I need the Cliff's Notes version of 944 shopping

I'm going to look at a non-running 944 in a snowstorm tomorrow. Other than an intact timing belt (which would be replaced immediately) what else do I need to look for?

Maintenance records? Non-running why? Tough to turn motor over to check for intact timing belt.

Obvious: Check dipstick for oil, milkshake. Oil coolers are known to leak internally and bye, bye main bearings. Check shifter, does trans slide into gear or does shifter feel like stirring a bowl of oatmeal? Go to the 944 on line forum, good checklists there, good info too.

http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/articles/porsche-944-profile/ This should get you started.

Non-running 944's are beyond my comfort zone. The hard repair, expensive stuff is the timing belt/water pump and the clutch. Neither terribly easy to gauge if it's not running. Good luck!

Cliffs Notes: Pass

Bear in mind that this may eventually be a V8 swap candidate.

Bring a printout of the option codes and check the car's sticker under the hatch carpet. M030 is Sport Suspension, M456 is the LSD. There are many other desirable ones.

Javelin wrote: Bring a printout of the option codes and check the car's sticker under the hatch carpet. M030 is Sport Suspension, M456 is the LSD. There are many other desirable ones.

Good info, thanks!

I came in here to say LSx, but it sounds like you have that in mind already

Not initially, but yeah, that's kind of what I'm thinking.

There's 3 or 4 different suspension packages, IIRC. The M030 is the only one anyone ever talks about, but there was also an upgraded standard (non-adjustable) shocks with the M030 swaybars (that's what mine had), just a F&R swaybar one, and maybe one other. The M373/M383 Sport Seats are superb. The LSD totally made the car though, especially for AX work. Might not be an issue for you (most V8 swaps go 951 LSD transaxle anyway).

Keep in mind the 85- ones all have the older 924 interior and steel suspension. The 85.5 & 86 have the aluminum suspension, but in the earlier geometry, so you can run Fuchs. The 87+ have the revised geometry to the now standard Porsche FWD style offset (so you can bolt Turbo Twists, etc, up to it). The later interior is much nicer, especially the HVAC functionality.

I thought it was the 83-8.5 cars that could run Fuchs?

I can confirm that Fuchs work on a 1986 944 Turbo, check my rides...

If you are looking at a v8 swap, you may want to give the 944 a pass. The suspension on your run of the mill 944 isn't that good. The brakes are worthless for a V8 swapped car. The 944 Turbo has good brakes that you won't need to change. Odds are better for the option code 220 which is a LSD. A decent LSD trans for a 944turbo isn't cheap, neither are the brakes. There is no shortage of 944 Turbo donor cars with a skipped timing belt.

Cliffs Notes:
944 = Cool
944 S = Cooler
944 Turbo = Awesome
944 Turbo S = More Awesome

All 944 s have the same offset from 83-86. 87 was the first year of the modern offset.

Check for a wet passenger floorboard, the battery trays like to leak and are annoying to fix, but not the end of the world if you can catch it early enough. Sunroof drains plug up and can cause water on the seats/rear carpet.

Power steering leaks are common and not a deal breaker, just another PITA to repair properly, luckily both the pump and the rack can be rebuilt with fairly cheap kits, the lines and reservoir aren't too bad to replace. The reservoir has a built-in filter that can't be replaced without replacing the reservoir, which is a $15 piece.

Lots of upgrades abound, whether DIY or from many different vendors. However it is best to get the car, drive it for a bit and decide what you'd like to improve before going crazy buying parts. the 87+ cars are a bit heavier, but have nicer interiors and a more common wheel offset.

The stock brakes are more than adequate when equipped with good pads, fluid and hoses. Turbo brakes aren't as good as everybody thinks, but they look good. The DIY V8 swap guys have figured out a swap using Lexus LS430 front calipers and RX7 rear calipers that are bigger, stronger and cheaper than the 928 GTS brakes that the Turbo S came with and even then that is severe overkill.

Check out the build thread on my 944 Turbo S to get an idea of what sort of work one can expect on a deferred maintenance car.

I have no idea how to properly buy one (I had a very poor experience with one back in the 90s that I never did get moving) but my neighbor has the nicest S2 I've ever seen and it is a freakin' blast to unleash on the infield at Pocono. I'm not sure an LS is an improvement on that particular motor.

I have avoided these cars because of the difficulty to change things like clutches... but due to my "lift vs milling machine" thread voting results that won't be an issue after March.

Watching this thread with interest.

Clutches aren't that bad, really. Everybody makes a big deal about them, but they are about the same as a normal RWD car with just a very, very long transmission.

http://www.clarks-garage.com/shop-manual/clutch-01.htm

Many of the more experienced guys pull the motor instead since its a good idea to refresh some seals, belts, hoses, check bearings, etc. while you're at it. If you make friends with Spec944 or any 944 racer, you can learn some tips and tricks to make maintenance like that much easier.

False alarm. The car was awful.

Bummer. So many of them end up that due to neglect. Luckily Porsche made a bunch of them!

How do you feel about the 924S? Its an early 944 in a slinky dress:

http://hartford.craigslist.org/cto/4297087704.html

There's a couple of 944's on CL:

http://hartford.craigslist.org/cto/4327997544.html

http://hartford.craigslist.org/cto/4290106553.html

http://hartford.craigslist.org/cto/4321890587.html

http://hartford.craigslist.org/cto/4270326787.html

http://westernmass.craigslist.org/cto/4320046831.html

I do like the 924S and that may be the nicest one I've seen since the 80's.

I'm not actively searching for a car, I just thought I had stumbled upon a local deal. Unfortunately, the mice had stumbled upon it first.

http://newhaven.craigslist.org/cto/4337019102.html

In reply to Woody:

Yeah, I skipped that one since it looked pretty rough. Looks like a good donor for a major project, since the early chassis are lighter by a few hundred pounds, but you'd need a newer donor to get a running rig out of it. Dang. Oh well, keep searching!

The body was very straight and had original paint. There were more nuts and acorns under the hood than I've ever seen in the woods. The dash looked as if it was made of 30 year old saltines and the rest of the interior wasn't much better. I looked at the build tag in the trunk and the only options were rear wiper, wheel locks and alarm.

pinchvalve wrote: Cliffs Notes: 944 = Cool 944 S = Cooler 944 Turbo = Awesome 944 Turbo S = More Awesome

Add to that the 944S2. In my book the car to have.

dean1484 wrote:

pinchvalve wrote: Cliffs Notes: 944 = Cool 944 S = Cooler 944 Turbo = Awesome 944 Turbo S = More Awesome

Add to that the 944S2. In my book the car to have.

The 944S, IMHO, is not a cool car.

It has all of the added hassle of a twin cam with none of the added power. It's gutless down low, and you have to rev the crap out of them to go anywhere.

The S2, however, is a brute. Love that car.

Turbos are fun, but an S2 is funner.