944 S3 = FUN
10-27-2004, 01:00 AM
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944 S3 = FUN
Well, today was the day. I was finally able to drive Argento. It is a great car (alot of odds/ends things to finish up, cosmetics, etc) and I think I will hang on to it for a while.
HOWEVER....
I need to find a used 968 muffler. The 3" straight pipe to the SFR 3" exhaust sounds awesome at idle, but is just WAY WAY WAY too loud for street driving. Like, ridiculously loud. I'm driving around Orlando and back to Melbourne, trying to keep the RPMs under 3000. Although I'm getting plenty of looks (not dirty looks).
The throttle response isn't there. It seems as though when I punch it, it is gasping for air. I think that also has something to do with the 3" free flowing exhaust (may be a bit much). I'm going to put a 3" cat in there and see if that muffles it a bit, and if it doesn't, then the 968 muffler will go in there.
When I popped the hood and increase the throttle quickly from the actual throttle cable, I can hear a serious sucking noise (not like anything I've heard with the 944), as though it isn't getting nearly enough air. And because of that noise, it seems the throttle response isn't there.
However, "launching" from 2000 RPM is a blast. It runs through the gears and you don't know how quick it is until you look down at the speedo. And fortunately, on the way home I drove by one of those Sheriff office "Your Speed" machines, and my speedo is right on (a problem if you go with the 968 tranny in this conversion).
Speedo works, tach works, all gauges work. My water temp stays below the second line (the halfway line), as it did with the 2.7L. Which makes me feel good, because I could not use the 968 radiator in there as it would not fit (also, I didn't really try because my 944 radiator was practically brand new). It cools great.
The gearing is great, but with this loud exhaust, a 6th gear would come in handy so I wouldn't have to travel down the road sounding slightly rice at a relatively high RPM at 65 MPH or so. But ce la vie. It doesn't sound rice -- it sounds like the American Le Mans Series at VIR in October.
Seriously though, not quite that loud, but very strong sounding.
I'll be updating the website with the final chapter (hopefully) and some more pics. Maybe if I'm lucky a video or two.
Thanks for all your help. I can't believe I'm actually driving Argento again and that it's powered by a 968 engine. That's something that I've wanted to do since I got my 924S when I was 17, and it's great to actually have it sitting in the garage, able to move [quickly] under it's own power.
Regards,
Matt
HOWEVER....
I need to find a used 968 muffler. The 3" straight pipe to the SFR 3" exhaust sounds awesome at idle, but is just WAY WAY WAY too loud for street driving. Like, ridiculously loud. I'm driving around Orlando and back to Melbourne, trying to keep the RPMs under 3000. Although I'm getting plenty of looks (not dirty looks).
The throttle response isn't there. It seems as though when I punch it, it is gasping for air. I think that also has something to do with the 3" free flowing exhaust (may be a bit much). I'm going to put a 3" cat in there and see if that muffles it a bit, and if it doesn't, then the 968 muffler will go in there.
When I popped the hood and increase the throttle quickly from the actual throttle cable, I can hear a serious sucking noise (not like anything I've heard with the 944), as though it isn't getting nearly enough air. And because of that noise, it seems the throttle response isn't there.
However, "launching" from 2000 RPM is a blast. It runs through the gears and you don't know how quick it is until you look down at the speedo. And fortunately, on the way home I drove by one of those Sheriff office "Your Speed" machines, and my speedo is right on (a problem if you go with the 968 tranny in this conversion).
Speedo works, tach works, all gauges work. My water temp stays below the second line (the halfway line), as it did with the 2.7L. Which makes me feel good, because I could not use the 968 radiator in there as it would not fit (also, I didn't really try because my 944 radiator was practically brand new). It cools great.
The gearing is great, but with this loud exhaust, a 6th gear would come in handy so I wouldn't have to travel down the road sounding slightly rice at a relatively high RPM at 65 MPH or so. But ce la vie. It doesn't sound rice -- it sounds like the American Le Mans Series at VIR in October.
Seriously though, not quite that loud, but very strong sounding.I'll be updating the website with the final chapter (hopefully) and some more pics. Maybe if I'm lucky a video or two.
Thanks for all your help. I can't believe I'm actually driving Argento again and that it's powered by a 968 engine. That's something that I've wanted to do since I got my 924S when I was 17, and it's great to actually have it sitting in the garage, able to move [quickly] under it's own power.
Regards,
Matt
10-27-2004, 02:04 AM
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Glad to hear it all worked out ok. I'm really sorry I didn't get back to you on the DME issue a while back... what was the problem in the end?
Surprisingly enough, I went through two "Your Speed" radar checks recently too... tried to keep both at 45 indicated. The first showed 44mph, the second said 46... seems like our speedo's are pretty accurate at reasonable speeds. Good deal
Surprisingly enough, I went through two "Your Speed" radar checks recently too... tried to keep both at 45 indicated. The first showed 44mph, the second said 46... seems like our speedo's are pretty accurate at reasonable speeds. Good deal
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10-27-2004, 03:18 AM
#11
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Great news! I'm glad to hear all your hard work finally paid off! One day we'll have to a 968 conversion get-together. 
10-27-2004, 04:40 AM
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Amazing Matt! Sounds SO cool...it must be a thrill to drive, and is what all us NA owners have wanted..."if only my NA had just a bit more 'oomph'!" Well, you did it.
I really want to see all the pics and even video if possible, and/or a sound byte. You've documented it so well thus far, finish it off with a bang!
I really want to see all the pics and even video if possible, and/or a sound byte. You've documented it so well thus far, finish it off with a bang!
10-27-2004, 05:33 AM
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Congrats!! Sorry, couldn't provide more help and info, Been busy with allot of personall stuff. Did you ever get ahold of Chriss C. from what used to be Technodyne? I'm about at the point now where I'm considering going into debt to force some air into mine. I get the same sucking sound from mine, but not sure if its the same or as bad as you speak of... Good luck and have fun!
10-27-2004, 10:34 AM
#15
A 3" exhaust is a little big for an N/A engine. The enigne won't get the backpressure it needs from an exhaust that big. You can probably sell the SFR exhaust on the board to a turbo owner though. Turbos require less backpressure and that would be why they seem to use a bigger diameter pipe. The SFR system - did you say that was cat-back with a straight pipe, or are you running a muffler with it? I have the 2.5 SFR coming hopefully next week, so I'm pumped about that, but wondering how looud it will be.