More Power!!!

[Brandon85-944]

Ok... so I just got back from some car club meeting and i kept running into all these nissans and rx'7s and what not. The most common thing I heard was that each person was taking on more and more to their tiny 6 or 4 cycl engine to peak it's power. One guy did a very nice job with his 300zx, stock twin turbos and a lot of polishing said he would soon be getting it to run in the 11's. What i don't understand is why don't you just start from the top and work your way up....drop an 8 in!. Thus I pose the question what's the general consensus of putting a bigger more powerful america engine in a 944 while maintaing the finnesse of the porsche suspension? Pro's Con's? Any Attempts? References to websites?....I just would hate to strip my car down to reduce weight to get my 4cycl a little faster.... Thanks for the input guys!

[ae1969]

You have a few options Brandon..........

1. Your American engine conversion....yes it has been done....LT1 actually. So yes it flies like a bat out of hell...........but it just does not seem right having a 350 in a porsche???? Not too many Ricers putting Chevys in their Supras??? This is borderline sacreligious IMO. BUT! I would love to take one for a spin!!!!

2. The 944 NA with all the K/N filters and chips...etc ....do not give you much of a performance upgrade on a 944. Your performance may actually drop! Controversial to say the least.

3. The other option that I am going with (getting ready to be flamed) is forced induction. The stock NA motor can't handle the boost (no greater than 5 psi) for too long. I won't get into the details of the upgrades that are needed (and expensive)....their are enough posts on this allready.

4. If you want to go straight,cheap and fast...get a mustang or f-body.....

5. 944 turbo: is a nice choice. Its getting very difficult to find a nice example, but I am sure they are out there. A few simple mods will give you the 300hp at the wheels you want. FORGET the 11 sec 944 turbo. If you want a street driveable car. It will not happen. You will end up dumping 20k for an 11 sec 944 if you are lucky.

[J1NX3D]

Do a search in these forums. This subject has been extensively covered with lots of opinions and viewpoints that im sure the veterans dont want to bring up again.

[mike944]

if you drop in another (read: heavier) engine, you will certainly get quite a bit more accelleration, but the handling will suffer due to the extra weight. Of course you could do work to the suspension to get most of the handling back, but at this point, between the engine conversion, and the suspension work you would have spent a ridiculous amount of money to get this far. Probably way more than you could buy a turbo for.

Anything is possible, but not necessarily economical.

Mike

[Eturbo924]

If you want more power go and find a S2 or 968 3.0L motor. You have 208 or 236Hp starting point then. There are companies that tweak those motors getting 250 to 300hp. This option gives you a reasonably light motor that will bolt into any 1986 and newer 944 or even 924S.

Car will fly! Still not be a 11 sec car likely but will stick with just about anything on the back roads.... though I suggest you save the speed for the track.

Oh and cost. Proper kits to convert to V8 are around $4-5K complete. Cost to get hot S2 or 968 motor will be about the same.

Eric

[scottmandue]

Here you go,

http://www.easyfoto.com/gallery/view?p=999&gid=261571&uid=129677

Be aware this guy admits it was a very expensive conversion.

If you want to go drag racing the most cost effective thing to do is sell the Porsche and buy a Z28 or Firebird etc.

Don't mean to be harsh, just giving you the facts and trying to save you time and money...

and trying to save one 944.

[Brandon85-944]

Thank you so much for that link Scottmandue. That's exactly the type of thing i was looking for....I did do a search on the old topics and came up with some other links...mostly of people putting other porsche enginess in the 944 (ex. 968 eng) and found them to very useful as well. The real motivation behind my drive is the fact that I want that american grunt and to still have my 944.... other people might think it sacrilage but i think it would be defying the norm and would turn out well in the end. I don't have plans to do it to my current 944...I might try and find a shell of one and when i have the money, paint and convert that so as not to upset many people by stripping a perfectly good 944...
I LOVE LINKS...so if any body has any more...please post them...thaks again....

[divezic]

The forte of the 944 is the balance; nearly 50/50. That's how the 944 Turbos run against the lighter and more powerful 911's. The 911's will beat the 944's on the straights, but they have to brake earlier and harder to take the turns. If you stick a small block in the front, you kill the balance and the superior handling of the 944. You will induce a bunch of understeer with the added weight on the front suspension.

If all you want is to eat the rice-burners on the drag strip, go with a bored and blown 455 with a pair of Mickey Thompsons. Although, you'll probably bend the torque tube, eat up the differential, and blow out the CV shafts.

[Brandon85-944]

Thanks for your input Divezic...i'm aware that 944 and 50/50 go together; but i'm sure that with a little effort you could find ways to reduce weight and still maitain the balance....the reason for me pursuing this option is not to burn some ricers ...but have a car that i can call original or not like many others.... Keep up with the input if you'ld like...i love links...
Brandon85-944

[hightek]

The 944 power conundrum has perplexed me greatly. Aside from the obvious choices I have done extensive research into chips, nitrous and all kinds of other performance mods; including superchargers. My '89 944-S2 is currently having the head ripped off and rebuilt. With about $5000 in machine work and race valves etc. I only expect to get about a %20 gain to the wheels. From what everyone tells me, Porsche didn't leave a whole lot of room to improve the car. Just my 2 cents. If you want more links, let me know.

Hightek

[scottmandue]

Brandon

There is a 944 LT1 for sale on ebay right now. Check the thread I started "LT1 guys put up" very interesting.

Scott

[Andre]

there is always the 951 engine into the 44, i dont think it should be TOO hard, hardest part is getting engine, tranny, exhaust, computers, wirring harness, bell housing, clutch, intercooler.....once you have all that, it should bolt right up, all 86 and up cars even have a place to bolt the intercooler on.

[SoCal Driver]

Originally posted by Andre
there is always the 951 engine into the 44, i dont think it should be TOO hard, hardest part is getting engine, tranny, exhaust, computers, wirring harness, bell housing, clutch, intercooler.....once you have all that, it should bolt right up, all 86 and up cars even have a place to bolt the intercooler on.

Seems like it would be easier to just bolt the front fenders, bumper and spoiler from a "regular" 944 onto the front of a 951!

[Magnus_944]

If you want more power and still have a Porsche this might be the right way to walk.

http://www.diateam.no/porsche/

Probably a very $$$$$ way to walk.

//Magnus

[scottmandue]

Originally posted by Magnus_944
If you want more power and still have a Porsche this might be the right way to walk.

http://www.diateam.no/porsche/

Probably a very $$$$$ way to walk.

//Magnus

Hoo Hoo! I'm off to buy lotto tickets

I could do soooo much if I just had a great big pile of money.

[Brandon85-944]

thanks for the link magnus...i had seen that one before....now it's off to find out what the hell that poppin noise is under the front of my car...some balljoint or bearing i assume...she goes up on the stands tommorrow...finally get to run my hands under her skirt again...lol
brando85-944