914-6 vs. 914-4...Your opinion Options

[Joshporsche]

Hey guys! I'm sure this has been hashed out a million times here, but i was just wondering how it feels to have a powerful 914-6. I own a totaled 2.0 and it's stock. Wrecked it right after high school. (good tires are important!!!) Interesting enough-my friend owned a 1998 454 suburban and my 914 was exactly as fast as it all the way to 98 mph when the suburban's governor kicked in. Here's my question-how fast is a regular 914-6? What car (speed wise) does it compare to? I understand all 914-6's will be different-but i would like to know about yours. Let me know your thoughts!

Josh

[morgan_harwell]

>>I understand all 914-6's will be different-but i would like to know about yours. Let me know your thoughts!

Brief story of why the 914/4 I bought is now a 914/6:

It was originally a 2.0L/4/webers when I bought it in 1986. Stupid me! I soon learned carbs are smog illegal on a 4cyl (still are! just don't have to test every other year). Within a year I realized I bought the biggest Lemon in California! Not smog legal, junk transmission, cheap paint, missing parts, ... I believe in PPI now. I also learned that 1st year there was such a thing as the 914/6.

The carb noise didn't bother me much, but not passing smog was a big problem. The fuel mileage wasn't that great either, compared with it's 6cyl replacement. The 2.0L/4 was real strange performance wise, some days it just SCREAMED, other days it couldn't get out of it's own way (barometric pressure?). Then I priced out how much it would cost to make the 4-banger smog legal. WOW! Change pistons, cam, find good FI system, fuel pump, etc., AIRC around $3500 in 1987. Comparable to a DIY /6 conversion.

If I hadn't done the six conversion, I wouldn't be driving a 914 today. Because of its uniqueness & great handling I went ahead with the /6 conversion.

I found a $2500 2.4L/CIS 6 with 90K miles on it. In 1987 it cost an extra $4187-$1250(4cly stuff sold) to swap the engines. The 2.4L/6 is still in the car today. It is my every-dry-day driver. I'm am genuinely astonished at how durable & reliable the 6cyl has been! The motor now has around 275,000 miles on it. Each time it has been smog checked, it passed easily. The valve guides are now showing signs they're tired, but the engine still pulls very hard. Hard enough to spin the clutch loose at 5k RPM (needs a clutch job). I think the carbed TIV engine would have required 2 rebuilds by now.

Since my 914 is my every-dry-day driver, i.e. I put ALOT of miles on it, pollution control is a high priority. I remember visiting 1960s LosAngeles as a kid where within a day my eyes would be burning & I couldn't see the San Gabriel Mtns.. Anyway, I'm thinking of replacing the 2.4L/CIS-6 with a 3.2L/DME-6 engine rather than rebuilding the 2.4L when the time comes. For about the cost of rebuilding the 2.4L I can source a stock 3.2L and gain 70hp, better gas mileage and more modern smog emission numbers thanks to it's computer controlled closed loop engine management system.

Moral of this story: get a PPI !

-Moe-