Momentslater

Hello Everyone, I'm a new here and mostly to 944s. I've done loads of research but I just got my first 944 week.

I picked up a One owner 1986 944 2.5NA with 80000km for $2000CAD in absolutely beautiful condition. The problem with it is I need to rebuild he lower portion of the engine as pervious owner spun a rod bearing. Instead of opting to rebuild the Porsche build 2.5 I've opted to swap in a Ford Ecoboost engine.

I have a unused credit at Ford of $6000. So my options are either:
-2.0 Ecoboost l4 w/ 250hp & 350lbs
Or
-3.5 Twin Turbo Ecoboost v6 w/ 365hp & 420lbs

I would like to go with the v6 but I'm unsure of if it will fit in the engine bay or not.

Will the increased power cause issues with the transmission in the NA? If so what am I looking at upgrading?

All input will be appreciated!

FrenchToast

You would need some dimensions off of the V6. I imagine Ford has some dimensions available especially since they sell a lot of crate engines.

If it is a 90-degree V6 it is unlikely it would fit. Get out your tape measure! The other problem with V-engines is you'd likely need to relocate the brake booster, reservoir, and master cylinder. And you would need some custom headers to get around the steering shaft.

With the I4 you would need to see which side the intake and exhaust is on. If it is flipped in comparison to the stock engine, you've got an issue, largely due to the aforementioned steering shaft. You could investigate flipping the head around, in the unlikely case it is possible! Also, to fit under the hood you may need to slant the engine (like stock), which may have oiling issues if the engine is designed to sit exactly upright.

Hopefully you have a good friend who is a machinist to help you with custom brackets, mounts and adapter plates.

The wiring would be a big task. You'd be rewiring most of the car, but you probably know that.

The I4 would wear out the transmission eventually. It might last a few years in gentle, street conditions. You'd likely want to upgrade to a Turbo box.

The V6 would likely destroy the transmission. It would probably destroy a Turbo transmission too, in which case you should consider the 968 01E six-speed. This necessitates some other changes.

Momentslater

If I remember correctly it is a 60° V6 and ford makes a wiring harness for their crate motors so you don't have to f**k with it, I'd just have to rip most of the old wiring out. My father has a good friend that is willing to fab some engine mounts for me. And I need to get a custom bell housing for whatever I go with. From what you've said it seems the l4 is the better option. How hard is it to convert to the turbos transmission with those coolent lines and all?

FrenchToast

Not all Turbo transmissions have the oil cooler "loop". It doesn't connect to the engine coolant - it only circulates the transmission's own oil.

The transmission is basically plug and play. The cooling loop can sometimes prove to be a space problem if you end up running coilovers in the rear.

Not all Turbo transmissions are the same - some have cooling loops, some have LSD, some have hardened 1/2 gears. The 88 Turbo S and 89 Turbo transmission has them all, and has an "AOR" code on it.

The V6 is worth investigating - many people put SBC's and other V8s in these cars. That said, I think the Ecoboost I4 does offer plenty of power in stock form, the twin-turbo V6 could be a little ridiculous. That Ecoboost V6 is already plenty powerful in the 2+ ton Taurus!

Momentslater

I'll look into the v6 dimensions more but I think I'll go with the l4. It sticks more true to form for the 944 and probably is gonna cause less problems with the trans.

And thanks for that information on transmissions. It's really informative compared to other things Ive read.

snb13

Check out http://944hybrids.forumotion.com

CyCloNe!

Do the v6 either way sounds like a neat project please keep us posted!

ClassicStyle

I'm looking at starting the same type of conversion, and basically wondering about the similar questions, like:
Rotational direction of engine? Is it the same as the 944?
Physical dimensions? (CL of crank to valve cover, CL of crank to bottom of pan, etc)

I know there is an electric assist brake booster that you can buy to replace a vacuum booster. It's a universal application, comes with a 1000 psi pressure reservoir, and is very compact. Not sure if that solves the V6 problem.

I'm also very interested to find out what you accomplish for the bell housing. That seems like the most significant hurdle along with clutch/pressure plate selection. All the rest is wiring and fabrication, which is pretty straight forward stuff.

TheSkywayBridge

My friend has a Ford Focus ST and in his engine bay it's mounted transverse. I know its a fwd but just something to keep in mind.

My first step would be to compare dimensions of the 3.5 to an LS1, which is a decent fit. And consider cooling as that'll probably be the biggest threat to the cute car.

ClassicStyle

With regard to cooling, my own anecdotal information is that I have a little fiberglass kit car using an '00 LS1. It has a 944 Turbo radiator with a 16" aftermarket fan. Seems to keep it cool, but I'm also not running A/C. (a short video of it ).

I've used other radiators in different LS1 applications (a stock Mustang radiator for a '67 mustang/LS1, and a variant on the F-Body camaro radiator in a '74 911 LS1. So long as you ensure your flow is in the correct direction, it seems pretty flexible.

I wish I had the same info for the EcoBoost engines, but I imagine they run a bit hotter.

Momentslater

Sorry for reviving this tread but I thought I'd give an update on this project. I opted for the v6 Ecoboost and it turns out the fit beautifully in the engine bay of a 944. But unfortunately I lost the car when my house and garage burnt down. I had just gotten the engine mocked up in the engine bay and was in the process of pulling out the trans to get it rebuilt. I was planning on using the stock rad with some sort of aftermarket fan. I do plan on getting another 944 and taking this project to completion but that will happen when more money finds it way into my bank account.

Sadly I do not have any pictures as I lost them as well in the fire. Any questions I'll do my best to answer with what I remember.

FrenchToast

That is a shame. Glad to hear you are okay though. Other things can be fixed.

Having ridden in a Taurus SHO I can tell you that a V6 TT in a 944 would make one extremely quick car. You just need to find a spot for the turbos to fit!

Chad Gross

I was curious. I was thinking of using the 2.7 Ecoboost in my 87 944. Did you plan on using the same transmission or use a different one .I was also curious on the suspension

Momentslater

I planned on using the stock trans, maybe getting a turbo trans with LSD later on. Planned on using the stock rad too. The engine is actually around the same weight, if not lighter than stock so any stock suspension components or aftermarket will work fine. I really wish I was able to bring mine to completion, I've been wanting to start again on a new one but it's all budget permitting.

reece146

I've been casually looking at the Duratec 3.0 (60 deg V6) in the Jaguar X-Type and Lincoln LS. I'm not certain of the lineage and if it applies to the rest of the later Duratec V6 engines, but supposedly the AJV6 started life as a Porsche design. This is the engine that is used in the Rocketeer Mazda Miata MX-5 swap. It has a form of VVT and had forced induction added in the Noble M500[sic].

It's "only" 3.0 litres but cams and headers are available as well as aftermarket ECU (bespoke via Rocketeer). Can it be made to make more power than the stock four cylinder? Doubtful. Three litres is three litres and hp/litre is more about engine building skill and displacement than anything.

It's a cheap engine though (car-parts.com @ ~$500) and sings like a proper V6. Might be nice as a novelty sort of build or if you have to have a better sound or want to get into a "cheap" engine platform.

I have no idea how this engine performs on track. There's lots of Rocketeer builds being done though. I expect this time next year we'll now if it has oiling or thermal issues.

JAT