Bringing the 944 turbo into the 21st century

[Cyberpunky]

For many years the only option we have had to make improvements on our cars has been firmly locked into 1990s technology. Recently we have seen a new wave of advancements from Turbo's, ECU's, to head gaskets.

On my car I am just waiting on the last few pieces to arrive but have picked up a M44 performance Ultraspool stage 3 turbo and down pipe(only weeks away on DP), a SCE Vulcan cut head gasket, and the front section of a Fabspeed 3" exhaust, so it will be 3" from front to rear. I already had fabspeed cat back. I'm getting it with sports cat as cats are mandatory in my part of the world. I have also got raceware studs and m44 performance superwashers, so will be able to torque head to 90-95lbs.

I am running a VEMS plug n play ecu but we also have Micro/MegaSquirt, MaxxECU, Focus9, and several other options now. The beauty of running these ECU's is changes are easily made and adjusted for. Other supporting changes I have made are 80lb injectors, Tial f38 dual port waste gate, 2.5" SFR intercooler pipes, modified end cap factory intercooler and Turbosmart eboost street EBC.

It's a really great time for our platform with all these new options opening up. What changes and options are everyone else using or planning?

[Tom]

In California, we have smog constraints that create a real challenge. The car not only need to stay under the prescribed limits at the tailpipe (some of which are lower than when the car was built), but the bigger constraint is that the car must pass the "visual" inspection -- meaning most noticeable mods won't "pass smog" even if pure oxygen is coming out the tailpipe. That's why 8 valve 3 liter motors are a popular choice here -- since they can outfitted to look bone stock. I have a new motor I've been threatening to build forever, mostly Heritage-prepped machine work/head/block, and Vitesse turbo/MAF etc. My existing motor has been plugging along just fine for 12 years and 30k miles, but as you say, hoping to step up the tech a notch. I actually pulled it out the other day to size up the build...

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Block prepped by Jason Lee several years ago. Note the port for the main oil galley. Jason believes there's no way to get it clean without opening it up and getting in there.

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Oil Squirters!

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Vitesse turbo.

I'll dig out the rest of the parts I have for this motor, and post them up soon. I'm actually on the fence about a handful of parts....

[cda951]

I have the VEMS engine management system, along with an Evergreen K27/6 hybrid turbo with billet compressor wheel, 9-blade turbine wheel, and ported turbine housing. I purposely kept the engine bay stock-looking for California smog purposes as Tom mentioned. This passes tailpipe emissions tests with flying colors, even with Siemens-Deka 800cc injectors thanks to the flexibility of the VEMS setup.

But, in normal times I run a wasted spark ignition setup and free-flowing exhaust setup. The off-boost throttle response is great, and I achieve 1 bar of positive manifold pressure by 3000 RPM, and this is with stock headers, crossover, and muffler, and Lindsey stage 1 intercooler. SFR 3" downpipe and mid pipe, Tial T38 wastegate with the built in VEMS boost control.

My engine has over 180K on the original bottom end, over 10K of which is track miles. So, there is a lot of room for improvement!

[Cyberpunky]

Tom. There is a stealth version of VEMS that is fitted inside a DME box so that maybe worth considering as virtually undetectable. I have heard of several people passing smog with ease using VEMS in Cali.

Cda. Nice set up. I love VEMS although yet to hit dyno and get it tuned properly as just relied on its autotune function for now.

[Boostfeen]

Wow Tom on a side note your new garage tile with red grout is outstanding excellent choice my friend. I would love to have my new side shop/clean room/cigar lounge to have that effect…

[Tom]

I'm digging out the parts I've accumulated for the new motor and thought I'd share the options I'm considering and see if anyone has input. The Athena racing head gasket came from Gustaf at Revline. Not sure if he's a member here yet, but it would be nice to hear his thought/experience with this gasket...

[Cyberpunky]

Tom, I'd look at SCE vulcan cut HG. SCE made a batch of Vulcan cut gaskets that a few of us, bought in group buy, but I assume will go into normal production soon. The gasket can be used without any special preparation, unlike cometic and others. The ring makes blowing out HG a thing of the past and if combined with ARP or raceware studs, that allow torquing of head to much higher torque, then running higher boost can be done safely without head lift. I am also going to use M44 performance super washers that give better clamping as spread load over larger area.

Edit: looks like you have same thing. I think Athena may be owned by SCE but looks like same

[Tom]

Do you have a link? My block is prepped for over-size studs, and I have two sets to choose from. More on that soon. I'd like to hear more about that HG though, as I'm not entirely sold on the options I have on hand....

[Cyberpunky]

I believe you'd need to skim head 2 thousandths of and inch if redoing gaskets

[Cyberpunky]

I believe the HG is same as the SCE Vulcan cut gasket.

https://www.scegaskets.com/vulcan-cut-r ... d-gaskets/