Question for you v8 guys??, How does it handle? Options

[Stephane]

How does your car handle with that big motor? Notice a big difference in handling due to extra weight or higher center of gravity?


Stephane

[Mueller]

if you have never driven a 914 and a V8 car is your 1st one, you'll never know the differance in additional weight.....


now if on Sat you drove your /4, and then installed a V8 engine that night and drove your car on Sunday, yes, you'll notice the change, but it's not enough to ruin the experiance........

in theory the lighter car should handle better...........

[aircooledboy]

My lowered, front sway equiped, 6 in front, 7 in rear (or is it 7 & 8?) handles like a dream. (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/driving.gif) Sticks like glue UNLESS I'm too heavy on the throttle in a turn, which will quickly break the rear loose. Tough to think of that as bad though. (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/burnout.gif) (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/monkeydance.gif)

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/beerchug.gif)

[neo914-6]

QUOTE (Mueller @ May 26 2005, 03:59 PM)

if you have never driven a 914 and a V8 car is your 1st one, you'll never know the differance in additional weight..... now if on Sat you drove your /4, and then installed a V8 engine that night and drove your car on Sunday, yes, you'll notice the change, but it's not enough to ruin the experiance........ in theory the lighter car should handle better...........

you can put a 50lb bag of sand in each of your trunks, have a 200lb passenger and see if you notice the difference... (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/laugh.gif)

Like Mike said, you'd have to drive both in comparable cars. Alot of the V8 guys built on non-runners including myself so we don't have a baseline. Generally if you're installing a V8 there are many suspension improvements as well.

[914GT]

A 300 lb overall increase due to a V8 conversion seems a bit high to me.

[Joe Bob]

Only 8 cars I have driven neglected to do the stuff I have done to my six conversions....I've never ridden or driven one that's been prepped to the degree that "I" would be satisfied.

That said....the extra 300lbs can be written off...IF....the suspension has some attention to it....

[skline]

QUOTE (914GT @ May 26 2005, 08:23 PM)

A 300 lb overall increase due to a V8 conversion seems a bit high to me.

I have to agree, 300 seems like a high figure, I dont think it is that much. On top of that, would someone post the weight of a six conversion please? I am to the understanding that it is only about 80 pounds heavier than a 6 conversion. Porsche 6 that is. The engines are quite heavy. And by the time you add all the stuff to go with it, there isnt that much difference.

[Aaron Cox]

a six has an oil tank and aluminum or magnesium case.

a v8 convo has a big engine bar, a big iron block and heads, and a big radiator up front....


and the weight of all that water (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif)

[skline]

It is not as much as you would think. If you use aluminum heads the engine doesnt weigh as much as you think. I think it is only about 535 pounds. How much does a 6 weigh?

[skline]

I found it, this is copied from Rod Simpsons website.

The Chevy V8 with cast iron heads weighs 490 lbs. The 930 engine weighs 510 lbs. The standard Porsche 911 engine weighs 410 lbs. You can shave approx 50 more lbs off your Chevy by using aluminum heads.

So I was wrong about the weight, its lighter than I thought.

[MattR]

2.4L is 400 lbs. But remember, it has a much lower center of mass (the engine) because the heads, pistons, and crank are all very low compared to a V8, and a (real) six doesnt have a radiator and water running through it, so that saves weight too.

[Aaron Cox]

cool. (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/smilie_pokal.gif)

[MattR]

One more thing to keep in mind:

The overall weight is significant to a car's handling, but also its distribution of weight is important. The increase of mass in the dead center of the car isnt as significant as increasing weight on the outsides. Since the 914 is mid engined, its distance from the center of mass to the center of the engine mass is relativly small leaving a small moment. What this means; an increase in weight of the engine of a 914 is not AS significant as increasing weight in a 911/912, or any front engine car.

The same rules apply for all 3 axes though. So if you increase center of mass in the Z direction (up from the ground), with the same suspension geometry you're going to have more dive on your suspension.

[skline]

QUOTE (MattR @ May 26 2005, 10:21 PM)

2.4L is 400 lbs. But remember, it has a much lower center of mass (the engine) because the heads, pistons, and crank are all very low compared to a V8, and a (real) six doesnt have a radiator and water running through it, so that saves weight too.

But the weight distribution is different also, you add all that weight to the back only with a 6 conversion but with the V8, you add weight front and rear keeping the balance more than the 6. I am sure someone has the figures somewhere. I am not going to get into a pissin match with you about it. Lets just get the cars out on the road and see the difference. My little 914 with the little old small block in it againts your 2.4 liter 6 cylinder that only weighs 400 pounds. We could even stop at the scales and weigh the cars to see just where we are at in that department. Then we could get some actual numbers on weight. Since none of us have them currently, we really shouldnt be talking about what is only heresay at this point.

[Aaron Cox]

its settled. type 4 baby (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/lol2.gif)

[MattR]

QUOTE (Aaron Cox @ May 26 2005, 09:34 PM)

its settled. type 4 baby (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/lol2.gif)

nice avatar (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/rolleyes.gif)

[Andyrew]

Having converted mine, I (at first) had problems with it Not being able to stick, and having way to much understeer...

I dont have that problem now...

It will feel amazing when you finally get it to stick.

Just drive it around with 1/16th throttle and it will be a t4... (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif) Thats what I did at the WCC....

Andrew

[MattR]

Everything Im saying comes out of a series of text books. Take it for what its worth.

Im not going to argue a v8 914 handles well enough or anything, thats all driver preference. If you're asking theoretically which one handles better I can help, but I have no hard data to back up my claims.

[Andyrew]

Obviously the 4 will handle better....

But the question is is it noticable enough, or takes away from the handling enough for it to be noticable enough that a v8 is not a "914" or something....


I dont think its enough difference that it takes away from the 914 aspect...

I love going into a corner and powersliding out.. Or not!

Andrew

[BIGKAT_83]

Here is a copy of a thread from the Pors-chev group about engine weight. I know this is a all aluminum LS1 V8 vs a 3.0 six.

I have seen this issue pop up on this forum from time to time well,

I finally got an answer to this myth.

I took the time today to take my 1980 911 3.0 SC engine and 2000 GM LS1
Corvette engine to the scales to weigh them and this is what I found
out:

My fully dressed 1980 3.0 Porsche engine ready to install weighed 472
lbs. Factor in the weight of the oil in the 10 quart oil tank needed to
support the 3.0 engine, then your engine plus oil tank weight jumps up
to 490. 5 lbs. at the rear of thevehicle.

(One gallon of oil is 7.4 lbs. Ten quarts is 2.5 gallons, 2.5 x 7.4 =
18.5lbs.)

My fully dressed 2000 LS1 Corvette engine ready to install with the
engine computer and wire harness, complete exhaust system, engine
mounting brackets, AC compressor, alternator, custom water pump adapter,
transmission adapter plate and flywheel weighed 434 lbs. This is a rear
vehicle weight savings of 56 lbs. over the Porsche 3.0 engine.

I did not weigh the above engines with the transaxle or clutch assembly
bolted to either engine. These parts would be used for both
installations and their weights would obviously cancel.

Just wanted to share this information with you guys.

ToyJet.


Bob (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/huh.gif) (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/huh.gif)