944 Turbo S Engine Rebuild Thread

[Eldavo]

Or, given that the car is up in the air - just attach my jump pack to the positive lead hanging down next to where the starter will go?

Hopefully the battery positive terminal is not near the body!

I checked that with my mirror on a stick last night when I started to refit the wiring loom.

 

[blade7]

I always wrap some rag around the neg connecter when I remove the lead. I'm a bit twitchy about car electrics, after getting a belt off an HT lead years ago.

 

[Eldavo]

I always wrap some rag around the neg connecter when I remove the lead. I'm a bit twitchy about car electrics, after getting a belt off an HT lead years ago.

Did you disconnect my battery as that’s exactly what’s been done.

I’ve been fitting the wiring harness and trying to work out how to route some other bits and bobs - had to drop the inlet manifold back with the welder as it needs a bit of finessing to clear the bonnet and align the throttle body with the intercooler outlet.

 

[blade7]

What fuel pump were you running on your previous engine, and did you uprate the wiring to it?

 

[vitesse]

Use a battery charger carefully-solenoid can't take that much current.

 

[Eldavo]

What fuel pump were you running on your previous engine, and did you uprate the wiring to it?

Dunno, Think its a Sytec (sp?) one, had better specs than an 044, did something with the wiring but can’t remember what.

 

[scam75]

What fuel pump were you running on your previous engine, and did you uprate the wiring to it?

Dunno, Think its a Sytec (sp?) one, had better specs than an 044, did something with the wiring but can’t remember what.

That's what I've got. The Sytec one is an improvement on the 044 for £90, well it was when I bought it about 10 years ago. Popular upgrade with the jap boys from what I read. Minimal changes to the connectors if I recall correctly but it was supplied with what you needed to make it work on a 944.

 

[blade7]

What fuel pump were you running on your previous engine, and did you uprate the wiring to it?

Dunno, Think its a Sytec (sp?) one, had better specs than an 044, did something with the wiring but can’t remember what.

That's what I've got. The Sytec one is an improvement on the 044 for £90, well it was when I bought it about 10 years ago. Popular upgrade with the jap boys from what I read. Minimal changes to the connectors if I recall correctly but it was supplied with what you needed to make it work on a 944.

Seem to recall something about using thicker cable and maybe a relay? I've got an Earls connecter that fits between the new pump and filter somewhere.

 

[scam75]

Definitely no relay or thicker wires on mine, just had to change the connecters on the loom to ring connectors I think. Was minimal plug and play.

 

[blade7]

Any progress?

 

[Eldavo]

Not loads, just plenty of niggly bits. Was crazy busy in the run up to Xmas finishing everything off and then had to pop up to Glasgow with a day’s notice as Uncle Elon bumped my Tesla while getting it on the truck bound for Newcastle. Then been away visiting family all over Xmas.

Wiring harness is all in (still can’t open boot as battery is fully disconnected so looks like ill be lubing up and sliding through), new alternator cable from Waylander is in too, fitted a new shroud on the back of the alternator for the cold air feed and had to cut a hole in it for the larger turbo body to clear, starter motor is in but heat shield is starting to crack so will get my welder to sort that next week when I pick the other bits up, Coil Pack is almost mounted in place (one hole to drill and then bolt it up), HT leads were custom ordered from Magnecor but won‘t be here for a couple of weeks yet, knocked up some PTFE AN10 oil lines as the old ones didn’t line up with the new modified oil filter console, new air on compressor arrived just before Xmas and the seals I need to fit the junction piece just arrived about 10 mins ago so I’ll try and get that in today, need to decide what to do about the fans - got some laser cut adaptors that Scott on here kindly sent me a few years back and now seems the time to order the outrageously expensive (but significantly lighter and smaller) fans that fit them.

So maybe done a bit more than I thought - once I sort the water and air plumbing it’ll appear much closer to fruition but I’m having to fight the temptation to do so as the access is so damn good with it all out of the way.

 

[blade7]

Sounds quite productive to me, but then all I've done in the last 2 years is change the belts & tensioners/rollers. I got the wasted spark kit from Peep, but I haven't decided where to mount the coils. Also not sure what size cable to use, when connecting the ECU to the coils, and how to configure it to run wasted spark. Peep did say get the car running on VEMS first though.

 

[Eldavo]

Can’t remember what cable I used but it wasn’t anything crazy thick. The wasted spark is pretty easy actually, just need to run the wire to the correct pins, tell the ECU what’s what in the app and wire the +ve cable from the coil to the +ve for the coilpack.


I mounted mine in place of the distributor on a plate I made, am sure if you scroll back through the thread you’ll find it.

 

[blade7]

I mounted mine in place of the distributor on a plate I made, am sure if you scroll back through the thread you’ll find it.

Yes I remember, I did wonder about some heat soak there though.

 

[Eldavo]

Seems pretty unlikely given how it’s mounted. It’s a Bosch motorsport solid state coilpack too so pretty heat and vibration resistant anyway.


I’ve had no issues on track days, etc. either.

 

[Eldavo]

Done loads of little bits, sorted all the vacuum lines for the new engine, fitted a new aircon compressor, replaced the alternator, power steering pump and all the other ancillaries and belts, tensioners, etc.

Waiting on some new Comex fans to replace the ancient boat anchors and a couple of oil lines left to make up. Waiting on my inlet manifold to come back so I can button all the relevant bits up once and for all.


Replaced some manky braided nitrile hose for the fuel feed with cotton braided PTFE hose and ordered the relevant bits to do the return line too. Left enough length on it to loop both hoses around the back of the head rather than running them over the exhaust manifolds. Using a creeper under the car was a godsend, my daughter asked if I’d been working down a mine when I came back in though!

 

[blade7]

When are you hoping to have it back on the road? And are you tempted to fit a 968 gearbox.

 

[Eldavo]

Tentatively - February but no doubt it’ll be March/April before all the teething problems have been resolved. Just made and fitted another couple of AN10 oil lines this afternoon. Given the sheer number of hoses and pipes I’ve replaced and fitted it‘ll be a minor miracle if something doesn’t leak - fingers crossed it’ll be nothing important

Let’s see how long this gearbox lasts for now, I‘ll have enough power and torque to make a 3-speed Auto drivable.

 

[blade7]

Done loads of little bits, sorted all the vacuum lines for the new engine, fitted a new aircon compressor,

I've never tried to get the aircon working on my turbo, though there is an old receipt from a Merc garage for compressor replacement. I have a delete bracket and thought about removing the compressor, but wonder if having less weight and drag would be noticeable.

 

[Eldavo]

It is pretty heavy for what it is but I guess you wouldn’t notice the weight saving on its own. Obviously if you remove it, then the condenser, receiver dryer, lines, etc. etc. then you’re getting more weight loss and increasing your marginal gains but I do have 2 further thoughts on that:

1 - If we were good enough drivers to genuinely notice a marked difference by removing 1% of a car’s weight then we probably wouldn’t be driving 944s.


2 - By the time you get it out of the garage and try to compare it to how it used to be, that 3-5 year frame of reference might be a bit woolly now []