944 horsepower

[Dan Chambers]

Lucky Dave at the risk of sounding rude, what you are proposing to do to a 20 year old aluminum block is insane

You're right, but I get "Luckey Dave's" gist. Look at Anderson Racing, or Huntley Racing. They've been known to take a stock 944 2.5L engine as a base, and take it to extremes.

I remember when I went to the Tech Session at one of those shops. I saw a 944 that was equipped with a supercharger/blower, a vast array of vaccuum and pressure lines; oil lines; cooler lines, super-duper massive inter-cooler, reverse-osmosis, subverted, integrated, vacuum-pressurized-positive-inversion hyperproto symo-subjegated symjoplesmfism. I couldn't see the engine for the trees! I found it hard to stifle a giggle because the expense the shop had put into the engine alone could have bought a fleet of 944Spec racers, or a couple of really nice 911SC's. The mod's were unbelievable.

Luckey Dave is saying a lot of things are possible with a block and pistons as a starting ground. But would he do it? Or recommend it? I don't think so. Is that what he's saying? Right, LD?

My point is, drive really well, get your car set-up as Steve G. and others have said, and let the power come from another source.

I think Josh has an idea what to do at this point.

[LUCKY DAVE]

Luckey Dave is saying a lot of things are possible with a block and pistons as a starting ground. But would he do it? Or recommend it? I don't think so. Is that what he's saying? Right, LD?

Exactly. Say you want to improve your axe.
First you replace the head with one made from titanium, wieghted with depleted uranuim inserts, with a carbide cutting edge electron beam welded in place.
Next change the handle for one filament wound of carbon fiber on a collapsible mandrel and cured in a computer controlled autoclave, with custom molded ergonomic grips made from a "memory" shape retaining resin.
Is this smart? Does it make financial sense?
HELL NO!!, but you could.......

[cam]

Lucky Dave at the risk of sounding rude, what you are proposing to do to a 20 year old aluminum block is insane

Some people would say what we do for fun is insane.

[LUCKY DAVE]

So.....to address the original question, on my street car (1986 NA 944) I installed an Auto Athority chip, a high flow cat, and a Kk+N air filter.
This makes a difference you can feel, not a huge one, maybe 10 horsepower at most and noticeably more midrange torque. My guess is that the improvement is mostly due to the richer (closer to what the engine really wants) mixture.
I have to install the stock chip to get the car to pass smog

[Dan Chambers]

I have to install the stock chip to get the car to pass smog

One tidbit off advice: if you're going to run a chip and enrich your intake mixture, think about the consequences to the Cat. Converter. Unspent fuel is a great way to prematurely "burn-out" your cat. Any unspent fuel in the exhaust stream is burned in the cat. OEM Cat.'s from the Dealership are well over $1000.00. After-market cat.'s and "creative" cat. systems are cheaper and may work for a while ... but?

Another way to look at it: K-Calories in/K-Calories out. Think "systemic" impact when changing things around.

[LUCKY DAVE]

I'm not running it too rich, just not too lean like the stock emissions oriented fuel delivery map.
I forgot to mention in my above post that I'm also running a high flow cat.
Mind you, none of these minor mods are legal in any stock classes, but it's a street car, so who cares....
I does feel snappier, not so "sleepy" as it did stock. A round throttle cable cam helps to give snappier feel too, while having no actual affect on performance, just the perception of it.