My 944 1uz-fe V8 swap
- Thread starter Eldavo
- Start date
I never want to make those again, it was a real nightmare! I've stalled a bit with the build, things are really busy at the garage right now, and the 944 needs lift time to change the trans for the turbo LSD one i picked up and to make the full stainless exhaust system, hopefully be back on it soon.
Mr.FixitNorm
New member
Hi Paul, Although sadly I don't own a 944 anymore I still pop in and have just read through this entire thread, must say the quality of your work and your dedication is stunning. I can't wait to see and hear the finished project.[
] Out of interest, I now own a 2001 petrol RAV4, have you ever done or is it possible to V8 one of these? I just love the sound of a V8. I believe in Canada they do a V6 Rav ? Is this right? Norm
] Out of interest, I now own a 2001 petrol RAV4, have you ever done or is it possible to V8 one of these? I just love the sound of a V8. I believe in Canada they do a V6 Rav ? Is this right? Norm
Great progress since I last checked in Paul. How much do these engines weigh compared to the 944 turbo motor? As far as the 2 main 'debates' in this thread so far go...in my opinion the rear mounted turbo location won't hurt much at all, well at least not where lag is concerned. Those pipes fill extremely quickly. Is it ideal, no, but will it make much difference to your project, I doubt it. Re the ventilated nose panel, I tend to think as a generalisation, they aren't worth it and in some cases could even be counter productive. You could induce more heat or create more front lift. Well unless you create a decent outlet. Made me think that you might be able to combine the hood bulge with some vents and get the best of both worlds but perhaps this is a bit too optimistic of me. I would have tried it with a stock nose panel and if you needed more cooling then looked at addressing that then...but it's probably not going to hurt you in a car like this. Anyway, good luck for the rest of the build. Impressive skills you have. []
]Ok so time to get stuck back into the 944 again, this project feels neverending as i am finding one thing i modify is causing a dozen other things to need modifying. I put the car on one of the lifts to start making the exhaust system and get a general poke around underneath, carry out any welding and a few other jobs that are a nightmare on the ground. The plan was to use 2.25" stainless coming from the headers and cross them over, the reason for this is that if you keep the banks separate you effectively have two 2ltr engines running, and not a V8, so the crossover section brings the V8 burble back and also helps with tuning, a pulse from one bank will help scavenge the gases from the opposite one, so not just a sound requirement. Here is everything tacked into place, i ran out of pipes to complete the system so they are on order now. 45* drop down from the headers, then 30* kick them straight before the crossover.
This is as far as i got at the rear, the pipes will run under the driveshafts then swing up a little before going into two silencers and out the rear panel....
Now part of being able to have a twin silencer system on a 944 V8 means i had to ditch the original fuel tank, it sat above the gearbox but with one side of it hanging down to completely fill the right side, so nowhere to put a silencer or route the exhaust out the back on that side, and having a twin system on a v8 is a must for me, so the tank had to go, then i cut out the vertical spare wheel well to leave this large hole....
We're making an alloy tank to sit in this area, which will go into the boot by about 5", i will hardly lose any space and it solves the exhaust problem, the tank will be 18 gallons and will look something like this...... i am making a 100mm hole for the original 944 fuel sender and will be fully baffled for surge etc....
Doing away with the original tank also gives me the opportunity for those rear mounted turbos idea we've discussed, but that is one for the future. My 944 turbo gearbox will be here this week so that will be fitted too. I have also cut the vents out of the right side for the right silencer pipe to exit, it's lucky a 944 has this design as it will look completely stock and meant to be.
You can see i have some rust issues to fix around the original number plate panel area.
Well one pipe would mean a much larger bore after a merge and there is a very distinctive sound from a V8 which really requires twin silencers/pipes, you'll find most if not all production V8 cars have twin systems. I also want it that way for the balanced rear end look and ditching the tank is a minor mod for someone like me.
Waylander
Active member
Like the twin pipes, I don't like the unbalanced look with a modded car might as well go the full 10 yards, like the fuel tank idea that gives plenty of room for the pipes and boxes. No need to worry about the extra weight of 6 litres of paint, think you have the power to over come that issue [] Hope you are going with the same white you used before. Wish I had a 10th of your skill then I could get my own car prepped for some paint
] Hope you are going with the same white you used before. Wish I had a 10th of your skill then I could get my own car prepped for some paintThanks, yep i plan to use BMW Mini Pepper white, same as the engine bay, such a nice colour and should go well with the Burgundy interior, i have a practically brand new interior in storage for it that i scored from the Facebook page, i'm a long way off getting that in though.
So the last bits of the exhaust system arrived and i've now completed the final fabrication, everything is tacked together in the right place, hangers made too. This now needs removing for Tig welding, add my two lambda bosses and it can go back on for the final time. What will it sound like? We will have to see, i have more silencing than some V8's, less than others. Absolutely love the tail pipes, although the rear valence is going to need work to give them a little more breathing space, i will work on that during the bodywork phase.
You can see my reasons for relocating the fuel tank now, this engine wants and deserves a twin system like this.
Still a long way to go but this is a big milestone.
944Scott
New member
Are those tail pipes touching the toast rack? You have put a great deal of effort into this but I cant help thinking the tail pipes look a tad too large, personally I think they would look more 'period' if they were a touch smaller in diameter and without a rolled lip. Hats off to what you have done so far though[]
]George Elliott
New member
As Diver944 commented, that fuel tank redesign is drastic to my purist eyes [] regardless Woodsport, I'd recommend sticking with the original tank outside the passenger compartment design. If someone sails into the back of that with an alloy tank 6 inches from the back bumper, and two hot exhausts, it may not end well. It would not be type approved if there is no firewall As you said, each mod leads to 3 other, know the feeling [8|] anyway, you are knocking them off steadily [] keep up the good work george 944t
] regardless Woodsport, I'd recommend sticking with the original tank outside the passenger compartment design. If someone sails into the back of that with an alloy tank 6 inches from the back bumper, and two hot exhausts, it may not end well. It would not be type approved if there is no firewall As you said, each mod leads to 3 other, know the feeling [8|] anyway, you are knocking them off steadily [] keep up the good work george 944tThanks for the comments folks, in regards to the tailpipes, yes they are currently touching the valnce, but i will be enlarging the holes slightly including the slots either side so it looks normal, i'm very happy with the size of the outlets, slightly bigger than normal without looking like JDM ricer bin lids. Fuel tank, the stock tank is subject to the same rear impact dangers that my tank will be, they are both situated in the rear and both near the exhaust. Perhaps i didn't explain it very well, but i will be boxing the tank in so that it is still outside of the boot compartment, so it will still be underneath where the stock tank was.
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