SonyGuy

I heard the discussion on V-8 conversions and I can see where people are coming from when they say that it isn't really right to put an american motor in a foreign car, but what about an Aluminum Block V-8? It would be really lite compared to a regular V-8 and still have a lot of power. I know they cost an arm and a leg though. Direct from GM is about $4800 dollars.

Tim

Tabor

There is one on ebay right now. LS1 Current bid is $105.01. You can "buy it now" for $2,299.00

Personally, I don't see how this makes it any less of a sacralidge to put an american engine in a german car. But at the same time it never bothered me. I just didn't want pushrods in my car (my own little religion).

Personally, we already have american engines in our car! GM developed EFI and co-developend the Rynolds aluminum block that we have in our cars.

SonyGuy

eBay is where I found an aluminum block for sale. In the auction description for the LS1, it says the total crated weight of the engine is 420 pounds. So minus the crate, how much do you think it weighs compared to a regular 944na engine? I wouldn't have anything against putting a GM engine in my Porsche.

Tim

Untier

unfortunately there is NO kit for a LS1, makes it tougher to install

Tabor

adie did the conversion without the kit. He said it was easy. As for what the engine weighs, I posted that in the "944s2 with chevy 383" thread. The answer I found at More Chevy Engine info was 460lbs with all accessories and exhaust manifords.

Super Space Monkey

1989 2.7L 944 engine is 366lbs Per factory workshop manuals. +26% is lot of additional weight to add on the front of the car. So no, a V8 is not lighter than a 944 engine, and yes it will upset the balance of your car.

Super Space Monkey

Oh yeah, the cast iron V8 Block weighs 100lbs more that the LS-1 Alluminum block, so now your at 560lbs +53%!!!! But if all you want is straight line acceleration?

Tabor

1. If a 1989 944 NA engine is 377, what does that include? Because the 460 figure includes exhaust manifold and alternator (I believe). And the exhaust manifold is known to be very heavy (it is cast iron), so replace it with some light headers.

2. What is the weight of a 951 with all the turbo hardware? intercooler, turbo, piping, etc. Does anybody have this info?

3. Stock our cars have a slight rear weight bias. Less than 1% of the cars weight, but it is still there.

4. I read an interesting article about weight bias once that went into great depth about how a car should have a slight weight bias towards the oposite end of the car as the drive wheels.

5. Slap some carbon fibre on the front of your car!

JonM..

1. Don't confuse the bias with the distribution which can be changed with counter balancing. Counter balancing does not change bias accross the center of the car when seen laterally.

2. Turbo engine with all additional exhaust and plumbing is +110lbs. But remember the weights for those V8's is with the headers only, not the complete exhaust so it's hard to keep a apples to apples comparison when you want to add the complete turbo exhaust. Also turbo intake plumbing is very light, almost all the weight comes from the exhaust which is primarily low, and behind the front wheel centerline. And you don't have to do a conversion, and lose the value of your car.

3. Carbon fiber is expensive, and it seems the people who want to do a V8 conversion do so because they don't have enough money to do it right with a turbo. The carbon nose weighs within 1 lbs of the stock nose (both w/ fog lights). So you can really only change the Fenders and hood. Now the hood although GTracing claims weighs 79lbs actually only weighed 43 when I weighed mine-89TS (they claim 12 lbs for their carbon unit). Sorry don't know about the fenders. But it probably won't make up for even the AU V8 let alone the cast-iron.

4. So instead of spending money on A)a V8 B) The conversion kit C) the time and hassel D) the suspension and brakes you will now NEED to upgrade E)Carbon body work F) destroy you cars resale value G) the multiple transaxles and half-shafts you will break (and thus spend more money on)... Just buy and modify a turbo...or buy a cobra kit car (that would be cool, and probably faster than a 944T in a straight line). I mean I'm just confused by the V8 conversion supporters, why not the cobra, or a lotus seven with a v8? Now that would be a rocket! Of course the ultimate would be ERA's GT-40, Yeah baby!

But this "cut and paste" conversion stuff is getting really old.

Tabor

JonM: The 951 half shafts are the same as the 944 NA ones. So you will have problems here either way.

I never said the V-8 conversion was a good idea, I just said it wasn't as bad as people precieved it to be. I live in Portland, OR. Around here you can pick up '83 944s for $1,500. These are ones that run, good! So I am not worried about resale value.

Also, depending on who you talk to, the 951 transaxle will not take more that 350hp anyway, so if you go past that, you will need change the transaxle to a 915 (AKA "snailshell") anyway.

I don't concider brakes/suspension to be a problem since I was not satisfied with the stock brakes/suspension on my '87 NA with the 150Hp engine in it.

MAS

What about the transmission/clutch for a 350 in a 944? I assume that to do the conversion properly, a much stronger clutch/tranny combo should be used (at least with an N/A 944).

Again, when this topic came up in the RX7 forums, the pro-V8 people were talking about using a 350 in a second gen RX7 with a GM automatic. The critics pointed out that the weight of the GM automatic housing (and related components) added quite a lot the the weight the car... and that this was often not mentioned when the weight of 350 was discussed.

-MAS

Dave

Whoa!!!! The thought of trying to install a TH350 in the back of a 944 just ruined my appetite