svtlrtls

Hi Listers,

I've read general comments in printed material and on the internet and I'm hoping that the collective experience on this board can point me in the right direction to find the definitive answer - as I was unable to find a topic/post in the forums.

What's the difference between North American vs Japanese vs European spec 944 Turbos?

I've read that Japanese spec turbos have
- different running lights
- different rear bumpers
- different driving lights

However, I've not be able to find specifics about:
- Japanese models the same ride height as European turbos (about an inch lower than North American models). How is this accomplished? (different spring length/different perch/strut mount ??)

- higher cylinder compression ratio than European and North American models

FYI: I have a 1988 Japanese model with, left hand drive, no air bags, no ABS, sunroof delete.

I would appreciate it if folks could point me to some documentation on the differences between the models.

Lorax

Looks the same as a euro car to me, just from that pic. Probably has euro foglights, and I see a euro rear bumper peeking out there.

milani

I don't believe that North American Turbos have running lights - it certainly wasn't a requirement between 1986 and 1989. Otherwise, besides what was mentioned above, based on that picture, it has different reflectors (on the side, in front of the door). There isn't much published information on the differences between regions. I believe that the only differences would be factory tuning, I am not aware of fundamentally different suspension options between North America, Europe, and Japan. I also wasn't aware of compression ratio differences between regions. I'm not sure I believe that either, but I still have a lot of research to do about non-North American spec vehicles, so I could be wrong.

CPR

they are just a bit more ricey, that is all

Luis de Prat

Some European 944 Turbos were cabriolets.

V2Rocket

they came from the factory with sake injection

OntarioTurbo

I have a copy of the "944 turbo Information Technik" manual (put out for the service managers) and it says "Only one type of engine will be employed worldwide and it will use either leaded or unleaded gasoline with a minimum octane rating of RON 96 / MON 86." So it looks like the only difference for North American cars as far as the engine goes is the exhaust (cat). I can't, however, find any info on ride heights etc. The extra repeater lights in the fenders were the same as the euro cars. Ours are integrated into the sides of the one-piece front bumper. The airbags were standard on the US cars as of
'87, but optional in other markets.

Olli Snellman

That's not the whole story. Function are totally different. US models bumber installed lights are side markers, which have been mandatory on US market since 1968. Euro models have front fender installed blinkers, which imho are for totally different function compared to side markers.
Most differences on these two models are light differences. Back lights has different arrangements, also you have in front blingers all the time lights which euro models does not have, our parking lights are installed into foglight units which also have extra beam which you do not have. Also euro models have rear foglights which you do not have. US models have third brake light which euro ones miss.
Your cars have different rear bumper with raised rear suspension which was done by different rear torsion bar indexing. Engines are the same, only different programs in DME box, after all also some states in the USA (like CA) had different program than the rest of the states. Also Japan, Sweden & Switerland had different DME programs installed. These programs were selected by usinging different area code plugs. Different plugs & codes has been explained in WSM. 1986-1987 US models had different gearing in their transmissions, from 1988 all market areas shared the same gearing.Models have some minor differences as well, for example euro models does not have that idiotic "Gong-relay" installed. Air bags were never standard, they were only available as an option.

Rock

Olli is right.

I think the ROW engines also didnt use 02 sensors, but Im not 100 percent on that one.

The USA gets the shaft on cars. We have a lot of politicians running around trying to control pollution, and a lot of idiots rear ending each other. Hence is why the rear bumpers on our cars came off of a Panzer battle tank.

Lorax

Did ROW cars have the altitude sensor?

svtlrtls

Good stuff guys!

I searched in the forum and googled WSM and I think it refers to a workshop service manual (or Weston Super Mare according to google), I'm not able to locate the document. Any pointers?

Cheers

Olli Snellman

For early cars this info can be found from DME Testplan manual:

svtlrtls

That's the kind of documentation I was looking for.
It looks like there's no engine difference in a post 1985.5 catalytic converter installed turbo in the different countries/regions except Sweden and Switzerland.

Was there any documentation about front ride height to match/correspond to the different torsion bar index in the rear?

Cheers

knfeparty

I sat in a Japanese model and it had an exhaust gas temperature warning light. Not sure if that was aftermarket or not though; it was well-integrated.

Take care of that car; sunroof delete models are hard to come by.

Kool

I have a Euro 86 complete with a narrow band O2 sensor in the down pipe. All my lighting is Euro except I have the side markers and the 3rd brake light that was required for federalization.

Olli what is the difference in gearing? I have a US LSD box and the OEM open diff ROW box.