THE PORSCHE® 944 V8

The Porsche® 944 V8 Conversion Manual

INSTRUCTIONALS, TECHNICAL DRAWINGS, PARTS LISTS, WIRING DIAGRAMS, & CUSTOM PARTS

TESTED AND PROVEN 944 V8 CONVERSION INFORMATION BY THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE CONVERTED THEIR OWN CARS

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LEGAL NOTICE & DISCLAIMER

The following pages nor their creator bear any affiliation with Porsche® Cars North America, Dr. Ing. h.c.f. Porsche AG, General Motors, Chevrolet, Pontiac, Oldsmobile, Buick, Cadillac, GMC, Saturn, HUMMER, Saab, Holden, Opel, Vauxhall, GMAC or ACDELCO, nor any subsidiaries. This publication has not been prepared, approved, or licensed by Porsche® or General Motors. We recognize further that some words, model names, and designations mentioned herein are property of the trademark holder, and are used for identification purposes only. This is not an official publication.

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“Driving an 80's Porsche® model 924/944 can be one of the liveliest and entertaining experiences anyone can have. With near perfect 50/50 weight distribution, due to the engine in the front and transaxle in the rear, these cars were very fast and nimble for their time as well as today. However, since the 80's and 90's these models have seen major maintenance bills and strife due to their four cylinder engines.

Chevrolet eight cylinder engines are very reliable, cheap to maintain and upgrade. They have loads of horsepower and torque in their stock form, and have extremely high aftermarket support. It is no surprise that this would become the answer for some who wish to keep their 924s and 944s on the road when replacement engines are unobtainable or highly cost ineffective.

This manual will show you the basics of the Porsche® 944 V8 Conversion process. The information contained in this manual is the condensed result of years of 944 V8 Conversion experience and expertise.”

The Porsche® 944 V8 Conversion process is relatively straight forward. Frame rails need not be reconfigured, and the GM LT and LS Series engines are right at home in the 944. All conversions likely will experience slight complications during the course of the build. The 944 has become known as the production car that was "pre-crashed" from the factory. There are subtle design and manufacturing differences through the years of total production, but the myth of every 944 being in an accident at some point is, well, hysterical.

The truth behind the misconception is uni-body cars flex and twist, and some cars experience more harsh road conditions and driving habits than others. A second truth that should be considered is the confirmed variances in manufacturing tolerances concerning the engine crossmember and torque tube flanges from car to car. These differences have been documented and compensated for when designing and manufacturing the custom parts illustrated in this manual.

All custom parts contained herein have been successfully installed and proven in existing conversions, but it should be noted that every 944 is unique to a certain extent. What works well on one conversion may need minor adjustment on other conversions. The fitment of a Small Block Chevy V8 in a Porsche® 944 may require some flexibility of design and fabrication concerning engine mounts and hood clearance, but will not require major modifications to the chassis.

Installing a fuel injected GM V8 in a Porsche® 944 involves custom wiring harnesses and computer (PCM) reprogramming. Many manufacturers offer stand-alone harnesses and PCM programming services. Only 5-10 wires actually connect to the existing 944 wiring, and the GM and Porsche wiring diagrams will make modifying your own harness relatively easy, if you wish to perform your own modifications. The vast number of engine applications make supporting all wiring possibilities nearly impossible. PCM pinouts and plug assignments have been included in the manual, with the most popular applications listed.

Suspension modifications and upgrades are a matter of choice, and are only vaguely covered in the manual. The only required suspension upgrade is high rate front coil springs, due to the added weight of the V8. All other changes are considered upgrades.

© 2009 / GREG SLOAN ISBN 978-1-4276-4406-0

Officially registered Copyright in The Library of Congress, October 17, 2009.

Registration number TXu 1-654-197

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