docwyte

Why put all this time, effort and money into a swap that makes less than a stock 951 motor makes? If you're then going to spend even more on a turbo setup for the VR6, that makes even less sense.

If you need to be "that guy" who does everything differently, go with the 1.8T, 2.0T or the older 2.2 5 cylinder audi motor.

Personally I'd just do an LS1/LS3 and call it a day.

roman944

Audi/VW 1.8T is definitely worth looking at

if it were me, I would look into the 2.0T's though

would be sick to see a 2.7T V6 from B5 S4 or C5 A6 in a 944 though

still, you can't beat performance/reliability of a LS1/x

Potomac-Greg

I think we've established here that the LS__ swap is much easier said than done. If you want to replicate all the original functionality (power breaks, steering, a/c) you need to spend a lot of money.

And yes, a 250 HP VW 1.8 or 2.0 would result in similar performance to a 944 Turbo. I don't have a 944 Turbo, so that would be a good thing. And it's not a 25 year old turbo.

docwyte

Yes, the LS swap isn't a connect two wires and you're done, but the path has already been forged. There's an instruction manual and all the necessary parts to do the swap are commercially available.

Not so with the VR6 or 1.8/2.0T's. Guarantee you'll spend more money swapping either of those into the car vs an LS1.

Also, you'd rather dump copious amounts of cash into a NA 944 vs selling it and buying a 951? You think it'll be more reliable with a custom engine swap than what the factory did, even if it's 25 years old?

theedge

Its those evil hateful plastic coolant pipes.

My VR6 is at 240k km, but is quite clacky. Probably a valve knowing my luck.

Cole

951 can be plenty reliable in this HP range. (unless it's Docwyte's car)


My vote would be A) buy 951. B) LS1 swap (or A+B) C) Swap in a TDI, then at least you would have something totally different. 50mpg, and plenty of power when modified.

docwyte

You know, I'd be upset if it wasn't true.

Car is apart again, turbo blew. It's back at Vitesse getting rebuilt. Just talked to him in fact, bearings, seals, and turbine wheel/shaft are getting replaced.

purple_rado

i loved my vr6 corrado. very unique sounding car under throttle, but there was a reason i sold that car. the motor being the biggest. my vote is an LS1 swap.

FRporscheman

v8s are not easy to swap in. The 944 is not made for a v8. There are lots of sacrifices and/or compromises you would have to make.

A 1.8t seems puny and not worthwhile, but consider this. Everyone would just do a 951 swap if it was more reliable and less finicky. The 1.8t is just another 4-cyl turbo, but no balance shafts (leaks, belt issues, vibrations), no alusil, no oil pickup tube cracks, no freestanding cylinders that move, no cracked ceramic port liners, no melting AOS, cheaper and more diverse aftermarket.... etc.

In the end, a v8 is more reliable at 500hp. But the 1.8t can still dish it out better than a 951 motor, and it requires less molestation to the car than a v8.




I have never had an audi 5cyl, but I would love to. My audi 90 has a v6 and I wish it was a 5cyl.

ZR8ED

How about some perspective from one of those "guys" who does everything differently, there are some serious things to consider when forging new or at a minium lightly treaded/ undocumented ground. This is the world that I know and live (Datsun Z car world)

I did a particularly rare/undocumented swap, with no known sources for documentation/help. It took months of planning, sourcing parts, hand fabricating parts, lots of measuring and remeasuring. I'm not talking about a hack job back yard swap, I mean a swap that will be reliable, "easy" to work on, and fully superior to the original engine/driveline.

After all that hard work, the swap is functional, looks good (not show quality, but at least a factory type purposeful quality look) I easliy make 3 times the stock power, but what it cost in time/labour/parts, I could have had a 700+hp 6spd v8 with enough money left over to have fun upgrading other parts of the car.

The main reason behind engine/driveline swaps is either to "be different" or to put in a more reliable/available/easier to work on/tech support/aftermarket upgrade support. (or any combination there of) That is where companies like "Jags that Run" came from. They swapped readily available powerplants with huge aftermarket support, into exotic/foreign cars that had comparitively rare engines.
My VG30ET swap (late model 300zxt) into a First gen 280Z I know I know this is a Porsche forum, but this is where my experience originates.

ktel

I think that the VW Group 1.8T has also serious timing belt issues...

docwyte

ZR8ED, you just proved my point about putting an LS1 vs a VR6 in. Don't spend tons of cash, effort and time to put in a motor that's
#1 Unreliable
#2 Doesn't make very much power
#3 Doesn't have a large, cheap source of aftermarket parts

The LS1 is reliable, makes tons of power and has a large source of cheap parts. The VR6 doesn't. The 1.8T is a great motor, but again, lots of time will have to go into making it work in our cars.

Tovrin

There is bound to be a good reason for this, but I have never heard anyone talk about putting a 928 V8 in a 944, seems to me that it would be a good choice, but I'm far from being a mechanic.

Geldfalle 944

Limited HP for the effort. The LS1 has more horse and potential.

rgs944

I think about 250HP is all I would want to put into a 944 gear box anyway.