944 question

So I've been searching for a 944 turbo trans for some time. I want an LSD-equipped trans, don't care a lot about the cooler. They are a little hard to find, and carry a princely price when they do show up. I found a 944 turbo trans, open diff, but with trans cooler for less than $450. My question is, how hard is it to find a limited slip to put in it, and will I be ahead of the game money-wise if I do it this way?
Being a German car, will I need special tools to install it?

You're much better off finding one with a LSD already. Contact LART on Rennlist, he's always parting out 951's...

Where are you located? There's a guy in Holderness, NH that has several lsd/non- cooled trans's hanging around for the local 944 crowd. I can pass an email along if you'd like...?

I think I paid $550 for mine way back when in like 2010.

I've got a turbo trans I'll sell you for much cheaper than that ($250). I pulled it because the syncro's are pretty worn and because I had an S2 trans (better gearing for a 951) to put in it. Syncro's and bearings are fairly cheap (even on Pelican parts) and I was thinking of refreshing this one and putting it up for sale, but if you need a core to work on, I'll help a brother out.

If you've refreshed a 5-speed before you shouldn't have too much issue as the "special tools" can be fabricated if need be.

BTW, the factory cooler is a joke and like the Turbo brakes, adjustable suspension pieces, etc is only there for homologation purposes (or to get people to pay more for the cars) as most serious racers replace the useless pump and cooler with a proper one under various sanctioning body rule loopholes. Go ahead and buy yourself a differential cooling pump, thermostat and cooler. When you have it apart just drill the case for the fittings and get on with life. Here's an idea: http://www.gt40s.com/forum/gt40-tech-powertrain-transaxles/26642-audi-016-oil-cooler.html

As for installing the limited slip. There's a couple of choices:

1) Factory limited slip, grab any 924/944 016 transaxle with one in it, refresh it and install. Parts are listed on the PET catalog and aren't too bad to buy.

2) Guards Limited slip, not cheap but would be brand new and ready to install. http://www.guardtransmissionllc.com/products/limited-slip-differentials/

3) Audi V8 Torsen from the rear of the Audi V8 Quattro Sedans, cheapest solution, more well suited for the street, requires machining one side of the diff down to fit the bearings in the 016 case. http://www.924board.org/viewtopic.php?t=23820

As for installing whichever choice you go with, there's a really good write-up/walkthrough here:

http://rennlist.com/forums/944-turbo-and-turbo-s-forum/686949-944-transmission-walkthrough-image-heavy.html

The gist of it was that basically you have to disassemble the case to remove and install the differential and you get to do this several times to set the preload on the carrier bearings and if you change the final drive, you'll have to set the pinion depth as well.

As for other things to do while you have it apart? I'd look into adding a stiffening plate to the rear of the transaxle:

http://www.gt40s.com/forum/gt40-tech-powertrain-transaxles/23387-audi-016-reinforcement-plate.html

http://stweb.peelschools.org/sssweb/TTI-WEB/cars/pictures/AudiTransaxleUpgradeStepbyStep/index.html

You can buy the plate here: http://www.texasperformanceconcepts.com/Conversion-parts.html

Hope this helps!

In reply to turboswede:

Great info turbo swede thanks for sharing. Have a couple 944's right now. Trying to make 2 turds into one that is slightly better than turd.

Dang TurboSweed, you're on the wrong side if the country from me, I'm in MI. Dang! I do appreciate the info for sure.
Do you know how much it weighs? I'm curious if I can even consider having one shipped.

docwyte wrote: You're much better off finding one with a LSD already. Contact LART on Rennlist, he's always parting out 951's...

Will do. Thanks.

golfduke wrote: Where are you located? There's a guy in Holderness, NH that has several lsd/non- cooled trans's hanging around for the local 944 crowd. I can pass an email along if you'd like...? I think I paid $550 for mine way back when in like 2010.

Yeah, that'd be great. I'm hoping to find one within a few hundred miles of me (in MI) because I'm afraid shipping will make me cry. But I have a feeling this guy will know a thing or two about shipping them.

DrBoost wrote: Dang TurboSweed, you're on the wrong side if the country from me, I'm in MI. Dang! I do appreciate the info for sure. Do you know how much it weighs? I'm curious if I can even consider having one shipped.

I actually bought my S2 from a guy on Pelican and had it shipped. It wasn't that bad via FedEx from what I remember given the price I paid for it. Let me look and see what it cost to ship it and where it came from.

That would be VERY much appreciated. I'm going to price syncros, is there a number on the trans I need? Sorry to be such a leech, I just dont know a heck of a lot about this stuff...yet.

I thought you were going to JB weld an AX5 to a Dana 35 and call it done?

logdog wrote: I thought you were going to JB weld an AX5 to a Dana 35 and call it done?

No, an AX-15. This is going behind an LS1 you idiot!

Seriously? I did this already once :p

DrBoost wrote:

logdog wrote: I thought you were going to JB weld an AX5 to a Dana 35 and call it done?

No, an AX-15. This is going behind an LS1 you idiot!

siek77@yahoo.com is his email. His name is Ben. It's been ~4 years since I last contacted him as I've been out of the 944 game a while, but he had a VERY extensive parts inventory back then.

This is your answer though!

Here's mine...