turbo s vs. regular turbo motor
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Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Winnipeg MB CAN
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Heys guys, I'm going to go check out a 951 that is for sale in my area, adn the guy says it had a turbo s engine swap done 20000 miles ago, so I was just wondering how to tell the difference between the two upon visual inspection just to make sure hes not blowing smoke up my ***(the price seems lower than it should be). Secondly, is the turbo s motor that much better than the regular turbo motor to begin with, as far as reliabitlity to performance is concerned.... Thanks a bunch guys
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The turbo S motor is nearly identical to the turbo engine. The only differences are minor revisions in the head, and a turbocharger w/a larger turbine wheel/exducer.
The only way to tell for sure if the engine is indeed off a turbo S is the engine code, for the turbo S it should be M52 vs M51 for the regular 944 turbo if I remember correctly.
Ahmet
The only way to tell for sure if the engine is indeed off a turbo S is the engine code, for the turbo S it should be M52 vs M51 for the regular 944 turbo if I remember correctly.
Ahmet
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Originally posted by Ahmet
The only way to tell for sure if the engine is indeed off a turbo S is the engine code, for the turbo S it should be M52 vs M51 for the regular 944 turbo if I remember correctly.
Ahmet
The only way to tell for sure if the engine is indeed off a turbo S is the engine code, for the turbo S it should be M52 vs M51 for the regular 944 turbo if I remember correctly.
Ahmet
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The code is on the block and hould be M44.52. The DME (I think was the same, but the KLR is diferent or vice vera. The turbo would be a K26-8 instead of a K26-6. It's just a bigger hot side. Not much else that I can recall on the 951 vs 951S. Possibly some hose routing under the intake, it varied from year to year but I think the S has the same as the later 951 car? I think the difference in te yuears was when they went to the S spec 951 cars( 89 and up).
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There is not as much difference between the motors as most rumors indicate. The blocks and heads are really the same. There are some slight hose/plumbing routing differences but nothing that makes any significant difference. The real difference is the turbo charger and the DME/KLR mapping to match the upgraded flow characteristics of the turbo.
The reliability and maintenance costs should be relatively the same, since the 30 bhp increase is still well within the design safety margin for the strength of the components. But the 30bhp does show up and a Turbo S is noticeably faster than a plain turbo at speed.
Really the only way to tell for sure is the engine code on the block. It is located as described by others on the top edge of the block right where the head mounts, on the firewall side of the #4 exhaust runner. Its a about a 1x2 inch flat surface and will probably be covered in oil/dirt, so bring a rag to wipe it off. You can see it if you look down by the heater/coolant tube rear hose that runs back to the heater core (between the cam tower and the exhaust manifold). The stamping should read: "M44/52" then a serial number "47J(K)0XXX". The J is for '88, K for '89. I dont think earlier blocks had this ID plate.
The other things that will take a little more effort to check, but are the important items because these are what makes the additional bhp (in case a turbo S block was used to rebuild a standard turbo motor/components):
1) the turbo S K26/8 will have a blue data plate on the compressor housing and the part number will read "951 123 131 03". The regular K26/6 is an 02, but some of them do not have a 951xxx part number on the data plate. All of them just say "K26", not /6 or /8. You have to remove the airbox to get a look at the date plate on the lower side of the compressor outlet housing. You wont be able to tell the difference between the two types of turbos without looking at the data plate.
2) The DME will have a label on the cover PN 951 618 121 09 and the KLR is 951 618 113 09. I think the earlier standard turbos are 05 or 03 or something... The labels of course are on the back side of the units when installed, so they have to be removed from the floor mounting to easily read.
The reliability and maintenance costs should be relatively the same, since the 30 bhp increase is still well within the design safety margin for the strength of the components. But the 30bhp does show up and a Turbo S is noticeably faster than a plain turbo at speed.
Really the only way to tell for sure is the engine code on the block. It is located as described by others on the top edge of the block right where the head mounts, on the firewall side of the #4 exhaust runner. Its a about a 1x2 inch flat surface and will probably be covered in oil/dirt, so bring a rag to wipe it off. You can see it if you look down by the heater/coolant tube rear hose that runs back to the heater core (between the cam tower and the exhaust manifold). The stamping should read: "M44/52" then a serial number "47J(K)0XXX". The J is for '88, K for '89. I dont think earlier blocks had this ID plate.
The other things that will take a little more effort to check, but are the important items because these are what makes the additional bhp (in case a turbo S block was used to rebuild a standard turbo motor/components):
1) the turbo S K26/8 will have a blue data plate on the compressor housing and the part number will read "951 123 131 03". The regular K26/6 is an 02, but some of them do not have a 951xxx part number on the data plate. All of them just say "K26", not /6 or /8. You have to remove the airbox to get a look at the date plate on the lower side of the compressor outlet housing. You wont be able to tell the difference between the two types of turbos without looking at the data plate.
2) The DME will have a label on the cover PN 951 618 121 09 and the KLR is 951 618 113 09. I think the earlier standard turbos are 05 or 03 or something... The labels of course are on the back side of the units when installed, so they have to be removed from the floor mounting to easily read.