audi49

Test drove an '87 944 Turbo today. Overall, very good driving car. One question i had is whether it is 'normal' for the boost to come on in these cars above 3000 or 3500rpm. I'm used to newer turbo's, like Audi's, where the boost starts around 2000rpm. So does this sound normal for this car? Thank you.

Van

Yes, that's normal.

Compared to what you're used to, these are "old school" cars with lots of lag. (But that's also part of their charm.)

If you thought this was bad, drive a '70s 930 some day...

333pg333

The more lag, the bigger the grin!

Carlsbergas

My car can only hit 18psi at 3.8k rpms..
But when the boost hits you go like jeremy clarkson "powaaaaaaaaaah"

Smudo

The turbo should produce some boost also below 3000 rpm, but the engine delivers noticeable power only after 3000 rpm. If the car has original wastegate, there is big chance that the WG spring is weak which causes lower and later boost.

Carlsbergas

Unless you have bigger than stock turbo at 3k my car can only produce 5psi of boost

Paulyy

totally normal.

You can always bring the spool down with some modifications such as an updated wastegate and a tune. You can get these cars to full boost at 2600 rpm.

Lippy951

I don't want to highjack this thread but I have a similar issue as well in my 1986 944 turbo. I started a thread under Turbo Trouble. I was told full boost should come on fully by 3500rpm, its not. Plus I am only getting 217hp. Bad since mine is pretty modified. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks

divil

The factory manual says you should see full boost in 2nd gear at 3000rpm, using the brakes to create an artificial load.

I haven't been able to replicate that in my car, but I definitely see positive boost before 3000rpm in 2nd, and full boost around 3000rpm in 4th.

mahoney944

Yeah, I use a LR super 65 with p-trim hot side, no cat, WG dumped, and 3 inch down pipe, to 4 inch big flow exhaust. I spool around 2700 and boost at 3000 give or take. Most of the lag can be reduced by working the gear box properly. If your ******* it, down shift a gear.

Crackership

Turbo lag gives the other guy hope.

User 52121

As a current owner of a ball-bearing TO4E 944 Turbo and a 2013 GTI with the 2.0T, and a former owner of a 2007 A4 2.0T and 2003 GTI 1.8T, I can tell you this: even an unusually fast spooling 944 Turbo will not spool up as quickly as one of those, even on a stock program. Chipped... forgetaboutit.

raleighBahn

Also owning 2013 GTI, I second that. Not going to happen. On the flip side, the situation is opposite once you get spooled up.

dublove3030

^^True. I've owned several cars with the 2.0T and sure they spool fast which is great for darting around town, but they run out of breath about as quick as they spool up. The 951 engines were developed for the race track so it makes power where you need it