LS1Porch

Oh boy, here comes Mr. 120mph in the 1/4 mile, can't imagine anything faster than that.

As for the swap, is it worth it?
I would say no, and in the case of an LT1 or SBC, definitely NO.

Reliability is awesome. I daily drive mine and have yet to have any issues that i didn't create. Power is awesome. Sound is fantastic. So why "no"? Because there's much more to it than an engine swap. You're going to need to address the brakes, the steering, the air conditioning, and a lot more.

If you have a great running 944 right now and you rely on it in any way, i'd leave it alone. If you can afford to pay someone to do the swap, or if you have a second car and you don't mind turning your 944 into a project, then by all means do the swap. Otherwise, i'd probably just recommend buying a Corvette.

blown 944

No, I need these boys to show some respect and stop dissing on the little 4banger. Just because you can't make one run right, doesn't mean it can 't be done.

We'll see if there are any takers.... I may sweetin' the offer even more. Shoot there's even a claimed 425 hp ls car in town here...easy money so you'd think

blown 944

At this eleveation there aren't too many cars that are...

Well your LS car certainly isn't one of them

You're in NM I'll even drive down there!!!

hopps

So, I can understand people talking about the reliability (and easily available parts) of an LSx motor, but what about a 300ish hp turbo? What is the threshold for the turbo motor. I could be talking out of my *** here, but there are members here who push 300-400hp with a turbo, yes? Could some of them chime in on daily driver reliability? Could/Would it do a 3000mile trip cross country?

What are the plans the OP has for the car? Track car? Daily driver? Don't get me wrong, a LSx swap would be cool. But it's been done. In everything. You could find an old dodge caravan with a LSx swap in it if you looked hard enough. But a built turbo engine? I have always thought those were pretty B.A. even if it didn't produce the same numbers as an LSx. It's your car, if you care about numbers, than choose the engine that would give you the most (TT LT1 lol).

V2Rocket

there's a junkyard a mile and a half from my house that will sell a running 5.3 with a 90-day parts warranty for $450...so tempting.

Cole

Most of the reliability problems you see are due to neglected and poorly modded cars.

odurandina

yes. good swap = monster. and the worst of them seem to have mostly, been those LT1 swaps.



i thought this was a thread about LS vs LT....




really wish this was the roots you had taken.

i think your ambitious project is going to be something very fun until something blows up.

like the engine. cuz you got a lead foot. just sayin.'

V2Rocket

i would love to just dump a vortec into there but with the laws of CA it is questionable legally. i even talked to the CARB people and told them i could buy a vortec, punch it out to accept a complete LS1 rotating assembly, put LS1 heads, intake, manifolds, emissions, computer, everything on it. the only difference between engines would be block material. they said that would be illegal because the block was still a truck part.

only option is to maybe find a bare LS1 block and a vortec and make a frankenstein motor. i have at least one more year in CA, so maybe then...

i still would sort of rather put a northstar into the 944 though...they have some big potential and aren't really much more expensive than an LS.

odurandina

find a Rennlister in Nevada and reg it there.

btw, years ago i registered a car in California using my mass address and had to only pass emissions once.

after that, it was exempt. and kept that registration for like, 14 years.


car ? '79 Chevy Malibu. engine ? after passing emissions, i dropped in a Chrysler 440....

installed a .229 diff in there... the longest gear GM made for the cars.

good for 125 mph at 3,600 rpm. and had no problem getting up to 145 mph... (used to drive 90~110 mph all day across the desert).


yeah, them CA emissions really bit me in the *** !

LS1Porch

I'm very familiar with elevation, thank you. The track in Albuquerque regularly tops 8500ft DAs, and there are a LOT of LS cars and others that run more than 120mph. You should check it out sometime, it might keep you from sounding like you don't know what you're talking about.

I didn't build my car for drag racing. I have $12k into it including purchase price and i'm near 400 rear-wheel-dead-reliable-horsepower (RWDRHP). I change the spark plugs and change the oil. How much money have you poured into yours?

blown 944

I have around 8-9 grand into the whole car. I've put around 10k miles on it since the build and about 60 passed down the strip.

I am also very familiar with what it takes to run over 120. Either a nitrous LS or a supercharged LS. Zo6 cars run around 115 if that for the most part.

blown 944

Also since you seem to be talking a little smack about how badass your ride is why don't you take me up on my offer? I'll drive down there and we'll go for a grand.... Roll on would even be better LOL...

Too much talk and not enough action.....

MAGK944

Your comparing engines 20+ years apart and a DE built engine to a US built one. LSx is a much newer, US motor (read modern technology and cheaper parts). US parts are always going to be cheaper than DE parts.

I've owned one of my na's since new (1986) apart from oil/filter/belt/plug changes it never needed any engine work until 177k miles. Clutch was changed at 96k miles (rubber center) and that replacement clutch is still in there. Valve guide oil seals changed at 177k miles and did the AOS seals at the same time. Never had the sump off. Obviously all the rubber hoses have been replaced over time but really it's been very cheap motoring.

BTW top end of the engine showed no wear, head was straight, few carbon deposits. Brad Penn/Kendall 20W-50 every 10k miles and I drive it hard but never raced.

My 996 bought new in 2000 and now with 80k+ miles has only had the coolant tank replaced. Apart from servicing its cost me very little, so cheap motoring in my books. It also looks new inside and out. By comparison my friends 2002 corvette (similar mileage) looks like a 10 year old car, interior is worn, paint is dulling and he has spent a fair bit more than me in repairs

hacker-pschorr

No you don't.

When the V8 guys gang pile on a thread about building a monster 4-banger I try to keep it civil and on target.

This thread is no different.

So what if they 'dis the four cylinder in a thread about doing V8 swaps. When one of these guys jumps into your thread and starts dog piling your project, let me know.

This thread is about discussing the various V8 swaps. Quite different than the usual "V8 vs 4-banger" threads. There are plenty of those you can bump up and stake your claim. Until then, just leave this one alone.

Ok?

On that note....I would love to see someone drop a BMW V8 into a 944. Granted that kind of defeats the purpose of a simple, basic, powerful transplant. An M5 engine in a 944 would be fun (some reason I think this has been done already, cannot find it).

blown 944

Really, read the fourth line of the OP....

I'm done being an *** about it. Just an fyi, I truly love LS engines. I've built quite a few, however, to continue to bash on the original engine repeatedly as Odora.., and others have done these last years gets old. So I have no problem calling them out about it.

I'll leave it at a friendly wager....