3.0 16V engine mods, etc

[ROB III]

Something possibly to keep in mind when looking at total engine package is platform history, original intent with design and cost parameters for that intent, and targeted segment. The 944 started as the 924 for VW, but when VW backed out, Porsche stepped in and took it to production. Once in production given original intent, along with the design compromises for that intent, Porsche had to go from there for development, and 1/2 the 928 engine makes a logical $tarting point. I'd agree the current state of specialty exotics (regardless of county of origin) are breathtaking, but so are the costs. Given its humble origins and production for the masses requirement with warranty in mind, the basic 944T engine works fairly well, particularly in view of the cost. I feel it falls short on the aural perspective, but thats a personal thing with me.

Jump forward to today and what is now known and available to apply with affordable hardware/software and cost effectiveness with knowledgeable individuals (Tom, Thom, Chris, Michaelmount 123, John) as seen on these boards, you can end up with quite an engine performance envelope that is somewhat beyond what may have been a pure race engine of the original design era, but with commuter civility and tractability.

[Thom]

Looking at cars as packages makes sense from the engineering/manufacturing/mass production point of view, but how many over-engineered cars turn out to be boring drives? The 996TT was a prime example and the more modern McLarens seem to be otherwordly potent but suffer from a terrible lack of soul.
I am finding increasingly annoying that more and more people in general seem to mistake progress as a whole with technical progress alone. The Internet has shown that for the little benefits it brings it is tearing societies apart and transforming man into a decerebrated homo-consumer, and cars in particular are a prime example of uniformisation for the masses.
Anyway, it seems we already had that discussion elsewhere.

I checked the spark plugs which look good. Piston tops show some minor carbon deposits - There is certainly room for improvement on light to medium load areas where I always used to run a little richer than needed on the 8V engine, whilst the 16V engine probably does not need it now that engine oil is no more being sucked in by the compressor through the crankcase ventilation and bringing down the octane level of the mixture. I am curious to which extent this could have affected the performance of the previous 8V engine, though probably not by much as the turbo clearly did not have enough headroom to perform like it does now and there was never any accumulation of pure engine oil in the catch can. It is quite interesting to experience how the exact same turbo performs in such a different manner now that it can run closer to the higher boost pressures it was designed for - these Garrett GTX turbos are supposed to handle 30 psi of boost all day long but unfortunately for the sake of science and fortunately for durability, that will not happen here, at least not with stock 968 cams.

[blade7]

When I was a younger, I used to look at guys that were into classic cars or bikes, and wondered why they didn't want to own the fastest thing they could afford. Then a while back, a friend bought a modified Nissan GTR, and I realised that going over 160 mph on the road didn't interest me that much any more. It's interesting reading about 500 bhp 944's, but I'd rather have a 30 year newer car around me, if something went wrong at high speed.

[Thom]

I dread the day when there will be a one-size-fits-all kind of car, produced in a mega factory in the East and where badges will be applied by dealerships on the exact same car only depending on one's wealth and social pretentions in a totally robotised society, as this is clearly where we are headed... that's why we should enjoy the diversity of the cars available as long as we can. My other cars are very different from my 951 and I make a point of trying to own at the same time cars that are as different as possible between them. Any excessive similarity would make either of these redundant, not interesting to me.

You can have a more modern car that makes 500 bhp and still have fun with the good old 944 turbo besides... It is absolutely possible to enjoy both in their own ways, in the same way as Tom does between his 944 and his 991.

[Tom]

I dread the day when there will be a one-size-fits-all kind of car, produced in a mega factory in the East and where badges will be applied by dealerships on the exact same car only depending on one's wealth and social pretentions in a totally robotised society, as this is clearly where we are headed... that's why we should enjoy the diversity of the cars available as long as we can. My other cars are very different from my 951 and I make a point of trying to own at the same time cars that are as different as possible between them. Any excessive similarity would make either of these redundant, not interesting to me.

You can have a more modern car that makes 500 bhp and still have fun with the good old 944 turbo besides... It is absolutely possible to enjoy both in their own right, in the same way as Tom does between his 944 and his 991.

992

I took the old mercedes out last weekend with the top down, to give my 92-year-old father-in-law a ride to our old-school hardware store. He's a recent CA transplant from Colorado, and had never been in a top-down convertible in his life he says. Despite similar German DNA, it couldn't be more different from the Porsches -- big old lazy v8 wrapped in state-of-the-art 1979 creature comfort. It wouldn't win any races, but it is no less fun in its own way.

LFC450SL.gif (832.39 KiB) Viewed 1701 times

Sorry for the car-philosophy hi-jack. How about some more pictures of that intercooler.

[blade7]

The Panzerwagen.

[Thom]

I added 3k trouble-free miles to the 951 in August, a minor part of it included leaving for dead a Cayman GT4 on the German Autobahn, or was it that the guy was not really willing to play with a lunatic in an old 944, I don't know. The blonde girl in his passenger seat at least gave me a huge smile of approbation as we parted ways.

My buddy Sly with whom we built our first 951 engines 10+ years ago drove the car and admitted the 3L 16V engine was a whole new world, which he had strong doubts about. Hopefully we will get his running before retirement.

The OS Giken LSD is showing its true value more often than ever before as under full load in 3rd and even 4th the car feels like the clutch is slipping when it's only the progressive 0-100% rate LSD doing its job.

The KW V3 shocks seem to be wearing out at 65k miles and there does not seem to be a better choice for road use these days so I will most likely have them rebuilt over the winter.

[Tom]

I added 3k trouble-free miles to the 951 in August, a minor part of it included leaving for dead a Cayman GT4 on the German Autobahn, or was it that the guy was not really willing to play with a lunatic in an old 944, I don't know. The blonde girl in his passenger seat at least gave me a huge smile of approbation as we parted ways.

My buddy Sly with whom we built our first 951 engines 10+ years ago drove the car and admitted the 3L 16V engine was a whole new world, which he had strong doubts about. Hopefully we will get his running before retirement.

The OS Giken LSD is showing its true value more often than ever before as under full load in 3rd and even 4th the car feels like the clutch is slipping when it's only the progressive 0-100% rate LSD doing its job.

The KW V3 shocks seem to be wearing out at 65k miles and there does not seem to be a better choice for road use these days so I will most likely have them rebuilt over the winter.

Love the GT4 (both generations), but it's no match on the autobahn for a sorted 3 liter motor, especially yours. Love my KW V3's too -- but disappointed to hear yours need rebuilding at 65k. Congrats on 3k miles in a month! I put 3k on mine in the last couple years I bet... (Mental note: must drive that car more!)

[Thom]

Driving the car around after letting my back and slim butt recover from the Summer journey suggests the shocks may not be worn out yet although the car clearly doesn't feel as supple as when they were new... Who cares anyway, this not a limo, it's a giant killer that looks like a an old worn out run off the mill 944, and I like it like that. Once the engine begins to unsettle the chassis the car starts to dance on the road and how the front and back ends communicate through the steering under high load is just magic, if not for the faint hearted.

I should be reviewing the boost settings which currently do not allow for a super clean and stable boost management but the car is such a copious experience when driving in anger that I run out of mental energy too early to commit to fine tuning it any further.

[333pg333]

Driving the car around after letting my back and slim butt recover from the Summer journey suggests the shocks may not be worn out yet although the car clearly doesn't feel as supple as when they were new...

Possibly cheaper just to indulge in more wine, sausage and cheese than rebuild the shocks.