', go in staight line, can't stop piece of crap-just buy a Mustang and save your time and money. Ahhhhhh......I feel much better now!-Oh buy the way we race a 944S that makes 290hp at the rear wheels and the car weighs 2275-you do the math if you know how srivers33

[eohrnberger]

Well, that's a bit more extreem that my post than mine, but basically states the position.

A 944S makes 290 HP at the wheels? Mine is at 210 HP. You suppose that I could put a supercharger on it? It'd be less plumbing than a turbo.... Well, just a thought, as I've said in my post, there is a lot of performance that I have to learn how to use already there.

[930guy]

290hp is a stroked crank, higher compression pistons, Webb custom ground cams, Millage intake system, ect. Sorry if I gave the impression it was a stock "S"

[Silver24oSxN944]

hey now fellas give the guy some slack he's special. ok so i cant really throw alot of facts out about a porsche im just now germanizing myself.trying to learn as much as possible. so this is all helpful to me too. but i do i know ive put in a lil sidecar wrench time on my dads 81 camaro.yea he's just got a 383 automatic car that runs high 12s nothing whatsoever done to the body of the car no tubs or nething of this nature. just motor.street legal on street tires.and mid grade gas. hes got a little over 8k in it. so if you wanna buy a 944 and put thrice as much into a motor swap be our guest. but still rethink your patterns.

[fossil_fuel]

If you are truly bent on converting your 944 then try these two forums.....http://www.560sec.com/bulletinboard/...858f58364cb746

http://www.pors-chev.com/ubbthreads.php?Cat=

More there then you want to read about.

Enjoy!

[Audi1984]

Why are so many people here so hellbent on the idea of putting a american V8 in a porsche??? Mabey spend the money on the engine you have and keep the cars integrity.

[Bob Hilton-Lee]

Don't mess up a PORSCHE 944 by dropping a different engine in. I have an 86 944 and would you believe it's an AUTOMATIC 3 speed. At first the car sucked as any 944 fan will tell you, but I rebuilt the engine ground up after the # 3 con rod went? had the engine modified/ported polished and flowed, 10.1. higher capacity injectors and fuel regulator - back to twin pumps. runs cat less with cold air induction and a special vortex air stream system. I now have the best handling/balance sports car ever with bags of power. My next project is to buy a 5 speed and move all the goodies over. Don't ruin a Porsche when you can do so much with them. I only paid $3,900 for my 86 one lady owner with 56k on the car. Just in case someone was wondering WHY go for an AUTOMATIC.

[Pavlo]

944 is known for its perfect handling, with a v8 it will be a piece of crap drag car.
If you get a turbo (951) with a vitesse stage 3 kit the car has 455hp and around that in torque. All you need are the injectors.
So if you get a $8000 turbo 944, spend total of around 4000 for the turbo, another 1000 for suspension and you will have a relieable car for 13000 that beats EVOs, STIs, mustangs and about everything else in every kind of auto sport.
AND when you open the hood it says in nice big letters "PORSCHE", not ford or chevy. By the way I am still wondering why not get a mustang or other car that comes stock with v8?