iamgod

sounds like my 944

JEC_31

+1
+1

Performance cars = disposable income and time.

4 goals:
- low price
- easy swap (easy as in "I have no tools" easy)
- reliability
- power

Nothing meets those goals in the engine swap world.
- low price = low quality / low performance
- easy swap does not exist, especially when changing OEMs
- reliability drops with power added
- power added is not low price


But hey - feel free to prove us wrong! It would be very cool if you found some combination that was cheap, slipped right in, could be easily boosted up and not break. Lots of Japanese motors fit that bill... So don't let us rain on your parade, things like this are best experienced first-hand. Heck, if you do get something to work you can post here and say "Nyah na-na-na eat poop you old stick-in-the-muds!"

- Josh

alordofchaos

...come to think of it, weren't the RX7s just about the same size as the 944? Dunno how expensive the rotary from an RX8 runs....

JEC_31

As a former RX-7 nut, I will stand behind my belief that no high-powered Mazda rotary can ever be reliable or cheap.

The only reliable ones were the naturally aspirated 12A from the 1st gen (79-85) RX-7. About 100 hp stock, at which level they lasted +170,000 miles, then up to 150 maybe 275 extreme-$$$-race modded. Then they die.

The only high-powered ones are the Turbo and twin-turbo models (different blocks entirely). A few simple mods and power is off the charts. Then they die.

The RX-8 already has a reputation of unreliability. A few drops of coolant appear on the garage floor one morning, drive it to teh Mazda dealer, and then drive back home in your loaner car while they order a new engine from Japan.

I know that people are using the RX-8's Renesis motor for swaps into earlier 7s, but keep in mind that these people are not quite sane.

As far as swapping into different chassis, other people put them into lightweight little Brit cars. Completely fabb'd mounts and plumbing aside, one major stumbling block is that the crank centerline is so much higher than a piston motor. Lots of geometry issues to solve.

Whn I said "Japanese motors" I was thinking piston motors, some people already suggested a few.

Legoland951

13b motors are great drag motors but are not durable or reliable for high miles especially if you turbo it. Street port, peripheral port, or bridge port it and the life will go down even more as the apex seals go out taking the chrome on the rotor housing with it especially if you rev it high.

Here is an interesting swap I did with a gen I rx7. I was able to install a 454CI big block with a turbo 400 transmission in it with nothing more than welded motor mounts, custom trans crossmember, and cut short driveshaft to accomodate the th400 trans yoke on one end and the rx7 rear end on the other. With Edelbrock lowrise streetmaster intake and a holley carb (no air cleaner), we were able to shut the stock hood with only a 1 inch dome and slit for air intake. The whole project cost less than $2.5k including the car and fab work though it pretty much will only spin the stock 13 inch tires and never hook up for the entire length of the 1/4 mile.

JEC_31

Big block in a 1st gen - wicked!
Me, I'm partial to small blocks as they can easily produce more than enough power for any non-dragster, for a lot less weight and more efficiency. But nothing says "Get out of the way" like the thump of a big block in a sharp little sportscar creeping up to the dragstrip staging area.

As far as RX-7 V8 swaps go, you know it's a sweet combination when there's a complete fookin forum for it:

http://www.v8rx7forum.com/

I still miss my dead '90 RX-7 and the Ford 5.0 I had set aside for it. Shoulda coulda woulda...

Hey! This is like the 10th time I've gotten stuck in an RX-7 V8 swap discussion on Rennlist! I quit.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Back on Topic! Let's think up more low-buck motors to stick in a dead 944.
I'm thinking either old-school American small blocks or Japanese 4-bangers.

alordofchaos

JEC_31, thanks for the RX7/RX8 info!

Is there anything you can't learn about on Rennlist?

Gremlin85

Stick with an LS-1 or LT-1 swap. They are REASONABLE (not exactly cheap). Like whats been said before, there is no such thing as a cheap and easy swap.

Good Luck.

turbo944s2

A 1.8t or a Vr6 sounds like it will be a good swap. Vr6's and 1.8ts are a dime a dozen and are excellent motors. Has anyone swapped in either of these motors in a 924 or 944?

Woody

1- Take a look at the Chrysler 4 popper and the Mopar hop up parts available for it. I am not sure how it will compare but it may be interesting to run some numbers on a calculator. Again cost will be a factor.

2- Take a tape measure to a flat Subaru turbo and see if it will fit. This may be a cheep way to into an engine if it fits.

3- Umm, now we are back to the LS-1

Luis de Prat

If you want a 944, then why not buy one with a working engine in it?

I would buy a 951 and be done with it. Even the eventual repairs / maintenance will still cost you less than any engine swap.

The stock 944 is still a lot of car for the money in most markets. YMMV

V2Rocket

ive seen lots of 302 ford motors making 275HP go for about $700...basically the biggest decision here is which small block to go with.

Potomac-Greg

I've been intigued by the VW 1.8/2.0 swap possibilities, and I encourage someone else to try it! Somehow you have to think that the VW/Audi/Porsche DNA would hook up better.

It's a compact engine tunable to 300 HP fairly reliably. Of course, it buys you VW reliability (which is no prize) and you still have 20 year old stuff (steering, transmission, electronics, suspension).

RMills944

IF I do something, It's going to require a LOT of mods. i'm talking a 350, 4L60 or TH350 and 9 inch rear... Redoing the whole car and possibly having to redo the whole floorpan area.

Potomac-Greg

You could put a 944 body on an old Mustang frame!