Larry want 2 b Leadfoot
01-22-2002, 01:58 AM
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Larry want 2 b Leadfoot
hi all... excellent articles on this board...
jus got an 81' auto 924...am thinking i the only one on the board who has one??...mmmm...
am very new to the world of cars...let alone porsches and would like to know what can be done with regards to performance, its the australian model 125hpXJ any help would greatly be appreciated!!
have gutted the interior and put low profile wheels and installed a new CD player and sound system, the one thing i can do being a sound engineer...if you need advice on sound jus buzz me..YT Larry want 2 b Leadfoot 
jus got an 81' auto 924...am thinking i the only one on the board who has one??...mmmm...
am very new to the world of cars...let alone porsches and would like to know what can be done with regards to performance, its the australian model 125hpXJ any help would greatly be appreciated!!
have gutted the interior and put low profile wheels and installed a new CD player and sound system, the one thing i can do being a sound engineer...if you need advice on sound jus buzz me..YT Larry want 2 b Leadfoot
01-24-2002, 01:59 PM
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Hey. Glad to see you got one.
Auto tranny
Be forewarned a lot of guys will trash the auto tranny and encourage you to get a stick. When they do, and you want a stick tranny, talk to me. I'll take your auto tranny off your hands and give you mine. I think you'll find the auto tranny is bulletproof, doesn't blow synchros all the time, and will actually give you better 0-60 times than a manual. Not because of anything intrinsic to the tranny, but because you won't 'fret' and 'take your time' in shifting. Grand Nationals put out outstanding 1/4 mile times with auto trannies. (Translation: Keep the auto trans)
Head
I had pretty nice results by porting and polishing the cylinder head, and then matching port output. Matched the gasket diameter to output port diameter; same with intakes.
Cams
Good ones exist at Elgin, and others. I wouldn't get one, because they tend to reduce street drivability. Also, they send out the signal to other drivers that you've got a racer. And believe me, where stop light dragging is concerned, you do not have a racer. You have a handler. So if you like being beaten up by rice boys in WRX's or Hondas, go install a cam and eat their dust regularly on your way to work.
931 Hood
Nice NACA duct cools things down. Pretty too!
Large radiator
Excellent idea. Bitch to install. Cools things down. Once you blow your first head gasket you'll see why.
Electrical system improvement
Worth every penny. Keep thing clean, look for bad grounds. That'll also blow your gasket.
Low temp thermofan switch
Get one. But also get a fail-open, low temperature thermostat. See blown head gasket discussion above.
Wheels
If you don't already have 16" or 17" wheels, get 'em. They're the best handling improvement for the buck. Porsche handling is otherwise outstanding. These Weltmeister kits are just restoring stock performance, and in some cases not even matching it.
Bushings
Stick to stock. Avoid plastic jobs. They don't hold up on the track.
KN Filter
I got one...it was a joke. Go ahead and buy it, everyone else does. It's performance improvement ability is directly proportional to the loudness of the noise...loud things go faster when you're 17 years old.
931 spoiler
Probably reduces drag. I got it for looks. But some say it should decrease the coefficient of drag. Who cares? It looks nice.
Exhaust
The main limiting factor in this car is the head. But improving the exhaust is easy and has payoff. Drop the cat. Dump the smog pump. It's an old car and may not be subject to smog regs. Make a straight pipe. I used stainless. Get a 944-sized exhaust. No bigger.
Shocks
Upgrade your shocks to Koni. Awesome cornering ability. This, combined with your wheels, and you'll be riding on rails. Go as fast as you want...but learn how to drive first.
Driver's Ed
Best performance bang for the buck. Simple.
Airbox mutilation
Dumb idea. Doesn't work. Makes it loud. So what? The main bottleneck in the intake is far up the intake stream, so mutilation doesn't (indeed, cannot possibly) improve performance. But it does make it loud.
High spark coils
Again, it's like the KN filter. You're going to get one anyway, but hey, the economy needs people like that, so go ahead. But it won't actually improve your performance.
Tune up
Always maintains performance at optimal levels. Bad tuning can reduce performance.
Brain boxes
Crane, MSD, Permatune, and others use a digital ignition system that's no better than your stock system. But young guys buy them. Fact: Unless they're altering timing in relation to MAP or MAF, they're just giving nice pretty sparks. In my experience, they're a mess to install and even 924 mechanics hate them with a passion. Go Electromotive if you ever get crazy about performance. They'll hook you up with a system that adjust timing vis. MAP.
HP Costs
Maxim often (not always) true
1. Improvement in HP at some point on the RPM curve results in a decrement in performance elsewhere on the RPM curve.
2. Horsepower costs money. There are no free HP enhancements. People who believe that are, generally, inexperienced. You can however do manual labour and save bucks:
a. Head port and polish work (if you have guts)
b. Intake honing using a dremel or other system to match up gaskets, reduce protrusions in the intake stream, make 'perfect' your throttle body walls, etc.
Good luck!
Auto tranny
Be forewarned a lot of guys will trash the auto tranny and encourage you to get a stick. When they do, and you want a stick tranny, talk to me. I'll take your auto tranny off your hands and give you mine. I think you'll find the auto tranny is bulletproof, doesn't blow synchros all the time, and will actually give you better 0-60 times than a manual. Not because of anything intrinsic to the tranny, but because you won't 'fret' and 'take your time' in shifting. Grand Nationals put out outstanding 1/4 mile times with auto trannies. (Translation: Keep the auto trans)
Head
I had pretty nice results by porting and polishing the cylinder head, and then matching port output. Matched the gasket diameter to output port diameter; same with intakes.
Cams
Good ones exist at Elgin, and others. I wouldn't get one, because they tend to reduce street drivability. Also, they send out the signal to other drivers that you've got a racer. And believe me, where stop light dragging is concerned, you do not have a racer. You have a handler. So if you like being beaten up by rice boys in WRX's or Hondas, go install a cam and eat their dust regularly on your way to work.
931 Hood
Nice NACA duct cools things down. Pretty too!
Large radiator
Excellent idea. Bitch to install. Cools things down. Once you blow your first head gasket you'll see why.
Electrical system improvement
Worth every penny. Keep thing clean, look for bad grounds. That'll also blow your gasket.
Low temp thermofan switch
Get one. But also get a fail-open, low temperature thermostat. See blown head gasket discussion above.
Wheels
If you don't already have 16" or 17" wheels, get 'em. They're the best handling improvement for the buck. Porsche handling is otherwise outstanding. These Weltmeister kits are just restoring stock performance, and in some cases not even matching it.
Bushings
Stick to stock. Avoid plastic jobs. They don't hold up on the track.
KN Filter
I got one...it was a joke. Go ahead and buy it, everyone else does. It's performance improvement ability is directly proportional to the loudness of the noise...loud things go faster when you're 17 years old.
931 spoiler
Probably reduces drag. I got it for looks. But some say it should decrease the coefficient of drag. Who cares? It looks nice.
Exhaust
The main limiting factor in this car is the head. But improving the exhaust is easy and has payoff. Drop the cat. Dump the smog pump. It's an old car and may not be subject to smog regs. Make a straight pipe. I used stainless. Get a 944-sized exhaust. No bigger.
Shocks
Upgrade your shocks to Koni. Awesome cornering ability. This, combined with your wheels, and you'll be riding on rails. Go as fast as you want...but learn how to drive first.
Driver's Ed
Best performance bang for the buck. Simple.
Airbox mutilation
Dumb idea. Doesn't work. Makes it loud. So what? The main bottleneck in the intake is far up the intake stream, so mutilation doesn't (indeed, cannot possibly) improve performance. But it does make it loud.
High spark coils
Again, it's like the KN filter. You're going to get one anyway, but hey, the economy needs people like that, so go ahead. But it won't actually improve your performance.
Tune up
Always maintains performance at optimal levels. Bad tuning can reduce performance.
Brain boxes
Crane, MSD, Permatune, and others use a digital ignition system that's no better than your stock system. But young guys buy them. Fact: Unless they're altering timing in relation to MAP or MAF, they're just giving nice pretty sparks. In my experience, they're a mess to install and even 924 mechanics hate them with a passion. Go Electromotive if you ever get crazy about performance. They'll hook you up with a system that adjust timing vis. MAP.
HP Costs
Maxim often (not always) true
1. Improvement in HP at some point on the RPM curve results in a decrement in performance elsewhere on the RPM curve.
2. Horsepower costs money. There are no free HP enhancements. People who believe that are, generally, inexperienced. You can however do manual labour and save bucks:
a. Head port and polish work (if you have guts)
b. Intake honing using a dremel or other system to match up gaskets, reduce protrusions in the intake stream, make 'perfect' your throttle body walls, etc.
Good luck!
01-25-2002, 08:40 AM
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Unreal.. thats helps me alot...im loving driving the auto..handles sensationally and even better with the 16" rims i put on .Its a real difference from manual in braking though, not being able to gear down, but the brakes are so much better than my old car...
your point on 931 hood is a good one though, have noticed how hot it gets under the hood, one of the mechanics i found cuts intakes for fiberglass hood scoops they make...any particular position u think, left, right, center,i know there is a 931 there i can rip the hood from but its red and would need to repaint coz my cars white,compare costs u think??
They can make me a fiberglass spoiler there too for me.
In relation to the exhaust what was the size of exhaust for the 944 and 931, coz i could rip the 931 exhaust too...
I think ill wait till ive driven for a bit before upgrading suspension, but thats one thing ive heard nothing but good reports on,yellow adjustable ones right??
As for tuning, i was outside today having a go at it for the first time...kinda fun..could adjust using the tacho thanks to eturbo ..but how do you spot the little red dot on the crank...things going round so fast its hard to spot..mines red and small..
Just one other thing in regards to the throttle body walls..did u mean smooth off that little angle on the front of the 36mm intake..file for a funnel shape intake path.. or just keep it clean could you describe what you mean by "perfect" thanks for your help ...Leadfoot
your point on 931 hood is a good one though, have noticed how hot it gets under the hood, one of the mechanics i found cuts intakes for fiberglass hood scoops they make...any particular position u think, left, right, center,i know there is a 931 there i can rip the hood from but its red and would need to repaint coz my cars white,compare costs u think??
They can make me a fiberglass spoiler there too for me.
In relation to the exhaust what was the size of exhaust for the 944 and 931, coz i could rip the 931 exhaust too...
I think ill wait till ive driven for a bit before upgrading suspension, but thats one thing ive heard nothing but good reports on,yellow adjustable ones right??
As for tuning, i was outside today having a go at it for the first time...kinda fun..could adjust using the tacho thanks to eturbo ..but how do you spot the little red dot on the crank...things going round so fast its hard to spot..mines red and small..
Just one other thing in regards to the throttle body walls..did u mean smooth off that little angle on the front of the 36mm intake..file for a funnel shape intake path.. or just keep it clean could you describe what you mean by "perfect" thanks for your help ...Leadfoot
01-29-2002, 04:01 PM
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Yellow Koni's, sure. Better than stock.
I'd stick to the 944 exhaust.
I'd stick to the 931 hood. Making your own is too expensive.
Throttle body - I mean get a dremel and clean off any ledges.
Tuning - Dunno. I don't touch the timing and related crap if at all possible
Try <a href="http://www.924.org" target="_blank">www.924.org</a> - they know all that stuff.
I'd stick to the 944 exhaust.
I'd stick to the 931 hood. Making your own is too expensive.
Throttle body - I mean get a dremel and clean off any ledges.
Tuning - Dunno. I don't touch the timing and related crap if at all possible
Try <a href="http://www.924.org" target="_blank">www.924.org</a> - they know all that stuff.
01-30-2002, 08:48 AM
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cool, think i got all that, thanks for the tips...about to start work again after my holiday break, get those dollars happening for my porsche parts....cheers Leadfoot