V8 conversion

[agood1]

I have a complete 4.5L V8 5 speed drive train from an 80 928. I am not real familiar with the 944 but I was told that this setup can be used to do a V8 conversion in a 944. I will sell the whole package for $1200. Including the wiring harness, ECU, torque tube etc. However, I do not have the clutch, pressure plate and TO bearing. I have read mixed articles on the fitment of this V8 in a 944, but there are several articles on using this 5 speed in a 944. So I will split them if someone is interested.
Email me at maxum25@gmail.com

[Cocacolakidd]

The 928 motor conversion into a 944 is almost impossible - very difficult as it does not want to fit. That is why most V8 conversions wind up to be Chevy LS type. It is also pretty much the same with the 928 Transaxle conversion - very difficult. Allot of the racers, myself included, would be using the 928 Transaxle if it would fit, as they are stronger...

I have phrased the above with "almost impossible" and "very difficult" because I once saw a fellow install a Corvette LS rear axle along with the Corvette 6spd Transmission/drive-shaft and LS V8 motor into a 1988 944 - what a screamer but allot of cutting, welding, fabricating, and conversion to the whole car.

Also it's better to list items for sale in the used parts classifieds.

[ernie9944]

We when through the suject before on many post & trying to put a 928 motor in a 944 like the Kidd is saying is near impossible ,you would have to do something like this to fit it in , you can judge by yourself at the amount of work require.

[agood1]

Point taken.....I guess there are some people willing to do it.....there is a Porsche race shop near me and they have several 944s with the 928 transaxle in them. However, they did say most of them were running the Chevy engines.

[smokin_944]

A SBC is a good candidate if you know what you're doing. Vette engines for example.

[ernie9944]

Originally Posted by agood1

Point taken.....I guess there are some people willing to do it.....there is a Porsche race shop near me and they have several 944s with the 928 transaxle in them. However, they did say most of them were running the Chevy engines.

Are you absolutely sure that those 944 has 928 transaxles in them ,if so that will be a first & peoples here or on Rennlist will kill to see how they are install ,you wouldn't have any pics to prove it would you,because most of the time peoples with Chevy motor in their 944 will not go into the hassle of installing a 928 tranny (if it can be done) since a 944 turbo/ turbo S/ S2 will fit rigth in & do the job.

[962porsche]

i just finished a 944 v8 swap . i have been to the track with it 5 times in the past 4 weeks sence it was finished . i would not do it with a 928 drive line . do a GM motor . the problem with the 928 motor is not so much the frame rails its the oil pan and the X-member . you could do a dry sump but there is still the x-member you would need to build . i have a totaled 928s4 sitting at the shop . i was going to use that motor to swap into the 944 . but after doing some reserch i got a GM motor in sted . parts for a gm motor are cheap in price and there are places that sell kits to do the install . i opted not to do the kit thing and built the parts needed my self . the chevy and i hate to say it . puts out a hell of allot more power than the 928 and becouse there is such a big after market supply of power adders that the sky is the limit . my motor dinoed out at 528 rwhp . i have just started with this motor i will be happy when the motor get to about 650 hp .as for the trans we all use the 944 trans . i had a 951 trans i installed with lsd . i found that the trans can take the tork but the half shafts can't so don't try to do burn outs . the 944 trans can take up to 700 hp before they will fail . i built side plates to brace the trans but there are also places that sell them . i found most of what people were saying about the 944 trans being weak was way wrong . i was thinking of building bigger half shafts but i would rather brake a CV than a trans . all the 944 class car weather its a 944 951 944s and so on all the transaxles are the same . one is not weaker than the other the only thing you want is the taller gearing from them . back to the motors the SBC motor is tall so you have to cut the hood and add a hood scoop . the LS motors will fit under the stock hoods . you will have to cut out the upper tie bar and build one i used half inch boxed tubbing or is i stated there are places that sell them . becouse the bigger radiator will not fit were the old one was . you can do a turbo 951 rad. but for stop and go driving they may or will over heat . i went with a big 3 row from jegs . it was cheap at 127 dollars . did i say parts were cheap for this swap . the total cost was 1200 bucks but i had allot of things and made most of what i did not have . the one piece C5 bellhousing was the biggest out lay of cash at 209 dollars the clutch was 178 and the 168 tooth flywheel was 110 . but if you were to do the swap your talking about 6k plus for all the parts . for me it was a fun swap . it only took about 3 weeks to do .

[agood1]

Originally Posted by ernie9944

Are you absolutely sure that those 944 has 928 transaxles in them ,if so that will be a first & peoples here or on Rennlist will kill to see how they are install ,you wouldn't have any pics to prove it would you,because most of the time peoples with Chevy motor in their 944 will not go into the hassle of installing a 928 tranny (if it can be done) since a 944 turbo/ turbo S/ S2 will fit rigth in & do the job.

I will call the Porsche Race shop and ask him about them...maybe he can shed some light, he is the one that told me allot of 944 guys would be interested in the 928 transmission.

[Rudeboy42]

Originally Posted by ernie9944

We when through the suject before on many post & trying to put a 928 motor in a 944 like the Kidd is saying is near impossible ,you would have to do something like this to fit it in , you can judge by yourself at the amount of work require.

I've seen this car a few other times. Man that thing is sick! I can't even imagine how fast it must be.

From what I know one of the biggest reasons a 928 engine won't fit in a 944 is because the engine is too wide and won't fit inbetween the strut towers. It would be a cool swap if it was easier though.

[matthewb]

Originally Posted by 962porsche

i just finished a 944 v8 swap . i have been to the track with it 5 times in the past 4 weeks sence it was finished . i would not do it with a 928 drive line . do a GM motor . the problem with the 928 motor is not so much the frame rails its the oil pan and the X-member . you could do a dry sump but there is still the x-member you would need to build . i have a totaled 928s4 sitting at the shop . i was going to use that motor to swap into the 944 . but after doing some reserch i got a GM motor in sted . parts for a gm motor are cheap in price and there are places that sell kits to do the install . i opted not to do the kit thing and built the parts needed my self . the chevy and i hate to say it . puts out a hell of allot more power than the 928 and becouse there is such a big after market supply of power adders that the sky is the limit . my motor dinoed out at 528 rwhp . i have just started with this motor i will be happy when the motor get to about 650 hp .as for the trans we all use the 944 trans . i had a 951 trans i installed with lsd . i found that the trans can take the tork but the half shafts can't so don't try to do burn outs . the 944 trans can take up to 700 hp before they will fail . i built side plates to brace the trans but there are also places that sell them . i found most of what people were saying about the 944 trans being weak was way wrong . i was thinking of building bigger half shafts but i would rather brake a CV than a trans . all the 944 class car weather its a 944 951 944s and so on all the transaxles are the same . one is not weaker than the other the only thing you want is the taller gearing from them . back to the motors the SBC motor is tall so you have to cut the hood and add a hood scoop . the LS motors will fit under the stock hoods . you will have to cut out the upper tie bar and build one i used half inch boxed tubbing or is i stated there are places that sell them . becouse the bigger radiator will not fit were the old one was . you can do a turbo 951 rad. but for stop and go driving they may or will over heat . i went with a big 3 row from jegs . it was cheap at 127 dollars . did i say parts were cheap for this swap . the total cost was 1200 bucks but i had allot of things and made most of what i did not have . the one piece C5 bellhousing was the biggest out lay of cash at 209 dollars the clutch was 178 and the 168 tooth flywheel was 110 . but if you were to do the swap your talking about 6k plus for all the parts . for me it was a fun swap . it only took about 3 weeks to do .

The one thing that stood out to me as wrong in here is about all the 944 transaxles being the same. They are definately not. The main diference is the ring and pinion size. The turbo ring and pinion is much larger then the n/a ring and pinion.


The other thing might be getting your car to 528 rwhp for 1200. I know parts are cheap but a cam alone doesn't get you there.

The one other thing is the 700 hp limit on the transaxles. There is no hard hp limit at which any transmission will give out. The torque is the breaker of a manual transmission. Hp is relative to rpm. If you properly cool it you could put well over a thousand hp through it at a high enough rpm.

[looneybin]

what about putting a Cayenne V8 in a 944?
would it fit?

[Slam]

I'd say anything you want/need/like can be made to fit anywhere you want/need/like given enough time/money/resources.

It's up to the individual, really. What's not worth it to some is a necessity to others. It's all up to opportunity cost. So what's sensible to you?

[badassdubs]

Built back in 1979 by a vw dealer. They actually widened the body to make it work.

[onZedge]

I remember reading that article when that issue of Road & Track (or was is Car & Driver) came fresh off the printing press!

Speaking of transplants, I think a 959 drivetrain in a 944 would be interesting to see and drive indeed.

[ewalt98]

That VW conversion begs the question; "where are they now?".
I've seen and thought about lots of crazy conversions, like the SHO V6 in the Fiesta or Festiva.
My GT6 has been through about a dozen conversions in my mind, but in the end, I like the sound of the inline six.

How about a 944 sitting on the AWD Cayenne V6 6spd drive-train? Not a practical thing, but would be fun to do and drive.

[962porsche]

mathew you must of missed were its states gearing !but the gearing does not make for a stronger trans . just dererent gearing . the sides of the cases are what will brake on the 944 trans . thats why there are places that sell side plates to beef up the cases . becouse i got the Chevy motor for free i will and don't add that into the price . its from an ABA vehicle (s10 with a ls 7 motor swap) a customer left at my shop years ago for a roll cage and 4 link to be installed that was never picked up when finished . and as you may not know hp and tork are not the same thing . its realy tork that will brake a drive line not hp . but yes motors that are putting out that kind of hp with tork in the same range will brake the trans . as you also may not also know the LS7 crate motor in stock trim puts out 503 hp with 470 ft-lbs of tork . with this motor we got the 528 hp real ez with some add ons . it seams that the intack frees up alot of power along with the better full race cam . i also don't add that into the pricing becouse its from a real good long time friend that owns a engine shop . i do work for him and he does things for me . so if you realy read the post you would have seen were it states that it would cost 6k plus to do the swap . the 1200 dollars is what i have in the form of an out lay of cash . like slam stated with money and time you could do almost any swap .