sloww 944

[Dunc2047]

Hi all
Ive just got my first porsche 944 and it feels very slow at pulling away not much power unless you rev it very hard could it be a mixture problem,
and ive just notices that there is no air filter in the air intake box :-(.
Any clues or thingds i could try cheers

 

[robwright]

What engine do you have mate? Don't forget the 944 has what is called a very square engine. Minimum 2.5 litres but only 4 cylinders. The S2 is 3 litres!!! Even the turbo is slow off the mark until boost kicks in then it's a different ball game. Don't forget that it is 20 years old and isn't exactly a rocket ship by today's standards.

 

[pauljmcnulty]

Ive just got my first porsche 944 and it feels very slow at pulling away not much power unless you rev it very hard could it be a mixture problem,

Need to know more. Is it a sixteen valve engine? Does it have the earlier bodywork without the later Turbo and S2 spoiler on the back and "bluff" front end? Could be a 944S, in which case that's the character of the engine.

 

[Diver944]

ORIGINAL: Dunc2047

Hi all
Ive just got my first porsche 944 and it feels very slow at pulling away not much power

Compared with what? All the other 944s you tested before buying this one, or compared with your previous car?

I'd get an air filter in there before you drive it again or you risk bits of dust or grit getting into the engine and scoring the bores which will kill your compression and leave you with an engine very down on power []

 

[deafasapost]

i took mine out for the first time last night for about 5 mins (twas pi55ing down!) and i went easy with the laughter pedal and thought at low revs (i'm talking 1200-1500 rpm btw), it seemed slow, esp for 200 odd hp and 3 litres. i took it on a nat speed limit lane which has a good straight for a little bit and gave it a bit more revs and gas. it aint slow!!

compared to my turbo diesel c4 citroen, it hasnt the torque low down the rev range but it makes up for it and more past 3.5-4k revs. tomorrow is dry and i'll be taking it to work, so i'll have a better idea tomorrow.

 

[pauljmcnulty]

took mine out for the first time last night for about 5 mins (twas pi55ing down!) and i went easy with the laughter pedal and thought at low revs (i'm talking 1200-1500 rpm btw), it seemed slow, esp for 200 odd hp and 3 litres. i took it on a nat speed limit lane which has a good straight for a little bit and gave it a bit more revs and gas. it aint slow!!

At the risk of hijacking the new guy's thread...sorry, we do this a lot! [][]

The S2 benefits from a chip, it smooths out the power curve. I don't know if mine is chipped, but there isn't any real difference as you hit higher revs. It's power all the way. UK luxes have an oval throttle cam, an ecnomy thing for the US market. This is easily changed to a rapid-response alternative, Porscheshop fit them at their open days for a very good price if you don't DIY.

Most 944s really benefit from a good service. How many times have we seen picture of rotor arms and dizzy caps that look so bad the car shouldn't run at all? Fuel filters are often not changed, leads are usually original. Tyre pressures make a huge difference to the handling, let alone a decent 4-wheel alignment or suspension overhaul.

 

[Dunc2047]

Hi all
My 944 is a 1992-3 on a x reg its a 944 lux think it must be an 8 valve from cold its much better then when warm just seams under powered but does go well when i get over 3000 revs, Think i might go a drive another 944 just to compare tho it just might me want to much out of an old car.
I have noticed then once the car as warmed up it does have a miss fire when you accelerate when you try to push the car..
Any advice is very welcome..
Cheers

 

[robwright]

Just to reiterate what has already been said I would start with a bloody good service. Air, oil and fuel filter plus plugs and a good glug of fresh oil. After that I would start looking at the leads, which have probably never been changed (leads can break down with heat) and the dizzy cap and rotor arm, which may probably still be original. I have a feeling that may just solve your warm misfire.

 

[Highwayman]

I'd agree with Rob. I've had my 944 S2 for a few weeks now, and it has really benefited from a bit of TLC in the ignition department (plugs, leads, dizzy cap and rotor arm). It's definitely improved, with a much smoother tickover and quicker throttle response .

I'm planning on a new air filter tomorrow (oil & filter done by previous owner) and then fuel filter and ultrasonic injector clean over the coming weeks. Then I'll have to give one of these chips a try, as they sound like they provide a worthwhile improvement once the basics are sorted [8D].

Phil

 

[alwigley]

All the power on my 2.5na is high end, from 3,000rpm upwards - she had a full rebuild some 10k ago, and feels slow compared to my Galaxy TDi at low revs, but get the revs up and she takes off. I reckon it makes for pretty comfortable driving around town, but gives plently of welly for getting past tractors on the backroads to work.......

Get an air filter in there ASAP []

 

[Mike_Pollock]

Hi and welcome
Ive an '83 and as above.
Also remember it should run on 98 or better fuel - Shell 99 works for me.
My experience would be airfilter dizzy and rotor arm. That should be a good start.
If the throttle cam has lever on it, swap it for a round one. This is the throttleresponse cam mentioned.
Where are you - there's probably someone local who can help.
I m in Leicester phone no below.
Enjoy a different motoring experience!
Cheers
Mike

 

[GlennS]

We need to be realistic about our performance expectations of these cars. An early 2.5L na Lux would have produced, when new, power levels now exceeded by current generation "warm" hatches. They weren't rocket ships by the standard of the day and they're certainly not by today's standards. Of course, they can still probably show most of the hot hatch brigade a clean pair of heels round the corners, but in a traffic-light drag race they're going to come off second best.

Leaving aside some fiddled turbos, none of the stock 944s are THAT quick. That's not really the point of them, at least to me. They're an attractively shaped classic which is relatively easy to live with, handles well and is "fast enough" to have fun in. If I'd wanted ultimate performance for my money, it would have been better spent elsewhere.

Dunc2047's one does seem to be in need of some tender loving care. It would be hard to argue that a previous owner, who omitted to do the basics like fitting an air filter, gave the car the attention it deserves. A bit of sympathetic fettling might encourage some of his stray ponies to return to the herd but my basic advice would be not to set the performance expectations too high and to enjoy the car for what it is; a superb piece of 80's automotive design that's still a pleasure to drive and be seen in today.

 

[Hilux]

Leaving aside some fiddled turbos, none of the stock 944s are THAT quick.

`scuse me?

Forget 0-60, thats for willy wavers and 17 year olds....................instead look at the 30mph incremental times on a standard turbo!

Having said that, the 944T standard 0-60 is still very impressive for its time.

Miss mine..........[&:]

 

[sawood12]

I agree with Hilux. When I had mine there were not many cars, if any, that left me for dead above about 30mph, adn i'm talking some pretty nice machinery too. I even enjoyed hanging onto the coat tails of some pretty speedy motorbikes on twisty country roads. The only car that left mine looking average was a 996TT.

 

[deafasapost]

to hijack the thread again []

i took mine out properly for the first time today, i think the accelerator pedal with being heavier than i'm used to makes the car seem slower, but, it aint, no sireeeee []

it shifts enough and is more than enough on the power front on these roads.

a few years back, i had a minster engined rover, and that was very quick, but the chassis and brakes weren't upto the power, and neither was the front wheel drive. the 944 is a lovely car, built like a tank and is so planted.

after being in the 944 today i got into my C4 and it felt light, flimsy and like a 4wd!! funny isnt it how you get used to something and then climb into something else you've been familiar with and it feels alien. ahhh, cant wait til the morrow to clean and polish her, it sure does need it!! [] [] []

 

[mr brightside]

My 924S is slow from a standing start but once i'm in second gear it's off. An important thing to remember about our cars is that the aerodynamics are so much better than most other hot hatches new or old and i don't get any loss of accelleration going from 4th to 5th, but for this effect to be had you need to be moving. It starts to lose the battle at around 120 and although i know it'll exceed the stated top speed of 135 the needle is really creeping and 133 is the most i've had before running out of road. All things considered 3rd and 4th are the most impressive gears for a 944 Lux or 924S and anything below that will make it seem flat.

I'd take the lads' advice about your filter and HT components, you have to start at the bottom and work up.

 

[Hilux]

Its all about mapping or tuning the engine properly. Torque is a function of power, without it nothing will move and the more you have the more useable power is available. A flat torque curve gives useful power acros the rev range and through the gears, a peaky one means you need to get to those revs to appreciate the torque. The latest VVT cars mean you have to thrash them to get useful performance but the old 944T slogs along provided you keep it on boost which isnt hard.

A 944T in standard trim (with a good torque curve - a lot have very odd torque curves - see Rick`s site!) will beat a Fezza 360, Carrera 2/4S, M3 etc etc etc through the gears when up and running believe me. Also the 944T is light in comparison to modern cars eg: the latest Golf Gti is no quicker than the original!