'88 944 N/A Performance Upgrades

[jjumpthegun]

Hi everyone, I love driving me 944 around, but hate losing stop light races to rusted out corollas Does anyone know a few ways I can make my car a little faster without spending an ungodly sum of money?
I heard that people like buying 944 engines for baja/off road builds, it seems a little far out but some day I want to sell the engine and buy a 951 or a small-block 8, could selling off my engine provide some cash to buy another motor? Any advice or help is greatly appreciated, thanks.

[9FF]

Originally Posted by jjumpthegun

....some day I want to sell the e̶n̶g̶i̶n̶e̶ 944 and buy a 951...

Fixed it for you.

[jjumpthegun]

Yeah, I should have, but it is slim pickings where I am at. And I it is in a decent condition for the $2,000 I paid for it

[9FF]

Originally Posted by jjumpthegun

Yeah, I should have, but it is slim pickings where I am at. And I it is in a decent condition for the $2,000 I paid for it

Thing is you won’t get much for a running 944 engine, $500 maybe, and to swap a V8 or 951 engine into a 944 chassis will cost you $15-20k. People will tell you that you can do it cheaper but they will have cut corners. You need to upgrade the 944 suspension, brakes, wheels, tires, cooling system, transmission and drivetrain to handle the extra power from a higher performance engine.

[PHillary]

Its a lot you can do for cheap or not that much to help you out with the corollas and soccer moms, add a HP Chip (Maxhp-Russell Berry), short shifter (944 online), throttle wheel (Rennline), locally made custom cat back exhaust ($250-$300),new cam (Web-Cam-not that cheap), bigger injectors, and switch to a MAF Intake and piggyback ecu (the most expensive suggestion) and overtime all of those things will help you out with bottom end performance or off the line performance. Other than that, might as well sell it then add some more cash to get you a Turbo.

[DannoXYZ]

Yeah, most effective upgrades start on inside of engine:

- big bore high-compression pistons
- stroker crank
- bigger valves

That's worth +50-80 bhp. Way, way more than all bolt-ons combined!

[9FF]

Originally Posted by PHillary

Its a lot you can do for cheap or not that much to help you out with the corollas and soccer moms, add a HP Chip (Maxhp-Russell Berry), short shifter (944 online), throttle wheel (Rennline), locally made custom cat back exhaust ($250-$300),new cam (Web-Cam-not that cheap), bigger injectors, and switch to a MAF Intake and piggyback ecu (the most expensive suggestion) and overtime all of those things will help you out with bottom end performance or off the line performance. Other than that, might as well sell it then add some more cash to get you a Turbo.

Originally Posted by DannoXYZ

Yeah, most effective upgrades start on inside of engine:

- big bore high-compression pistons
- stroker crank
- bigger valves

That's worth +50-80 bhp. Way, way more than all bolt-ons combined!

Yep, you can do all the external mods that @PHillary stated but it still won’t get you close to the power that the stock Euro 944 came with from the factory mainly due to higher compression pistons like @DannoXYZ said.

[v2rocket_aka944]

MAF kit, throttle cam, and 4 degree offset cam key will bring any US NA to Euro level of power ~160hp/160tq on 91 gas.

Nobody knows how good any of the cams are, just butt dyno information.

Compression is worth a little bit but is a lot of trouble to gain by swapping pistons.

[v2rocket_aka944]

Originally Posted by DannoXYZ

Yeah, most effective upgrades start on inside of engine:

- big bore high-compression pistons
- stroker crank
- bigger valves

That's worth +50-80 bhp. Way, way more than all bolt-ons combined!

50hp, maybe if you made a 3.0L NA.

[9FF]

Originally Posted by v2rocket_aka944

MAF kit, throttle cam, and 4 degree offset cam key will bring any US NA to Euro level of power ~160hp/160tq on 91 gas....

The throttle cam adds zero hp as does the offset cam, so which MAF kit adds 20hp power and 20Nm torque?

[jcommin]

9ff has the best answer - That is the cheapest way to increase hp on your Porsche.

I have been on the forum for over 10 years and this subject frequently comes up. The throttle cam and short shift won't increase hp. If you have a early 944, removing the chip isn't easy either. If you have a later car, the chip is easily removed.

There have been a couple of owners who have done a LS engine swap. The best story is by Techno Duck. He did a fantastic job on a conversion and spent north of $20K. He later sold the car to pursue other car projects. Do a search on this forum and it will show up.

The easiest upgrades to a NA is upgrading braking and handling. Add the throttle cam and shifter, you will a very nice handling car. You will be able to beat those rusty Corollas in the turns.

[PHillary]

Yeah should have stated the throttle wheel and short shifter doesn't give you added hp....it just makes the cars feel more responsive/or quicker if you will in the low rpm ranges of the cars launch from stand still. And of course I know upgrading the pistons and shaving the head and what not will give you way more hp but it's not cheap and that's what the OP asked of us....what is cheap...and I listed all of the stuff that came to mind for cheap....under 1500. And some think 1500 is too much to spend...so I guess it all depends on your definition of cheap!

[v2rocket_aka944]

Originally Posted by 9FF

The throttle cam adds zero hp as does the offset cam, so which MAF kit adds 20hp power and 20Nm torque?

Mike maybe you missed my thread years ago actually dyno testing lots of things.

Rogue MAF and 4* offset key set to advanced makes 160 hp on an early 944, otherwise stock US 9.5:1 long block and exhaust.

[9FF]

Originally Posted by v2rocket_aka944

Mike maybe you missed my thread years ago actually dyno testing lots of things.

Rogue MAF and 4* offset key set to advanced makes 160 hp on an early 944, otherwise stock US 9.5:1 long block and exhaust.

Nope I didn’t see that, I only saw what Josh @ Roguetuning dynoed using his MAF and a 4* offset key. So the key doesn’t add hp, it just moves it to a more useable (lower) range for street driving, and with the MAF Josh claimed a 5-10% increase. I remember thinking at the time that the combination of MAF & key was still way short of a stock 10.6:1cr engine. I’ll look up your post.

Blue = stock US spec baseline
Red = MAF + Key
Difference ~ 10% (US - Euro > 10%)
US spec with MAF + key is iro 10hp @crank short of Euro spec 10.6:1cr engine.

[v2rocket_aka944]

I got 136whp, he got 132.

I concede using the 15% drivetrain loss, but that puts me at 160 and Josh at 155, ok a little shy.

But damn does it transform the car.

Stock vs advanced and MAF.

[9FF]

I guess for the op the “cheapest” power increase option is the Rogue MAF kit. As others have said the 4* key, throttle cam and short-shift kit will make the car more responsive though they don’t add any power. Add a good tune including new plugs, leads, coil, rotor and cap plus replace those old factory vacuum hoses and get your injectors cleaned and balanced. All that should not be more than $1k, which I suppose is not that cheap seeing as you paid $2k for the car. Though you still won’t be winning any races against teens in their old Toyotas or soccer mums in their vans, for that you’ll need to buy a 951 or at least an S2/968.

[v2rocket_aka944]

The offset key DOES add peak power.
AND moves that power curve lower down.

I don't remember right now but i want to say it was 5-7whp on its own.

[9FF]

Originally Posted by v2rocket_aka944

The offset key DOES add peak power.
AND moves that power curve lower down.

I don't remember right now but i want to say it was 5-7whp on its own.

Yes understood, I finally got around to reading your old posts on the offset cam testing

[grendiers]

Unless you're willing to drop the clutch at the green light, soccer Mom vans will still beat a 951 in the short term! I have a low mileage '89 951, chipped, blah, blah, blah, and still marvel at the lack of response in it. However, after a few feet, buh bye.