RS2, VW turbo, Pinto engine, Subaru, what would be the best four banger for a 914. I just want to keep it light weight and on pump gas; WHAT SAY YOU?????

Well..

Whats the job you require??
street?
Daily driving?
Gas milage?
autox?
Road race?
Other?

I'd have to say the Subaru would be at or near the top...very light and plenty of power potential........Type IV would be in the top 5 for sure (modified of course)

I would go with a subaru. You get the reliabiliy of a daily driver, and the fun of a high strung engine. If I didn't want to keep it all porsche, then I would definetly go with a subaru WRX motor. those are SWEET!

Uh oh.

Best meaning what? What's the goal? What's the budget?

There are only two 4-banger options I would consider: A type 4, or a Subie.

Rand... Agree with ya there..



but theres also so many great 4 cylander engines..
Honda's vtech's are actually really cool,

Then again, the 944 turbo engine is one HECK of an engine..

Audi A4's are sweet as well... As well as numerous others..


But I wouldnt put anything other than a subaru or a T4 in a 914... A T4 can be built to any specs, and a subaru is an awesome daily driver with lots of power without sacrificing fuel economy or tq.


PS: the T4 is the lightest engine of all the choices mentioned thus far. Keep in mind, it needs no radiator... all the rest do.

Cool answers friends. I guess if my nuts were to shrivel up and had to compincate for my lack of manlyhood, which is not in any lack as of yet, and would like to give all those other rice burners a run for their Yin, Yangs and Wangs.

We 914ers have to rule fellas!

I've been wondering about this. I don't know anything about engine swaps but is a 944 engine possible in a 914?

they are pretty long.

for comparison sake.
a 928 v8 is essentially 2 944 motors siamesed on same crank.
ricks 928 motor required firewall mods....

thus, i will say a 944 motor would also require firewall mods...

Is a 944 engine a bolt on solution or would I need an addaptor plate? Can it also be carbed and camded respectively? The fire wall stuff, thats child's play since I have all the metal working tools at my disposal. I'm welding a permanent role cage in the beast as w e speak!

For sure. There are lots of really nice modern engines.

It takes a lot of engineering and work to put a quality conversion together. If you have time and interest, that's way cool.

When I dream of my future engine, I still flip back and forth between a 2316 and a v8. Still can't make up my mind.

While the type 4 is not a modern design, Jake has proven it's not a problem to get 200 reliable hp. That appeals to me because it bolts in, it's light, and it's the air-cooled 4 that goes with the car.

I love the Subie. I think that's a killer swap. No need to look any farther for a modern reliable high-performance 4. The engineering is already done and good kits are available now. But if I put a radiator in my car it's going to be feeding a v8.

The 944 engine is one of the last engines I'd pick...Milk shakes anyone ?


I love changing timing belts....

My answer goes without saying, but i'll say it anyway.

Subaru. Here's why;

* All aluminium (actually lighter than a type IV)
* Modern EFI stock
* horizontally opposed for low center of mass
* they come in turbo and non-turbo flavors, from 1.8 to 2.5 liters, mild to wild
* Cheap to replace
* Slowly there is becoming a reasonably decent knowledgebase
* reliable, long lived
* good fuel economy (MongrelGT gets 35-37 mpg with his EJ25)
* powerful (EJ25 = 165 HP stock, WRX=227 stock, STI=300 stock)

No its not aircooled, no you can't race in snooty porsche only events, its not made in Germany, etc.

As far as other 4 bangers go, I think length (as mentioned with the 944) will become an issue, since most are used longitudinaly. The 1.8 turbo engine in my wife's Audi TT would be a very nice engine in a 914, but plumbing dual intercoolers and all the extra stuff would be a huge job in itself.


So there's my 2.5 cents.

-Tony

Just to touch on one other suitable engine, built in germany,lots of high perform-

ance parts including turbo, kit available to mount to trans. Yes it's a Pintobean.

Longevity?

Toyota 22R truck motor....

subaru would be my first choice. Looks like a porsche motor which I kinda dig the design. STI motors may be in my the distant future.

my sohc honda motor is putting out around 300hp. very light weight. It can also be replace for around $1500.


I've seen a renault motor with 450hp. It was a 1.3 liter I beleive. Pretty scary.

best option is a raby type 4. followed by the scooby

I was just stating engine's that are great 4 cylander engines.... NOT engines that work great in a 914..

THe 944 turbo would not fit well, and would suck for regular maintenence. (firewall mods aaron?)A new firewall would be required... It fits exactly the same as a 928 engine.

Only 4 cylanders i'd put in a 914 would be the subi's and T4... Like I stated earlyer...

I like the Honda S2000 motor. 326 pounds which works out to .73 hp/lb. But if you are going to put a radiator in the car you would have to put a LS6 in there. 497 pounds which works out to .90 hp/lb

how is a new firewall not a firewall mod? LOL

wasn't there someone doing an Audi or VW 4 conversion? turbo i think.

Hmm, sounds like a Boxster 2.5l has that covered. AND its Porsche, AND it sounds better, AND its more powerful. The fuel economy isnt as good, and I dont know the price, but they're getting cheaper.

interesting point matt.

then you could do PCA events.

i read somewhere that boxster motors required their gauges to be run in another chassis.....

but nothing a new standalone management couldnt fix

but it wont fit between the suspension ears

The suspension ear thing would be tough to get around. I havent tried to fit it.

I know someone that has access to the Bosch ECU equipment to make the gauge problem go away. I think I have his number somewhere...

wont fit between the ears? my god.. how wide is it?

i think silversprint or someone up in norcal is doing a boxster.....

a type 4 must only have about an inch on each side between valve cover and ear...

a six is even less.....

a boxtser even less...

guess im used to over a foot...


The guy with Ugly.. Jason right?
Saw him write the check for that engine... over his shoulder I told him that was a good deal.. then Brad came over and said it was a steal!

way to much $$ for my book though.

Brand name bondo is too much money for your book

I got a new job.

and bondo is the cheap stuff..
btw.. its Plastic Filler...


muahaha, I took autobody repair, and a paint class, top of class for both..

(3.5k is cheep for you?)

I spent more then that on a T4 rebuild.

And who said fast cars are cheap?

If i wanted a cheap car, I'd buy a GTi or Civic. If I wanted a fast car I'd spend money. Its the only way.

Racing is an expensive hobby. I know many many people that are working for dirt for the chance to get behind the wheel. If you're in it to drive, get in line and pay your dues. If you want to tool, there are plenty of shops that will pay you.

Cant agree with you more!

I'll have put 5k into my 914 just this year by the end of the summer..


still have another 3k to go... ( just in parts..)

roflmao.

+1

Fast cars CAN be cheap. That is if you do the work yourself and you are a little creative. I don't think its right to say you have to choose between a Civic/GTi versus a new 911 for instance. If what you want is a brand new consumer product that you can just buy and drive, then sure, that may be the way it is.

The comment about "If you want to tool..." Unless I'm missing something I take it to mean that if you want to work on your own car, don't, because you could go work at a shop and make money doing it.

Are you advocating that we abandon our hobbies and go work for a shop from 7-10 pm a couple nights a week or a Saturday that fits into our schedule when convenient? Or that we shouldn't be racing if we can't afford $250,000 for a professionally built race car?

Further, I doubt there are any shops near me who would pay for me to do wacky projects that I find intersting.

I suppose if you want to be a 'serious' racer (and it is just a sport after all) then your advice is probably right.

Also I dont' get the impression that the original post was with the intention of racing.

The use of the Boxster engine is interesting. If the suspension ear issue weren't a problem it would definitely be more attractive.

-Tony

the 2.5boxster motor is no lightweight motor, it's a heavy sucker for only 200hp...yep, they are cheap, $1500 or so...disposible motors at that price...can one even get parts to rebuild them or not??

width wise, it's about 2" or less wider than the ears for the trailing arms..I think the CoilOnPlug hits on one side and the cover for the cam wheels on the other side

the 944 motor is nothing special at all, look at the hp/trq numbers compared to other engines of it's size..only way to make big HP numbers with a 944 engine is to crank up the boost which of course costs money

One of my rear suspension relocation kits could be used to solve the Boxster engine wiodth issue.

What's nice about the Subies is that you can fit the whole engine, radiator and all, in the hell hole. (Non-turbo models only) With the Boxster engine, you'll be plumbing the radiator, probably up front like the Chevy guys do.

Now this, along with the idea of standalone injection to take advantage of VarioCam and more or even PMO's hints of doing carbs for the water-cooled motors (all they'd need is new manifolds -- but then who would buy them is another story) could make for a very, very trick car.

Especially since the 3.2S, 3.4Cayman/Early 996, 3.6 996/997, and 3.8S engines would then be an option.

Wow, a 2.5 liter Boxster motor in a 914 with carbs....

Wow, an X51 3.8 liter with Motec in a 914...

Now, did I mention how sweet these motors are through the rev range? And how fast they are in a heavy new car? R&T's 3.7-second 0-60 time in a 3200-lb 997S may have been an anomoly, but it was no misprint.

Then again, it would NOT be a cheap project. But I'd rather have 380 horses from a wasser 3.8 then 320-350 from an air-cooled hotrod.

Sure is fun to dream...

So many options; this truely is a dreamer's thread. Once this 71 I'm working on is drivable and looking good, I will get another one to and and . Nice info brethern. Don't stop dreaming!

Yeah Tony, I was talking about a "serious" racer. Someone who builds a car for a class with a rulebook in hand. Thats racing. PCA auto crosses, time trials, spirited street driving, etc. all merit faster cars then a civic or a GTi, but I agree, that can be done on a budget. Racing, though, where you have competition and you win points and race in a season is very expensive. All I'm saying is if you want to be involved in racing (and not just driving fast), there are ways to get in if you're not in it for the driving.

If you're going to dream, dream big. The GT3 motor is a HUGE improvement over the wet sump 996/997 motor. And run Bosch 3.1... its the shizzle.